A/N: Hey guys! As I have said multiple times. I'm super pumped about this story. I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am. Someone asked if I could update more often, but I honestly can't. If I update more often I will out run my beta Scared of Scars. I wanted to give her a shout out because she is doing an awesome job betaing for me.

Another person said that they don't know if they like Clary right now, and all I have to say is keep reading. That is all I can say without giving stuff away.

Also please don't hate me :P

The sun flooded into the tent, stirring her out of sleep and she could tell that no one else was awake. She couldn't hear any sounds so she rolled to the side, covering her face. This place was so odd. They woke in the middle of the day, sleeping through the heat of the afternoon. It was instilled in her that it was proper to wake up before the sun as to get the most work out of every day.

Due to the extreme heat, she had to sleep virtually naked which made it hard to doze. She was glad she brought her silk robe to sleep in otherwise she would have nothing to cover herself.

She was exhausted, they had kept her awake until almost dawn, claiming it was for her own good but it felt like torture. Her eyes were drooping, and her head was bobbing up and down. Isabelle kept poking her in the ribs to keep her awake. She probably had a bruise on her side from the finger jamming into her lungs.

Clary sat up quickly when she heard someone slip into the tent. "Sorry, I forgot something in here." Jonathan's voice was rough, "I was hoping not to wake you." He grabbed what he needed from the open chest.

"I was already up." She shrugged, lying back down.

"I'll see you later." He slipped out of the tent, leaving her alone again.

She felt a little uneasy knowing that anyone could just walk in there. They didn't have doors or locks, which meant no privacy or security. She dragged her blanket over her head once more in an attempt to get a few more hours of shut-eye before she had to get out of bed.

OoOoO

Isabelle had dragged her out of bed a few hours later. Women flooded her tent ripping off her robe, dragging a brush through her hair, and stuffing her into some leathers. She didn't understand what was happening at all.

"What's going?" Clary asked, while three women tried to stitch the leathers around her tighter.

"They are fitting you for your wedding clothes." Isabelle snickered, watching with amusement.

"You wear black leather on your weddings." She grimaced, looking down at the cloth.

"The women will embroider some gold designs into it before the wedding tomorrow." She explained, leaning against the desk.

"Great." She responded sarcastically.

OoOoO

The clothes were finished being fitted, and the women came in with a clay bowl and linen strips. She had no idea what it was for, but she was not looking forward to it. They had her undress again, and they spread a stiff liquid across her leg. The linen strip was placed over it. Her eyes widened when she realized what was happened.

"No, no, no!" Clary exclaimed, trying to stop them, but it was too late. The strip was yanked off, and her leg hair was ripped from her skin. She yelped, clenching all the muscles in her body. She didn't want to be completely hairless! Knowing she would look more ridiculous if she refused to continue the treatment she groaned in defeat and collapsed back against the bed letting the pain proceed.

OoOoO

Clary was stirred awake the next morning by Isabelle, who was sitting next to her on the bed. "Time to get ready." She smiled, squealing softly, as she got to her feet. "You're getting married today!" She danced, bouncing up and down.

"Right." She muttered, stretching her arms above her head.

She didn't want to get out bed. It was difficult for her to fall asleep last night, as she thought about her impending marriage to a savage leader. Her surroundings made it hard enough to sleep, but her thoughts consumed her last night. They ate away at her mind while she stared up at the ceiling. She couldn't get her thoughts to settle, so she spent most of the night wide awake.

"Come on, sleepy butt, get out of bed." Isabelle grabbed her arm, beginning to drag her from the fur mattress. She groaned in frustration, as Clary went limp in her embrace. She was not getting out of this bed without a fight because she only gotten two hours of sleep.

"I want to sleep." She whined, falling against the ground.

"You can sleep when your dead. Right now, you need to get married." She tucked her arms underneath her, dragging her to her feet. Clary slumped across the floor, rubbing at her eyes. "You need a brush." Isabelle picked at pieces of Clary's hair, looking like she wondered what happened to her friend's mane.

"Of course, I do." Clary sighed, trying to run her fingers through her locks. They got stuck less than half way down, which frustrated her to no end. Isabelle suddenly had a brush in her hand, and usher her soon to be cousin-in-law to fix her hair. Clary looked down at her lap, while the brush when through her hair. She exhaled softly, feeling herself to begin to relax a little bit.

"Are you excited?" Isabelle asked, running the brush down her hair.

"Scared is a better word." She snorted, picking at her nails.

"Why are scared?" She questioned softly, stepping in front of her to hold her hands.

"I'm scared about everything. The sex. The intimacy. What if we end up hating each other? What if he hurts me? What if he rapes me?" She took a shaky breath, turning her eyes up to her newest friend, as she let her fear be known.

