Not Again?!

Chapter 6

A/N: I was going to put this on yesterday, but I got a little busy. So late Happy Halloween (I guess, I don't really celebrate, but for those of you who do...). The chapter is the treat, the cliffie is the trick! So...

This chapter is dedicated to my mom, who is super awesome and read my story, giving me tips and advice. Although she hasn't read this chapter yet. ;-)

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Ten minutes earlier

"I will kill you," Glorfindel threatened, banging on the door one more time. No noise came from the inside, and satisfied, the Balrog-slayer turned from the twin's room, then suddenly stopped and spun around. This was Elladan's room! Even if the prankster he had just been chasing was trying to fool him, he wouldn't run into his brother's room - this was Elladan! Glorfindel let out a growl of frustration. Why did these two have to be so troublesome? They were either hunting orcs, lying wounded in the Healing Halls, or playing tricks on everyone in sight.

He would have to go get Elrohir, then. The other son of Elrond would probably still be in the halls near the dining area, regaling those elliths with a tale or two. A determined look on his face, Glorfindel started for where he had last seen Elrohir.

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"Shh, penneth," murmured an elf maiden, rocking a tiny elfling back and forth in her arms as she walked down the halls. It was Ioreth, her eyes soft as she gazed down at her sister's son. Her strawberry blond hair was in a gentle twist, spiraling over her shoulder and almost reaching her waist. A few hours ago, Gilren had asked to her to watch her child while she and her husband went on an excursion with a few other elves. They were going to visit the waterfalls on the far side of the valley - it would take them an hour to get there, and they were planning on a picnic lunch there too. Ioreth, of course, readily agreed; she wanted to spend more time with her young nephew and this would be a great time.

"Bafleba," the elfling Duron suddenly informed her, his face breaking into a chubby, toothless grin. A shock of black hair stuck up from his head.

"You don't say!" exclaimed Ioreth, smiling widely at his gibberish.

"Goolata," he agreed excitedly.

Ioreth knew she must look silly talking to an elfling too small to understand her, but she didn't care. She suspected the other elves walking past her in the gardens didn't mind either; the ellyn smiled and kept walking when they caught sight of Duron, and the ellith would coo back at him, delighted. Spying a branch ahead, Ioreth ducked under it nimbly, then turned to go into the trees. She enjoyed the gardens of Imladris; there were very few in Greenwood, but the ones here were beautiful, the perfect blend of plants and trees. Delicate flowers sprang from almost every inch of the ground, and the trees were meticulously kept, trailing their branches high in the air. As a Woodland elf, Ioreth noticed the difference in the trees from here and from Greenwood. The ones here were lighter, more carefree, while the ones at her home had a darker spirit to them, yet they could move at will and easily protect the elves that ran through them.

Ioreth was brought abruptly out of her thoughts by an annoyed tree's mutterings, and a muffled oath from a voice that sounded suspiciously familiar - but was above her head. Taking a cautious step backwards, Ioreth peered up into the tree. She realized she had gotten much closer to the buildings than she had known, and was now right next to a two-story flat that housed residents of Imladris. There was a wild rustle of trees, then suddenly an elf fell out of the tree and slammed into the ground in front of her. Ioreth let out a gasp and skittered backwards, clutching Duron closer to her chest.