Maedhros answered with a wry little smile. "Good. Keep testing yourself. Only remember that while the blood of Isildur lives on in you, so to does the blood of Elros. And he was a very fine Elf before he was a very good Man." Fire glittered in pale eyes. "Sauron will have to go through me to get you." Whether he stood at Aragorn's side or not.

The barest of snorts, not something one would expect from an Elf. He didn't try to sit up, though he didn't protest Aragorn sitting down on the bed. There was no physical discomfort. Memory cast his gaze into the past, and he thought carefully. "Because of the wrong I did Elrond and Elros. Because of the love I bear them." He focused on Aragorn. "And because I can see you are one who is worthy of loyalty. I would fight for you regardless," he admitted with a faint smile. "It is your choice whether I do so openly or out of sight, as I have been fighting these many years."