Legolas joined a company of Rangers in the early morning for their daily route around the valley in which the village was set. A few weeks had passed since his altercation with Strider. The Ranger Captain had welcomed the elf's restrained apology with a nod and a smile, and since then, nothing more had been said in that regard. However, Legolas still continued to wrestle with the need to prove himself.

There was a frost over the forest, and their breath made clouds in the air as Legolas and the Dúnedain made the trek on well-worn paths up the valley ridge. At the top of the ridge they paused for a moment, and Beringil stood looking out over the grey landscape. With a hand tugging at his stubby brown beard, the older mortal furrowed his brow.

"Seems there's a bit of cloud settling down over the valley. I can't make out much..." Glancing over his shoulder at their party of eight, he picked out Legolas and jerked his head. "Come here elf, tell me if you see anything."

With a short nod, Legolas dropped his hood and stepped up to the edge of the ridge beside Beringil. Strider was out scouting with a few of his most trusted Rangers this morning, and so Legolas only recognized a handful of familiar faces, Daernon and Asvard were amongst the company. Beringil may have come dangerously close to insulting the woodland prince the first time they met, but since then, his even, sensible manner had made the mortal easy to get along with. Legolas had mentally prepared himself to take further orders from the Ranger Captain's second-in-command.

The valley ridge made an excellent vantage point, and afforded the elf a view for leagues around, Legolas's sharp blue eyes could make out the wisp of smoke curling over the pine-tops from the village hearths. A herd of deer were moving through the trees on the far side of the river. Sudden movement away to the north caught Legolas's eye. Thinking it might be Strider and his scouting party, he looked carefully. Sure enough, he could just barely make out the cloaked figures in the distant underbrush. But the movement that had drawn his attention was heading towards the small party of Rangers. Narrowing his eyes, Legolas was not sure what he was seeing...but it was not one of their own.

He called, "Are there any others who live in the area, besides your folk?"

The man shook his head. "Nay. We're the only ones on this side of the foothills. And the only ones this far north of the Shire."

"...Strider and his scouts have company."

No sooner were the words out of Legolas's mouth, than Beringil was barking orders at the other Rangers. In a matter of seconds they were on their feet. Legolas was already mentally plotting the fastest path along the ridge down to where Strider and his men were. The unknown party was approaching from the north, fast. Strider would have little to no warning, unless Legolas, Beringil, and the others got to him first.

Bounding like deer along the trail, Legolas and the Rangers descended down off the ridge as quickly as they could. Keeping their footing on the stony path was difficult in some places. A recent frost had slicked everything even as it made the forest sparkle along its branches like tiny diamonds. The fog was descending deep into the valley now, shrouding the path and making it impossible further than a dozen or so feet ahead.

Even with their familiarity of the terrain and their excellent physical form, the Rangers soon fell several paces behind Legolas. Legolas pushed on ahead. Abandoning the idea of trying to shoot anything with such poor visibility, he bypassed his bow and instead reached for one of his elven short swords. Bringing it out of its sheath, he gripped the ivory handle tightly in his palm. Strider and his scouts must be only just a matter of yards up ahead.

Just faintly through the fog, Legolas caught sight of something. Judging by the form of the man, it was Strider. He was flat on his back on the ground, with a figure straddled on top of him. With a bound and a leap, Legolas sprang forward into the small clearing and tackled the figure looming over Strider. He and the attacker went rolling away into the bracken in a tangle of knives and cloaks.

It was a brief, vicious struggle. Thranduil's son was astounded by how lithe, how damnably hard to hold onto his adversary was. It took all his ability to get a knife around and under the enemy's chin, grabbing a handful of dark hair with his other hand. A small braid passed under his thumb as he scrambled for a firm grip to pinion the attacker, which instantly sounded an alarm in his head.

Legolas froze. His captive lay very still, his chest heaving, the shimmering blade pressed firmly against the skin of their throat. Looking down at the stranger brought a shocking revelation; it was an elf whom he had firmly pinned.

"Legolas, let him go." Strider, who was already back up on his feet held up his hands placating. "I am not harmed, there is no danger here." Letting out a quick breath, Strider's gaze fell to whoever it was that Legolas was holding. "I do not think that Lord Elrond would thank you for dispatching one of his sons!"

