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I did waver over returning Oropher - even despite Redheredh's encouragement! - because he was clearly going to make things buzz. He is ... not the most restful of elves - and even an age or more in Namo's Halls isn't going to detract from his rather headstrong, impulsive and dominating personality. And Thranduil is his son! And he's been king for more than a very difficult age and isn't going to be too keen on having his adar come back and expect to resume his dominant position in the chain of authority. I suspect there will be tremendous personality clashes - until they come to living far enough apart to be able to see each other regularly and then have prolonged relative breaks! Legolas is, I think, somewhat gentler and more amenable (must take after his mother) and has only ever had borrowed authority - as Lord of Ithilien and Thranduil substitute in Aman. Returned kings must have had a dreadfully difficult time settling to a new life - bad enough returning as a modest craftsman who could set up his/her own workshop and only had a few family members to whom to adjust. Thank you - Legolas would be glad that someone is getting amusement from his suffering!

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I half-wanted to return Oropher - but he was so clearly going to set the cat among the pigeons! A nice, loving returned wife is one thing - but your father and king, who might expect the obedience of a son and subject? Not to mention bring with him the prejudices and assumptions of someone who has not experienced the last 3500 years of change and development? Thranduil suddenly being overly friendly and considerate towards Galadriel I can just picture - Galadriel would probably be very gracious, but deeply suspicious. And Celeborn would simply be laughing his head off! And can't you see Galadriel closing her eyes and shuddering at the thoughts that go through the minds of adolescent elves - and them doing a high five at deflecting her interest and continuing to work at the technique. Although, if there were anyone naturally shielded against her interest, it should be her grandsons. Thank you. (How is little Legolas getting on with his friends and cousins - confined as they are in the Stronghold??)

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The rules for Reflections are simple - each one must be no more than two pages of Word, and no-one must speak except Elladan, Elrohir or Legolas. Occasionally other people are in the room - but they are usually either infants or asleep. And the word count varies from about 750 to 1000 words, depending on how quickly the conversation changes! I think there are two that only feature two out of the three - the one after Elladan's wedding only has Elrohir and Legolas, and I think the one where Elrohir's twins are being born only features Elladan and Legolas. I seem to remember reading somewhere of people using nonsense rhymes to try to prevent people reading their minds - and the twins probably found that Galadriel didn't probe too much if they were thinking of orc entrails or ellyth. Not, I would have thought, that she would have been unaware of anything important! Although, as her grandsons, they might be better armoured against her than most. I think Thranduil has seen in Oropher's prejudice that he has been guilty of lazy thinking, as much as he is pretending to like Galadriel just to annoy. I think he has realised that he is not really hostile towards her - and maybe their supposed antipathy has been more of a game over recent years. And maybe that he wants Oropher to understand that he can't command Thranduil's thinking - or assume that the world is still the same as it was at the end of the Second Age. I can just see Celeborn enjoying Galadriel's suspicion, though!

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Mind you - the sandwich when you are thinking 'elves' is triple decker or more! I can picture Elrond feeling a bit squashed between the twins and Celeborn and Galadriel at times. And even Galadriel might feel a bit pressed between the demands of being Finarfin's daughter and mother and grandmother to Celebrian and the twins. Every now and the just the thought of all of them being adult, demanding and in full control of their powers is --- exhausting. The twins might think that their shiny coating of frivolity diverts their grandmother, but I don't doubt she knows all she wants to! Although if there are going to be any people able to stand up to her, it would be her descendants. Ah. Assumptions are odd things. Widdecombe Fair, should you wish to know, is here:- http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiWIDDECOM;ttWIDDECOM.html Glad you liked it!

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Independent authority is probably something that is much harder to surrender once you've had it! Legolas did, in a way - he was lord of Ithilien, and he arrived in the Blessed Realm some 4 centuries ahead of his father (my world). He would have been seen by the people of Lasgalen as their natural leader until Thranduil arrived. I imagine, though, that he saw himself as deputising for his father which would be different. Oropher and Thranduil will shake down - but at the moment Oropher is probably seeing Thranduil as the son he was and Thranduil is wanting to show himself as the king he has been for an age. And I don't think they will be able to live together - they are both too strong. They will get on much better when Oropher strikes out on his own. But at the moment he is too new to this world to be able to cope. Poor Legolas and his annoying in-laws. Still, at least they live a long way away! I'm sure that makes him feel considerably more generous towards them. Especially when he considers that he is the one who has Elerrina with him! Thank you for reading!

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I see it, in some ways, as being part of the difficulty of having elves ever unaging. Getting wiser, in theory, but, once adult, remaining in full control of their powers. Legolas - and the twins - are, by anyone's count, adults, but their parents and grandparents and so, ad infinitum, just have more years. And I cannot help but feel that there would have been some competition between Thranduil and Oropher. Oropher is not, to my mind, the most sensitive elf. Thranduil would, deep down, feel the need to assert himself and make plain that he was not the son who had been left behind to rule the remnants of Oropher's people. (I am not going to use the word 'decimated' - that really irritates me. Not one in ten killed, but one in three.) Come to Widdecombe - that's a good idea! And they can all ride on the old grey mare. And come round for tea - scones and clotted cream.

