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Rating: G For everyone :)
Synopsis: Elladan and Elrohir as children get the idea to try and make breakfast for their parents, but with these two, nothing is every simple.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Elladan, Elrohir, Elrond, Glorfindel, Aragorn, Legolas, or Celebrian. They are the creations of J.R.R. Tolkien as is the setting and all of the places and associations with Middle Earth.
Author's Note: Feel free to send comments or
questions through email or post it to the guestbook.
***************
Chapter 1: A Great Idea
A gentle rain was falling in the valley of Rivendell driving its residents
inside. It had been raining for the last three days on and off. Sometimes hard
with thunder rolling overhead and sometimes soothingly gentle, like it was now.
An air of laziness hung heavily over the Last Homely Home. Two elves were
sitting in the Hall of Fire waiting for the rain to stop. Their long dark hair
hung freely as they stared with matching expressions of utter boredom into the
flickering flames. A steady flow of water was pelting the ornate window creating
a mesmerizing effect on the room's occupants.
For the first time in his life Elladan was not setting there contemplating what
to do to his twin brother Elrohir, who sat directly across from him right now.
Actually he was not really thinking about anything specific as he blankly stared
at the fire.
Elladan sighed outwardly in boredom.
Estel and Legolas were out together in the far reaches of Mirkwood and Estel was
not expected to be back for some time. That is unless one of them managed to get
themselves hurt bad enough that they would need to come back to Imladris early
for their father's care. Elladan figured this would probably be the most likely
outcome, as it always seemed to happen that way. Elladan shifted his head
slightly from its propped position on his hand and glanced at his twin brother.
Elrohir, who sat on one of the plush couches next to the table Elladan was
sitting at, was staring at the wall with glassy eyes. Elladan looked to the spot
on the wall and found nothing interesting enough, besides the plain wall, to
hold his brother's attention. He briefly wondered if Elrohir had drifted off to
sleep listening to the steady rain. A small smile tugged at the edges of his
mouth as he thought that maybe he was going to have to plot something. After all
it was Elrohir's fault for falling asleep during the day with Elladan around.
After all this time he should definitely know better. Elladan was obligated to
react now; it was a matter of honor. A mischievous smile crossed his face when
dozens of images went through his head. The most prominent one was Elrohir with
red hair: no blue to match his eyes he corrected himself. All the images, of
course, were followed by the ones where his brother was trying to stake him
outside in the rain, but what else could he expect? After all, not everything in
life was easy and usually the most rewarding situations involved some sort of
risk. Death by your own brother was one of those for example. But...
A memory interrupted Elladan's thoughts. It was triggered by the rain and
imagining his brother covered in some sort of substance. One of the first times
they came to understand that there were consequences for ones actions. It had
been on a rainy day like this one were they were forced to stay inside and amuse
themselves. Quite a feat for a seven year old Elladan and Elrohir. A warm smile
came to Elladan's face as he remembered that his mother Celebrian had still been
around then...
*******
Sometime before dawn Elrohir was sleeping comfortably in his bed with his arm
around his favorite stuffed toy. The stuffed animal was in the likeness of a
white oliphant named Niphredil*. Although Elrohir had never seen one before ada*
had assured him that was what it was, although they usually were not white.
Elrohir was waked from his dream state by the sudden movement of being shaken
back and forth. He startled awake to look up into the glowing face of his twin
brother Elladan.
"Mani uma lle merna!?" he asked irritably his childlike high pitched
voice. //What do you want?//
Elladan smiled and struck the most regal pose, for a seven-year-old, he could
make.
"I have an idea," he stated grandly.
Elrohir not thrilled by being woken up so early rolled his blue eyes in his
small face.
"As good as the last one?"
The question deflated Elladan's grand pose and his shoulders dropped.
"That was not my fault! How was I supposed to know that ada didn't like
wearing purple? Anyway, this one is good."
Elrohir still clutching his oliphant looked at his brother suspiciously. He
snorted, laid back down, and pulled the cover up over his head with his free
hand. Elladan put his hands on his hips determinedly and tried to imitate ada's
stern look.
"Elrohir? Elrohir!"
Realizing this wasn't getting him anywhere Elladan reached out with his tiny
hand and ripped the cover back. Elrohir glared up at his brother.
"No! I am not going to spend forever grounded in here with you."
It was Elladan's turn to roll his eyes.
"Don't be such a crybaby! This is a good one."
