"Sure." They can keep going

Beren waits until they're well away from where Melian can spy on the edges of her borders before having them stop to get settled, even though this means pushing past sunset - later than she usually likes to make camp. 

She doesn't seem to be moving to actually make a fire or clear any ground to sleep, though, instead just staring at the ground with a conflicted expression. 

Well. Luthien will start on that herself then, until she's ready to talk.

She starts helping once Luthien's moving.

"I... There's a lot to say."

"First - I didn't mean to deceive you. At all. Or... Not. Really."

"...I erased my memory a few years ago, and - leaving Doriath with you - triggered my mind to settle with what memories and knowledge would fit."

"You seemed remarkably lucid for having done that."

"I've done this before, and - it's easier if you put a new life in its place. If you take someone else's role, just... Shifted, so it applies to you."

"So what are you?" She's quietly easing away, one hand on her dagger. "And how much of the last year was real?"

"It was real, it was, I - "

"I'm mortal right now. But I was one of the Ainur, and... I saw you, before we entered the world. I knew I could love you, but - "

"I wanted to fall in love with you - normally. And."

"...I didn't want to meet you as an enemy."

"Tell me who you are."

She looks away.

"...Morgoth."

She starts, backs up a step-

-turns on her heel and runs.

She.

Should have expected that.

The tale of Luthien and Beren is pivotal to the timeline. That's why she shuffled Ellie into Luthien's place. Why she killed Beren and took his role.

She doesn't want this - her darling's rejection of her - to be what breaks her chains.

Eru's halfway decent to her, sometimes.

The world ends.

She could shuffle Ellie back into Sauron's place. Take a break.

No loop with that set up has worked. Dagor Dagorath always rolls around. She hates timelines that make it that far the most.

She wants to fix this, loves Ellie as Luthien in a different way, a way she's never experienced before.

She nudges nothing. Sets her simulacrum to follow her behavior precisely as of the last loop, turns her own mind off mostly - moves her own consciousness into being Beren when the simulacrum needs to take over Morgoth's role as she slips into mortal raiment. 

The loop goes identically until the moment they leave Doriath. Similarly after that, even. She smiles at Luthien a bit more, but still says the same words until they reach the campsite. Still helps Luthien start setting up. 

"I'm sorry if I worried you. There's - a lot to say, and I don't entirely know how to say it."

"It can wait, if you want. I just want to be sure you're okay."

...That settles a lot of the upset screaming in her head.

She just - revealed too quickly, last time. Mishandled it.

"I am, as long as I'm with you," she says. "The things I remembered were just - startling."

Smile. "But they're nothing as important as you are." Kiss.

Kiss.

"One thought I did have..."

"Has anyone mentioned the idea of writing to Doriath since the Noldor came over?"

"Just before they told us about the Kinslaying, yes. Father banned the alphabet and had the books burned."

"...Oh no."

"Did you get a chance to learn?"

"No, I didn't."

"I can teach you, then - and I bet Finrod has a library."

"I'd like that."

She laughs. "I thought you might."

"Books are - stories, and knowledge, and they echo so beautifully... It almost amazes me that elves invented writing. A record that'll outlast you seems like such a Mannish thing."