“I don't know,” Bragi said, “Perhaps the bird was just having a very off day. Or it just really loved goddesses. Or its siblings never knocked before entering its room. That's apparently a thing sometimes. I didn't know it before I came here, but now I'm learning,” he smiled. “Gradually.”
If Bragi had known about the doubt creeping into the goddess's thoughts, he would have assuaged it immediately by assuring her that while he may have sought the company of other goddesses on roads, Bragi never used the exact same line of persuasion on a different goddess intentionally. It went against his principles. It stifled their individuality. It bored him. Bragi did not go through life looking for the same experiences. He liked a variety. He liked new. He liked potential.
There was a story about a rose garden where every rose contained a possible future that you could when you smelled the flower. Whatever rose you plucked was the path your life took. Most chose the roses that contained the brightest futures. Bragi wanted to smell the roses and then walk away without plucking any of them. But worst of all, if Bragi used the very same lines, they'd lack sincerity, and sincerity was the sweetest thing. When it was lost for good, everything else became bitter.
But he didn't know the doubts. Bragi didn't know much about the goddess at all, besides that she had the sort of sincerity to her that he didn't ever want to lose. And that she was beautiful. But that went with far more looking than saying.
He grinned and met her eyes. Bragi would have got lost in them, if she hadn't just challenged him. “You mean a fourth?” Bragi asked. “I definitely do actually. I can think of many reasons why you should accompany me. Far more than three. I just choose to only give three of them at a time because that's my rule. One is lonely. Two is a pair. Three is a list.” He paused, and tilted his head while he considered her. “I suppose I could bend the rules for you this time. So you can't question that I do have a fourth. But only this time.”
“Four” Bragi said raising four fingers, “Because it would be a sad world where strangers meet and remain strangers.” He could have stopped there. But if he was already breaking the rules, Bragi might as well give her more than she'd asked for while he was already there. He met her eyes exactly and leaned a little into them. He made out the swirls in the green.“Five. Because if you don't come with me now you'll always wonder what might have happened if you did. You continue your way and you already know what will happen. You'll be the same lost. Go with me and you might find something.”
Bragi thought these were both very good reasons. He continued anyway. A bit quicker. “Six. Because it's good exercise. Seven. Because you would be doing me a favor. I would like to know more about this tree goddess. Eight. Because there are more reasons to come than not come. Nine. Because why not? Ten. Because you have already made me stand here an egregiously long time and it would just be mean not to at this point.” If it were anything less than the tree goddess, Bragi didn't think he could have lasted this long. At least with Heimdall, Bragi could move while he was talking because he didn't need to be looking at Heimdall the entire time.