They talked long into the night and long after Briar Rose fell asleep. Around noon the next day all three set off together. Only then did it occur to Yaonorme to ask.
"Angrenbor?"
"Yes, brother of mine?" The wizard was in high spirits today, owing partly to his lack of sleep.
"Where are we going, anyway?"
Briar Rose was taken suddenly by a coughing fit that sounded surprisingly like giggling. Angrenbor shot her a look, but he was smiling as well. "Angmar," he answered simply.
Yaonorme froze. "Angmar?"
Angrenbor stopped and turned to the thunderstruck elf. He nodded slowly. "Yes. Angmar. Northern realm, maybe you've heard of it?"
Yaonorme rolled his eyes and firmly pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Yes, I've heard of it. I meant, why on Arda are you going there?"
Angrimbor turned serious and Briar Rose watched him pensively as he answered. "I hope to establish myself there, and gather such forces under my banner that will enable me to continue my father's work."
"Why do you want to carry on the work of a man who mistreated you for so many years?" probed Briar Rose gently. Angrimbor scowled and aimed a blow at her, but Yaonorme caught his brother's hand as it fell.
"Answer her question, Angrenbor. It is a shrewd one."
The wizard snatched back his hand and clenched it into a fist. "I guess..." He let out a shaky breath. "I guess that, even though Sharkey is dead, I want to make him proud of me. I know that he'd tell me to continue if he could speak to me now."
Briar Rose slipped her hand into Angrenbor's. When he looked down at her, she said softly, "I know how it is to want to please someone, even though they hurt you." She brushed her scarred face with the fingertips of her other hand. "Hurt you a lot," she whispered.
Yaonorme put a hand on his brother's shoulder and looked into his green eyes. "Is there nothing I can say or do to sway you from this course?"
"Someone in this world should stand for my father," answered Angrenbor firmly.
Yaonorme whispered, "No one loved your father, Angrenbor. What he did was unforgivable. You don't have to be like him."
"Then why do I feel this way? Yaonorme, he was my father. He didn't love me, but he was still my father. I cannot let that go. I need you to understand that. Please," Angrenbor added quietly, searching the elf's gaze.
"Alright.Then my counsel would be…quit talking and start walking. It's a long way to Angmar and we won't get there by discussing it."
Angrenbor's face lit up. "You'll come with me then?" He looked at Briar Rose, then back at Yaonorme. "Both of you?"
Briar Rose nodded emphatically. "Of course we will. All the way."
The trio traveled together for a fortnight and by the grace of the Valar, no harm befell them. By day, Briar Rose taught them of caution and wisdom while traveling the world, Yaonorme taught them what he knew of woodcraft, and Angrenbor taught them what they could learn about magic. By night they slept soundly, but with care, never failing to stand watch over the camp.
It was a constant battle, though, for Yaonorme to keep Angrenbor and Briar Rose from falling back into their old ways as master and slave. There were also frequent and heated arguments about Angrenbor's unwavering resolution to continue his father's work in Angmar. Neither side of the argument ever swayed the other.