"Couldn't they grab someone willing to run errands for them in a place they control, and give them... directions?"

"You would think so. I suspect that They can but that it drastically reduces the chance of success, such that the somewhat absurd number of precautions I tend to take is sufficient." 

"Huh.

So, there's sort of a weird - tension between trust and compatibility here, in the sense that - imagine you'd gotten lifebonded to someone who heard that you were immortal and the gods were mad at you and it didn't seem like that was very interesting to them? Like, we don't have to posit they're mad at you or horrified, just that it doesn't seem like it's independently something they'd care about, shoving around the arc of history on a divine scale. That person you could probably trust a lot, because they'd care about you, and your projects for the sake of you, and wouldn't get ideas about - what was my random guess earlier - rescuing a bunch of people slated to be fuel for a giant spell. You'd have - an accessory, more or less, if you wanted one, and if you didn't I guess you'd - leave your work at work and go see them while taking breaks? I have seen evidence that you eat and assume you sleep, maybe that'd be it, I don't know how much of a workaholic you are.

I am not that person. I have been handed a lever to shove around the arc of history on a divine scale and the only thing stopping me from immediately seizing it with both hands and - and also Fetching and my teeth - is the fact that the lever is made entirely of mind control, and just because I don't like that doesn't mean I couldn't shift around if I think you're doing something indefensible. Which I assume means that we will have livelier conversations over supper but does put something of a damper on you wanting to tell me what the other end of the lever hooks up to."

Oh no she’s so perfect. Leareth keeps having to remind himself that this perception is also mind control. At least to some extent. It seems like she is objectively speaking still pretty great.

...He is finding it very hard to say words because Belrun talking about wanting to seize the lever with her teeth and shove around the arc of history on a divine scale is giving him so many feelings. 

Apparently those feelings are going to make her smile!

Aww, it's very good when she smiles and it makes him feel all warm and– focus. "That is...fair." He resists saying that he doesn't want to be lifebonded to a boring person he wants to be lifebonded to her because she's wonderful; he doesn't know that it would be true if not for lifebond-mind-control although he would probably want to recruit her either way. 

"It does seem that if we can ever come to an agreement on what direction we wish to shove the arc of history on a divine level, it could be fulfilling for both of us?" 

"Sounds like loads of fun assuming you can cut down on the thoughtsensing and compulsions and whatnot."

"I will if you can convince me that they are worse than the anticipated level of sabotage and murder attempts that will get through if I stop using those precautions." He frowns. "...I am probably willing to shift it somewhat on the margin without too much more convincing, just as a test. I am used to being maximally paranoid and perhaps that is more cautious than I need to be, actually. Also it would not be too horrifically costly if it turns out I am wrong and all of those layers of precaution were necessary, and that might be more convincing to you?" 

"I'd need to look at your logistics to know what specific changes I'd make. I don't mind having it as a job requirement as long as whoever you're offering the job can also go 'to hell with this, I'm opening a pet store' - compulsions or consent to random Thoughtsensing spot checks or whatever. It does kind of sound like this is a habit you got into when you ran an entire nation and I'm assuming what you've got now has less porous surfaces and fewer moving parts, though, the habit might just be out of date."

"That does seem possible. I think the compulsions I would be most uncomfortable dispensing with entirely are all voluntary job requirements. There are...some other cases, which you are going to be much less happy about because they are in fact quite terrible." That fact hasn't bothered him until now. 

"And those are?"

Better to get it over with. "Starting about thirty years ago, I had various plots to kidnap Valdemaran children with mage-gift and instead train them as mages north of the mountains. Many of them were under compulsions although most are not at this point and I ceased doing this a decade ago anyway." 

Belrun's reaction to this is about like finding half a worm in her apple. "Well. Probably the nightmare horses would have gotten them anyway but that doesn't exactly put you in very good company."

"That is fair. I have done a great many things that do not put me in good company." 

"Most aren't at this point? What's different about the ones which are?"

"Well, there are certain highly sensitive positions which, if opted into, require voluntary compulsions. There are some who sought intermediate-level positions, which did not require compulsions but where indiscretion could cause issues, and then - were indiscreet. And had the option of leaving said position or a compulsion. I do not think there are any permanent compulsions in use that are not at least this level of voluntary; it is a bad idea to have people working for you who have no interest in doing so, because there are always ways to sabotage a project that work around the letter of a compulsion." 

"Guess that makes sense."

"Does it still bother you, though?" 

"I don't like it but if they just like their jobs more than they dislike their compulsions then it's more on the level of really not caring for cashews, you know?"

Leareth bites back a chuckle at the phrasing. "My sense is that a surprising number of people do not mind it very much at all, or even prefer it? It simplifies things. Perhaps makes it easier for some people to trust themselves. ...I have used them on myself before." 

"Help yourself to all the cashews you want, I guess. When does that come up?"

"I have occasionally used very short-term compulsions to make sure I would meet deadlines?" 

"Okay. If that's... how you want to do things, it's your brain. That's really the underlying principle, it's your brain. I will however not be entertained to discover that you're using it for any interpersonal relationship purpose."

"It is very difficult to use compulsions in a way that is both useful and not noticeable to the person it is used on," Leareth assures her. "Also, long-term compulsions that a person is not - accepting of having - are bad for the ability to think, in my opinion, and you are highly intelligent and wish to grab the levers of history," damn it now he's having the same weird strong emotion again, which is probably called 'sexual attraction', why does having a conversation do that.

"...Anyway, it would be a waste to make you any less capable of doing your research. Also it would upset you and that would upset me, but I thought the first assurance might be more meaningful, since it is meaningful even on ruthless strategic grounds."

"I'm not saying don't put any on me, I think you probably have enough listening comprehension to have picked up on that, I mean don't use them on yourself for purposes relating to me, if I'm expecting you to show up for something don't meet that deadline in the aforementioned way."