To the considerable alarm of the nearest Elves, who draw weapons!

She clutches her baby and drops into a crouch around her, squeaking.

Don't move, instructs an Elf, and some of them warily step closer, swords drawn, and if she's listening there's some kind of warning going out.

She shivers and holds very still. Don't hurt me don't hurt my baby please

...Elves start singing. 

It's probably magical.

Can she tell what the song is about?

Sleep!

Okay that's pleasantly nonfatal. She hugs her baby.

They sleep.

She wakes up in a dungeon, nude, her legs but not her arms shackled to the wall. The baby has been clothed in some kind of Elf fabric, light and gold and excessively pretty, and tucked back into her arms.

...she hugs her baby.

After a minute an Elf comes in. 

Do you speak any Quenya?

"Yes."

He raises an eyebrow slightly and someone outside starts softly singing a different song. Hard to guess what this one does.

"What are you doing here?"

"I don't really know. There was a - thing -" Looked like this. "- walked into it, showed up in your city."

"Were you instructed to do that?"

"No."

"What instructions are you currently under?"

"Uh, I was in the middle of acting in a hallucination at the time, so - to do that."

"Do you know how to give someone access to your thoughts?"

"Yes."

"I think you should do that."

"- okay."

Thoughts are art, all over her, on display. Why did the snake monster lead to an Elf city? Why was there even a snake monster? She doesn't know which city this is, they looked like Noldor but the Noldor haven't been here that long by out-of-Angband time. Maybe they are just very very fast at building cities. The baby's (Kat's) clothes are soft.

"Have you lied to me about anything?"

"No."

"Why do you suppose the Enemy wants you here?"

"...I don't know." Does he? It's probably not a stupid assumption. The snake monster appeared suddenly but maybe it's one of his things, she wouldn't have seen it if it had been under an illusion.

"What are you?"

"I'm an orf."

"An orf."

"I'm what happens if he tortures a pregnant Elf. You don't get orcs right away."

"Ah huh. What do you know about Elves?"

"...lots of things? I don't know where to start."

"What are your sources of information about Elves?"

"Rumors from orcs and Ainur, and scripts for hallucinations, and my mom. And other prisoners some. And figuring out what things must be Elf things 'cause I have them and orcs don't."

"And you thought we got here recently? Too recently to have cities?"

"Yeah. I think a single digit number of outside years?"

"It's been more than two hundred."

...well that doesn't make any sense. There's his lordship's boyfriend, they got him almost right away, all the scripts agree on that... he was with the first batch, right... she could have been wrong about the time dilation factor but she was really quite sure what direction it goes in...

Elf looks very confused.

Elf leaves for a minute.

Elf comes back. 

She sings to the baby while he is gone, pauses and looks up when he returns.

He smiles at the singing. Just a little. 

"Why don't you start at the point where you think Elves came and tell me what you know about the Elves and what they were doing."

"Ummmm... I have to figure this stuff out from scripts and the scripts aren't all real things so it might not match up with itself... uh, there were already some Elves, around, like my mom was already around, but Noldor came over in boats from Valinor like... um...." She fumbles for exact timings, Angband lacking much in the way of timekeeping, and proceeds through the story up to the capture of his lordship's boyfriend.

" - the timeline you were, ah, fed, does not match this one. And my brother was not captured by the Enemy at any point."

"...him I saw." She did. He looked like this. "You're his brother?"

"Yes. I just checked. He is definitely in our capitol city and not Angband. And not amused at being Thauron's boyfriend in the minds of miscellaneous orcs."

"...it'd be a weird illusion to set up."

"I am very puzzled. I will convey all of this to some other people who can think it over. In the meantime, under what conditions will you be alive and reasonably functional? Elves can't cope with being imprisoned like this for long, are you like that..."

"I don't think I am."

"So what do you need?"

"Like... food and stuff."

Sigh. "Can you describe to me what you think of as a good outcome, a 'gosh, stepping through that portal was nice'..."

"I get to keep my baby and we don't get tortured or die or anything?"

" - okay. I'm expecting that at some point the Enemy will give you orders, and at that point we're going to have a problem, but until then I have no inclination to hand Mandos anyone, orc or orf. Don't make that inconvenient, understood?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"Have you been concealing any thoughts since I asked you to share them?"

"I don't think so but I'm usually in the habit..."

"Anything you think I would want to know?"

"...I have a song that makes me look like a generic orc?"

