Disclaimers: I do not own these characters they belong to J.R.R. Tolkien

Chapter 1

The valley was flourishing; blossoms bloomed, adorning the hills and gardens with gem-like hues. Birds could be heard chirping their songs at all hours of the day. It was the very loveliest of images. One might even be persuaded to call it a shade of paradise…though there were two who'd argue vehemently against that. They would no sooner call this spring blissful than cast themselves in Mount Doom (the elder had guaranteed this in a bold declaration a few days ago).

They should've been happy-joyous even-or so they'd been told. Strange, for gleeful emotion, was the furthest thing from their minds. In fact, their present misery was unmatched. Neither could remember a time where they'd felt worse. More gloomy still, was that not one person in all of Rivendell took pity on them. No one seemed to notice them now, let alone their sorrow. And the few times they had merited attention, it was of the dismal sort; the sort that left one's already low spirits dragging through the mud.

Elladan sighed and gave the balcony rail another good kick of his heel.

Startled by the sound, Elrohir glanced toward his brother's perch. "Dan, you should not sit there, lest you want another lecture."

His brother snorted,"If it's not for one matter, tis for another. Why, just yesterday Nana scolded me for breathing too loudly near the baby. Tell me, Ro, how can one possibly control one's breathing. Tis not as though I can simply quit the habit. You'd think that as the wife of a healer she'd know that."

Elrohir chuckled darkly, "Ada's not been much better. The most trifling of disturbances unleashes his fury. Last week in the library, I accidentally dropped a book and he went berserk. Not a good quality for healer, they are supposed to be gentle and calm."

"What is wrong with them?" Elladan muttered.

"Too little sleep. That babe's screeching all the time."

"Indeed. And yet instead of blaming the guilty party they-"

"-take it out on us."

"I'm sick of being scapegoats."

"Aye, but what do we do?" They glanced at one another but reaching no solution, released a hearty sigh.

Elrohir glanced skyward and groaned, "It's nearly time for midday meal. And if we're-"

"-late then we'll be speared by their forked tongues."

With great reluctance, did they enter their home and trudge to the dining room.

However, to their surprise (and relief) it stood empty save two plates. A servant, Kirn if they remembered correctly, strode forth to meet them.

"Greetings young masters, I fear you dine alone this day, as the Lord and Lady are preoccupied with important affairs."

"Thank the Valar," Elladan whispered beneath his breath.

His twin valiantly tried to mask his snigger with a cough. Luckily, Kirn did not notice or was polite enough not to remark on his brother's decidedly rude comment.

Clearing his throat as a warning for his twin, they thanked the servant, who was swiftly on his way.

"Watch your words, Dan, else you'll earn more trouble ere this day ends. And with the amount against us already-" he broke off and shuddered.

Elladan shrugged a careless shoulder, "Comments others make are reflections of character, Erestor says so…often."

"He wants for you to act more polite. People are talking about your manners…or rather your lack of them," Elrohir scolded lightly.

"Hmmph. Let them talk. If my tendencies are the highlight of their days, it should be rude of me to deprive them."

Deciding to ignore his brother's bout of vanity, the younger returned to their primary topic. "Still, I can relate with your relief upon entering this empty room. My mood is brightened, even if temporarily," Elrohir admitted as he settled in his seat.

"Yes, it's these breaks in the storm that gives me hope that I'll survive," his twin solemnly agreed. "To think, there'd come a day where the less I see Ada and Nana, the happier I'd feel."

The younger twin nodded emphatically, "It makes me feel guilty, but it'd be a lie should I deny it."

The elder twin gave a scathing laugh through a mouthful of meat, "I feel no guilt for such an admittance. As they are, they could blend with orcs! Soon Sauron shall have competition. I swear! The only way Glorfindel can stand them is because he's faced down a Balrog! And even he flinches, and if that is so, then how may ordinary elves, such as we, endure?"

"I'd rather fight a Balrog than have another argument like the last one."

"I'd rather live with a Balrog. I am certain it is more civil. Gwador, I am convinced Mordor cannot compare."

"Should we plan a holiday there?" Elrohir joked.

"It's tempting."

"Dan?" Elrohir questioned softly, his mirth dying. "Dan, what happened to our family?"

Elladan wished he had an answer, he'd certainly asked himself that question enough. But as it was, if he'd known how to fix this mess, he'd have done so already.

"Dan?" he continued despite his voice beginning to tremble "Do Ada and Nana still love us?"

Looking into his younger brother's hurt-filled eyes, he wanted nothing more than to soundly declare it was so and how foolish must he be to even question such a thing. But given these last few months…he had no assurances; it seemed that Arda had flipped upside down and nothing he thought he knew was stable anymore.

Taking a shuddering breath, for he would not lie, his brother deserved truth no matter how devastating, he confessed, "I do not know."