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This episode has been waiting since the end of November - the link with Elflings 12 is probably because they were written about the same time. Reflections tend to arrive when they arrive - and there are usually several waiting to be made public. I'm OK with coming up with short tales simultaneously - but I do regret having longer stories running alongside each other. Poor old Ripe for Change has been abandoned for months as the Arwen story took over. Oropher does seem to me to have been a rather obstinate person - not, probably, very understanding. Thranduil would have coped with him when he was accustomed to the son's role - but he's been king for a long time and I would imagine there would be, all unknowing, quite a lot of jockeying for position between the two. Not, of course, that they didn't love each other. Are we being sarcastic here, professor? Isn't it interesting how assumptions are often proved to be totally inaccurate. I thought everyone knew the song Widdecombe Fair! Probably because it was one of those learned-at-your-mother's-knee numbers. But, should you want more detail, it's here - http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiWIDDECOM;ttWIDDECOM.html with music 'n' all!

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Thank you - and an added pleasure to having you find this is that I had to read it again to remember which one it was! Elladan and Elrohir - and their grandfather - were very worn when they arrived in the Blessed Realm, but they are resilient. There are other stories about Elladan and Miriwen. Awaiting the Thaw is one - and I can't remember off-hand where else their relationship is discussed. Here, probably. Young males - well the Secondborn is 22 and the Aftercomer 20 - so I have been exposed to their mindset for a while! I'm pleased you are liking them. This world is becoming increasingly complex as time goes on. The Paradise of Elves was my very first story - and it has grown rather - and I've loved every step of the way! I hope you continue to enjoy.

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No internet connections! How can you cope? I wonder if Legolas ever looks back to the days of orc-and-spider fighting and thinks that things were simpler then! Of course, elven memory being what it is, such wistful thoughts wouldn't last long. The twins are a lot older than him (not that age difference matters after a few millennia) and - for all their families tend to look on them as enfants terribles - experienced and wily. They can do subtle just like that - if they want to - and they have the confidence that comes with being of the most aristocratic families of elves going. What I suspect Legolas envies them for is the fact that they have each other. Legolas (here) has a sibling now - but she's thousands of years younger than him and female and he will never have the closeness that Elladan and Elrohir share. I'm glad you found their antics amusing!

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We just move the Thanksgiving Day proceedings - in exact same frustrating detail - to Christmas. And combine them with the emotional angst of present giving and receiving. And a day or two of providing endless quantities of food, drink and festive jollity whilst acting as a buffer between assorted family members makes Aman seem a Blessed Realm indeed. Second reviews? Good things!

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Elladan and Elrohir get underestimated by their kin. They are more capable than they let on! Elrin as a representative of the High King of the Noldor is interesting in an additional way as his naneth is an elleth of Mirkwood. Another twist on a remarkably complex family tree! (And the problem with elves in Valinor is that most of those family members are alive and kicking.) These reflections just keep me going when I'm bogged down with more complex things and life in general - so they will doubtless continue until I run out of chapter numbers. When they might turn into Son of Reflections It sound ridiculous, but I, too, love some of the comments they come out with - they truly just come. E2L just get in the same room and the mouths start producing sly digs at each other. Such fun. Hope you are feeling a bit more yourself. And at least you don't have the snow to cope with.

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And, on the whole, I think the twins would include playfulness with the political wherever possible. It's just part of their way of dealing with things. But it doesn't mean that they are naive - or childish. They can put aside the joking, light-hearted retired warrior in a heartbeat to assume their roles as princes - and heirs of practically every line of elves and men. Elrin has always been a naturally sensible ellon, and Eleniel is a practical, observant elleth. They get on very well, but they are just friends - possibly too responsible for their own good. Prince Philip aka the Duke of Edinburgh once complained, I believe, that he only ever got fed fancy food when he and EII were off being royal - I could imagine you could crave a simple meal of soup and a roll. Or something. Sitting down to eat with this lot would compensate for the constant haute cuisine, though.

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Well - they have plenty of time to learn deviousness up to a very high level! And anyone related to Galadriel (and, come to that, Celebrian)- and trained by Glorfindel - has had a very good example of learning to manage situations! I see Elrond as a much more straightforward character. In a devious kind of way.

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Legolas's daughter is too young for that sort of thing just yet, she said primly. And so is Elladan's son, really. Eleniel and Elrin just get on well. At the moment. The High King might be a little miffed - he thought he had them in a headlock and was putting one over on his son-in-law and grandson-in-law, while providing himself with representatives whose bloodlines made them acceptable both to him and Oropher. But E2 don't intend to return to his court until he has had time to calm down. Preferably after he has heard his daughter's opinion of his plans!

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E2 can do style when they have to. And they have plenty of practice in donning their position with their robes. They would just rather not! I would like to see them all performing as the representatives of their houses. Thank you.

