The room was peaceful; the quiet only disturbed by the crackling of logs on the fire or the regular noise of a page being turned in a book. On the bench near the fire Elrond was sitting, immersed in a volume of elvish poetry. One arm was wrapped around his wife who was curled up, her head in his lap.

Celebrian watched her husband, his face deep in thought. He sometimes smiled slightly, sometimes his brow furrowed into a frown, depending on which of the poems he was reading. The flickering light of the fire had turned his face into an ever-changing collage of light and shadow, and Celebrian felt that she could watch it forever. Impulsively she reached up and stroked away some hair from his cheeks. He looked down, his face breaking into a smile.

“Oh Cel”

He wound one of her blonde curls around his fingers then let it spring loose.

“It is getting late, Peredhil” Celebrian sat up, leaning her head against his shoulder.

Elrond put the book down and peered at the dark night outside.

“It is indeed, does my lady wish to turn to her bed?” he spoke innocently, but his eyes were laughing. Celebrian looked at him, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

“Only my lord, if you are tired.”

Elrond chuckled and got to his feet, placing a warm arm around Celebrian. Together they walked to their room, passing through another door to a small adjacent nursery where their sons slept, checking on them before bed.

~*~

Both tiny boys were deeply asleep in their high-sided ornate cribs. They were a little small for their age, and although they were approaching their third birthday they still were comfortable in the cribs they had slept in since birth. Indeed the cribs had another benefit in that the sides were too high for even the most athletic of toddlers to climb, a fact for which Elrond and Celebrian were extremely grateful.

“They are growing up,” Celebrian said softly, gently removing a thumb from Elrohir’s mouth.

Elrond smiled, surveying his sons with a hint of excitement.

“Glorfindel and I were thinking of introducing them to training swords.”

Celebrian nearly laughed out loud. Elrond had missed out on this sort of attention from his father, and she had known since birth that he and Glorfindel were itching to begin indulging in this. Indeed Glorfindel’s first words on seeing the twins, only hours old had been “They will grow into fine warriors Elrond, mark my words”.

However seeing them curled up and flushed pink with sleep, their dark hair tousled on the pillow, Celebrian could not picture them as such. They were so very small.

~*~ Later in that week Celebrian and her sons were, as usual, in their sitting room. Celebrian sewing, and the boys playing. . . or rather arguing with their set of building bricks.

“No No No!” Elladan screeched in annoyance as Elrohir reached the last blue block.

“Blue,” Elrohir pointed at the centre stone of Elladan’s castle, “My block.”

Elladan ran in front of the castle hugging all the remaining blocks to him. If Elrohir was claiming blocks then so would he.

“All mine. All for me. None for ‘Ro”

Elrohir grabbed at the blue brick, causing the collapse of the castle. Elladan responded by throwing the bricks he held at his brother.

“Ammë” both boys howled, tears spilling down their cheeks.

Celebrian wearily looked up from her embroidery. Embroidery that had gained pitifully few stitches that morning.

“Who was it this time?”

The twins immediately pointed at each other, still sobbing.

Celebrian sighed, setting the sewing aside as two small elves scrambled into her lap for a cuddle. Soon she became of two pairs of eyes watching her from the door.

“Come on in” Celebrian smiled at her husband and Glorfindel as she set the twins back on the floor and moved over on the bench. The boys immediately pelted towards their father. It was unusual for him to take an afternoon off.

Elrond caught Elladan and swung him round before setting him down and picking up Elrohir and throwing him into the air a few times. Both boys squealed and yelled with laughter.

“Play Ada” Elladan demanded handing him some bricks.

“No No Elladan,” Elrond put the bricks back on the floor as he walked over to his wife, “Go and say hello to Glorfindel.”

“Glorfy!” Elladan yelled joyfully, giving Glorfindel a hug around his knees so vigorously that it nearly pulled his leggings down.

Elrond chuckled to himself as he sat down, cuddling Celebrian close to him.

“You look tired melin, have the boys been much trouble?” Elrond watched his small sons mobbing Glorfindel.

