For Love is Strong as Death
An Infernal Devices One Shot
Okay, so this is a one-shot about Tessa and Will's wedding! Hope y'all like it! Please review!
Disclaimer: I do not own The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare.
Tessa was finding it hard to breath. The tight corset was pinching lungs, stopping any air from flowing into her. The ruthless bust of the golden dress she wore pushed tightly against her. She started to hyperventilate.
"Tessa!" she heard Sophie call distantly in the back ground. "Calm down! What have you got to be afraid of?"
Sophie had become one of her best friends since she Ascended and now she was helping to prepare Tessa for the biggest day of her eternal life.
Her marriage day.
Tessa's breathing came even faster. She felt faint and sick. Suddenly, a pair of strong hands gripped her shoulders, shaking her gently. "C'mon! Just breathe. You are the prettiest bride in England! If anything, Will should be scared!" Tessa gave a shaky laugh but managed to slow her breathing.
"That's better!" Sophie encouraged. She turned Tess so that she could see herself in the full length mirror. "You are awfully pretty, miss." Tessa didn't bother to correct her. Old habits die hard. Instead, she surveyed herself intently.
The beautiful golden gown she wore fit tightly around her abdomen before flowing out into full skirts of burnished bronze and gold. Copper and silver colored embroidery wound its way across the majority of the dress in swirling, floral patterns that told tales of autumn and magic. At her neck was her clockwork angel, silent, no longer ticking, and the jade pendant Jem had given her when he had proposed. The thought sent shivers up her. She and Will had insisted that their old friend performed the ceremony.
They would have no one else do it.
Her gray hair was curled fancifully atop her head, held in place with gold and pearl pins elegantly falling to the side and somehow drawing attention to the intense gray of her eyes, which shone almost silver next to all of the gold.
She looked like a shadowhunter bride.
Tessa took a deep breath and willed her nerves calm. She turned to Sophie, her maid of honor, dressed in a simple cobalt gown, and gave her a nervous smile. "I'm ready."
~oOo~
Will tugged anxiously at his gear. Instead of the standard black, he was dressed in the traditional scarlet marriage versions, and the color seemed unnatural. He glanced at Gideon and Gabriel, who looked uncomfortable in their own jade colored robes. Will gave a small smile as he saw Gabriel tug fruitlessly at his collar. He had become friends with the Lightwood's, ever since they had helped the shadowhunters of the London Institute defeat the Magister over a year earlier. His small smile vanished, however, and his eyes narrowed when he saw Gabriel's gaze shift to Will's little sister, Cecily.
The Silent Brothers stood in a motionless vigil behind them, scarred faces pointing out to the gathered assembly. Charlotte, as the new Consul, and Jem, or rather Brother Zachariah, stood in front of the Brothers, with Cecily off to the other side of them, one of Tessa's bridesmaids. Her cobalt dress made her crystal blue eyes pop, and she smiled reassuringly at Will.
Will began to sweat in his gear. How long would it be before Tessa walked in? Had she decided not to marry him? Had something happened to her? Where was she?
As if sensing Will's fraying nerves, Gideon placed a hand on Will's shoulder and mumbled reassuringly. "It's alright. You love her and she loves you. Nothing more is needed. Remember how nervous I was when I married Sophie?" Will nodded. Gideon and Sophie had married six months ago, and the image of Gideon sweating through his scarlet gear in the middle of winter brought a genuine smile to his face.
Suddenly, the tellingly of the organ signaled Tessa's entrance. Everyone looked towards the solid oak doors as they opened.
Sophie walked out first, beautiful in her blue gown, her scar almost disappearing, hidden from view as she smiled wide. She walked gracefully down the aisle, giving Gideon that small smile that she reserved only for him, before taking her place in front of Cecy. The organist began to play the bridal march, and as soon as Tessa walked into the room, everyone else seemed to disappear.
She had asked Henry to give her away, much to Henry's surprise and joy, and he now walked proudly down the aisle, every bit the proud father giving away his daughter. He too was in jade robes, though they paled in comparison to Tessa.
The world dimmed, and soon Tessa was the only light. Her resplendent golden gown seemed to shine, accented with swirling gusts of copper and silver, reminding Will of the chilly autumn day when he had first met her. At her neck was her clockwork angel, silent, a memory of years gone by, and her jade pendant from Jem, a remnant of a past life. Everything was different now, but Will hoped that she would never take the pendant off. It was one of the few things that was purely Jem's, a thought of a fond, true friend. It brought joy to both Tessa and Will.
Her hair was pulled elegantly up with gold and pearl pins, curling wistfully to the side in an attempt to break free. Will smiled, recalling the softness of the brown strands as they curled around his fingers. His sapphire eyes met her stormy gray ones, and she smiled nervously to him, an expression that was echoed on his own face.
