Our Most Beloved Star by Uvatha the Horseman

Statues Need Pigeons

Elrond pressed his nose against the glass, watching the trail head where the path plunged into the forest. A messenger left for Doriath on that path seven days ago, with the ransom note that would set them free.

He missed his mother. He wanted to go home. Elros chafed under their captivity even more. He passed the time by thinking up ways to torment their captors. Because he was bored, Elrond helped him.

"I want to do things that will keep them off-balance." He broke the fire apart to make it go out. He put vinegar in the milk to make it sour. But his acts of vandalism seemed to go unnoticed.

"See this key?" Elros hung it among the metal rods of a wind chime. "From now on, this wind chime is going to be on key."

Then he decorated the sculptures and pieces or art that filled the house. Apparently the Fëanorians liked to make things. They found a bronze statue of a hero on a pedestal and decided to give it tiny little pigeons. "It needs pigeon poop, too. A statue can't be happy without pigeon poop."

Days and days of effort went into their pranks, which for the most part went unnoticed. Elros kicked the wall in frustration. "This isn't working. We need to take it to the next level. Are you game?"

They practiced for an hour, then waited until Maglor and Maedhros sat down at the table to work. Elrond crept into the room and hid under the table. He waited there in absolute stillness and silence. They spoke of adult matters, unaware of Elrond's presence.

Elros strode into the room, stomping his feet to make sure they heard him. He stood at the end of the table where Elrond was hiding.

"Can I ask you something?" Elrond said from his hiding place.

"Can I ask you something?" Elros mouthed the words with a slight delay.

The corner of his brother's mouth twitched. Elrond shot him a look. Don't laugh, don't laugh, you'll give us away.

"I was trying out a new spell," …new spell, "and it got stuck." …got stuck. "Can you fix it for me?" …for me?

Maedhros jumped to his feet and hauled Elrond out from under the table. "Do you think I haven't seen that before? My youngest brothers were twins."

A few days later, they huddled in a darkened hallway, discussing their next prank.

"Here's what we're going to do. I'll walk across the room and go outside. You wait a minute, then you come down the stairs, walk across the room, say the very same thing and go outside, exactly like I did."

They were already wearing matching clothes, so that part was easy. The crouched in a stairwell where they couldn't be seen from the main room. Checking to see that both Maedhros and Maglor were there,

Elros came down the stairs and said, "I'm going out for a walk in the garden." Maedhros grunted.

The outside door slammed. Elrond went down the stairs, exactly like Elros had.

"I'm going out for a walk in the garden." He crossed the room and let the outside door bang behind him.

"What the …did you see that?" Maedhros' voice wafted through the open window.

"I saw a boy come downstairs and go outside." Maglor held a straight face, then snorted with laughter.

"You've never seen that before? How much time did you spend away from home? Amrod and Amros used to do that trick all the time."