Celegorm was less of a dick about it, when it came up in conversation with Odette. I mean, he was still glad elves don't do gay marriage, but only because having more things that can lead to accidentally gluing your soul to someone else's is a bad thing.

She shrugs. All Elves are self-serving about morality. 

Aren't all people, in the end?

Maybe. But if I thought something was wrong I'd either not do it or at least not tell people how wrong it was.

Then you are a more principled person than many.

I think you should get a girlfriend and ask Fingon to invite her to the King's table and kiss her every course and watch him grapple with cognitive dissonance for a while. It'd be entertaining and probably good for him.

She laughs aloud. And where, exactly, do you propose I get a girlfriend?

Go back to Dor Lómin and prance around telling everyone that you really disagree with the Elves about homosexuality, homosexuality should be perfectly acceptable, wait for someone to have the nerve to say 'hello, stunningly pretty magic stranger'. Most of the girls your age aren't married yet.

Tempting. But I do think the war effort is probably a more important use of my time than acquiring a love life right now.

Possibly. Just don't go for an Elf-girl, they'll break your heart.

If at any time I take up with an elf girl I will keep in mind that it is a temporary affair. My last relationship ended perfectly amicably.

A temporary affair with someone who sees you as a childish vice they'll grow out of, a temptation that they'll overcome, she writes. date Men. really.

Fair point. Anyway, the age difference would be weird.

That as well. And - osanwë's mostly communicative, not mind-affecting, but mostly, and the songs are mind-affecting, and if they want to turn on the charm it's a lot of charm.

How is osanwe mind-affecting? My sister didn't know anything like this when she copied it, she'll definitely want to know what to avoid.

You can project emotions and if the recipient isn't very very familiar, it'll just feel like they're experiencing those emotions.

Seems like the kind of thing being in the habit of mediating the mental side effects of magic would help with.

Yes, I expect so.

Magic has all kinds of side benefits!

She smiles. "I should work. It was lovely seeing you, Illia."

"It was lovely seeing you too!"

The courtyard is empty. She might want to get rid of that written conversation. 

She sets it on fire, keeping a careful watch to make sure nothing else lights up.

Some of the people bustling by look at her curiously, but not very curiously; there's a war on.

And she goes back in to the library she had deferred in favor of teaching Lady Hareth magic and at some point there is dinner and at some point she goes to bed.