Title: From Far Away Lands
Author: Aglarien
Characters: Elladan, Elrohir, Elrond, Celebrian, Erestor, and Glorfindel.
Rating: G+ - just a brief mention of Erestor and Glorfindel being mated.
Disclaimer: Alas, not mine. The great Master Tolkien''s estate owns everything. I promise to return his elves when I''m done playing with them.
Author's Notes: 26 elven years translates to somewhere around 10 human years.

This story was written as a birthday gift for the sons of another LOTR fandom author, Jalynne, who recently left us and sailed to the undying lands. Her twin sons just happen to actually be named Elladan and Elrohir, and they just turned 26.

Just about one year ago, I was working on some icons of gothic churches. I asked the real Elladan, an architect, some questions about what things were called. This story is largely based on that telling, coupled with the facts that his twin is a lawyer, Elrohir has a dog and dislikes cats, and Elladan has cats and isn't too fond of dogs.

From Far Away Lands

Erestor placed his elbows on his desktop and rested his chin on his arms, all the better to survey the two smiling faces peering over the edge of dark wood. Two sets of grey eyes sparkled with excitement; two pair of hands were clasped behind slender backs; two blue and silver-clad forms teetered back and forth on booted feet. "Good day, Elladan, Elrohir," the chief counselor of the realm said. "Are you ready to begin your lessons today?"

Elrohir grinned and Elladan giggled. "Nana said we should ask you if we may be excused from our lessons today, Erestor," Elrohir said.

"Because it's our begetting day!" Elladan added.

"Your begetting day, is it?" Erestor asked, opening his eyes wide in surprise. "Well, well." Small heads nodded at him eagerly. The counselor knew perfectly well it was his small students' special day, and unbeknownst to the elflings, all had been planned in advance. Leaning back in his chair, he said, "Come and sit with me in the window seat, and I will make you a bargain. If you can each answer one question correctly, you are excused from my lessons for the day."

The elflings quickly scurried around Erestor's massive desk and joined their tutor at the window, the counselor at one end of the seat, and the twin mirrors at the other.

"Elrohir, you will go first," Erestor said. "What is the law of Imladris concerning strange hobbits who arrive here unannounced?"

The younger twin quickly responded, knowing the answer without even thinking about it. "Adar says that all visitors are welcome in Imladris, and even if they are strangers, they are to be treated as honored guests regardless of their station in life, because we are all children of Ilúvatar, and He loves us all the same."

"Very good," Erestor said with a smile. "Well done, Elrohir. Now -- Elladan it is your turn." He pointed to the heavily carved window frame. "What are these called?"

"Windows. We call them windows." Elladan grinned cheekily.

Erestor succeeded in suppressing his laughter and instead raised an eyebrow at the precocious elfling. "Elladan……the correct answer now, if you please."

The elfling sobered and folding his hands in his lap, recited, "Those are tracery windows. They would also be described as pointed-arch, which is a distinctive term for the type of architecture. They are also geometric tracery."

"And what about geometric tracery?" Erestor asked.

"Erestor," Elrohir cut in, "he already answered his question!"

"Yes, but he must answer it fully," Erestor responded. "Finish the answer, Elladan."

The elder of the twins dutifully continued, proud that he knew the answer, "It is geometric because it involves lines and circles, a manifestation of logic."

"Excellent!" the counselor exclaimed. "Well done, both of you!" Going to his desk he removed two silver bags tied with blue ribbon from a bottom drawer. "You have earned some sweets, and you may be excused from the rest of your lessons with me today. Come and let me give each of you a hug and wish you a happy day. Then you must go and see Glorfindel in the stables and ask to be excused from his lessons as well."

