Author's Note
If Elladan and Elrohir were wholly of the race of Man, they would be six years old in this story.

Chapter 1. An Unpleasant Encounter

"Elladan?" The young elleth's voice echoed through the wood-paneled Imladris corridor. While she walked through the hallway, Lenniel stopped at every open doorway, leaned into the adjoining room, and called again, "Elladan, are you in here?" Each call produced the same result, nothing. Passing a tall linen cabinet standing between two doorways, Lenniel saw another elfling enter the hallway at the far end. Dark-haired and gray-eyed, he was one of Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrían's twin sons, but she wasn't sure which. She hoped he was the one she was looking for and ran up to greet him. "Hello, Elladan."

The elfling grimaced. "I'm Elrohir," he said, sounding as if he was tired of constantly correcting others' assumptions.

Lenniel studied him closely, looking for proof that he was lying. She didn't want to talk with Elrohir; she was looking for his brother. Elladan owed her something today. Plus, Elladan was more fun to play with than Elrohir, much more adventurous. Maybe Elladan is playing with me now, pretending to be Elrohir! she thought. Lenniel was familiar with this game; the twins often pretended to be each other whenever they met her. Hoping this was the case now, Lenniel knew what she had to do. I'll have to trick him into proving he's Elladan. Squaring her shoulders as she had seen the warriors on the training field do, Lenniel accepted his challenge and made her opening move. "Do you remember what today is?"

"No."

Lenniel was disappointed; the elfling seemed as if he was telling the truth. His wonder at why she thought today would be different from any other day showed on his face and in his voice. Hoping for some sign of remembrance that would betray the elfling as Elladan, Lenniel reminded him. "Today's my Begetting Day." The elfling's expression changed little. If anything, Elladan seemed less pleased than before. She waited for the traditional saying then growled a warning when it didn't come. "Aren't you going to bless me?"

"May the Valar bless you on this special day."

Lenniel scowled at Elladan's truculent tone but decided not to say anything. She was too proud of her new Begetting Day gift to be angry with him right now. "Do you like my new dress?" she asked before twirling to give the elfling a full view. The skirt swirled out around her; Lenniel was delighted at the effect.

"It's okay."

Lenniel scowled again, even more intensely this time. Elladan had better like my new dress! Thunderclouds crossed her face heralding a storm if the elfling did not say anything more.

"It's not as pretty as Nana's are."

The storm named Lenniel broke. Fiercely proud of the dress her grandmother had given her for her Begetting Day, Lenniel had disobeyed her mother's earlier instructions to wear the dress only for special occasions. My Begetting Day is a special day, she had reasoned while she secretly changed into the new dress. And I want Elladan to see how pretty I look when he gives me his gift! But now Elladan refused to admit that Lenniel wore the prettiest dress in all of Imladris. "It is too!" she answered hotly.

"It is not," the elfling stated flatly.

Like many summer storms, storm Lenniel swiftly changed direction in a matter of seconds from wrathful anger to superior disdain. "What do you know about pretty dresses anyway?" Then storm Lenniel unleashed the most devastating onslaught known to young ones of every race. "You're just an elfling."

The elfling facing her flinched at the accusation but gathered his wits quickly. "So are you," came the instinctive defense. "You're only one year older than me," he taunted.

"Two years older, now," she declared haughtily. Lenniel was proud of her advanced age, proud to be even older now if only until the twins' own Begetting Day. "Besides," she added. "I'm an elleth. Ellyth know about pretty dresses." Lenniel smiled smugly, knowing her logic could not be denied. The elfling did not try. Instead, he glowered at her and then stomped past her, clearly pretending she no longer existed. Elladan's leaving? He can't! "Wait! You can't go until you give me my gift!" she cried out, worry replacing scornful anger in her voice.

"What gift?" Confusion rang in the elfling's voice as he stopped in surprise.

Maybe he really isn't Elladan? Lenniel thought. Still she plunged forward, hoping she was wrong. "My Begetting Day gift." Grey eyes looked at her blankly. "The one I told you I wanted."

"You never told me about a gift."

The idea that she had told him about any gift seemed to irritate the elfling. He sighed and looked cross. "You must have told Elladan. I'm Elrohir," he reminded her.

Lenniel had had enough of the twin's game. It was no longer fun. I don't want to play any more! I want my gift now! "I don't believe you! I know you're Elladan!" she yelled. "You're just pretending to be Elrohir because you don't want to give me my gift!" The elfling glared at her and stormed past her. But the elfling's storm was insignificant compared to a renewed Storm Lenniel. She grabbed his arm, yanking him to a halt. "I told you that I wanted you to give me a kiss on my Begetting Day yesterday, and now you're pretending to be Elrohir so you don't have to!"

"I am Elrohir!" he yelled. Then the horror of Lenniel's Begetting Day gift shone in his eyes. "I'm not going to give you a kiss!" he screamed as he struggled to free himself. "Let me go!"

Lenniel was furious. She had broken her promise to her mother and secretly worn her special dress. She had waited all day for Elladan and searched throughout Imladris when he didn't come to kiss her. And now that she had finally found him, he was pretending to be his brother to avoid her. "No! You've got to give me my kiss first!" I'll make him kiss me! Lenniel grabbed the other's arm and pulled him towards her. The elfling raised his hands and braced against her shoulders. He twisted left and right, trying to free his arms. But Lenniel was surprisingly strong. She held tight and pulled him close. Lenniel leaned in with her lips puckered. The elfling's gray eyes grew wide. He let go of her shoulders, crossed his hands, and reached for his upper arms to pull her hands off. Lenniel closed her eyes. She was so close to the struggling elfling's face she could feel his breathing. Suddenly, Lenniel felt a small leg wrap around her knee. The elfling yanked his leg back towards him; Lenniel's knee gave way as he pulled. She fell but kept her grip on the arms in front of her. The two elflings hit the floor in a tangle of bruised arms, legs, and feelings.

Silence descended in the Imladris corridor as the elflings recovered from their surprise. Lenniel reviewed her injuries in her mind. Her knee hurt. She had landed hard on it. Her elbow ached as well. But the most painful injury was the one to her pride. Furious, Lenniel scrambled to her feet and towered menacingly over the other, hands on hips. "You made me fall down! I'm going to tell Nana on you. And she'll tell your mother, and then you'll be in trouble, Elladan!"

"I'm not Elladan!" the elfling yelled back, rubbing his wrist and trying not to cry. "Go ahead and tell your mother! If you tell her then I'll tell mine that you wouldn't let go of me and tried to make me kiss you. Then you'll be the one in trouble!" he threatened.

Lenniel panicked. Her parents had warned her many times to leave the twins alone when they didn't want to play. They had spent many long evenings talking about proper behavior towards the Lord and Lady's sons. Nana won't like it that I grabbed his arm. And then she'll find out I wore my special dress! Lenniel knew the other was right. She was going to be in trouble if he told his mother. If I don't tell on him, he won't tell on me. There was safety in silence, Lenniel decided. Maybe I won't really tell Nana. But she saw no reason to let Elladan know that. I'll let him think I’m going to tell so he'll worry. "Just you wait, Elladan. You'll see!"

With a haughty sniff that she had learned from her father, Lenniel turned away from the elfling and marched down the corridor as proudly as her aching knee would allow her. As she left the hallway, Lenniel heard a voice yell after her one last time.

"I'm Elrohir!"

Translations:
elleth / ellyth: elf-maid (singular / plural)
nana: mommy