He sat on the floor, fletching, arrow points and shafts scattered around him. His deft fingers working efficiently to place the three pieces together solidly, so not to have them fall apart during battle or target practice. He had sat there for many hours, eyeing the work and craftsmanship of the pieces before him, long before tying the ends and placing them into completed work.

He shook his head and stretched, tossing dark hair over his shoulders before returning to his work that was laid out before him. He could hear his family outside enjoying the spring air, but he was to endure his punishment and sit in the light that drifted into the room from a large window. He glanced longingly at the window. Shaking his head again, he bent down once again to finish tedious hours of placing the arrows together.

Hours passed, possibly days, he could not tell. A scurry of footfalls hurried down the halls, and stopped outside the door. He glanced up waiting to see who was going to knock. But no knock came; he sighed and returned to his work. Then a voice made him look up again.

“Elladan?” Someone whispered.

He smiled brightly and stood almost racing eagerly to the door. “Elrohir?” He whispered back. He opened the door peering out. His gray eyes met identical ones to his. “Are you almost finished?” His brother asked.

Frowning, he shook his head. “Nay, I have more hours of boredom. I do not know how long I have been working, but I am weary.”

His brother pushed the door open and slipped inside. “I still do not know why you had to disobey father.”

“Like it was planned, Elrohir. It sort of just happened.”

Elrohir glanced at him suspiciously. “Just happened? How could it have just happened?”

Grumbling, Elladan sat down again. “Never mind. It is of no importance now.”

“Here let me help you. Two can get it done in half the time.” Elrohir reached over his brother’s shoulder to grasp a case of unfinished arrows.

“NO!” Elladan shouted, causing his brother to jump startled. “This is my punishment; I must complete my own work. Go outside and enjoy the day.”

Elrohir pressed his lips together nodding. “Hurry, then. Tomorrow is the day we meet with our guests.”

“Oh no.” Elladan moaned. “The elves of Mirkwood?”

Elrohir grinned broadly and nodded. “We get to meet others of our kind who do not dwell in Imladris. I am most excited. I hear there is one near our age.”

Elladan raised a delicate eyebrow to that. “Really?”

“Yes, so hurry with this dreadful punishment, so that you may be able to join in the festivities tomorrow.”

Elrohir turned on his heel and walked out the door quietly leaving his brother to suffer more endless hours.

After closing the door on his brother, Elrohir stood outside pondering. He still was not sure why his brother had gone into the black woods on the borders of Imladris, and his brother refused to tell him. Elrohir shrugged. ‘Must have been anxious to explore.’ It was the same for all young elves, always eager to leave the confines and safety of home and family to explore the world, which remained a mystery to them. Elrohir smiled remembering his antics. He had almost made it to the silent forest, when he had heard his father behind him say, “I hope you are not planning on entering there.”

He had turned so fast that he had tripped over his own feet and fell in a crumpled heap at his father’s feet. He had looked up into his father’s intense gaze, and quickly shook his head, rising to stand before his father proudly. “What is in there, father?” He had asked gazing longingly towards the black woods.

“Something that you will one day see for your self. Now I ask you again, were you planning on entering there?”

Unable to lie to his father he had only nodded his head.

“I see, follow me.” His father had led him to the kitchens where he had spent three days cleaning the scullery pots.

Elrohir shook his head dislodging the memories. “What a grievous few days that had been.” He mumbled to himself starting to walk down the halls, but abruptly stopped when he walked into someone. Startled he glanced up at his obstacle and saw his fathers blue eyes looking at him in question. “What was grievous my son?”

Elrohir took a deep breath, and sighed. “I was remembering the scullery.”

Elrond chuckled.

Elrohir smiled, and walked down the halls towards his chambers. “I will see you later at dinner, Father.” He called over his shoulder, leaving his father standing there perplexed.

