Sorry for the extremely long wait. Life has been crazy busy for me lately…long story short, I am now a high school graduate!! Anyhoo, here's a chapter that will hopefully make up for it.

Chapter 19: A New Plan

Jo's eyes took on a mischievous glint. "Oh, my dear lady Galadriel, do not think that I wasted all that time in the dark of Moria. I have been…plotting, if you will. Plotting, scheming up ways to…take care of our little friend." She looked thoughtful. "It's not a coincidence that all these musings took place after a particularly annoying incident with aforementioned 'friend'…"

Galadriel smiled knowingly.

"And this strange rant is also not coincidental with the extreme lack of sleep I have experienced over the past week…not at all…"

And, eager with the prospect of several days of freedom, the Company and Lady formed the first ever Middle Earth…Huddle, and began to converse in low tones about what was to be done.

When they broke, Jo was no longer the only one who was getting in touch with her evil side.

"I must say, that sounds positively excruciating…I like it!" Galadriel grinned.

Legolas glanced around. "Now…where is dear Haldir?"

Jo giggled into the back of her hand. Poor Haldir was not going to like this plan too much…

"SURELY YOU JEST!!!!!!"

It took Aragorn and Boromir combined to prevent the frazzled Elf from bolting into the forest. Galadriel was having a hard enough time maintaining her composure in explaining the plan without having to see the hilarious look on Haldir's face. "Haldir, it is the only way!"

"The only way in this PARTICULAR plan! My Lady, could you not just come up with a new course of action, instead of subjecting me to this torture?!"

"Haldir." The elf flinched at Galadriel's stern tone. "If you wish to be separated from this bane on your existence, then you'd do best to—"

"SUCK IT UP AND BE A MAN…or…Elf…" Jo interrupted, grinning.

Haldir let out a long-suffering sigh. "You people shall be the untimely death of me."

Iendil was sitting in the personal talen that she 'requested' (a.k.a. threw a hissy fit for…) later on that evening. She sat in front of an ornately decorated mirror, brushing her long hair so many times it was a miracle it was still attached to her head. A knock at the doorframe interrupted her humming songs about…herself.

She turned to see Haldir at the door, his hair down around his shoulders and minus a shirt. He might as well have been wearing a sign around his neck reading 'Fangirl's Beware'—if some hapless, lovesick girl were to happen upon him, well…they wouldn't be responsible for the nosebleeds that would ensue.

Iendil, on the other hand, was lower than a rabid fangirl.

Because she was an idiot.

"Wait…" she paused. For a full five minutes. "…Does this mean you like love me? Because I've never had a guy dressed like you like come to my door like late at night…this doesn't like happen often!!!"

From her hiding spot, Jo repressed a shout of glee. Of course not!

Haldir visibly grit his teeth, something that Jo could HEAR let alone see…yet Iendil didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, fair Iendil, may I tempt thee with a bath?"

Iendil sat in silence for a second. Okay, for several minutes.

"You mean…with like…you?"

Haldir nodded.

"………………….Naked?"

Haldir's eye twitched but he stuck to the plan. "That is how one tends to bath usually, my lady…"

Before he could blink, he was being dragged out the door. "What are we like waiting for??!!"

Jo could see the crocodile tears streaming out of Haldir's eyes as he was pulled by, after the blondish-pink whirlwind. She caught the rude hand gesture that he directed at the soft sound of her laughter, before disappearing around a corner.

Jo stood and ran after them, not wanting to miss the action.

"The bath is through here…" Haldir said, opening a door and pointing inside. "Ladies first."

Iendil went charging into the room and soon the entire Company was gathered around the door with Haldir to watch. Iendil shed her night gown, but luckily she hopped into the water so fast, no one saw anything.

Yes, she jumped in so fast, she didn't notice that Haldir was still at the doorway. She didn't notice the insane amount of steam coming off the water in the tub. She didn't notice the bubbles that indicated boiling water. And she didn't notice the temperature.

For about five seconds.

Soon she is screaming bloody murder and trying to claw her way out of the slippery tub as her 'delicate' skin is burned. She stands, slips, hits her head, and is down for the count under the boiling water. And she doesn't come back up. The boiled rose petals that exploded out of the water and disappeared in a puff of glitter told the audience that Iendil had indeed fully cooked and was off to be reincarnated…in a few days.

Merry let out a loud laugh. "Aw, she didn't even notice the candles we had set up for her!"

TBC…

I know, feel free to hate me, it's really short! But I wanted to get this up to give you all something for your patience. I'm going to try and write another chapter tomorrow and get it posted! Sorry sorry sorry!!!

CRC