"People might kill you. If it's too convincing."

"I wasn't gonna sing it."

"I don't know how much common sense to expect from Angband-wandering orfs! Or even how much common sense transfers from there to here!"

"Everybody in Angband knows that Elves'll kill orcs if you get the chance."

"They're all sworn to Melkor. The baby's not sworn to Melkor, I don't need the baby dead."

"Elves'll kill baby orcs too."

"We can't adopt them and have a bunch of eyes and ears for the Enemy running around, getting persuaded by voices in their head to make oaths..."

She pets her baby. The baby nibbles on her tiny fingers.

"What does Melkor say about the other Valar?"

"They torture us forever when we die."

"They don't actually do that, far as I know."

"Well, that's good then."

"They tamper with your head, make you nicer. Maybe make sure you're married to the baby's father, tha'ts the kind of thing they'd do."

"- no not him -"

"Oh?"

"I can't get married but if I could - not him."

"Well.

I'd say 'try not to die' but that seems a little cruel under the circumstances.

Elves can't have children unmarried."

"I know. That's one of the Elf things I don't have."

"Is your hair like that on purpose?"

"No, I just get tortured a lot so I don't turn into an Elf or have inadequately orcy kids. They let up some after I had the baby."

"Do you turn into an Elf if you're not tortured enough?"

"Probably too late. Might have been too late my whole life, I dunno, when my parents tortured me they told me it was so I wouldn't turn into an Elf because then they wouldn't love me any more."

This Elf is maybe having a hard time thinking of anything to say.

"...my adoptive orc parents," she clarifies, "my Elf dad probably killed himself before I was born and my Elf mom was kinda..."

Nod. "I, uh, I'm sorry that happened to you. Are you okay? Do you want a - hug, or -"

"...okay."

He raises an eyebrow.

"You can hug me and it'd be nice it just seems kinda funny."

"I, uh, know that Angband is horrible in all kinds of obvious and subtle ways, and don't usually care to let myself be upset about that because that'd make it good tactics for the enemy to throw tortured pretty girls at me - though, thinking about it, maybe that's not a bad incentive to set up -" he hugs her - "but you're clearly - as innocent as anyone sworn to the Enemy can be, and it's just - sad. That there's nothing better."

Hug. "What d'you mean nothing better?"

"We can't let you go, we can't treat you like a free citizen, we can't even spare most people fleeing Angband, it's that or this or Mandos and it'd just be nice if there were more than that."

"Oh. Yeah. Well, this is pretty okay."

He doesn't remove his arm. "You can stop with the thoughts if you'd rather swear to inform us when you get orders."

"Okay. I don't actually have to do stuff though, I space way the hell out when people're trying to torture me into swearing shit."

"I can't really believe that but I hope that you're right."

"It'd still be a problem if somebody reminded me real convincingly, just, isn't if a random Balrog says 'hey go stab people'."

"I am informing you now of my intent to arrange convincing fake 'reminders'. If you get a reminder it might be the Enemy or it might be the convincing fake reminders I am going to arrange."

"Ooh, thanks."

Pat. "So would you rather an oath than the thoughts?"

"I don't really mind the thoughts very much but the oath'd be fine too."

"Oath's riskier. If you don't mind it I wouldn't chance it. But either one would be acceptable to us."

"I don't have many things that need to be secret from you unless you decide to like specifically go kill my family in particular or whatever."

"I will not do that."

"Good." Lean.

"We need you to take care of yourself and the baby, obey the guards, not sing magical songs, and answer questions as they come up. Will any of that be a problem?"

"I think that's all fine. ...well, I guess once she can crawl if she got farther away than I can move I would need help getting her back."

"That's fine. I'm not - I am not trying to trick you, I'm not going to come back later and say 'ha, you promised to obey the guards, but you didn't when they told you to hop in a fireplace, I can be angry with you now..."

"...uh, good. I was assuming they would say... guard things?"

"Assuming we are on the same page about guard things, yeah, they'll want you to be still and against the wall if they're bringing food and clothes, or tell you to stop singing if it's making someone nervous..."

"Is it really easy to make people nervous here? I wanna sing to my baby."

"Should be fine, long as it's not magic."

"I only know a few magic songs and most of them are like 'walk on water' or whatever that I know 'cause it was in a script."

"Then it'll be fine." Pat. "I'm not sure from what angle to expect trouble but teaching you a magic song would be one."

Nod.

He starts singing.

