The elflings walked up to the nearest elf (Which happened to be Algerion) and Legolas cleared his throat to get his attention. 

"Oh no." Algerion's face turned quite pale and he said with a note of exasperation but also sadness, "Please don't tell me you want to shoot again." 

"No, no, no we just want to ask a question." Legolas said.

Algerion looked very relieved and bent down eagerly. "Well, fire away!" 

Elladan spoke up, "What does, rendvus mean?" 

Algerion's smile vanished and he looked puzzled. After a moment's pause he smiled again, "Ah, do you mean to say 'rendezvous' ?" They all nodded, "Well, that means to meet someone in an agreed place at an agreed time."  At any normal time he would have wondered why three elflings, two of them being the infamous twins of Imladris, were asking him about the word 'rendezvous' but at the moment he was just relieved he wouldn't have to go any search through the forest for an hour after stray arrows the young ones shot. As mentioned before, they collectively only hit four in the target, but they shot at least a score of arrows, so one might imagine how tiresome this task was. As it were, Algerion wouldn't have questioned it if they asked him what would happen if they spread oil all over the palace then lit a match. 

The young elves went away happily for they now knew what Arasinya had meant. And when that time came they were waiting at the water fountain in the Queen's favorite willow grove, as planned. 

They watched and waited, amusing themselves by throwing small stones in the fountain and seeing them splash, for she had not said what time to meet them, only that is was to be that night. Presently Legolas looked in the fountain and saw that the bottom was almost covered in stones, for they had hung around the garden since about six-thirty and it was now reaching on into seven. So they invented a new game for themselves and counted to ten while another tried to get as many stones out of the fountain as he could. Sometimes, when one was bending over the fountain scrabbling for rocks in the icy waters, you 'friend' would come up behind you and push you completely in. So, in this way they were all thoroughly wet by the time Arasinya did come. 

"Well, what have you all been up to?" She said, her green eyes wide, and full of mirth. She surveyed the three soaking elflings and burst out in her clear laugh. The young ones couldn't help but join in. 

"Now, to business." the elleth said sobering. "So I am assuming that you want a squirrel to go into Ainion's room, grab his silver eagle then leave." 

Legolas nodded vigorously. "Yup! Can you get the squirrel to do it?" 

Arasinya smiled. "Perhaps. Though I had half a mind to ask your father, they all love him and would do anything he asked." She laughed again as Legolas' face paled before he realized she was joking. "I can try to get a little squirrel to snatch Ainion's oh so important mithril eagle. Serves him right,too." 

"Yea, " agreed Legolas. "I've heard the story of how Ainion got his beloved eagle about a thousand times already! He rattles on and on to anyone who will listen, and my father even said that he had heard it enough times!" 

"Yes, well we had better wait till morning when the squirrels will be in better moods. They will not thank us for waking them at this hour." 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Legolas opened his eyes and sat up in bed. A faint light shone in through the window illuminating his bedroom. The walls were painted with leaves and birds so that it felt as if you were sleeping in a tree. "Oh!" he thought. Suddenly he was very awake despite it being around five in the morning,  "We must have the squirrel today!" He was very excited now and thought "I must wake ada so everyone else will get up, too!" Legolas hopped out of bed and threw open the door leading to the little hallway connecting him with his ada. With the pitter patter of little feet, he was soon jumping on another bed and laughing. "Get up ada!!" 

Thranduill opened one eye and looked at his son. Then he directed the eye to the window. His curtains were not drawn and as his window faces east he saw the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon.  "Legolas," he mumbled sleepily, "It is hardly morning. You cannot get up yet." 

"Aww but ada!" Legolas said shaking his father. His mind was racing with ideas about the prank and plans set for that day. How could his ada not see that he must get up now? 

Thranduill sighed. He sometimes wished Legolas did not rise so early, though this was particularly early even for him. He stared at his son till it became apparent that he would not go back to sleep unless he was made to. "Well, if you will not go to your room, you will have to sleep with me." 

"Nonono, I don't want to sleep at all."    

