Hello, sorry itÂ’s later then promised, but I lost the chapter for awhile and spent ages looking for it. Well this chapter is slower then the others, but we hear from Legolas and Elladan & Elrohir. Well enjoy and thank you for the review ArwenUndomiel_:IÂ’m glad you like it and hereÂ’s the next chapter, as requested.
CrownlessIsAgainKing: Well I kinda hurried.

Chapter 5:

Elladan and Elrohir caught up with Legolas round the side of the houses of Healing.
“Legolas! So, what did your father say,” asked Elladan, slipping a companionable arm around Legolas’ shoulders.
“No. He won’t let me go hunting.”
“No?” exclaimed Elrohir, “Did you tell him that we would accompany you?”
Legolas decided not to tell them that this was probably why his father wasn’t letting him go. He explained to the twins that his father felt that he was too young to go hunting. He would perhaps allow Legolas to go in the forests for a day with the twins, provided that he took several guards. This most accurately translated to ‘Take half the royal guards that we brought with us, if not all.’
“So your father will not allow you into the woods?”
“Not with only the two of you.”
Elladan grinned at his twin. “Then perhaps we should show you a little secret.”
“Really? What?” Legolas asked, slightly suspicious.
“You will just have to wait and see,” replied Elrohir enigmatically.
Legolas looked from one sibling to the other, very suspicious now. Elladan turned to his twin, wearing an expression of mock-injustice. “Elrohir, I believe that Legolas does not trust us!”
“Which is very wise of him,” stated an amused voice from behind them. They turned to see Glorfindel leaning against a tree, her arms crossed with a blood-red apple in one hand. “What mischief are you planning now?” She began walking towards them and took a bite from her apple as Elladan objected.
“Glorfindel, we have matured since our youth.”
Glorfindel just shook her head and walked past them. “Just keep Legolas out of your mischief,” she called back, just before taking another bite out of her apple.
“Don’t you trust us?”
She just laughed and carried on walking.
Elrohir did think she was being slightly unfair. They had calmed down with age, even if they were occasionally prone to the odd joke.
“Come, Legolas,” and Elladan led him along the side of the building. “We have never told you about the time when Elrohir and I found Erestor’s journal.”
“Erestor has a journal?” Elrohir didn’t know why Legolas sounded so surprised; he thought it sounded typical of Erestor.
“Erestor has two. One is the ‘official’ Imladris records, the other is his personal journal. We discovered it by chance while we were searching for the official records.”
“You were searching for the official records?” Elrohir wondered if he should feel insulted by this comment.
“We wanted to erase all the dates and replace them with new ones,” Elladan explained, grinning at the memory. “We went into his office and luck was with us; he had just stepped out. Elrohir went to open the book on his desk, believing that it was the records, and found to his surprise that it was his private-”
“Shh!” Elrohir raised his hand, indicating that they should be quiet. They were just about to round the corner to the front of the houses of healing. They could hear voices coming from just out of their sight.
“Erestor, why do you insist on shutting yourself away from me?” Elrohir recognized the voice as that of Glorfindel, and she sounded irritated. “And not just me, but almost everyone.”
“Glorfindel,” – ErestorÂ’s voice sounded as if his patience was rapidly running out – “We work together, and that is our relationship. Let it remain that way. The only time I wish to speak to you extensively is on matters pertaining to Imladris.”
There was a pause. “Fine.” Her voice sounded more disappointed then angry. “I shall speak to you at Friday’s meeting … or before, if I need a book.”
“In that highly unlikely situation, I will be most careful to help you find a book with lots of short words and pretty pictures.”
Elrohir winced as he heard what sounded like GlorfindelÂ’s apple hitting the wall. They heard the rustle of ErestorÂ’s robes slowly moving towards them Â… moving towards them?! Elrohir turned to his brother and saw the same thing running through his mind. Erestor would kill them if he found them eavesdropping on the conversation. They grabbed Legolas and made their way to the gardens.
As they walked, Elladan continued his story, relating how Erestor had chased them through the gardens.
“Was anything interesting written in it?”
“Not much, mainly how irritating we were.” Legolas laughed and Elrohir mentally shook his head. He was the one reading the journal and he had found something very interesting written in the journal.
“Actually, we were never punished for that. I wonder why?”
Elrohir smiled. That question, he had the answer for. In the evening after the golden discovery, Erestor has taken Elrohir aside. He was still not sure if he had been bribed or blackmailed with the prospect of no punishment. Whichever it was, he never told anyone, not even his twin. As time passed, his silence became more out of his growing respect for his old tutor.
.
