~Into Thine Inheritance~
"Yellow?"
"Yes, toron nin, bright yellow." Arwen explained patiently. "Ada said it was because they wanted Glorfindel's hair to match."
"I can't believe that Ada would do something like that." Elladan said in a awed tone.
"I think it was mostly Elros." Arwen said. "He so rarely speaks of him. I've never heard Ada mention him and smile."
"He's afraid of the Doom."
The siblings were silent for a time, but time is next to meaningless in the haven their father had created in Imladris. One can mourn and rejoice forever, and only the timbre of a sigh indicates which of the two it is. Most elves spent their days in reflection. Elrohir was however not most elves and his attention soon wandered.
"But he wouldn't tell you how?"
"No." Arwen said ruefully. "But if you need my help, I'd be more than happy to oblige. After Lórien, I was feeling quite spent and now I am rather refreshed."
"Well, Glorfindel might lend you the horse for an afternoon ride, and then we could ambush you. . ." Elrohir began.
"Never in an age would Glorfindel let another being touch that horse, unless it was someone much, much smaller than he and that being was in imminent danger." Elladan said adamantly.
"You know," Elrohir said reflectively. "It's probably Ada's fault he's so touchy about his horses."
Arwen giggled. "You could always sneak into the stables in the middle of the night."
"I think we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves." Elladan pointed out practically. "We need dye before we can dye the horse."
"Well that is easily taken care of." Arwen said calmly.
"And how, dear onómë do you propose that we get a vat of dye large enough for a horse?"
"Well, you did ruin my new dress this morning, and Ada did say I get to choose your punishment." Arwen pointed out. "What if I were to insist that you help me dye some of that new white cloth I brought with me the colour of yellow that is so favoured by the maidens of Lórien? I would make a dress for myself, naturally, and possibly one for mother as well, it would help to keep her from being so homesick for the Golden Wood. And there are always tunics and such to make. All that would take a fair amount of dye, and you two would have to procure large buckets to carry it in, and the stables are conveniently located between the river and the dye room after all."
Her brothers regarded her with matching expressions of admiration, tinged with horror.
"I think we've created a monster, toron nin."
"I learned from the best."
* * * * * *
"Good morning my sons." Lord Elrond greeted his oft errant offspring. He looked closely at them. "You have not dressed so alike in years."
Elrohir covered a snort by creatively choking on his oatmeal.
"Arwen has told us that we must help her with some dye this morning." Elladan said smoothly, "These are old clothes and will not be much marred by the dye."
"A logical precaution." Elrond said, turning his attention back to his breakfast, "I had forgotten how closely you resemble each other. It is exceptionally difficult to distinguish between you."
Elrond was pouring himself a drink and thus missed the look which passed between the twins.
"Well father, I hear Arwen has quite the day planned for us." Elladan said. "Please excuse us."
"Of course my sons." Elrond watched them leave, and then murmured, "Do not do anything I would not do."
* * * * * *
As far as it went, The Plan came off exceedingly well. Arwen had laced a set of buckets with dye so that as soon as the water was added it would be coloured. These Elladan had secreted in the stables yesterday. Arwen had dismissed her handmaids, save for one whom she completely trusted. The brothers came to the dye room for the second set of buckets as soon as Glorfindel left for his morning walk, and headed for the river.
Elrohir, having lost a marksmanship contest to his brother, was responsible for carrying the water from the river to the dye room, with a brief stop at the stables. There, Elladan would take a quarter of the water out of each bucket, and put it into the dyed buckets. Elrohir would continue on his way, pretending to be Elladan every other trip, so that it appeared both twins were fully occupied. In actuality, Elladan was in the stable alternating between mixing the dye and keeping the horse quiet with chunks of apple.
After about two hours, the dye was ready, the horse was docile, and Elrohir was completely worn out.
"Toron," Elrohir gasped. "Next time I have a brilliant idea, we will not shoot arrows to see who has to do the work."
