Jocelyn looked at her, smile fading from her lips. 'Why would you ask that?'

'Well, you never seemed to like Jace all that much, and you always looked sad when we were talking about wedding plans…' Clary trailed off. Jocelyn raised her eyes to the heavens, as though asking why she had to deal with this now.

'I do like Jace – now at least. At first I thought he was just going to break your heart. As for being sad… Everything you're doing now reminds me of what I did to prepare for my first wedding – when I married your father. I love Luke, but there's still a part of me that wishes Valentine had survived the war, just to see you on your wedding day. His little girl…' Her voice broke. 'My little girl.' Clary felt her own eyes filling with tears and blinked hard, trying not to ruin the makeup that Isabelle had applied only minutes before.

Jocelyn wrapped her arms around her daughter, and with a final squeeze, returned to the brisk mother she usually was. Tucking a strand of hair that had come loose behind her ear, she opened the door and gestured for Clary to go through. Together they went down the staircase winding round the right-hand side of the main entrance, Clary holding on to the banister to stop herself from falling over in her heels. The pair were joined by Isabelle wearing a shimmering ruby dress that hugged her slim body and fell to just below her knees, and heels that were even more impossible than Clary's. Her electrum whip was coiled around her wrist – to Isabelle, fashion and weaponry were almost synonymous.

Luke and Val were waiting by the door, the former having found his jacket. Valentina was quite serious now, having realised this was an important occasion, so she had to behave, or she would get that look from her mother, the one that meant trouble. Clary crouched down to be at the same level as her little sister. 'Do you remember what to do?'

'I have to carry the box to… umm…' The little girl squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating fiercely. 'To the man with the hood at the front. Then I go sit with Mommy. And I've gotta be very quiet, and sit still. If I do that,' she said, opening her eyes, 'I get cake. Right?'

'That's right Val. Sit tight and you'll get cake.' Clary stood. 'Where's my idiot brother got to with Simon?'

'Right here.' The two boys bounded down the stairs, both knowing the place so well they knew they wouldn't fall. The pair jumped the last five steps, exclaiming at the same time, 'I win!' Clary rolled her eyes then glared at them, communicating her unwillingness to judge the contest perfectly. Simon picked up on her mood instantly – that was definitely the best thing about having a parabatai: no one else could just read your thoughts like they could – and punched Jonathan on the shoulder with a grin. 'Call it a tie this time?'

'Fine,' Jonathan grumbled. Glancing at his watch, he pulled the heavy oak doors wide open and ushered his parents out. 'Come on, mustn't delay the wedding, Clary'll blow her stack if we do.' With a quick grin over his shoulder at his sister, he followed his parents to their seats at the front of the aisle.

Her parents' entrance cued the start of the music – the old Scots folk song, 'Mairi's Wedding'. Only a few minor adjustments had been needed to adapt it for this ceremony. With a nod from Clary, Val stepped out of the manor, holding a small silver box inlaid with onyx stones. Clary took a deep breath to steady herself, then held out her arm to her parabatai. Simon took it and squeezed her spare hand quickly for luck. Isabelle held out Clary's small bouquet – scarlet roses with a single yellow blossom with red tips at the very centre. She took it and inhaled the heady scent to clear her head. Isabelle gave her a quick grin, then stepped out into the sunshine, followed a few paces later by Clary, gripping Simon's arm tightly. She didn't realise quite how tightly she was holding on until Simon winced and nudged her in the side.

'It's just a wedding – what are you worried about?' Clary stuck her tongue out at him, just as they reached the end of the aisle. The pair stopped for a second, allowing Clary to compose herself before she pledged herself to the man she loved. She ducked her head for a second, long enough for her to mutter a quick 'By the Angel,' so quietly the only one to hear was a now-smirking Simon. Looking up, she caught sight of possibly the only person in the world who made her heart stop.

Jace.

He saw Clary and his gold eyes widened. He smiled, and Clary could see his white teeth gleaming against his tanned skin. His blond hair was sticking up a bit at the front from where he had obviously run his hands through it several times – the only sign that he was in the least bit nervous. His black ceremonial gear was starkly contrasted with the golden runes embroidered round the cuffs – runes for luck, for solidarity, for loyalty, for love. He looked almost relaxed, despite it being a serious ceremony. He raised his eyebrow, and Clary realised she was just standing there, drinking in her fiancé. She looked at Simon – still smirking – and as one, they moved down the aisle.

Step we gaily, on we go,

Heel for heel and toe for toe.

Arm in arm and row on row,

All for Clary's wedding.

Jace looked out as he saw the door to Clary's home open. He couldn't see his fiancée because she was on the wrong side of Simon as they came along the path perpendicular to the aisle. They turned left, suddenly facing the altar, and Jace's heart stopped.