Celebrian laughed.

“They are just themselves.”

There was a thump as Glorfindel ended up on the floor with the boys clambering all over him.

“Glorfindel and I wondered if we may look after the boys this afternoon?” Elrond spoke innocently.

Celebrian frowned, much as she disliked the idea of her sons getting armed with blades having seen the damage they could do with building blocks, anything that would shake some of their energy out of them would be a gift from Eru.

“Take care of them Elrond,” she said at length standing up and heading for the peace of her bedroom, “If there is but one scratch. . .”

Elrond grinned, making a thumbs up sign to Glorfindel, who was trying to prevent Elrohir sitting on his head.

“Come Elladan, Elrohir. . . we have a surprise for you!”

~*~

The armoury was a large room in the lowest level of the House of Elrond. There was an oppressive hush in the room, and any noise or scuffle would create echoes from the dark corners. Glorfindel and Elrond fell silent as they entered the room, and even Elladan who had been swinging between the hands of the two larger elves, caught the mood of the room and stood silently.

Long racks ran the length of the room; and these were stacked with spears, swords and bows. Elrond bowed his head, many of his comrades had fought with these weapons. Aeglos still stood in his study, a memory of all that had been lost.

A mischievous giggle brought the older elves thoughts back to the matter in hand. The twins were no longer dancing around at their feet. In fact they were nowhere to be seen. Glorfindel and Elrond exchanged panicky looks as they hurried off along the narrow spaces between the racks. The room contained an extraordinarily large number of sharp things, and neither fancied explaining to Celebrian how one or other of the twins had managed to get skewered, cut or otherwise damaged.

A bang behind him caused Glorfindel to whirl around to find several swords on the floor. He thought he just saw a flash of a little blue tunic as small feet pattered away. He raced down the narrow aisle after the child, only to collide heavily with Elrond who was chasing after the boy from the other direction.

“Ow,” Glorfindel exclaimed clutching his nose.

“I am sorry,” Elrond placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. Glorfindel smiled grimly.

“‘Ro! ‘Ro! Look,” a small voice giggled. Elrond and Glorfindel dashed to the scene. The twins were sitting on the floor surrounded by bits of armour. Elrohir looked up at them, tangled in the leather straps of a quiver and an ornate archer’s helmet falling over his eyes.

“Ada, I am a soldier!”

Elrond sighed in relief at finding his sons unhurt. Kneeling down he gently removed Elrohir from the costume and hoisted him into his arms. Elladan scrambled upright with some difficulty and clanged his way towards the older elves.

“And I am a King!” Elladan declared in his most authoritative voice, holding out his arms. Seconds later he crashed to the floor under the weight of the chain mail shirt that trailed along the floor, and a huge sword.

Elrond bent down with difficulty as he tried to keep hold of Elrohir and free Elladan simultaneously. Elladan’s shock from the fall was fading and he was sniffling ominously.

“Come here Elrohir,” Glorfindel eased the younger boy out of his friend’s arms and settled him on his hip. Elladan had burrowed against his father sobbing loudly and Elrohir showed signs of joining him in sympathy. Glorfindel grabbed at the nearest interesting looking object, “See this Elrohir, it’s an arrow. It fits onto the bow like this. . .”

The ploy worked. A small hand grasped the arrow, attempting to copy the motion. By the time he tired of this game Elladan’s tears had been dried and he was bouncing around his father’s feet ready for a game.

“Right,” Elrond took a rather firm grasp of Elladan’s hand, “Lets see if we can find the pair of you some weapons.”

Once they got to the final rack, stacked with half and quarter sized weapons, Glorfindel set Elrohir onto the ground and began examining the smallest swords.

“This one?” Glorfindel handed Elrond a tiny sword. Elrond released his grasp on the back of Elladan’s tunic and ran a finger along the edge of the blade.

“Too sharp,” Elrond handed the sword back, wondering how his small son could have vanished in the fraction of the second that he had been out of sight.

“Elrond! This would hardly cut butter,” Glorfindel tested the blade himself.

