"It is lucky that mortals don't seem to actually have a pronounced tendency to suddenly decide to serve the Enemy."

"I'm only mortal on a technicality because I haven't gotten around to a spell I won't need for millennia yet. And I suppose because if I do die I'll stay that way."

"Even if you die here? You might be able to find the Halls now that you're in our world."

"Well, maybe, but I'm not sure I have the apparatus to begin with."

"I could go with you and try to help, though it's much better if you just avoid dying. Which, since you can heal yourself, is easily done, right?"

"As long as I'm conscious, yes. Go with me...?"

"To the Halls. That's how I was going to get to Valinor, if we needed to plead with the Valar for pardon. If there's anything of you, if you died, I could make sure it found the Halls and persuade Mandos to fix things. At least I would certainly attempt it."

"Please do not commit suicide to try to salvage some part of me that may not exist."

"I love Menegroth, and I love this body in particular. But your existing at all is obviously significantly more important than where I happen to be living."

"But two very dubious things would have to happen for it to make a difference to me at all," says Loki. "I'd have to be the sort of creature that can wind up in the Halls at all; but not enough like a standard one that it would matter if you were accompanying me."

"I mean, it would also matter a lot if I was accompanying any Quendi or Man. I have a better understanding of how the Valar think, and they can tell from my thoughts that I love them and desire to take joy in their world and give it to others, and I expect I could get anyone released, unless there were a lot of complications."

"You'd rather not exist?"

"I... really, really like existing, but I like existing mostly because I can fill my life with pleasant and productive activities, and I fear I would not get along with Mandos and that would be the end of all the parts of existing I like."

"That's more reason I should go along, to get you out and back to the existing thing."

"Maybe you could do it. But I know it's in his repertoire to keep someone forever, if he thinks he has a reason."

She shakes her head. "I can understand why that'd bother you."

"And... I told you osanwë was an alarming discovery, for me. You said Mandos would know from your thoughts. When I found out osanwë existed I was horrified to discover that people might have been listening to what I was thinking, without me saying anything or even making a facial expression..."

"You don't want that?"

"No. Findekáno taught me right then how not to - leak. I'm told I picked it up very quickly, although I don't know if that's just because I'm not a child. And it's useful when I'm doing it on purpose. But I can't bear the idea that someone would look without my leave. I have a habit of writing out my thoughts - on paper, at home, before I had my illusions or if I was with someone who couldn't know. And I'd do it in cipher, a transformed alphabet that nobody else could read, because I need privacy to think straight."

She takes a deep breath. "Mandos sees all your thoughts, your whole life, when you go to him. It's how he judges people."

"I thought it might be something like that. And, well. If I thought there was much chance I'd meet with his approval, it might be worth it, however - violating, abhorrent - if I could go back to life, make a difference, fly again, explore the cosmos - but. I do not think he would like me."

Lúthien is quiet for a long time. Then - "I like you."

"I like you, too. I... don't like Mandos."

"I'd picked up on that. I want to discuss it more with you, but also I don't, because it might be that I am eventually needed to plead the case for Middle-earth to the Valar and right now I can do that and if you convinced me of whatever you apparently believe I'd be less good at it, and I'm not sure I'd pick up any comparable advantages."