That sounds like a safe bet.

How out of character would it sound for Fëanáro to turn down magic? Maitimo says his father would certainly decide against if I offered it, though I talked him down to "probably" before he swore.

He might. Mostly because of the 'laws enforced by the universe' thing, he loathes that kind of thing. If Maitimo got the choice of how to present it, I am sure he could present it such that his father rejected it. 

...now that you mention it I don't think we specified who was doing the offering.

I did try to give Maitimo a filtered view of the rules. If he does tell other people they'll hopefully end up perpetuating a partly improved version. Downplayed the inheritance thing, specified that magic is gender neutral, and said "should" about some things that aren't rules yet but should be. Shouldn't help anything unless he spreads it around, or hurt even then.

Which he didn't currently intend to do, but he's flexible with his intending. He sighs. Thank you. Do you still think we should settle as far from them as possible and avoid communicating with them?

I don't think this changes much from my end. It's still roughly the same amount of a problem if the factions compare notes on what I've been seen doing. Would you have wanted to stay away if you'd known earlier that they'd at least pretend to be friendly?

The factions won't compare notes if Maitimo doesn't want them to. Fëanáro's people are fanatically loyal which has the disadvantage they'll all obey orders to commit war crimes but the advantage they'll keep secrets on his orders unquestioningly. 

I am worried that the Enemy could try to provoke our camps to unfriendliness.

His way of preventing it is to say I can make songs permanent, but act like they're not supposed to know it. It holds water, but possibly not long-term. And might contribute to the unfriendliness if everyone there thinks I'm betraying everyone here.

So opposite ends of the continent may still be best.

Yeah. We'll still have to find somewhere.

If we're hiding the departure time from Maitimo, we should bring someone who can use song magic. He offered us Macalaure's new weather song, and there's no way we wouldn't take that if the problem weren't already solved.

Findarato can go but then he'd have to be informed more about your capabilities. 

Between informing another person and letting Maitimo know that it's only Findekáno and Irissë, I think the second is less of a problem. He'd guess eventually anyway.

I'm rubbish at music, Irisse says, particularly if it's something of Macalaure's. 

I am curious how Maitimo would react if I told him I swore never to speak to him again, Findekano says, and thinking maybe I should swear not to speak to him at least for the trip. But I could do it.

That sounds extreme.

If we're halfway through your list of people you'd trust with magic, is there anyone on the other half that we'd probably awaken eventually? Informing someone at all is the risk, doing it earlier is less of one.

Turukano and Elenwe, the King says, or my sister.

Whoever of those can best learn and teach a song, then?

Elenwe'll tell Turukano and vice versa - marriage makes it nearly impossible to keep secrets. It'll be Lalwen, I suppose.

All right. Best wait until they've had time to forge the replacement for the ice bullets before leaving, minimize visits to their camp.

I am a bit concerned about the implications for future magic if every practitioner is royalty. I know family members come to mind as trustworthy people, but even so.

Yes, I know. Once things have stabilized a bit I'll be able to recommend you more people - it's not just trustworthiness but also latitude for inexplicable actions and vanishing frequently.

That does make sense.

The other thing about talking to Maitimo, is he wants his father informed on what it is I really do. Something about there inevitably being clever uses no one else would think of. And that would involve being responsible for whatever Fëanáro does next, which, no, but I am considering telling Maitimo.

In the expectation he'll tell his father, which keeps your karma clear and gives Fëanáro some incentive to be careful?

No, after ensuring he won't. Telling Fëanáro would be more risk for Maitimo than me, but it still sounds like an excellent way of making there be more bad karma total. That, and if the person whose family swore the Oath for him ever awakens it'd have to be a setback for fixing magic's ethics.

Maitimo says he wants it for planning reasons, which does make sense.

Everything Maitimo says makes sense. We used to have a saying that you could pave the whole road from Ilmarin to Utumno with good intentions.

The main downside has already happened, and revealing what I could do with fire looks like it worked out well for both sides. Short of actually being his enemy I think him knowing is better than not.

If you can get him to swear not to share it, yes, all right.

I think that's everything from him...anything he ought to know? That he doesn't need to expect a nearby camp, maybe.