AN: Thanks for the reviews, favourites and follows :) Just to let you know, the Clace storyline will have minimal angst. There will of course be conflict, for there is always some conflict in life, but I don't like to fill my stories with anger and torment. Hope you continue to enjoy!
"When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." – Ernest Hemingway
Chapter 3
Jace led Clary inside, moving away from the music and noise of the party, down a long corridor and then Jace let them into a locked room – the weapons room.
"Wow," Clary breathed, unprepared by the vastness of the room, and the extensive weapons stored in it.
"We're weapons junkies," Jace said with a broad grin.
"Speak for yourself," Alec said, startling them both.
"So you are still here, brooding in a corner," Jace remarked. "You couldn't find any better company than yourself?"
"Nope, which I'm sure you can understand," Alec said sarcastically.
"That's true, there's really no better company than me," Jace agreed serenely. "But you're not very good company for yourself, or anyone else."
Clary listened, fascinated. She and Jonathan had a good relationship, and teased each other as much as most siblings did, but Jace and Alec seemed to be on another level all together. You could tell that they were close, but their words held more sting than she was used to hearing between too people who were close. She knew they were parabatai, as well as brothers, Jace being adopted though, and wondered if that added to their dynamic.
She briefly compared the two boys, Jace with his rather angelic features, and Alec with the dark Lightwood hair. Unlike most of the other Lightwoods Alec's eyes were a striking blue. It was clear that the two weren't related by blood.
"Since when do you show your conquests the weapons room?" Alec asked, an edge to his tone.
Clary said, "It's not like that," at the same time as Jace said, "I don't. She's not a conquest, Alec."
Clary looked uncertainly at Alec and then decided to ask, "So, you said you're not a weapons junkie. What's your preferred weapon?"
"I prefer using a bow and arrow," Alec admitted somewhat unenthusiastically.
"He's pretty good," Jace remarked matter-of-factly. "Very good to have around when you're in a demon nest."
"I like to shoot, but I prefer swords and seraph blades usually," Clary shared.
"I noticed you had a shortsword on your hip yesterday," Jace said. "It looked like Jon's, but smaller. Is it the matching blade from a set?"
"Yes, they're Morgenstern swords, his is Phaesphoros and mine is Heosphoros," Clary replied. "They were our father's, and now they're ours. Mom gave us each one on our 13th birthdays."
"If this discussion is going to turn to bonding over dead relatives I'm going to find some alcohol," Alec muttered, moving away from the other two and heading out of the door.
"Is he always that moody?" Clary asked, her brow furrowed.
"Sometimes worse," Jace replied. "You learn not to notice. We all tend to say whatever we like and we've learned not to care too much about what the other says."
"Which adds to your charming image of being completely arrogant," Clary said dryly.
"See, I knew you'd admit I'm completely charming. I am surprised you caved so quickly," Jace said roguishly.
"You're completely deluded, is what you are," Clary told him pointedly. "Now, are we actually going to look at weapons, or are we continuing this verbal sparring match?"
"Well, I am quite partial to a good verbal sparring match, but I must say I enjoy real sparring more, so weapons it is," Jace said decisively.
They moved around the room, Jace showing her various Lightwood weapons, some that went back several generations. There were also a couple of Herondale weapons which had been brought from the Herondale Manor when Jace had been old enough to have an interest in them.
Jace was quite attentive, which made Clary increasingly curious. He knew a lot about the weapons and the best way to use all of them, even relating to specific demons. Clary was impressed, which was saying something as she was not use to people rivalling her knowledge. Still, she was unsure why he was bothering to spend time with her in a weapons room when he could be king of the party.
"Why are we here?" Clary asked suddenly.
"I asked if you wanted to see the weapons room, you said yes, so here we are?" Jace surmised, looking quizzically at her.
"I mean, why me?" Clary asked. "I know you, I'm not the kind of girl you pay any attention to."
"No, you think you know me. You only know what I let everyone think," Jace retorted. "And for the record, I don't bring just anyone in here."
"But why me?" Clary asked again, her stubborn streak coming to the fore.
"Well, I could say because Isabelle told us that we had to be nice to you, which she did, but that's not why," Jace admitted. "If I didn't want to spend any time with you, I wouldn't."
"I believe that," Clary said, crossing her arms across her chest.
"The truth is, and I'll deny it if you tell anyone else, not that they'd believe you anyway, is that I find you oddly interesting," Jace finally revealed.
"Um, thank you?" Clary said, confused and undecided whether or not to be insulted.
"I'm not use to girls who don't throw themselves at me, which is probably why I hadn't noticed you before," Jace shared. "I hadn't really even planned on doing what Izzy asked and talking to you tonight, but when I saw you slap Sebastian I decided I wanted to talk to you."
