p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Clary found herself walking down the sloping beautiful streets of Alicante with her new companion in amicable silence. She appreciated that the boy hadn't pressed for a conversation after leaving the Penhallow's house despite the fact that his mossy green eyes had met with hers twice and both times they had appeared to be bursting with unasked questions that Clary wasn't entirely sure she felt comfortable asking. It was a comforting thought however that they were moving ever further away from the enormous structure that overlooked the circular city./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""So how do the demon towers work?" Clary asked, sparing a glance at the dark haired boy who strolled alongside her with far more confidence than Alec, but somehow far less than Jace at the same time. The roots of his hair shined white-blonde where it parted in places and Clary couldn't help but stare for a moment, puzzled at why a shadowhunter would dye their hair./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Well it is said that they were a gift from Raziel along with Alicante, they're made of pure adamas and they ensure the stability of the wards surrounding Alicante. No fully demon-blooded creature can enter the city, however, it takes the blood of a demon to deactivate them. It's the perfect set-up." He replied matter of factly as he smiled at one of the gleaming spires. Clary allowed herself to fall silent once more as they walked, her eyes drinking in the rows of houses and alleys that made up all the nooks and crannies of Alicante. It was a beautiful place to be and after becoming more accustomed to the clean air and bustling streets Clary couldn't help but picture what her life might have been like growing up the Nephilim capitol./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Not long after they left the neatly placed houses behind Sebastian picked up his place, taking the lead as they wandered through a large patch of trees. The scent of shrubbery and wildlife was pleasantly heavy in the air surrounding them. Her shoes slid slightly over patches of moss and she placed her feet carefully as she walked to avoid the big bulging roots of trees far older than herself./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Are you okay with horses? Idris is rather large so it would be quite a walk, I thought it might be easier to travel by horseback." Sebastian smiled, a warm gentle breeze ruffling the dark hair atop his head as he spoke. The sound of leaves rustling in the trees surrounding them accompanied the breeze and a small smile found it's way onto Clary's face./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I've never ridden horseback before, I'm willing to try though?" She offered, setting off after the boy as he turned on his heel and began walking once again, smile still plastered on his face. He made his way over to a wooden structure which had hay spilling out onto the thickly packed dirt floor outside. As Clary neared she began to hear the soft sounds of a horse, hidden behind the worn roofing. The feeling of unease bristled in her stomach but she pushed it down mentally and stepped around the side of the structure to stand beside her companion./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"For whatever reason, the sheer size of the steed left Clary astounded and without her permission, she felt her legs stepping backwards away from the towering horse. Sebastian let out a barking laugh and doubled over gripping his sides as he howled. Clary arched a brow at the boy, he appeared to be almost in tears laughing and Clary had to give him a moment to sober himself up./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I'm sorry, it's just Wayfarer is really the gentlest horse you'll ever meet. Honest." He said, gesturing at the grey and white horse as he spoke. "Look come here, watch how I pet him then try it yourself. It might help if you build some trust with him." /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sebastian stepped forward towards the stall in which Wayfarer resided and beckoned the stallion over. Wayfarer blew out a breath, his dark lips flapping around his large white teeth and stepped towards the door, then promptly sat his head on Sebastian's shoulder as a way of greeting. Sebastian allowed it for a moment, waiting for the gentle giant to set the pace for their interaction. After a moment Wayfarer lifted his head and allowed the dark-haired boy to lay one slim hand on the side of his white-grey neck. He ran his hand down to the horse's shoulder and repeated, cooing over the large beast before turning back to meet with Clary's awe-filled expression./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Gulping around the lump in her throat in an attempt to quell her rising levels of anxiety, Clary stood up straight and clenched her hands into fists for a second before relaxing and stepping towards Wayfarer. He snorted as she neared but she stayed her course and drew nearer. He bowed his head, the long grey hairs of his mane flopping atop his