Shu opened the door to the apartment, slightly surprised to find that it was Alec. She'd sensed it was a Shadowhunter, and was prepared to defend Magnus should the need arise, but she hadn't really expected him.
"Alexander."
"Alec," He corrected.
"Sorry. Why are you here?"
"I need to see Magnus."
"Official or personal business?"
"Official."
She gave him a once over and sighed. "Fine. I'll summon him. Make him upset, and I kick you out, though not in the state you came in."
Magnus sighed heavily. "Tired of bickering over the guest list for your wedding?"
"I need to ask you something."
"Hm. Will it take long? I have a life to live and…there's not much for us to talk about."
"It's not about me. Or…any of that. It's about my sister."
"Oh, I see. Are you referring to the fact that your adorable fiancée has Isabelle on trial for treason?"
Magnus passed Shu a cocktail he'd made and then sat down in one of the chairs. Shu wasn't one to drink things, but she accepted the glass and took a sip.
"What can we do for you Alec?" Magnus asked.
"My sister wants you to be her defense attorney. I said I would ask. But I'm sorry to bother you. I know…a Downworlder can't defend a Shadowhunter in court."
"But a Shadowhunter accused of a crime can choose any advocate."
"That can't mean a Downworlder."
"The Clave was so rigid and prejudice back in what they called the 'Time of Angels,' that they didn't dream of a Shadowhunter asking a Downworlder for help," Shu explained. "They didn't even bother to exclude us."
"So, since, as you all say…" Magnus stood. "'The law is the law,' there's not stopping me from slipping through that gaping loophole." He smirked. "For the right price."
"Name it," Alec declared.
"You. In fact, I'll do you pro bono."
"Magnus…" Shu began. "Anything else?"
Magnus sighed. "What else is important to you? What else tells me that your sister means enough for you to make a real sacrifice." He smiled. "Oh. I know. Your bow and quiver. How about that?"
Alec hesitated, but sighed. "Done."
Magnus smiled and took a sip of his drink.
"Will I survive if I touch it?" Magnus asked.
"If you tell the truth," The Clave woman said.
"It's fine, Mags," Shu told him. "I won't let it kill you."
"Why do I have a feeling that you're saying that it's going to hurt?"
"Only if you lie."
He shrugged and grasped the hilt of the Mortal Sword, the gem at the butt of the sword glowing red at his touch.
"By the power of this sword, do you swear to defend you client with integrity and honesty?" The Silent Brother asked.
"No argument from me on that," Magnus said.
"Yes," Shu responded simply, as she and Magnus's soul bond required her to answer as well.
The Silent Brother bowed his head and Magnus quickly released the sword.
"Well that was easier than I thought it'd be."
"Well, even Downworlders have honesty, right? Besides, the sword-"
"Make your case, Warlock," The Clave woman ordered.
"My case is simple. It is true that Isabelle Lightwood acted against orders of the Clave by trying to free the Seelie Meliom. But she did not act against the interests of the Clave. Preventing the forced questioning and possible death of a Seelie may have saved the Accords."
"We're not here to speculate what might have happened if he defendant hadn't interfered."
"You mean what might have happened if she hadn't stopped the Silent Brothers from torturing a Seelie?"
The woman leaned back in exasperation. "I await a valid argument. Do you have one?"
"What you really want is the Mortal Cup. My client doesn't have it. Since the whole proceeding isn't about what it's really about, I move to have my case dismissed."
"You're out of order."
"No. This whole thing is out of order. It's not Isabelle's fault, it's the cup. Put the cup on trial!"
Magnus walked over to sit beside Isabelle once more.
"Things aren't always easy when the judge itself is biased against you."
"I never said I didn't understand your reasons for hating the Shadowhunters."
"I never said you did."
Lydia was up now, ready to interrogate the witness.
"You have led us to believe that you alone carried out this operation. But Clary Fairchild was seen near the City of Bones last night."
"Maybe she was out for a walk."
"And you expect us to believe that you distracted the guards, and escaped with the prisoner on your own?"
"Pretty slick, right?"
"I suggest you think about how slick it would be when Valentine uses the Mortal Cup to raise an army of rogue Shadowhunters," The Clave woman snapped.
"I don't want Valentine to succeed," Izzy assured them.
"Well that's the first sane thing I've heard from you."
"You know what's insane? Thinking we had the right to treat a Downworlder's life as worthless."
"Isabelle, I should warn you that everything you say here will be considered in the verdict," Lydia warned.
"Good." She stood and spoke loudly to the crowd of people. "Consider this. Valentine didn't come out of nowhere. We use our angel blood to justify everything we do, just like him. Like him, we forget that we are not only angels. We are part mundane. We can be afraid. And fear makes us cruel. And we turn our fear to Downworlders just as Valentine did. And just as he did…we will end up turning on each other."
"You think we're doing that to you?" The Clave woman asked.
Isabelle turned her head calmly. "You have to answer that for yourself…Madam Inquisitor."
"I'd like to call Lydia Branwell to the stand," Magnus said.
As if tensions couldn't possibly rise any higher.
"I don't see the relevance," The Clave woman said.
"Well that makes two of us. I don't see the relevance of this whole trial. Ms. Branwell? If you'll take the stand?"
