A/N: Hey guys! Here is the next chapter! This is a month and a half in the future! I say it in the chapter, but just in case you miss it. Clary is also 6 months pregnant at this time, which isn't super clear.
I hope you guys like it.
Clary stared up at the ceiling, feeling anticipation gripping at her. The past month and a half flew by, and she couldn't believe they were leaving for the capitol that day. She rolled onto her side, facing her husband. She didn't understand how he was sleeping so soundly, but she wasn't going to wake him. She knew he would need his rest for the next few days to come.
"Go to sleep." Jace muttered without opening his eyes.
"How did you know I was awake?" She whispered, looking over him curiously.
"I can feel you staring at me." His lips curled up, as he drew her closer to him. "You need to rest. We don't leave until sunset." He grunted, running his hand over her behind.
"I'm so nervous." She breathed, burrowing her head into his neck. She couldn't hide there forever, but for now it was a safest place she could be.
"Don't be nervous." He said, snuggling under the blanket.
"How can I not be nervous? That isn't helpful." She groaned. "You know how he is with me." She shuttered, thinking about the way that he looked at her.
"I'll be there." He hummed, rubbing her back.
Neither of them spoke, but Jace crawled out of the bed right when the sun went down. Clary followed him a few minutes later, standing next to her horse. Clary gripped at her hands, while she paced back and forth. She wasn't ready to return yet. There was so much she felt like that they needed to do before they headed to her brother's castle, but here they were, heading into the lion's den. She longed to stay here for a while longer and yet she knew that her brother needed to be stopped.
One thing she longed for was cool air blowing across her face. She was ready to be out in the light of day without sweating buckets. Jace finished loading her horse and held his hand out to her.
"We are set to leave." He took her hand, leading her to the beast.
He hoisted her onto the horse. She adjusted herself in the saddle, not liking how it felt. She felt like it was a bad idea to straddle something for so long when she was so pregnant. She didn't want anything to ruin her pregnancy.
She followed Jace through the desert, feeling the heat begin to set into her bones.
OoOoO
They had stopped when the sun rose, and began sleeping through the day. The only reason she could fall asleep was because of the pure exhaustion she felt as a result of the thick of the desert. Clary awoke when someone busted into their make shift tent. Jace sat right up, blocking his wife from the gaze of the intruder.
"There is a sandstorm coming. We need to start moving now or we will get trapped under the sand." The man exclaimed as Jace climbed to his feet.
"Order the men to wrap up and protect their faces. Only grab the food and water supply. The rest stays behind." Jace ordered, gathering the blankets in his hands.
"Yes, sir." The man inhaled a sharp breath, running back out of the tent.
Clary could feel panic set into her bones because a sandstorm could wipe them out. She subconsciously put her hand to her belly, knowing that she needed to protect the little one inside of her. Jace put his hand through his hair, tossing a few valuables in chest and lugging it over his shoulder.
"I'm putting this on the wagon. I'll be right back to help you with your wrap and your horse." He assured her, kissing her cheek lightly. She nodded, gulping thickly.
She heard about sandstorms in the town, but she had never experienced one. The trees in their area kept the sand grounded, so sand getting blown up was never an issue. It was probably smart of Jace to keep her in here until they left because she would probably be panicking if she saw what was happening.
"I'm back." Jace was already covered in a mound of cloth, which covered all of his skin. It was an odd sight really because Jace almost never wore a shirt to begin with.
"Is everything alright? How much time do we have?" She stammered, feeling her palms get sweaty.
"We have 20 minutes before it'll hit us, so we need to start moving as soon as possible. I already sent the supplies forward because they are slower. The rest of us will catch up to them." He explained, picking up a piece of cloth. He brought it around her, fashioning it in a way that would protect her from the sand.
"Let's go." He gestured, holding her arm securely, as they made their way to the horses. Jace hoisted her up on hers, making sure she was in a safe position before he jumped onto his.
"I'm going to take your reigns when the sand hits I want you to tuck your face down against the horse, do you understand?" He asked, picking up her horse's reigns. She nodded vigorously, not wanting to see the wall of sand approach them. "Good, all I need you to do is to stay on the horse. If you fall off in the thick of it, we might not see that you aren't there anymore." He said, seeming a lot calmer then he should be.
They started riding, and she kept her grip on her horse tight, as Jace pulled them forward. They rode a lot faster than she thought they were going to, but she understood the need for speed. The heat was bearing down on them, as they made their way through the desert. She could tell that she had not drank enough water, but she couldn't get any now. All they could do was move forward.