“Too sharp,” Elrond got down on the floor, peering under the rack.

Glorfindel returned the weapon to the rack, turning a moment later to raise his eyebrows at his friend.

“Listening for the enemy?”

Elrond gave Glorfindel a distinctly not amused look.

“Worse.”

Glorfindel grinned to himself, hurriedly making himself very busy finding swords. Sighing Elrond scooped up Elrohir in preparation for the hunt for Elladan.

“Ada,” Elladan tugged at his father’s robes, appearing from nowhere, hiding something behind his back.

“Elladan, you must not run off like that!” Elrond grabbed hold of the small hand. Elladan whimpered under the bruising grip, looking up at his father and his grey eyes filling with tears. Elrond released the grip slightly and knelt down to kiss his son’s forehead.

“This one?” Glorfindel spoke with the air of one who was sure of success “This is blunter than a dwarf’s helmet!”

Elrond examined the sword. It was light and clean and the blade was more reminiscent of a spoon than a knife.

“Perfect,” Elrond placed it back into the thin leather scabbard and handed it to Elrohir with a warning, “Do not touch it until Glorfindel and Ada say so.”

“Now for Elladan,” Glorfindel turned back to the racks.

“I have a sword,” Elladan swung from his father’s hand.

“Is this too sharp?” Glorfindel passed over another weapon. Elladan hopped up and down in impatience.

“Ada! I have a sword! Look!” Elladan made a valiant attempt at lifting the large sword he had dragged back from where they had been dressing up. Glorfindel and Elrond looked down with a resigned air. Elladan had a determined look on his small face, and that always meant trouble.

“That is too big Elladan,” Elrond said gently, mentally adding “And too sharp”.

“What about this one Elladan?” Glorfindel knelt down, offering a small blade that appeared to have never seen a sharpening stone, while craftily reaching for the large sword.

Elladan was having none of it. Pouting he retreated a few steps dragging the sword with him.

“It is not too big!” Elladan declared, looking distrustfully at Glorfindel as if he was afraid that he would attempt to snatch his toy at any time. Which was exactly what he was planning to do.

“You cannot lift it, little one.” Elrond held his hand out for the sword.

“I’m big! I can lift it, I can!” Elladan said in his curiously penetrating voice, putting all his strength in swinging the sword. The sword swung a few feet, nicking Glorfindel’s hand, before hitting the floor suddenly with a clang, followed by Elladan with a crash.

“Sweet Eru, that hurt!” Glorfindel leapt back, placing as much of his abused hand into his mouth as possible. He glared at Elladan who promptly began sobbing, still holding the sword as tightly as he could.

Elrond glanced apologetically to his friend, the tips of whose ears were turning rather pink.

“Glorfindel, come let me look.” Elrond gently removed the injured hand from Glorfindel’s mouth, watching as blood welled up from the deep scratch that ran from the base of his thumb to his wrist.

“‘Tis only a scratch. I’ve received worse,” Glorfindel lifted his hand to his mouth again, “although never from one so young.”

“Do not lick it!” Elrond snatched the hand away from Glorfindel’s mouth. Glorfindel rolled his eyes with a long-suffering expression that Elrond answered with an equally long-suffering sigh, “This should be bandaged.”

“It is fine,” Glorfindel wiped his hand with the end of his tunic, holding it until it stopped bleeding. The prospect of attempting training with some fifty lively young elves from the Imladris Guard with an obvious wound from a two-year-old did not appeal.

Elrond glanced at his friend and sighed, breaking into a smile. Maybe later this afternoon he would be able to persuade Glorfindel into allowing him to spread a little antibiotic on the wound.

“Sorry Glorfy,” Elladan looked sadly up at Glorfindel with big eyes. Glorfindel smiled weakly.

“I am fine child, but you must be more careful in future,” Glorfindel’s eyes lit up wickedly as a plan came to his mind, “Come here, give Glorfy a hug to make it better.”

