A/N: Hey guys! Not much to say on this chapter! I hope you enjoy it.
Please don't hate me. (:
Clary arrived to dinner with Simon in tow. He stuck out like a sore thumb, wearing his clothes from the castle. She hadn't really offered him anything else to wear but she didn't want him to change.
She knew it was selfish, but she wanted to keep the old Simon, her friend Simon, intact and not tainted by this place. She wanted him to remain a reminder of home. She knew eventually his clothes would grow unwearable and he would have to find something else, but more importantly she knew he couldn't stay dressed like this. Not only was his clothing substantially different, his stature was significantly less defined than the other men. All the man here were covered thick with muscles because they had to be. This place took a lot of strength to manage. They constantly have to build and rebuild tents because the elements destroy them, they have to hunt large animals, and toil the sand to grow what little crop they can. Clary used to dislike the tan and physically defined men, but now she respected it. Those men had to spend hours laboring in this unquenchable heat, they worked hard to produce whatever they could. The men she respected most in their village were the ones thick as bricks and red from the sun.
"We are about to meet Stephen. He is leader of the clan and very respected here." She whispered to him, as she slowed her pace, pointing to her father-in-law. "He has taken a small step down on running the place because he wants to train Jace, but he is still fierce and will step in when something is out of line." She explained, looking around the people.
"Understood." Simon nodded, gripping the dagger attached to his hip.
"Stop that." She swatted his hand before they stepped in front of her father-in-law. "Stephen, I would like to introduce to you, Simon of house Lewis. He is one of my brother's knights, who Jonathan has sent to protect me." Clary introduced with a smile across her face.
"Does King Jonathan think I cannot adequately protect his sister?" Stephen asked harshly, standing tall.
"He is more concerned about her having friends than protection." Simon assured the large man, keeping his back straight.
"Alright." He eyed him questionably, glancing over at his daughter-in-law. "We will house you, feed you, but do not expect to get out of working. We need every hand we can get." Stephen explained, clapping his hand on Simon's shoulder.
OoOoO
Clary leaned back against her palm, watching the few woman dance around the fire. She was beginning to enjoy the show, and see the artistry in their movements. It was a movement of passion and emotion, which she thought was interesting. She knew they were dancing purely to the sound of the beat. She remembered when her and Isabelle danced. She remembered the feeling of freedom and excitement.
"I can't believe these people live like this." Simon whispered, gazing around in mild disgust.
"Quiet." She hit his arm, scoffing in annoyance. "They are going out of their way to host you. They are already running low on rations and you are an outsider." She chastised, readjusting her food on the ground.
"Still." He muttered, shaking his head.
"Simon," She whined softly, rolling her eyes.
"Alright, alright, I'm done. Although I can't complain about the women." He smirked faintly, making her smack him in the arm.
"You are the worst." She teased, shaking her head.
OoOoO
Jace felt a little more territorial tonight when he was with her. She thought it was interesting, but she didn't finish. She heard women praise sex, but she had yet to experience it's wonder.
When he finished, he pulled her into his arms, drawing her into his embrace. She didn't mind it because he was warm and comfortable. She closed her eyes, yawning heavily, as she let the movement of his breathing begin to lull her to sleep.
"Why is Simon really here?" Jace's gruff voice came out, while his hand slowly moved across her back.
"My brother was worried." She glanced up at him, propping her head on his shoulder.
"Why is he worried all of the sudden? He sent you here as a punishment, remember? Why would he care?" He questioned softly, playing with a lock of her hair.
"Maybe he misses me." She shrugged her shoulders, placing her cheek against his skin.
"It's just suspicious." He whispered, yawning heavily.
"You're overthinking this. Simon is a close friend of mine. I wouldn't be surprised if he asked to come down here to check on me." She pulled the blankets to her shoulder, closing her eyes. "Go to bed." She cooed, sliding her hand over his abdomen.
"This doesn't feel odd to you?" Jace asked, sounding mildly defeated. It sounded like he was trying to convince her that there was some problem. Does he know that she's been snooping through his belongs? If he knew, she didn't know why he could care because there was nothing there.
"No, it doesn't. My brother is unpredictable and odd. I wouldn't think too much of it." She assured him, sighing heavily.
"I don't like it." He shook his head, while his ministrations on her skin came to a pause.