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They are far too young to be up to anything! (Although, come to think of it, Elrin was showing some interest in ellyth in one of the Elflings tales.) They're just friends. He would probably have looked for Galenthil first - but he's off out being a Wood Elf. . . . . . OK? (Innocent whistling.) Nothing is going on that their adars would find suspicious. Poor Elrin is getting close enough to adulthood - (don't they grow up quickly?) - to get landed with some of these types of task now. He probably finds it quite exciting in an embarrassing sort of way. Just let him wait a few thousand years and I'm sure he'll change his mind!

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It's a good thing E2 are older and wilier than they seem. (They've learned wily from a golden-haired expert.) Their heritage is so complicated it took me an evening with a family tree and a calculator to try to work out exactly how closely who was related to which. Legolas's ancestry has its own complications, I think, but there's not a lot of social manoeuvring involved in it. Yes, it's lovely doing things like that to them. 'My wife' is quite fun, too. Although, as far as Legolas is concerned, 'my adar-in-law' is far less pleasant to his ears!

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The more I think about Valinor, the more it seems that almost every difficulty that an elf could face in Middle-Earth would be there - only more so. Except orcs, of course. And the warriors among the arrivals must begin to look back wistfully at the days when life was a simple matter of slaying the baddies. Do you know Monty Python? They did a sketch where they all competed in exaggerating the hardships of their youth - 'We lived in a cardboard box!' 'You were lucky.' - and this reminds me of that! I wonder who could up the stakes on Elrohir's last statement! I don't actually picture E2 and L having been friends before the twins sailed. Getting on fine, yes. Meeting in Minas Tirith and sharing a love for Aragorn and Arwen, sure. But it was in the Blessed Realm that they grew like brothers. And, like brothers, E2 will offer Legolas support in his less-than-comfortable relationship with his in-laws. Shoulder to shoulder. Steel grey eyes threatening. And behind them, the power of their rather intimidating family. Taryature and Linevende will get the message. Eventually.

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Foisting distasteful duties off on the kids! Good one. I can just see Elrond smiling blandly as he points out that their relationship to Finarfin would be very useful in whatever diplomatic visit he wants them to make! Legolas spent several centuries as his adar's representative before Thranduil joined him - so undoubtedly grew inured to some of this diplomatic dance. His main problem is that the difficulties with Elerrina's parents are personal. But at least the twins are offering support. The whole speak to the right people / dance with X before Y business - makes my blood run cold. Not my thing - but E2L can do it like professionals if they need to. They can just think of so many better things to do! (Sounds a good job to have left. Pressing the right flesh ON TOP of actually doing the job well. Bad as being a politician.) Poor Legolas. But at least he lives a long, long way away from his in-laws.

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E2 are well-trained in managing events like these. Not that they like them - although I have a sneaking suspicion that they don't mind the admiring glances too much! And Legolas had less experience of this level of fencing in his youth - but he ruled Ithilien and spent several centuries as his adar's representative in the Blessed Realm. And then, of course, Elerrina's parents have given him a crash course in dealing effectively with difficult Noldor. E2L must be rather like a cleansing wind rushing through the staid courts of a world that changed very slowly - and knocking them off-balance to the benefit of the New Realms. (Although I don't know if they would find it easy to get the better of Finarfin. He's as sharp as his daughter!)

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One of Elladan and Elrohir's ways of dealing with serious matters is to treat them lightly. They are not 'dissing' either their sister or their brother - they joke because that way they can continue to talk about them and keep them in the forefront of their minds without constantly dwelling on their loss. Of course, Arwen's experience in realm-running and diplomat-management would undoubtedly have been very useful to a king who had spent a lot of his life in the Wild and alone. But no. Not their primary motivation!

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Mmmmm. Who wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of an E2L charm offensive? E2 have had many more centuries to practise. Although, of course, for much of the time they didn't bother. Orcs, you know. Don't require much in the way of courtly manners. But I reckon there would be enough snobs and social climbers around (even among elves) to be impressed by the general splendour of the Elrondionnath's family tree. Legolas is somewhat less illustrious in their eyes - but he is a fully-certified Prince - and one of Olorin's companions on a quest even the Valar must acknowledge as world-saving. And then, of course, he is very pretty - sorry - attractive. And with powerful friends. Elerrina's parents would much rather she had taken up with one of E2.

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I think they find swords easier. Especially when confronted with an elleth who is determined to manipulate them - I can't help but feel they are likely to be a soft touch when it comes to the fairer sex! And then their wives, mother and grandmother will have to come and rout them and send them off in disarray. They will be good at it, though. Elladan will go for the full-on approach, while Elrohir will be a bit more subtle and pick up the nuances. Doing battle by dancing. What an image.

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I hear echoes of the Monty Python sketch - 'We lived in a cardboard box.' 'You were lucky'. . . If the Elladan and Elrohir you know are the ones I imagine, I am really pleased because they are a very appealing pair - with a lot of excellent qualities to go with their undeniable good looks! Glad you liked this!

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I can't see Elladan and Elrohir enjoying this kind of activity much - although I reckon Elrohir would be quite good at it. But they have had plenty of practice over the years. Legolas is less experienced, but he spent several hundred years as his adar's representative in the BR - his main problem is that Elerrina's parents like to make him feel the country cousin. But he has E2 there in support!