Nin Chronicles: My Word

Adapting

Legolas swirled his hands in the water and watched the mud wash away, revealing his skin underneath. He waded out of the creek, feeling the cloth of his robe sticking to his legs as he rubbed his hands dry on the sides of his thighs.

"We should go home," he said, looking back at the creek. "We are probably already late for dinner."

Elladan's head jerked up in dismay. He was not ready to face Thranduil with the dreaded possibility of a strap in hand. But there was not anywhere he could run, and he would have to go back to the palace eventually. But after several days of carefree happiness and fun, the dark shadow had fled, only to be brought crashing back by Legolas's words.

"Will he be mad, do you think?" he asked, as he waded out of the water, feeling the pebbles at the bottom against his bare feet.

Legolas seemed to consider, cocking his head to one side. "Probably not really," he replied. Then he grinned. "But Harune will be furious if we track mud from the front gate up to our rooms."

Elladan and Elrohir looked down at their dripping clothes. "I do not see how we manage not to do that."

"We will have to go nude," Legolas said mischievously.

The twins exchanged doubtful glances. Landion and Legolas grinned. After the moment had passed, Landion said, "Our clothes will dry on the walk home."

As the four elflings began to walk away from the creek, leaving behind the mark of a laboriously constructed dam across the water, leaving a pool to fill up in anticipation of tomorrow, Elladan asked Landion, "Who is your naneth?"

Landion looked down at the ground. "She is dead. She—she died at the hands of humans, and afterwards Harune adopted me."

"Oh," said Elladan, realizing his had touched a nerve. "Sorry."

"It is all right," Landion replied. "It was a while ago, and I do not feel the pain of loss so strongly now. I know Harune loves me as much as she did, and I am happy."

Elrohir trailed behind the three elflings, looking at his shadow on the path before him. He felt as though it covered him completely, smothering him in fear. He had been curious once as to Thranduil's methods of punishment but to finally reach the day when the question would be answered was not particularly thrilling. His mind drifted to Elrond, weak and unconscious in bed, quite unlike the strong father who hit so hard for wrong.

Legolas ran into the dining room when they reached the palace with Landion beside him. Both twins lingered in the doorway, unable to decide whether or not to face the music or flee to temporary safety. They watched Legolas, not seeing lines of dread, only freedom as he slid into his seat at the table.

Thranduil turned away from Juriel at his left and put down his goblet of wine. His eyes twinkled, no sight of the sternness Elrond greeted tardiness with on his face. "I see you have been in the creek again, little leaf."

"We built a dam," Legolas said. "Or rather, we finished it. The pool will be ready to swim in tomorrow!"

"You must take me to see it tomorrow, Legolas," Thranduil said. "Now, out of that seat and run upstairs. Change out of those nature-ridden clothes. I will come up in a minute. As for dinner, you missed it by far, but I will ask Galion to set the table for four. Elladan, Elrohir, Landion. The same goes for you lot. Upstairs."

Legolas ran out of the room with Landion. Elladan and Elrohir followed him, wondering if Thranduil would punish them when he came up in a minute. It was not a pleasant thought, and it gave the thought of the elf king's soon to be approach an horrific tinge.

The twins' room was across the hall from Legolas's, possessing one large bed and good quality furniture. The bedspread was colorful, made of blue and yellow checks, with a round rug of the same color on the floor.

Elladan and Elrohir made for the oak wardrobe and pulled out matching blue tunics. After wriggling out of their current wear, they sat down on the bed in dry and clean attire to wait for Thranduil.

They heard footsteps outside their room, in the hallway.

A nervous feeling slipped into both elflings' stomachs as the footsteps ended outside their door, and it creaked open inwards, admitting Thranduil. He did not have any instrument of punishment in his hands, but even that did not settle the sickly feeling in Elladan and Elrohir's stomachs.

"I wanted to make sure you are both feeling welcome here," Thranduil said."I noticed you have both looked at disease on a number of occasions. Is anything wrong?"

"Is-is that all you came up here for?" Elrohir stammered.

Thranduil's eyebrows curved in slightly. "Yes."

"We . . . are still growing used to our new home," Elrohir finally said, taking a few moments to register the almost stunning fact that Thranduil was not going to punish them for being late to dinner. "It will take a little while, but nothing is wrong."

"If anything is wrong, or if you need to release any cornered feelings, you are free to come to me," Thranduil invited. He held out both hands. "Come down to your dinners now."

Elladan and Elrohir made a dive to capture each hand. Legolas and Landion were waiting in the hallway to accompany them down to dinner.

As the day ground to a close, the two tired Elrondions dragged their tired feet up the stairs to bed, and collapsed onto it, knowing they would miss being tucked in to the blankets.

"I think I will like it here," Elladan said, his voice slurred by sleepiness.

Elrohir yawned and reached for his nightshirt with an effort. He sat up and took off each article of clothing with remarkable slowness. "Me to."

Elladan and Elrohir were in the act of pulling down their covers and sliding into bed when the door creaked open and both twins turned, peering into the dim light with tired eyes.

"I came to tuck you in," Thranduil said softly, coming to the edge of the bed. "If you would like me to?"

Elladan blinked. He looked at his twin, a little taken aback by the offer.

"Yes, please," Elrohir volunteered.

Thranduil took the covers in his hands and pushed the twins down gently to the mattress. He waited for them to stop squirming before he pulled up the blankets and tucked them down. "Goodnight."

"G'night," Elrohir mumbled. He felt a cool hand brush over his forehead before silence greeted Thranduil's departure.

Elladan rolled over to look at his twin, plumping the pillow under his head. "Elrohir?"

"Mpfh?" said his twin.

"Do you think we should tell him about Elrond? About how he treats us, I mean? I-I do not want to."

"Me neither," Elrohir said, rolling to face his twin. "I want to forget about it and enjoy my time here without the burden of the horrible memories as long as I can!"

Elladan bunched his pillow beneath his arm. "I am glad that is settled. I agree with you, muindor nin."

"I am not sure I will want to go home," Elrohir admitted. "At the end of our time here, I may want to stay here my whole life!"

Elladan glanced at his twin. "I know you may not feel the same way after the exorcism, but . . . I love ada and naneth though it cuts my heart they hit us. They gave us life, and I . . . cannot bring myself to hate them."

"That is a good thing," Elrohir said softly. "But it does not make what they do to us right."

Thank you all for reading. It looks like the twins are settling into their new home!