"Jace is a good man. He would never hurt you or take you without your consent. You two might end up hating each other, but you need to try. You need to try to connect and get to know one another before you pass judgement on your relationship." Isabelle looked at her friend with soft eyes, as she tried to calm the bride-to-be's nerves. Clary took in every word that she spoke, wondering if what Isabelle said was true.

"What if he isn't a good man? What if you don't really know him?" Clary felt her eyes sting with tears she refused to cry.

"Life can be filled with what if's, but if you let them control you, you won't live at all." She whispered, squeezing her hands lightly.

Clary nodded, composing herself quickly, as she got to her feet. "Where are my clothes?" Her voice was hoarse, and she knew that her friend was right. If she never tried, she would never know how their relationship could truly be.

OoOoO

Clary looked over herself in the mirror, like she had done many times the last few days. She smoothed her hand down the leather outfit. She didn't look like she was getting married. She looked like some whore who was in mourning. She shuddered at the thought, inhaling a deep breath.

No one had explained the ceremony to her, so whether she wanted to or not she was going to go in blind. She stepped outside the tent, meeting Isabelle. They linked arms, and she led her where they have the big fire every night.

The flames were licking the sky, while the sun began to set. An orange glow filled their surrounds, giving off a warm feeling. She didn't feel warm. She felt like a freezing bucket of water had been dumped over her, as she began stepping closer to Jonathan.

Isabelle had let go of her arm, disappearing somewhere else in the crowd. Clary assumed she had to walk to Jace, so she made her way down the clearing to him. Jace was in similar leathers as her. His entire torso was bare, while his skin was covered in black marks. She had no idea what they meant, but she saw a lot of the people with them.

Stephen was standing off to the side between the young couple. Clary inhaled a deep breath, as her eyes locked with his. He grinned faintly at her. She tore her gaze from him, feeling her heart thump in her chest. Her eyes scanned over the crowd, and everyone around them seemed so excited.

"We have gathered here today to join my son, Jonathan and Princess Clarrisa. This union will reunite our lands with the throne, creating more trade and supplies opportunities when we venture into the capitol." His voice carried throughout the area as he spoke.

The people around them cheered for a short time, which made Clary smile a little bit. She never imagined that they would need more trade and supplies. She didn't think it would be a big deal, but they are cut off from civilization. There were probably times when they needed supplies that they might not have.

"Alright, alright, settle down please. Let us continue." He announced with a broad grin, using his hand to settle the masses. "This union also joins a man with a woman. A union that brings two people together in more than just friendship, but in love." He smiled between the two of them. Jonathan hesitantly put his hand on her waist, drawing her torso to his. She moved stiffly towards him, letting their torsos touch. Her stomach churned with nerves, as his hands settled on his hips.

"Put your hands on my chest." He whispered in her ear.

She looked up at him, gulping thickly at his words. She placed her hands on his chest, feeling the warmth radiate off of him. Her fingers fidgeted against his skin, as she tried to calm herself down. His heart thumped beneath her hands, and she couldn't help but notice that his heart beat was slightly elevated. She wondered if he was just as nervous as she was.

Clary flinched slightly when a leather ribbon entwined with flowers wrapped around them. The young girls that wrapped it around them tied the leather lightly, making them press closer together. She wondered if everyone could sense their discomfort because she felt like it was obvious.

"Like this vine, they are bound together for life." Stephen announced, smiling widely.

Clary took a shaky breath, feeling her stomach roll. She looked up at Jonathan, who was glancing down at her. He circled his thumbs carefully along her skin, sending goose-bumps to her skin.

"Please repeat after me. I…"

"I…" They said in unison, turning their gazes to Stephen.

"Commit my heart, mind, and body…"

"Commit my heart, mind, and body…" She whispered, gulping thickly.

"To this person until the day I die."

"To this person until the day…" She paused momentarily, wishing that she could run in this moment. She didn't finish the vows. She could run, but she had nowhere to go. "I die." She finished a few seconds after Jonathan spoke. The tie around them was undone, but Jonathan continued to hold her. She didn't know if anything else was supposed to happen, so she stayed where she was, letting Jonathan continue to hold her.

"You may kiss the bride." Stephen spoke softly for the first time since the ceremony started.

Clary's stomach dropped, as her pulse quickened. She knew that this might be a possibility, but somehow, she found herself feeling off guard. Jonathan's hand moved from her hip to her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. He leaned down slowly, skimming their noses together softly before brushing their lips together ever so slightly. He drew away just as fast as he kissed her, which Clary was overly thankful for.

"Now, let's party!" Stephen cheered, clapping his hands.

Clary let out a yelp when she was lifted from the ground by multiple people. She looked around furiously, making eye contact with Jonathan, who was in the air as well. He gave her a soft nod, as if trying to alert her that this was normal. Drums began to play, as they were passed around crowd.

Clary found herself laughing because she had never witnessed anything like this before. These people were all so excited about their union, and she began to think that it wasn't just because of the trade agreement or the supplies. It was because they were genuinely happy for them.