After an hour of riding the sand hit them. She closed her eyes, ducking her head against her horse. She could feel it pounding on her from all sides. She kept her grip tight, knowing that she couldn't fall off the horse. If she fell off, her and/or the baby would die. She couldn't risk that.
After what seemed like days, but in reality was a few hours, Clary felt the world spinning. The wooziness of dehydration had mixed with the winds was making her feel incredibly unstable, as they continued forward. Her hands didn't grip as tight as they used to, and she felt herself swaying side to side. She didn't know what to do. She had to keep holding on.
"Clary?!" A voice seemed to whisper into her ear. She looked around herself, and no one was that close to her. She closed her eyes, wondering if she was beginning to hallucinate. She felt the horse under her stop in its tracks, and she wondered why.
"Clary, it's Alec. Jace wants to move you to his horse." A man's voice yelled. "You aren't well." He said, carefully removing her from her saddle. She felt herself stumble, but Alec caught her in his hold, leading her carefully forward. She was helped up to Jace. It didn't take her long to realize that she was facing him with her legs straddled over his hips. Her butt felt very uncomfortable almost like it was levitating, but that feeling dissipated when a cloth was put underneath her behind.
"You're alright." Jace held her head lightly in his hand, placing her head on his chest. "Block your face and put your arms around me. I'll take care of the rest." She nodded silently, holding onto him tightly. One of his hands rested on her back, while the other steered their horse. Her wooziness settled in again, and she felt he world dimming around her.
She went in and out of consciousness, but she kept her grip tight the whole time. She knew that she had to. If she let go, she would fall off. She didn't have to worry about anything other than keeping her arms around her husband. He was her rock, her anchor that kept her from falling over the edge into complete oblivion.
OoOoO
She felt like they were in the sandstorm for days, but she couldn't be sure. She gasped awake, the air around them was crisp and cool, and her body relaxed into her husbands. They were out of the desert, which made her sigh in relief. Jace removed her hood, stroking her hair lightly.
"Are you well?" He kissed her head, rubbing her back softly.
"I think so." She whispered, nuzzling her face into his chest.
"Good, you had me very worried." He breathed, adjusting the reigns on the horse. "What about the baby, Angel? Is he alright?" He murmured. She became more consciously aware of the living creature inside her. Everything felt alright, or at least she thought it was good. She moved her hand over her stomach, feeling the lump underneath abdomen. She felt like she had gotten a lot bigger since they left camp, but she was probably overreacting.
"The baby seems good." She looked up at him, as he tangled their fingers together.
"Great, I was really worried." He squeezed her hand lightly, making her grin softly. She sucked a breath, feeling something press into her bladder. "What's wrong?" He questioned, stopping the horse.
"I really need to- umm… relieve myself." She gritted her teeth, turning her eyes up at him.
"We can set up camp for now. We've been riding for a long time." He shouted out some commands, carefully sliding her off the horse. He followed in suit, keeping her close to him. They separated from the clan, and found a peaceful private place for her to relieve her bladder. He kept watch like a territorial mate, but she kind of liked that he was so protective of her. He had gotten more protective since she got pregnant, which made her smile a little. He fiercely loved the babe in her belly. She wrapped her arms around him, grinning up at his beauty. He stroked her cheek lightly, kissing her head lightly.
"Don't do that again. You really scared me." He murmured, bringing his arms around her.
"I didn't become so disoriented on purpose." She sighed, placing her head on his chest.
"I know." He released her slowly. "People will start talking if we take much longer." He teased, loosening his cloak.
"So what if they talk." She pulled him closer to her, removing the cloak completely. He chuckled, tipping her chin up to tangle their lips together. She brought her arms around his neck, as he lifted her up. Her back rested against something hard, and she felt like she was slipping away from this earth.
It felt so nice to be cool for once. All she wanted to do was strip and make love in the middle of the grass. She dropped her legs, panting heavily, as she placed her hand on Jace's chest. She shimmed out of her skirt and top before lying on the ground with her legs spread. Jace cocked his head to the side with a satisfied smirk, as he slowly removed his clothes. He was on her soon afterwards, kissing the nape of her neck. She ruffled her fingers into his locks, drawing his mouth to hers once more.
OoOoO
The sun was beginning to set, and Clary and Jace found themselves floating around a nearby pond. It felt so good to clean herself. She had only been able to take a real bath once, but it didn't compare to the cool stream they found themselves in. She knew that they should really be with the camp, but Clary just wanted to spend some time completely alone with Jace. It never really happened. Sure, their tent was their home, but the walls were thin and the flap opened with the wind. Everyone knew when they were intimate, and they often gave them knowing looks, which drove her out of her mind.