"It was hardly your idea." Elladan pointed out. "And if you would practice, then maybe you would not so often lose."
Elrohir muttered something just below Elladan's range of hearing, but which sounded suspiciously like "too much spare time". Elladan laughed, and the twins set to work decorating the horse. It took but a few moments, during which time Elrohir filled his twin in on what he and "Elladan" had done that morning.
"Glorfindel actually stopped me four times trying to figure out which one I was." Elrohir reported gleefully. "I told him your name twice, to keep him on edge. He knows we're up to something, but he thinks we were both occupied all morning. Just when he was becoming too curious, Ada called him up to the terrace and the two of them have been chatching up there ever since."
"Perfect!" said Elladan. "Now come, we must make one more trip to the river and return the buckets to Arwen."
As Elladan spoke, he mussed his hair and clothes until it approximated those of his twin in appearance. The brothers picked up their buckets, and set out for one last trip to the river.
* * * * * *
Lord Glorfindel had a certain way of doing things. It had varied only slightly over the centuries and, unbeknownst to the elf, left him a prime target for mischief. After the twins' grueling morning, they spent the rest of the day relaxing, albeit rather loudly, in the general vicinity of the Elven Lord. So it was that when Glorfindel made his way to the stables for his evening ride, he felt assured that the situation was well in hand.
It was not often that the ethereal silence of Imladris was pierced by much more than lark-song. That night, it was shattered by a roar from the stables that made even the twins jump, and they had been expecting it all day.
Up the path in a glorious rage strode the Balrog Slayer. The twins and Arwen, observing from the balcony of Arwen's bower, feigned shock and surprise while straining to hear what Glorfindel was saying. He raged underneath their balcony, and headed straight for their father's study all the while shouting words that they were not supposed to know.
"Come on!" whispered Arwen. "We'll miss the show."
Giggling silently, the three made their way to a place long held secret between them where they could observe their father unseen and unheard. It was a tight fit, as all of them had grown since they'd last used it, but they managed nonetheless. They were settled in by the time Glorfindel burst into Lord Elrond's study.
"Elrond! Your impudent sons have struck again!" he raged.
"My Lord Glorfindel," Elrond said in infinitely calmer tones. "You have been with my sons all day. Surely you have monitored their actions."
"I don't know how they've done it, only that they have. My horse has been dyed yellow. Again! And you, my Lord Elrond, helped them to do it!
"My lord, I. . ."
"Do not be coy, my lord. My memory of the day you and your blessed brother saw fit to colour my horse is clear."
"Glorfindel, I swear upon Elros himself, I did not tell my sons of that prank."
Glorfindel stopped pacing, gathered himself, and sat down with the grace befitting his lordly status.
"I believe you, my lord." he said much more calmly. "But if you did not help the twins, who else could it be? Arwen?
Glorfindel laughed at his own unlikely scenario. Elrond did not flinch.
"Glorfindel," Elrond said reasonably, "The twins spent the morning hauling water for their sister, and the afternoon in the gardens. You saw them both yourself. But come, you and I will share a drink of wine and then go and examine the horse and see what we may do."
As Glorfindel nodded his acquiescence, Arwen elbowed her brothers, and gestured for them to follow her. She led them to the stable, where her handmaid waited with water and brushes. Arwen sent the maid to keep lookout while the children of Elrond quickly washed the horse. When it stood again gleaming white, Arwen gave him some sugar, and the siblings left the stables in search of a well earned dinner.
* * * * * *
"He was yellow." Glorfindel said sounding defeated. "He was bright yellow."
"My lord, maybe it was just the light."
Glorfindel looked hard at Elrond, but the younger Elven Lord was unruffled.
"I suppose. But those boys. . ."
"I will speak with them tonight." Elrond reassured him. "I will order them to cease whatever it is they are plotting at, or I will send them to Lórien."
At that, Glorfindel laughed out loud.
