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Elladan lay awake, thinking about Galadriel and Celeborn's departure. They had not gone with joy but his heart knew some peace knowing they would not be here to remind him of things he wished to forget. Elladan knew Elrohir was awake beside him. He rolled over and touched his brother.

"Hmm?" Elrohir asked, turning to meet his eyes.

"Will you come lie down with me and Elrond?" Elladan asked. "I went last night and I liked it."

Elrohir hesitated before he looked away. "No, thank you. You go. I will stay here."

Elladan picked at the threads of his blanket, struggling with himself. He did not want to leave Elrohir but he did want to spend the night with his parents.

"I do not mind," Elrohir assured him. "Saes, go. For me. For us." He grinned. "Besides, I would like the bed to myself tonight."

Elladan slid out of bed and made for the door. "If you are sure."

"I am," his brother said, his voice so confident Elladan could not doubt him.

Elladan made for his parents' room and climbed into the bed beside his father. Elrond shifted and moved over for him, murmuring, "Is Elrohir with you?"

Elladan shook his head as he took his pillow. "No. He would not come with me. Maybe tomorrow night."

OoOoO

"Will you come with me to lie down with Elrond and Celebrian?" Elladan asked his twin the next night. He stood at the edge of the bed, not hopeful of getting a yes from his twin but willing to try nonetheless.

Elrohir rolled over to look at him and shook his head. "No. You go."

"It is not the same without you," Elladan persisted. "Please come. For me?"

Elrohir turned away from him, his voice muffled by the pillow. "You know, I am happy you can find it in your heart to forgive them for what they did to you but I am still hurt by the actions of the past and I am not ready to—to go with you yet. Please stop asking me."

Elladan could sense the tears choked in Elrohir's voice. He looked toward the door but could not find it in himself to leave his hurting brother. Elladan lifted the blankets and slid down beside his twin. Elrohir reached for him and rested his head on Elladan's chest.

Elladan felt a few tears soak into his shirt and rubbed his brother's back in silence, knowing Elrohir needed no words to calm him.

"I never meant to upset you," Elladan apologized.

Elrohir sniffed. "It is not you, muindor nin. I am sorry if I am upsetting you."

Elladan said nothing; he needed no words. He felt Elrohir shift against him but he was already drifting into sleep.

Several hours later Elrohir yawned and rolled onto his back. He stared up at the ceiling as he stretched his arms, careful not to bump into his twin. His tears and bad memories were long gone, having drifted out the open window. The elfling slid out of bed and went to the door. He looked back at Elladan before he stepped out of the room and made for Elrond's chamber.

Elrohir gave his father a gentle push to ask him to move over. Elrond shifted in his sleep and made room for Elrohir beside him. Under the warm blankets, Elrohir rolled onto his side and slept.

Half an hour later Elrond was awakened by Elladan's urgent whisper. "Is Elrohir with you?"

Elrond touched the elfling beside him and muttered, "Gracious valar above, I thought this was you. Yes, Elrohir is with me."

"He said he was not ready to come sleep with you," Elladan confessed. "But I woke up and found him gone. It looks like he changed his mind. Is there room for me?"

"Not on this side of the bed," Elrond told him. "But Celebrian has a free side I am sure she will lend it to you."

Elrond heard his son move around to his mother's side of the bed. The mattress shifted as Celebrian slid over and Elladan climbed into bed. He smiled in the darkness and put an arm around Elrohir, pulling his son a little closer.

OoOoO

Elrond awoke with a grunt as Arwen clambered over him. Elrohir's eyes jerked into focus as his sister's elbow rammed into his stomach. Arwen slid down to the floor; her mission accomplished and made for her toys stacked against the wall.

"Ow," Elrohir complained. His eyes met Elrond and his fell silent.

Elrond touched his cheek. "You never woke me up in such a manner. Not once."

Elrohir looked away. "It is kind of hard to climb over someone when they are separated by the bars of a crib and a solid wall."

Elrond hugged him. "I know. I am sorry you missed digging your knee and elbow into me so many times. You could start now?"

Elrohir twisted to look at him and a slow smile spread across his face, lighting up the room and Elrond's heart. "No,  I think Arwen will do it all for me."

Elrond brushed a strand of hair off Elrohir's face. "I love you, ion nin."

"I want to love you back. But I cannot. Not yet."

"Are my tests not yet over?" Elrond demanded with a groan.

"Thank you for letting me sleep with you," Elrohir answered. "I enjoyed it."

"You are free to come to come join me any night you like," Elrond answered. "I enjoyed it to. You do not have to thank me; I am here for you when you need me. It is what parents are for."

Elrohir looked down. "Are parents also for spanking children?"

"I used to think they were. My parents spanked me and you know Galadriel and Celeborn spanked your mother. I used to think it was the right thing to do. But I realize I have told myself that for centuries now and it is not true. Parents are here to love you, Elrohir, and it is their soul mission to keep themselves from twisting their love into something bad. To love is not to spank."