head and Clary smiled. She reached out with her hand flat and pressed her palm against a grey splodge situated above his nose and stroked him, marvelling as he pressed his enormous head up into the palm of Clary's hand. His short hairs were coarse but when pressed together under the light pressure of her hand smoothed out into a soft sheet which barely moved as she pet him rhythmically./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""He's really nice," Clary noted quietly, her smile growing as Wayfarer let out a snort of approval./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""He is, he's fast too. Would you like to ride him now?" Sebastian grinned, unpinning the simple lock that held Wayfarer's stall closed. He allowed a moment for Clary to move out of the way before letting the wooden gate swing open. It hit against a wooden fence-post with a bang which didn't seem to bother Wayfarer at all and the large horse trotted out and in a large circle seemingly stretching his legs. Now that the large horse was out in the open Clary could see the pale leather saddle that adorned his back, which had a small crest of arms emblazoned on the side of it. She squinted to make out the golden name stitched neatly below, 'emVerlac/em './p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Without waiting for Clary to respond Sebastian grabbed ahold of her wrist gently and strode over to his steed, dragging Clary along behind him./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Here, it'll be fine I promise." He reassured, flashing a wide smile that showed the gleaming whites of his teeth. His green eyes sparkled and he held out a hand, offering help. With a playful roll of her eyes, Clary accepted the offered hand and placed one foot firmly on the stirrup and grasped the horn of the saddle. Sebastian repositioned himself and gripped her hips in order to help her jump up and swing her leg over the spacious saddle./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sitting atop Wayfarer felt incredibly uncomfortable and she wriggled about trying to find a better sitting position before resigning herself to discomfort. The ground was farther away than she would like and she felt almost queazy perched on the giant horse. A moment later she felt Sebastian hoist himself up onto the saddle behind her. He settled himself quickly and gathered up the reigns, unaware of the growing discomfort within his companion. Though the saddle was spacious she doubted it was ever meant to seat two and Clary could feel far more of Sebastian than she would have ever liked to./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Nevertheless, she gripped the horn of the saddle tightly, her knuckles turning white as Sebastian kicked his heels gently and Wayfarer set off at a trot. The movement was clunky and jostling leading Clary to believe she probably wouldn't ever enjoy horse riding. Once they cleared the trees Sebastian dug in harder and Wayfarer took off, galloping across the plains as if fast was truly his way of life. Clary found herself leaning into the massive horse in an effort to avoid the onslaught of wind that Wayfarer's speed cause to whip up around them. She could feel her long red locks whirling around in the wind, the cold air rushing through the roots leaving her scalp cold. Behind her, Sebastian seemed completely relaxed and in his element, for a moment Clary thought she could even hear him laughing jovially over the rushing sound of the wind but she couldn't be sure./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"It felt like they stayed at that pace for an eternity but Clary knew it could only have been fifteen or twenty minutes before Sebastian allowed the horse to slow. Wayfarer stopped at the slope of a large hill where a small puddle of clear water lay hidden behind tall grass. He snorted and began to lap up the water for a few minutes before setting off slowly up the slope. At the top Clary could see the ruins of a large manor house, their blackened forms a stark contrast to the bright scenery surrounding them. A pang of sadness ached in Clary's chest and her grip on the saddle loosened as they neared the top./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"The sun was low in the sky when they stopped in front of the burnt ruins of the once grand manor house. Sebastian hopped gracefully off of Wayfarer, his shoes sending small fragments of gravel skittering away as he landed. Clary was grateful that their awkward contact had ended and without waiting for the chivalrous boy's help, she swung her leg over the saddle and promptly dropped down onto the gravel beside him./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""This is, was Fairchild Manor, until Valentine burned it to the ground," Sebastian noted offhandedly, moving over to one of the large expanses of grass to sit down. He flopped backwards, staring up at the sky with his hands behind his head, a sombre expression clouding his features. Clary frowned, her eyes passing over every would-be windows and doors, the rooms with charred remains of chairs, bookcases and other chunky wooden