"I suppose if I had he'd have less leverage with my father. I have letters for you -" and he hands them to her.

"Thanks. Should I read them right now...?"

"I can give you summaries. We're fine, Elwë's fine, Elwë hit it off with his grandniece and grandnephews, there's no chance of talking Elwë into fighting any kind of offensive."

"Yeah, didn't think so. On the one hand that's very frustrating, on the other hand it's sort of nice to have a standing invitation to go work there if being somewhere that doesn't have an absolutely defensively committed Maia minding it becomes - indefensible."

"Yep. Though, mind, if you are bringing the Enemy down on them I am not positive they'll be willing to have their people die for you."

"I suppose the invitation might not last. Although I think Lúthien would argue for it as best she could."

"Well, that's something." He sighs. How is Maitimo?

I think he's trying to avoid distracting me so I haven't been seeing him too frequently even since I moved in, but he's functional, which I think is the most important thing to him.

Yes, it definitely is. I asked Macalaurë to communicate to him that I'd see him but I have no idea whether it's a good idea.

I don't know either. I just take everything he says about whether he'd rather have me around or not at face value, I can't keep up with anything else. Although whenever we do start talking we tend to continue doing it for a long time considering how often he disclaims that he can't trust me and therefore would rather not pretend to enjoy my company and how willing I am to be dismissed if he'd rather be rid of me.

He smiles slightly. If you're real you're very valuable. He must be so torn. He did a good job with the city. And you did a lovely one with the illusions.

They were based off his blueprints of a hypothetical city-designed-more-for-aesthetics.

He's not even an architect. I suppose perhaps he flattered one, or hired them, in Tumunzahar.

Dwarves were heavily involved.

The Feanorians were shipping food south to Círdan's along the Sirion. We're pretty low on supplies but we decided to keep that up.

They will presumably be delighted to have things that aren't lobsters to eat.

They have communicated as much. I like lobsters but I always used to eat them in Alqualondë and now it's hard to get them down.

That's unfortunate.

Next time I should consider what it'll do to my food preferences before I murder innocent people.

That's definitely what I meant and I do not feel at all misunderstood.

I know you have a very forgiving outlook on that particular crime of ours, and that you did not mean any particular criticism. I find your outlook tempting to adopt and therefore tend to forcefully reject it. It'd be a bit self-serving of me to agree with you on that one anyway.

I am glad the last time I murdered innocent people it didn't cause me to see reminders whenever I encounter lobsters! That wouldn't help at all!

He looks very very confused.

I told you about Vár. There were others. They're dead. You'll see a handful of orc children adopted by the Men and their birth parents are all dead. The important thing is not that I log a certain number of hours of guilt, the important thing is that I fix it.

Yes, he says. Right. I have no idea how to fix Alqualondë even with the sort of abilities that you all clearly expect you'll soon be wielding. Mandos has probably already restored the dead. We can't change what they remember.