We talked about that a little bit. It's a good project. Good luck with it.

Thanks.

Should I leave you to it? My cousins when they work do nothing else, but that's not how most people are productive.

I take breaks. This one is neither essential nor damaging.

I get some interim satisfaction out of the exact manner in which Sauron's been indisposed.

Technically Sauron's salvageable once Melkor is dead but I really really do not want to offer him clemency.

How would he be salvaged...?

He's not stupid. Bet you that if you kill Melkor first he offers any oath you want.

Eugh.

Would you feel obliged to entertain that? If you haven't had to give us all free will, I mean?

I'm not sure I'd feel obliged to leave him alive long enough to have the conversation. If for some reason I was having the conversation, if it were safe to have the conversation - I'm dangerous when I'm frightened but not when I'm merely angry.

He nods. I'm both angry and frightened. More angry at the moment but that's because we're here behind these lovely walls and I just spent several hours talking with Maitimo.

Nod.

Did he really discuss plans with you to take me on a vacation once the war is over?

Yes. He told you about that?

We had sort of a fight - well, the whole thing was sort of a fight - but most of it was about politics and this was personal - and I told him that I was sure what he'd say to his father, if his father found out, wasn't 'I love him' but 'yes, I thought it was useful to have Nolofinwë's son following me around like a besotted puppy dog, and I found it amusing to take him, and I didn't really think you'd care' and he admitted that was more or less exactly what he'd say, but that I should say the exact corresponding thing if it came up with anyone I needed, and he said that once the war was over he planned to tell his father that he was going somewhere he could get married and then finding us a planet and then I was a little speechless.

He did not actually mention to me that he found the prospect of universal marriage rights that appealing, he just seemed to like the sound of planets that economically specialize in vacationing tourists.

Just in case you are wondering how much of his personality was changed by the Enemy - uh, the rough edges, definitely, but most of it's the same.

Good to know. So were you speechless because you like the idea of marrying him or because you don't?

Of course I like the idea, it's just that he's a lot crazier than he pretends most of the time and says things mostly for reasons that have nothing to do with wanting them and does things mostly for reasons that have nothing to do with wanting them and we'd been having an argument over the fact that his fallback if we're discovered is to declare quite proudly that he's using me and he gives me headaches and I really need the Enemy dead before I even think about anything else.

Fair enough.

And he didn't say 'if you'd like' or anything, he said when the war was over he was telling his father that he was going to a planet where he could get married. I feel as if I should be annoyed by that.

Well, very few planets will let him marry you while you are in absentia or kicking and screaming, but yes, that could have been put better.

Thank you for rescuing him.