Which made Elrohir's eyes widen. His brother had called him a crybaby. It was a
matter of honor now. He had to do it or be thought of as a wimp for the rest of
his life.
"Well?"
Elladan looked at his brother triumphantly.
"Don't worry. This one is going to make ada and nana happy," he said
happily.
Elrohir looked at his brother impatiently.
"Well?"
"We'll make them breakfast!" said Elladan excitedly.
Elrohir's face lit up to match Elladan's as he clapped his hands together.
"That sounds like fun!"
The two giggled in excitement and after Elrohir had dressed they headed for the
kitchen with Niphredil. After all, how hard could making breakfast really be?
***********************
Chapter 2 An Unexpected Problem
Elladan and Elrohir stood in the middle of the kitchen looking up at the racks
of various herbs and spices. Which they realized was way above their diminutive
heads.
"That's alright; we can borrow a couple of stools from the dinning
hall."
Elrohir nodded his head in agreement and then looked over to Elladan.
"What are we going to make?"
Elladan shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know."
"Hmm. Lets go look at what's in the storeroom."
This time Elladan nodded his head in agreement.
Elrohir put Niphredil on the counter and told him to stay there. Elladan
couldn't help but to burst out laughing and Elrohir looked over at his brother
through narrowed eyes.
"What is so funny?"
Elladan tried his hardest to hold back the laughter and even somewhat succeeded.
"Nothing," he said as he took off running out of the kitchen.
"What? Elladan!" Elrohir called to his brother as he bolted after him.
He rounded the corner and ran strait into Elladan who had stopped in front of
the storeroom.
"Shh!" said Elladan as he brought his finger up to his mouth.
"It will not be a surprise if you wake up everyone in the entire
house."
"Amin hiraetha," whispered Elrohir. //I'm sorry//
"Come on."
The two twins entered the room and looked around them.
"What should we take?"
"I don't know. Stuff you would eat for breakfast I guess."
Elrohir who was standing with his hand to his mouth, deep in thought, suddenly
brightened.
"I got it! We can make a eggs, sausage, and fresh bread!"
"But we don't know how to make bread."
"How hard can it be?"
Elladan nodded his head determinately. After all, how hard could it be?
*********
After Elladan and Elrohir carted everything from flour to vinegar, because one
never knew what you would need cooking, into the kitchen they drug in two of the
large wooden stools from the dinning hall. They pushed them up to the counter
and jumped up. The stools hoisted them high enough so that they could reach
everything they had pushed up on the counter.
After mixing the flour with everything they could get their hands on they
abandoned that idea and focused on the next thing.
The eggs.
Which didn't go that bad until Elladan tried to flip the
first one over and realized it was sticking to the pan.
"It won't come up Elrohir! What am I supposed to do?"
"Hang on!"
Elrohir took the spoon he was using to stir tealeaves into water and tried to
help his brother pry the stuck egg up. Both twins squeaked in surprise and
jumped back when the water crackled and flared briefly when it hit the pan.
Elladan looked over at Elrohir in annoyance.
"What are you trying to do? Burn off all my hair?!"
Elrohir struck a defiant pose with his hands on his hips still holding the
blackened spoon in one hand.
"I didn't know that was going to happen. You asked for help remember!"
"Help with scrapping the eggs up, not to burn me up!"
"This was your idea," said Elrohir as he crossed his arms.
Both twins stopped their arguing when they smelled something burning. They
looked down in unison at the forgotten pan and two sets of eyes went wide. The
rapidly blackening eggs had caught on fire! Elladan and Elrohir turned worried
eyes to each other and amongst the crackling two small voices could be heard.
"Uh oh..."
*************************
Chapter 3 Find Out What?
"Now look what you did! Ada is going to ground us forever!" Elladan
yelled.
"What I did? I'm not the one cooking the eggs!"
Elladan wasn't listening. He frantically searched around for what to do. His
eggs were being ruined! His eyes came to rest on the first thing he saw, which
was the tea container Elrohir had been using. Maybe he could sprinkle a little
water on them and still save some.
Elladan reached in front of his brother who was still complaining about how he
always managed to get them into trouble and in his haste tipped over the flour
jar sending the white powder cascading out. The white substance ballooned out in
a thick cloud that covered everything in its path. Including Elladan who was
leaning in front of his brother.
Elladan looked down with a sad sigh. Well, the fire was out as was the one he
was using to cook with and his eggs were, without a doubt, ruined. He looked
back behind him when he heard the sound of laughter. Elrohir was laughing so
hard he was holding his sides and Elladan thought he was going to fall off of
the stool.
