Nod. "...It's - hard to ask for some things." If she doesn't know if she'll get them. If she might be punished for asking. And the idea that she's loved is... Strange, and new, and she doesn't actually know what to do with it for all that she's craved it for thirteen years. She doesn't know what it means. If it'll change anything. 

"You can always ask. For anything."

"What'll happen if I do?"

"I will give you what you ask for. Or explain why I cannot."

"That's... All?"

"That's all."

It takes her a very long moment to process that. Then, somewhere between brokenly and testingly: "I don't want to die."

(It feels like a foregone conclusion that she isn't going to fight back very hard. Isn't going to rob herself of the one person who loves her.)

"...That is not the truth of the ritual. Or not the whole truth, at least."

" - Then what's the truth?" (Is Lily going to die or not?)

"You are to kill me. And my resurrection and ascension will thereby be fueled by your power."

"You won't stay dead?" is her first question, the most essential thing. Then: "Will that kill me?"

"No, and maybe. Between a fifty and sixty percent likelihood by my calculations, depending on a few factors."

...Slow nod. Then, hesitantly: "I don't want - a fifty-fifty chance of dying."

"I don't want that for you either."

Her throat closes up before she can ask her next question - the hardest one, the one she probably wouldn't know how to word anyways. The one that's likely easiest to guess. Or... Perhaps multiple questions, but the same one in the end.

(How far does love go? How far does not wanting it go?)

(Will Eldarra find another way? Will she set aside power if she has to? Or - is this an acceptable risk?)

(Is Lily going to maybe die, or not?)

It's a rather terrifying thing to realize about herself, that she's already decided to leave this up to Eldarra. To realize that she's not going to protest, beyond that perfunctory I don't want to die. To realize that she'd take a fifty-fifty shot of dying over any risk of Eldarra not loving her anymore - and what else would happen, if Lily tried to get away from or circumvent the entire reason Eldarra trapped her here? Even beyond the already strong enough threats to her people - Lily wants to be good and someone Eldarra finds easy to love. She wants to be perfect. To be someone Eldarra will never regret taking.

"Will you do it anyways?" she asks somehow, in a choked whisper because her throat still won't work.

"I'm going to find a better way."

...She starts crying again. More relieved, this time, and she's not having the same full body sobs. (She feels very wrung out.)

"I'll help," she says, shakily. "I want you to be - strong."

Hugs.

"Thank you, Lily."

Smile! "That sounds like my line..."

"You'll need to get quicker on the draw, then."

Snuggle! And, happily: "I love you."

She presses a soft kiss to the top of Lily's head.

Mmm good. 

...Though that does - lead, kind of, into her next major concern, which is: "You - Can you treat my people as your own? Not as hostages. I - don't think you need that anymore. Even if I don't like what else we figure out - love's enough of a chain."

"I think that would be possible. We can treat their time served already as the military requirement."

Bright smile, like Eldarra very rarely sees. "Thank you," she says, earnestly, and kisses Eldarra's cheek.