

If it’s still, let it spill if you’re knowing, drink what’s flowing! I made it rhyme, to help you remember…” And, and you remember what I told you about the water, don’t you? Don’t drink it unless it’s moving. Find somewhere… Somewhere with walls like this, yes? Something to stop the wind. “There really was only the one rule, and Rules are Rules, and… But it’s wretched, I know. “I am sorry about all of this,” Aziraphale said in a rush. His arm dropped, and the sword pointed to the ground. Aziraphale had never seen them alight with anger before. Adam’s beautiful black eyes were unfamiliar. Very… verdant.”Įve made a gulping sound, and brought her hands up to hide her face again. “You… you look rather spiffing, you know,” he offered. It caught like a hook in Aziraphale’s throat, and the point of the sword wavered. He remembered thinking that whatever pain he'd felt during the War, surely it didn't compare to the pain of the Rebels, who had lived through the same battles and fighting, and now also endured this additional humiliation, the terror, the burning wings, the helpless fall…Įve must be feeling all that now too, and Adam as well. He remembered the guilty relief that it was not him, when those pleas went unheeded. He remembered the fear, and the grief, and his pleas for mercy, one voice among a million, all begging God to be merciful to their wayward friends. So many of the rebel angels had looked like that as they Fell. Her expression shook Aziraphale to his core.

The sword was from the Almighty Herself it burnt hot and bright, and Aziraphale hoped that it would make him look more intimidating and lend the scene a little dignity.Įve was swiping water from her face. Hiding his nerves, he gestured towards the ‘Gate’ with his flaming sword. This was because that was exactly what he'd done.

It looked like he’d just blasted a hole in the wall in a panic. It didn’t look like a very impressive Gate at all, really. It was only when he was told that the humans were going to be sent out of the Eastern Gate did he suddenly realise that perhaps making the Gate in the first place had also been his responsibility? And now Adam and Eve were on their way for their devastating expulsion, and there was no Gate through which to expel them. He’d never liked to point out to the Almighty that She’d appointed him Guardian of the Eastern Gate when Eden had no gates. The new and admittedly rather hastily created ‘Eastern Gate’ was worrying him. He was, and always had been, extremely placable by nature. He was quite good at stern and implacable, as long as he didn’t have to maintain it for more than a couple of minutes. God was making Her Presence felt.Īziraphale stood next to the Eastern Gate, stern and implacable. The clouds were no longer pale wisps or white mountains they were heavy, low, and black. Hurt Aziraphale Stats: Published: Updated: Words: 92080 Chapters: 34/? Comments: 1915 Kudos: 1586 Bookmarks: 285 Hits: 46981