Oooh.

What about?

Some place that's prettier than this, and safe.

She sways a little. Picks up at the chorus.

Ooooh. Pretty and sunny and safe, the Enemy dead, the Valar unable to reach them.

Sunny?

...like this?  He sends it.

??????

...it's in the sky. The Valar put it there, to light the world since the Trees were destroyed.

I think we might've noticed that.

Melkor definitely noticed. I have no idea what is, uh, supposed to be the deal with you.

I'm the only orf right now, there were enough orcs he didn't need a new generation of us when he got free, so I dunno if I got normal orf treatment, but I can read orcs, even ones who go out of Angband...

So it would have taken a lot of effort to have you this misinformed and yet you are definitely that misinformed.

...I guess? She adds a pretty trill to a high note.

Snuggle. And I can follow the merits of a plan that involves throwing you at me, I just don't see what the being two hundred years behind the times and thinking the King is a prisoner adds.

I thought he was a prince.

Nope. Well, he was, before he was King.

Huh.

But he was King already when we reached Beleriand.

Huh. I guess the old king was dead, I heard about it when he fell.

You did? How?

Now you're gonna tell me he didn't charge Angband and get stomped by a Balrog.

...no. That would be stupid.

And the one before that Melkor killed while he was grabbing the pretty shiny thingies?

That did happen. Huh. After that there was a civil war, which our current King won, and then he took us all across the sea.

...I thought a buncha Noldor got left behind. It was in scripts.

...some parents with young children didn't want to risk it, and if they weren't valuable the King permitted that?

No, besides that, like, uh, Prince Nelyafinwë's secret Elf boyfriend? Her ability to come up with a less awkward example is hampered by the lack of private thoughts.

Definitely did not get left behind in Valinor.

This is weird.

I am very confused.

Me too!

Melkor killed my grandfather, our King. His successor was my father. My father's half-brother had him murdered, there was fighting in the streets, Maitimo pulled everything together, negotiated for the ships, took us across the sea. We dug in, freed the continent, got to work on how to survive in it. And then there was the Sun and the Moon - like the Sun but not as bright - and then we spread out and built a ring of fortresses around Angband and that's how it's been for the last two hundred years.

My parents remembered living in an orc village before Melkor came back and rounded them all up. They weren't that old. I'm like maybe thirty subjective.

You saw the city.

Yeah it doesn't square.

Perhaps the Enemy will show his hand eventually. Or maybe it was Eru.

I dunno, are mirror snakes his thing?

They do not match my impression of his thing but I don't really understand the kind of being that would make a world like this.

Yeah.

Lean. Sing.

Snuggle. Sing.

How did it happen in the version you were given?

What, Eru making the world?

I was more concerned with the war. I don't trust the Valar on how Eru making the world went, we'd just be comparing lies.

Noldor showed up and there was a big fight and tons of orcs died and we fell back to Angband. They charged in and the king died. Now there is less fighting for the time being.

The King who died being Fëanáro?

Yeah. It was a big deal. She distinctly recalls.

It was a big deal; it just didn't happen like that. He wasn't that reckless, either.

She can't really think of any purposes that are served by quite this much elaborate lying to the orc population. Doesn't his lordship have enough to do confusing the fuck out of the prisoners he's torturing.

Yeah. I don't know. Maybe he, like, instantiates multiple timelines to figure out which ones he likes best, or something?

Can he do that? That's fucking terrifying.

Yep. And I'm not very happy about being a timeline he liked better than the one where Maitimo gets captured. I don't know if it's that. Just that it could be that.

Wait then the snake monster moves people between timelines or something what the fuck?!

It could be something else entirely! I really have no idea. 

...snuggle. Shelving of that entire topic as "weird".

Yup. His hand moves towards the nape of her neck - does that hurt, it looks like it'd hurt terribly -

Kinda prickles! I don't like it at all less than an inch but I think I've got at least an inch everywhere now.

- ruffle.

Shiver. Mmm.

Are you going to grow it back out?

Yeah, it just takes a while.

Then I should enjoy it while I have it. Ruffle. But gently; he's sticking to places that are definitely well more than an inch.

She shivers and giggles.

My guards think I am taking unnecessary risks. 

How would you feel about it if I had them come and tie you up more thoroughly so I can have you without unnecessary risks?

Oooh. Somebody's gotta mind the baby though.

May I? He reaches for baby.

It doesn't really work if you mind the baby either.