"Right," Clary said slowly. "So, all it takes for a hot guy to notice me is for me to go around slapping guys who try to feel me up?"
"There you go again, mentioning my good looks," Jace teased.
"There you go again, making assumptions," Clary retorted. "It must be exhausting, carrying an ego that big."
To her surprise, Jace chuckled, and Clary found herself let out a giggle too.
"I need a drink," Jace declared. "And maybe something to eat too. I can leave you here, surrounded by an enormous quantity of weapons, where you'd be quite safe I suppose, or you can come with me, where you will also be quite safe."
"I'll come with you," Clary said quickly. "I don't know how thrilled Mom would be if I told her I spent most of my evening in a weapons room, and part of it alone. I doubt she's going to be too pleased to hear about me slapping Sebastian either."
"I would think she'd be proud of you, hell, I was proud of you, and I'd never met you," Jace said with a grin.
"Yes, but I know you hate Sebastian, and that he hates you," Clary told him. "I'm inclined to take your side though."
Jace looked appreciatively at her.
"If he gives you a hard time, let me know, I'll be more than happy to take care of him," he said grimly.
Clary and Jace rejoined the party, to more than several inquisitive looks, and Isabelle descended upon them.
"I told you to make an effort with her, not hide her away in the weapons room," Isabelle chastised.
Jace glared at Isabelle, gave Clary an unexpectedly warm smile, glared at Isabelle again, and stalked over to where Alec was standing, talking to Jonathan.
"I was fine, he was actually being nice," Clary told Isabelle.
"Oh please, please tell me he's not put you under his spell," Isabelle said fervently.
"We just talked," Clary told her. "He was nice, very un-Jace, for some of the time at least."
"Huh," Isabelle said, looking puzzled. "I like you more and more, Clary Morgenstern."
Clary grinned at her and asked suddenly, "Where are your parents? And Max? This is their house too, right?"
"The Inquisitor and his wife are dining with The Consul and her husband," Isabelle said, affecting a deliberately snooty tone. "Which really means that Mom and Dad are having dinner with the Penhallows. Max is with them. He likes to think he's old enough for our parties, but he's not allowed at them very often, and Mom and Dad weren't leaving him here with us, unsupervised."
"Poor kid," Clary said sympathetically. "I bet if Val was older she'd kick up a big fuss insisting to go where Jon and I go, but at 2, it's not much of an issue."
"Just wait, she'll be following you around before you know it," Isabelle said, her tone holding irritation, but her smile conveying that she wasn't really annoyed by her little brother. "Come on, you should get to know some more people."
"I know you, and Jace and Alec, and Aline, and I know all I want to know about Sebastian. Surely that's enough for one night?" Clary protested.
Apparently it was not, as Isabelle insisted dragging Clary around for the rest of the evening, and oversaw her mingling.
A couple of hours later Jace and Isabelle were walking with the Morgenstern siblings to their carriage, which was waiting out the front.
"We're going riding tomorrow, you should join us," Isabelle suggested. "We're going to take food and head for the hills and see where the day takes us."
Jonathan quickly accepted on behalf of both himself and Clary.
"Well, we'd better be off," he said reluctantly. "Great party Iz, see you both tomorrow."
He stepped into the carriage, leaving Clary standing there.
"Thanks for inviting me, I had a good time," Clary said to Isabelle. "It was nice talking to you, Jace."
Isabelle smiled at Clary, and then looked on in interest as Jace offered her his hand and helped her into the carriage, regardless of the fact that she would have been capable of getting in by herself. Usually, she would have felt belittled or demeaned by the gesture, but somehow she knew that Jace didn't mean it as an insult, or a question of her strength and ability.
Bill flicked the horses and the carriage rolled off, with Isabelle offering a parting wave.
"You know, I've never seen you voluntarily spend time with a girl before," Isabelle mused. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Shut up," Jace retorted.
"And you're sensitive about it," Isabelle continued, eyes dancing. "Very interesting. If I didn't know better I'd say you were interested in Clary, Jace. But I do know better, you only like what is thrown at you. You'd have to earn Clary and I really don't see that happening."
Jace just said, "Mmm," and turned and headed quickly inside, Isabelle grinning at his retreating figure. She knew her brother very well, and felt she'd accurately pegged him concerning Clary. Contrary to her words, she could see Jace working to earn Clary. She'd really only said what she had to try and make sure he did. Jace loved a challenge, and he loved proving Isabelle wrong. So now all Isabelle had to do now was wait and see if he did what she thought he would, and she felt sure he would.
When Clary and Jonathan reached the Fairchild Manor they found it dark, their parents already in bed apparently.
"It's not that late, is it?" Clary asked in a hushed tone, getting her witchlight stone out, a source of heavenly light used by Shadowhunters.
