You would, the Goddess thought vehemently as her piercing gaze seemed to visually scowl at each of his words, as if they were physical annoyances. Midas, Gaucho, Ophelia - they had all made their choices, said thank-you, and allowed her brothers to get on with their lives. It would be Mauja who would hold her here, demanding answers to questions that he had no business asking. And even if he did, couldn't he just think about them really hard, or go to the other two remaining ascended ones for answers? No of course not. The rub was, precisely what she hated most about Mauja was part of the very reason she was here.
He was different. He did speak his mind, even if it meant speaking out and annoying those with the ability to crush him like a fly.
"Would you like a mirror to see your teeth?" She demanded, sweeping her leonine tail in the air like some careless shrug. "You know what they say about looking a gift horse in the mouth, after all. And I imagine that it's probably quite hard for you to see into yours."
The Goddess rocked back on her haunches, as if deciding what sharpness of tone her words should hold. His questions were certainly apt ones and yet that her gift was being scrutinized so was frustrating, if only because the Goddess didn't particularly like giving answers in this fashion. She was quite fond of changing her mind, after all.
"I can already take your life out of spite," She began, sounding half as though she were giving him a lecture, and half as though she was presenting a closing defense in a murder trial. "so I wouldn't dwell on that. But if you're thinking about dying and asking me for it, then perhaps immortality isn't for you. If you aren't in it for the long haul, don't ask for it." Now her voice sounded more like a sincere warning, honed from years - centuries - of personal experience. "Even immortals can be injured. Not dying is not necessarily the same as being able to heal from any injury. Immortality is not a painless existence. "
As he asked if she would rescue him, she couldn't (or didn't bother to) stifle the nasty laugh that twisted her lips in a smirk. "Do not mistake my gifts as a covenant, Mauja. I have always acted in the best interests of Helovia - only those motivations guide me. I will promise nothing. But I'll give you an out - you can pick a way for yourself to go, should you ever need it. Talon through the eyeball, staff through the heart - choose immortality, and I'll let you pick how you die.
As for your children ... they would be born healthy, regardless of the season or the statistics weighing against you. Magic will seed their veins from birth."
Looking to his owls, the Goddess sighed and nodded. "Have you ever seen a companion die of old age? They are bonded to you - and that bond does more than just transmit their thoughts. Your life force bleeds into them. They can still be killed unlike you, but they will not die of old age. "
Narrowing her gaze, the Goddess raised her nose slightly and with it her wings adjusted themselves to sit slightly higher against her shoulders. "Choose now Mauja, or I will rescind my offer."
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