furniture. The remains where a dismal shadow of what they once could have been and Clary felt inescapably sad. Sad because her mother grew up here, her grandparents and possibly her brother had died here and the charred remains only reminded her of what could have been, had her father not been so deluded./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"She turned away from the wreckage, working hard to keep tears from flowing freely over her cheeks. After a moment of composing herself, she moved over to the grass and flopped down next to her companion./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I don't know what I thought I might get from seeing this," Clary said truthfully, sadness weighing on her mind and heart like a ton of bricks. /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sebastian surveyed her thoughtfully for a moment, turning on his side to see her better. "You should always know where you came from though. Even if you can't change it, or fix it because it will always be a part of who you are. It may hurt you now but maybe one day you could repair the manor and pass it down through your family." He smiled crookedly, all sorts of emotions swirling in his green eyes. Clary could see the cogs turning in his brain as his eyes slid shut and he leaned in towards her. She tried to move to the side but didn't react in time and his lips crashed into hers. Her eyes screwed up and in a moment of panicked disgust she sat up, pushing harshly on his chest to create some space between them./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Feeling the panic spread Clary jumped to her feet and made her way over to Wayfarer, one shaking hand raking anxiously through her hair./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I'm sorry! Clary, please." Sebastian called, skidding to a halt in front of her. His eyes were full of concern and his hand darted out to catch her wrist, gripping it painfully tight. Clary's skin burned where it came into contact with Sebastian's and she gritted her teeth twisting back and forth in an effort to break free. "Please, you can't tell Jace that's all I ask." /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Clary ceased her movements, her brows furrowed. "I'm more worried about Isabelle. Please let go, Sebastian, you're hurting me." /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Oh God, I'm sorry... It's just my emotions came over me." His hand spasmed and he let go, flinching at the wince that escaped through Clary's lips at the rough movement. He cast his eyes towards the floor and gripped his own wrist looking downtrodden. /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Casting a wary look at the dark-haired boy that accompanied her Clary hoisted herself back up onto Wayfarer without another word. She pressed as tightly to the front of the saddle as she could, gripping the horn with her left hand while cradling her injured wrist close to her chest. The skin still burned and a black substance was smeared on her skin which she attempted to rub off on the rough fabric of her trousers. During this, Sebastian climbed up onto the horse behind her and once again took the reigns, careful to distance himself which Clary was grateful for. He wasted no time in setting Wayfarer off at a gallop, providing Clary with some solace in the privacy provided by the rushing wind./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"The journey back seemed to take infinitely longer than their previous trip and by the time Wayfarer stopped by his small stable Clary's legs felt numb. She sat by the base of one of the ancient trees that surrounded them while Sebastian briefly groomed Wayfarer and made sure he was settled in his stall. They spent the entire time walking back to the Penhallow's in an awkward silence that reigned absolute and Clary barely spared so much as a glance toward her companion, the awkwardness of the earlier kiss hanging over her like a storm cloud./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"The majority of the lights were on in the house when they approached but when they stepped through the door into the warmth of the hallway Clary couldn't hear anyone moving or speaking. It was only just getting dark outside and the smell of food cooking permeated the air. Clary's stomach growled hungrily but seeing Sebastian's lips begin to form words her mind switched to autopilot and she quickly made her way up the stairs. It took her only a moment to remember which room had been allocated to herself and Isabelle and eager to hide in the privacy of their room she swung the door open and stepped inside./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Before her, on the bed, a slumbering form lay tangled in their bedsheets. Feeling instantly at ease seeing her adorable sleeping partner, Clary swung the door closed and climbed into bed, wrestling with Isabelle for a minute to gain some covers before settling in beside the lightly snoring dark-haired beauty. She knew she would have to confide in her brown-eyed girlfriend about what happened when they awoke but she was ultimately content