"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living." – Dr Seuss
Chapter 25
Blade against blade, an arrow on the string, zinging into a target, the sound of bodies twirling and swishing through the air. These sounds are heard day in and day out when the Academy in Alicante is in session. There are also young voices involved in class discussions about history, demons, runes, politics and languages.
Jace and Clary were receiving particular focus upon the young Nephilim returning to training together at the Academy. Jace was watched, even more than before, when it came time for him to be involved in a physical element in training. Clary had younger Shadowhunters hovering near her when it came time to study runes, hoping to pick up some tips from her, or that some of her special talents would rub off on them.
"Will you write your own rune book and develop more runes?" a young blond Shadowhunter boy asked her eagerly one day during the first week back at the Academy.
"Um, I don't know," Clary replied, caught off guard. "I guess I'll need to ask someone about that."
Clary had momentarily forgotten the impact her gift would have on her, and the responsibility she had to it. She assumed once the Clave had finished it's involvement with the Council in the Faerie Trial that she and Jace would come into focus and their abilities would be explored. They would, in all likelihood, want to see what runes she could develop, and to what purpose. She herself was quite intrigued at the possibilities. Then there was the matter of what to do with what she created, and how to share it. The little boy's suggestion of a book was probably the best option. Her runes couldn't be added to The Gray Book, but she doubted she'd create enough runes to fill a new book. Maybe a leaflet of sorts could be made, for teaching purposes. The more Clary thought about it, the more it sounded like an alarming amount of responsibility.
Clary voiced this worry to Jonathan on their ride back from Alicante on the Thursday of their first week back at the Academy.
"Don't worry about it for now," Jon said calmly. "Like you said, they're busy with the Faerie Trial at the moment, so you're not their priority. You've got a gift, so it makes sense to develop, but it's up to you. Draw in your sketch book, write down ideas that come to you, but don't stress about it."
"When you put it like that, it seems less daunting," Clary said gratefully. "I saw you and Alec talking to Edward towards the end of the lunch break today? Were you suggesting another New York trip?"
"We were," Jon allowed with a smile. "Edward actually was already talking to Alec when I joined them. Alec's been 18 for a day and they already want to move him into a teaching role, while he waits for Jace to finish at the Academy."
"Of course," Clary said quickly. "But what did Edward think of another trip?"
"Well, we put it to him like this. We said we thought it would be good experience for us to try spending a few days demon hunting in New York again, seeing as the last time didn't go as planned. Now that the faerie threat is over it should be a straightforward trip, and we're more prepared now for anything we might come up against," Jon explained. "Edward seemed to think it was quite a good idea. He told us to run it by our parents, and if they don't mind, we can probably go not next week, but the week after."
"Nicely played," Clary said with a grin. "All that's left is Mom and Luke then, and the Inquisitor. I don't envy Alec that task. His parents are such imposing figures."
"And one day they'll be your in-laws," Jon teased. "Good luck with that."
"Oh goodness. I suppose they might be," Clary replied, momentarily disturbed.
"Might? You're going to marry Jace. There are few things I'm sure of, but they are these. One, the sun will rise in the east and set in the west. Two, I will fight demons until I can't anymore, and three, that Jace loves you more than anything, and you love him more than anything as well," Jonathan said confidently.
"That is true," Clary allowed with a smile. "I just hadn't exactly thought of marriage yet. I'm sixteen. I guess I could be married any time from now on, but it's not something I'd been thinking of just yet. Maybe a couple of years down the line. We shall see."
They stabled their horses, including grooming them and putting their tack away, before heading for the house.
"I'm going to spend some time with Val while you talk to Mom about New York. She can talk to Luke when he gets home tonight," Clary instructed. "Tread carefully with Mom, she's probably going to be the hardest one to convince. Use that natural charm."
"I know how to speak to her," Jon said dismissively. "Just you stay out of the way. The only reason this could not work is if you two have one of your big clashes."
Clary left Jonathan to his task and found Valentina and began building a fortress with her out of building blocks. Val was more interested in demolishing Clary's structures, while Clary tried to make a mock battle field, using the wooden soldiers that came with the blocks to defend the fortress.
Clary didn't see Jonathan until dinner, and with Luke and their mom with them at the table see didn't have a change to find out how his discussion had gone with Jocelyn.
"How is the trial progressing?" Jonathan asked Luke as they ate.
