Anything you recognize from the Lord of the Rings or from JRR Tolkien's universe belongs to him/anyone who was involved in the making of it. No disrespect is/was intended while writing this story.

Author's Note: Hello. I decided to give this story a try. This is my first LOTR story, and I'm not sure how it'll turn out ... hopefully pretty good. Remember to review, please, and PLEASE no flames! By the way, if you enjoy Tolkien's universe, check out my other story, 'Our Uncle Thorin'. In this story, Gilraen died a heroic death alongside Arathorn, so she is not in this fic.

Chapter One

A young boy about the age of three or four crept through the forest, breathing short from running and from excitement. He had curly locks and a wooden sword in his hand. He quivered with excitement, then spun around when he heard footsteps. With a squeal as two elves emerged, Estel turned and dashed away.

"Come back here, you little bratling!" Elladan called. "You need to take a nap!"

"No nap!" Estel squealed as he dashed as fast as his short little legs carried him, then stopped at a dead end. Gasping, he headed toward a tree. He grasped the branches and then struggled up the tree. Perched atop the highest branch that was within his grasp, he sat and waited.

A few moments later, Elladan and Elrohir appeared. They glanced around and Estel giggled as he dropped the wooden sword in front of them. They looked up. "Here! Up here!" Estel giggled with laughter at the astonished look on his brothers' faces.

"Estel, down here." Elrohir pointed to the ground.

"No!" Estel squealed. He jumped up on the branch, wobbled, then climbed a bit higher.

"Estel!"

"No! Not coming down!" Estel said gleefully. He got a glimpse of Elladan's look, then wavered. It was not the playful look. In fact, it was the complete opposite. Elladan was glowering at him, eyes seeming to burn holes in him.

"Estel," Elladan warned.

Estel hesitated, then said, "No nap for Estel?"

"Nap for Estel," Elladan and Elrohir both chorused.

"Then not coming down!" Estel stubbornly stuck out his tongue. "Not, not, not! No nap! Not sleepy! No nap!"

"Yes, you most certainly will have a nap," Elrohir called up at him. "After a bath."

Estel let out a shriek. "NO BATH!"

(Elladan's POV)

Our mischievous little brother. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing at the pouty look on Estel's adorable face, and I saw my other brother, Elrohir, struggle not to chuckle either.

But when I saw Estel wobble unsteadily on the branch, my amusement fled. I frowned deeply and said, "Estel. Down here. Now."

"Don't want bath," Estel said, sending his best pitiful look at me and Elrohir. "Don't want nap. Not tired." And he yawned.

This time, I heard Elrohir snicker and I promptly gave him a look at made him sober up immediately. Estel was now crouching on the branch and rubbing his eyes. We needed to get him down, and quickly, before he fell off. "Estel," I heard Elrohir rumble.

Estel blinked at him, rather drowsily. "Mmmm? Erro?"

I inwardly chuckled at the nickname Estel had given Elrohir when he was two. Now he used our full name, but sometimes, in moments of great distress or exhaustion he fell into those special names. "Erro want something from Estel?" Estel mumbled as his legs dangled from the branch.

"Yes, I want you to come down," Elrohir said, raising an eyebrow in such an Elrond-like way that our ada would have been proud.

"But 'stel not want to come down," Estel yawned. He yawned again down at me. "'stel doesn't want a nap." And he wobbled dangerously and almost slipped. I felt Elrohir flinch.

"Estel," I growled. "Come here, little one. Now." And I crooked a finger at him. My little brother's eyes widened a bit. It was a plain warning that Elrohir, ada, or I used.

"Estel doesn't want to come down," Estel said once more, though his voice wavered a bit this time. "Estel isn't tired."

"One," I rumbled. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Elrohir staring at me with equally wide eyes as Estel. He knew that I only resorted to this when there were no other options, and when my patience was running out.

Estel let out a shriek. "No! No counting!"

"Two."

"Noooooo!" Estel began to cry. "Dan mean! Dan mean!" And he fell off his perch.

"No!" Elrohir and I both cried, then dashed forward. I caught Estel safely in my arms. Our little brother was bawling now, half from fright and half from shock. He buried his head into my chest and I stroked his curly locks. "Shhh," I murmured. "Hush. It's all right, Estel. You're safe."