to spend this short amount of time with Isabelle sleeping peacefully. Clary pressed a gentle kiss to the back of Isabelle's neck and threw an arm over the girl's stomach. Despite the cocktail of emotions whirling inside of her mind, it was only a few minutes before she slipped into a tranquil sleep./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""So how do the demon towers work?" Clary asked, sparing a glance at the dark haired boy who strolled alongside her with far more confidence than Alec, but somehow far less than Jace at the same time. The roots of his hair shined white-blonde where it parted in places and Clary couldn't help but stare for a moment, puzzled at why a shadowhunter would dye their hair./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Well it is said that they were a gift from Raziel along with Alicante, they're made of pure adamas and they ensure the stability of the wards surrounding Alicante. No fully demon-blooded creature can enter the city, however, it takes the blood of a demon to deactivate them. It's the perfect set-up." He replied matter of factly as he smiled at one of the gleaming spires. Clary allowed herself to fall silent once more as they walked, her eyes drinking in the rows of houses and alleys that made up all the nooks and crannies of Alicante. It was a beautiful place to be and after becoming more accustomed to the clean air and bustling streets Clary couldn't help but picture what her life might have been like growing up the Nephilim capitol./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Not long after they left the neatly placed houses behind Sebastian picked up his place, taking the lead as they wandered through a large patch of trees. The scent of shrubbery and wildlife was pleasantly heavy in the air surrounding them. Her shoes slid slightly over patches of moss and she placed her feet carefully as she walked to avoid the big bulging roots of trees far older than herself./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Are you okay with horses? Idris is rather large so it would be quite a walk, I thought it might be easier to travel by horseback." Sebastian smiled, a warm gentle breeze ruffling the dark hair atop his head as he spoke. The sound of leaves rustling in the trees surrounding them accompanied the breeze and a small smile found it's way onto Clary's face./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I've never ridden horseback before, I'm willing to try though?" She offered, setting off after the boy as he turned on his heel and began walking once again, smile still plastered on his face. He made his way over to a wooden structure which had hay spilling out onto the thickly packed dirt floor outside. As Clary neared she began to hear the soft sounds of a horse, hidden behind the worn roofing. The feeling of unease bristled in her stomach but she pushed it down mentally and stepped around the side of the structure to stand beside her companion./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"For whatever reason, the sheer size of the steed left Clary astounded and without her permission, she felt her legs stepping backwards away from the towering horse. Sebastian let out a barking laugh and doubled over gripping his sides as he howled. Clary arched a brow at the boy, he appeared to be almost in tears laughing and Clary had to give him a moment to sober himself up./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I'm sorry, it's just Wayfarer is really the gentlest horse you'll ever meet. Honest." He said, gesturing at the grey and white horse as he spoke. "Look come here, watch how I pet him then try it yourself. It might help if you build some trust with him." /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sebastian stepped forward towards the stall in which Wayfarer resided and beckoned the stallion over. Wayfarer blew out a breath, his dark lips flapping around his large white teeth and stepped towards the door, then promptly sat his head on Sebastian's shoulder as a way of greeting. Sebastian allowed it for a moment, waiting for the gentle giant to set the pace for their interaction. After a moment Wayfarer lifted his head and allowed the dark-haired boy to lay one slim hand on the side of his white-grey neck. He ran his hand down to the horse's shoulder and repeated, cooing over the large beast before turning back to meet with Clary's awe-filled expression./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Gulping around the lump in her throat in an attempt to quell her rising levels of anxiety, Clary stood up straight and clenched her hands into fists for a second before relaxing and stepping towards Wayfarer. He snorted as she neared but she stayed her course and drew nearer. He bowed his head, the long grey hairs of his mane flopping atop his head and Clary smiled. She reached out with her hand flat and pressed her palm against a grey splodge situated above his nose and stroked him, marvelling as he pressed his enormous head up into the palm of Clary's hand. His short hairs were coarse but when pressed together under the light pressure of her