You speak of- [ he pauses, mulls the words over, then answers very carefully. ]

We love one, and only one, all our lives. The act of intercourse is a permanent joining. Men may have grand ceremonies, but all elves need to consider the union legitimate is sex. The desire, the urge- it dies after a few decades of wedded life, after a few children. Otherwise perhaps there would be too many elves.

In short, we do not associate romance with procreation. Men do as they like, concerned with land and titles. We are too long-lived to be concerned with heirs.