"Imagine what havoc those two would wreak upon the Golden Wood!"
* * * * * *
Elrohir, Elladan and Arwen dined with their father that evening. It was a lively meal, as only four people who dearly love each other and have not eaten together in decades can have.
"I was quite impressed with your work, my daughter," Elrond said as they started dessert. "It was not until I had reflected upon our conversation that I realized how cleverly I had been led."
"Thank you, Ada," said Arwen, a faint blush colouring her cheeks.
"All in all it was an excellent collaboration," Elladan said. "But Ada, how did you know we could hear you?"
"You would not have gone to such extreme lengths only to miss the reaction." Elrond said. "I merely surmised that you would be somehow observing and offered my clandestine suggestion accordingly."
"What happened to you and Elros Ada?" Elrohir asked with considerably more tact than usual. "All those years ago I mean."
"Well, Glorfindel went to Gil-galad, and voiced his complaint." Elrond smiled with the memory. "Gil-galad laughed and told him that everyone had been young once with a penchant for mischief. And that he would punish us himself."
"Ada, what did the King make you do?" Elladan asked in an awed tone.
"Nothing." Said Elrond, his eyes glinting in joy and sorrow for those passed, "Whose idea do you think it was in the first place?"
* * * * * *
Lord Glorfindel rode into Imladris on a gleaming white horse. All around him was the song of the falls, of nightingales and of the stars. In a rippling counterpoint to all three, there floated down from Lord Elrond's study the sound of Elven laughter, scarce heard these days in Middle Earth. As Glorfindel dismounted, he smiled up at the balcony. These Peredhil were a bane, and burden and an endless source of joy.
It kept life interesting.
* * * * * *
AN: In regards to language, toron and onómë are Quenya, and Ada is Sindarin. This is simply because I like Ada better than Atar, the Quenyan word for father.
Also, I really had to use some form of the word "acquiesce" for reasons that will make sense to a few people and not to most, but which are really quite funny. Trust me.
"Yellow?"
"Yes, toron nin, bright yellow." Arwen explained patiently. "Ada said it was because they wanted Glorfindel's hair to match."
"I can't believe that Ada would do something like that." Elladan said in a awed tone.
"I think it was mostly Elros." Arwen said. "He so rarely speaks of him. I've never heard Ada mention him and smile."
"He's afraid of the Doom."
The siblings were silent for a time, but time is next to meaningless in the haven their father had created in Imladris. One can mourn and rejoice forever, and only the timbre of a sigh indicates which of the two it is. Most elves spent their days in reflection. Elrohir was however not most elves and his attention soon wandered.
"But he wouldn't tell you how?"
"No." Arwen said ruefully. "But if you need my help, I'd be more than happy to oblige. After Lórien, I was feeling quite spent and now I am rather refreshed."
"Well, Glorfindel might lend you the horse for an afternoon ride, and then we could ambush you. . ." Elrohir began.
"Never in an age would Glorfindel let another being touch that horse, unless it was someone much, much smaller than he and that being was in imminent danger." Elladan said adamantly.
"You know," Elrohir said reflectively. "It's probably Ada's fault he's so touchy about his horses."
Arwen giggled. "You could always sneak into the stables in the middle of the night."
"I think we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves." Elladan pointed out practically. "We need dye before we can dye the horse."
"Well that is easily taken care of." Arwen said calmly.
"And how, dear onómë do you propose that we get a vat of dye large enough for a horse?"
"Well, you did ruin my new dress this morning, and Ada did say I get to choose your punishment." Arwen pointed out. "What if I were to insist that you help me dye some of that new white cloth I brought with me the colour of yellow that is so favoured by the maidens of Lórien? I would make a dress for myself, naturally, and possibly one for mother as well, it would help to keep her from being so homesick for the Golden Wood. And there are always tunics and such to make. All that would take a fair amount of dye, and you two would have to procure large buckets to carry it in, and the stables are conveniently located between the river and the dye room after all."