hand smoothed out into a soft sheet which barely moved as she pet him rhythmically./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""He's really nice," Clary noted quietly, her smile growing as Wayfarer let out a snort of approval./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""He is, he's fast too. Would you like to ride him now?" Sebastian grinned, unpinning the simple lock that held Wayfarer's stall closed. He allowed a moment for Clary to move out of the way before letting the wooden gate swing open. It hit against a wooden fence-post with a bang which didn't seem to bother Wayfarer at all and the large horse trotted out and in a large circle seemingly stretching his legs. Now that the large horse was out in the open Clary could see the pale leather saddle that adorned his back, which had a small crest of arms emblazoned on the side of it. She squinted to make out the golden name stitched neatly below, 'emVerlac/em './p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Without waiting for Clary to respond Sebastian grabbed ahold of her wrist gently and strode over to his steed, dragging Clary along behind him./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Here, it'll be fine I promise." He reassured, flashing a wide smile that showed the gleaming whites of his teeth. His green eyes sparkled and he held out a hand, offering help. With a playful roll of her eyes, Clary accepted the offered hand and placed one foot firmly on the stirrup and grasped the horn of the saddle. Sebastian repositioned himself and gripped her hips in order to help her jump up and swing her leg over the spacious saddle./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sitting atop Wayfarer felt incredibly uncomfortable and she wriggled about trying to find a better sitting position before resigning herself to discomfort. The ground was farther away than she would like and she felt almost queazy perched on the giant horse. A moment later she felt Sebastian hoist himself up onto the saddle behind her. He settled himself quickly and gathered up the reigns, unaware of the growing discomfort within his companion. Though the saddle was spacious she doubted it was ever meant to seat two and Clary could feel far more of Sebastian than she would have ever liked to./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Nevertheless, she gripped the horn of the saddle tightly, her knuckles turning white as Sebastian kicked his heels gently and Wayfarer set off at a trot. The movement was clunky and jostling leading Clary to believe she probably wouldn't ever enjoy horse riding. Once they cleared the trees Sebastian dug in harder and Wayfarer took off, galloping across the plains as if fast was truly his way of life. Clary found herself leaning into the massive horse in an effort to avoid the onslaught of wind that Wayfarer's speed cause to whip up around them. She could feel her long red locks whirling around in the wind, the cold air rushing through the roots leaving her scalp cold. Behind her, Sebastian seemed completely relaxed and in his element, for a moment Clary thought she could even hear him laughing jovially over the rushing sound of the wind but she couldn't be sure./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"It felt like they stayed at that pace for an eternity but Clary knew it could only have been fifteen or twenty minutes before Sebastian allowed the horse to slow. Wayfarer stopped at the slope of a large hill where a small puddle of clear water lay hidden behind tall grass. He snorted and began to lap up the water for a few minutes before setting off slowly up the slope. At the top Clary could see the ruins of a large manor house, their blackened forms a stark contrast to the bright scenery surrounding them. A pang of sadness ached in Clary's chest and her grip on the saddle loosened as they neared the top./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"The sun was low in the sky when they stopped in front of the burnt ruins of the once grand manor house. Sebastian hopped gracefully off of Wayfarer, his shoes sending small fragments of gravel skittering away as he landed. Clary was grateful that their awkward contact had ended and without waiting for the chivalrous boy's help, she swung her leg over the saddle and promptly dropped down onto the gravel beside him./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""This is, was Fairchild Manor, until Valentine burned it to the ground," Sebastian noted offhandedly, moving over to one of the large expanses of grass to sit down. He flopped backwards, staring up at the sky with his hands behind his head, a sombre expression clouding his features. Clary frowned, her eyes passing over every would-be windows and doors, the rooms with charred remains of chairs, bookcases and other chunky wooden furniture. The remains where a dismal shadow of what they once could have been and Clary felt inescapably sad. Sad because her mother grew up here, her grandparents and possibly her brother had died here and the charred remains only reminded her of what could have been, had her father not been so