Chapter Six: Toe Injury

Eight pairs of eyes stared down at the unmoving form of Iendil. Well, Legolas attempted to, but seeing as how she was still attached to him, he had a little trouble and decided that it wasn't really worth it anyway. They had all moved into a sitting room inside Imladris.

"So…" Arwen began, breaking the contemplative silence. "What are we going to do about…her?"

Elrond furrowed his brow. "I do not yet know. But we must act quickly, before she awakens."

"Yes, please." Legolas sighed. His left arm was starting to go numb under Iendil's vise-like grip.

Jo began to pace again, thinking as hard as she could without her head imploding. An idea formed in her mind. Without explaining, she ushered Aragorn into a large walk-in closet and shut the door, motioning for him to be quiet. Then she opened the door to the hallway and stood by it.

She shot the closed closet door an apologetic look and took a deep breath.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, ARAGORN IS SKINNY-DIPPING IN THE LAKE OUTSIDE RIVENDELL? HOW POSITIVELY SCANDALOUS!"

Iendil's eyes snapped open and she bolted from the room, fully intent on finding out just where this lake was. As she exited the room in a flurry of fluorescent pink skirts, Jo slammed the door shut and exhaled heavily.

Aragorn stepped out of the closet, gaping at Jo, who winced. Apparently they did know what skinny-dipping meant. How, she didn't know. But she had a nasty suspicion that they learned it from Iendil.

Jo smiled at him and shrugged. "She may love Legolas more than breathing, but she likes you a lot too. Especially when you're naked. That just makes things easier for her."

Aragorn looked rather ill at that comment.

Jo was just settling into bed that night when a very messy Iendil entered the room, looking dismayed. It was such a great change, to see her not looking impeccably and eerily perfect that at first, Jo thought a strange person was breaking into her room. She jumped back, shocked at the boldness of this person. When it finally registered who it was, she bit back a snicker.

"Where have you been?" she put in mildly.

Iendil pouted and was about to answer when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She let out an ear-piercing scream and dashed into the bathroom.

Jo's eye twitched. That was a high scream, even for Iendil. Seconds later, the twins and Glorfindel burst through the door, wielding various weapons and looking around as if they expected an army of orcs to be invading the room. Jo took no notice of them…but not on purpose.

"Uh…Jo, your ears are bleeding…" Elladan began.

Jo noticed them out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to face them. "Oh, hello."

"Your ears…" Elrohir put in weakly.

"What?"

"Bleeding…"

"Huh? Speak up, I can't hear a word you're saying!"

Glorfindel just sighed and went to find Elrond.

After being patched up, Jo was able to, well, hear again. That's always good.

Iendil emerged shortly after, looking clean again. Seeing Elrond tend to Jo gave her an idea, something that they would all regret…FOREVER.

Turning around, she kicked the dresser.

"Like, OW! I hurt my toe…" she sniffled dramatically.

Elrond, being the patient soul that he was, decided to play along and humor her. "Would you like me to look at it, Lady Iendil?"

She nodded tearfully and attempted to take a step. She let out a whimper of pain and glanced pointedly at the twins.

The two Elves assisted her over to the bed that Jo had been sitting on, rolling their eyes discreetly. They then excused themselves, giving Jo a look that clearly said, 'We are going back to our rooms to vigorously scrub any part of ourselves that had any contact with her so as to prevent contamination.'

Well, maybe not exactly, but she got the idea.

Jo was destined to not get sleep that night. As she lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, she could hear Iendil's fake crying from the bed next to her. She let out an angrily sigh. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing." Iendil sniffled again. "But this toe injury reminds me like sooo much of this time that Armando beat me and hurt my foot."

"Who the hell is Armando?"

"Why, he's my stepmother's cousin's sister's fiancé's brother's son's math teacher's husband's pool boy."

"…Right."

"He's very violent. I had to deal with his abuse for like years!! I am so tragic."

"I bet you are."

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing…"

The next night was not much different, except Jo now faced a growing dread—the Council was tomorrow. And instead of being all hyper and excited, Iendil was laying in her bed, crying again.

"I really don't think that was a serious enough 'toe injury' for it to still be hurting!" Jo muttered to her companion.

"That isn't why I'm like crying!!!!"

Jo was slightly taken aback. She was actually crying.

"Ary like doesn't love me! He told me so like today! He even like threatened me with like his sword!!!" At this, Iendil collapsed into sobs and said no more coherent words.

Jo laid in silence for a long time, a growing warmth spreading through her body, replacing the dread. Aragorn had told Iendil off. He even threatened bodily harm on her!

It was a good night.