A/N: Here is the second to last chapter. I hope you enjoy it.
Clary's nerves gripped at her over the last two days. The coup was going to happen in five days and she wasn't prepared for the bloodshed. Men that she had grown up with would die so that she could sit on the throne. She knew it was about more than that but she still didn't want it to happen. She understood that it needed to happen because her brother would only get worse as he aged.
She sat on the edge of her bed wringing her hands as she waited for Dot to join her. Jace had left early in the morning to make rounds. Clary had been going with him, but she had been feeling so exhausted the last few days.
"Hello," Dot slipped into the room, smiling widely at her.
"Dot, please sit." Clary patted the spot next to her, gulping thickly.
"Is everything alright?" Her handmaiden asked, placing her hand over Clary's.
"Yes, everything is fine." She assured her, taking a deep breath. "Dot, you need to leave here." She stated, squeezing her hand.
"Are you dismissing me? Have I done something wrong?" She shifted to face Clary more, as she feared for the loss of her job and the loss of a close friendship.
"No, that's not why you have to leave." She shook her head, running her fingers through her hair. "Jace and I have been leading a coup." She spoke softly, keeping her eyes on Dot. "Jonathan needs to be stopped, and I don't want you to get hurt in the cross fires."
"Wait? You are what?" Her eyes widened.
"I-" She paused, feeling like her mother figure disapproved of her.
"I'll leave tonight." Dot agreed, getting to her feet.
"You aren't angry?" Clary gaped, feeling her stomach tie in her knot.
"No, I love you, and respect your decision to protect your people." She held her cheeks, kissing her forehead lightly. "Be safe." She whispered before retreating out the room.
OoOoO
Clary found herself sobbing in the middle of her day. She had spent most of her day in her room resting, and all she could think about was the events to come. Her emotions had been so high the last few days, setting her off at any moment, and she had to reign them in whenever she was out of her room. She was so exhausted, as she curled herself into a ball.
She yearned for these events to be over.
She propped herself up when her bedroom door opened. She sniffed heavily, wiping heavily at her face to remove the tears and snot. "Angel," Jace breathed, shutting the door behind him. The bed dipped beside her, as he gathered her in his arms. He lifted her off the bed, carrying her to who-knows-where. All she could do was sob into his chest.
She wanted to calm down, but she didn't know how. Everything just seemed so impossible. She felt like her heart was shattering into pieces and she could hardly understand why.
Clary peeked a look at her surroundings when Jace opened another door. She sniffled, as Jace set her on feet, not really knowing what to say. He had brought her into the bathroom with a tub full of steaming water. He carefully gathered her hair, draping it over her shoulder before he began pulling at the strings on her gown.
"Everything is going to be alright." He assured her with a tender kiss to the hallow of her throat. She released the shakiest of breaths, as she turned around to face her husband. "I know that you are scared, but I know that as long as we are in this together we will succeed." He held her cheek in his palm, scanning his eyes over her tear covered face.
"How do you know?" She whispered, wrapping her arms around his torso.
"I don't, but I would rather hope for the best than fear the worst." He breathed, stroking her hair. "Get into the bath." He encouraged, drawing away from her, as he removed his clothes.
She unsteadily climbed into the tub, sinking into the hot water. She felt a wave of relaxation set over her. Jace stepped in just behind her, drawing her into his embrace. Her back rested against his chest, while his hands found their way to her belly. She closed her eyes, letting her head drop back against his shoulder. How did he always know how to make her feel better?
"I love you." Her lungs felt constricted in her chest as spoke those words, but she knew that she had to say them now before everything got crazy.
She couldn't see his face, and he did not speak, which send a wave of nerves to her gut. She wanted to cry again, but she remained silent. Jace had already confessed his feelings to her. She knew that they had not gone away, but his silence scared her.
She played with his fingers, yearning for his voice, but she let him process what she declared.
After a long while, he cleared his throat. "Say it again." He sounded gruff, as want seeped through her bones.
"I love you." She spoke in a more confident tone than before.
"I have longed to hear you say those three words to me." He buried his head into the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent. "I love you more than the number of stars in the sky." He whispered against her skin, holding her close. Clary choked back a sob, holding her hand to her mouth. "Angel, don't cry again." He breathed.
"I am not crying from sadness." She let the warm tears roll down her face, relishing the way that they felt against her skin.
She maneuvered herself to face him, bringing her arms around his neck. She tangled their lips together passionately, leaning into him. He fisted her hair, crushing their mouths together, as she straddled his hips.
"I did hear you say that you loved me on our way here." He smirked faintly, chuckling to himself.
