They sat down in Elrond's study.
Rameldir felt a little apprehensive. After all, they had only come back from the battle yesterday. And so many of them would never come back at all … The victory had been dearly bought.

"More than an age …" Elrond said pensively. "For more than an age he was High King of the Noldor. Through all of this age, we could safely say. For surely this is the end of the Second Age. The Third Age began when Isildur took the Ring for himself."

"I sincerely hope," Rameldir said, "that he will have the good sense never to try to wield it. He says he will only keep it as an heirloom of his house. I hope he will lock it safely away and never touch it."

"He should never have touched it in the first place," the other answered. "If only Gil-galad had survived for just one more hour! But alas, his body was broken. He might have had the strength to cast the Ring into the fire. The strength that Isildur lacked. Already its evil was working on him. I fear what may come of it."

"When will he come up north?" Rameldir asked. "He said that he would turn the rule of Gondor over to one of his sons, and then himself come up to Arnor."

"That should take him some months, at least," Elrond answered. "And if he takes to using the Ring during those months … Kinsman, we have to be wary. He may not come as a friend then. Perhaps he will think that the age of the Eldar ended with Gil-galad."

"Alas for Gil-galad!" Rameldir cried. "That his greatest victory should also be his last!"

"Alas for Gil-galad," Elrond repeated.
"And that brings me to our present business, my kinsman. He was High King of the Noldor. You are his cousin. Your mother was his father's sister. The kingship comes to you now. Are you ready to take it up?"

"To me?" Rameldir exclaimed. "I always thought it would come to you first. I come of Finarfin's line. You come of Fingolfin's line, and he was the elder of the two brothers."

"But the blood of the Eldar runs true in you," Elrond replied. "In me, two mortal lines mingle with that blood. I only chose to be counted with the Noldor. Their High King should be someone whose blood is his birthright."

"It is not the percentage of blood that decides its trueness," Rameldir said. "You have proven a true Elven-Lord through all these years. Let Cirdan be Lord of the Havens. Move the capital to Imladris!"

"We could do that with you as High King as well, you know," Elrond commented dryly. "I am quite happy for you to establish your capital somewhere else, though, if you like. I do not mind at all just being Lord of Imladris. Perhaps Tharbad would be a good location hereafter, strategically speaking? You could make that into a great city."

"And who would inhabit it, mylord?" Rameldir laughed. "Our numbers are sorely decimated after this latest war. I do not wish to split our forces. You might wonder whether there will be any Noldor to be High King of soon."

"We lost many great warriors," Elrond admitted. "And many others will accept the offer to go to the Havens and take a ship into the West. I hear the murmurings among my people. Isildur may have a point, actually. The days of the Eldar are waning. Perhaps we will need no new High King."

"And there is also this to consider," Rameldir said. "There is now no direct male heir left to the Noldor – not an heir where son is following father. Both you and I make our claims through our grandmothers. And if we are to follow the female line, then there is a daughter of Finarfin still alive, who would have a greater claim than Finarfin's grandchild."

"Galadriel," Elrond said.

"Galadriel indeed," Rameldir answered. "She is a great Lady, in fact, one of the greatest Noldor now alive. Not without reason was she chosen to be one of the Keepers. Nay, stay your hand, mylord! I know that you do not like me to talk about this, not even in here. And I will say no more about it. But she has what it takes to be High Queen of the Noldor."

"Let us offer her the title, then!" Elrond exclaimed. "There is wisdom in your words, my kinsman. Great trust has indeed been put in her. And she is worthy of it. She, I, and Cirdan, will need to keep council often hereafter. I do not quite trust Isildur with his Ring. He means well, this I do not doubt. But it may prove too strong for him in the end."

"Better might it be for him to lose it, then," Rameldir commented. "When he sails back to the Havens, should we then perhaps pray Ulmo to send a mighty wave onto his ship, to wash the Ring into the Sea? A great evil would we then be rid of."

"And yet it might be found, and in later ages cause new evil," Elrond said. "No, kinsman. Someone has to take it back to Orodruin and cast it into the Fire. I couldn't persuade Isildur to do this. I feel it is my duty to wait for someone else to do it instead."

"What about Galadriel?" Rameldir asked. "Do you think she could persuade Isildur to take it back? Or be willing to take it herself? She is strong-willed, she might be more able than Isildur to let it go."

Elrond was silent for a long time.
"She is strong-willed, yes," he finally said. "And that may in the end prove disastrous. Because she is ambitious as well. And if the Ring kindles her ambitions, then even being High Queen of the Noldor may not be enough for her. No, I would not give her the Ring to take back. Truly, I do not like to imagine what might happen if she ever had it within her grasp. I only hope that such a situation never arises.
No – not that. Rather I hope that should it ever arise, she will have the strength to prove true."

He sat silent again for a long time. Then he smiled and rose to his feet.
"But come, kinsman! Our present errand is more joyful. We will speak to Galadriel of our decision. And if she accepts it, we will then proclaim her High Queen of the Noldor."