Her brothers regarded her with matching expressions of admiration, tinged with horror.
"I think we've created a monster, toron nin."
"I learned from the best."
* * * * * *
"Good morning my sons." Lord Elrond greeted his oft errant offspring. He looked closely at them. "You have not dressed so alike in years."
Elrohir covered a snort by creatively choking on his oatmeal.
"Arwen has told us that we must help her with some dye this morning." Elladan said smoothly, "These are old clothes and will not be much marred by the dye."
"A logical precaution." Elrond said, turning his attention back to his breakfast, "I had forgotten how closely you resemble each other. It is exceptionally difficult to distinguish between you."
Elrond was pouring himself a drink and thus missed the look which passed between the twins.
"Well father, I hear Arwen has quite the day planned for us." Elladan said. "Please excuse us."
"Of course my sons." Elrond watched them leave, and then murmured, "Do not do anything I would not do."
* * * * * *
As far as it went, The Plan came off exceedingly well. Arwen had laced a set of buckets with dye so that as soon as the water was added it would be coloured. These Elladan had secreted in the stables yesterday. Arwen had dismissed her handmaids, save for one whom she completely trusted. The brothers came to the dye room for the second set of buckets as soon as Glorfindel left for his morning walk, and headed for the river.
Elrohir, having lost a marksmanship contest to his brother, was responsible for carrying the water from the river to the dye room, with a brief stop at the stables. There, Elladan would take a quarter of the water out of each bucket, and put it into the dyed buckets. Elrohir would continue on his way, pretending to be Elladan every other trip, so that it appeared both twins were fully occupied. In actuality, Elladan was in the stable alternating between mixing the dye and keeping the horse quiet with chunks of apple.
After about two hours, the dye was ready, the horse was docile, and Elrohir was completely worn out.
"Toron," Elrohir gasped. "Next time I have a brilliant idea, we will not shoot arrows to see who has to do the work."
"It was hardly your idea." Elladan pointed out. "And if you would practice, then maybe you would not so often lose."
Elrohir muttered something just below Elladan's range of hearing, but which sounded suspiciously like "too much spare time". Elladan laughed, and the twins set to work decorating the horse. It took but a few moments, during which time Elrohir filled his twin in on what he and "Elladan" had done that morning.
"Glorfindel actually stopped me four times trying to figure out which one I was." Elrohir reported gleefully. "I told him your name twice, to keep him on edge. He knows we're up to something, but he thinks we were both occupied all morning. Just when he was becoming too curious, Ada called him up to the terrace and the two of them have been chatching up there ever since."
"Perfect!" said Elladan. "Now come, we must make one more trip to the river and return the buckets to Arwen."
As Elladan spoke, he mussed his hair and clothes until it approximated those of his twin in appearance. The brothers picked up their buckets, and set out for one last trip to the river.
* * * * * *
Lord Glorfindel had a certain way of doing things. It had varied only slightly over the centuries and, unbeknownst to the elf, left him a prime target for mischief. After the twins' grueling morning, they spent the rest of the day relaxing, albeit rather loudly, in the general vicinity of the Elven Lord. So it was that when Glorfindel made his way to the stables for his evening ride, he felt assured that the situation was well in hand.
It was not often that the ethereal silence of Imladris was pierced by much more than lark-song. That night, it was shattered by a roar from the stables that made even the twins jump, and they had been expecting it all day.
Up the path in a glorious rage strode the Balrog Slayer. The twins and Arwen, observing from the balcony of Arwen's bower, feigned shock and surprise while straining to hear what Glorfindel was saying. He raged underneath their balcony, and headed straight for their father's study all the while shouting words that they were not supposed to know.
"Come on!" whispered Arwen. "We'll miss the show."