"You don't like anything." She teased, biting back a yawn.
"I'm serious." He groaned. "Are you even listening?" He questioned, sighing softly.
"I am listening, Jace." She propped herself up on her elbows, looking him right in the face. "I just think you're exaggerating a little." She whispered, kissing his shoulder lightly. "I'm really tired. Can we go to bed now?" She questioned, taking an exhausted breath.
"Alright." He played with the hair by her ear before settling against the blankets.
OoOoO
Clary skipped out into the center, making her way towards Isabelle. She smiled widely, feeling happier then she expected to this morning. With Simon here, she was reminded about who she was just a little bit. She was a sophisticated princess, and now she was Lady of the Brocelind Forest.
They made their way over to the older woman shucking the corn. Clary settled on her knees, picking up a piece of maize. "How are you ladies?" She asked with a smile, peeling the leaves back from the seeds.
"I'm doing well. You seem happy this morning." The lady smirked teasingly, beginning to grind some seeds.
"My friend is visiting for a while." She shrugged, popping seeds off.
"The thin man, who is paler then snow?" She clarified with a wicked grin.
"Yes," Clary laughed, shaking her head.
"I walked by him this morning in the fields this morning. They were really working him." She snickered, shaking her head. "He should be doing the women's jobs. He was not built for hard labor." She tsked.
"I'm sure he will be fine." She assured them with a faint nod.
"I hope so." The woman snickered.
OoOoO
When Clary saw Simon later that day, he looked ragged. She looked sympathetically at him, knowing that he was probably having a rough time right now. He was covered in sand, while his hair was jumbled. She felt for him because he had never had to work like that before. She could only image how sore he was.
"Here is the message from your brother and his gift." He held up a large bird cage with a messenger hawk inside.
"Thank you." She grinned, feeling more nervous than she wanted to be. She didn't want to hear from her brother at all, but she wasn't surprised. She hadn't gotten him any results yet, so it made sense for him to contact her.
She made her way into the tent, flinching heavily when she saw her husband. "Are you alright?" He asked, running his hand through his hair.
"Yeah, I just wasn't expecting anyone to be here." She held her heart, gulping thickly. She looked nervously at the bird and message before placing them by her belongings.
"Is that from your brother?" He asked, placing some papers on the desk.
"Yes, Simon said he wishes to keep in contact with me." She shrugged, quickly stashing the note in her chest.
"Your brother makes no sense to me." He muttered, leaning against his desk.
"He makes no sense to everyone." She snorted, walking over to him.
Jace held onto her hips, drawing her closer to him. She sucked in a mild breath, gazing up at him. "Will you kiss me?" He asked softly, circling his thumbs over her hip bones. "You never approach me first." He murmured, completely changing the topic.
"You know why I don't approach you first, Jace." She whispered, looking down at their feet. "I will fulfill my obligations as a wife and give you an heir, but I don't enjoy it." Her shoulders dropped slightly before she looked back into his eyes. She could see the pain that had bloomed from her words.
"I'm not still hurting you, am I?" He asked softly, seeming very weary.
"No, you don't hurt me." She shook her head slowly, as she tangled their fingers together.
"I want you to enjoy it. I hate that you haven't been able to because it is so great. I knew there was a chance we wouldn't like each other, but I thought maybe we could at least connect physically." He muttered, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry." She breathed, dropping their hands.
"It's nothing you have to apologize for." He assured her, releasing her hands.
Clary pursed her lips, knowing she needed to do something. She could see that Jace was hurting. She pushed herself onto her toes, hesitantly brushing their mouths together. He cupped her cheek lightly, deepening their kiss ever so slightly. She placed her hands on his chest, inhaling a large breath before dropping back to her heels.
"Thank you." He bowed his head lightly, taking a step away from her. "I need to go back to work." He whispered, sighing softly.
"I'll probably be here for a while." She murmured, feeling her heart thump awkwardly in her chest.
She collapsed against their bed, waiting for her heart to steady. She felt like the situation between Jace and her was getting more complicated every day and all it did was make her anxious. She pressed her palms into her eyes, trying to calm herself down.
She closed her eyes, thinking about home. She imagined the garden that she frequented. She would fall to her knees, digging up the earth to plant more seeds into the dirt. She felt the cool soil around her fingers, as she stuck them in the ground. She looked up, gazing at her mother, who was leaning over her. Her heart hurt at the thought. She missed her mother so much.