She looked amazing. Her slim figure was shown off perfectly in her golden gown. A repeating wing motif entwined with falling stars was embroidered on the full skirt that fell almost to the floor. The sequined neckline caught the late afternoon rays and sent sparkles shooting in every direction. Her fiery hair was done up in a simple but elegant bun at the base of her neck, with two plaits disappearing into it. He noticed she was wearing a small silver necklace with a faerie wing pendant. He smiled, remembering when he had proposed and given her that necklace.

They had gone on patrol around Brooklyn, to get out of Idris for a while, and Jace had realised that he couldn't wait any longer. He had grasped Clary's hand and pulled her to face him. She smiled and looked up at him questioningly. Jace reached out to her and cradled her face in her palm. She had leaned into him, half-closing her eyes. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, then let go. Her eyes opened and stared into his, a smirk playing on her lips. She raised her eyebrows, and needing no more invitation than that, Jace slipped his family ring off his finger and held it out. Her eyes widened and her hands flew to cover her mouth. Jace glanced at the ring and rolled his eyes.

'I guess it's fairly obvious what I'm going to ask.' Clary's shocked expression had more than confirmed his statement. 'You know how much I love you. But I wanted to tell you anyway. I love you, Clary Fairchild, more than I ever thought possible. I never imagined that someone could fill the gap the death of my father left in me, but you have done that a million times over. You showed me how to be a better man – how to be the man you fell in love with. I've been wanting to ask this for a while, though it never seemed like the right time. But I just realised I couldn't go another day – no, not another minute – without asking you. So I'm asking you now: Clary Fairchild, will you marry me?'

Clary had stared at him for a second, then nodded mutely before she found her voice and whispered, 'Yes.' A smile that would outshine the sun broke out across her face. Jace found himself grinning back madly, as she repeated, in a voice that was almost a shriek, 'Yes!'

She grabbed his waist and pulled him against her body. Their lips met and pressed against each other hungrily. Their kisses grew hotter, wilder and more intense. Eventually Jace broke away with an apologetic smile and took her hand. He slipped the silver ring engraved with birds in flight onto her finger, and reached into his pocket. He'd found the necklace in an antique shop in Alicante, and had immediately thought of Clary. He spun her round and swept her hair away from her neck, clasping the delicate pendant around her throat. She looked down and fingered the exquisite pair of wings, twisting the chain so she could see it properly. A quiet gasp told him that he had made a good choice of gift.

'Since part of the wedding ceremony is returning the ring, I wanted to get you an engagement gift you could keep,' he explained. She turned to face him again, kissed him softly on the lips, then started walking along the road.

'That patrol isn't going to get done with us just standing here.'

Jace was abruptly brought back to the present by an exasperated sigh from his right. He glanced over to see Alec lifting his eyes to the sky. He raised an eyebrow as Clary and Simon started walking down the aisle. His parabatai shook his head and mouthed 'Later,' before flicking his eyes back to the approaching pair.

Clary and Simon reached the altar, and with an amused look at Jace, Simon kissed Clary on the cheek, then placed her hand in Jace's. They faced each other, sharing a look full of love, hope and no small amount of fear.

Red her cheeks as rowans are,

Bright her eyes as any star.

Fairest of them all by far

Is our darling Clary.

The Silent Brother overseeing the ceremony, Brother Jeremiah, spoke in their minds and those of the audience. ''Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is as strong as death.' So says the Song of Solomon. It is time for Jace Herondale and Clarissa Fairchild to mark each other with the marriage rune. They will bind you until you are parted by death. Do you wish to continue?'

'I do,' they answered simultaneously.

'Thus is a union born.'

Jace held out his arm. Clary took the stele offered by Isabelle and drew the simple but strong knot of lines and curves that would bind Jace to her. She recreated the rune on his chest, above his heart. Alec's stele was in Jace's hand almost as soon as she had finished. As Jace repeated the ritual, she felt something like an invisible cord tying itself around her heart. With a final messy flourish finishing the rune, the cord completed its knot and tied her to Jace.

'By the power of the Angel, I pronounce this couple man and wife.'

The explosion of emotions that burst through her were temporarily drowned out by the eruption of clapping and cheering from the audience. And then she couldn't hear anything at all because she looked into her husband's eyes and then he was kissing her, telling her in those kisses how much he loved her, his hopes for the future and his forgotten fears from the past. She kissed him back tenderly, but promising more afterwards – more for the rest of their lives.

Step we gaily, on we go

Heel for heel and toe for toe.

Arm in arm and row on row,

All for Clary's wedding.