Giggling silently, the three made their way to a place long held secret between them where they could observe their father unseen and unheard. It was a tight fit, as all of them had grown since they'd last used it, but they managed nonetheless. They were settled in by the time Glorfindel burst into Lord Elrond's study.
"Elrond! Your impudent sons have struck again!" he raged.
"My Lord Glorfindel," Elrond said in infinitely calmer tones. "You have been with my sons all day. Surely you have monitored their actions."
"I don't know how they've done it, only that they have. My horse has been dyed yellow. Again! And you, my Lord Elrond, helped them to do it!
"My lord, I. . ."
"Do not be coy, my lord. My memory of the day you and your blessed brother saw fit to colour my horse is clear."
"Glorfindel, I swear upon Elros himself, I did not tell my sons of that prank."
Glorfindel stopped pacing, gathered himself, and sat down with the grace befitting his lordly status.
"I believe you, my lord." he said much more calmly. "But if you did not help the twins, who else could it be? Arwen?
Glorfindel laughed at his own unlikely scenario. Elrond did not flinch.
"Glorfindel," Elrond said reasonably, "The twins spent the morning hauling water for their sister, and the afternoon in the gardens. You saw them both yourself. But come, you and I will share a drink of wine and then go and examine the horse and see what we may do."
As Glorfindel nodded his acquiescence, Arwen elbowed her brothers, and gestured for them to follow her. She led them to the stable, where her handmaid waited with water and brushes. Arwen sent the maid to keep lookout while the children of Elrond quickly washed the horse. When it stood again gleaming white, Arwen gave him some sugar, and the siblings left the stables in search of a well earned dinner.
* * * * * *
"He was yellow." Glorfindel said sounding defeated. "He was bright yellow."
"My lord, maybe it was just the light."
Glorfindel looked hard at Elrond, but the younger Elven Lord was unruffled.
"I suppose. But those boys. . ."
"I will speak with them tonight." Elrond reassured him. "I will order them to cease whatever it is they are plotting at, or I will send them to Lórien."
At that, Glorfindel laughed out loud.
"Imagine what havoc those two would wreak upon the Golden Wood!"
* * * * * *
Elrohir, Elladan and Arwen dined with their father that evening. It was a lively meal, as only four people who dearly love each other and have not eaten together in decades can have.
"I was quite impressed with your work, my daughter," Elrond said as they started dessert. "It was not until I had reflected upon our conversation that I realized how cleverly I had been led."
"Thank you, Ada," said Arwen, a faint blush colouring her cheeks.
"All in all it was an excellent collaboration," Elladan said. "But Ada, how did you know we could hear you?"
"You would not have gone to such extreme lengths only to miss the reaction." Elrond said. "I merely surmised that you would be somehow observing and offered my clandestine suggestion accordingly."
"What happened to you and Elros Ada?" Elrohir asked with considerably more tact than usual. "All those years ago I mean."
"Well, Glorfindel went to Gil-galad, and voiced his complaint." Elrond smiled with the memory. "Gil-galad laughed and told him that everyone had been young once with a penchant for mischief. And that he would punish us himself."
"Ada, what did the King make you do?" Elladan asked in an awed tone.
"Nothing." Said Elrond, his eyes glinting in joy and sorrow for those passed, "Whose idea do you think it was in the first place?"
* * * * * *
Lord Glorfindel rode into Imladris on a gleaming white horse. All around him was the song of the falls, of nightingales and of the stars. In a rippling counterpoint to all three, there floated down from Lord Elrond's study the sound of Elven laughter, scarce heard these days in Middle Earth. As Glorfindel dismounted, he smiled up at the balcony. These Peredhil were a bane, and burden and an endless source of joy.
It kept life interesting.
* * * * * *
AN: In regards to language, toron and onómë are Quenya, and Ada is Sindarin. This is simply because I like Ada better than Atar, the Quenyan word for father.
Also, I really had to use some form of the word "acquiesce" for reasons that will make sense to a few people and not to most, but which are really quite funny. Trust me.