16 years ago, Idris.
"I'm so sorry, my baby boy." The black haired women whispered to the small child sleeping in her arms.
"I'm so so sorry."
Maryse had her back turned to the others in the room, hiding her tear streaked face from their view. She knew that what she was about to do was the best thing she could do for her son. She would be protecting him from the cruelty of her world, from a world in which death was around every corner. Shadowhunters often died young. However, in doing this, she was enabling her son to grow old. Although Maryse didn't often speak highly of mundanes, she had to admit to herself that she was slightly jealous of them. Of the life in which the lived in ignorant bliss, unaware of the monsters lurking in every shadow. Soon her son would be a part of their world.
"Maryse, it's time." Robert's voice was flat and emotionless. If one had not known the situation at hand, they may have mistaken Robert for having a slightly bad day rather than seeing his child for the last time in his life.
Maryse didn't reply. Didn't turn around. She just stared at the little features of her son's face. His little button nose, closed eyes flickering as if dreaming, and light pink lips from which Maryse could feel Alec's breathe against her neck. Another tear fell as Maryse realised she would never get to see is face mature. She would never get to see her son grow into a man. She would never know of the love he would find and the children he would raise. Her only consolation was the thought that he may be happier in his new life.
Maryse felt Robert's hand on her shoulder and she turned to meet his gaze. Light blue on dark blue. The man who she had given her heart but had never completely given his in exchange. Maryse wasn't a fool. She had enough sense to know he didn't love her as well as a husband should love his wife. All she truly had in this life was Alec. Her baby Alexander. When he was gone what would be left? Maryse shuddered at the thought.
"Okay." Maryse said, but it was less than a whisper. It was too difficult to speak now.
Maryse made her way across the room to where two Silent Brothers stood. Although she knew they meant no harm, she felt uneasy handing her toddler to these scarred men. Maryse let her gaze settle on Brother Zachariah, feeling some solace in his presence. Brother Zachariah was different than the other Silent Brothers. More human in a way. She felt more at ease on handing Alec to Zachariah.
"Please make sure he's looked after." Maryse managed to say, somewhat sternly, as she passed the sleeping two year old to the Brother. "He's such a kind boy, I don't understand how anyone else can think differently."
"I do not doubt he is." Brother Zachariah's voice filled Maryse's head. "Dura lex sed lex."
Maryse laughed without any hint of amusement at that, the law is harsh but it's the law. How was it justice to send a two year old child away from all he knows and loves. The memory of the Clave's judgement would forever be seared into Maryse's mind. "The boy is liable. He is tainted and could even revive the circle in later years if let do so. No, measures must be taken now. The boy must be removed. This is the only way." They had said these things about her angel and she could do naught but listen.
It was finally decided that Maryse and Robert would remain shadowhunters but would forever live in exile from Idris. However, many people had been objected to pardoning Alec. In their view he was likely to have been brainwashed by the circle and may cause another uprising if he remained a shadowhunter. The Clave had decided Alec would be allowed live but would not remain a part of the shadowhunting world. He would be given to some mundane family to live a life in which he would be unaware of anything from his former life. Maryse had cried, Robert had brooded, but the Clave's ruling was final. Alexander was from this day on mundane.
Robert moved to Maryse's side as she handed their son away. She could see him looking at his sleeping child but he did not speak. Although his outer appearance was cool, she could tell he was breaking on the inside. Robert was not one to show emotion but she had never wanted him to show some as much as she did at this moment. Maryse was losing her only source of happiness but she was aware that Robert was also. He had just recently lost Michael and now he was about to lose Alec too. Robert may not love his wife in the way he should but he definitely did love Alec more than anything.
"Good bye, my baby. I'll never forget you." There was not one word of a lie in Maryse's last goodbye to the child she loved so dearly.
"Mom! I'm 17, not 6." Alec brushed his mother's hand away as she claimed to be wiping a speck of dirt from his cheek. "I'm just going to a poetry reading anyway, nothing fancy."
"You never know, you may find someone appealing there." Lina said, adding a wink for emphasis.
Alec's mother was a small woman, no more than 5'5. She has light brown hair, graying slightly in places. She had been obsessed with setting Alec up with someone as of late. He supposed it was unusual for someone of his age to never have brought someone special home to meet the parents. His mom was probably just worried for him. Alec wasn't the most outgoing or extroverted person around. He was happy with what he knew and change was slightly difficult for Alec. That was probably one of the reasons he hadn't gone out of his way to date anybody yet. His friends had once set him up on a blind date with a guy who claimed he possessed the death note so that put an end to Alec agreeing to go on blind dates.
"Yeah, 'cause Java Jones has so many potential suitors." Alec retorted sarcastically as he grabbed his keys off the coffee table. Alec caught sight of his mother giving him a playful glare as the doorbell rang.
"Perhaps that's Juliet coming for me now." Alec exclaimed light-heartedly as he made his way to the door. He didn't like suggesting that he was interested in girls when speaking to his mother but he didn't want to just come out and say he's gay either. It's not like he thought his mom would disown him if she found out or anything but he didn't want things to be awkward either. Alec knew for a fact that some members of his extended family were homophobic so he'd always been hesitant on telling everyone. When Alec was thirteen he decided he would come out casually whenever he got into his first relationship but seeing has he had never had a boyfriend, he had still yet to come out. It had just got harder and harder to bring up the topic.
Alec's friends did however know of his sexual orientation. Alec had not needed to come out to them as they already guessed for themselves. It wasn't a big deal for them, and for that Alec was glad.
Simon's smiling face greeted Alec as he opened the door. "Hey, Mrs Everett. I'd love to say and chat but Alec and I are seriously late for Eric's poetry thing and he'll kill us if we miss it."
Before his mom could reply Simon had pulled Alec out the door and was dragging him down the footpath.
"Jeez, what's with the rush? The later we are the better. I don't know how much of Eric's poetry I can listen to before my ears start to bleed." Alec really couldn't stand Eric's 'art'. Yet Simon went to each of his readings so as not to hurt Eric's feelings and thought it best to bring Alec along as well to make it seem like people actually enjoyed his poems.
Alec had met Simon so many years ago when Alec's family had moved into the neighbourhood. He was about five years old at the time. Simon was Alec's next door neighbour and the two quickly sparked a friendship over their mutual love of pokemon. Alec was slightly older than Simon so they were not in the same grade in school yet the two hung out at break time and basically lived in each other's houses. Simon had also become friends with a local girl called Clary Fray and introduced her to Alec soon after. The three soon became inseparable. As they became teenagers, Alec noticed Simon paying more attention to Clary. Well not exactly more attention but more like different attention. Alec often teased Simon about his crush on Clary when she wasn't around but Alec often tried to hint that Clary wasn't interested also. He didn't want to upright say it to Simon as Clary had never told Alec that she didn't like him, but Alec knew Clary, and he knew she did not see Simon as more than a friend.
"We're not going to Java Jones." Simon said, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Oh?" Alec, probed. He didn't like where this way going.
"Clary managed to get an invite to some cool party and suggested we go. This is my chance to seduce her man." Simon was talking quickly, clearly excited with this opportunity. Alec on the other hand was not as happy.
"What sort of party?" Alec did not like parties. Particularly house parties. They were often messy, full of drunk teenagers and some girl always got too touchy with him.
"The Magnus Bane sort." Simon exclaimed cheerfully.
