Author's Note: It has been a long time since I have updated this story. I am currently in the process of updating, rewriting, and fine tuning each chapter. The goal is to release a new chapter at least once every week. Bella's age is now 8. I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Prologue: The Beginning of It All
September 20, 1908
Three things made that day stand out more than all of the days I have been alive: 1) firstly it was a very special day, my eighth birthday, 2) secondly, on that day I realized what I truly was, and 3) my mother, a woman who was supposed to love me unconditionally, brandishing a seraph blade aimed at my heart. Seraph blades were dangerous and had the ability to kill Downworlders, demons, and even mundanes. I knew this because after every one of my Shadowhunter training sessions, Mother used to sit me on her lap as she polished each of her beloved blades. She would tell me the use of each weapon and its history as I sat there.
When I first begun to live with Magnus, I thought about that day often. I wondered how she had come to the realization of what I was and how had she come to hate me, her daughter, so strongly in a matter of seconds. Whenever I voiced these worries to Magnus, he always said something along the lines of "You are a very special little girl, Isabella. Humans, even Shadowhunters, are often frightened by something that is different or greater than themselves." Magnus was a good friend of my father and he was present at my birthday party.
In those first eight years, I lived with Mother and Father in a small, stone cottage by the River Vartry in Wicklow County, Ireland. When I was born, Mother hired a live-in nanny for me since she was a Shadowhunter and a member of the Clave. Father, a member of the gentry, was the senior advisor to the Seelie Queen so he could not care for me as often as he liked. However on the eve of my eighth birthday, the nanny fell sick with typhus and was sent away. My mother was now in charge of me.
Honestly, I didn't even want a party. Even at eight, I shied away from people, preferring the company of books, music, and long adventures throughout the countryside. The guests that were invited to the party were my parents' friends and their children. The birthday party itself was very enjoyable. Magnus made lights appear out of thin air and forced the lights turn into shapes. Mother narrowed her eyes at this but I thought it was just because she didn't like the noise. Looking back on it now, maybe it was because she did not like warlocks. After the entertainment and present-opening, Father decided that it was time for cake. Mother disappeared into the kitchen, no doubt to supervise the cutting of the cake. After 15 minutes, I began to grow increasingly worried. Surely it doesn't take that long to cut a cake. With this thought in my mind, I headed to the kitchen while stroking my cat, Kirby.
On the middle of the counter sat a massive vanilla cake. Mother was standing with her back to me, supervising the maid as she cut the cake.
"Mother, the guests are getting restless," I stated, "Do you need help?"
"No, baby. Margaret is about to-" Mother turned around to face me and suddenly, her pale face got even paler.
"Are you okay, Mother?" I took a small step forward and held out Kirby, "Do you want to hold Kirby to make you feel better?"
"You are not my daughter! What have you done with my Isa," Mother exclaimed. In Mother's hazel eyes, I saw fear, anger, and disgust. Perhaps this is what made me take a step back from her. In a flash, Mother whipped out her seraph blade and spoke its name, Azriel. Azriel was Mother's sharpest, most dangerous blade. And now, Azriel was pointed towards my heart. I should've have ran for safety or at least screamed, but I stood frozen in disbelief.
"Monster! Abomination of my flesh," Mother screamed and then she lunged for me. The force knocked the wind of out my chest. My head hit the wall and I heard a sharp, ringing in my ears. Mother raised the blade and brought it down. It tore through my dress and cut my stomach. I howled with pain as blood splattered over my dress and shoes.
"Sibby! What are you doing," Father yelled, running into the kitchen. Father stood, horrified, in the kitchen's doorway. "Get off of Isa! She's our daughter not a demon. Have you lost your mind?!"
"She's not our daughter! She's a demon spawn," Mother wailed at Father and raised the blade again. Father yanked Mother off of me and Mother struggled in his arms. "Spiorad olc! Ollphéist*!" Magnus came running into the kitchen with his friends Catarina Loss and Ragnor Fell.
"Isabella! Magnus take her! Isa-" Father yelled. I didn't hear the last of what Father said because everything went black.
When I woke up, I was in a large and comfortable bed. The butter yellow dress Mother had dressed me in for the party was replaced with a long, snow-white nightgown. Where was I? This certainly was not my room. My room had a baby grand piano, a window that overlooked the River Vartry, and dozens and dozens of books. This room held a bed, a wardrobe, and had little decorations. I got up out of bed, shivering, as my bare feet touched the cold floor. I walked over to the wardrobe in search of a mirror. I was curious about what the cut would look like and I knew that Mother had a large, rectangular shaped mirror in her closet. When I opened the wardrobe door, I screamed. On my back were small, white wings.
A/N: And that concludes the prologue! I hope you enjoyed it!
Spiorad olc - evil spirit
Ollphéist - monster