Jonathan got his out too, all Shadowhunters kept one on them at all times, and they headed inside.
"It is pretty late," Jon said, looking at his watch. "Surprised you spent so much time out without feeling miserable?"
"A bit," Clary said honestly. "If we're heading out with Isabelle, Jace and Alec tomorrow we should get straight to bed."
"Good idea," Jonathan agreed. "I'll see you in the morning then. And Clary? I'm glad you had a good time tonight."
Clary smiled at her brother, and then they both parted, heading to their own bedrooms.
Clary undressed, carefully hanging the green dress on a hanger, and then climbed into bed, enjoying the familiarity of her cotton pyjamas.
The next morning found Clary, Jonathan, Val, Luke and Jocelyn all eating breakfast together. Val however, from her high chair, was more making a mess with her waffles and fruit than eating them as such.
"You guys didn't have anything planned for us today, did you? It's okay that we go riding, right?" Clary queried.
Luke and Jocelyn shared an eloquent look. If they had made any plans for the day, which they had not, they would have immediately disregarded them upon Clary asking to spend time with other young Shadowhunters. They had been gently prompting her to make some friends with others her age for years, and now that she was starting to, they would do everything to encourage it, without making a big fuss either.
Jocelyn was particularly curious about what had finally caused Clary to change her mind about getting to know some new people, but she was not going to ask her daughter yet, lest she unsettle her.
"You two go, have fun," Luke said affectionately. "But please come home before dark."
"Yes, try to come back in time for dinner," Jocelyn suggested. "Bring the Lightwood kids if you like."
Clary and Jonathan quickly agreed to the terms, and then headed upstairs to get ready to leave.
Clary dressed in a pair of dark riding pants and a green top, pulling on boots and strapping a weapons belt around her waist. They weren't going out expecting trouble, but Shadowhunters never went anywhere without some form of a weapon on them. Clary was taking her shortsword and a dagger. Seraph blades were the most common weapons used by Shadowhunters for killing demons, but they weren't going demon hunting, and would be back before the sun was down anyway. The advantage of seraph blades was that once activated by naming them for an angel, they were filled with seraphic power, which was most effective against demons. The adamas used to make a seraph blade was important in its ability to slay demons, which was why, Clary's sword, Heosphoros, was useful to her in battle as well, being made of adamas too.
On her way downstairs she pulled her hair back into a braid, and accepted the bag of food Jocelyn handed her, kissing her mom goodbye.
She leaned down to where Val was standing next to their mother and kissed the little girl on the head.
"Have fun," Luke said. "If you go near Brocelind Forest keep on your guard."
"Don't worry, we know the rules, and I'll take care of Clary," Jonathan promised.
The Morgenstern siblings headed for the stables, Clary saddling Aura and Jonathan saddling his black gelding, Poseidon. They both stowed a few bits and pieces, including food and water, in their saddle bags and they were soon cantering toward the Lightwood Manor.
The sky was blue, the air clear and there were birds chirping. There was a gentle breeze that was just enough to make the air cool, but the sun was still warming up and it would soon be quite warm.
They were at the Lightwoods before too long and the three eldest children of the manor were out the front, mounted on their horses, as arranged the evening before.
"Alec, you're looking grumpy," Jonathan called with a chuckle. "I told you to ease up on the drink last night."
Alec merely glowered at him, while Jace grinned smugly and Isabelle laughed openly.
"Where are we going?" Clary asked, eager to have some idea of what the day would bring.
"We figured we'd head out across Brocelind Plain, to the east, kind of aiming for the mountains that back onto Germany," Jace told her. "We probably won't go quite up to Brocelind Forest, but near enough to the edge of it."
Clary nodded and kicked her heels into Aura, heading off at a fast canter.
Jace followed immediately, not liking the idea of her getting ahead of him, and the other three followed, having no intention of getting left behind, but content to bring up the rear.
Isabelle watched in amusement as Jace pursued Clary, thinking that unknowingly, Clary was already making Jace chase her, and that he hadn't paused to even consider not going after her.
Alec was less amused than his sister. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the attention that his parabatai was suddenly paying the tiny redheaded girl, but he was fairly sure he didn't like it. He was use to having most of Jace's attention, or at least the attention that Jace volunteered to give, and now Clary seemed to be occupying his attention, and at an alarmingly quickly growing rate.
Jonathan, unlike the two dark haired Lightwoods, did not read much into the situation at all. He was happy to be out riding, and with Isabelle at that, and happy that his sister seemed to finally be willing to join in some social activities.
AN: Thanks for reading! Please review and tell me what you think :)
Also, I've been writing quickly, so I wanted to give you guys a few chapters more quickly to start with, just to get the story kick started!