"That's not funny," he said defensively.
Elrohir, if possible, only laughed all the harder, which angered Elladan. He
bent around grabbed a handful of the spilled flour, turned back to his brother
who was practically hyperventilating, held out his hand, and blew, sending a
white fluffy shower all over the upper half of Elrohir.
Elrohir stopped laughing.
"Hey! What was that for?"
"For laughing! Look at my eggs!"
"I wasn't laughing at your eggs. Look at you!" which
sent Elrohir into another laughing fit.
Elladan's eyes narrowed at his brother. He side stepped Elrohir, leapt of the
stool, and grabbed Niphredil from the counter on the way down. Elrohir's eyes
went wide as he saw his brother's target, but it was too late. Elladan was
already standing on the floor holding the stuffed toy.
"Give that back!"
Elladan put on the most innocent smile he had.
"Give what back?" he asked in mock surprise.
"Elladan! I mean it."
"Say you're sorry."
Elrohir huffed at his brother.
"Never."
"Alright," said Elladan slowly turning towards the door, "then it
looks like the oliphant gets tossed in the Bruinen."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Wouldn't I?" Elladan replied smugly.
"Fine. Then I'll tell Glorfindel why you missed his last history
lesson."
Elladan sucked in his breath at that. There was no way he was going to let the
older elf find out about that.
"Alright, truce?"
"Truce," Elrohir agreed slowly taking Niphredil away from his brother.
Elladan and Elrohir's sharp ears picked up the sounds of movement somewhere in
the house. One of the servants must be up. They both looked around in horror.
There was flour everywhere, not to mention on them as well, other cooking
ingredients they never even used spread around, scorched eggs stuck to one of
the pans, and the failed unidentifiable lumps of something that the only thing
one could tell was it they definitely wasn't bread.
The kitchen was a mess and they hadn't even really fixed anything yet!
"What are we going to do?" asked Elladan.
Elrohir looked around as if the answer would spring out from behind something at
any minute. Not finding anything he sighed sadly.
"We're never going to have time to make breakfast now Elladan. Lets get the
kitchen cleaned up before ada finds out."
"Before ada finds out what?"
Elladan and Elrohir jumped together at the unexpected voice and wheeled around
towards the doorway to see their father standing in it. Elrohir quickly held the
spoon behind his back and two angelic faces smiled up at the Lord of Rivendell.
"Good morning ada," the twins said sweetly.
Elrond eyes quickly scanned the disaster zone and to Elrohir it looked as if he
was checking to make sure that no one was half dead and in need of attention
before his eyes came to rest on them once more. Elrond eyes glinted in the early
morning sun and the twins saw unleashed anger in their depths. They both stood
there fearful of what was to come until Elladan couldn't take it anymore.
"Ada I can explain. Elrohir and I we were, well we just wanted..."
"Be still Elladan," Elrond spoke quietly.
Elladan stopped his rambling and cast his eyes to the floor. Elrohir unable to
keep eye contact was already staring at the floor. He wished they could just get
yelled at and get it over with. Elrond's calm demeanor was more nerve racking to
the twins than seeing him mad.
The three of them stood in silence for a little while longer. Finally Elrond's
voice broke the silence.
"Elladan, Elrohir..."
The two elflings held their breath. They briefly glanced at each other and could
tell they were thinking the same thing. Here it comes...
*********************
Chapter 4 Laughter
Elladan barely held his lip from quivering as he stood there waiting to hear
what his father had to say.
A quiet giggle from outside the door drew the twin's attention and they looked up to see Celebrian their mother standing in the doorway.
Her eyes were dancing with mirth and she barely held back
the laughter inside. Elladan and Elrohir became hopeful. Maybe their naneth
would help them. They looked up with hopeful eyes at their mother. Although
Celebrian looked amused she stood quietly behind Elrond. They sighed together.
No help there. They look back up to their father and then back at the ground.
Unbeknownst to the two when they look down a smile was exchanged between the two
older elves. Elrond tried to hold his series face and cleared his throat. The
twins looked up at him. He was going to lecture them about the dangers of the
kitchen and how they could have burned the house down; it looked as if they
nearly burned Elladan's hair off as it was. He wanted to express his concerns
over his two sons dragging their path of disaster into the kitchen and how the
cook, Valar forbid he would show up right now, would not be pleased with them.
He was going to... then Celebrian broke down. She had laughed herself almost to
hyperventilation over the incident and with her silvery laughter Elrond couldn't
keep the stern composure.
