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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Nov 17, 2008 16:59:06 GMT -5
"She specifically asked me to do it."
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Post by Aziraphale on Nov 17, 2008 17:00:26 GMT -5
"And you agreed to condemn her to an eternity of murder and darkness and then damnation?"
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Nov 17, 2008 17:03:02 GMT -5
"She- she wanted to be with my father- he'd have to watch her die-"
Herbert's vision was starting to waver, and he felt the distinct sensation of his control slipping away.
Nicht hier... bitte, nicht hier...
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Post by Aziraphale on Nov 17, 2008 17:09:06 GMT -5
*Aziraphale put his hand in Herbert's and squeezed it gently.*
"It's all right," *he said in a whisper, but it carried in the silence of the room.* "You're all right."
*Aziraphale turned his attention to the judge.*
"Leave him out of this. I'm the one you're concerned about, yes?"
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Nov 17, 2008 17:14:33 GMT -5
Herbert leaned over the table and clenched his hands on the opposite side, biting his lower lip so hard that one of his fangs punctured into it. Blood welled up over the edge of his lip and hovered there, threatening to slide onto his chin.
"There's an old adage that says that one can be judged by the company they keep," the angel on the stand continued. "This... creature is your choice of company, then? Even his vampirism could be overlooked, were he not so clearly given into the wiles of the Other Side even before he was turned. And has he done anything to prove he has changed other than shallow self-mortification?"
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Post by Aziraphale on Nov 17, 2008 17:20:58 GMT -5
"He has done so much that you've overlooked," *Aziraphale snapped, his temper flaring.* "He left his father's castle for me, with all the riches and space and luxuries- and helps with the store- and unless there are... special circumstances, he never kills. That is far more than can be said about the majority of the humans in this city-"
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Nov 17, 2008 17:36:27 GMT -5
"The humans of Paris are not the ones on trial here!" the angel on the stand shouted, and its eyes grew wild and flickering, as its hair and aura combined to make it glow in a rather discomforting manner. "And your boy- he is filth! Utter filth! You think it is because he is a vampire? Look at another vampire, shall we?"
A hazy patch of light coalesced in the middle of the courtroom, eventually materializing into the figures of a tall, buxom woman with very long, voluminously wavy red hair and an eager, freckled, pretty face; an even taller, dark-haired, sallow man in black robes; and, in the woman's arms, a small- abnormally so- round-faced girl with curly brown hair.
"Magda," Herbert murmured.
The images of Magda and her husband and daughter moved and appeared to be speaking to one another, but no sound came out. It was as though Herbert was looking at a simultaneous reflection of what she was doing on Earth at that very moment.
"Mrs. Magdalena Snape," the angel on the stand intoned. "The former consort of a serial killer- a harlot and an unapologetic predator- now a devoted wife and adoptive mother. She was willing to change, to work at it. What have you done, boy?"
It looked straight through the figures of Magda and her family, right into Herbert's eyes.
"I-" said Herbert. "You what? Mrs. Snape was damned, boy- even more so than you are today. But she learned to dislike her situation, to want to be better than the profane monster she had become! You are complacent, feckless, satisfied in your debauchery!"
The figures faded away. Herbert swallowed. This was not the part of heaven you wanted to go to after you died.
"And you!" it shouted, turning its gaze on Aziraphale. "You're even worse! Crowned Principality of the European Continent, and what do you do? You- you shack up with some kind of glorified rentboy-"
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Post by Aziraphale on Nov 17, 2008 17:46:32 GMT -5
"I will not have you speak of me or Herbert in that manner," *Aziraphale fairly snarled, as the human shape he usually wore dissipated and was replaced by a shining figure in white robes, wings spread behind him. His fists were clenched at his sides in anger and he seemed to stand several inches taller- taller than Herbert, even.*
"You have no idea what it is to love someone. Do not make assumptions about something you know nothing about."
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Nov 17, 2008 17:52:54 GMT -5
Herbert could only stare in awe. So this was Aziraphale's real form- tall, slender, impossibly beautiful...
And somehow the same as the rest of them. It wasn't right.
"I'm sure you and the child will be quite glad, then, to be left together," the angel on the stand sniffed.
Herbert drew in an involuntary, unnecessary gasp of hope.
"You have two choices, Aziraphale. Remain as you are, on the condition that you never see your boy again or attempt to contact him in any way... or be stripped of your immortality, ethereal body, and heavenly privileges and prerogatives and live the remainder of your existance as a mortal."
There was a moment of silence. Herbert knew what had to be done.
"Zira," he said softly, standing up. "I love you too much for you to-"
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Post by Aziraphale on Nov 17, 2008 18:00:20 GMT -5
"I choose him," *he interrupted without thinking. There was no thought at all.* "I'll live as a mortal."
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Nov 17, 2008 18:04:52 GMT -5
"Zira!" Herbert hissed, staring up at the angel almost in anger.
"That's really a terrible shame, Aziraphale," the angel at the stand said, with a trace of real regret. "You showed such promise... we all thought you'd moved past that little incident with the sword. Evidently not."
It waved a hand idly.
"You're free to go, if you can call it freedom."
As the angels left the room, Herbert stared at the rapidly less tall and perfect Aziraphale beside him.
"Zira- you didn't have to- what have you done?"
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Post by Aziraphale on Nov 17, 2008 18:06:22 GMT -5
"Let's just go home," *he said dully, ignoring the question.*
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Nov 17, 2008 18:11:50 GMT -5
"What about everything you've done? All your duties and your position and- have you Fallen?"
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Post by Aziraphale on Nov 17, 2008 18:13:36 GMT -5
"No. I'm human." *He couldn't keep the tremor from his voice. But he must stay composed. Mustn't think about what just happened.*
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Nov 17, 2008 18:21:21 GMT -5
"But if you're human-" (Herbert's reflexes and old, left-over human habits were taking over now, and his chest was heaving with quick, panicked breaths) "-if you're human, you can-"
He stopped in his tracks, and his face failed to be the delicate porcelain variety of pale it usually was. Instead, it turned a waxy, grayish color in his horror.
"Zira, you will die..."
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