"What?!" She widened her eyes, feeling her face flush. "You heard me. That's so embarrassing." She buried her face into her hands.
"I just felt like I should tell you." He laughed, drawing her into another kiss. She moaned softly, forgetting the embarrassment. He slid his hands over her hips, drawing her closer to him.
OoOoO
Jace's head rested in her lap as she stroked his hair. He spoke softly to her enlarged belly, making her hum softly. She couldn't believe that she told him that she loved him, but it felt so good to say even though he already knew.
"I am going to be there when you are born." Jace breathed, bumping his nose against her belly. "I'm going to be the first person to hold you." He smiled.
"What about me?" She snorted at him, tangling her fingers into his hair.
"I don't care if you are closer to your mother. I am holding you first." He chuckled, smirking up at her.
OoOoO
Clary needed to go for a walk. Her body was hurting everywhere, but she was in more pain if she sat still. She started to round a corner, but froze when she heard her brother yelling. "That bastard is not one of my guards, why is he in my uniform?" Jonathan snapped to the men around him, who stood silently. "She lied to me! My whore of a sister lied to me. Rally the troops, kill everyone. I'll take care of my sister." He growled, storming down the hallway with his advisors. She peaked around the corner, seeing one of her men dead. She gasped loudly, leaning heavily against the wall as she held her mouth.
She felt tears well up in her eyes, but she knew that she couldn't cry right now. She hurried down the hall, knowing that she had to tell Jace. They had to attack now before her brother got the upper hand. They no longer had the element of surprise. Her heart pounded in her throat, making her entire body shake, as she searched for Jace.
Clary awkwardly halted in front of her husband, struggling to stop her momentum. She panted for breath, holding her belly, as she leaned against the wall. "Clary? What's wrong?" He asked, trying to support her.
"He knows. He found out about the guards being switched. We need to attack now." She panted, groaning heavily as she righted herself.
"Shit." He lodged his hand into his hair, pacing a few steps. "Let's go, follow me." Jace took her hand, leading her down the hallway.
She hurried to keep up with his long stride, but she stopped when a sensation overcame her, forcing her entire body to double over. She moaned in pain, feeling a convulsion go through her lower body and down her legs. "Clary, what's wrong?" Jace held onto her arm, trying to keep her up right. She panted heavily, clenching his hand tightly, as she tried to keep her knees from buckling. She felt panic shoot through her, while she attempted to regain her composure. "Clary?" He repeated more urgently, needing to know that his wife and child were alright.
"It's too soon." She gaped for breath, resting her hand protectively on her stomach. She looked up at Jace, who had paled beside her at the realization that she was in labor now. "Get Isabelle." She ordered her husband, as she leaned back against the wall.
"You want me to leave you without protection?! Are you insane?" Her husband was full of panic mode, as he tried to approach her.
"Our baby is coming now! Are you a mid-wife? No, you aren't. I need someone who can deliver our son. I can make it back to our room safely. Please get Isabelle." She plead, pushing her hand against the wall. He stepped back from her hesitantly before breaking into a sprint down the hall. She was glad that he left. He knew that he felt like he was abandoning her, but things would only get worse if there wasn't someone to help deliver their baby.
Clary took a deep breath, turning the opposite direction to the stairs, which felt so far away. She went as fast as she could, but her whole body ached from the added weight of the baby. She reached the stairs, feeling another contraction rip through her. She leaned heavily against the rail, trying to steady her breathing. She hadn't really spoken to a mid-wife yet about the perils of labor. She was planning on doing that after the coup, which she now learned was a horrible idea.
She rested her head against the stone, pulling herself back together when the pain subsided to some extent. Her steps were less steady, as she reached the tops of the stairs. Swords were beginning to clash not too far away from her, forcing her to try to move even faster. She gulped thickly, hurrying as quickly as she could down the hall. She slipped into her room, shutting the door behind her.
This was the worst possible time to give birth. There was a battle going on throughout the whole castle, making this situation even more dangerous than it already was. She groaned loudly, reaching for the bed. She didn't think it would hurt this bad, but as her body contracted, more pain ripped through her. She lied down against the bed, forcing back a sob. She puffed out breath, wiping the beads of sweat off of her head.
The door opened minutes later, and Isabelle rushed in with her husband by her side. "Jace." She reached out her hand, and he weaved them together. He kissed her knuckles, as Clary propped her legs up for Isabelle. Clary flinched at her touched, but she closed her eyes, trying to calm down.
