This was just where they'd been before, in their last conversation. He could have said the same things and they could have traced out the same trajectory. He wanted that, too, but he had tried and failed to go about getting it the proper way, so where did that leave them? They could try the improper way and run off together, but she wouldn't do anything to hurt her family. And then here they were again, right back in the same place. He could leave, or he could not leave, but then what?

"Well, short of some bit of illegal magic or blackmail, that isn't very likely," he pointed out. It might have been a joke if his tone hadn't been too weary for levity. "Unless you think there's some other way to change your family's mind."