Elladan dropped the sword and ran to Glorfindel with his arms outstretched. Glorfindel motioned to Elrond who finally caught on and placed the sword well out of the reach of any elfling.

“There we go, all better!” Glorfindel picked up Elladan who had clamped himself around his knees. Elladan reached a hand for his sword and finding it gone looked up at the blond elf with a hurt and surprised look. Luckily his attention was soon distracted by his brother who was dancing around chanting “Glorfy said sweet Eru”.

“Ammë better not find out you said that,” Elladan whispered conspiratorially to Glorfindel.

Glorfindel groaned. He was fast coming to have great sympathy for Celebrian’s view of things.

~*~

“No!” A small foot stamped on the grass and the child’s eyebrows lowered in displeasure.

“He is your son Elrond,” Glorfindel laughed as the tiny boy adopted an expression he had seen so many times on his friend.

Elrond gave the blond elf a withering look. Both were kneeling on the soft grass in a secluded glade in the gardens of Imladris. Their tiny charges had been instructed to draw their weapons and hold them out on guard.

Unfortunately this was the point at which Elladan decided that his sword was far too small for his needs.

“Bigger,” Elladan tried to hand the sword back to his father, “Want mine.”

“No child, it is too sharp. You might cut someone.”

“Will not,” Elladan shut his eyes so that he could not see Glorfindel’s hand.

“Elladan,” Elrond tipped up the small chin, “You must use this sword. It is for you.”

“No!” Elladan kicked at the ground, catching his brother’s moccasin. No was currently Elladan’s favourite word.

“Ada,” Elrohir tugged at his father’s sleeve his grey eyes tearing up, “Kicked me.”

Elrond hugged his youngest close to him, hoping the tears would disappear without falling. Elladan glared at his father, arms folded and pouting. Then he turned to Glorfindel.

“Hug Glorfy.” With Glorfindel kneeling Elladan could fling his arms around the older elf’s waist. Glorfindel returned the hug, thankful of any opportunity to stave off the looming tantrum. A tiny hand crept furtively to the hilt of Glorfindel’s sword, attempting to unsheathe the blade.

“No Elladan!” Glorfindel brushed the hand aside, “That is my sword. This is yours.”

The hated weapon was again proffered to the child. Elladan glowered at the blond elf and burst into noisy tears. Sobbing the child flung himself to the grass and beat the ground as hard as he could with his fists and feet.

“No!” Elladan yelled at the top of his voice, “I want a proper sword! A proper sword Ada!”

Glorfindel looked at Elrond, an unfamiliar emotion crossing his fair face. Elrond nearly choked on laughter as he cuddled Elrohir. Brave enough to do battle with a Balrog, it was strange that his friend would find cause for panic and helplessness when faced by an elfling barely two foot high.

“Elrond,” Glorfindel hissed urgently, “What am I to do?”

Elrond shrugged, suddenly finding great need to cuddle Elrohir more tightly. Glorfindel looked at his friend with resignation. Trust Elrond. Gently he eased the struggling child into his arms, holding him until he calmed and the tears dried to sniffles.

“You do not want such a big sword child,” Glorfindel’s face lit up with a flash of inventiveness, “For a swordsman must be tickled in proportion to the size of his sword!”

Elladan squealed as the long fingers grabbed hold of his body sending him into happy giggles. Eventually Glorfindel stopped and lent over the little face.

“So Elladan,” he slowly wriggled his fingers over the boy’s ribcage, “Would you rather have a bigger sword?”

“No!” Elladan shouted happily wriggling from Glorfindel’s grasp and dancing around in front of him, “This is my sword!”

Glorfindel and Elrond smiled in satisfaction, Elrond mouthing his thanks to his friend. Sometimes Glorfindel came up with ideas so appealing to his small sons that Elrond wondered if the elf lord was actually full grown in mind himself.

“Glorfy,” Elladan’s face lit up with a toothy smile, “You have a big big sword!”

As Glorfindel hit the ground under the weight of two elflings and the Lord of Imladris he couldn’t help wondering why he bothered. Elrond surely did not know the word for mercy.

