"We'll still be here."

"Andreth's looking forward to meeting you."

"Oh? Delighted to meet her too, of course, but when's that happening?"

"She agreed to let me cart her around for impromptu diplomatic advice. So probably not too long after everyone gets settled. Not that I think I need diplomatic advice with you."

"I'd kind of expect it to be counterproductive. But I'd love to meet Andreth and you should have friends who can travel with you, that's a good idea."

"I have no intention of listening to diplomatic advice about you if it's offered. And--yeah, definitely."

"You should get some sleep, it's late."

"...Yeah. Good night."

He goes and finds Curufin. "They're founding a kingdom of mortals in Nevrast."

"Okay."

"I'm telling you because you should ask her about the languages now, there won't be time later. And because the armor needs to be done in a week."

"Okay."

"When did you last eat?"

He doesn't remember. They eat. 

"You," says Curufin, "are obviously not busy enough."

"Holding down the fort isn't really a full-time job until suddenly it is. I'm too busy to go to Nevrast, though."

"That is not what I was going to suggest."

"What were you going to suggest?"

"She's not Irissë."

"I have not mistaken her for Irissë." He stands. "I am going to bed."

In the morning Odette's eyes flutter open before anyone comes to wake her. She notices something. She bolts for the washroom (she was pleasantly surprised by the modernity of their plumbing). After she's--dealt with things--she decides there's no point in trying to get a little more sleep, and heads down to breakfast, vaguely irritated and, to noses keener than a humans, smelling slightly of blood.

"Are you all right?"

"Huh? Yeah, why?"

"Did you cut yourself or something?"

"Nnnnnooooo..." she says slowly, suspicion beginning to dawn.

"Bloody your nose in a fight with the bed? I've done that. It's drier here than back in Valinor."

"No. I don't know if I want to know how you can tell I've been in--excess contact with blood--but. Um. Do you...remember when we were talking about the relative merits of elf and human soul-body relationships? And I...mentioned human fertility had gross side effects?

"I do."

"This is that."

"At this point I'm mostly surprised there's not magic to fix it. There you go, another unambiguous Elven advantage. I was feeling pretty sad about having nothing more than 'we're usually prettier' to cling to."

"If I didn't have magic I would have been bleeding for five days. I could probably figure out something better but it's not really a priority right now."

"Kay. Plan for today?"

"The usual, probably. Maybe inviting more people to come live in my sister's city, if that seems appropriate."

"The people in Estolad? That's a good idea. I bet they'd be interested."

"At least I probably won't be at risk of insulting any of their ancestors."

"Were you going to insult Beor? I don't think he did anything wrong - under the circumstances I'd certainly have done the same -"