Chapter 9

Astrology

Jupiter's POV

I defeated Haldir. I got up and held out my hand.

"You've got to be the strongest opponent I've ever fought. I had fun."

He slowly took my hand and I pulled him up. I smiled and pat him on the back. I went to Gloradir and hugged him.

"You did it. I am very proud of you Jupe."

I pulled away and smiled at Estelwen. I got that strange feeling again and my smile fell right off my face.

"What is it?" she asked.

The last time I'd had this feeling was….

"Legolas…" I whispered.

I ran as fast as I could away from the field.

Legolas' POV

I looked away for a second and she was gone.

"~Where did she…~"

I ran out onto the field and looked at Haldir.

"Haldir, where did Jupiter go?"

"She just ran off. She whispered something and bolted, as though something scared her."

She knew I was here.

"Which way did she go?"

Jupiter's POV

I had to hide. Maybe if he thought I'd left he'd move on. I didn't know how he found me and I didn't know how I'd known he was there. It didn't matter. I'd come to realize I had feelings for him and I didn't want them. I didn't need the pain the feelings would bring me. I ran into the woods and hid beneath a few fallen trees.

"Jupiter!?"

I slowed down my breathing and then I saw him. He was looking around everywhere and I saw him coming towards my hiding spot. I held my breath and I heard something far in the distance. He ran off in the other direction and I let out a breath of relief. Someone grabbed my hands and pulled me out. Haldir and Gloradir were there.

"Why did you run mellon nin?" Gloradir asked.

"I don't want to see Legolas. It'll cause me pain and I don't need that."

"We thought as much. Estelwen is the one who drew his attention. We should go back to Cara Galadhon." Haldir said.

I nodded and walked back with them. I picked up the things I'd left at the field and then went back to my room with Gloradir.

"My friend, you are unusually silent. I did believe you capable of such silence."

I smirked and shook my head.

"I'm just thinking."

"He is the one who gave you those knives."

I nodded and we reached my room.

"If you have feelings for him, my advice would be to act on them."

We walked inside and I looked out a window.

"I can't."

"But why not? I want to see you happy mellon nin. We all do. You carry a great pain with you and will not speak of it."

I touched my pendent and closed my eyes.

"It doesn't matter."

"Estelwen told me about the scars on your back." My eyes flew open. "She said they did could not have come from any sword. Did he hurt you?"

"No! No of course not. Those scars are just something that….well I don't like to talk about it. Besides it doesn't matter, what's done is done."

"But I think you are still running from it. Whatever happened, you are letting it control you. Instead of confronting it, you run from it."

I sighed and looked out the window again.

"I also don't want Legolas to be part of that pain. I think that's why I left in the first place."

"He has come all this way to find you, that must mean something."

I thought about what Gloradir said carefully.

"I don't know what to do, Gloradir." I said softly.

He got up and put his hands on my shoulders.

"I believe you should go to him. Trust your heart mellon nin."

I hugged him tightly. Gloradir was my best friend and I trusted him.

"First I think I should clean myself up."

He chuckled and then left. I stepped into my bath and washed out my hair. It had grown long past my waist in the past year. I got out and put on my cloths, I was just drying my hair when a frantic knocking came at my door. I ran to open it and found Haldir there.

"Haldir, what's wrong?!"

"He has left. Legolas has left."

My eyes went wide and I ran out the door. I ran through the woods calling his name but he was gone. I was out of breath and I slowly fell to my knees.

"Yet another mistake. This is what I was afraid of. I should've left it alone." I said to myself.

I stood up and brushed myself off.

"Looking for someone?"

I whipped around and there he was.

"What hell is the matter with you? Don't scare me like that." I snapped.

He smirked, which wasn't like him at all.

"My apologies….your majesty."

I sighed and closed my eyes.

"I'm not royalty. You know what my name is so use it!"

"Why did you not tell me?"

"Because it doesn't matter."

He walked forward and grabbed me.

"Of course it matters! If my father knew he would have no say in the matter of me being with you."

I pushed him off me.

"I don't give a damn what your father says either way! I left because I had to."

"I do not understand."

"I'd be nothing but trouble for you."

I turned away and he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Tauriel said that you carried a great pain. Is that why you left?"

I just nodded.

"It's none of your business either way." I turned around. "Look, I didn't want to leave you. You were the first friend I ever had. I just didn't want to start a fight. I guess I started one anyway, huh?"

I laughed a bit and so did he.

"Well, if you want me to stay I'll stay." I said.

He looked at me and walked closer.

"Please, stay with me." he said softly.

I smiled and nodded.

"Okay."

He smiled brightly and I hugged him.

"I swear if you ever call me your majesty again, even as a joke, I'll kick your ass. I'm pretty deadly now you know."

He laughed and hugged me tightly. I smiled happily and closed my eyes. When we separated we went back.

"That necklace, who gave it to you?"

I swore I heard a bit of jealousy in his voice.

"My grandmother. She gave it to me the day I was born. It's the star map for Aries, my astrological sign. I'm brave, strong willed and independent. However, I have a bad temper, I'm impatient and impulsive too. My element is fire, my grandmother always said it suits me, and my symbol is the ram. My birthday is April nineteenth. When's yours?"

"The twenty seventh of May."

I smiled and looked at him.

"So you'd be a Gemini. Your element is air and your ruling planet would be…Mercury. Your symbol is twins. You're gentle, affectionate, curious and adaptable. You learn quickly but you get nervous and you can be inconsistent and indecisive. You're basically the complete opposite of me." I laughed.

"You study this…astrology?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Among other things, I find it really interesting. I wish I had a telescope. I could show you the stars, the moon and so much more. The sky is like a work of art to me." I said.

He stopped and looked at me.

"May I?"

I took of the pendent and handed it to him. He held it up and took a closer look.

"It is beautiful, fit for a woman like you. I can tell it is very precious to you."

He put it back around my neck and smiled.

"If, as you say, I am the opposite of you, I wonder how we will get along."

I smiled at him in amusement.

"Well air can suppress fire, so you'd be able to help me keep a level head."

"True."

We started walking again and I explained to him all I knew of astrology.