Lydia stood and walked over to the chair and sat down.
"I just have one question. Why are you prosecuting this case?"
Lydia looked slightly panicked. She turned to the Clave Inquisitor, but she was interested in Lydia's reaction.
"Answer the question, Counselor."
Lydia looked down and took a deep breath. "Because…the law is hard, but…it is the law."
Magnus sighed, but Lydia continued.
"But that doesn't make it right. We're trying someone for being compassionate, thinking for herself. She saved a life that was being sacrificed…for nothing."
"That will be enough, Branwell," The Inquisitor said.
"No. It isn't. I'm looking out at the faces here. A brother and sister who disagree on everything, except for how much they love one another…and how loyal they are to each other. A man who took this case, pretending to want payment in rare objects but…who really believes that injustice towards his friends is intolerable."
Magnus looked up to her, a solemn look on his face.
"People who…maybe don't want to be here, but they came because their friend was being treated wrongly, and they wanted the world to know that they stand beside her."
Shu caught Lydia staring at her for a moment, but she quickly swept her eyes across the rest of the crowd. The moment was caught by no one.
"Loyalty, decency, compassion, love. These are the concepts that we should consider to decide guilt or innocence in a case like this."
"Those are not the concepts of the law," The Clave woman said firmly. "Now, enough of this nonsense."
"I agree. The case is nonsense."
Shu smiled, and Lydia stood.
"I withdraw the charges."
A moment of disbelief swept throughout the room, followed by applause, smiles, and laughs.
Isabelle stood, and Magnus turned to hug her, a wide smile taking over her face.
Lydia came down from the stand, smiling too.
Magnus opened the briefcase he had and waved his hand, the papers coming flying out along with a bit of confetti which…honestly wasn't that surprising that Magnus had that in the briefcase he was holding official papers within.
Alec walked up and hugged Izzy, Shu standing and doing the same with Magnus.
"Silence!" The Clave woman called, banging her gavel. "Order!"
Shu smiled and gave Lydia a quick hug too, before they laughed and broke apart to find the confetti raining down around them.
"And I thought we'd go one day without sparkles," Shu muttered.
"Oh, you should know me better than that, Shu," Magnus said.
"Silence!" The Inquisitor banged her gavel down harder, and everyone looked to her, smiles disappearing. "If you think refusing to prosecute exculpated the defendant you are wrong. She is guilty."
The woman stood firmly.
"The defense was correct. The Clave wants the Mortal Cup. If it is returned within 24 hours, this ruling will be vacated. If not, Isabelle Lightwood will be stripped of her runes and exiled from the society of the Shadowhunters forever."
With a final pound of the gavel, the court was dismissed.
"I really hate that woman now," Shu muttered.
"So you didn't hate her before?" Magnus asked.
"I did. But now I hate her with a passion. Just like the rest of those upstarts in the Clave."
Magnus sighed, but made no argument.
"I'm sorry we lost the case," Magnus said to Izzy.
"Yeah," Isabelle said. "But at least we lost it with style."
Shu mustered a smile. "That's the spirit."
The door to the room opened and Alec walked in. "Jace and Clary are back. They gave the cup to Lydia. You're free to go."
Isabelle smiled and exclaimed in surprise joy. "You were right, they came back! You knew!"
She moved to give Alec a tight hug, smiling uncontrollably.
"Oh, I didn't, actually."
Magnus smiled and the scene before seeming to snap to attention. "Well, our work is done here. Well, my work."
"I helped you in spirit," Shu protested, grabbing his jacket.
"Walk me out, will you?" Magnus requested. "We have some…business to settle."
He walked out past Alec and Izzy, Shu giving an apologetic look before hurrying after.
Alec grabbed his bow from he armory and held up his quiver of arrows.
Magnus took them, trying to keep his face straight.
"As promised…payment in full," Alec said. "Thank you."
Magnus didn't say anything, trying to keep his usual carefree attitude on his face, turning to walk away and join Shu.
He paused and turned back. "I just want you to know…Lydia was wonderful in court. She was great."
"So you get it."
"No, Alec. I get her. I like her. But you don't have to marry her."
"Yes, I do, Magnus."
"You'll be lonely all your life, and so will she. Neither of your deserve it. And I don't either."
Alec's resolve faltered, but he said nothing. Magnus looked down, unable to continue with anything else that might change Alec's mind. Instead, he looked to the weapons he had in his hands.
"I don't know what to do with these," He admitted. "Shu's the one with weapons, and she's got her own arsenal that really doesn't need these. She'd probably say they weren't up to her standards. You keep them for me."
Alec looked at him in surprise, but Magnus nodded in confirmation, holding the bow and quiver out. Alec took them back slowly, and sighed. Magnus nodded one final time, before turning and walking away.
"You did well," Shu said as they walked down the hallway.
"Why is he so adamant about going through with this?"
"Stubbornness. He made a plan to try and help his family while he was being rash and headstrong. Now that his resolve is wavering, he feels he can't turn back now, and that he's still doing this for a reason. It's psychology. Once you're in something, even if everything is screaming for you to turn back, if doing so would cause numerous unforeseen difficulties, it scares you. You want to go on the path that's safest, even if it may not be the right one. But people have defied that logic before. I have hope Alec will too."