"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." – Nelson Mandela

Chapter 12

Chattering chaos erupted in the Accords Hall once Robert had read out the declaration of war from the Seelie Queen. The children present were quickly marshalled together by Jocelyn and Maryse and sent directly to the Penhallow residence where Max and Valentina already were with Aline Penhallow and Sebastian Verlac.

"You are to stay here until we have finished at the Accords Hall," Jocelyn said firmly.

"The same goes for all of you," Maryse added to her children. "We will be there until we decide how to address what the Seelie Queen has sent to us."

With that Maryse and Jocelyn had left and made quickly for the Accords Hall, where all those who had already been present to attend to the matter of Simon had now turned their attention to the much more pressing matter of the impending faerie uprising.

"Why do we always miss out on the fun stuff," Isabelle grumbled.

"Why aren't I eighteen yet?" Alec added with a groan.

Clary and Jonathan were both feeling rather tumultuous over their part in the Seelie Queen's note. They had walked side-by-side to the Penhallows in silence, largely ignoring Simon. As soon as Jocelyn left Clary made a beeline for her little sister and scooped her into her arms and buried her face in the child's neck.

"'Lary," Valentina trilled, tugging at her sister's hair.

Clary choked out a little laugh and tried to disentangle her hair from her sister's hands.

"Let go of my hair, you monkey," she said in pained amusement.

Valentina gave a squeal but was too delighted with her game to give up Clary's red curls.

Clary suddenly found the weight of Valentina being lifted off her and the pulling at her head ceased. Jace was standing there, holding Valentina, looking at amusement at the toddler.

"Who you?" Val asked, her little lips in a pout, annoyed at the strange boy who had ruined her game.

"That's Jace, he's my friend," Clary told Val. "And I'm very glad he rescued me from your fists of steel, you imp."

Val gave her older sister a toothy grin, and then squirmed in Jace's arms, indicating she wanted to get down.

"Do you want to get down?" Jace asked the little girl innocently.

"Yes," Valentina said firmly.

"Say please," Jace insisted, holding tightly onto her.

Val looked defiantly at him, as only a two year old can, and said nothing, and kept squirming.

Jace met her defiant look with an equally firm one until Val gave in and said, "Pwease get down."

Jace let out a chuckle and set her down, and she promptly ran off to where Jonathan was talking with Aline and Alec.

"She's got a will of her own," he said to Clary in amusement.

"It's the Fairchild blood, we're a rather stubborn lot," Clary said ruefully.

"Jace, I left my toy solider at home!" a small boy with black hair, presumably Max Lightwood exclaimed, running over to Jace.

"It'll be waiting for you when we get back, Max," Jace told him, ruffling his hair. "Have you met Clary?"

"Hi Clary," Max said, turning to her. "You brought that boy through the Portal! My dad was pretty upset with you."

Jace chuckled and Clary said, "That's right, and his name is Simon, he's just over there."

Max took a quick look to where Simon was with Isabelle and Sebastian and shrugged.

"Can I see your sword? Isabelle and Jace were talking about it and I really want to see it," Max asked, spotting it sheathed at Clary's hip.

Clary was about to oblige him when Jace said, "Maybe another time Max. I need to speak with Clary. Could you keep an eye on Val for us? It would be a big help."

Max looked temporarily disappointed, but quickly cheered up and agreed, happy to be helping Jace with something.

"He seems like a nice kid," Clary commented with a smile.

"He is, even if he does spend a bit too much time following me around," Jace said ruefully.

Clary gave a distant smile, her mind suddenly wandering.

"Are you okay?" Jace asked softly, looking at her in concern.

"Oh, just fine," Clary said sarcastically. "The Seelie Queen will wage war on us if Jonathan and I aren't turned over to her, and I don't even know why she wants us."

"You know the Clave won't let that happen," Jace said reassuringly. "I won't let that happen, I promise."

Clary smiled gratefully at him.