"You still have some time. It could be hours, Clary." She paused, pursing her lips, as she looked up at her cousin. "Jace, you need to lead the men." Isabelle pushed back up into a standing position, sighing softly. Clary knew Jace didn't want to leave. His hand remained wrapped around hers, and his grip was firm. "I'll watch after her." Isabelle promised, putting her hand on her cousin's shoulder.
"I said I'd be there." He whispered, putting his forehead against hers.
"This is more important." She mumbled, letting her hand ruffle his hair. "Win me a throne for our son." She pushed against his chest, encouraging him to stand up and move. He growled softly, pacing back and forward a few steps. "Go, now." She ordered, doing her best to ignore the contraction that set into her. He would never leave if he realized how much pain she was in.
"I love you." He breathed, backing to the door. "Name him Dominic." He commanded before ducking out the door.
She broke down the second the door closed behind her. She cried out in pain, rolling to the side slightly. She wanted to curl into herself and die, but that obviously wasn't an option. She ran her hand through her locks, gasping for a solid breath that wasn't there. A thin layer of liquid covered her body from the exertion.
"Keep breathing." Isabelle laid next to her, gripping her hand. Clary nodded, taking deep breaths, as she crushed Isabelle's fingers. She flinched heavily when she heard metal clashing closer to her. "It's out the window." She assured her, trying to keep her calm.
"It's too soon, Isabelle." She shook her head, allowing her panic to set in. "He needs two more months." She clenched her eyes shut, trying to calm herself down. It didn't work at all though. She was terrified that it was too soon, and it didn't help that a battle was going on outside this room. She had to reign in her breathing before she began to hyperventilate, which was proving to be a difficult task.
"I'm sure he will be alright." She assured her, stroking Clary's hair softly.
"Jace could die, what if they fail?" She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head. "I shouldn't have come. It was so stupid. I was too pregnant for travel all that heat and the stress I've been under…" Her breathing increased rapidly, as he heart pounded out of her chest. "It pushed the birth up I know it." Tears streamed down her face when she felt another contraction rip through her. "It hurts." She sobbed onto her friend's shoulder, seeking any relief from the pain.
"You are strong. We all thought you had plenty of time, and no matter what happens out there, everything will be alright." Isabelle spoke with a steady voice, but Clary knew that they might not necessarily have a happy ending. If her brother won, Jace and everyone she had come to love would be dead. She would wallow in the nothingness that would transpire into her life if she lived.
"You aren't a mid-wife." Clary spoke her doubt to her friend, and Isabelle gulped thickly.
"I've seen Magnus do this plenty of times. I have helped some women. I just haven't delivered a baby on my own. Please, trust me." Isabelle begged softly, pushing her friend's hair away from her sweat covered face. Clary leaned against her, having nowhere else to really turn. Isabelle gathered her in her arms, holding her close.
OoOoO
As she neared birth, Clary's cries only got louder. Tears rolled down her face, as she tried to breathe. Everything in her body convulsive with pain, while sweat poured from every surface of her body. Isabelle had propped her up into a sitting position, allowing her to grip at the covers tightly. Every muscle in her body was tense, making everything hurt even more than it already did.
"It's time. You need to start pushing." Isabelle said over Clary's screams. "Clary push." She ordered harshly, adjusting herself between her legs. Clary tried her hardest, but it hurt too much. She broke out into a cry. She collapsed back against the covered, as her stomach contracted again. "Clary, you really need to…" Her voice died off, spurring fear in her heart.
"What? What is it?" She stammered, sniffing heavily.
"The baby isn't coming out right. You have to stop pushing. You might kill him." She shook her head, running her fingers through her locks.
"What?" She exclaimed, widening her eyes at her friend.
"I'll need to put my hand in the womb and move him around." Isabelle bit her lip.
Clary felt disoriented when the door slammed open. She hazily looked over at the door, seeing a white blonde man sulking into the room with a soldier by his side. "Jonathan," She felt her pulse rise higher than it ever has before, as her brother quickly over powered Isabelle. He cracked her forehead against the bed frame before looming over her.
She fought back a scream of fear when he gripped her face roughly and began yelling. "This is all your fault! You lying bitch. You will pay for this." He threatened, making her even more scared then she already was.
"Jonathan, please, help me." She begged, screaming loudly, as her uterus contracted. She was so desperate. She needed help. Couldn't her brother see the trouble she was in?
"Help you!" Her brother started raving about something, but Clary couldn't hear past the pain that was tearing through her body.
