Denied.

"Pariel!"

Pariel froze and her back stiffened involuntarily—she recognized that voice far too well to risk reaction. Elladan might have been a jokester and an elfling at heart, but he was very astute. Pariel forced a benign look of benevolent amusement across her face—an expression she had learned from the Lady herself—and turned to welcome one of the twin sons of Elrond. Elladan was clad in white—most likely provided by his grandparents, the Lord and Lady—and grinned at her in his most impish and endearing fashion. She ignored the look, as she had always, and rose out of her chair to bow and welcome him.

"Lord Elladan, how good it is to see you once more," Pariel said, calmly, despite the fact that her pulse was racing and she was screaming in the back of her mind—Elladan was nearby, Elrohir would not be far off, and Erestor was certainly headed towards the library as they spoke!

"I will have none of that," Elladan admonished cheerfully and Pariel inclined her head, allowing some of her braids to slip free from their precariously elaborate placement on her head.

"As you wish." Pariel tried her best to ignore the three auburn braids that now obscured her vision of him. He laughed at her and she straightened up abruptly as he moved to push the braids out of her face. He frowned slightly, but his expression fell back to normal quickly and she moved the hair back herself. "Might I inquire as to the purpose of your visiting me?"

"Am I not allowed to visit old friends?" Elladan asked as he leaned on her wide, wooden desk and grinned.

"I was unaware of the fact that I was old," Pariel smirked as Elladan blanched, "that we were friends, even somewhat, however, did not escape my mental quartering."

"Ah poor word choice—."

"Diction." Pariel corrected him. He seemed a bit surprised by this, but it was habit for her—or had become habit as she often corrected or supplemented words in some of the more formal messages from the Lord or Lady.

"What?" Elladan asked, his face the picture of shock as he had obviously mistaken the meaning of the word.

"Diction, as in to dictate," Pariel elaborated as she moved around the desk and began to replace scattered books to their places on the shelves. "It means word-usage."

"Ah, right, I knew that." Elladan cleared his throat and Pariel cracked a smile.

"Of course you did, Lord Elladan." Pariel knelt down to replace a book onto one of the lower shelves. "You were simply testing my knowledge in that most sly methodology of yours."

"Indeed." Elladan sounded almost haughty.

"Where has your brother strayed to, this journey? If it is not too bold to ask." Pariel moved back to the table and picked up another armful of books that had been taken and later returned.

"He is wandering Annana's gardens." Pariel could not help but smile at the term of endearment so unfitting of the Lady of Light—an, meaning by or with, and nana—a bastardized combination that greatly resembled the word anann , long, or old. Older Mother. Leave it to the sons of Elrond to create such an adorable and ill-fitting nickname. True, Lord Celeborn's nickname of Anadar, supposedly older father, was not so much more suitable, but they rarely used it any longer.

"He is so much more peaceful than his brother, I notice," Pariel commented blandly and she heard as Elladan stood up and away from the table. That floorboard always creaked too loudly for her tastes.

"And what, pray tell, is that supposed to mean?" Elladan didn't sound offended by the thought—in fact, his voice almost sounded appreciative of the concept.

"Simply that the second of the two might have done well to spend more time with Lord Erestor over Lord Glorfindel." Pariel replaced a book into the shelf before her and she heard the floor behind her creak. There was a slight breeze and she smirked as she assumed Elladan was, once more, trying to trick her as he had so often back in Rivendell. She stretched up to replace a book to the highest shelf and was not at all surprised when it was taken out of her hands and placed there by someone taller than she.

"You are easily reduced to silen—Erestor!" Pariel turned but the person she saw shocked her enough to cause her drop the remaining two tomes in her hands. Erestor, advisor to Elrond, stood before her in his black robes, a stoic look of disinterest across his face but a light of familial recognition in his normally distant eyes. He did not flinch as she shouted his name, only inches from his face, nor did he step back as she dropped the books. He simply continued to stare at her, mildly amused behind his frosty exterior.

"Pariel, it has been a long time," Erestor said calmly, stepped back, and bowed to her slightly.

"Indeed!" Pariel's voice cracked as she said the word and she flushed. "How long will you be visiting?" She was backed up against the bookcase already and looked quite ready to spin around and climb up the piece of furniture should Erestor step any closer.

"It is hard to say," Erestor responded cryptically but remained firmly where he stood.

"Why, is that?" Pariel forced herself to calm down and slid away from the bookcase, quickly retreating to her desk.

"I have several matters in which the outcome is…uncertain." Erestor calmly turned and glanced over her impeccably neat desk. He arched an eyebrow and then glanced back up at her. "I am come to Lórien to weather the proverbial storm."

"I see." Pariel pulled out her chair and sat down. She didn't bother to offer Erestor a chair—if he wanted one, he would not hesitate to drawn one up for himself, her leave or no. "What did you do to Glorfindel this time around?" Pariel tried to make light of their conversation, but failed. Erestor looked bemused at the idea, but he said nothing—nothing about Glorfindel, at least.