"Now that we've got that covered, what were you thinking asking to change the decision that had been made about the mundane?" Jace asked in annoyance.

Clary looked across the room to where Simon was standing with Isabelle, apparently talking to her, and said, "I knew that was probably going to be the decision, and I didn't want that for Simon, and he didn't want that either. I've got to know him, and he's a nice guy. I don't make friends easily, and I made friends with him. It seems such a waste to let him go back to the life he had before, now that we're friends, and that he knows about our world. Plus, he's coped with the whole thing rather well."

"You're just lucky Isabelle backed you up, and that you played the Valentine card," Jace said wry acceptance. "If anyone else had asked they would have been laughed at the room and sent to a Silent Brother to have their head examined."

"I was counting on using whatever favour they have for me," Clary agreed. "But that all seems to pale in significance to what is happening now. So, I guess on the plus side, at least no one is likely to give me a hard time about interfering with Simon's case because the Seelie Queen has all but placed a bounty on my head."

Jace nodded understandingly. "I'm sure once this is all over I can arrange for some people to give you a hard time, if you'd like."

Clary shot him withering glance.

Across the room where Isabelle and Simon were, Isabelle was trying to explain to him what the outcome of the Seelie Queen's note could mean.

"For a long time we've had a peace treaty of sorts with the Downworlders," Isabelle explained. "They're called the Accords, and they're renewed and signed again every 15 years. They were renewed just earlier this year. There was no sign that anyone knew of to indicate that the faeries were so disgruntled. Still, the faeries have existed for a long time, longer than we have, so I suppose there could be any number of things they resent us for. Plus, they're part demon as well as part angel, so they're very cunning as well as very beautiful."

"Why would they want Clary and Jonathan?" Simon asked curiously, pushing his glasses back up his nose a little as they'd slipped down a bit.

"No idea," Isabelle said frankly. "They're sure going to forget about what to do about you for the time being though. A Downworlder race, especially the faeries, declaring an intention of war, and wanting two children from one of the most respected and important families is a very serious thing."

"Why did you back Clary up?" Simon asked suddenly. "It's not like you like me."

"I don't know you, why would you think I don't like you?" Isabelle asked.

"Well, I wouldn't treat someone the way you treated me in that club unless I didn't like them. Or maybe if I wasn't a very nice person, but you seem nice enough now, and Clary is nice, and she likes you," Simon rambled.

"It's complicated, I'm complicated," Isabelle said slowly. "If I had known the trouble it would cause for you I never would have done it, and I am sorry about that. That's why I decided to support Clary, I felt like I owed you."

"Well, thanks," Simon said with a small smile, which Isabelle returned.

"Look at that, I think Isabelle is being nice to the mundane," Jace commented to Clary with interest. "How strange."

"Simon," Clary automatically corrected. "And leave them alone. If Isabelle wants to be nice, let her. I noticed her give Meliorn a look as he left the Accords Hall after delivering the note. Do you know what that was about?"

"Isabelle and Meliorn had a fling, while he was here earlier in the year for the Accords renewal," Jace explained. "It was just another one of her attempts to get Robert and Maryse's attention, basically to annoy them. It's not exactly mature, but it's her current tactic. Acting out in the hope of getting a reaction."

"Huh," Clary murmured, thoroughly intrigued by Jace's explanation.

Suddenly there was a shrill whistle and the three separate conversations in the room ceased.

Jace and Clary looked to where the whistle had come from, where Alec, Jonathan, Aline and Sebastian were standing.

"What?" Jace asked demandingly.

"Sorry to interrupt your flirting session with my sister," Jonathan said sarcastically. "But we were thinking it might be time to stop the mindless chatting and put our heads together to figure out what we can do to make sure Clary and I aren't handed over to the Seelie Queen. We need to be prepared for whatever the Council decides, whether that's war, or avoiding a suicide mission."

