"I wish I knew what to tell you."

"I appreciate you telling me this. I am trying delicately to tell you that my cousins are understandably lying to your sister because they want their father back."

"Oh. To be fair, I'd probably lie to strangers if one of my parents was dead and I thought they could fix it and were holding out on me." Reflectively: "That probably doesn't say anything good about me, but it's true."

"I think many people would. My cousins take their word very seriously but I'm sure the way they phrased it they didn't technically speak a lie, while still achieving the desired impression."

"Fair enough. I'm almost tempted to suggest something like 'have people agree that he gets to be alive again when and only when we have access to our world again and can chuck him there; his loved ones get to visit but he doesn't get to interfere with stuff' but I don't think that would actually work."

"Unfortunately, I think Fëanor is the kind of person it is impossible to keep prisoner in conditions that are tolerable to him and which he won't escape from immediately."

"Well, as long as no one teaches him magic, 'escaped' presumably doesn't mean 'causing political problems for you here.' The problem is that I'm not sure we could get everyone who would want to see him again to agree to not teach him magic and then hold to the agreement."

"He is also very likely to somehow be able to independently rederive magic from witnessing it once, or something absurd like that."

"Oh dear. Is he really?"

"The general rule is that if it doesn't require any people skills and it's not impossible he'll do it in a couple hours, and if it is impossible it'll take a year."

"What if it requires people skills?"

"...Right, then a lot of people die. Sorry."

He laughs. "You learn quickly."

"Helps me not get caught in the usual pitfalls for an Effort mage."

"Without Morgoth interfering, all that happens if he tries something with people skills is that he offends people and more talented diplomats have to intercede. Once the Enemy's gone it might be safe."

"Here's hoping. I'm not going to speculate out loud on what could go wrong, that seems like asking for trouble."

"Well, if he kills us your sister can always bring us back."

"I meant more what kinds of threats could show up after Morgoth that would render his form of leadership still lethal. Besides, you're assuming he doesn't manage to get her killed."

He sighs. "As long as your sister understands not to do it, everything else is out of my power. I'll defeat the Enemy, and leave who merits rebirth to the gods or to mortal children as seems appropriate."

"I was mostly being facetious," she admits. "Sorry. Still not used to the whole 'war' thing, and not really coping any better from having politics dumped on top of it."

"Your homeland was refreshingly free of intrigue, or did you just steer clear of it?"

"Steered well clear of it, and it wasn't complicated by anyone like the Enemy."

"Competently run countries often seem to hardly have politics at all."

"Well, Genosha doesn't have much politics."

"I am overjoyed to hear it. I take it by your complaints that was enough background for you."