Really sorry for the long wait. I have just been very busy with exams. To clear up any confusions. I've updated last chapter so Upton is Stutgar. This is because:
The Morgenstern Kingdom is Germany
The Herondale Kingdom is England
The Verlac Kingdom is France
The Lightwood Kingdom is Idris
The Fairchild Kingdom is good ol' Ireland
Apologies. xxx
The table trembled as the King banged his fist against it, anger contorting his face to create a monster of a man.
"Find them!" he roared, "What kind of Shadowhunters are you if you can't find a few children!?"
The sheepish warriors nodded their heads and hurriedly left the room to start the search.
"Valentine may I suggest sending out a few of my best too, as I may point out that my son has escaped as well?" Stephen Herondale asked, although silently he was smug, thinking that Valentine's own wife and daughter had left him.
"That would be best." Valentine agreed, "This is a minor mishap and soon the Mortal Cup will be in our hands. With the help of my daughter we can achieve anything."
"Yes, Clarissa would have been a great asset – such a shame."
Valentine growled at him.
"Clarissa is not lost. I will find her and the boy and my wife. She will remember who she belongs to and where her loyalties lie." He stated, challenging Stephen with harsh, cold eyes. King Stephen was an ally, but no less a threat. With a sudden commotion great doors burst open and the Lightwoods rushed through with panic stricken expressions.
"Have you had news of our daughter? Where is she?" They asked in hysterics.
"She will be returned, along with her siblings I assure you," Valentine lied, for he had plans to overthrow Idris, which had been weakening for years. The children were an icing on the cake, he smirked thinking about that cunning plan.
They looked relieved and excused themselves, just another family in disgrace. The Kings were left in contemplation, planning how best to move onward. Valentine was one step backwards but he knew that finding Clarissa and Jocelyn would lead him to the cup and to victory.
"King Valentine, if I may?" King Verlac asked, speaking for the first time after he had been asked to join.
"Yes?"
"I have a proposal."
"Clary." Jace whispered in the ear of his betrothed, enjoying the little frown she made at being awoken.
"Go away," she murmured, snuggling closer into his chest. He smiled and stroked her hair before placing a kiss on his mark on her neck. He peppered her with kisses until her eyes cracked open and she groaned.
"Good morning!" he announced, a big grin plastered to his face. She sighed, before resting her head against his chest and going back to sleep in protest to the morning. Jace chuckled and sat up in bed, knocking her off of him.
"We gotta get up!"
"Why!?" she grumbled, glaring at the harsh sun and his happy face.
"Because we need breakfast and new clothes, also we have to find a bunch of Downworlders to overthrow the King…"
She shot up in bed and scrambled around the room.
"Oh by the Angel! We have to get out of here!" she exclaimed beginning to pace the small, Inn room. "What are we doing!? My father will kill you!"
"Clary calm down," Jace said, grabbing her into a hug, "It's going to be fine. I'm here and you'll always be safe with me."
She scoffed, forgetting her momentary panic and let herself sink into his embrace.
"Yeah right, says the guy who got beat by a mundane."
He groaned.
"When are you going to let that go?"
"Never."
He rolled his eyes.
"Okay princess, let's get ready for our adventure."
"I'm telling you he's suspicious!" Simon exclaimed, exasperated and trying to persuade Izzy that staying any longer with Smeliorn was definitely a bad idea.
"Why Simon?" Izzy sighed, sitting down on the bed.
"Because he's the type of guy to hand us in for a few gold coins! I'm betting you your parent's are desperate to find you right now! We have a ransom on our heads!"
She sighed and smiled slightly at Simon.
"Me," she said.
"What?"
"Me," she repeated, "I have the ransom on my head. You can walk away, you'll be absolutely fine and safe yet your still here? Why? You know they'll kill you for kidnapping me or something."
"Why?" Simon repeated, face turning a tint of red. She nodded, apprehending the answer. She wasn't sure what the outcome would be but she hoped that he might feel the same way. It felt sudden but it felt….right?
