#trial 7

Today it was apparent the court was waiting on pins and needles for a key witness. Commander La Pucelle arrived approximately ten minutes into the start of open court and was immediately asked to take the stand. The poised woman who was made the official Commander of the Watch shortly before the death of Rosemund Reed has had a trial by fire in taking her new position. The City has been on tenterhooks since Osborne Montague was arrested. 

The urgent scheduling of the trial was an attempt to address the tension that has gripped the City. Commander La Pucelle was calm and professional as she took a stand.  After a review of her credentials and position, the Commander was then directed through the evidence as to the location of the defendant on the night of June 30th. 

Commander La Pucelle played several clips of video footage from various security feeds in the warehouse district of Verona known as the Colognola ai Colli. The Prosecutor then asked if the licence plate had been traced. She confirmed that the car was a vehicle belonging to Osborne Montague. Security footage also appeared to show a man of his approximate height and build in the area. 

However, the Commander noted that it was not confirmed it was Osborne Montague until he admitted during questioning that he had been in the warehouse district on the night in question. However, he stated he was looking for a member of his family. The Commander confirmed that there were no messages on the defendant’s phone from that family member or any confirmation from any source that he had been asked to go to the area or pick up anyone. 

The Commander then review her interrogation of the defendant, Osborne Montague. She stated that he could not account for his partial fingerprints on the belt. Further, Osborne Montague could not account for the presence of the earring in his home, which appeared to match the earring found on Rosemund Reed’s body. The interrogation then ended and Osborne Montague was charged with the murder. 

Auguste consumes the fruit.

Before you know it, everyone is gone. The house itself has disappeared, and you find yourself in an empty void. A limbo.

In it, there is only… him.

It’s been decided. After all, it was the path that required the least willful sacrifice of another, with the greatest possible reward. An easy enough choice--once you remember that it’s there. Too long spent alone in the dark, too easy to forget that she could ask for help.

Selene clenches and unclenches her hand, shifting her eyes as she looks at each one of them in the house, and back at Auguste.

Auguste nods, then looks back towards Cedar. He puts his hand over one of the dolly's own, and nods.

"I will be fine. It will all be alright." He responds to Cedar, but addresses the room as a whole as he does so. Then he steps forward, removing himself from Cedar's grasp.

He addresses Selene next.

"You, too, are not alone. Not anymore. We can make this work... together."

And with those words, Selene accepts him.

Side with Lucifer - 1

Julia listens closely to what Auguste and Selene are saying to one another, filling in the gaps in her own knowledge on the subject as she does so relatively well. And to her surprise and great relief, Selene seems to accept what Auguste suggests. Since the very start, Julia’s goal had been to find a better option for the group and listen to the others if they themselves could find one, so when yet another option is put forth that Auguste himself is willing to do… 

The tension in Julia’s shoulders drops away some, and she smiles and shifts back to her human form, wings around Vanessa disappearing in favor of Julia grabbing her hand to hold instead. She laughs in clear relief, smiling. She would trust Auguste in this.

“Ahahahaha~ So that was the power given to you then, was it? I can agree to that suggestion, if you really think that it might work and are willing to try it, Auguste. Even if it’s just a chance though, it’s one I would still prefer to try, even over what I suggested myself for the risk it would still pose to you all.

I have never been a fan of conforming to the things we’re told are the only options, especially when suffering is involved.”

Even she didn’t really want to have to fight a full war, despite her preference for trying it over accepting an unfair and unwanted sacrifice without the chance to fight back. Defiant ending though, huh? That sounded right up her alley. 

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to assist you as well in what you would attempt, either with my own newfound abilities or just in general, the both of you. I will go with your option."

Side with Lucifer - 1

Cedar looks at Auguste, looks down at his when his grip tightens and when he shies back, and looks still when he starts speaking. He has a sinking feeling.... In the empty hull that would be his stomach, if he were human. He does not know all that much. He just knows he cannot lose another one. Auguste is the only one he trusts truly cares. At least the only one he dares to hope does. And they don't know if he'll be safe? If he'll remember him at all? If he becomes something else?

"......Will you be safe...?"

He makes no motion at all to let go of him. He won't let him move! He won't!

"Auguste? Will you be safe?"