"Slowly, but I think we're drawing closer to being able to decide on a sentence. We spent the first few days questioning the faeries who answered the summons we sent. The Seelie Queen naturally refused to come and is hiding deep underground in the Seelie Court, but Meliorn at least came and answered a lot of questions that were put before him," Luke responded. "It's took the first few days to put the whole picture together, how long this was planned for, exactly what the reasoning behind their attack was and whether or not they will definitely give up their vendetta."
"They might promise not to act on their vendetta, and take whatever sentence you hand down, but I doubt they'll ever forget their vendetta," Jocelyn commented seriously. "The fae are older than any other living creature, they live for an unimaginably long time. They are cunning and they are menacingly patient. It might be next decade, or it might be next century, but they will have their vengeance, or they will at least try again, and they will be even more resentful of us because we will have continued our oppression of them."
"But surely you can't mean that you think the faeries should get away with what they've done?" Clary asked Jocelyn, shocked.
"No, of course not. I was just trying to explain that this situation won't just end with this trial. There's nothing we can do to change what has happened in the years prior to this, and the oppression that the faeries have felt," Jocelyn replied. "And on one level perhaps we have treated them with disrespect, but on the other hand, they did not show a respect for human live and part of our responsibilities as Shadowhunters is to protect humans. The faeries are resentful and rebellious because they do not want to live within the laws that have been set for them."
"Which is why this process of deciding what consequence to meet out is so difficult," Luke affirmed.
"How can you be sure they will accept their punishment?" Jon asked.
"We can't, but their defeat is fresh in their minds, and they know we have the strength to beat them into submission if necessary," Luke answered. "Plus, as far as we can tell, they're somewhat intimidated by Clary."
"Oh great," Clary muttered. "It's like I'm a new, highly dangerous weapon."
"You'll always be our daughter," Jocelyn said protectively. "Luke and I have been meaning to prepare you for the fact that once this trial is over the Clave will want to meet with you to discuss the potential your gift has. Luke and I will be with you, and we will make sure you're not turned into a weapon."
"Thanks Mom," Clary replied. "Hopefully they'll at least leave me alone long enough for me to get used to what I can do."
They finished eating dinner, with Clary and Jon volunteering to clean up afterwards, hoping that Jocelyn would talk to Luke about New York.
"How did you go?" Clary asked Jon, not being able to hear what was being said in the next room.
"Well, I don't think she was too keen on the idea, but she didn't say no, just that she'd talk to Luke about it," Jon replied. "If anyone can convince her, it will be him."
"She's been kind of protective since Aunt Madeleine died," Clary mused.
"And since you ran off to the Seelie Queen, and since you got a boyfriend, and since you both have amazing abilities from extra Angel blood," Jonathan added dryly.
"Well, that too," Clary agreed sheepishly.
"I think they should go, Amatis will be there, Alec is 18 now, and they know Magnus Bane too," Luke told Jocelyn in the next room. "You've never had a problem with them being sent out before."
"My daughter wasn't targeted by the Seelie Queen to the point of war before," Jocelyn pointed out tersely.
"Jocelyn, you know that was an extreme circumstance. It's over now. The best thing for them is to return to normal as soon as possible. They're trained for this, and the need to continue training," Luke reasoned.
"I know," Jocelyn said tiredly. "Clary just seems to attract danger like a magnet these days. Or maybe it's Jace that does, which is pretty much the same thing as they're attached at the hip."
"That is true," Luke agreed, his eyes narrowing slightly. "How about I go with them? Just for the first day. I'll spend a little time with Amatis, keep an eye on them, and maybe even check in with Magnus."
"That sounds okay," Jocelyn agreed reluctantly. "And you can make sure Amatis knows what she needs to be on the look out for."
"She knows how to train young Shadowhunters," Luke replied, eyes crinkled in amusement.
"But she's not used to making sure her teenage niece isn't alone with her boyfriend for too long," Jocelyn countered.
"On the one hand I would very much like to interfere and ensure Amatis will keep an eye on Clary and Jace twenty-four seven," Luke said, his tone grim. "But on the other hand we need to remember that she's their teacher, not their chaperone. The point of these assignments is to prepare them for being alone, or at least independent as Shadowhunters, and we can't baby them, even regarding their personal lives. We have rules for them, and we have to trust they'll follow them and face the consequences if they don't."
Jocelyn sighed and said, "Is there any way we can keep Valentina this age forever? I don't want to go through this with her too."
"No, no way," Luke said a little forlornly. "At least we'll have our experience from Clary to go off."