Finally, she was up the aisle. Will held out his hand, and Henry placed Tessa's in it. Will maintained eye contact as Jem began the marriage ceremony, speaking to the minds of all those present.
Love is unbreakable, indomitable.
It cannot be contained, it cannot be forced.
It can only form naturally, as life draws to beings closer together.
Jem focused solely on Will and Tessa. To Will, he said, Repeat this.
"Set me as a seal upon thy heart."
Taking a deep breath, Will repeated the words. To Tessa,
"A seal upon thy arm."
Tessa's voice was slightly shaky as she repeated it, and I gave her hand a tight squeeze.
"For love is strong as death"
"Jealously is cruel as the grave"
"Many waters cannot quench love"
"Neither can the floods drown it"
We finished the verse, then looked expectantly towards Jem. He nodded.
"I swear to be true to Theresa Gray," I said, the words becoming caught in my throat. "To love her always, to uphold her and to make her happy. I will be her home."
"I sweat to be true to William Herondale," she replied in her soft American accent. "To be his heart and his confidante, to keep our home in peace. I will be his other half."
One of the Silent Brothers stepped forward and handed Jem two rings. Normally at this point in the ceremony, shadowhunters would exchange runes of their cooperative design, something they had designed themselves, but Tessa and I had carved ours into rings, as she couldn't be marked. Jem handed me one of the rings, and I slipped it onto Tessa's left ring finger, brushing my fingers over the design.
If you looked at it the right way, it might look like the curve of an angel's wing.
~oOo~
The ceremony was complete as soon as Tessa's shaking hands placed the gold ring on Will's left ring finger. She took a deep breath, and a giddy sense of happiness spread through her
She was married.
Tessa Herondale.
The sound of it brought a smile to her face.
The crowd cheered as Jem said closing words that neither Tessa nor Will could hear. They were overcome by a strange sense of disbelief. After all that they had gone through, this had actually happened.
Unable to bear it any longer, Tessa and Will bent towards each other. Her arms went instinctively around Will's neck and he placed his hands at her waist, and then they were kissing. The world seemed to disappear, and all that existed was her and Will. Her husband.
They broke apart for air, and Tessa couldn't look anywhere except into Will's eyes, glimmering with joy and happiness and hope. He was hers, always.
Will took her hand and turned her so that they both faced the crowd. Joyful faces of friends and family blurred together as Will began to lead her down the aisle, out towards the hall where they were holding a small reception.
Tessa didn't stop smiling the entire way there.
~oOo~
Will couldn't stop grinning. Tessa was finally his. He could kiss her and hold her and tell her he loved her anytime he wanted. They were finally together.
Will watched blissfully as he saw Tessa chatting amiably with his parents, positively glowing with happiness. Charlotte had allowed for them to come to Will's wedding. In her words, "It would be a shame for them to miss their only son's wedding."
Out of the corner of his eye, Will saw a figure in parchment robes whisking around a corner. Will took off after him, curious.
He followed the figure to a deserted hallway. "Oi!" he called out. "Not leaving so soon, are we?"
Jem stopped. The Silent Brothers have called me back, he said regretfully. Will surveyed his old parabatai. The Brothers had taken his mouth not that long ago, but his black eyes still gleamed out at him. It was still disconcerting, how color had returned to him, after being silver for so long.
"Oh, come on! They won't let you celebrate your best friends' wedding?" Jem's cheeks dimpled, as if he was smiling.
I think they are scared that I am going to get too attached. They were rather reluctant to let me even perform the ceremony.
Will cursed. "Walk with me?" he asked hopefully. Jem seemed to hesitate, than nodded.
In mutual silence, the old brothers walked, winding their way through the familiar corridors of the Institute together. "I won't hurt her, you know," Will suddenly said. He knew that Jem still loved Tessa, no matter if the Brothers allowed it or not.
I know you won't, Jem replied, his voice seeming rather reluctant. It is just that my fondest dream was to be beside her as you are now.
Will was startled. Jem had never spoken so frankly before. Subconsciously, they had wandered back to the ballroom, and they both stood watching Tessa as she danced about happily from guest to guest, sharing stories and laughing gleefully.
I know you say you won't, but don't hurt her. I trust that you won't, but I would die if anything happened to her. Will shivered. Jem sounded so cold, so calculating, and yet, still loving and caressing. He knew that beneath the cold façade, his friend still existed, but the Brothers were trying to destroy him.
"I won't," Will replied carefully. He looked Jem straight in the eye. "I love her."
Jem nodded. I know. He turned once again to head out.
And Will?
"Yes?" Will turned, but his old parabatai was already gone. Still, the words dusted across his mind like a memory half forgotten, bringing the ghost of a smile to his lips.
Never trust a duck.