OoOoO

The party calmed down slightly when the food was served. Clary's smile had vanished, as she felt herself slowly overcome with nerves. The sun had long set, and she was going to have to be with Jonathan soon. She looked up at him, taking a shaky breath. He was so much bigger than her, which just made her a little more scared then she thought it would.

She knew this task would be hard, but now that it was nearing, she felt her stomach clenching in on itself. She picked up her glass gulping down the sour wine. She wrinkled her nose, pouring another glass before chugging it again. Her head felt buzzed just enough to calm herself down. She was still nervous, but she didn't feel like she was going heave anymore.

"Congratulations." An older woman plopped down next to her to fill Clary's glass once again. "I'm your new grandmother, Imogen."

"Clary." She muttered, burrowing her nose in her glass

"It isn't as bad as you are thinking." She whispered, clanking their cups together.

"Please you were at least from here. You didn't have to deal with a whole new culture." Clary scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"I did actually." She huffed, sipping her wine. "I am from a village near the capital. They offered me sanctuary from my drunken father if I agreed to marry their leader. He wanted to marry an outsider for whatever reason." She sighed softly, settling her cup down. "It isn't bad. It can actually be very fun if the man knows what he is doing. From what I have heard, Jonathan is very good." She snickered, downing the last of her drink. "Head back to the tent. My darling Isabelle will be in there to take care of you soon." She assured her.

She walked slowly to her tent, feeling her heart racing in her chest. She didn't want to deal with this. She looked back at her trunk, remembering that the chances of her getting pregnant were slim as long as she drank the tea her brother gave her the morning afterwards. If these people were traitors and her husbands seed was implanted into her belly, she didn't know what she would do. She would have his child either way or would her brother do something else with it? That thought chilled her to her core. What would he do with a savage baby? She wiped the few tears that collected in her eyes, as Isabelle slid into the tent with her.

"Are you going to be alright?" Isabelle asked, setting the bowl next to the bed.

"No, I don't want to do this." She sighed, crossing her arms over her bare stomach.

"I promise it isn't that bad. I've been with plenty of men and my only bad experience was my first." Isabelle promised, as she removed the leather clothing from Clary's body. Clary remained unconvinced, bringing her arms over her bare chest and crossing her legs. "I need an arm." She squeezed out a sponge, taking her hand lightly. She released one arm, letting Isabelle carefully clean the paint off of her skin. They remained in a tense silence, which was just making her nerves worse. She felt raw with fear for the night and the future because so much of her life was unknown.

The flap of the tent opened, and Clary could feel her face getting red. She was sitting stark naked, so, of course, this is when Jonathan walked in. "I'll finish." He shooed Isabelle out of the room, making Clary's heart go into over drive. "Lay down." He said softly, as he gathered her ankle into his hand. She shuttered when he put the sponge to her skin. He was gentle with her skin, which made her feel a little better. He moved in slow circle, taking the dry paint off with ease. "I don't think I've ever seen a woman without tattoos." He stated after several minutes. "It's very interesting to see for the first time. It's like you are surface of the water. Steady and smooth." He turned his eyes to her, obviously wanting her to speak.

"Do I have to get tattoos?" She spoke in barely a whisper, which she internally kicked herself about. She probably looked like a frightened little girl when she was a capable woman. She was strong, and she wasn't going to let her fear about the night consume her. If she could handle her brother, she could handle this savage.

"They are tradition, so I would assume so." He got to her thigh, beginning to move even slower than before, which set her body on edge. He was so close to the most sacred part of her, and she was about to let him enter that part of her. "There are two for marriage, one across the heart and the other on the forearm." He explained quietly, moving to her other leg. "As children we are given ones for strength, endurance, and sight. It is said the Angels that watch over us gave us these marks to protect us." He breathed, keeping his eyes on his task.

"The Angels?" She questioned, cocking her head to the side in curiosity.

"Yes, they came to forest thousands of years ago when it was desert, and blessed the ground to grow for those who were abandoned in the sand. That's why it is so hot here. It isn't natural for trees to grow in this kind of heat." He grinned faintly at the story, which is probably the first real smile she has seen.

"Do you worship the Angels?" She furrowed her brow, wondering what other stories and traditions they had.

"No, they don't want to be worshiped. They know that they are bigger and more powerful than us. There is no need for worship." He looked up at her before sliding the sponge across her stomach. It quivered under his touch, but she made it stop. She didn't want him to know that his touch affected her in any way. He removed the last of the paint on her torso before quietly requesting for her to sit up. She did as he said, still holding her breast on her arms.

