"Do you believe that was my intention?" Mortanne raises a brow.
"You have a complicated past when it comes to gods, Valdis, I will not deny it, and I'll not claim to lack empathy for them. But you have openly admitted to me to pushing Degas' buttons for the purpose of getting a rise out of him because it amused you, and making sweeping negative generalizations about an extremely varied group of individuals that includes myself and those I love. The four of us have gone to great pains to help you and the people that you love, including getting all of you off the Serena Eterna and mitigating your nightmares. We do not ask for anything in return. You do not have to like us. You do not even have to respect us. But if you think that my acknowledgement of your behavior as somewhat petty is dismissing the feelings that created those behaviors, then we have sorely misunderstood one another."
Horses hitched, Mortanne turns to face Valdis fully as her hand finds the support handlebar of her carriage, as if she means to get into the driver's seat shortly.
"I feel for you, Valdis. Truly. You have suffered. And your feelings on the matter are your own. I have no judgement for them. I will not pity you, nor will I undermine you, I will simply understand. But you are in control of the behaviors that you take as a result, and the words you say to others. You are one of my favored, and your connection to Death and the Beyond binds us. I would very much like for us to understand one another," Mortanne explains, climbing into the hearse and offering Valdis a hand up, "but you must be the one to take the hand that is offered."
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"You have a complicated past when it comes to gods, Valdis, I will not deny it, and I'll not claim to lack empathy for them. But you have openly admitted to me to pushing Degas' buttons for the purpose of getting a rise out of him because it amused you, and making sweeping negative generalizations about an extremely varied group of individuals that includes myself and those I love. The four of us have gone to great pains to help you and the people that you love, including getting all of you off the Serena Eterna and mitigating your nightmares. We do not ask for anything in return. You do not have to like us. You do not even have to respect us. But if you think that my acknowledgement of your behavior as somewhat petty is dismissing the feelings that created those behaviors, then we have sorely misunderstood one another."
Horses hitched, Mortanne turns to face Valdis fully as her hand finds the support handlebar of her carriage, as if she means to get into the driver's seat shortly.
"I feel for you, Valdis. Truly. You have suffered. And your feelings on the matter are your own. I have no judgement for them. I will not pity you, nor will I undermine you, I will simply understand. But you are in control of the behaviors that you take as a result, and the words you say to others. You are one of my favored, and your connection to Death and the Beyond binds us. I would very much like for us to understand one another," Mortanne explains, climbing into the hearse and offering Valdis a hand up, "but you must be the one to take the hand that is offered."