"Because…..because….I like you," he admitted, "and if something were to happen then I'd feel guilty so I'm here and I'm telling you to not trust Meliorn."
"Okay. We'll leave." She relented and packed her bags before kissing Simon on the cheek.
"Well….we're pretty much stumped." Jace admitted, flopping down onto a tree stump, in light of his joke.
"No we're not!" Clary argued, pacing up and down the dirt track. "All we need to do is get to Stutgar"
"And then what? We magically find some rebel people, they won't even recognise us through the disguises."
"Hey! We are not having pessimistic thoughts Jace! I'm going to find my mother and it will all be fine."
He sighed, whilst Clary was right he didn't want to think about the long trek, they didn't even have horses!
A cart trundled down the path, causing the pair to scurry out of the way. Clary's heart suddenly lightened as she caught sight of the pair seated inside the plain carriage.
"Tessa! Jem!" she called, waving her hands erratically. The passengers squinted for a minute trying to work out who the strangers were before they called out to the driver and the cart was pulled to a stop. Clary rushed forward to greet her friends. The Angel was on their side after all.
"Clary!" Tessa exclaimed, thrilled at finding them, "We were just on our way to find you! An old friend told us to bring you this."
She brought out an old painting of the cup, confusion written on her face.
"I don't know why, he just said it was important. Do you know a Magnus Bane?"
"Oh Magnus!" Clary cried, "Always one step ahead. You were right to give us this, although I fear we would have been better off to keep it where it was…"
"May I advise that you enter the carriage?" a voice drifted over from the driver. Jace's head snapped from where he had been observing the exchange to fall his gaze upon his best friend- and most annoying cousin.
"William!" he called out gleefully, enjoying the eye roll that proceeded. Will would know the idiot no matter would his hair and eye colour was.
"Just get in, idiots. I can get you to Stutgar much faster. That is where you're going?"
"Yes!" Clary exclaimed, clambering next to Jem. Jace reluctantly followed.
"Will, what are you doing here?" Jace asked, grateful but sceptical.
"What kind of advisor would I be if I did not advise?" he answered, tipping his hat and starting the carriage. "Also, the King was pretty angry so I kinda didn't want to stick around."
"Where exactly are we going?" Simon asked Isabelle, anxious at the foreign surroundings. He was hushed quickly by Izzy, who had spotted a demon up ahead. She was only a few streets away from home but demons were scattered like rats. It took a quick, swift throw of the knife to dispatch it, before they were hurrying once more down sunlit cobblestones.
She was apprehensive when she finally made it to her house, being so close to the castle and the air seemed odd.
Her letter to Alec had not been returned.
The door creaked open ominously, making way to a ransacked house. Beds overturned and furniture in disarray, they let out a gasp.
"What happened?" Simon whispered. Izzy shrugged and a letter blew past her foot which she bent down to read. Her eyes widened and Simon craned his neck to read the words on the parchment.
They have been searching each house. We have escaped to Stutgar, where the Warlock told us to go. Get out of here. A.
Izzy let out a breath, as if she had been holding it since she entered the room and crumpled the letter up.
"How do we know they didn't find the letter whilst they searched?" Simon asked.
"We just have to hope."
"Stutgar better be the best place I have ever been to," Jace commented, letting his head rest against Clary's – which was on his shoulder. It seemed as if they had been travelling for days.
"Yeah…." Clary mumbled, teetering on the edge of sleep. Jace kissed her forehead.
"Jace!" Will whispered harshly.
"Yeah?" he answered, softly, trying not to wake Clary further.
"We have a problem. Well, ah, basically there are guards up ahead, I think they'll search the carriage for certain royals."
Jace cursed and nudged Clary whose eyes snapped open wearily.
"We need you to disguise Will." He murmured. Clary sighed but clambered over to Will.