"What should we name him?" Jace mused, bringing his arms around her from behind. He spread his hands across her enlarged abdomen, placing his chin on shoulder. She put her arms over his, feeling overwhelmed with joy.
"Or her?" She rose an eyebrow at him, snickering quietly.
"It is going to be boy. Don't pretend otherwise." He laughed, kissing her neck.
"I don't know what to name him." She laughed, twisting around in his arms.
"He needs a strong name." He explained, pushing wet hair away from her face.
"What about Marcus? After You're grandfather." She hummed, remembering the stories that the old woman would tell her as they stripped maize.
"I would like that." He smiled, rubbing her back softly. He tangled their lips together again, making her giggle with excitement.
"I hope he has your hair." She gripped his locks tightly, tugging at them ever so slightly.
"I hope he has your smile." He trailed his tub over his lips. She snickered heavily, burrowing her head in his neck. "Our son is going to be so beautiful. I mean look at us." He smirked heavily.
"We should head back before it gets dark." She sighed, dipping her head under the water once again before heading to the shore. She pulled on her skirt and her top, watching him climb out of the water. He was a glistening specimen. She honestly wanted to jump him again, but she knew that they didn't have the time for that now. She smirked, wishing that she sun wasn't setting. He gave her a look that let her know that he knew what she was thinking.
"Come on," He took her placing it on her shoulder. It didn't take her long to realize he wanted her to jump on his back, so he could carry her. Her belly was big, which made it a little awkward, but thought it was sweet. She leaped bringing her legs around his hips, while her arms circled his neck. He held her leg in place, weaving through the trees.
These trees were so different than the trees in the desert. She had grown to enjoy the thick tree trunks that seemed to be there by pure magic, which made her smile. He adjusted her in his hands. She felt like her pregnant belly made this positon awkward, but Jace didn't seem to mind. He carried her with ease, as always. He had always been able to lift her like she was nothing more than a feather. The extra twenty pounds did not impair him in the slightest.
"The baby is kicking against my back." He chuckled, glancing back at her.
"He is, isn't he?" She snickered, kissing the back of his neck.
They arrived at their camp site, and he set her down on the ground. She kept her arm around his waist, as they moved stumbled through camp. He put his arm around her, propping her up. She felt a large amount of relief on her ankles from the weight that he lifted.
"Thank you." She sighed contently, leaning heavily against him.
"I know you've been hurting." He murmured, putting his nose in her hair.
OoOoO
Clary gazed up at the stars. She asked Jace if they could sleep outside, so they could breathe the crisp air. She didn't care that she was practically freezing because she wasn't sweating for the first time in forever. Jace had fallen asleep a few minutes ago, but she kept gazing through the branches and the stars.
She knew she should be nervous about going back to the castle, but she felt like she was returning home. To a place comfortable and familiar. She ran her fingers over her enlarged abdomen, feeling consoled by the movement inside her. She loved him more than anything in this world, and she wanted to keep him safe in her belly forever. She knew that it wasn't feasible, but she dreaded the day that her son was away from her.
"I love you." She whispered to her tummy.
She had yet to utter those words to Jace. He said them to her often, and it made her heart sing every time. She had still been too scared to say them to him. She wished that she could say it because she cared about him so much. He would burn the world for her, which scared her. His feelings scared her because she felt like they couldn't be real. He could never love her that fiercely could he?
She looked over at his sleeping form, tracing her finger along his cheek bones. "I love you." She breathed, sliding her hand along his chest. She saw his face twitch, and she felt herself pale. Did he tell hear her? "Jace?" She cocked her head to the side, propping herself up to see him better. "Are you awake?" She asked softly, needing to know if he heard her. She wasn't ready for him to hear her yet. She felt herself relax, as she curled against his side. She lifted his hand, placing it on her pregnant belly. "I'm sure he loves you too." She whispered, resting her cheek on her pillow.
OoOoO
Clary continued to ride with her husband instead of returning to her horse. She loved the feeling of him pressed against her back, as one of his hands rested on her belly. It also allowed time for her to sleep. Traveling while pregnant was beginning to exhaust her. Jace noticed too. He was helping her walk when they dismounted, trying to keep her from moving too much. She was thankful, but everyone was fussing over her. It was driving her a little mad.
"How far are we?" She asked, looking up at him.
"A day's ride." He pressed his lips to her ear, stroking the bare skin on stomach.
"I am so bored." She groaned, dropping her head back against his chest. She slid her hands along the horse's mane, looking through the trees.
"I know." He chuckled in her hear, nipping her ear lobe.
