Chapter 28

Purity

Legolas' POV

The first thing I saw the next morning was Vanmoriel asleep near Jupiter. I jumped up and pulled Jupiter away. Everyone jumped awake and Jupiter pushed me away. She got in front of Vanmoriel and held out her arms.

"No don't! I brought her here."

"Why?!" Vardamir asked.

She looked at Manwendil. Then I saw Vanmoriel raise a dagger.

"JUPITER!"

She turned and brought it down. She fell to the ground and Vanmoriel turned to run. I did not want to do it, but I had no choice. I took my bow and shot her. She fell to the ground dead. I ran back to Jupiter and looked at her. She had a long cut down her from her shoulder to just past her collar bone. It wasn't too deep but it was still bad. We quickly cleaned it and bandaged it. She took a deep breath and shook her head.

"I was wrong. I really hate it when I'm wrong sometimes."

I smiled a bit and she sat up.

"One more scar to the collection I guess." she said.

Manwendil took her hands.

"I know why you brought her here." he said.

"I am sorry this had to happened. I thought I could do it."

She looked at me sadly and I put my arms around her.

"This is not your fault." I said.

She nodded and we prepared to move on. I told her I wanted to see Bilbo so he could see what he could do about her wound.

Jupiter's POV

I really thought I could've helped her. I didn't want her to die, she couldn't help what she felt. I was silent for most of the trip.

"Jupiter this was not your fault. She made a choice, you could not have stopped her."

"I should have used my magic." I said.

"Jupiter look at me."

I sighed but looked up at.

"You are not in Chicago or France anymore. Here, not everything is your fault. Vanmoriel brought it upon herself. You are pure of heart, and you only did what you thought was right." Legolas said.

I smiled at him.

"Now I know why I'm marrying you." he raised his brow and I took his hand. "You're so good to me."

He kissed my hand and I smiled. When we reached Bag End I knocked on the door. Bilbo answered and gave me a smiled, but when he saw my cut his eyes went wide.

"Oh dear me! Come inside and let me have a look at you."

Legolas, my family and I went inside and Bilbo sat me down.

"How did this happen?"

"I was caught off guard." I said.

He nodded and did all he could.

"Bilbo this is my family. My sister Tindomiel and my brothers, Vardamir, Manwendil, and Atanaclar."

He smiled and bowed his head.

"I am happy to see you have a loving family. And I see the ring also. Congratulations my dear, I wish you great happiness."

I smiled and so did Legolas. We did not stay with Bilbo long, we were eager to get to Mirkwood. Before we left I looked at Bilbo

"I hope you know you're invited to my wedding right? Many of the dwarves will be there and I hope you will be too."

He smiled.

"I will do my very best. I just have to find someone trustworthy to watch my house. But believe me, I would not want to miss it for the world."

I smiled and nodded before we left.

"Can we just avoid Imladris please?"

"Oh no. I want to have a talk with Elrohir. And there is no way you can possibly talk me out of it." Tindomiel said.

I growled in frustration but I let it go. I was worried about what my sister would do. She was highly protective of all of us.

Legolas' POV

We rode through the gates of Imladris and Lindir came to greet us.

"Welcome back to Imladris, my lady."

I helped Jupiter off her horse and set her down. Lindir smiled at us.

"~Congratulations my lord and lady.~"

We both smiled and thanked him. Jupiter's smiled suddenly fell.

"Tindomiel."

Jupiter took off and I sighed.

Jupiter's POV

I had to find Tindomiel before she did something stupid. I saw what she'd done to Vanmoriel.

"Tindomiel!?"

I heard a crash and sighed.

Too late.

I went to the source of the crash and Tindomiel pinning Elrohir to a bookshelf.

"Tindomiel stop!"

She let him go and I looked at Elrohir.

"I'm sorry-"

"No! Jupiter you have done nothing to apologize for."

I fell silent and Elrohir looked at me.

"So you need your sister to fight your battles?"

I sighed and shook my head.

"Elrohir you have something on your face."

He seemed confused and I punched him.

"It was pain."

He glared at me and then left. Tindomiel tried to go after him but I held her back.

"Let him go. It's not worth it." I said.

She growled but otherwise did nothing. She left and I took a deep breath.

"Well that went well." I muttered.

"What went well?"

I jumped and then turned to see Arwen there. I smiled and hugged her.

"It's good to see you again. It's nothing. You don't need to worry."

I knew she was still suspicious, but she let it go. I went off to find Legolas and my uncle.

Legolas' POV

I saw a bruise forming on Elrohir's face and knew Tindomiel or Jupiter had hit him. I smirked and shook my head before going to find Jupiter. We would only be in Imladris for the one night, she did not like being here. She actually hated it. She loved her cousins and uncle, but Elrohir made her stays here unbearable. It made me extremely angry.I found Elrohir and pinned him to the wall.

"~Listen to me, and you listen good and proper. Jupiter is my fiancee and the woman I love. You are one of my oldest friends. She is your cousin! Your family! You need to apologize to her. If I find out that you have been cruel to her again, I will not be as patient as I am now. Do you understand?~"

He nodded and I let him go. I sighed in frustration.

"You shouldn't let him make you so angry."

Jupiter came and put her hand on my arm.

"He's not worth the trouble."

"I suppose that is what you told your sister when she hit him?"

I looked at her and found an amused smile on her face.

"She didn't hit him. I did."

I chuckled and pulled her into my arms.

"Before you, no one could really sneak up on me.~"

"It's a talent of mine." she said.

"Among other things. You said you could paint."

"Yeah, I've always been an artist. It was how I survived."

I smiled and took her hand. I led her away to where the sword of Elendil lay. On the wall was a painting of Isildur battling Sauron. Jupiter went over and put her fingers on the one ring.

"Your uncle painted this. He was there when it all happened."

"I know the story. I read about it. But we're all free now."

I nodded and she ran her fingers along the wall.

"And I suppose behind us is the famous sword?"

"Yes."

She turned and walked up to it. She examined it closely.

Jupiter's POV

"After all these years it's still sharp."

"How can you tell?"

I smiled at him.

"Haldir taught me well." I said.

He shook his head with a smile. I walked around in the silent room, looking at all the paintings.

"This is all incredible. I've seen war, but I've heard this was the worst one." I said softly.

Legolas took my hand and I looked at him.

"I fear there will be another war to come. An orc we held captive said something rather…disturbing."

I gave him a curious look.

"What did he say?"

"He said his master serves the one. I am still not sure about what he meant."