She couldn't believe that she was here in a place like this. A place so hot women went around in barely nothing. A place surrounded by canvas for walls. A place where traitors lived. She wanted to go home to thick, cool castle walls, but Jonathan wouldn't accept her, not unless she brought back proof that they were traitors, but he didn't even have proof. It could all be a rumor, and then she would be stuck here forever, spawning Herondale barbarians. She shuttered at the thought, screwing her eyes shut.

Jonathan finished cleaning her, and Clary quickly got to her feet, gathering her silk robe from her trunk. She tied to tightly around her waist, squeezing her torso tightly. His eyes were soft as he watched her, making her stomach churn. Her brother spoke so ill of these savages, she assumed he would rape her the second he walked in but he cleaned her with gentle hands. She didn't know what to think of her new husband, but she knew that getting comfortable was not an option. Her muscles were taught, as she stood in front of him, waiting for whatever was to come. He didn't move for a while. The room felt tight with an uncomfortable charged energy, which grew worse the longer they stared.

Jace stood up, what felt like hours later, and stopped in front of her. He carefully reached a finger out, moving hair away from her face. She forced herself not to flinch away. "Would you mind rinsing me off?" He breathed, keeping his gaze locked with hers. She nodded silently, walking over to the basin. She sat among the furs, and her husband sat in front of her. She never saw a man chest in detail before so she decided to advantage of this moment. She ran the sponge over his skin in slow motions, tracing over every muscle in his back. She had seen her brother's before but he looked nothing like this. She moved to her knees sliding her hand over his shoulder. He glanced back at her, but didn't say anything about her touch. After his body was clean, she sat on her heels to run her fingers over his back. The water removed the paint, leaving the tattoos behind. She rolled her thumb over the black ink, wondering how long it took to get these marks. His body was thick and powerful in a way she didn't think was possible.

When Clary finished her movements, her husband turned around, facing her. "Jonathan-"

"My father is the only one that calls me Jonathan. Please, call me Jace." He informed her, playing with one of her curls.

"Jace," she corrected, gulping thickly. "Please don't make me do this." She plead, feeling tears brim her eyes. She has wanted to cry for so long about being here, but now that this was about to happen, she was close to her breaking point. Instead of answering verbally he put his lips tenderly against her own. Hot tears slipped down her cheeks, and she pulled hesitantly away from him. Jace wiped the water from her face, looking sympathetically at her.

"I don't want this anymore then you do, but we need an heir and this is the only way to solidify a marriage." He stated quietly, inhaling a small breath. "Once you are with a child I promise that we can stop." He assured her. This made the tears come more because she wasn't going to get pregnant while she was with him. She had a tea that made sure of that, so there was no stopping. "Please don't cry." He held her cheeks in his hand, which made her both comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time. He untied her robe, pushing it from her. "Please?" He was asking permission, but she wasn't sure what he would do if she said no. "You can trust me. I won't hurt you." He pleaded softly, attempting to draw her in.

"Why should I trust you? I don't know you. You're a savage." Her words were bitter as she spoke.

"Have I hurt you? Have I attacked someone? Have I grotesquely slaughtered some poor creature? Have I conquered and raped women?" He questioned, cocking his head to the side.

"Well, no." She broke eye contact, feeling incredibly vulnerable.

"Then how am I considered a savage compared to your brother?" He cradled her cheek with his large hand, as he looked into her eyes. "He hurt you. He slaughtered so many of my people so he could claim our land. He raped our women. He's the savage. I am not him. I don't want to purposefully inflict harm; in fact, I really like to make women feel good." He whispered, feathering his lips against hers. "We don't have to do this tonight if you don't want to. I'm not going to force you, but there's no point in waiting, right?" He questioned softly, scanning her face.

"There is no point in waiting." She agreed quietly, inhaling a shaky breath. She pressed her lips to his, mingling her fingers into his hair. She inhaled a deep breath through her nose, as his tongue entered her mouth. It was such an odd, yet fascinating feeling.

"Do you want to look at me when I'm inside you?" He cocked his head to the side, feeling her waist lightly. She shook her head, gulping thickly. "Lay on your stomach." He encouraged quietly, leading her to lie down. She squeezed her eyes shut, as panic gripped at her. He lifted her hips slightly, feeling along her spine before he entered her. She gripped the pelts tightly, squeezing her eyes shut.

A/N: Ok, ok, don't hate me. This is one of my biggest changes. They are actually having sex. It was one thing that made no sense to me about my original story. I didn't want to write this a few years ago because someone could look at it and think that it is rape, but I feel like in this society it wouldn't make sense for them to not be together in that way.

I just want to clarify even though Clary doesn't particularly like having sex with Jace, she still consents. Jace also doesn't like having sex with Clary because he knows that she doesn't enjoy it. He is feeling a lot of pressure from his dad to produce an heir, which isn't very prevalent in the story because it is in Clary's POV not his.

Again, don't hate me!

If I get 5 more reviews I'll post the next chapter on wednesday

Please review! I love hearing from you guys!