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

[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.]