I know. I can check who will be delighted about baby and not upset about orc.

Okay! She kisses the baby and hands her over.

And he goes and gives the guards instructions and finds someone who will be delighted about baby and not upset about orc and sends Beka the sight of babysitter cooing at baby and comes back.

....awwww. 

Kiss.

Kisses! Gosh! Weren't you gonna have me more tied up first?

They're on their way. But you're right here and not assassinating me with your bare hands at all.

Not even a little! Are there things I should do with my hands before I can't?

Sure, he can guide her hands. Until the guards arrive, at which point he will stop that, that's a bit much to ask of them.

She giggles. She is very obliging for the guards.

They would probably not be all right with Macalaurë doing this if she were quietly crying or something, and also he wouldn't want to, but she is adorably happy, he can tell, he's reading her mind. 

Guards can shoo. He can return to kissing her. 

Kisses are neat! Most of her previous sex partners have not bothered with them!

Well, usually all we get are kisses so we do lots of kisses. And get creative with kisses! You can kiss most places.

Eeeeee! She squirms a lot insofar as the ropes permit.

Sending pretty tortured girls with beautiful singing voices who will be delighted about this: possibly the best thing the Enemy has done. Not that that's a high bar. It'll definitely come back to bite him but it's not doing that right now.

One way it could come back to bite him is if she's lying or deceived about whether she can be married but after careful (not very careful) consideration he goes ahead anyway.

She is absolutely thrilled and still not married after that!

He has never had anyone so absolutely thrilled! It's delightful! He's delighted! What a good utterly confusing event. What a good way to spend an afternoon. 

And maybe an evening if the baby'll take Elf food.

The baby is not picky and will bite arbitrary nutritive (or non-nutritive) objects.

Oh good. Then he will get lots and lots of time to enjoy Melkor's baffling delightful present.

Yay!

I am no less confused but I'm so pleased to have met you.

Me too!!

Mystery stranger being tied up somewhat impedes snuggling. But not very much. You'll be all right if I keep you like this for a while?

Mm-hm! When there are lulls in the action she is borrowing her baby's eyes to check in.

Oh good. 

As much snuggle as she can snuggle while tied down.

You're pretty when you're happy.

It's an orf thing.

I wonder if someone designed orfs just to be very pleasant to have around. Kiss.

Kiss! Giggly kiss.

He pets her hair again. It's not going to be short forever.

And giggles fade into gaspy writhing. Insofar as ropes allow.

Guards bring her back down to her room with her baby that evening, and Elves sit down to try to puzzle out the mysterious timelines thing.

Baaaaaby~

He pays attention to her while they puzzle confusedly, in case she gets orders from the Enemy or suddenly has a panic attack or something. 

She doesn't have either of those problems. She sings to the baby and bounces her.

So, so, implausibly wonderful. 

I have a girlfriend, he tells the King.

The King has already been given context. That's presumably what the Enemy wants.

I am sure it's what the Enemy wants, it's like he made her just for me. 

 - in which case you should probably not do it.

Forever is a long time to do nothing but drearily choose whatever looks like it'll upset the Enemy. And who knows, maybe he meant for you to order me not to and for that to cause resentment between us, it could as easily be something like that as something which turns on my keeping her. 

And you're one to talk.

I didn't say no, I said think.

We're thinking! We're really confused. 

She's so cute and happy and eager -

I don't really care what you're into, Macalaurë. Just be careful.

I will. 

And here's what we've got on the alternate timeline, and all the wild theories anyone could throw together though none of them make much sense -

Enemy can operate in other worlds, and there's one that went as described. Enemy was deceiving Beka or implanted false memories in the service of some scheme that'll have more steps to it soon enough. Enemy is just idly doing things to make us spin our wheels and will follow up when he sees an opportunity but didn't have a complicated plan when he started this. Some force other than the Enemy did this - maybe Eru, maybe a well-positioned Maia with reasons as relevant to us as 'believing that babies whose toenails are a certain precise color should be at this latitude'. There's some sort of time travel going on and that world happens or happened but only some people remember it. 

Huh.

I've got everyone on alert. You can come down and meet her, if you want, but the secret's not something about her, I can read her and she's just. Someone who grew up in Angband and is spectacularly well-tailored for me.

I might visit if no more explanation shows for a month or something.

I'll let you know.

The orf looks after her baby and eats what she is fed and beams at pretty things in her vicinity and is consistently happy to be tied up for delightful sex.