Shocked, Legolas immediately complied and released his hold. With a shaky breath of relief, Elrond's son rose to his feet. Another elf, also raven-haired and clad in grey travel garb emerged from the fog nearby with Strider's group of scouts at his shoulder. Rushing forward, he grabbed his brother by the hand and drew him close.

"Eru, Elladan!" The second elf gripped his brother's chin and lifted it for a closer look at his neck. Grimacing, Elrohir released Elladan and shook his head. "You're going to bleed on the collar of your tunic."

Elladan for his part seemed to already be recovered from his close encounter with elvish steel.

"I am heartened that your foremost thought is for my clothing, muindor nín*," he said, running long fingers reaching up to touch the shallow cut on his neck. The pair of them turned to face Legolas, confirming what the prince of the Woodland Realm had heard; the twin sons of Lord Elrond were indeed remarkably identical.

Standing up and sheathing his sword, Legolas had the grace to look abashed.

"I am sorry...I had thought from a distance that you were..."

Elrohir, whom Legolas had decided to identify by the lack of injury on his neck, arched a dark eyebrow.

"You thought my brother was attacking Estel?" A curt nod from Legolas seemed to amuse him. "It was an honest enough mistake to make, mellon*. Elladan suffers from the misfortune of orc-like form and face, most tragic indeed!"

A cuff upside the head shortly followed that little remark, although Elrohir took it with an entirely straight face.

Throughout this whole exchange, Strider had been standing by with a half-amused look on his face, arms crossed. Beringil and the other Rangers also looked on, and Legolas could hear the chuckles already rippling through the assembled Dúnedain.

"Legolas of the Woodland Realm..." Strider spoke up in a formal tone. "May I introduce to you Lords Elladan and Elrohir, sons of Lord Elrond of Rivendell."

The twins bowed their heads in unison, placing their hands to their hearts and holding them out in the universal greeting gesture among the Eldar*. Legolas likewise mirrored the gesture.

"I do apologize, my lords." Legolas said slowly, yet again in a position he was unfamiliar with. "I should have checked my target before attacking. Forgive me?"

Elladan smiled at Legolas, his dark eyes completely open and non-judgemental.

"There is nothing to forgive, Legolas." Glancing at one another, he and Elrohir half-smiled as though sharing the same thought. "I am only glad to know that Estel has with him friends who would come to his aid so thoroughly!"

'Estel?' Legolas wondered to himself. It seemed these two knew Strider well. Well enough to greet him by leaping on him in the middle of the forest! If anyone could potentially shed some light on Strider's true name, it would likely be the sons of Lord Elrond. Bowing his head, Legolas just smiled in acknowledgement.

Looking around at everyone, Strider seemed to come to a decision.

"Well then, it seems to me that the most dangerous thing in the immediate vicinity of the village is startled elves!" A laugh rose from the Rangers, causing Legolas to flush slightly and bite his tongue. "What do you say men, shall we call it a patrol and return to the warm hearth?" A chorus of assent went up immediately, and Strider waved an arm in dismissal.

As they all were making the trek back to the village through the forest, Legolas found Elladan and Elrohir falling into step just in front of him. The two were even more identical from the back, even with Elladan's mussed hair and blood-soaked collar. The prospect of having other elves about pleased Legolas, and he was in a cheerful mood despite the misunderstanding back in the clearing.

A new thought interrupted the Greenwood prince's good mood though. With Elladan and Elrohir back in the village now, they would be wanting their cabin back...

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*muindor nín ~ my brother

*mellon ~friend

*Eldar ~ Elves

Meet some more elves, have you heard of Elladan and Elrohir before? Do you think they will help or hinder Legolas in his time with the Dúnedain? I would love to receive your comments and PLEASE vote on this chapter if you enjoyed it. Each vote and comment helps the wider circulation of my story, I really appreciate them!

DEDICATION MonsterCupcake61176 : for making me laugh out loud when I read her comments and helping me not take my story too seriously! And for continuing to read my story, even though she is genetically wired against 'Legolas Romances' (I have it on good authority she is actually enjoying it). Thank goodness the twins made an appearance...