"Haldir of Lórien?" Erestor asked, cutting straight to the point as was his way. Pariel took a deep breath and forced a smile across her features.

"He is a Marchwarden and Captain of the Galadhrim," Pariel stated and Erestor stared at her disinterestedly.

"Indeed."

"He is quite the gentleman." Pariel winced internally as she said this. Erestor's expression went flat and the way he looked at her in response could only be described as 'peering'. Erestor knew little of Haldir, but everyone knew he was no gentleman. "Once one falls into his good graces." Pariel attempted a save, but Erestor had already seen through her comment.

"We shall see." Erestor bowed to her, turned, and well might have intended to leave but Pariel stopped him.

"Erestor, wait—." Pariel leaned over the table and Erestor looked over his shoulder at her. She wanted to tell him not to act rashly, but he never did (not unless Glorfindel was involved in some way), and to ask such a thing would give both Haldir and her away most definitely. "I—." Pariel found herself at a loss for words. An unidentifiable emotion flashed through Erestor's eyes and he turned away from her. He walked out the door without another word and left Pariel alone in the library once more.

Erestor wandered about, seeking the lost two twins to do his bidding, unaware of the fact that both of them had already arrived in the presence of their greatest friends in Lórien—the eldest and the youngest of the fabled (at least among elleths) Galadhrim Brothers. Haldir, as hard as he worked, refused to rest even on his vacations—these were, in fact, quite few and far between. On his vacations he was well known for very nearly living at the archery range, instructing any who cared, seriously, to learn. Rúmil and Orophin were often present at these lessons, or they had been, of late, due to Haldir's reactions to those who wanted less to learn archery and more to stare at him.

"Denied." Rúmil winced as Haldir walked past an obscenely overly flirtatious elleth and moved down the line of archers he was aiding.

"Most unequivocally," Orophin agreed and continued to idly inspect the training bows that resided on the rack beside them.

"I am starting to think, dear brother," Rúmil paused as he watched the angered coquettish elleth stalk by with two of her less angered but indignant friends. They very nearly threw their bows onto the rack and marched off cursing Pariel's name.

"Starting to think! My, my, have we arrived at this crossroads yet?" Orophin asked cheekily but somehow managed a straight face.

"Amusing," Rúmil said and added in a blatantly fake laugh, "As I was saying, I am starting to think that the rumors concerning the librarian Pariel are somewhat…how can I put it?"

"Gender biased?" Orophin supplied and Rúmil snapped his fingers.

"Exactly." Rúmil turned and Orophin stepped away from the rack as another frustrated admirer of Haldir marched away.

"I know not what they see in him," Orophin said, rather bluntly, as they watched Haldir (looking mildly sickened) turn down a male admirer by reminding all present of his romantic entanglement with the librarian. The elf stalked past Rúmil and Orophin, shot them a dirty look, and very nearly growled as he walked away.

"Neither do we."

Rúmil and Orophin turned around and grins spread over their faces nearly instantly as they recognized Elladan and Elrohir standing behind them, clad all in white, and grinning like madmen themselves. Elladan and Elrohir stepped up, between the two, and the line of eligible, exceedingly handsome, and infamously mischievous ellon watched as the rest of the would be admirers were shirked off rather callously. Elladan and Elrohir bristled occasionally and stared somewhat incredulously at some of the retreating elves as they heard the things muttered about either Haldir or Pariel, but refused to comment until they were certain the only ones remaining at the range were fully interested in archery.

"We have it—." Elrohir started but Elladan interrupted him.

"On good authority, mind you," Elladan interjected and Elrohir shot him a callous look before continuing.

"That Pariel of Imladris—."

"Currently Pariel of Lórien," Elladan interrupted again.

"Is romantically involved with one Haldir or the Galadhrim." Elrohir finished and stared at Elladan.

"What is it brother? Oh honestly! I'm not so rude as to amend you once you've finished so totally." Elladan rolled his eyes and Elrohir sighed.

"Indeed," Elrohir commented and Elladan screwed up his face.

"You sound more as Erestor with every passing moment!" In response to this, Elrohir only arched an eyebrow.

"Alas, we digress," Elrohir began and, this time, Rúmil and Orophin interrupted him.

"It seems you do," Orophin said slyly.

"Quite decidedly," Rúmil added.

"Often." Both finished in unison and Elladan looked slightly affronted.

"What know you of this engagement?" Elrohir cut to the chase and both Rúmil and Orophin shared a look.

"I knew only of Haldir's knowledge of her, having been only vaguely privy to any romanticism," Orophin said.

"I knew only recently of even the former—but engaged?" Rúmil arched an eyebrow and Elrohir stared at him.

"They two are not engaged?" Elrohir asked, incredulously.

"To my knowledge," Orophin began, quietly so as not to alert Haldir, "they have done little more than the cursory greeting at any public assembly."

