And now she'll have the chance to write several dozen more. Are they good? Should I be reading them? ...After I've learned your alphabet, I mean, I keep not doing that and it didn't go on the list.

I don't know, I can't read. I've heard good things about them.

You can't read? Why not?

All the brains in the family got doled out elsewhere.

...That doesn't make sense.

I don't actually know why I find reading so difficult. My father tried to figure it out for several years and invented a different alphabet for me because that was easier than teaching me. Sadly, random Men do not write in my father's Celegorm-alphabet.

Maybe you're dyslexic?

And that is?

Remember how I tried on your hearing but I couldn't use it because my brain wasn't wired right? Sort of like that, only for writing, I think.

Sounds about right. Anyway, I can read but I basically don't, and definitely not recreationally.

Fair enough. It really has nothing to do with intelligence, though, one of my father's bloodworking students that I recall was dyslexic and she was the best in her class, she needed stuff read to her sometimes but she was smart enough to be one of Dad's favorites, is why I remember her at all. Can I learn your alphabet at some point or is it private?

Why would it be private? Someone can go over it with you whenever you next take a break.

I don't know, I just didn't want to assume. Or make demands. Anyway, I already ate, and it's late, so I'll probably head straight to bed.

I approve. We'll be honored to teach you our alphabet. My father invented it.

Wow, really?

Anything you're impressed by, my father probably invented it.

Your species' eyesight, she suggests whimsically.

Well, he could do lenses that make it even better.

I'm going to see if I can get appreciably closer to the sun and moon before I actually go to sleep.

Good luck.

Thanks. And she comes inside and goes to her room and sits on her bed for a while reaching for the heavenly bodies and she goes to sleep.

And is woken with breakfast. "Maedhros says Fingon says to ask you if you'll do a tour of the kingdoms, making it known to everyone what's going on and talking with them about how this changes the war."

"Um. Probably. I should talk to Illia."

"For sure."

Hey, Illia, how goes?