The occupants of the room quickly drew together, sitting on the various couches in the room, Val snuggled up next to Aline on a couch, Max sitting by, still keeping a watchful eye on her, faithful to his promise to Jace.

"Jon, we could just turn ourselves in," Clary suggested.

"Turn ourselves in? We haven't done anything wrong, and we don't even know why she wants us," Jonathan protested. "It's no good in being noble when it actually won't help our side, Clary."

"He's right, so stop trying to hand save us all, Clary," Jace added firmly.

"But what about us going as a decoy, or as a trap for the Seelie Queen or something," Clary pressed.

"Just no, Clary, we need to think of something else, no one is going to support you on this," Isabelle said in frustration.

"What do you suggest then?" Clary asked. "Alec, you're very silent. Aline, Sebastian?"

"I think this is between you guys, you're more involved, and it's about you," Aline protested.

"Your mom is the Consul, you should have some insight," Isabelle protested. "We just need to talk it all out, no idea is too stupid."

"Except for anything Sebastian says," Jace muttered.

"I think I'll take a walk," Sebastian decided, standing. "You guys will probably be more productive, and all I have to contribute are several creative ways to kill Herondale."

Jace looked amused by this and gave Sebastian's back a jaunty wave as the dark haired boy left.

"So, you all think there's no point in considering Jon and me turning ourselves in. What do you think they will do? Just sit around and wait for a war?" Clary asked bitingly.

"Clary, the Clave can't and won't bow down to what the faeries want," Alec said exasperatedly. "If they give the Seelie Queen what she wants, including handing you and Jonathan over on a platter, she will have as good as won already. It's the principle of the matter. We don't give up without a fight, and she knows that. If you handed yourselves over she'll practically have won already."

"Alec's right," Aline agreed softly. "We all know that. What they'll be trying to do now is to find out if there's a way to find out what grievances the faeries have with us before the 48 hours are up. If we can find that out, then we might be able to reason with them."

"I'm more bothered by what the end of that note said," Jace said thoughtfully. "'Our numbers and allies are far greater and more powerful than you could imagine.' The Fair Folk can't lie, so there must be truth to those words. The Seelie Queen is trying to intimidate us by letting us know that she has more than just the fae on her side. We need to know who is prepared to support her, and who is prepared to support us, and if we can get any of her allies to switch to our side."

"The Accords are going to be ripped to shreds," Isabelle moaned. "They must have been planning this for some time, even before the Accords were signed this year, and Meliorn, that traitorous jerk didn't say anything!"

"The faeries can very cunningly work their way around what part of the truth they divulge," Alec commented. "It is concerning that it is they who are going to war against us. If it was the werewolves or the vampires it would be a rather hot headed, ill thought- out thing and we'd have little trouble overcoming them, but the faeries will have planned this out very well. They've probably been planning their revenge, for whatever they want, for a long time."

"But what does all of this actually mean?" Simon asked frustratedly. "When we start a campaign in Dudgeons and Dragons you need to know your enemy, assess what it is they're after, and find the best way to defeat them. So, summarise all that crap you just said and you should be able to work out what your leaders are going to do."

They all looked at Simon in an amusing state of impressed shock.

"The faeries, led by the Seelie Queen, and probably Meliorn, are the enemy. We don't know what their specific issue with us is, apart from imposing some control over what they do, through the Accords and our presence. Hopefully we'll be able to find out what their particular issue is," Jace began, categorically sorting through the key details, as suggested by Simon. "We don't know who has already pledged their support to the faeries, and we need to find that out, probably through some of our reliable Downworlder connections. That should be the first step, as well as trying to gain support from anyone who will side with us. If all of Downworld sides with us, it should be easy to contain the fae, but if they go with the Seelie Queen, we could be facing a Downworlder uprising."

"Jonathan and Clary will probably need to be protected," Isabelle added. "The Seelie Queen wants them, and if we're not handing them over, then we need to make sure she can't take them."