"Erestor will make quick work of this," Elladan interjected with a bit of bitter satisfaction.

"What mean you, quick work?" Rúmil folded his arms across his chest and eyed Elladan.

"Erestor will move quickly to supplant Haldir," Elrohir stated rather bluntly.

"Now Elrohir, I mean you no offense," Orophin prefaced. "But I am highly skeptical that any man could remove from Haldir's possession what he has dubbed his."

"Dubbed her his!" Elladan snorted in a very un-elven fashion and even his brother shot him a strange look.

"Nevertheless!" Rúmil started, very quickly. "I doubt anyone short of Glorfindel could sweep that decidedly snappish elleth off her feet!"

"What mean you by that?" Elladan blustered and Rúmil eyed him.

"She leapt first towards the charms of Rúmil and left without so much as a passing glance," Rúmil admitted, begrudged.

"She is already with Haldir, you are naught but a consort." Elladan looked a bit smug at the knowledge that Pariel had turned him down. Why he was so smug at this was a long story involving Erestor, Pariel, he, and several hundred declined invitations.

"Zounds! A consort?" Rúmil exclaimed and several of the archers jumped. "Make you minstrels of us?" Rúmil asked scathingly and Orophin took him by the shoulder.

"As entertaining as I am certain this would be, I do believe we have interrupted the class," Orophin said quickly and the two quarrelling ellyn turned to see Haldir and several of the archers glaring at them.

"I concur," Elrohir added and the four of them left the range hastily.

"I daresay Pariel will return with us to Imladris," Elladan boasted rather snidely and smirked at Rúmil—the two, it seemed, had developed a short-lived rivalry.

"You put much stock in a Librarian over a Marchwarden!" Rúmil shot back and both he and Elladan shared a prolonged glare.

"I would outstock my librarian 'ere I put any in a Marchwarden!" Elladan hissed. There was a long silence.

"What does that even mean?" Rúmil asked, angry, but perplexed.

"I. Don't. Know." Elladan shot back as if it were an insult.

"I believe we should separate them," Elrohir said as the two elves glared one another down.

"I concur." Orophin nodded and either elf took their brother by the arm and proceeded to drag them off in opposite directions. Sadly, as either was being force away from the archery ranges they made quite a lot of noise and shouted a few very colorful metaphors at one another.

"You have the grace of the edain!" Rúmil countered as he strained against Orophin's grasp.

"Ha! We'll see, you son of an orc!"

"Orc? Have at thee!" Rúmil swung his fists menacingly but was quickly thrown off balance and rendered harmless as Orophin grabbed his legs and proceeded to drag him away, literally.

"You seek to kill me through laughter! You punch like a small elleth!" Elladan shouted back and Elrohir pulled him away by the back of his tunic.

"What, in the name of Eru, is going on here?" Elladan froze and Elrohir dropped him, unceremoniously, to the ground.

"Erestor!" Elladan scrambled off the ground and Elrohir stepped away from him.

"Have the twin sons of Elrond been so reduced as to insults of this caliber?" Erestor asked, incredulously, and Elladan paled.

"You heard?" Elladan flushed and Erestor arched an eyebrow.

"I doubt there were many who didn't," Erestor answered stoically. "Though I have yet in me enough sense not to repeat them."

"You arrived at quite the time, Erestor," Elrohir started and Erestor shifted his gaze off of the flustered Elladan. "Just after the nick of time, in fact."

"What do you mean?" Erestor asked and Elrohir smirked.

"Elladan has been, rather fervently, defending your honor for the last few minutes." Elrohir neglected to mention the point or purpose of the argument, but Erestor didn't seem to notice, or care, for that matter.

"Indeed," Erestor said, "I heard something along the lines of 'take Haldir with one hand behind his velvet clad back,' correct?"

"I-um…." Elladan thought it best not to say anything and simply stood tall and silent as he flushed.

"Right," Erestor redirected the conversation quickly; "I have a meeting with Lord Celeborn, after which we will be dining with the Lord and Lady, the Marchwardens, and several of the various staff. I suggest you…change before then." Erestor cast a glance over Elladan's dirtied, once white clothing, and arched an eyebrow. Elladan quickly bowed, as did Elrohir, and Erestor inclined his head before walking away from the two.

Author's Notes: Wow! So many readers tried out that little purple button. (Seriously, just look down beneath these notes! I'm not kidding…it's right there. Cool, huh?)

Thanks to all of you—this chapter is a bit less…hmm…direct that I originally wanted. However, I did manage to sneak in a Romeo and Juliet sub-structure. (I'm going to assume, however, that all you clever people figured that out when you hit the word 'consort' or 'zounds' and have already calculated out the relationships.)

I'm not certain how long the next chapter will take as currently I am a bit depressed by the fact that Professor Tolkien spent his whole life on these stories…and the only way I can express my thanks is by writing romances.

Alas.

Many thanks and much praise to my wonderful and insightful beta, Celeb Gwiwileth!