Daughter Of Lórien || Book 1||

Ch 16 ~ Twin Trouble

"Good morning!" I chirp, bursting into the healers wing.

I had run down the last hall on the way here, leaving the Prince in the dust as I rushed to surprise my brothers. I burst in to see Elladan trying to walk on his still-healing foot, using Elrohir as a crutch. Only for him to lose his balance at the shock of my voice and send them both tumbling to the ground.

I snort and plop down onto Elrohir's bed, holding the tray with the scone high in my hand.

"Hello, it's your favorite sister and she just so happened to have brought you a breakfast treat, even though it's well past noon." I tilt my head, flashing them a grin. "You're welcome."

Elrohir hoists himself to his feet and helps Elladan up as well, the latter giving me a playful glare.

"Is that chocolate?" Elladan asks with a distasteful look as he eases himself into a lying position on his bed, elevating his foot. "Celé, you know I don't like chocolate."

Elrohir comes up behind me and plucks the scone from the platter.

"Perfect, more for me. Thanks," he says, ruffling my hair with brotherly fondness and upsetting my braids. I scowl and bat his hand away.

As Elrohir devours his scone, my attention turns to surveying the room and I notice a person missing from it. It's strange that the Prince still hasn't arrived, even though he should have by now, if he had followed me once I had took off down the hall.

I turn to the door behind me, a confused frown on my face. "I seem to have lost my escort..."

A scoff is heard behind me and I whip around to find Elladan snickering.

"You need an escort? You got lost in a palace?"

I stick my tongue out at him. "Oh, that's rich coming from the one who got us lost in the forest even though the only direction he needed to know was to go east."

Elladan's eyes narrow at the insult and I hear Elrohir choke on his scone behind me. I turn back to the door, cutting off Elladan's returning insult as I hear light footsteps entering.

A playful smile splits my face as I spot the Prince crossing into the room.

"Found him."

The twins' eyes widen in surprise as Elrohir stuffs the rest of his scone into his mouth and bows, Elladan scrambling to his feet to do the same.

"Where were you?" I ask him, still seated on the bed cross-legged, not bothering to rise and greet him formally.

He brushes away my brothers' bows with a lazy hand before answering me with a roll of his eyes, "I see you've made yourself comfortable. I had some quick business to take care of."

He turns back to my brothers and greets them rather informally; not a typical greeting from a Prince to two visiting lords. The whole time, my brothers just look between me and him, confusion and amusement written across their faces. His voice carries a very different tone with my brothers than when we first met, though I suppose that might be because they have been acquainted with him before. I note the mutual friendliness with raised eyebrows.

After a hasty conversation he withdraws from the room, no doubt leaving to complete the oh-so-important business that had hurried him away before.

Elladan just stares at me.

"That was your escort?" he says, dropping himself down on his bed and folding his hands behind his head.

Elrohir snorts, giving me a pointed look and responding drily, "Of course, only you could convince the Prince of the whole Kingdom to be your escort."