"S-sorry!" Estel cried. "Sorry, Dan! Sorry, Erro! Sorry, sorry, sorry!"

I sent a helpless look at Elrohir. Elrohir pulled Estel into his warmth and Estel flung his arms around his neck, obviously seeking comfort.

"I was beginning to wonder where you were," Elrond commented as Elrohir, Elladan, and a sleeping Estel entered. Estel was curled up in Elrohir's arms and was sleeping soundly.

"I suppose the bath will have to wait until he wakes up," Elladan said softly as his brother took their younger brother upstairs. Elrond chuckled.

"Indeed," he murmured. As he sat down with Elladan at the table, he remarked, "I remember two certain little elflings who were very mischievous.

Elladan groaned. "Ada!"

Elrohir entered and shut the door behind him. "What's this? A story?"

"A story we will not enjoy, Ro," Elladan said with a sigh.

Elrohir winced. "Indeed, 'Laden."

"Elrohir, Elladan, I shall be back soon. I expect you to remain seated. Read the first paragraph in the story, understand, little sons of Elrond?" Erestor said.

"Yes, Erestor," the twelve year old twins answered.

Erestor walked out, then the two brothers were left in silence. Then Elrohir glanced up and smirked when he saw Elladan already standing up. "Are we doing it now?" he asked.

"Mmm," Elladan murmured. He glanced toward the door, then jumped out of the window, Elrohir right behind him.

"Ada will get mad," Elrohir commented as they strode toward the stables silently.

"He will," Elladan whispered as they snuck past the stable-keeper and mounted their horses before galloping off, toward the green, beautiful forest.

"We will be sleeping with a burning bottom, 'Laden," Elrohir said.

Elladan glanced at him as they entered the forest. "Are you chickening out, Ro?"

"Nay! Of course not!" Elrohir protested indignantly. "Besides, our old friend Legolas is coming over tomorrow. We want to make a good impression on him, do we not?" And he glanced challengingly at Elladan.

"Aye," Elladan agreed as their horses trotted through the forest path. There was a moment of comfortable silence, then Elrohir said, "'Laden, by now Erestor and ada will know that we are gone."

Elladan grunted.

"We will get in trouble," Elrohir said. He snuck a glance at Elladan, then looked quickly away.

"Trouble is our talent, 'Ro," Elladan said at last. He slid a glance at his brother. "Unless you want to return and face ada's wrath right now."

Elrohir paused, then shuddered. "Nay. Nay, of course not. Let us continue on." And the two brothers exchanged grins. They rode comfortably for a while, until ...

"Halt!"

The two brothers froze. An elf dropped to the ground and Elrohir and Elladan both immediately dropped their gazes as Lord Glorfindel gazed at them. "Lord Glorfindel," Elrohir murmured.

"Little son of Elrond," Glorfindel replied with a slight smile.

"Ada, please, stop!" Elladan and Elrohir both cried out, knowing what was coming next.

Elrond smiled as he said, "And Lord Glorfindel roasted both of your backsides and for the next two days you couldn't sit comfortably."

Elrohir and Elladan groaned.

"Is that a true story?"

The three elves looked toward the source of the voice. Estel was standing at the doorway and was staring at Elrond with wide eyes, his curly locks sticking up here and there.

"Ah, Estel. Have you finished your nap?" Elrond gave a smile and patted his lap. Estel let out a small squeal of joy before rushing forward and seating himself on his ada's lap happily.

"A'gorn have cookie?" Estel asked as he played with a lock of Elrond's hair.

The three elves looked at each other sharply. No matter how hard they tried, Estel often seemed to think his name was Aragorn."No, Estel. It is time for dinner," Elrond answered, not showing any emotion on his face.

Estel looked up hopefully and said pitifully, "'stel have cookie?"

"No, Estel. You may not have a cookie," Elrond said again, this time more sternly. Estel pouted and his eyes began to well up.

"Estel wants cookie," he said plaintively.

"After dinner, little one," Elladan said as he suddenly picked Estel up and threw him into the air. Estel squealed with joy as he flew through the air.

Elrond smiled as he watched his sons play. He was very lucky indeed.

End of Chapter One

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed! It didn't turn out quite as good as I hoped, but I hope you enjoyed it. Please, please review for me! They make me update faster.