"Herald?" Elrond asked in confusion. "I mean, my lord, I will of course accept…"

"But you wonder why?" Gil-galad asked, somewhat amused to find his cousin this openly flustered. The Peredhel had picked up the Fëanorian tendency to unflappability early, and never really lost it.

"Well, yes," Elrond responded. "It's not that I would feel it to be demeaning, but it is lower than the position you insisted I accept in your court when I arrived in Lindon."

"It is," Gil-galad replied, brief amusement dying as he thought of the reason for this move. "But Elrond…Elrond, I have no idea if Sauron's forces will hold to the rules of honorable combat or not, but anything I can do to try to get you through this war alive…I will do it. If I thought you would accept being left behind as regent, I would do that." Understanding blossomed on Elrond's face.

"You want to give me a Herald's immunity," he stated. Gil-galad nodded. Elrond sighed softly.

"Very well, then, my lord, I am honored to be your Herald," Elrond stated formally. Then fire flashed in his eyes that revealed both his heritage and his upbringing. "But you are absolutely right that there is no way that I would stay behind. It's my family that has beaten Sauron previously, if you'll recall. And I fully intend to get you through this war, too."

"Elrond…" Gil-galad murmured, affection and pain in his eyes. "I'm High King. I know the price that carries." Mutiny flashed on Elrond's face, but Gil-galad silenced him.

"Elrond, no High King of the Noldor has survived the battles between our kin and Morgoth and his minions," Gil-galad pointed out. "No Elf has brought down a Maia and lived. That is always the cost. And I fully intend to pay that cost." Elrond's eyes were now shimmering with unshed tears.

"You can't just give up!" he protested. "There's always a first time. If you…" Gil-galad gently silenced him.

"If my death will ensure this scourge will be erased from Middle-earth, I go gladly." He smiled fondly down at his cousin.

"I'm a full-blooded Noldo, Elrond. Your bloodline, though just as stubborn as mine, generally had a bit more sense…"

"Not Thingol," Elrond muttered, but refused to be sidetracked. "Is there nothing I can say then, to make you reconsider?"

"No," Gil-galad said gently. Then his mood shifted again, and he grabbed Elrond by the shoulders.

"Just promise me one thing Elrond," he said urgently. "Do not take the title that is yours by right. I do not ask this because I think you unworthy, or unfit to be king, but I would not see you become another certain casualty of this war. I hope otherwise, but my heart forebodes that this war may only win us a respite, not a victory."

"I won't," Elrond said steady. "I never wanted to be your heir anyway. I could have taken the Sindarin throne if I'd wanted one." Gil-galad nodded at that, knowing that his cousin could have been a serious contender for power if he'd ever wanted to be…but never had.

"And take this," Gil-galad said softly, pulling a small pouch out from his pocket, where he'd placed it in preparation for this conversation. "I know that you do not desire power, and hence I believe you the best person I could give this to to safeguard…and wield, one day, if we ever can." Elrond accepted the pouch in confusion, and opened it, pouring a Ring onto his palm.

"This is…" he murmured.

"Vilya," Gil-galad finished the sentence. "Mightiest of the Three. Celebrimbor thought that perhaps they might become freed should Sauron be overthrown. It is more likely, however, that if the One is destroyed, they will fade and loose their power. But regardless of its fate, it is yours." Elrond closed his hand over it, overwhelmed and trying to sort through all that had just happened. Gil-galad watched him compassionately.

"Just promise me, Elrond, that you'll do your best for our people when all this is over," he finally murmured quietly. Elrond looked up at that.

"I promise, Ereinion," he said firmly. "And if this war does not end here, then I will see it to victory, however long it takes, and whatever the price. And that I swear."

Gil-galad had no words to say to that, but simply bowed his head in acceptance and gratitude to the one, he knew, would do just that.

So does anyone else find it odd that Elrond, who has more claims to thrones than Gil-galad does, is his herald? I mean, all the other heralds we see in the books are not related to the kings they serve, nor seemingly as high nobility. So this is my idea on the matter: Gil-galad's trying to protect Elrond, and give him a non-combatant role, since as a healer, Elrond would probably be somewhat against killing. Or, at least, everyone around him would probably be uncomfortable with him doing both. Thoughts?