THE SECOND PROSCRIPTION

[strangerpeople]

THE SECOND PROSCRIPTION
(CW: Coffins, claustrophobia in general, skeleton bones)

Most interesting.

[Suddenly, a bright light from above lights up, same as last week, from the bone chandelier. Once more, the light only seems to shine on one individual, as the Elder Steward appears, looking pleased as punch.]


Excellent, excellent. You have condemned The Noodles to die by quite the majority, so certain you were of her guilt!

[There is a long, long pause. Finally, though, the Elder Steward does something unexpected. First, he throws his hood off to reveal--huh. A rather young-looking and handsome figure. Odd.]

But...

[A slow, fanged smile appears on his face, before he turns to Eric, raising a toast with a glass of something that might be red wine-or something else.]

You were wrong. Congratulations, Fast. You have exceeded my and Our Lady's expectations. You have damned an innocent woman to the cruel death you deserve for your crime, and your fellow shall be forced to watch. For this you shall be rewarded protection for that special person, as promised.

Now.

How does it feel to know what you've done, hm?

Comments

[relieable]

[Osomatsu is shaking. the wrong person was accused. he stares at Zelda for a few moments, his breathing getting faster. then he whirls around on Eric looking murderous, spitting venom]

You son of a bitch.

[yonosoymaria]

Leave a woman who would cast me to hell herself out of this. Call me bastard, my father wouldn't want a son so foul, but leave her out of it.

[He closes his eyes, agonized, unable to believe he's quibbling about language at a time like this.

No matter where he looks, his teacher is there, furious and disgusted. It does not occur to him that even a dhampir cannot move so fast.]

He loved you. That was... it didn't even look like him, as he said that, but it was... that was what he said, at the last.

[relieable]

[at the last... ah. Osomatsu wasn't going to cry, at least not in front of everyone here, but he's gutted, and frustrated with himself for letting Franciscus down. tears prick at the corners of his eyes]

...You... You chopped off his head! [it comes out a strangled wail, and he grabs his face in between his hands, trying to focus himself] He was trying so hard... to do right by everyone...! And you...

CW: request for execution via (likely) torture with some detail given

[yonosoymaria]

The first thing I saw was fire. After that, this... I am mad. I see a man who is not here beside you looking at me as though he'd rip my throat out with his teeth if he could. There was fire. I saw Dracula, as he was last year when John and I had to... had to pick up where our fathers left off. I did not know it was him. I swear to you I didn't know. When - when he didn't go to ashes, I... it's what I had to do for Gwendolyn, it's what my father and Ar - Lord Godalming did for Lucy, I didn't...

[He shakes his head, slowly, momentarily at a loss for words.]

I deserve worse than this place could do to me. You're from somewhere... that he'd tell a stranger, even if it were a secret, you're from some place like the America Whitman hoped for, you're from somewhere that it's safe to - to - God! God, Almighty God, you were both of my kind and I have killed not just him but -

I -

Let the woman with the talons have me. She will take her time, if you tell her what I've done, I'm sure. I've crossed - there is no going back from what I've done.

[relieable]

[it sounds like Eric's nightmares were really bad. it sounds like he did not do this on purpose. Osomatsu is trying to see past his own rage, but he's always been an incredibly selfish individual. he's still shaking. they're all going to go after Eric, probably, so Osomatsu doesn't need to worry about that.

still, he wants to slaughter the man himself. maybe he'll get the chance, maybe he won't. he turns his head away, breathing erratically. when he finally gets that under control, his voice is like ice]

...Even if I killed you, or anyone killed you, it wouldn't change a thing. You deserve to live with your guilt.

[icanhearscreams]

As someone who’s a literal bastard, he’s worse than that.

He’s an enemy pilot.

[yonosoymaria]

[If there's anyone here who is willing to kill him and can do it, it's Jun.

Somehow, that's not really a comforting thought....]

[incendiarize]

[At least one person here isn't looking at Eric with hate or anger.]

So that's why you said what you did about taking the fall...

[But maybe the understanding is worse.]

Living with it is harder.

[yonosoymaria]

[This isn't the sort of thing one admits to a boy, but - ]

I have no idea how to do it.

[incendiarize]

....think of it like.....dying means you get to forget.

Do you think you should forget this?

[yonosoymaria]

No. No, I don't.

[He really isn't a proper man if he keeps finding himself justifiably lectured by people so much younger.]

Where I'm from, the idea of executing a murderer is less "stopping them from doing it again" than "sending them to an eternity where they cannot forget and will be punished without cease or end". But we aren't there... the soul does not leave the body here, it becomes an object...

[incendiarize]

And that only works if that kind of afterlife really exists.

You're not a bad guy, Eric. I don't care what the others think, you're not - or you wouldn't be this bothered. Which means the worst for you is having to live with it. And live knowing we could punish you. Probably should.

But didn't.

[For someone who believes they deserve to suffer, punishment would be something of a balm. They get to go "yes, I am suffering for my crime, this is right". Arthur doesn't hate Eric, isn't even mad, really. He gets it. And he won't turn his back on the man.

That doesn't mean he forgives what's happened.]