"Jonathan, if I can't deliver my son, I will die. I need a mid-wife." She winced heavily, doing anything to keep herself from pushing. "Do you want to lose the only thing you have ever loved?!" She yelled at him, gripping the front of his shirt. "I am going to die. Please, help me." She pleaded, pushing him away from her. She heard her brother snarl something before, pulling up a chair next to her.
She flinched heavily, as her brother's hand wrapped around her own. She ripped her hand away from him, exhaustedly trying to keep away from him. "Clary," He grasped her fingers again, trying to comfort her.
"I would have been fine!" She snapped at him, clenching up when another contraction set in. "Isabelle knew what to do. Now I might die because of you." She tried to remove her hand from his again, but he only held it tighter. He kept a firm grasp, trying to show some semblance of caring even though this was all his fault
"Someone is coming. I acted rashly upon entering. I'm sorry." He whispered, pressing his lips tightly together.
"You always act rashly, and it always destroys everything around you." She felt more tears fall down her cheeks. Her body was shaking with the need to push and it was so hard. It was an unnatural for a body this far along in labor to fight pushing. Instead of fighting her brother's small gesture of affection, she gripped onto him tightly, trying to keep herself firm and steady.
Everything around her felt like it was spinning. She didn't understand what was happening, but she felt something get thrusted into her uterus, making her scream at the top of her lungs. She didn't understand what was happening, but she understood when a soft woman's voice told her to push. She cried heavily, pushing herself to lean against her thighs, as she let her son out into the world.
She released a sob of relief when her son was finally delivered. Everything in her body began to calm down, as she collapsed back against the wall of pillows. It didn't take her long to realize that he son wasn't crying.
"He isn't crying?!" She stammered, looking over at the woman who delivered him. She saw the woman blow breaths into his nose and mouth, as she pressed her thumbs over his lungs. "Is he dead?" She wept, leaning against her palms. She wanted to see. Why wouldn't this woman let her see him?
She knew it. She knew it was too soon. He wasn't ready yet, and now he was dead.
A cry bellowed across the room, and Clary felt her breath whoosh back into her, as she collapsed against the bed.
"It's a boy." The woman announced, handing Clary her baby.
She cradled her son against her chest, feeling all that pain slip away, as she gazed at the screaming baby. He was perfect. She stroked his head, seeing the light blonde hairs on his head. He was so much smaller than she expected him to be. It was probably just because he was born so early. She pressed her forehead to his, breathing in his scent. She was so relieved that he was alive. She didn't care that he was crying loudly in her ear because he was crying. He was alive, and she had never been more thankful for anything else in her life.
"Clary?" A gruff voice interrupted her. She looked up, seeing her husband in the door way covered in blood and grim.
She felt fear chill her blood, as her brother and husband exchanged deathly gazes before their weapons clashed. Clary ushered the woman who helped her give birth over to her, quickly handing her the child to rest in the crib. Clary had to stop the fighting. One of them was going to get killed, and she didn't want to lose either of them unnecessarily.
She felt her heart pound in her ears, as she put her feet unto the ground. She staggered to her feet, feeling pain shoot through her entire body. "Stop!" She squeaked, trying to step between them. "Stop it!" She yelled, shakily moving between their swords. She shielded her brother from her husband, knowing that Jonathan would be the one to die. Jace was a far superior warrior to her brother.
Jace panted with fury, as he lowered his sword. "What are you doing?" He asked, scanning his eyes over her.
"Please, please don't kill him. Give him another chance to change. He can abdicate the throne, and then we can rule. Please just don't kill him." She backed into her brother, holding him behind her. She could see the debate her husband was having in his head, but she knew that his worry for her would win out.
"Alright, alright, please just lie back down." Jace sheathed his sword, taking her in his arm to rest her on the bed. He began gathering the covers around her, and she looked up at her brother, who wheels were turning. Jace started fussing over her, making sure that she was safe and healthy, but she kept her eyes on her brother. Something shifted. Something felt wrong.
Clary's heart jumped into her throat, when she saw a flash of metal behind Jace. She didn't know how it had happened, but blood bloomed across her brother's chest. She looked back down at her hand, knowing that the knife buried in his chest had come from her hand. Her heart stopped in her chest at the realization. Her brother stared at her, as he slowly crumpled to the ground, dying almost instantly.
"What- what did I do? Where did that knife come from?" She exclaimed, as her breath came out in heavy pants.
She couldn't breathe. Everything around the room began to turn fuzzy before it turned black.
A/N: So that was crazy. This was definitely the climax, and I am sorry I left you hanging, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I can't believe how close this story is to come to a close. We got one more chapter and an epilogue, and then it is over. :`(
Thanks so much for reading this story!
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