After what seemed like hours, Clary pushed herself into a sitting position. She rubbed her hands over her face. She shouldn't have started thinking about her mother. She knew those memories only caused her pain, which is why she always pushed them into the back of her mind.
The hawk squawked next to her, drawing her out of her thoughts. Clary furrowed her brow, wondering what her brother wrote her. She climbed out of bed, shifting over to her chest. She drew out the letter, playing with the paper, as she sat at Jace's desk. She tapped the envelope, taking a small breath. She broke her brother's seal, revealing his penmanship underneath.
Clarissa,
You have not updated me about the situation in the Brocelind wasteland. I took it upon myself to provide you with a bird since you are too incompetent to find a way to send me a message.
Those savages are coming here in a few months and I need to be prepared.
I know these rumors of their betrayal are real. They hate us because we conquered them, but you must stay strong.
Jonathan
Clary read over the message again, not really knowing what to do next. She didn't see a shred of evidence that they hated her or that they hated The King. They weren't fond of her brother, but no one really was. She crumpled up the paper, huffing in frustration. She tossed the paper back into her chest, taking a plain sheet of paper from Jace's desk, she sliced it into a thin piece off of it. She wrote quickly, not wanting Jace to return and see what she had been writing.
I have found no evidence of a rebellion. I have searched everywhere I have access, there is nothing. What do you suggest I do?
She didn't add any of their names, just in case the hawk was intercepted. She opened the bird cage, carefully drawing out the hawk. She placed the paper in the little container on his foot before bringing him outside. She let him free, and the bird was off.
"What did he say?" Simon approached her.
"That I need to send him an update about the Brocelind savages." She rolled her eyes, heaving a sigh. "I just haven't seen anything that would indicate that they are planning a takeover. If they are, they are keeping it far away from me." She shook her head, wondering what she would do. "I sent him the information I have found, but it isn't all that much. It's basic information, but it's better than nothing." She shrugged, shaking her head. Simon rubbed her back lightly, as she sighed quietly. She didn't know what to do any more. She could keep searching for information against her husband, but at the same time she found herself not wanting to. She was beginning to like it here. She had more freedom here than she ever had at home.
"The dinner drum is going. We should go." He gestured, slipping out the flap. Clary strode out of the tent, slipping the note her brother had given her into the flames.
OoOoO
Later that night, Clary was roused awake by Isabelle. She pushed herself into a sitting position, seeing that it was still dark outside. Why was she waking her in the dead of night? It didn't take her long to realize that Jace wasn't there. He was hardly there, so she wasn't surprised.
"Jace has requested you in his father's tent." She whispered, chewing on her lip.
"Why?" Clary rubbed her eyes, trying to remove the sleep from them.
"He has asked you to perform for him and his other warriors." Isabelle gritted her teeth, inhaling a sharp breath. "They have been drinking a lot. I would not want to raise their temper." She moved some of Clary's hair from her face.
"I am not performing for his savage friends. I don't even like him looking at me like that and he expects me to dance in front of him and his people. No way." She exclaimed, gathering the blankets protectively around her.
"I would dress and go. Sit on his lap. Let him flaunt you while he is in his stupor and teach him a lesson tomorrow." Isabelle smiled deviously, climbing off of the pelts.
"He brought me on that stupid hunting trip to get respect from the men, and now he wants me to do this. How can I teach him a lesson?" Clary wasn't a fool. Jace was bigger, stronger, and more agile than she ever will be. He may act the fool, but he is a lot smarter then he seems. Jace had been fairly kind to her since she arrived. It wasn't ideal, but he didn't hit her like her father and brother. He was careful with her body when they were together. She knew it could be worse. He tried to bring her pleasure even though it never worked.
"You've been training with me. He would not be ready for you to attack him, and you might get a punch or two in there." She grinned, helping Clary get into her clothing. "Especially, if he's hungover." She breathed, putting her hair into an elaborate braid. Clary stared in the mirror, feeling her stomach churn. She hadn't worn these for a reason. Most of her stomach and legs were revealed, making her feel incredibly uncomfortable. She felt like her body was on display for the men to fawn over, which she didn't want in the slightest.
