"An opening to convince them not to hate you, not immunity to all the consequences of them doing so."

"I will talk it over with Findekáno."

"Thank you."

For the record, she tells not-evil Maitimo, I'm fine with swearing whatever as long as it doesn't include not destroying my chip.

We're not going to be able to get that past him, he's not stupid, the phrasing I'd want would be enough to preclude taking actions that'll enable you to discard this oath, especially if we'll have just witnessed someone removing oaths.

Well, then you can certainly tell him there isn't anything he can offer that will cause me to discard the ability to ever release myself from an oath made to anyone ever again.

Yeah, didn't think so. Not planning on saying so.

Did he seriously think I would do that? ...For that matter, even if ethics wasn't an issue, did it not occur to him that you might be unable to pull that shit with either of us? I think I'm offended.

I don't try manipulating people very often. If he thinks going all-out I could pull it off he might not be wrong.

And he glances assessingly around the room and then takes the breakfasts, thanks Bar, and goes upstairs.

...Might've. If you'd gotten me to start swearing things before I knew the chip enforced them.

Cam is of course oblivious to the osanwë conversation.

If I found a way to stop Melkor after we learned about the torture, and it involved you swearing something binding until you were dismissed, and then just not dismissing you -

And for Cam he writes 'he can probably still hear us.'

Well. You're not my summoner any more.

Getting Tyelcormo to promise me not to dismiss you without telling me, and then rendering it impossible for him to tell me, would be even easier. Please don't underestimate evil mes.

Cam doesn't have anything to say. Or write, apparently.

Noted.

And he hugs Cam, rather fiercely.

Cam leans hard into hug and slightly dampens Maitimo's shoulder.

And once Elven hearing can't detect the other Maitimo's breathing anywhere, it's safe to whisper, quietly as breathing, "I think I can talk him around over enough time. If we decide that's too much time we can also kill him without getting my dads evicted."

Nod.

I'm concerned over what an evil you would have set up to happen to his country if he mysteriously disappeared.

He murmurs this to Cam too so he's not left out. And his answer: Probably lots of terrible things. We'd have all the time in the world to figure them out, though.

The door to outside opens. He blinks. "Did something else awful happen or is it the traumatized cousin -"

"You met him? Did he tell you why he was traumatized?"