A Fallen Angel

Chapter Three

Robin's stomach was in knots as she passed through tall, intimidating doors. She held her breath as she stepped into the room, the doors closing loudly behind her. The angels that had guided her couldn't go along with her this farー she stood alone in an enormous marble space. The place had no roof, the cloud-filled blue-pink sky the only thing looking over their heads. Straight in front of her, at least 50 yards away, were stands full of peopleー no, angelsー the structure stretching all along the curved wall. To the right on the wall was a balcony big enough for one personー a large person shrouded the same as the gatekeeper.
Robin stood on her own balcony that was slightly bigger, guards stationed on each side of it not far from her.
The center of the room was at least 10 feet lower than it all, so that they all looked down at the spectacle; her breath caught when she recognized the sight. There below them, in the middle of the room, was unmistakably her angel.
Bound there in chains by a guard, as if he were a captured monster, was a man. He was tall with a muscular frame, well built even if it was hard to identify from the way he slouched shamefully, and dressed in a black lined white jacket, unzipped with no jacket underneath, and loose black jeans. His hair was a dusty white, framing his face and hanging in his eyes; eyes which refused to meet hers, or anyone else's for that matter. But the thing that most caught her attention were the wings that branched from the backs of his shoulders. Unlike any of the angels she'd seen upon arriving, this man's wings were not pure white. Battered and bent in a half-folded state at his back, his wings were a crooked black, only a quarter of white feathers remaining.
Robin found it hard to breath.
She'd never seen anything like it...
So this was a fallen angel....
"Everett Cross," a thunderous voice echoed through the room, snapping Robin from her thoughts, and she turned to look to the owner of the voice. The large man at the other balconyー presumably the judge. He looked down on the sinful angel with no pity.
"You are guilty of abusing your duties as a guardian angel, costing the life of a human girl, and trading your feathers of God for those of a sinner."
Robin grimaced as the audience called out collective angry shouts and boos.
Silencing the angels, the judge went on. "These crimes are inexcusableー by law, your punishment will be decided by the girl. None can protest against her decision. Robin Cherrywood?"
Robin's heartbeat picked up as all eyes turned to her. Oh, gosh... What was she to say...?
"Miss Cherrywood," his heavy voice called to her. "What do you desire for the sinner?"

"... I..."

"Cast into the depths of hell? Torn apart by lions? Carved by lightning?"

Robin felt sick to her stomach. All of those were awful...! She really couldn't decide something like this... Not with a person at stake.
She didn't know him...
She didn't know his story...
Words found form. "... I want... To see him up close."
Silence fell.
"Up... Up close?"

"Yes."

"... Miss... I highly advise agaiー"

"Please."

She looked back at him resolutely. She had no intention to end the life of someone she'd never met. Resigning, the judge turned to the guards. "Take her down safely."
Robin's legs were trembling as she was lead down the steps towards the center of the court, but she wouldn't lose her resolve. At last, the guards came to a stop when they'd reached the center, stopping about a yard from the "sinner" who still would not raise his head.
Robin frowned. This wasn't close enough... She wanted to look at him.
Not caring about the reaction of the guards who seemed to prefer keeping their distance, she continued walking towards him. Though they tried to insist that a safe distance was best, saying he was a "rogue", Robin wouldn't back down. She wanted to look him in the face..
Finally she'd inched close enough that even the guard holding him by the chains looked uncomfortable. None of these angels seemed to trust this man... But was he bad?
She wouldn't want to judge him based on the others' ideas... She wanted to see for herself..
Despite the lack of distance between them now, the sinful angel still would not meet her gaze. Agitated by this, Robin raised her voice to him. "Please look at me."
Allowing only a moment's hesitation, she rose each hand to the sides of his face and raised his head so she could look him in the face.
His face...
She thought he was beautiful. The structure looked hand carved from marble. Were all angels this beautiful, she wondered...?
And his eyes... They were a brilliant lavender like nothing she'd ever seen.
As she scanned him, she could see something there. Some part of him was afraid. Even if he chose not to show it, she could see it in his eyes. But not long after its discovery, the fear in his eyes was hidden behind a tough facade. How was this man really feeling..?
"Miss Cherrywood, have you made your decision?"
She paused.
"... Yes. I have."