There can be more pretty things in her vicinity, she can have nice Elven clothes and jewelry and artwork and tapestries and so on. Sex stays delightful. People in the city mostly keep their thoughts and senses private - the Enemy could be listening - but sometimes when they're watching a lovely sunset or sunrise, or playing in a meadow of flowers or something, they'll leave that public for everyone else to indulge in as well.

He asks her more questions about her supposed timeline and the captured Maitimo and Angband and its inhabitants. 

Pretty clothes and jewelry! For her to wear! Sunsets! Meadows!

She will answer the questions and tell about her original plan before she decided to walk into a monster instead.

...it is not consistent with what we know of Melkor for him to allow holes that substantial in his security. 

Oh it prolly wouldn't've worked.

Ah. 

Shiver. 

But if I wasn't gonna get to have her anyway -

- better there be only one of her.

I get why you'd kill yourself just not why you'd risk the Enemy being mad at you first.

She's mine. I wanted her. Anyway you can't commit suicide in Angband.

Figures. 

The King's coming to visit. In case he can figure anything out by meeting you.

Okay. That's gonna be weird. 'Hi in an alternate timeline I almost attempted to steal you from Angband to stop your family from shooting me how you doing'.

I am sure he will appreciate the hypothetical attempted rescue. Though he's very confused about why he went to a parley with Melkor in the first place, he thinks maybe yours is an alternate universe where everyone is reckless well past the point of idiocy.

Giggle.

And also his boyfriend is a secret? Not sure how that fits in. 

Which one, the Elf one? Is he not a secret here?

He is not. Was back in Valinor because the Valar would have done something but Maitimo stopped bothering with that as soon as we were free of them.

Huh.

Maybe the other one didn't because he didn't have him because of the boat fiasco.

I guess.

It'd be a little melodramatic to be like 'also guess what fuck the Valar I'm keeping my cousin for personal purposes' when you do not have the cousin.

Snicker.

Anyway they'll get here tomorrow.

Okay.

They get there tomorrow! With double the usual escort, just in case, and with Maitimo's consort riding alongside him, no sign that anything's unusual there except the hair. Lots of people keep the sight in their public thoughts. 

"I should arrange more mysterious Enemy conduct, I don't see you often enough."

"Ah hah, I figured it out, this is all a lie contrived to keep my mind off death and taxes."

Hug. "It might be, but not my lie. Death and taxes?"

"We're resettling the humans. Humans die so easily, of everything, it's terrible for morale - for our morale, not theirs, they're used to it."

"Can't help you there."

"You could write a song for it. Where is our mysterious agent of the Enemy?"

She is wherever she was left, being chained up.

He sits down. "Hello."

"Hi!"

"We have been trying to unravel the mystery of you. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing good."

"Have you thought of any explanations for your suddenly being here?"

"Nope!"

"Has the prince Canafinwë been sharing ours?"

"Yeah. Well I dunno if he's mentioned all of 'em."

"Do you have long-term plans if he doesn't give you any instructions?"

"...raise baby into a not-a-baby?"

"Teach her any oaths?"

"No."

"No other plans?"

"...is 'look at pretty things and sing songs and have a lot of sex' a plan?"

"I can definitely think of worse plans than that."

Giggle.

"I suppose in Angband it wouldn't have been a great idea to have lots of long-term aspirations."

"Yeah my life trajectory was pretty much supposed to be 'have thirty babies and then somehow die probably 'cause there are suspiciously zero other orfs left over from last time still around'."

Nod. "Are there orcs from last time still around?"

"There were, when everybody got rounded up to go populate Angband, but I don't think there was anybody over maybe... fifty, sixty? left by the time I walked into the snake. That I met, anyhow."

...nod. "Macalaurë said you've adapted very quickly."

"It's nice here! It would probably be harder if I was adapting to, I dunno, sleeping in an eel pond or something."

"We drained all the eel ponds! They were terrible for morale."

She laughs and kicks her feet in the air happily.

And he smiles and shakes his head and leaves her to that.

"Told you that whatever the Enemy's plan is it can't be derived from her."

"You could have been wrong."

"But I wasn't."

"You were not. Are you going to sing for us while we're here? My people don't get that all the time, you know."

"Ooooh, yes, I should."

"Yes, you should."

He has his orf brought to the concert hall for the concert.

"Do I sing too or am I just listening?"

"Do you want to sing too?"