"What now? Are you going to head to the Accords Hall to check that they agree with us?" Clary asked pointedly. "It's all well and good to have worked out what should be done, but we're not in charge."

"It's what we're trained to do, it's supposed to help prepare us for when they tell us what's going to be done," Alec said impatiently. "If we don't agree with what their plans are we have the option of explaining our thoughts too. It's just good planning, and good practice."

"Well, I guess it all makes sense to me, except that we don't know why the Seelie Queen wants Jon and me, which seems a pretty important factor," Clary said stubbornly. "I also don't see how we'll find out what their supposed grievances are unless we agree to their terms of peaceful meetings, which involves handing me and Jon over."

"That's not our problem to figure out, and it's especially not yours," Jace said firmly. "We've got Magnus Bane here with us now, which is a bonus. He should have some connections he should be able to access quickly, so hopefully the Council knows more already, more than we know now at least."

Clary heaved a great sigh and stifled a frustrated groan. "I can't sit here talking round and round in circles anymore. Val's half asleep next to Aline. I'm going to take her upstairs for a nap. You all sit here at your table of war and solve everything."

Clary stood and gently scooped her little sister into her arms, her small frame feeling quite weighted down by the deadweight of the sleeping two year old. Her runes of strength and endurance allowed her to easily manage to carry her easily up stairs though, and she quickly found the spare room which Val had used the day before for her nap.

After she'd covered the little girl up she placed a loving kiss to her forehead, and smoothed back the wild, red curls.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, giving her a regretful look. "I'll be back, I promise."

Clary quickly checked herself over, she was wearing Gear, she had her stele, witchlight and Heosphoros. She had everything she could foresee she could need, and even if she hadn't, it would have to do.

The room Clary had just settled Val into was on the second floor and Clary went to the window to determine whether or not she could leave by it. She wasn't leaving through the front door, because then the others downstairs would ask questions and then in all likelihood intervene. Clary quickly added a rune to her skin for stealth, opened the window, jumped up onto the sill, and then swung herself out, holding onto the vine on the outside of the house.

She was on the ground in a matter of seconds and quickly and quietly making her way towards the presumably deserted Gard, thanks to all adult Shadowhunters in Alicante currently being in the Accords Hall.

About fifty yards from her destination Jace yelled, "Clary! I can't believe you're actually trying to sneak off."

"Well, it almost worked," Clary said obstinately, continuing to head for the Gard. "And you're the only one trying to stop me, so I've still got a chance."

Jace stepped into a run and caught Clary as she entered the Gard.

"Why are you so stubborn?" he asked her in frustration. "Why do you think you have to do this?"

"Because I have to do something!" Clary exclaimed. "They'll lock me away 'for my protection' if I stay here. I won't even be able to fight, let alone be allowed to try to prevent the Seelie Queen from waging war. My life is only one life, and it's not like I'm walking straight into my death, I just want to try to find out what she wants so we can put a stop to it."

"You're determined, aren't you?" Jace asked in resignation. He was very frustrated by Clary, he only wanted to protect her, but part of him was impressed with her independence and her persistence to sacrifice herself for the greater good. "If you have to go, I'm coming with you."

"I didn't see that coming," Clary said sarcastically, pleased all the same. "At least this way I won't be alone, but Jonathan won't be with me either, so for starters we'll hopefully be throwing the Seelie Queen off by only me coming."

They were almost at the Portal when Jace put a hand on Clary's arm, quickly pulled her to him, planted a firm kiss to her lips and said, "You are completely and utterly frustrating."

Clary couldn't help but smile at him and said, "Thank you."

"To the New York Institute?" Jace asked, as they stood in front of the portal.

"Yes," Clary agreed, and they stepped through together, their destination in mind.


AN: Thanks for reading! And we're headed back to New York, with our favourite risk taking pair :)

Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favourited, I continue to appreciate the support :) Hope everyone has been having a great weekend!

Please review, I absolutely love hearing what you all think :) 500 word preview of the next chapter if you review, as normal.