Title: The Principality of Falling
Pairings: None
Genre: Theological
Warnings: None
A/N: Dedicated to her supreme, majestic, augestness blurmeese (she said that, not me, but I concede the truth in these words) for I was able to infect her with the unholy glee of all things Kuroshitsuji and truly, it is Good. Also, I needed a small break from rewriting my FAKE fic for the Help_Japan auction (which is horrendously late but better late than never, non?)
On how Sebastian falls. Or doesn't.
The Principality of Falling
In the minds of Men, he holds a crown and a sceptre.
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.
Ephesians 3:7
He holds a crown and a sceptre and when he speaks, his voice is like the bells of a thousand and one crystals, and the mortal mind trembles in joy to hear it. And so he speaks to Men often and he gifts them with the Lord's gifts; of song and poetry told by breath and reed, of art on hemp and fiber, of mashed reeds drying on clay bricks under a golden sun. And he understands naught of what they create, only that is it the Lord's grace bequeathed in drips and drabs; weak, pitiful imitations of that shining brilliance they had chanced a glimpse in a forgotten dream, a whispered word on the wings of a hot, dry wind over a muddy river and the gleam of a jackal's eye.
For the minds of Men are weak and shatter they will were they to experience the Lord, his Father's gifts in its immeasurable, terrible grace.
And this is Right for it is the Way of What Shall Be, that he is but a channel for Men to taste a fading touch of the Almighty and he knows this in the depths of his very grace.
Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,
Ephesians 3:8
He was born with a Duty and he adheres to Duty and his Duty is to guard Men, for Men are the Lord's most precious and he is but one of the uncounted many created to serve the Lord's Chosen and this is Duty.
As a shepherd guides his flock to greener hills and sweet waters, he guides Men to paths of virtue and righteousness for by these shall you prostate and cry out your love to our Lord and be grateful.
He does not understand when Men would stray from the path like wayward sheep enticed by mirages and illusions but he would gently, firmly, guide them back. And Men would offer thanks to Father for his firm hand and mercy and he nods; yes, that is the way, O Men, most favoured of all and he does not wonder, for wonder is not a part of his grace but he favours the children of Men. For the children of Men are the most faithful of the Lord's flock and their sins, little and minute, are the sins of babes and to them he whispers the most precious of the Lord's gifts and they clap and smile and laugh.
and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
Ephesians 3:9
He sings his praises to the great Father, the Lord Almighty as his wings holds him aloft and around the Heavenly Throne he flies, eyes adoring upon the highest of his brothers for they alone have the right to be so close to their Lord Father, as Men have the right to be so favoured and forgiven, a cycle endless and repeating until the End nigh comes and he feels.
He does not feels. He is. He is the crown and the sceptre and the Principality of Beauty (a Name given unto him and those like him and he wonders upon the necessity Men feel to affix meaningless words upon all creations great and terribly great) and it is his Duty to herd Men on the righteous and virtuous path to create beauty in the name of their Lord Father and this is Right.
He sees the Shining One the day his brother casts defiance into their Father's face, denouncing Men, most beloved of God, as unworthy and he sees his brother falls from on high to rule over the Abyss and to tempt Men from the righteous paths of virtue and he understands. This is Right.
For the Lord says, so shall it be and so it must be and the Shining One is but a brother fulfilling his Duty.
But.
He feels.
He...feels...
Something.
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
Ephesians 3:10
He remembers.
A creation of Men, of brass gears ticking upon a ship bound to be the spoils of an arrogant king of Men and its creators, (how proud!) and it foretold the movement of the heavenly bodies and he had felt...
O Father, is this not a transgression?
For do the Virtues not do this, the care and maintenance of Thine creation of the stars and planets?
Is this not a sin of pride, to anticipate Your Will?
His Father does not answer him but he understands this, for he is a lowly creation and he does not.
Does not.
Something.
And so he does.
Not.
Call the Beast from its slumber.
(Apropos!)
And the Men weep as the ship sinks beneath the waves with the angry lashings of the Beast and the device ticks its way to its grave above the chambers of the Beast, lost from the greedy arms of Men and an arrogant king.
according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:11
He wishes.
He wishes he was able to understand their Father's Plans, and the purpose of these Men.
Why do You, O Lord, so love these weak creatures of clay and mud and oozing parts that oftentimes forgets You, Father of All? Why do You favour them, and love them and forgive them?
What do these creatures have...
...that we do not?
He feels.
He feels...
Longing.
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Ephesians 3:12
He does not Fall.
He is.
Only when once he flew on wings of light and sings the songs of praise around the Heavenly Throne, he now flies on wings of not-light and sings songs of condemnation to souls writhing in crevasses of agony and despair, of regret and lies and unspoken truths. He remains the Principality of Beauty even if Beauty now is the antithesis of everything that his brothers on high holds dear, it is still Beauty. For did their Father not create all and allowed all to be, to act out the purpose of their creation?
There is beauty in the scream of Men as they discover that a bargained soul is fuel for the Abyss and that it is Men who have made the Pit into what it is for the mortal mind is weak and can but only accept a mere fraction of the Shining One's grace as his brother punishes their sins and he nods in approval.
There is beauty in the sweaty limbs of a woman driven to carnal acts to fill her purse with coins, spreading her legs to any that would give more of the tinkling ore and he nods in approval.
There is beauty in the hand that clenches the knife and carves into weak flesh, spilling the oozing parts on to cobbled streets. As voices rise in supplication to the Lord for deliverance o save us Lord from these wicked devils and he nods in approval.
(Yes, this is how it should be and I understand and I understand that there is anything to understand means I am truly of the Fallen even if I do not Fall.)
He does not Fall.
He is merely the reflection of himself and he calls artificers to flock under his wings of not-light and they build monuments of pain and greed, made with the blood of others and he approves; for by this, Men shall sin and through sin their soul shall be of the Abyss and thus, he and his brothers fulfill their purpose.
As Men learn of him, they gave him not a crown and a sceptre but a Seal of Power and the Shape of the Crow for with these mortal trappings, they will call him and he will answer.
And he answers them sweetly, and promises worlds and riches not his to gift for now he is the Principality of Beauty and the Beauty he bestows is that of lies and anguish and how eagerly they take it!
And still, the children of Men holds his favour for the children of Men are the most faithful of the Lord's flock and their sins, little and minute, are the sins of babes and to them he whispers the most precious of the Abyss' gifts and they weep and curse the Heavens and he nods in approval.
I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
Ephesians 3:13
In the minds of Men, he wears white gloves and a silver pocketwatch and he is Named.
"Sebastian."
End