Elrond's desk was a disaster. His office seemed to be swallowed in a pile of scrolls, books, and various instruments necessary for intricate mathematics. There were equations he had yet to finish, adding to his stress as well as the mess; which grew larger each day, slowly conquering the room. Glorfindel joked that soon it would not be content with just this room and would try to dominate the household. Hence, his reasoning for having his sword at the ready whilst at the site of infiltration. Should the beast attack he must have protection; lest he too be eaten by the disarray.

"The Valar are testing me," Elrond groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"No, the Valar are teasing you mercilessly."

Elrond raised an eyebrow at the blond elf and sighed. "Why? Why must they both arrive in the same week? It is difficult enough with Celebrian's parents journeying here. But Thranduil! It should be impossible. You know of Galadriel and Thranduil's ongoing quarrels, and now they shall be beneath my very roof."

"It's perilous with a great potential of being volatile," Glorfindel conceded.

"Nor can I turn either away. The Lord and Lady of the Golden Woods long to look upon little Arwen. I would not deny them the chance of meeting their newest grandchild. Unfortunately, Rivendell's relations with Mirkwood are far too strained for rearrangement."

"True. Thranduil is a good king but a paranoid one."

"Indeed. Any hesitance on our part, and he shall be convinced that something is amiss."

"Well then, mellon nin. You have no choice but to entertain them both, and hope that your house still stands at the end of the battle."

The Lord of Imladris groaned at the ominous statement. Between two quarreling rulers, a needful infant, an exhausted wife, a land to govern, and a pair of often mischievous twins, the coming weeks would prove a challenge to say the least.

However, he had no time to dwell on such matters. If any preparations were to be completed, he had to tidy his affairs as soon as possible.

"Is there a particular reason you've risked your life in venturing here?" Elrond asked, amused.

"Besides the entertainment?" Feeling his friend's glare, Glorfindel coughed and discreetly changed the subject. "Actually, there is a matter of concern to me."

"It being?"

"The twins."

Elrond groaned "What mayhem have my twin terrors committed now?"

"None. Which worries me, I fear they're planning something."

Elrond paused in his task of sorting relevant scrolls, "And it is too much to hope they've simply grown out of the habit."

Glorfindel didn't grace him with a reply, opting to burst out laughing.

"What am I to do with them? Given the ingredients of our approaching affair, I sense they will act as the catalysts of chaos."

"They do excel in that," his friend agreed.

"I know. Which is why I am open to all propositions."

"Lock them in a closet for the coming weeks," Glorfindel suggested with an innocent smile.

"Somehow I doubt Celebrian will approve of that."

"Ah, but you do."

"You know I love my boys and would not trade them for the world, but I will also be the first to attest that they are more than a handful."

"So the last few months have proven."

"Indeed. I've never known them to be so troublesome."

Glorfindel shook his head, "They act no different than they always have. You simply shoulder more stress than usual and have no patience for their antics."

"What do you mean?" Elrond asked curiously.

"Well, just last week, you lectured poor Elrohir something awful. The child's offense was no more than a dropped book, yet he merited a harsh scolding on the importance of silence in the library. Not to mention Elladan, who tripped—something he had entirely no control of and you lectured him on the consequences of carelessness; as if his bruised knees weren't enough of an admonishment."

Elrond colored slightly in remembrance of these events. Perhaps, he had been overly harsh recently.

"Do not fear mellon, you are not alone in your offenses. Celebrian has been short with them as well. Erestor…well…Erestor is more or less the same as usual. But I, too, have been rather waspish. It's these blasted headaches."

"Not enough sleep" Elrond agreed.

"Courtesy of your latest bundle of joy. You know I adore her and as lovely as her vocals are, I could admire her in silence much better."

"She'll settle down soon."

"I do not remember the twins making such a fuss."

"They were…an unusual case. Though I believe they are making up more than enough for it now."

Glorfindel chuckled, "They do chatter quite a bit now, don't they?"

"Mellon nin, you've a gift for understatement. Now that they've begun training, there's been no end to their anecdotes—although a few have been most amusing."

"Well, now that your desk has been rescued," Glorfindel indicated to the relatively clean surface. "Shall we visit my favorite pair of doppelgangers and learn more unnecessary yet amusing tales?"

"Indeed, I shall have to convince them that their Ada has not morphed into some terrible monster."

"Well, that transformation is far too late to reverse, but perhaps we may yet persuade them that you're a nice one."

With another glare and a bit of shouldering, the Lord of Imladris passed the Balrog slayer and strode in the direction of his sons' quarters. Midday meal had ended an hour ago but if he hurried he might catch them before they left for training on the fields. Hopefully, this next encounter would go more smoothly than his last.

The more he reflected, the more he regretted. Sure, there were some rebukes that were well-earned, but there was a share of undeserved ones as well. And those were the ones that bothered him. He did not wish to strain his relationship with them for so slight a temptation as stress.

With his resolve renewed, that today would go peacefully, he quickened his pace while Glorfindel trailed behind. The blond elf decided that it'd be best if he came along. Valar knew they didn't want a repeat of the last dispute.

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