It was a silent seventeen that gathered in the council chamber. Elladan sat at the head of the half-circle, Elrohir at his right hand. In addition to the thirteen elves, Galenwen and Briar Rose were in attendance. Also present was Eldarion, son of King Elessar of Gondor. He'd come to visit his uncles and cousin for a few weeks and had been rather shocked to find the uproar about Yaonorme.

The generally somber attitude of the gathering was made even more morose by the mood of Yaonorme. He slouched sullenly in his seat, arms akimbo and eyes downcast.

The last person in the semi-circle was Angrenbor, flanked by Glorfindel and Ainar. The slender but strong chains of Imladris bound him and he stared daggers at Yaonorme, who pointedly looked anywhere but at his half-brother.

Elladan called the meeting to order. "We are gathered here to determine the fate of the son of Saruman, per the request of my son." Here the elf lord shot a baleful glance at Yaonorme. "We also must discuss the fate of the evil that he bears. Glorfindel, show us the ring."

Angrenbor gritted his teeth in anger as the Two Ring was forced from his curled fingers and placed before the group.

"Now tell us, Yaonorme, how you came to meet-"

Yaonorme finished his father's sentence acidly. "My brother? Your stepson? Very well." So he told the story of losing Glorfindel in Lorien, then of his meeting and traveling with Angrenbor, Briar Rose and Galenwen. When his tale was told, the others told theirs in full. Elladan sat quietly through it all, only periodically leaning over to whisper something to Elrohir.

When all tales were finally told, the Lord of Imladris sat silently for a while. Erestor spoke into the quiet.

"I see no reason why Angrimbor should not be treated as a guest, aside from the matter of the Ring. Which is easily remedied. Unmake the Ring."

Celeborn rubbed the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Didn't we already do all this? Was not the One Ring unmade?"

Angrenbor nodded. "Aye, it was. But before it was destroyed, my father forged a ring of his own. True, he did not have the power to make a Ring such as the One. But he could do his best to make one to rival it. He failed in that, but it is still quite powerful."

"And dangerous," added Eldarion. "It must be destroyed."

"How?" asked Briar Rose. She shrank back into her seat nervously as all eyes turned on her, but continued. "Is it as the One, only to be destroyed in the Mountain of Fire?"

Angrenbor answered again. He was being surprisingly cooperative in this matter. "No. Since it was not forged in Orodruin, I doubt that only there can it be unmade. But I do believe that no mere smith, not even an elven smith, can undo it completely."

Elladan blinked. "Very well. Since you seem to know the most about this ring, perhaps you can counsel us on how to unmake it."

Angrenbor set his jaw stubbornly. "No. My father left no clue as to how the ring was made."

He said no more, but even that was enough to touch off a flurry of shouts, accusations and protests that lasted for hours. At the end of three hours, every option had been presented and rehashed a thousand times. Nothing had been decided.

They adjourned for the noon meal. Everyone ate slowly, for no one looked forward to reconvening and starting the same weary arguments over again.

Upon returning to the council chamber, no one spoke for a moment. They all looked at each other with tired eyes, willing the dilemma to be over.

Then a new voice spoke. "There are many ways to destroy such a ring, as you have heard. But I can see only one sure way to unmake it. You must bind the Two Ring to an elven ring. The two forces, good and evil, cannot be bound in one object. It would destroy itself.

"But be wary. The one who binds these rings together in this way may not escape unharmed. Such a bonding may even prove fatal, but that I cannot see for certain."

Elladan raised an eyebrow. "Who is it that speaks so?"

A hooded figure drew forth from the shadows into the circle of the Council. The figure threw back its hood and a woman was revealed. She was an elven woman with long, fair hair and proud eyes. She was not overly beautiful, but awe-inspiring all the same.

Marcaunon sat forward, eyes wide. "It is one of the Valier, come to counsel us!"

The woman's moss-colored eyes flickered in amusement as she turned to face the elf. "Nay, I am no Valier. I am Erulissë, messenger of the Valar. How I came to be in your midst is none of your concern, Elrondion," she added, turning to look at Elladan, whose mouth was opening to ask that very question.

"What matters now is if you will heed my advice. For there are still those in this world who desire power above all and would do anything to get at the power in this ring."

Elladan nodded. "If you are certain of this, which I do not doubt, then our only problem is to find someone to bind the rings."

All sat without saying a word. Yaonorme and Galenwen fingered their rings and looked pensively at each other. Briar Rose looked down at Elglin, unmoving. Angrenbor's eyes flashed, then he said, "With your permission, Lord Elladan, I will bind the rings." Suspicious eyes turned on him as he continued.

"I have done many things in my life of which I am no longer proud. One is the abuse of my own mother-" Here the sons of Elrond flinched slightly and glared at the wizard with renewed distaste. "-And the one I regret not the least is bringing the Two Ring into this place of rest. Give me leave and an elven ring and I will remove both myself and my ring from your house."

Yaonorme leaped to his feet. "You will not do this alone." Rushing to his brother, the elf knelt beside him and placed Beriohtarion in Angrenbor's bound hands. "Take my ring, brother, and forgive my offense. Together we will destroy the Two Ring."

As one, every Imladris elf present was on their feet, shouting denial. Elladan strode over and grabbed the ring from Angrenbor's hands. "This was your mother's ring!" he cried angrily at his son. "I will not let you throw it and your life away over some foolish loyalty or on some silly whim!"

Erulissë beat the crushed Yaonorme to the reply. Her voice was terrible and it silenced all within hearing. "Elladan Elrondion! Your son is indeed young and can sometimes be foolish, but his intentions are noble and his heart is pure. How can you call his loyalty to his own brother foolish? Would you not risk your life to save Elrohir?" Her voice softened. "Let him do this. He does it from a good heart."

Elladan's face fell. "But..." He looked down at Yaonorme, whose face was the picture of defiance and pain. "Yaonorme, I'm sorry, but I just don't want to lose you. You are my only son."

Yaonorme's voice cracked as he said softly, "Ada, please, let me do this. I know I'm young, but I want to do this."

Elladan's eyes shone. He pulled his son into an embrace. "I cannot bear the thought of losing you," he whispered.

Erulissë placed her hand on the elf-lord's hair. "I will do what I can to protect them. Let him go."

Elladan did not speak, but the look in his eyes said all that was needed. He released his son and Yaonorme looked up at his father with grateful eyes. "Thank you."

It was not long before the hushed company assembled at the forges of Imladris. They waited in silence for the bonding of the rings. No one expected Yaonorme and Angrenbor to survive, despite Erulissë's assurances of her limited protection. They said their goodbyes as the rings, which had been heating, were brought to the anvil.

Beriohtarion and the Two Ring sat just inches apart, glimmering with heat and starlight. Angrenbor hefted a hammer and Yaonorme grasped the haft as well. The brothers looked nervously at each other.

Angrenbor smiled tightly, trying to calm his groundless (or nearly groundless) fears. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Yaonorme returned his older brother's smile. "Yes," he answered simply.

Without another word they lifted the hammer. Lhachwen laid the two rings together so that they overlapped each other, then moved back to a safe distance. Erulissë placed her long-fingered hands on Yaonorme and Angrenbor's heads. "Valar protect us," the two heard her whisper. Then the hammer fell and they knew nothing more.