deluded./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"She turned away from the wreckage, working hard to keep tears from flowing freely over her cheeks. After a moment of composing herself, she moved over to the grass and flopped down next to her companion./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I don't know what I thought I might get from seeing this," Clary said truthfully, sadness weighing on her mind and heart like a ton of bricks. /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sebastian surveyed her thoughtfully for a moment, turning on his side to see her better. "You should always know where you came from though. Even if you can't change it, or fix it because it will always be a part of who you are. It may hurt you now but maybe one day you could repair the manor and pass it down through your family." He smiled crookedly, all sorts of emotions swirling in his green eyes. Clary could see the cogs turning in his brain as his eyes slid shut and he leaned in towards her. She tried to move to the side but didn't react in time and his lips crashed into hers. Her eyes screwed up and in a moment of panicked disgust she sat up, pushing harshly on his chest to create some space between them./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Feeling the panic spread Clary jumped to her feet and made her way over to Wayfarer, one shaking hand raking anxiously through her hair./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I'm sorry! Clary, please." Sebastian called, skidding to a halt in front of her. His eyes were full of concern and his hand darted out to catch her wrist, gripping it painfully tight. Clary's skin burned where it came into contact with Sebastian's and she gritted her teeth twisting back and forth in an effort to break free. "Please, you can't tell Jace that's all I ask." /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Clary ceased her movements, her brows furrowed. "I'm more worried about Isabelle. Please let go, Sebastian, you're hurting me." /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Oh God, I'm sorry... It's just my emotions came over me." His hand spasmed and he let go, flinching at the wince that escaped through Clary's lips at the rough movement. He cast his eyes towards the floor and gripped his own wrist looking downtrodden. /p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Casting a wary look at the dark-haired boy that accompanied her Clary hoisted herself back up onto Wayfarer without another word. She pressed as tightly to the front of the saddle as she could, gripping the horn with her left hand while cradling her injured wrist close to her chest. The skin still burned and a black substance was smeared on her skin which she attempted to rub off on the rough fabric of her trousers. During this, Sebastian climbed up onto the horse behind her and once again took the reigns, careful to distance himself which Clary was grateful for. He wasted no time in setting Wayfarer off at a gallop, providing Clary with some solace in the privacy provided by the rushing wind./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"The journey back seemed to take infinitely longer than their previous trip and by the time Wayfarer stopped by his small stable Clary's legs felt numb. She sat by the base of one of the ancient trees that surrounded them while Sebastian briefly groomed Wayfarer and made sure he was settled in his stall. They spent the entire time walking back to the Penhallow's in an awkward silence that reigned absolute and Clary barely spared so much as a glance toward her companion, the awkwardness of the earlier kiss hanging over her like a storm cloud./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"The majority of the lights were on in the house when they approached but when they stepped through the door into the warmth of the hallway Clary couldn't hear anyone moving or speaking. It was only just getting dark outside and the smell of food cooking permeated the air. Clary's stomach growled hungrily but seeing Sebastian's lips begin to form words her mind switched to autopilot and she quickly made her way up the stairs. It took her only a moment to remember which room had been allocated to herself and Isabelle and eager to hide in the privacy of their room she swung the door open and stepped inside./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Before her, on the bed, a slumbering form lay tangled in their bedsheets. Feeling instantly at ease seeing her adorable sleeping partner, Clary swung the door closed and climbed into bed, wrestling with Isabelle for a minute to gain some covers before settling in beside the lightly snoring dark-haired beauty. She knew she would have to confide in her brown-eyed girlfriend about what happened when they awoke but she was ultimately content to spend this short amount of time with Isabelle sleeping peacefully. Clary pressed a gentle kiss to the back of Isabelle's neck and threw an arm over the girl's stomach. Despite the cocktail of emotions whirling inside of her mind, it was only a few minutes before she slipped into a tranquil sleep./p