I wrapped my black pea coat tighter around my body and shivered as the cold air bit at my face. I looked behind me and almost bumped into a man walking towards the Institute. I quickly opened the doors and walked towards the elevator and waited for it to reach the Institute's first floor not counting the church. When the doors opened I stepped out and walked towards the library where Maryse had told me to meet her. A message had arrived from the Seelie Court and I was mentioned.
"Clary, you're here just in time, a messenger has just arrived but has refused to tell us what he needed until you got here." I stared confused and looked at the messenger. He was obviously Fae by his emotionless eyes and his cold beauty. He had long blonde hair and spring green eyes, enhanced by his pale complexion. "Lady Clarissa, my Queen wishes to have a meeting with you and only you. I am to escort you to the gate to my realm." I looked towards Maryse and she nodded.
"Clary, you must go. Remember the Fae's conditions and their...'ways'." Maryse said gently. Jace, Isabelle, and Alec all started arguing about me going alone. Maryse nodded at me and the messenger and I slipped out of the room. When we left the Institute he led me to one of New York's many parks. He stopped when we reached a large Weeping Willow and placed his now glowing palm on the tree. He chanted what I assumed to be an ancient language and pressed his hand hard enough against the trunk of the tree that crimson droplets of blood ran down the tree. I gasped as stairs looked to be forming in a spiral staircase around the tree base. He motioned me forward and I followed nervously.
When we reached the bottom I looked around the large hallways made of dirt lined with trees. Faraway I heard laughter and music and followed the messenger as he led me past many doors and branching corridors. A bright light lit up the hallway in front of us and branched into a large room lit with a chandelier made of icicles dangling from the ceiling. I stared in awe at the ice covered walls and the room in general.
The Seelie Queen seemed to be amused at my awe and motioned me towards her ice throne. I walked forwards and she spoke in her melodic voice "Dear, dear Clarissa how grand to see you again! I have summoned you to stay with us until your eighteenth birthday. You are one of the most esteemed Shadowhunters and it would be an honor to have you in my court for a few days. Do you accept, Clarissa?"
I really did not want to stay but I had a strange urge to say yes so I nodded "I would be honored, your grace."
She smiled and motioned a person from behind her that I recognized as Meliorn. He smiled at me and motioned for me to follow. I did and he led me to a large wooden door carved with flowers, birds, vines, and trees. It was beautiful but I was even more in awe at the rooms that I was given.
The first room had a large Victorian cream settee against one wall and a fireplace opposite. There was two forest green chairs around the fireplace. The fireplace had a picture of what looked to be a forest with a redheaded girl in a Victorian looking dress walking down a winding path. There was a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling that cast a warm glow around the room. There was a cherry wood coffee table in front of the settee and small cherry wood tables next to the two arm chairs. It was beautiful but the bedroom was absolutely breathtaking!
A curved doorway led into the bedroom with a sheer forest green curtain covering as a door. A gigantic cherry wood four-poster bed was pushed against the right wall and there was a large Victorian chaise lounge pushed against the bottom of the bed and the bed had forest green silk sheets and a lot of pillows and little throw pillows. There was another fireplace against the left wall with a large detailed mirror carved with flowers and intricate Celtic looking knots.
A wardrobe was against the wall closest to the door leading to the sitting room. I noticed an actual door this time and walked towards it. There was a Victorian claw-foot bathtub with a toilet next to it. The large mirror had a porcelain sink below it and I decided right then and their that I had to have a bath in this bathroom using the scented soaps and shampoos.
I grabbed a silky white floor length night gown with no sleeves and undergarments and set them down on the toilet with the seat down and started the water. When it reached a little bit below the brim of the tub I turned the water off and climbed in. The water scalded my skin but also invigorated me, making me sigh in contentment.
I heard a door open and grabbed the nearest thing to cover me up. Which happened to be my dry clothes. Gosh darn it!
"Who's there?" I called hesitantly only to here some shuffling coming towards the door. The last person I expected walked through the door and smirked down at me.
"Clarissa dear, you know the Fae aren't ashamed of nudity, so why are the Shadowhunters?" the Seelie Queen said questionably. I tried to cover myself as best as possible, though judging by the queen's smirk it wasn't working so well.
"Well, uh, Your Grace? Will you get me something to sleep in please?" She smirked some more and waltzed out of the room.
A few minutes she walked back in the room with a short thigh-length white silk nightgown. I stared at the nightgown in horror and the Seelie Queen laughed at my reaction. I asked her to leave and after some more questions she finally left me alone. I let myself relax for a while before regretfully getting out and drying myself off.
Slipping under the covers of my bed, I let the pull of sleep lull me into a dreamless land.
*Next Morning*
My eyes fluttered open, a strangled groan coming from my lips. I rolled over, trying to unwind myself from the mess of covers and fell onto the cold floor in the process.
"Stupid." I muttered to myself, pushing up and off the floor. I walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a white dress and sandals and slipped them on. I brushed my hair and called it a day.
I stepped out the door only to be knocked down onto my behind by a Fae woman who smiled at me kindly. I smiled up at her as she helped me up.
"I apologize my lady! Are you okay?" She asked me worriedly and I just smiled at her. "It's fine, I should have payed attention." She seemed relieved. "Well, I was sent to escort you to the Queen's throne room." I nodded, letting the woman escort me to the throne room and through the mess of hallways.
A/N
Hi! So this is my first TMI fanfiction so please comment, vote, whatever you like as long as I get feedback. Bye!
-Cara