Thank you to nathalieAlice,  joellamariah, crystalily2003, Tiemna, fateclaws, and lordThrandui      for commenting and voting on the previous chapter!

Thank you to FrancescaHisona, user726092015510, and NiyatiChaurasia for adding this story to their reading lists! 

Elrohir skipped into the living room to find Elladan lying on the floor drawing. He held a sketchbook in his hand and asked his brother, "Have you seen my pencils?"

"No," said Elladan, looking with attention at his drawing.

"You are lying!" Elrohir cried. "What have you done with my pencils?"

"I have not done a thing with them," Elladan cried, jumping to his feet.

"I know you have done something with them," Elrohir accused. "I saw you with my box down by the river yesterday."

Elladan hesitated. Unable to lie to his brother, he admitted, "I dropped the box into the water by accident."

"What?" Elrohir cried. "How could you have been so careless?"

"It was an accident!" Elladan shouted back. "I would never do it intentionally."

"You had no right to take mine without asking!"

"You should have said something yesterday!" Elladan retorted.

"I would have, if I had known you were going to drop them into the water! You should have used your own!"

"Mine were being sharpened because you have been using them incessantly," Elladan snapped. "If anything, it is your fault."

"Mine?" Elrohir flung his sketchbook down to the sofa. "You dropped them, not me. You stole them."

Elladan scowled. "You are a fine one to talk after you take mine one after the next—"

Elrohir's hands curled into fists. "I take care not to drop your pencils into the river!"

"I told you it was an accident!" Elladan shouted. "Why will you not listen?"

"I am listening! But it is not bringing my pencils back, is it?" Elrohir spat.

The door flew open as Elrond charged into the room in time to see the twins hurl themselves onto one another.

Elrond grabbed Elrohir's arm and jerked him back as he heard Elladan cry out in pain.

"Elrohir!" he snapped.

The elfling fell still at his voice and turned his eyes away from Elladan. As Celebrian swooped through the door to come to Elladan's side, Elrond led Elrohir out of the room. His son followed him without resistance. Elladan cast a desperate look back at his brother before the door closed.

In the privacy of his bedroom, Elrond left Elrohir by the bed and closed the door. He whirled around in time to grab Elrohir's hand as the elfling tried to dive under the bed.

Elrohir screamed and Elrond's heart almost choked his throat.

"Gracious valar, Elrohir, I do not intend to hurt you," Elrond exclaimed, swiftly encircling his son in a hug to sooth him. "I know there is a time when I would be spanking you for hitting your brother but that time is behind us."

"I do not believe you," Elrohir accused. "You lie."

"I am proving to you right by not spanking you. Would you like to tell me what happened between you and Elladan?"

Elrond guided his son to the bed and made him sit. Elrohir curled onto his side and rested his cheek on his palm. Elrond sat down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"He took my box of pencils without asking," Elrohir admitted. "And dropped them into the river."

"I am sorry he dropped them. But I am sure it was an accident," Elrond said.

"They were my pencils," Elrohir said in a choked voice.

"I understand you are upset and it was not right of your brother to take them without asking you. But I am disappointed in your actions; attacking your brother is not alright."

Elrohir cringed and Elrond sighed, wishing he would stop wincing. Elrohir sat up and dangled his legs off the bed. His head down, he asked, "Will you punish me?"

Elrond put his arms around Elrohir's shoulders. "You, of all people, should know attacking your brother would not bring your pencils back. I am disappointed with what you did and, yes, I will punish you. But I will not spank you. What kind of lesson would you learn if I punished you for hitting your brother by hitting you?"

Elrohir looked into his eyes and shrugged. "I do not know. You used to think it some kind of lesson."

"Are you ready to apologize to Elladan?"

"What if I do not feel sorry?" Elrohir countered.

"I will not force you to apologize if you do not feel any regrets," Elrond answered.

Elrohir looked down. "I am sorry. Pencils are not worth hitting my twin."

Elrond stood up and held out a hand. "Come, you can tell Elladan how you feel."

Elrohir took his hand and followed him. Elladan and Celebrian sat in the living room, side by side on the couch. Elladan looked up as his father and brother entered.

"I am sorry I hit you," Elrohir said. "I was upset over the pencils. I know you never meant to drop them into the river."

Elladan smiled crookedly. "It is alright. I should not have taken your pencils without asking. I forgive you."

Celebrian stood and came to Elrond's side as the twins embraced. When the elflings turned around to face them, Elrond said, "You did something wrong today. Elrohir, you hit your brother. Elladan, you stole your brother's property. I think you understand where you went wrong and I am sure this will not happen again."

"Elladan, you will spend an hour a day for the next three days, starting tomorrow, cleaning the stalls the Stable Master reports are dirty. You will put your hands to use instead of using them for stealing," Celebrian said.

"Elrohir," Elrond said, "You will spend an hour a day in the kitchens for the next three days, starting tomorrow, assisting with whatever work you are assigned so you will remember hands are not for hitting."

"Elladan, you will go to the dining room and write me a one page paper on honesty," Celebrian said.

"Elrohir, you may stay here and write me a one page paper on self-control," Elrond finished. "Now."

For half a moment, defiance crept across Elrohir's face. He nodded and he and his twin separated.

"Do not steal my ink!" Elrohir called after Elladan.

"Your mother and I will be with Arwen," Elrond said. "We will expect you down in half an hour."

Elrohir walked to collect his ink, pen, and a sheet of paper. Legolas levered himself out of his chair and ran in search of his father with bright eyes. Finding the office and throne empty, he sprinted to the healing wing.

The quiet, white halls were filled with bustling healers, and Legolas passed Galion as he hurried to Landion's chamber.

Legolas stepped into Landion's room. "Ada, you will never believe—"

Legolas's words died from his lips as he heard Landion's disturbed moans and sobs. The elfling lay sobbing in his tangled sheets, his eyes hazy and unseeing though they were open, full of pain. His cheeks were flushed and his surroundings clearly unknown to him. Hot tears coursed down his cheeks.

Thranduil, Healer Jailil, and two attendants hovered over Landion, two holding him still while Healer Jailil tended to the elfling's wound. Legolas winced at the sight of the bloody rags and Landion's howls of pain. Though Thranduil held his hand, Landion seemed to have no comfort.

Another elf turned from the doorway and Legolas found himself staring into the yellow eyes of Vandril. The elf looked at him for a moment before he turned away.

Quietly, Legolas closed the door, certain ada could not hear him over Landion's screams and sat down with his hands folded in his lap on the bench opposite the door to wait until his father emerged.

Thranduil emerged minutes later, having caught a glimpse of Legolas's hair in the corner of his eyes. He sat down beside his son and put an arm around his shoulders.

"You had something you wanted to tell me?" he asked.

"Elladan and Elrohir attacked each other," Legolas said. "Elrond was furious."

Thranduil sighed and dropped his head into his hands. "I cannot help Landion and deal with Elrond. If he has harmed them I will have to send him home."

Legolas leaned his head on Thranduil's shoulder. "He sent them to write papers on honesty and assigned them an hour of work."

Thranduil nodded. "I am happy to hear it. My heart is lightened knowing he is beginning to learn."

Legolas swallowed. "Ada, how is Landion?"

"Not well," Thranduil answered.

"I do not want him to die," Legolas said in a small voice.

Thranduil kissed the top of his head. "He will not die, little leaf. The best healers in the world are looking after him."

Elrond has made a wonderful step in the right direction. I am sure the twins feel closer to him now. What do you think?

Thank you so much for reading. I love hearing from you!

Next Chapter: Legolas attends a meeting.