Thranduill stared at his son again. His little face was lit up with excitement and he was nearly shaking while he sat. The king sighed then rolled his eyes. More joys of parenting.  "Come on Legolas, get in bed." 

"Nooooooooo adaaaaa!" 

"Legolas." he said more sternly, "It is barely morning you can not get up now." The child just stood his ground, frowning now. Thranduill had an idea, "Okay Legolas. you may stay up until eight o'clock when we have to go to breakfast. Then you can go but no leaving this room until then." 

Legolas' young mind had been tricked! His focus had been inadvertently shifted from going out for a squirrel, to staying up. In this way he was thoroughly excited when his ada said this, even though it doesn't help his situation at all. Thranduill gave him a book, then dimmed the lights once more. Legolas doodled for some time then read the story. Slowly,slowly he began to feel drowsy. Then his head plopped onto the book and he slept soundly.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

When Legolas woke again, sunlight was streaming through the open window, and it was now closer to eight in the morning. He was still wrapped in the cocoon but Thranduill was getting dressed in his closet. He came out and smiled when he saw Legolas awake. "Good morning, my little greenleaf. You had better get dressed, we will be a little late for breakfast if you don't hurry." 

Up until then Legolas had quite forgotten the plans for that day, but he now remembered and jumped up at once. The young prince was up and dashing over to his bedroom. In a few minutes Legolas was running to and fro between the two rooms screaming at his ada to "Hurry up!" Thranduill laughed at his little sunshine jumping and running all around his room. Finally when he was ready the king caught his son as he ran by. The little prince erupted into giggles, the king did his son's hair then they walked out hand-in-hand to the dining hall. 

The Lord Berenor rose and bowed to his king. Thranduill nodded respectfully, but Legolas zipped pass the adults and started wolfing down his food. 

Berenor chuckled, "What is the hurry penneth?" Legolas mumbled something incomprehensible through his stuffed mouth. 

"Legolas!" Thranduill reprimanded. "Do not speak with your mouth full! And take your meal slower. You will have it up again if you don't." 

Legolas stopped shoveling food into his mouth and swallowed. "I'm going to play with Elladan and Elrohir and Arasinya today!" 

"Arasinya?" Thranduill raised an eyebrow. 

The young prince nodded vigorously. His voice raised in pitch as he grew more excited. "She's going to help us with the squirrels! Were going to get them to do stuff for us like you can ada!" 

"Okay, ion-nin, but be gentle with them. They are living creatures like you or me." 

"Yea, ada!" Legolas shouted over his shoulder as he ran outside.

The adults chuckled at his enthusiasm. 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Its about time!" Elladan yelled at Legolas as he ran up to meet them at the fountain again. 

"Don't be silly," said Arasinya, "You only just got here." 

"Are--we-gon-na start--now?" gasped a breathless Legolas. 

"Yes," the elleth replied then motioned for them to follow her into the forest. They walked for a few minutes until they stopped at the foot of a large oak tree. 

"Legolas," she whispered, "Elladan, Elrohir, up the tree." All four elves climbed the tree. "If you would, Legolas." 

The young elf prince whistled a little four-note tune. The 'Squirrel Song' his naneth used to call it. Soon, a little furry head popped out of a hole. Legolas whistled again and it came to sit on the branch in front of him. Then Arasinya held out her hand and whistled a longer more complicated song. The little rodent hopped onto her outstretched hand and the little ones gasped.

"Wow." Elrohir breathed, beaming. 

"okay, squirrel, you need to jump into the window on the second floor in the--" Elladan began telling the squirrel their plans until Arasinya hushed him. The furry animal cocked its head at him. 

"Shhhh. Not yet, You must allow the animal to connect with you so it trusts you and understands your voice." Then she began to sing softly to it. The little head snapped instantly towards her and it fixed its little eyes on her's. She continued to sing softly then Legolas's voice joined hers. The elves continued to befriend the squirrel and soon it would listen to them. And there, in the quiet confidence of the tree, they relayed their plans.....