No one really knows how the parties get to yes

All right. In that case I'm content to wait until afterwards.

Good of Macalaure. Not composing a song for people he left to die, that's entirely typical of him, but sharing it with them is unusual.

Is it? Maitimo did say it isn't unusual not to, but I don't really have reliable information on how people treat songs here.

Singing them for others is common; singing someone else's song is slightly odd; distributing your song for use by others towards a specific end is usually highly formalized and very weird.

Weird in a way where they're going beyond the call of what duty would normally be? It was probably composed for the specific end.

That's even weirder. Kind but out of character.

Wait, how long does it take to compose a song? And is it partially useful part way through? What Maitimo said is that Macalaure has been composing a song, but they didn't know we were crossing the Ice until recently.

Takes years, isn't usually useful partway through.

How long for Macalaure?

Not years, but not weeks either, not if he wants it to be better than everyone else's and we already have some weather songs.

I forget how long it was going to be before you could leave, absent the magic. Months? Maybe they thought it'd be done by then, and showing up to learn it this early would be a giveaway.

Or Maitimo wanted you to believe they were exerting themselves to prevent our deaths and so implied they'd composed a song just for us when in reality he's had it in the works for a while for some other reason. We were going to leave in a few months once we had the practice climbing.

If there's a lot of call for protection from elements, I guess. Or he doesn't know how soon it'd be needed and it isn't ready... I could have just asked.

Maitimo's distracting to be around, she says in a reassuring tone.

Yeah, not really looking forward to being around him again after the last time.

Might keep the secret better not to bring you there, until a reasonable song-composing time at least, if there is that much time.

The walk across the Ice isn't going to be quick. I do expect that if we showed up in a few days they'd infer our immediate departure, though they might have already.

It wouldn't surprise me. I do think they know there's some kind of magic helping, or I'd have asked more about rings for warmth. But they might not, so not days.

All right. Well, I'll go over when necessary. Thank you. This will all aid us in the war tremendously.

It should make it theoretically possible to win, if it wasn't already, but no idea how. Step one is get there, I guess.

That's proved a challenging enough step. Good lord. Findekano told you about Alqualonde?

I got his version and Artanis'. Didn't ask Maitimo because I don't even know if anything he could say would give information.

She laughs. Probably not, though I'm curious whether he'd pretend innocence or regret.

Regret, I'd guess, just from the number of witnesses. Also because it's more likely to be genuine so more credible to fake if he has to.

On the one hand, yes. On the other, Feanorians.

There is that.

Thanks for agreeing to collect the song, and let me know if you decide not to delay the awakening.