I'm really pleased that you think the balance is right and that the description of Éowyn's last few days works.

well, you know my views on keeping him grounded... :-)

I'm not 100% sure that keeping him tied to a bed is the ideal long-term solution...

I've been curious for a while about how Elven 'conception only at will' would work - if it was not by total abstinence which seems all wrong to me.

S2C wasn't sure about the wine. But it would be to make the herbs more palatable, I think - and if things are so bad they've no wine it might be a point where they decide not to procreate at the present! Possibly it only really takes the meditation - mind over ovaries - but helpful herbs won't do any harm, and might well help the ritual element.

I would think that any bond at that stage would be very simple - but that the baby would know both parents mental touch very well before birth, which would probably help with the actual birth, too.

And D-d is now happily in Buenos Aires with her friend. The detour by way of Madrid will become a traveller's tale over the years, i think.