As Legolas climbed the rocks by the waterfall, he debated with himself. On the one hand, he wanted to know more about the argument they had just overheard. On the other hand, his father had always told him that it was rude to meddle in other peopleÂ’s business or to listen into their conversations. As Elrohir helped him onto the bank, he decided that they werenÂ’t the type of elves to shout at him just because he was curious. They had just walked under the shelter of a weeping willow when he plucked up the courage to open his mouth and ask.
He was cut off by Elladan before he uttered a sound. “Here we are.”
Legolas gazed round the willow, but there was nothing. It was a willow tree. So? There were willow trees in Mirkwood too.
“Now Legolas, you must promise to keep this a secret.”
“Keep what a secret?”
“Just promise.”
Legolas sighed; he hated it when the twins were like this. “I promise.”
“And you must promise never to use this alone.”
“I promise.”
Elladan turned and began to climb the trunk of the willow. Legolas turned to Elrohir. “What are you showing me?”
“All in good time,” he grinned, walking towards the tree.
“Come, Legolas, or have you forgotten how to climb a tree?” Elladan’s voice called from above them.
Legolas rushed forwards; of course he could climb trees! While Elrohir climbed just behind Legolas, Elladan was far ahead of them. Legolas may have been climbing for as long as he could remember, but his companions were bigger and stronger than him.
Elladan stopped where the final branches spread out. When he finally reached Elladan, Legolas sat on a branch and then nearly fell off in surprise. The trunk of the tree was hollow, and led down into what appeared to be a tunnel. His mouth fell open in surprise as he briefly wondered how it was possible that the tree was still alive, but then, there were many things about Imladris that he did not understand.
He looked at the twins, who wore identical grins. As he was obviously lost for words, Elrohir spoke up. “It leads into the forest. Elladan and I discovered it when we were running from Erestor, after we had read his diary.”
“We used it, when we were your age, to get into the forest unhindered.”
“But surely there are others here who know about it?”
“Probably,” Elrohir admitted. “Father almost certainly does, but not many others. Elflings are not allowed to climb the waterfalls and few others have the time or inclination to climb trees.”
Elladan, becoming impatient, interrupted. “Come, Legolas, we will show you the way,” and with that, he jumped into the dark tunnel.
.
.
.
Elrond watched, from a store room in the houses of healing, as Glorfindel threw a half eaten apple at ErestorÂ’s retreating back. It missed him, but only barely. He sighed; they had been like this ever since the meeting yesterday. He had no idea why this rift had suddenly appeared between the two. Glorfindel was angry at Erestor, but he highly doubted that she wanted an end to their friendship.
“You are worried about Glorfindel and Erestor,” Mirear had come into the room and, seeing Elrond watching the pair outside, had put two and two together. Elrond, however, choose to ignore her comment. Mirear was a kind girl, but his friend’s relationship had nothing to do with her. He had no desire, or right, to talk to her about this. So Elrond turned and reached for a plant.
“He’s angry because she slept with Narelda. He called her a harlot and she hit him,” she suddenly blurted out.
Elrond turned to look at her. He didnÂ’t think that she was lying, but the only way she could know was if she had been eavesdropping on their conversation. Maybe his original impression of her was wrong, and perhaps she wasnÂ’t the only one she had graced with this knowledgeÂ…
“How do you know this?” he questioned, and Mirear looked slightly embarrassed.
“I went to the library, to find a new book. Just after I sat down, and before I could read a word, they came in and stopped right in front of me. They assumed that I was reading, and continued their argument. It was too distracting to start reading, especially when they started to shout, and I did not wish to disturb or embarrass them by leaving, so I merely sat and pretended to read.” She seemed genuinely guilty, and he found himself angry for doubting her morals. But there was still one question unanswered…
“Have you told anyone else?”
“No, my lord. I only informed you because Narelda is the one who caused this rift to form. Narelda works under my family, so I feel partly responsible.”
Elrond nodded. “Thank you, Mirear.” At least some things were explained, such as the appearance of Erestor’s bruise. “However, you must not feel guilty for the actions of others.” Mirear really did have a kind heart, and was observant. She would make a kind and gentle Queen, were it not for the growing darkness, which was causing great harm and strife in Mirkwood. It needed a warrior leader, not a healer.
He was fairly impressed that she had kept eye-contact throughout the discussion, but then she was a princess of Mirkwood. He realised that she may have some difficulty adjusting to life in Imladris. The transition from being in place where she had close to absolute power, to one where she would have very little would make it challenging to adapt.
Elrond turned around again. “Mirear, I will need you to bring me a large bowl and pestle, along with some moon-flower.” Mirear nodded her understanding, and turned to collect the items. The previous discussion was over, and would remain over. She was here to learn, not to meddle in the lives of people she did not know.

End of Chapter 5.