"Don't tease." She moaned, adjusting her seat. Her sex-drive was increased a dramatic over the last few weeks, and Jace knew it too. He constantly mocked her too. "It isn't nice. You won't appreciate it when I begin to tease you." She threatened with a sly smile. He kissed her neck, keeping his lips there for a long while. She closed her eyes, enjoying his warmth on her throat. "This isn't playing nice." She giggled, beginning to squirm.
"I don't really care." He chuckled, drawing away from her. She punched his leg, making him howl with laughter, as she leaned back against him.
OoOoO
She saw the city gates, and her blood hardened. Fear crept into her bones, as Jace held her tighter. She closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath, but she was failing. She couldn't do this. She couldn't do what they needed. She slid her hand over her heart, feeling it constrict in her chest. Her brother knew what was happening. He had to know.
"Clary," Jace's voice brought her out of her spiraling thoughts, and she looked up at him. "You're crying." He whispered, wiping the tears from her face. "I know you're scared." He breathed, placing his hand on her stomach. "But you don't need to be. I will always protect you." He assured her, as she tangled their fingers together.
His words didn't reassure her though. He didn't know Jonathan like she did, and Jonathan was pure evil. He was cunning and an immovable force.
The gates opened, and her husband barked orders at the men before they entered. She squeezed her husband's hand, feeling more nerves grip at her. She didn't want to be here. Everything about this place screamed danger, which made her want to turn around and run, but she stayed in her place. Her son had to have sensed her nerves because he had done still in her belly.
They arrived at the castle gates, which opened for them. She could see her brother at the entrance of the castle with the same bored look on his face that he always had. They stopped in front of him, and his eyes landed on her instantly. His gaze locked with hers, sending fear down her belly.
Jace slid off of the horse, reaching his hands out to Clary. She awkwardly swung her leg over, letting her husband help her down. His hands lingered at her sides before they drew away from each other. She held onto his arm, as he led the way up to her brother.
She saw her brother's eyes land on her belly, and chewed on the inside of her lip. "Sweet sister." He opened his arms with the fakest of smiles, as he brought his arms around her.
"Dear brother." She muttered, hugging her to him.
She drew away from him, keeping herself from clinging onto her husband. She had to appear indifferent to him, and she had to pretend to be allied with her brother. His dark eyes again drifted down to her abdomen, as disgust leaked off of him. She knew that he would never have been alright with Jace getting pregnant.
"Please come inside." He ushered them past the doors.
She inhaled a deep breath, following her brother inside. She took her place by her brother's side, clasping her hands in front of her. She hated being in this place next to him again. She could feel her skin crawl, as her shoes clapped against the ground. She felt naked beneath her brothers gaze, and she was terrified what he might want to do.
It had been so long since she had seen him. She looked at him, seeing the bags that had formed under his eyes. She turned her eyes forward, looking over the castle walls. A lot of paintings had been taken down, which didn't surprise her. Her brother never cared for frills.
He kept her favorites though.
"I see that you are well." He broke the silence.
"Yes," she nodded, glancing over at him. "You look tired, my brother." She hummed, inhaling a small breath.
"I am tired. The people in this castle are so dull when you are not here. I am very excited about your stay, beautiful sister." He smiled, taking her hand. She felt like she was going to vomit, but she weaved her fingers with his.
"I was ready to return as well. The desert can be quite exhausting." She drew out, drifting a little closer to him.
"Yes, I would assume so. We need to get you a proper gown. You were not made for those rags. I had a few made, but I wasn't aware of your condition." His words were a full of bitterness, but his tone changed quickly. "I'm sure Dot could tailor a dress by dinner though." He explained.
"I am twice as big around as I used to be. She can't just tailor a dress to me. I would need a new one." She scoffed at him, knowing that he didn't know anything gowns.
"Have her tailor one of mother's maternities clothes. You know father horded all of her things." He rolled his eyes, squeezing her hand.
"Right." She bit out. She hated when he suggested things like this. She hated using her dead mother's belongings, but she didn't want to test her brother this soon.
"Perfect," he smiled at her, making her uncomfortable.
A/N: I hope you guys liked it! They are back in the castle. Duh duh duuuuuhhhhhhhhh. I love y'all so much. Thanks for reading. There is 4 chapters left, and maybe an epilogue, but that isn't decided. If you are interested in an epilogue let me know. It would be their son's perspective after Clary and Jace die.
What do you guys want to know about their future kids? They will be in their early thirties to early twenties.
Thank you so much for following, favoriting, and reviewing! Thanks for reading. Love you guys.
Please review!