While Erestor embraced the twins, two silent forms moved unseen from behind the shelves of books and hurried noiselessly, hand-in-hand, through the halls.

~~~*~~~
Erestor watched as the twins ran out of his office and bounded across the courtyard, bags of sweets held tightly in little hands. Hiking up his robes in each hand so as to be unencumbered, he flew through the halls, taking an alternative way to the stables. "They are coming," he said to Glorfindel as he slid into the shadows beside two silent elves. "You almost gave yourself away when Elladan answered with windows," he whispered. "I could hear you snickering behind those stacks of books."

"I shall try to contain myself this time, Master Erestor," the Lord of Imladris whispered, grinning at his old mentor and friend.

"I would not make any wagers on my husband's ability to keep still, my friend," Celebrian added under her breath.

"Shussh! They are here!" Glorfindel whispered, distributing more straw over a mound in the corner of Asfaloth''s stall and picking up his brush to resume currying the animal.

"Glorfindel!"

"Glorfindel!"

The captain laughed as twin blue and silver balls of excitement hurled themselves at him. Picking up a twin in each arm, he said, "What are you two up to today? And all dressed up too!"

"It is our begetting day! And Erestor is giving……"

"……us the day off from lessons and he said……"

"……we should ask you if we can have the day off from your lessons too……"

"……and he gave us some sweets too -- would you like one?"

"I think my husband was most generous in allowing you the day off," Glorfindel said. "And no, thank you -- you may keep your begetting day sweets, young one. What did Erestor do to allow you this day of freedom?"

"We had to answer questions……"

"…….and if we got the answer right, we were excused from his lessons……"

"……and we got them both right!"

"Questions, eh? A fine idea," Glorfindel said. "Questions it is." Deciding the cleanest place to set the elflings was atop Asfaloth, he set the little ones on the horse's back with their legs dangling down one side.

Elladan loved being on Asfaloth, feeling like he could see the whole world from atop the great war horse. Elrohir, however, did not do as well on heights, and remembering a fall from scaffolding when workers were repairing the bell tower, held onto the horse's mane tightly. Seeing Elrohir's uneasiness, Elladan whispered in his brother's ear, "It's all right, 'Roh. Glorfindel and Asfaloth will not let you fall. Erestor would make Glorfy sleep in the stable if he did."

Erestor stifled a laugh, hearing Elladan's remark, and Elrond elbowed him in the side..

"Elladan, you shall be first," Glorfindel said. "What is your father's law regarding strange and belligerent dwarves who enter our realm unannounced?"

Elladan grinned at his brother, grateful that he had just heard the answer to this question in Erestor's office. "Adar says that all visitors are welcome in Imladris, and even if they are strangers, they are to be treated as honored guests regardless of their station in life, because we are all children of Ilúvatar, and He loves us all the same. Even hairy dwarves."

Celebrian clamped her hand over her husband's mouth.

"Very good," Glorfindel beamed. "Now, your turn, Elrohir. What types of windows are in the healing hall and the Hall of Fire?"

Elrohir's eyes widened. He didn't know the answer! Those were the kind of questions that Elladan always got asked -- not him! He looked at his brother in shock, then back to Glorfindel. "I do not know," he said dejectedly.

"Have I not always taught you both to use any and all resources you have available? It is no different here. What resource do you have here, Elrohir?" Glorfindel asked.

Elrohir scrunched up his forehead in thought, and suddenly he had it. "Elladan!" he shouted. "Elladan is my resource!"

The twins whispered excitedly together for several long moments -- or rather, it was mostly Elladan whispering to Elrohir. The younger twin sat up straight. "The windows in the healing hall are decorated tracery because the designs are more complex than simple circles and lines and have things like trefoils. It is also called reticulated decorated tracery because the patterns are repeated. The windows in the Hall of Fire are perpendicular tracery because they have a lot of vertical rectangles." Looking at his twin, Elrohir whispered, "Did I get it right, 'Adan?"

Elladan nodded enthusiastically.

"Well done!" Glorfindel said.

From the corner, a movement under the straw caught the eye of the twins. "Glorfy, the straw is moving!" Elrohir exclaimed. "Is something in there?"

"Well, look at that," Glorfindel said. "It is indeed moving! Let us go and investigate." He lifted the twins from Asfaloth and set them on the ground.

