Yeah.

I nearly mishandled Raven and Erik both badly enough to lose them, because I didn't understand what they needed from me. I was very, very lucky to get a second chance, there.

I'd sort of expect mindreading to help with that problem.

Raven made me promise not to read her mind when we were children, and Erik--was too far outside of my experience for mindreading alone to be enough, and I had been using it as a crutch.

I am really glad that it worked out.

I think we all are.

Things going to get easier or harder once her magic spreads in your world?

More complicated, certainly, but better overall, I believe.

I think knowing you have forever is generally very psychologically healthy for people, but I haven't seen it happen for mortals en masse.

There are people who won't accept it, he admits sadly.

I know a lot of people who don't get to choose whether to accept it who'd be really relieved to have ceasing to exist as an option. But now it is an option, that's something, yeah?

Indeed.

What you said earlier about not deserving her regard--I think being good for her is more relevant to that than being a good person.

Good. I can do that.

It does seem that way. I'm glad you two found each other.

Our whole world is glad of Odette.

Well, of course.

I would kind of be breaking the law back there but now we'll be able to get strong enough to end the war from Milliways, so we can make it work.

Breaking the law?

I'm three thousand, she's twenty-one. Maedhros made a rule, recently. Your daughter told me that Odette'd want to know that I wanted to kiss her anyway, and Milliways isn't Maedhros' jurisdiction.

I see.

I can understand why people would be concerned by the age gap, but I trust her judgement. In this category of thing, at least.

Yeah, me too. Also, as both she and Illia keep pointing out to us, to mortal eyes Elves don't really seem to grow up.

...Oh?

If there's anyone who's been accumulating three thousand years of wisdom I haven't met them. Adult Elves and adult Men seem on the same keel.

Humans generally grow up less than we pretend to; I don't know if you'll be at a disadvantage in that area when humans don't die of old age anymore but I wouldn't bet too much on it.

Fair enough.