Sauron notices when he arrives. Did you see? Did you see? We did it!!

I, he begins, a little shakily, and then he has to stop and start over because Sauron just killed the Trees and he is not unaffected by this. I, I definitely saw, though I can't say I lingered for particularly long. How?

Melkor made a friend. Calm down, lovely, it's perfect, it's not the sort of thing you get upset about at all, no one died, all we did was muck up their pretty paradise and they'll make it pretty some other way but this isn't what Eru intended and the Elves'll stop pretending the Valar are infallible and everything is perfect.

Well I can't say I'll mourn the loss of the pretty gilded cage, he agrees, sounding more himself. The part of him that's screaming can go on a shelf of its very own, to be ignored.

Were you getting attached to it? Then I did you a favor along with all the rest of them. It really was a prison. Now it's not as pretty of one and Melkor thinks the Elves'll leave.

Attached? he snorts, and then continues with sincere disdain, While they were very pretty, they were trees. Do you think me likely to mourn luminous flora? No. But leave me my moment of awe at your efforts, my love, you have hardly gotten to see me stuttering incoherently like a buffoon all that often.

Yes, yes, stutter incoherently, there's a reason I didn't tell you in advance. It was such a neat arrangement.

Well, allow me to congratulate you on your impressive victory. I do recall once saying all of Arda should tremble in fear of your wrath, and look how you've proven it!

I want them to think. I want them to think and I want them to leave and that is exactly what they are going to do. Melkor also stole some of their jewelry, they will be extra motivated.

What's more terrifying than knowledge and uncomfortable thoughts? he says lightly, then pauses. Jewelry? Why would they find petty baubles motivating?

Elves, you know, they're very very pretty baubles.

Oh, well, if they're very very pretty baubles, say no more. Surely they'll overthrow the Valar themselves to retrieve them. Do I get to see them, or is Melkor keeping it in a gaudy gem encrusted box and saying 'My precious'?"

He's wearing them on his crown! It's stunning, you should come be stunned.

Of course he is, says Sánedel, wry. And of course I will.

He flies to go see them.

They have abandoned Utumno for a new fortress, west of there. It is intimidating. And very pointedly not Elven in design. Orcs are heading busily to and fro. 

He wonders idly what they'll name this one. And whether Melkor would let him put up some curtains, maybe. The place is a bit dark for his taste.

Well before he goes and sees Melkor, he'll see and hug Sauron. Because of course he will, that's what he does.

There you are, lovely. Tell me how impressed you are.

In what fashion would you like? It is ever so hard to contain all of my admiration into a single form. I might be able to manage adoring song, or perhaps poetry - I could attempt to write an epic!

You can greet the Elves with it when they arrive!

I'd win all of their hearts with the sincerity of my verse. Alas, I want but the one.

Oh, beloved. We finally did it. Melkor has some glimpses of what's coming next, and - we'll be out from under fate forever.

The most worthy of goals, he agrees, and then kisses him.

They can be somewhat delayed in going to see the pretty bait rocks.

Yep.

But they can eventually go see the pretty bait rocks, he is curious about the jewelry, and thinks there's more to it than 'They're really pretty.'

They are, in fact, stunning. And they move; the light shifts as they enter the room, the angles change even though that is utterly impossible; they make the room itself stunningly beautiful.