So much for playing the stern parent.
Elrohir was sure Elladan had done it this time and they were going to be
grounded in their room until they were three thousand years old. Elladan and
Elrohir looked up in surprise when their mother broke out in laughter. The
looked over hopefully an their father and almost laughed too when they saw a
smile pulling at the edges of his lips. They both sighed in relief and Elrohir
finally realized that the glint they had seen in their father's eyes was not
anger, but mirth.
Elladan and Elrohir broke out in childish laughter part in relief and part in
joy. Elrond kneeled down and hugged a twin in each arm. After they had all
shared a laugh Elrond looked on at his sons more seriously. He took hold of a
piece of Elladan's hair and raised the singed end while aching his eyebrow.
"You do realize the both of you could have burnt yourselves or worse, do
you not?"
Elladan and Elrohir looked guiltily at each other before answering together.
"Ays, ada." //yes, dad//
"There are reasons why elflings are not to use certain things without an
adult there to help," Elrond said somewhat sternly.
"Ays, ada."
Elrond saw the dejected looks on his son's faces and lightened his tone.
"As it was, no one was hurt and your mother and I do appreciate the
gesture. Hantele. Now, I suggest we get started on cleaning this place up before
Amárith finds her kitchen and," pointedly looking at the spoon Elrohir
still held, "utensils in such a disarray." //thank you//
So early one raining morning the Lord and Lady of Rivendell and their twins sons
straightened up the kitchen. It time, it might be known, for one Amárith to
come into a clean kitchen. Elladan and Elrohir had to cover their mouths as not
to giggle at the bewildered looks she gave them and especially Elrond and
Celebrian upon entering the kitchen. Never before and never again would she walk
in the kitchen in the early morning hours to see her Lord, Lady, and the young
ones covered in flour.
Celebrian quietly walked over to her sons, took their hand, and led them out of
the kitchen. Once the three of them had cleared the other side of the dinning
hall they erupted into laughter.
"Come little ones, we shall get you and I cleaned up before others start to
think your father and I have resorted to playing in the kitchen again."
Later that morning the four freshly cleaned sat down to a less blacken
breakfast. Elladan was still disappointed he did not get to fix breakfast.
"We just wanted to do something for you ada and nana."
Elrond looked at his older son by minutes fondly.
"You already have Elladan."
Elladan sighed. After a minute his face brightened once again.
"I know! Since we can't do such things on our own maybe we could help you
do something with your help."
"That would be an excellent idea Elladan."
Elladan and Elrohir turned to each other and nodded. Apparently they already had
an idea in mind. They both jumped up from the table and ran to the door,
Niphredil in tow.
"Great," said Elladan excitedly, "when you get done ada well meet
you in the supply room."
It took Elrond, who was taking a sip of his tea; a moment before he realized in
exactly what direction his sons had taken off. When it dawned on him that they
were heading toward the storeroom where he ground and mixed most of the healing
herbs he practically choked on his tea.
The Lord of Rivendell unceremoniously bolted out of his
chair and quickly headed off after the twins, while Celebrian's laughter echoed
down the hall after him.
******
Elladan remembered that had been another incident where his mother had laughed
herself blue. A smile came to his fair face as he remembered how that particular
incident had turned out. 'About as well as our cooking attempt.'
Movement from Elrohir on the couch brought Elladan out of his reverie. His
brother turned his head to face behind Elladan and he could guess who was
entering the room without turning to see. If his brother had been asleep he had
missed his chance. 'Oh, well.'
Elladan and Elrohir both turned the same bored expression to their father as he
sat down in one of the chairs close to the fire. Elrond hid the smile he felt
inside.
He had seen those looks before.
They were staring at him simply because nothing else in the room besides him was
moving. He greeted his sons as he sat down and they absentmindedly greeted him
back.
Yes, he had definitely seen those looks before.
The Lord of Rivendell leaned back into his chair with his tea and listened to
the peaceful crackling of the fire. Somehow he knew this peace and tranquility
wouldn't last for too much longer. As matter of fact he knew it wouldn't last,
he thought as he hide another smile.
After all he had seen those looks of boredom before and they were usually a
warning sign for the path of destruction his three sons and the young prince
were so good at leaving.
Oh, yes, he had seen those looks before.
********************
FIN
*****************
Niphredil – Snowdrop (Actually a flower, but hey they are kids.)
Ada – dad (daddy)
Nana – mom (mommy)
Adar – father
Naneth – mother