~*~

“Ada, Ada watch me!” Elladan screeched with happiness as he managed to bat Elrohir’s rather limply held sword away from his body with his own small weapon.

“Very good Elladan!” Elrond called from where he and Glorfindel were lounging on the grass a few feet away, deciding that after the skirmish there was little point sitting on a bench to protect their clothing.

Elrohir looked to his father with a woeful look as Elladan’s sword again clanged loudly against his.

“Very good Elrohir!” Elrond elbowed his friend in the ribs to stop the chuckle that was playing on his lips. Glorfindel retaliated by prodding Elrond hard in the stomach.

“Ada,” Elrohir came running jumping onto his father’s outstretched body. Groaning Elrond sat up and dusted down his son’s tunic.

“Are you tired little one?”

Elrohir answered by placing a grubby thumb into his mouth and climbing into his father’s lap. Elrond smiled slightly, cradling the little head against his shoulder.

“Glorfy! You play with me?” Elladan plowed into Glorfindel’s side eagerly extending Elrohir’s sword.

“Oh alright!” Glorfindel said with as much grace as he could manage as he moved into a kneeling position and accepted the weapon. Elladan leapt around happily grinning. He had quite extraordinary amounts of energy, even compared to his twin.

Elrond however did not have to deal with that and he spent a happy afternoon cuddling a sleepy child and watching Glorfindel setting up blocks and attacks which Elladan could swing his sword at in an attempt to defeat the mighty warrior.

~*~

Celebrian peered sleepily up at her husband. She had had a delightful afternoon reading a book more than one sentence at a time and taking a much- needed nap. Hazily coming to consciousness from the comfort of her bed she had become aware of someone moving within the room.

“Oh you’re back,” she smiled as Elrond turned to her. He had been trying so hard to be quiet. “Were the boys good?”

Elrond finished rubbing his face dry and lent down to kiss her. Her cheeks were still warm from sleep and he nuzzled his face against hers. Celebrian smiled as she ran fingers through his dark hair and moved to return the kiss.

“The boys were as good as they always are,” Elrond reluctantly broke away at last, “Glorfindel is waiting with them in the sitting room.”

Celebrian sighed with disappointment. It had been quite some time since she and her husband had enjoyed any time alone without having to keep an ear open for the cries of an upset or frightened child.

“Soon melin,” Elrond gave her a last kiss before releasing her, his hand lingering on her cheek.

~*~

When they reached the sitting room Glorfindel was sprawled easily on a bench in his normal fashion. A tiny elfling was cuddled in each arm, a head resting on each shoulder. All three were fast asleep, a thumb in Elrohir’s mouth and one of Elladan’s tiny fists curled around a handful of blond hair. Glorfindel moved slightly, smiling in his sleep.

Celebrian slipped her hand into Elrond’s and moved closer to his body, standing on tiptoes for a kiss.

“Ammë!” Elrohir leapt from Glorfindel’s arms, the sudden noise causing his parents to break away guiltily. Glorfindel sleepily grinned and rolled his eyes at his friend. Elrond made a throat slitting motion, causing the recipient to laugh loudly. Elladan woke at the noise, looking reproachfully at the blond elf for disturbing his sleep, only making Glorfindel laugh louder.

“Ammë.” Seeing his mother Elladan slipped down off Glorfindel’s knees and ran to her, his arms held out for a hug.

Seeing a small child scooped into the arms of each parent Glorfindel got up and rather blearily smoothed his rumpled and dusty garments.

“Thank you Glorfindel,” Celebrian kissed him lightly on the cheek.

“Oh I enjoyed it,” Glorfindel said ruffling the hair of first one twin and then the other. And he had enjoyed it. No matter how troublesome little elflings could be. They were as close to his family as he would get in middle earth.

With a last grin at Elrond he wandered to the door, wondering how he could manage to accidentally inform the twins that their Ada was also in possession of a very large sword. As he left the room he heard a loud mischievous whisper from one of the twins.

“You’ll never guess what Glorfy said Ammë. . .”