"What if it's a snake?" Elladan asked, suddenly concerned.

"Asfaloth would never let a snake in his stall, Elladan," Glorfindel replied. "I am quite sure that whatever it is it will not harm you."

"That is true, Elladan," Elrohir said. "Asfaloth would not let something bad in here."

Glorfindel poked around in the straw and uncovered a basket. "Oh, look! A basket! Now I wonder who put that in there? Let me just see what is inside……" He took the basket out from under the straw and set it near the twins. "Come and look," he said, motioning the twins closer.

Elladan gasped, then squealed and clapped his hands as Glorfindel removed the basket's lid. Inside was a cream and sable colored kitten.

"Ewwww……yuck," Elrohir said. "A cat."

Elladan stuffed his bag of sweets into a pocket and held out his arms. "May I hold him, Glorfy? Please?"

Glorfindel lifted the kitten from the basket and placed it in Elladan's arms. "He is yours, 'Adan. You must take very good care of him, for he came from far off Rhun in the east, and is very rare."

In the shadows, Celebrian whispered, "Oh, he is beautiful, Erestor! Wherever did you get him?"

"A simple bargain with a trader," Erestor replied, soft enough for only Elrond and Celebrian to hear. "Glorfindel and I know how Elladan loves cats -- and that one will rearrange his room, sit on his shoulder, follow him around, and in general, get into everything and keep him occupied and amused."

"What will you name him, 'Adan," Glorfindel asked, watching the elfling lovingly stroke the soft fur.

"His fur sparkles," Elladan whispered. "I will call him Galadir." He grinned up at Glorfindel. "He is so soft and beautiful -- and I think he likes me," he said as the kitten nuzzled his hand. "Is he really mine, Glorfy?"

"He is really yours, little one," Glorfindel said, bending down and placing a chaste kiss on the elfling's head. "Happy begetting day from Erestor and me."

Elrohir had continued to watch the corner, where straw was suddenly moving again. He hoped there was something there for him too! "Glorfindel, I do not think the cat was moving the straw. Look!" He pointed to the pile of straw.

"Hmmm……maybe something else is in there. Let's go and look," Glorfindel said, smiling at the elfling. "Maybe it''s another cat for you."

"I hope not!" Elrohir exclaimed. Under his breath he chanted, "Don't let it be a cat, don't let it be a cat……"

Glorfindel moved the straw to uncover another, larger basket -- and this one was moving. The basket tipped, the cover fell off, and out bounded a black and white ball of fur with a curly, fluffy tail.

"My stars," Celebrian whispered. "Look at the size of those paws! How big will the animal get, Erestor?"

"Large enough for him to be a protector of Elrohir, my dear friend," Erestor whispered back. "He will be another guardian for your free-spirited, fearless elfling, and we will no longer have to have to worry about Elrohir getting lost in the snow, for the dog will be at home in it, and guide the little one home if need be."

Elrohir squealed and rolled in the straw with the puppy. "Is he really all mine, Glorfy? Really?" He grabbed his bag of sweets away from the animal and stuffed it into a pocket.

"He is all yours, my fearless little one," Glorfindel said. "You must take very good care of him because he is very rare. He comes from near the Ice Bay in Forochel, in the far north. He loves the snow, and when he is older, he will be your protector and help to keep you safe, and you must be the same to him."

"I will, Glorfy, I promise," Elrohir whispered sincerely, hugging the puppy close. "And I will call him Berior."

The three elves moved out of the shadows to join Glorfindel and the elflings.

"And when are you going to remember to thank Erestor and Glorfindel for their gifts?" Elrond reminded his sons.

Blue and silver clad elflings hurled themselves at their tutors, along with balls of varied-color fur.

~~~*~~
Glorfindel leaned against the doorway, his arms around Erestor, who leaned into the broad warrior, as they watched Elrond and Celebrian tuck two tired elflings into their beds. A kitten was curled up asleep on the pillow of one bed, and a puppy lay at the foot of the other.

"They really love the animals," Glorfindel whispered.

"They do indeed," Elrond replied quietly, walking across the room to enclose his friends in a loose hug. "Thank you both. They are the best gifts they could have received."

Erestor nodded at his old pupil. "And just think of all the stories we will have to tell of them as the years roll by. Happy begetting day, Elladan and Elrohir," he whispered, "and many, many more."

The End

Galadir -- Radiance
Berior -- Protector