Elrohir met his father's eyes. "No, it is not. But I do not think their soul mission is to keep themselves from twisting their love into something bad."

"You are right. Their first responsibility is to love and care for their children." As Arwen climbed back over the two of them, Elrond added, "No matter how frustrating they are at times."

Elrohir smiled. "I agree with you there. I-I slept badly last night and I am not ready to greet the day yet. Do you mind if I sleep a little longer?"

Elrond shook his head as he lifted the blankets. "No. You need your rest."

"Will you hold me?" Elrohir asked in a small voice, as if he were ashamed to ask.

Elrond let the blankets fall and flopped back down against his pillows. "Of course I will hold you, ion nin; you need not be ashamed to ask. I am your father; I am here when you need me."

Elrohir reached for him and snuggled into Elrond's embrace, warm and sleepy against his father's side. Elrond rubbed Elrohir's back with a soft smile, his heart singing with joy his second son had come back to him.

OoOoO

Landion sat on Thranduil's lap, watching the snow falling outside the window. Arwen played around the base of the chair while Elladan and Elrohir sat on the couch and concentrated on the shared pages of their drawing pad, chewing on the ends of their pencil.

Thranduil turned the last page of his book and moved his arm as Landion slid off his lap. "Where are you going, muindor nin?"

"For a walk," Landion said. He grinned. "Do not worry, I will wrap myself up in my cloak and I will be back in an hour, no more."

"Do not wander too far," Thranduil called after him.

Landion left behind the quiet room and collected his fur-lined cloak. Wrapping the thick folds around him, he pulled up the hood and stepped out into the crisp autumn air. The forest was already beginning to blaze with color, hints of red and gold and orange showing in the leaves of the trees as the wind whipped them back and forth on their branches.

Landion followed the path along the river, his hands buried in his pockets. He walked until the path ended and the river plunged into a waterfall. Cold, foaming water pooled around the rocks at the bottom as the river snaked on toward Laketown and the Lonely Mountain. And beyond that, were the Iron Hills. And ada.

Landion stood on the last bit of land and looked out as he had for the past few weeks, his heart missing his father. Perhaps he should have gone with him. But he loved his home; he was not ready to leave it even for a little while.

But how he missed ada.

Landion sighed and poked at the mud with the toe of his boot, the wind blowing his hair. He could smell rain in the air. The wind would blow storm clouds overhead soon and the river would boil grey with the floods.

Landion turned his eyes back out toward Laketown. He blew a kiss, hoping the wind would carry it to Harune, and turned to retrace his steps back to the palace. Perhaps one of the kitchen maids would feel nice today and let him have a buttered bun.

Landion spun around at the thought, eager for the hot, fresh bread. His foot slipped on the mud and he toppled back with a shriek, over the edge of the waterfall. His fingers grasped for anything to slow his fall but his hands scraped away dirt.

Landion squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the sharp rocks below before he hit them. All he could think of was Harune's face when he returned home and found his son dead.

A hand closed over his wrist and Landion jerked to a halt. The elfling looked up to see his savior. His green eyes opened wide and he tried to jerk his hand free, willing to take the rocks over the nightmare above him.

Landion screamed long and loud and clear.

The elf pulled Landion to solid ground and set him on his feet.

"How can you be here?" Landion cried. "You left!"

The elf reached to touch his cheek. "How I have missed you, my little one. Come, I have come to take you home."

Landion jerked back and ran. He tripped and stumbled as he ran, his heart hammering in his chest as he fled back to the palace, seeking to be safe and secure in Thranduil's arms. He could hear footsteps behind him.

Landion ran in at back door of the kitchens and fled past startled maids, his feet heavy as he pounded up the stairs and sprinted through the halls. Tears sprang into his eyes, as he could not find Thranduil in the living room. Breathless and desperate he stumbled toward the throne, hoping to find his brother there.

"Landion!" Thranduil cried, starting up from his great chair as his brother came into view.

Landion held out his arms as he dragged himself up the last step. "Muindor nin, help me." He crumpled to the floor in a heap at Thranduil's feet and sobbed.

Hyrondal strode to bow to his king as Thranduil picked Landion up and walked in swift circles to sooth the elfling at the base of his throne.

"My lord," The Captain of the Guard said with a quick bow. "An elf demands to see you. If I am beyond my rights in bringing him to see you now, I apologize." He moved aside as an elf stepped past him.

"No," Landion moaned. "No."

"My lord," the elf said, placing his palms together as he bowed. "My name is Vandril and I am Landion's father."

Elrohir has opened his heart! But who is this elf calling himself Landion's father?

Thank you so much for reading. I love hearing your thoughts at the end of each chapter.

Next Chapter: Galadriel and Celeborn find themselves in a blizzard!