Angrenbor's eyes flew open. [iI'm alive![/i was his first thought. The second was [iWhere is everyone?[/i He lay on a bed, covered in a white sheet, totally alone.

The wizard swung his legs over the side of the low bed and padded out of the room, ignoring the muscles shrieking in protest at his movements.

Then his memories of his last conscious moments rushed back and he froze. "Yaonorme!"

His shout brought Tûrwethiel running from one of the other rooms down the hall. Angrenbor met the elf halfway.

"Are you alright?" Tûrwethiel asked.

"I think so," Angrenbor said brusquely. "Where is Yaonorme?"

Tûrwethiel didn't answer immediately. "You were pretty badly burned, but you weren't the worst. Yaonorme shoved you away from the main force of the explosion that resulted from the binding of the rings. Erulissë's disappeared, we don't know where she's gone."

Angrenbor started moving toward the door from which Tûrwethiel had come. "Where is he?"

The woman restrained the man with a hand on his arm. "Angrenbor, Yaonorme took most of the force of the blast. He's pretty bad off. We're not sure if-"

But Angrenbor wasn't listening. He tore his arm from Tûrwethiel's grasp and bolted for the door that she had appeared from. The room beyond held what he sought. The entire, though small, population of Rivendell was crowded into the healing room. They watched anxiously as Melpomaen and Elladan ran their hands over the body of Yaonorme, who lay comatose on the bed. Angrenbor stared in horror at his younger brother, amazed that he was still alive.

Yaonorme's fair face and body were covered in second and third degree burns. Blood glistened fresh on hundreds of gashes, large and small. The most prominent was on his forehead. It was bound with a blood-soaked bandage. Along with the other wounds, there were several bruises, the largest on his chest. Melpomaen's healing hands lay there, and the elf was murmuring softly, lost in concentration. Elladan sat back on his heels, wiping his forearm across his brow as Elrohir took his place.

Angrenbor, shocked into silence, finally managed a strangled sob. As one, every eye in the room turned to him. Angrenbor's gaze met Elladan's and they stared at one another for long, tense seconds. Then the elf lord got up and stalked over to the doorway, face hard and fists clenching convulsively. He faced off with the distraught wizard.

"Why have you come here? Haven't you done enough?"

Angrenbor did not answer. He tried to push past the elf. "Let me help him, please!"

Elladan stood resolutely in his way. "Valar help you if you ever touch him again!"

Galenwen rose and hurried to Angrenbor's side. "Lord Elladan, Angrenbor can heal through his power as a half-Maia. Please, for Yaonorme's sake, let him help!"

For a moment Elladan wavered. Galenwen's tear-filled eyes pleaded with him and he turned slightly to gaze at his deathly injured son. Then his eyes grew cold and he swore, "I will never let you near my son again. He is nearing the Halls of Mandos because of you!"

Erestor laid a hand on Elladan's arm. "Elrondion, this is madness! Let him help your son."

"No." Elladan turned away, mouth set in a grim line. "He will never again come near my son. He is a murderer," he added softly, sinking to his knees beside Yaonorme's bed.

Angrenbor bit his lip, anger, grief, and fear warring in his eyes. Then he whispered, "I'm so sorry. Truly I am. Goheno nin."

"Gwanno ereb nin!" groaned Elladan brokenly. Elrohir put his arm around his brother and held him as the father wept for his son.

Angrenbor turned and fled the room. After shooting a condemning glare at Elladan, Galenwen followed him, Briar Rose close behind.

They found the wizard in the stables, saddling a horse and preparing to leave. His face was streaked with tears and his movements were overly harsh, as if in anger.

Galenwen leaned on the wall close to him. "What are you doing?"

The paint Angrenbor was saddling let out a snort of discomfort as the man roughly dropped the saddle on her. "I'm leaving."

Briar Rose stood beside Galenwen, arms crossed. "Have you given up on him, then? Will you leave Yaonorme to die?"

Angrenbor tightened the girth. "I can't heal him without laying hands on him. Lord Elladan won't let me touch him. Thus, there is nothing I can do." He turned to face the women. "Yaonorme's death is my fault. I cannot live with my brother's blood on my head."

Briar Rose tapped her fingers impatiently on her arm. "But he isn't dead! And it's not your fault, Angrenbor, there is still hope."

He didn't answer. Galenwen asked, "Where will you go then?"

Angrenbor sighed. "I will go to the forest of Mirkwood and live alone under the trees until I am one with them."

Briar Rose drew a sharp breath. "Fading. I've heard of it being done, but never thought it possible that you..."

Angrenbor nodded and turned back to the horse. "Please...please let me go."

Galenwen reached out and laid her hands on his. "Let me go with you." She waited until he met her gaze. "I never thought I could love someone so much until I saw you lying in the healing wing. The thought that I could lose you became unbearable and I swore in my heart that if you ever awoke, I would bind myself to you. I will go where you go, forever."

Angrenbor pulled his hands away and busied himself with the tack, not meeting her eyes. "You don't love me. You only think you do. I am not the man you think I am. A few years alone with me and you would wish for the lights of Imladris or Lothlorien." He looked back at her. "I spent nearly a century abusing the woman who brought me into the world. I know little better. I am afraid that I would harm you."

Galenwen laughed softly and sudden light danced on her fingertips. "Harm me? Good sir, I am the daughter of Olorin, mightiest of the Five Istar. Harm me and I shall zap you within an inch of your life!" She laughed again, and then grew serious. "Angrenbor, I do love you. And I will never leave you. Let me prove it. Let me come."

Angrenbor put his hand to his temple. "I will never be rid of you, will I? You wish to come with me as a friend?"

"More than a friend, if you'll have me."

The man jerked his head at the neighboring stall. "Saddle a horse then. I have a feeling that Lord Elladan wants me here no longer than is necessary."

They rode out of Rivendell at sunset. Briar Rose stood at the stable door, waving forlornly as they vanished into the trees. She bowed her head, and then raised her voice in song.

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be ever at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face

And the rain fall soft upon your fields

And until we meet again

May Iluvatar hold you ever in the palm of his hand.

"They will be safe. For now at least. They have each other, and Greenwood the Great is no longer as dangerous as it once was."

Briar Rose turned at the voice and her face lit up as she recognized the speaker. "Erulissë!"

The woman smiled at her. "Yes, it's me. I've come back, thought not without trouble. But enough. I have heard that the young one, Yaonorme, may not make it."

Briar Rose's face fell. "Yes, he-he's..."

Erulissë nodded. "I see. Come." They went back into the house and Briar Rose led the way to where Yaonorme lay.