"I don't know if I can do that with him. It's different doing that with a soldier because if they do anything to me Jace is humiliated not just me, but Jace could do anything to me." Clary whispered, gulping thickly.
"You can try." She moved the braid over her shoulder, smiling faintly at the girl. "If my mate challenged me to do these things, I would beat him. He could fight back, but I refuse to be taken advantage of." She stated, leading the way out the tent. "Show him that he is not in control of who you are and he will never disrespect you again." Isabelle paused in front of the tent, doing a once over to make sure her friend looked alright. "You are stronger than you think. Assert yourself and you will be surprised." She assured the girl in front of her, as she opened the tent flap.
Clary stepped inside, and the stench of alcohol filled her nose. She could feel herself shaking, as she eyed Jace. His gaze met hers, silencing the room. She felt her face flame up, as she walked over to him because all their eyes were on her. "Come on, dance for us." He smiled, running his hands over her hips. She felt sick to her stomach from his grimy touch. She normally didn't mind it when he did, but this felt different. This touch seemed hungry, almost like he wanted to devour her.
"I dance for no one." She said with the most confident voice she had, sitting on his lap. She tried to be suave, as she put her arm over his shoulders "Especially you." She whispered in his ear, carefully brushing hair away from his face. She stroked his hair, seeing the tense look appear on his face. She could see that he knew that he made a bad decision by pulling her out of bed. He knew she was angry, so she smirked at him, playing the doting wife. Embarrassing him here would only make this worse for both of them.
"Clary, are you with child yet?" Stephen asked from the head of the table.
"No." Her face continued to redden. She drank her tea like clockwork, so there was no chance that there was a baby in her belly. She felt a tad guilty because it is the only obligation that she needed to fill.
"It's only been a few months you have plenty of time." He lifted his cup. "To my son and daughter." The rest of the people raised their cups as well, cheering praises of fertility. Jace's grasp on her tighten, and he moved her into a different position. A positions where she felt him against her backside. She sighed internally, putting on a happy face. She had never spent any time with just the men here, but she was slightly horrified. They were disgusting. They belched, vomited, and spit. She shuddered at the conversations about their conquest and their women, although Jace remained fairly silent.
He leaned back in his chair, sitting quietly, as he listened to the other men. None of the others really seemed to notice him, which made her wonder if this was a normal state for him.
She didn't care that much either way because she was still furious that he had drawn her out of bed for this. She sat on his leg, looking like a trophy. From time to time men would leer at her, making her gulp heavily. She hated being looked at like a piece of meat. It made her feel more like a pet than a person, which was never a good feeling.
OoOoO
They staggered out of tent together hours later. Clary wasn't drunk at all but Jace was a stumbling mess. He had her sit on his lap the entire time. Sometimes he would grind her down, making him groan and moan. She had never been so humiliated in her life.
She tried her best to physically support him, but his weight was overpowering at times. They neared their tent and he turned her around quickly, pressing her stomach against the canvas. Clary felt fear enter her heart when he started pushing her skirt above her hips just outside their tent.
"Jace, get off me." She began fighting him off, but he quickly pinned her against the tent once again. She struggled against him but he didn't budge. "You tell me I have to earn their respect. I did just that when you forced me to go on that hunting trip, after all that work you do something like this? Honestly what am I to you? I'm supposed to be your wife, your equal; instead you treat me as though I am a piece of meat! How dare you." She snapped, trying to tug her arms free.
"I'm allowed to do whatever I want." His breath reeked of ale, which disgusted her. One of her hands got loose and she did the first thing her mind told her to do. She slapped him across the face. His head hung to the side for a moment before straightening out. She balled her fist in an attempt to hit him a second time, but his hand wrapped around her arm before she got anywhere near him. She sighed in defeat, slumping back against the wall.
"I'm going to bed and you won't be there until after I'm asleep." She snapped, moving from his grasp.
"It's my home." He snarled, seeming overly frustrated.
"It's also mine and you disrespected me." She backed a few steps away from him. "You won't touch me when you get back either, do I make myself clear?" She tore herself away, storming back to their tent. She collapsed on the pelts, feeling her eyes well up with tears. She choked back a sob, burying her face in the pillows. She never felt more terrified of Jace. For the first time since their wedding night, she cried herself to sleep.
A/N: Please don't be angry! I have been waiting for this chapter because this is when everything starts picking up.
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