Annie gasps, heals -

"- what happened?"

"Stupid Valar, stupid evil Valar - they're here to go to war with Melkor and they made their trumpets heard across the whole world, they didn't think -"

"...I can't think of any reason for them to expect someone to be allergic to music. Thanks for keeping me out. Why are they here now?"

"I have no idea. Maybe they have some sort of metaphysical injunction on collateral damage and now that there's no one left to kill they're willing to do it, but I don't think so-"

"Khazad-Dûm's still here though -"

"We're really far southeast and underground, we might actually survive a Vala war." Squeeze. "We need to, oh, Annie, I need you to stay alive -"

"I know, I know, I'm not going to go stand in the middle of a war."

"The last time the Valar fought Melkor the whole world shook. For years."

"- they're going to cause earthquakes?"

"I have no idea what they're going to cause but seems likely."

"...Well, we are very deep - or is there another place we should go instead -"

"I doubt there's anywhere safer than here."

Nod.

Slightly clingy hug.

Annie leans on her and has not been authorized to hug back outright so there is none of that.

Melkor is going to lose. She's so happy. It's too late but still.

"After everything stops shaking - if she's going to be gone - it might be safe to de-oath orcs."

"Ooh. Yeah, it would, and the Valar would be grateful in their own way, they can't do it..."

"Enough that I could get them not to be awful to you, do you think-?"

"That would be a tall order. I don't know."

"What's the best way to try...?"

"Maybe go - not alone, I couldn't bear it, but with some not-us people, be helpful, feel out what they plan to do about us?"

"Okay."

"We did kill a lot of people."

"You don't ever have to again, it's over, punishing you won't help anyone -"