All right. We'll keep an eye out for any others.

Maybe start insisting on writing down names for all the babies as they come through.

Good idea. I'll do that.

And Kib puts the town the fellow named next on the medical golems list, and sends a courier golem in with the quarantine-keepers and the nurse-assistants and the vaccine-preppers. It asks for the records of that creche.

Creche is happy to provide records. No Herzel works there. No babies named Arenet, and none who died or went missing recently.

Which information Kib relays to Maitimo - So they're keeping pretty deep cover.

Toward what end? If someone in Valinor wanted to adopt some kids they could, my father certainly got away with it...

What's particularly odd is that the creche itself existed. It wasn't made up, someone looked up a creche that was a little too remote to be convenient and had the guy claim his husband worked there. And I'm not sure. Obvious use for humans besides "adoptee" is "servantmaker", maybe someone thinks that importing adults who know the trade would - obviate the usefulness? Either because they want the servantmakers for human-unpalatable purposes or because they want to fly under the Valar's attention...

I don't like either of those possibilities. I don't want to raise the second one with the Valar lest they close the portals entirely.

Agreed. Is there some plausible or merely-exaggerated story you could put out about some kid having nearly had some mishap here such that parties with children under, call it eight, cannot wander off without their Elf escorts? Because Elves are so very concerned about the welfare of children, you see?

I'm sure I can manufacture something. If we put it in the brochures they'll know we're onto them, though.

Yeah, I'm not sure what steps we can take without making that clear, though...

Discreetly follow everyone who comes in with a small child? It cannot be that common, your people don't usually have small children around...

I guess you could be pretty discreet, you see so much better.

I'll have to explain to some people what's going on but I can pick ones I trust. 

Could also do it with pet birds but they'd be less able to report back on the details.

They could follow whoever the babies are handed off to, though. It'd be harder for an Elf to discreetly follow other Elves.

Elves with bird pets told to obey them that they can send after the babies.

Sounds like a plan.

Can Tyelcormo catch me some nondescript birds without wondering too hard what they're for? All I've got is a magpie from my past life and the colorful one I petted shortly after I showed up.

Definitely. He thinks you're fantastic.

Does he?

Are you surprised?

I didn't think he disliked me or anything but I wasn't aware it was 'fantastic' levels of not-dislike.

Tyelcormo's favorite thing is telling everyone in Tirion to go fuck themselves and he's been delighted with how you managed to get yourself acknowledgedly married and then proceed to shove it in everyone's faces.