Jocelyn gave a little smile and said, "Well, I'll tell them that we'll let Edward know we're in favour of another trip to New York, the week after next."
"And I'll put Val to bed," Luke replied. "I'm missing my baby girl, this trial is very time consuming. I think I'll take a little break once this is all taken care of. Maybe we'll go on a trip, and visit the Paris Institute."
"That sounds like a breath of fresh air," Jocelyn said with a gentle smile as they parted ways, she to find Clary and Jonathan, and he to collect Valentina.
Jocelyn found Clary in her room sitting on her bed, legs crossed, sketch pad in lap, staring into space, lost in thought.
"Clary," Jocelyn said quietly. "What are you thinking?"
Clary started and turned to look at her mother.
"I'm not so much thinking as feeling," Clary replied. "I'm trying to turn feelings into runes, or at least imagine what certain feelings look like."
"That sounds interesting," Jocelyn said, perching on the edge of the bed. "Like what?"
"Well, say honesty," Clary mused. "I know we have the Mortal Sword to force people to tell the truth, but I thought a rune that did the same thing might be simpler, and less serious. You could save the Mortal Sword for really serious things, and use the rune for more minor incidents."
"It's an interesting thought," Jocelyn agreed. "But I would worry what a rune like that could do in the wrong hands. It could easily be used as a weapon or punishment."
"That's true," Clary agreed. "Oh, I don't want to think about this anymore. It's too much of a burden."
"So don't," Jocelyn said simply. "Concentrate on being you, without your Angel powers. Don't stress about runes, sketch what you want to. I think runes will come to you when you least expect it. Wait to be inspired, don't force it."
"I have no problem with that," Clary said with a faint smile. "You were coming to see me. What's up?"
"We've decided to let Edward know that we're supportive of you going to New York, the beginning of the week after next," Jocelyn shared, watching Clary's face brighten. "Luke will probably spend a day there as well as he wants to see Amatis."
"And you both want to keep an eye on us," Clary said with an eye roll. "It's fine Mom, whatever you need to help you sleep."
"Thanks for the stamp of approval," Jocelyn said dryly. "I know things aren't exactly normal at the moment, but I'm doing my best to adjust to whatever the new normal is, okay?"
"I think we're all trying to do that too," Clary said softly. "We all just do it in different ways. Thanks Mom. I think I'll read for a little while before bed. I'll say goodnight a before I get into bed."
Jocelyn left and Clary walked over to her bookshelves and after a perusing them picked up The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Jocelyn had read all of the Narnia books to Jonathan and her when they were younger, and Clary still liked to revisit her favourite volumes every now and again.
After some time she grew sleepy, so she changed into a pair of pyjamas, then went and kissed Luke and Jocelyn goodnight before crawling into her bed. The next day was Friday, which meant another day at the Academy, but at least the weekend was only a day away. Plus the fact that they'd be going to New York again, and soon, was an extra pick-me-up. There trip would hopefully be a lot smoother than the last time, they'd gain some good experience and get to see Simon. Maybe she and Isabelle might even have a change to talk to him about Ascension, but first they'd need to investigate it more. She'd have to talk to Isabelle the next day about looking into it first thing next week. She was glad to have Isabelle as an ally in the matter.
Isabelle was a good friend, a great Shadowhunter, and it was a bonus that she came from and old and powerful family with many connections. She liked Isabelle a lot, but she knew doubted they would ever be parabatai. They had joked about the possibility, and both seemed on the same wavelength. They were both too independent, too strong willed, to be ready to be parabatai. They hadn't been friends for long, and becoming parabatai was a huge commitment, and it would be need to be made within two years, before Clary was eighteen. No, they would just be good friends, and they would fight together, and that would be enough. Her thoughts returned to how to approach the matter of Ascension and they were the last thing in her mind before she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
AN: Thanks for reading, really appreciate all of you, especially those who take the time to review :) The next chapter will start off with them going to New York!
I know I said I had momentum, but that slipped away a little when only 3 people had anything to say about the last chapter. I know it seems petty, but it's important as a fanfic writer to hear what the readers think, so please, just consider that when you get to the end of a chapter. It doesn't have to be much, just whether you liked it or not, if there's something you want more of, or even a question.
So, please review! (I'm not above bribery, so I will give a 500 word preview of the next chapter if you review!)
Also, I start a new job this week, so I'll be a little busier, but I'll try to update again on Sunday. (So in a week.)