Closing the door behind him, Elrohir let out a sigh of relief. Shaking his head, his thoughts drifted back to his brother, who was enduring his punishment with pride and dignity. “What a tedious task.” He whispered to himself. “Glad it is not me.” He grinned mischievously and wandered over to his bed and lay down staring out the window. The trees swayed lightly in the breeze, and Elrohir found himself succumbing to the path of elven dreams.

“Finished?” Elrond asked.

Elladan nodded.

“Then take some rest, tomorrow is a full day with council and contracts. I wish you to be there to help me with these tasks.” Elrond smiled and lifted his son’s face to meet his eyes.

“Yes father.” Elladan walked down the hall to his rooms, but stopped outside his brothers for a moment, before opening the door slowly. He peered in and saw his brother asleep on the bed, curled up in a ball, as though he were cold.

Frowning, Elladan walked over to the bed and pushed his brother’s hair away from his face. His brother was asleep, his eyes open and unfocused on the wall across from him. Sighing, Elladan crawled up onto the bed and curled up beside his brother. The elder of the twins grabbed the blanket and pulled it over him turning over and falling into his own path of dreams.

Elrohir let his eyes focus, and he smiled, looking at the back of his brother’s head. The same dark hair as his own scattered across the pillow. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling, his thoughts wandering to his father’s words on responsibility. Elrohir was not ready to take on the whole of Imladris; he was only seventy years old. Still a babe in the eyes of the elders. Elladan however was pushed constantly, taking on councils with his father, and writing debates on happenings in the city. Elrohir prayed silently to the Valar, thanking them for making him the younger of the two. Even though he and his brother were only minutes apart and with little difference between them, he still did not fully understand the difficult task of ruling. His brother held interest in court, as he felt the need for adventure. It was his fault that Elladan had been caught in the black woods on the boarders of Rivendell. A simple dare, from his younger twin. Sighing, he sat up, he needed to tell his father the truth, if he didn’t, Elladan would not regain the trust his father held for him.

“You are not asleep?” A mumble came through the pillow beside him.

“I was until you crawled into my bed.” Elrohir smiled.

“What troubles you?” Elladan turned his head to look at his brother.

“I should not have dared you to venture into the black woods, El.”

Elladan sat up. “It should have been me to refuse your dare; it is no fault of your own. If anything, it was both our faults.”

“We can never seem to stay out of trouble, can we?” Elrohir smiled.

“Nay, Ro, we cannot. Alas, we are burdened with each other’s faces, pranks, and mischievous deeds. Perhaps that is why the Valar choose to make us the same.”

Elrohir cocked his head to the side, grinning from ear to ear. “Are you through with your punishment?”

Elladan raised an eyebrow warily. “Yes, why?”

Grinning even wider, Elrohir shrugged his shoulders. “No reason.” He jumped up from the bed, and walked over to his window. “I was only thinking how enticing it would be, for the princes of Mirkwood, to have a twin welcome, only without knowing there are twins.”

Elladan held up his hands. “Oh, no you don’t. We will surely be caught.”

“How?” Elrohir turned from the window to stare at his brother. “Know one needs to know, and the princes will only be confused. We have not done that since before we hit thirty.”

Elladan shook his head; a knowing smiled playing at his lips. “True, but what of the feast?”

“Then we will dress the same, and play innocence. No one will be the wiser. We will confuse them and pretend to not know what they are referring to.”

Elladan laughed. “Valar, this will be fun. You better pray we are not caught.” Elladan stood up and walked over to his brother. “You know what happened last time we tried this trick. Glorfindel nearly had our heads on a plate.”

“Glorfindel can be too tightly wrapped in his own brooding. He will be too occupied with the King and his lovely wife to even notice our prank.” Elrohir bit his lower lip glancing devilishly at his twin. “We can use our age old excuse that we were too hurried to arrive to the feast, to notice our alike clothing. It will be perfect.”

Elladan nodded, his thoughts racing away with the plan. “Before we are caught again in the same room, I will retire to my own.” Elladan walked towards the door. “See you at dinner, Ro.”

“See you then, El.” Elrohir nodded and plopped onto his bed.