"Yeah!"

Could be subtly magic.

Right. "My brother objects that if a song you know is subtly magic and causes death forty-eight hours later or something then that would be really inconvenient. So just ones I've sung you, is that all right?"

"Okay."

"Sorry. With more time to plan we could, like, have you sing them to someone in advance."

"...someone who you didn't care if they died?"

"I don't think it's likely, but someone who was willing to bear the risk, yes."

"I don't mind just doing your repertoire today."

"Yay."

Concert!

CONCERT!!!!!

The King and his entourage are in attendance.

And she will sing for them!!!

Singing!!

EEEEEEEEE~

Eventually the concert ends and people trickle off to bed and Macalaurë has his orf taken to his.

She waits squirmily to be tied to it.

She is tied to it! And then he comes and kisses her. That was lovely.

Thank you! Kiss kiss kiss.

You are a delight.

I like being a delight it is so fun.

Macalaurë enjoys his delight. So much. Oh so much.

Oh good his delight enjoys him back.

She's happy.

That's good. Do you think she'll stay that way?

...I do. I don't think she will think to want anything different and I think he adores her and would cater to her if she did.

Nod.

If I let you hold a concert would you be happy?

- not particularly.

Come here.

He does.

Later the orf asks, "Why does the King's boyfriend have short hair?"

"Keeps people clear about things." Pat pat.

"...I don't feel clear on things."

"The King wants people to know that Findekáno is his prisoner, without actually having him as a prisoner most of the time which would be very inconvenient. Because we had a civil war over this and if people thought that there were prospects of making Findekáno king then there might be violence over it."

"Oh."

"I assume he also likes it but it's at least as much about the politics."

"I'd rather have mine long but I guess tastes vary!"

"I mean, I think Maitimo likes it, I rather doubt his boyfriend does, it looks like it'd be horribly painful."

"...some people are into that." Things being horribly painful for them. Some people are also into things being horribly painful for other people, like his lordship or Kat's dad.

"Huh. Well, I haven't asked him if he's into that." Snuggle.

"I like sorta tried to develop a taste. Didn't work."

"Well, I don't like you being in pain."

"Good!"

She vaguely wonders if the King's boyfriend is in fact into it. People who don't care are scary. Although even if he weren't into boys he probably wouldn't steal from his brother.

"You could ask him, they haven't left yet. Maitimo's not going to hurt you, you didn't kill his parents."

"You don't think he'd think it was a personal question? I guess he does go around like that all the time."

"I don't know him well but, uh, wanting reassurance about your own safety feels different to me than just prying."

"I don't actually think your brother's gonna steal me I'm just used to thinking about that kinda thing." - or would it have to be stealing, maybe he'd ask to share, she does not know what kinda sibling relationship they have over this sort of thing, eep.

"I'm not planning on sharing at all but definitely not with someone who wanted to hurt you."

Nuzzle. "You're sweet."

"I think that's kind of the bare minimum for a functional relationship, actually." Snuggle. "Anyway he only likes men, wouldn't hurt innocent people, and wouldn't ask me to, what, hand you over while you were begging me not to -"

He's so sweet. Apparently it is time to have a tiny flashback! Then it is over.

Snuggle.

"I'm not going to do anything you are begging me not to do unless the Enemy starts giving you orders."

"That's 'cause you are great."

"But I scared you, a minute ago -"

"I don't think anything scary is gonna actually happen to me, I was just sorta thinking about the concept of scary things."

"Oh. Do you, uh, prefer not to have to think about the concept of scary things?"

"It's nice to sometimes not be doing it but I don't hafta not ever do it."

"Okay." Snuggle.

Snuggle!

Hey! she says to the King's boyfriend.

...yes?

I was kinda wondering if you are like into your hair being short? Or not?

...if I'm into my hair being short?

Some people like it when stuff hurts! And I don't super mind my hair as long as I've got at least an inch but I'd rather it was longer. You don't have even an inch all over.

Oh. Ah, the King decides how my hair is.

You don't have to answer if you don't wanna.

That was intended to be an answer. Sigh. No, I don't like it.

Oh.

I like making the King happy, though, and he finds it very soothing.

Okay.

Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine, Macalaurë's a sweetie and this is a million times better than Angband and he says your boyfriend is not gonna borrow me or anything.

But you were hoping that we'd be, as a people, not okay with hurting people ever?

...well I knew not to expect that, Elves kill orcs all the time.