I'm on a roll~. This is a complete one eighty from "Hallelujah", but after receiving a lovely review from AnnaMariaNordlade, I had to write this!
Post-CP2. Spoilers if you haven't read the epilogue. Tessa/Ella family fic. Fluffy.
The night of their wedding, Tessa and Will visit Ella, but that's not the only surprise they have for her.
Disclaimer: Cassandra Clare owns TID.
Ella was startled when Tessa approached her grave with Will following behind her. It was nearing the sunset of their wedding; the clouds burst with gold light from the setting sun. Tessa was still wearing her gold wedding gown, Will in his black coat covered in gold runes. As grateful as she was to see them there, what on Earth were they doing visiting her now? A gravesite was no place for newlyweds.
After taking off her long gloves, Tessa knelt on the ground and began to wipe the dirt off of Ella's marker. The way her hands moved reminded Ella of a mother tenderly stroking her child's hair. Ella's eyes widened. The only times her grave was touched was when her parents visited on the anniversary of her death. Linette would gently brush her hand across her daughter's name, but the look of sorrow in her tired eyes made Ella wish her mother didn't come to remember her death. Tessa's eyes, however, were twinkling with joy. Will joined his bride's cleaning efforts; he had set something on the ground earlier, but Ella was too focused on Tessa's hands and bright gray eyes to see what it was.
Ella had grown to love Theresa Gray from America. As Will's older sister, it was her duty to make sure he was marrying the right girl, which he did. Tessa was Will's North Star. He was a traveler lost on his journey who then found hope when he looked at the sky and followed the brightest star home. Only James Carstairs, Will's compass, could have compared to being that vital to Will's existence. Ella was no Shakespeare, but she was very proud of her analogy.
When they were finished, their hands were muddy, and the fingernails brown. Will picked up what he had left on the ground: it was Tessa's wedding bouquet. Ella had admired it at the ceremony, but lost sight of it after Will and Tessa had kissed as man and wife. Beaming, Tessa placed the flowers on the ground beside Ella's marker. Ella gasped, her hand covering her mouth in surprise. Will had tears in his eyes as he stood and backed away to give Tessa some privacy.
Tessa spoke quietly as if only Ella was meant to hear her. "Had you not saved William from Marbas, my world would not be as beautiful as it is now. I wish you could have been there with us. Thank you for everything, brave Ella."
Ella nodded and blew two kisses – one for the beautiful bride, the other for her crying husband.
A/N: The bouquet placed on Ella's grave is also inspired by the English royal tradition of placing the wedding bouquet on the grave of the fallen soldier. All reviews are loved!