"Rowan, I’ve noticed humans tend to marry very young. Many of them have children before they’re even twenty."
Riding atop a great antlered stag, Lúthien spoke carefully, watching his expression.
"There are many human girls... and elven girls... at the Academy who admire you. Have you ever thought about marrying? And... do you prefer humans or elves?"
Rowan rode beside her on a tal qilin ford through mimicry magic, idly admiring the landscape as they traveled.
"Humans marry young because their lives are short. Mine isn’t. Through magic, my lifespan is closer to that of an elf. So marriage isn’t sothing I’m thinking about right now."
"As for humans or elves... I don’t see a aningful difference."
Marriage was simply not on his list of priorities.
After Morgoth fell, he planned to travel to Valinor to learn world-creation techniques from the Valar.
That alone could consu centuries.
And this body was only one incarnation of himself. One day, he intended to rge all his incarnations back into a single existence.
Each incarnation was slowly building its own internal world.
If he succeeded in rging them, it would be like combining multiple universes into one larger system.
A shortcut compared to naturally evolving into that level of existence.
The alternative... devouring other universes like certain cosmic entities... was sothing he had no interest in.
Too reckless.
Eventually, this incarnation would leave this world.
Marriage would complicate that.
Though... if necessary... bringing soone along wouldn’t be impossible.
But then what about his other incarnations?
Multiple lives. Multiple worlds. Multiple relationships.
It could get... complicated.
Unless each relationship stayed in its own world.
He pushed the thought aside.
"Long life doesn’t prevent marriage," Lúthien said gently. "Elves sotis marry early too. And if you married a human... you would live on while she..."
She left the sentence unfinished.
Rowan nodded.
"That’s true."
Though in reality, anyone bound to him wouldn’t remain short-lived.
"I just want to spend more ti studying magic," he said.
"Then you should find an elven partner who can study magic with you," Lúthien said, looking directly at him.
Rowan blinked.
"You’re talking about yourself, aren’t you?"
"Yes," she said simply. "Rowan... am I not beautiful? Do you not like ?"
Rowan rubbed his temple, smiling faintly.
"Lúthien, you are beautiful. Probably the most beautiful woman I’ve ever t. That’s not the issue."
He paused.
"Are you sure you want this because you truly love ? Or because you like listening to the stories I tell?"
Lúthien had lived thousands of years, but she had lived a sheltered life in the Grey Elven kingdom.
In so ways, she was still emotionally inexperienced.
Rowan could sense her affection.
But affection wasn’t love.
Many people across many worlds had shown him affection.
That didn’t an marriage.
"I think you’re wonderful," she said after thinking for a mont. "And I want to keep hearing your stories. I don’t see why those things can’t exist together."
"If I marry you, I can stay beside you while you research magic. And you can keep telling stories. Our lives would never be boring."
Rowan shook his head gently.
"Think about it more. Even as friends, I’ll keep telling you stories if you want to hear them."
Then he closed his eyes, shifting part of his mind toward magical research being conducted by his other incarnations.
Conversation over.
Lúthien slowed her stag and drifted back beside Galadriel.
"Well?" Galadriel asked eagerly. "Did he agree?"
"...No."
Galadriel looked stunned.
"How is that possible? What man could refuse you?"
Lúthien quietly explained the conversation.
Galadriel listened carefully.
Then leaned close and whispered sothing into Lúthien’s ear.
Lúthien imdiately flushed bright red.
"I... I don’t think that’s appropriate..."
"What’s inappropriate?" Galadriel said confidently. "If you’re going to marry him soday, it’s inevitable anyway."
She grinned.
"I’ve observed enough couples to know. There are only a few techniques that matter. Simple. Effective. Guaranteed success."
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