Glorfindel, Legolas, Aragorn, Elrond, Erestor, Elladan and Elrohir woke up in Rivendell one morning and screamed. It was something a few of them hadn’t done since around the turn of the Age. But there was excellent reason for it. However, there was only one person missing from this momentous occasion.

“Lindir.”

“Mmmm.”

“Lin-dir.”

“Mmm-mmm.”

“Lindir!”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Lindy.”

The minstrel turned over grumpily. “What?” And he found himself staring up at...himself. Lindir ran his fingers through his hair and held it before his eyes. It was dark brown. He groaned and put his head back on the pillows. “Elrond?”

“Of course.”

“This had to happen today.”

“You know something about this?” the voice was sickly sweet and Lindir hated it that the words came from his own lips.

Another groan escaped Lindir. Or Elrond, to be more specific. “Technically, it’s not my fault.”

“However, Lindir, when we woke up this morning, we weren’t ourselves.” This came from the prince of Mirkwood, who was leaning against the wall by the door. Lindir raised an eyebrow. “Legolas?”

The elf smiled. “Actually, Legolas is over there,” pointing to the human sitting in the window. “I’m Aragorn.”

Lindir sat up. “How many more?”

“Glorfindel and I,” the Balrog Slayer muttered.

“Elladan and Elrohir?”

“Probably,” Erestor said. “But they look so much alike they could change every day of the week and no one would know it.”

“I’d know it,” their father snapped. Then he turned back to the minstrel who was in HIS body and sitting on HIS bed. “Now Lindir, are you going to get up?”

“No,” answered the elf sleepily.

“You’re sitting up, and you can’t go back to bed now.”

“Watch me.” Lindir slid back underneath the sheets and closed his eyes. “I’m the Lord of Imladris now, so you have to do what I tell you. Which means I can sleep all day.” He grinned mischievously.

“You may look like the Lord of Imladris, but I think like him,” hissed Elrond. “You know something and you have to tell us what’s going on before the party from Mirkwood gets here this afternoon.”

“Yes, do tell. I can’t greet my father looking like this.” Legolas picked at his hair, wondering when was the last time Estel had washed it.

Aragorn was on the defensive. “Hey, I like my body, thank you and I wouldn’t mind having it back either. I’m supposed to go and be presented to the Dunedain today, in case you forgot.”

Elladan and Elrohir burst into the room at that moment, both yelling, “Ada!!!!”

Elrond-in-Lindir’s-body turned to face them and they stopped dead. “You too?” asked Glorfindel to be sure.

“Yup,” said Elrohir. “Woke up this morning, expecting to go to the Dunedain with Estel and I find out I’m in Elladan’s body!”

Elrond tapped his foot. “Calm down. Lindir knows something and we can’t get to the bottom of this unless he gets out of MY bed!”

The twins conferred with each other for a moment, then Elladan asked, “Estel, do you remember the time we played that prank on Erestor with the geese and the lettuce?”

Lindir’s eyes popped open.

“What if we did that again, but do it to Lindir this time-“

“Alright, I’m up!” The elf bounded out of the bed, glaring daggers at the two. “If you ever-“

“Relax, Lindir.” Glorfindel sat him down on the bed again. “Now just tell us why I’M IN ERESTOR’S BODY!”

Lindir flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. “Would you guys totally kill me if I said the blue wizards made me do it?”

“There aren’t any blue wizards!”

“Actually Este- Legolas, there are.” Elrond said. “They came over the sea with Curunir and Mithrandir and Aiwendil. However, they were little known and I had thought they’d gone back over the sea..?” He turned to Lindir questioningly.

“Alatar and Pallando. They went into the east, but contrary to rumor did not turn to evil. They were fighting it and have recently returned from there. They are currently staying with Cirdan at Mithlond. We’ve been corresponding for months. They sent me a riddle-song a few weeks ago and I sang it after dinner last night.”

“And now we’ve swapped bodies,” finished Legolas. “Never trust a riddle-song from a wizard.”

“Do you remember the words, Lindir?” Erestor asked. “Maybe they have some clue.”

“Well...”

“Lindir, don’t give me that,” Elrond said. “You never forget anything. You remember the year of the wine Celebrian and I served at our wedding. So you can’t tell me you don’t remember.”

Lindir sighed. “Let me think about it. I have the most fantastic headache right now.”

“We’ll talk about it at breakfast then,” Glorfindel said. As the group filed out of the room, Elrond looked pleadingly at Lindir.

“Lindir, please....don’t do anything strange to me?”

The elf’s eyes gleamed. “Ooh, like what?” he said under his breath as the door closed.