"Uh, it is very grand and very tragic and Mother knows a lot about it but isn't supposed to say?"

" 'Very tragic'.  I'm so glad that is on the priority list for the actual creator of this universe."

Malak gives Lúthien another hug. They have a feeling she'll need lots of hugs if her boyfriend was sent to her by the universe-shaping being who thinks "Very Tragic" is an important feature to include in plans.

"I think it has a happy ending. On the whole." Hug. 

"Oh well in that case that's just fine."

Malak's tail swishes angrily.

"It is probably not helpful to get mad at the all-powerful deity."

"Sorry.  Does Eru actually intervene enough that it might smite me for that or something?"

"Not smite you but make your bit tragic, yeah."

It isn't already?

"So the Plan is tragic as a whole but not necessarily individually tragic for anyone who doesn't annoy Eru. Good to know."

"More or less, I guess."

"So what did Fingolfin's...children and self...do to annoy it? They seem to have had, ah, much tragedy.  How good is my speaking, my language spell ended now and I am using my Sindarin, um, knowledge."

"You're doing really good! And I think it was mostly the Kinslaying, the Valar were really furious about the Kinslaying. And mostly Fëanor, actually. Fingolfin and his family just got - caught up in it all secondhand?"

"I know many languages and learn them fast. What is this word? " translation " spell helps a lot. Most people who know the spell don't bother because they think it is...futile? Not that word, a different, um" connotation. "Like" pointless.

She offers words. "I only speak this one but tried learning some of Beren's. Since it's lost since everyone's dead."

"If keeping it spoken is important to him I can learn it if we save him. If keeping dead people's languages spoken is important to you I can teach you Turathi when we have time."

"I don't know what'll still be important to him, once we -"

"If it is or was important to him and he's willing to teach me now." Hug.

Hug. 

They walk in silence some more. Malak starts outlining inolfactability in their head. When it gets dark Malak asks if Lúthien wants to stop for the night, they can keep going for a while longer.

"I only need to sleep around once a week, and I can sing through it if needed."

"I can go without for a few days, though I really should sleep every day when I'm doing serious spell development. Or going into battle. But it seems worth it not to sleep until we get to Brethil, and I like the nighttime anyways." They keep walking.

"I don't actually know anything about Brethil except that humans live there."

"Isn't it right on the border of Doriath? My main thought is that it might be a safer place to plan and work than the, hm." wilderness?

She translates. "Yeah, it is, but we should stay clear of the border of Doriath because if they see me I don't know what they'll do, and we fight to defend them from orcs occasionally but that doesn't mean we know anything about them."

"Occasionally defended from orcs is another point in its favor. How likely is it that the Enemy has spies there? That's the main thing I'm worried about."

"...wouldn't be hard. Maiar can shapeshift, werewolves can shapeshift -"