"Can you make me ginger?" Will asked, smirk plastered on his face. Despite possible danger, "I've always wanted to be ginger."
"Sure." Clary replied, secretly wanting to give him green hair. That would suit his ego best. She glanced towards the guards and her breath caught, suddenly even more aware of the danger. She hurriedly drew the rune and shrank back next to Jace, who squeezed her hand comfortingly as they trundled forward once more towards the guards.
"Stop." They called as the carriage was close, Will obeyed and tipped his hand towards them.
"What seems to be the problem?" Will replied, grateful that his German was fluent. Of course, it had to be, any noble must be multi-lingual. Although they mostly spoke English amongst themselves, even Clary.
"We're searching for missing people." They answered, surveying the open carriage and its passengers. They seemed ordinary enough, although one or two seemed uneasy about the situation.
"Have you by any chance seen Princess Clarissa or perhaps Queen Jocelyn?" the guard asked, deciding the ginger driver was un-extraordinary.
"I'm afraid not, I do so wish to meet a royal." Will exclaimed, flashing them his best smile. The guard grunted but let them pass, unknowingly leading the royals to exactly where they want to be.
"May I burrow two horses, Liam?" Izzy asked, sounding as flirtatious as possible to the naïve stable boy. The boy looked shocked and nervous that a beautiful young lady was talking to him.
"Only we have a very, very long journey and my poor mother is sick. My brother and I don't have the money-"
"Take them!" Liam said irrationally. "I'll give you them half off."
"Only half?" Izzy asked, fluttering her eyelids. Simon fought his raging jealously.
"Quarter then?" Liam amended, not having the heart to turn such a lady away.
"Thanks Liam." Izzy said with a kiss to his cheek. He blushed the whole time he saddled the horses and Izzy smiled to herself, thinking of the naivety of men. They mounted the horses and Izzy left with a grateful wave, speeding towards the village where the rebellion was brewing.
"Welcome to Stutgar." Will exclaimed, gesturing towards the small village surrounded by acres of forestry.
"Wow." Jace said, sarcastically, "I imagined something a little more impressive."
"It's probably in the woods." Clary suggested, "I mean, if we're talking about werewolves where else would they be?"
"Smart thinking, my little one." Will said, ruffling her already ruffled hair.
"Do you wish for us to accompany you?" Jem asked, ever so politely. "I know my wife and I do not belong in such places."
"I'm sure they'll be grateful for any help they can get." Clary reassured them, "Besides you travelled all the way here. What have you done about the tavern by the way?"
"Left it to the boys," Tessa explained, "They're old enough to run it now. Besides the Warlock said this was most important."
"Thank you." Clary said, expressing all her gratitude to her friends.
"Okay, this is cute and all," Will said, "but we have Downworlders to find."
"Will, are you sure this is the way?" Clary asked, clambering over a fallen tree.
"Absolutely positive." He answered.
"I think it was that way," Jace said, pointing towards another direction. His disguise rune had faded and his hair was back to his bright blonde sheen, which Clary found much more attractive then his brown hair.
"Mmm…no." Will replied, relentlessly trudging in his direction.
"Guys, I-" Clary started but the sound of rustling stopped her mid sentence. They turned to look in all directions as the shuffling became louder and growling filled the air and soon they were being surrounded by gigantic wolves. Jace gulped.
"Are they friendly?" Jem asked, glancing nervously at the beasts. He was a mere mundane.
"They look friendlier then ducks, so I think we're good." Will answered, eying up the wolves and deciding how quick he could run.
A booming growl echoed through the largest one, sending a ripple of power through the trespassers, who each took a step back. The large wolf, who seemed worthy of the Alpha title slowly padded forward towards Clary. Jace instantly moved in front of her and pushed her backwards, staring down the beast. It tilted its massive head before slowly shifting back until there was only a man standing in front of them.
"Luke?"
Review? ;) Also Shadowhunters is gonna be AWESOME.
