Magnus's life today was unrecognizable from the one he'd been living just two years before, no time to an immortal, yet everything was different. Not only did Magnus now have Max, but he also looked forward to Alec's visits as if the time in between were decades rather than weeks or mere days. When he wasn't caring for Max or helping those who arrived at his doorstep, Magnus filled his time without Alexander by inquiring after his lover's politics from an outsider's perspective, asking questions and speaking in those directly involved. His life was consumed by the love he felt for his family. For most of his life, family had been a foreign concept to him, and Magnus knew that without Alec it would still be.
He reached out to his warlock contacts in neighbouring nations, and learned they knew little of what was happening in Alicante. Magnus didn't enlighten them. Alec had enough to worry about without neighbouring countries getting nosy. Though Magnus did discover that Elizabeth's country were aware enough to know that, though their princess was living there, she wasn't married to the King. They were growing a little unsettled by the news.
Magnus used monitoring spelling to keep track of how Alec's changes were affecting his people. The humans of the nation seemed to be split into two groups. Half of them loved the new changes and were excited to be more involved in the safety of the land, while the other half were scared out of their minds. They didn't want to be responsible for their own safety. They didn't want to fight or to learn. They simply wanted to work the land and think of nothing, but the next harvest, knowing someone else was there to protect them and make all their decisions for them. Magnus saw families split in two when some of them moved into the Palace while others stubbornly resisted change. He'd heard of parents trying to physically prevent their children from leaving to live in the Palace, young adults who'd had no choice, but to cut ties with their parents in search of a better life. Magnus had tried to explain this to Alec, to show the king that he was chasing his dream too fast with too many repercussions, but no matter how he phrased it, Magnus couldn't bring his lover to worry.
"It just takes time," Alec replied, bouncing Max on his knee. "It will settle on its own. I am slowly down a little. Everything will be fine."
The King was visiting more frequently these days and their little blueberry, as Magnus had taken to calling him, was always happy to see his dad now.
"I am not so sure, Alexander," Magnus sighed resting his head on his lover's shoulder and wrapping his arm around Alec. "I am worried."
"Don't be," Alec smiled and leaned forward to kiss him, before adding with a huge grin. "Izzy had her baby. A boy. She named him Robert."
"That's wonderful, Alec," Magnus smiled.
"The Palace is so different now," Alec sighed, contentedly. There was a happiness about him that made Magnus want to relax, despite his worries. "Humans and nephilim interacting socially everyday, working together. And the new recruits we found. Magnus, if there are that many of the mixed blood without encouragement, think of how many there could be once it's allowed, even rewarded."
"Did Elizabeth have her baby too?" Magnus asked.
"She and Josey named the baby Sydney," Alec explained. "She was born just a few weeks after baby Robert."
"Isn't Sydney a boy's name?" Magnus asked. He couldn't help, but think that this child had been originally meant to be Alec's baby. If Robert hadn't died Alec may very well have went through with his political marriage. Magnus had never been a jealous man, until he'd had to think about sharing the love of his life with a stranger.
"Usually," Alec agreed. "But they wanted a less gender specific name for her. She is the first child to be raised by two mothers after all. She is special." Alec jumped suddenly turning to face Magnus. "And Josey's brother is taken with one of the new recruits. I am hoping for wedding bells."
"It seems your plan is working," Magnus smiled. "Mixing people physically within the Palace leading to new relationships and lives."
"That's the idea," Alec smiled, still bouncing a giggling Max on his knee.
"With all this going on don't you anticipate the government being well… dissolved," Magnus asked. "I mean it's currently based on a single royal line. There is talk among your people about how this will effect the change of succession?"
"Since I changed the law to let woman inherit the throne, Izzy is officially my successor," Alec explained. "Though, yes, with all the changes the old form of government won't really work much longer. I have a plan."
"Oh really?"
"If the people can fight," Alec explained. "Then rulers should be selected by leadership skills, not who their parents are and not for their fighting skills. If within my lifetime the people have enough of the Angel's blood to take over the fight I want to create a ruling body chosen by the people who only rule, not fight."
"I may be hundreds of years older than you," Magnus whispered. "But your vision is far greater than mine. You see the future while I see the past."
"When the way ahead is crystal clear, traveling at a slow pace or worrying about the problems behind you has no purpose," Alec explained with the air of an adult teaching basic counting to a child.
"As I said," Magnus smiled kissing Alec lightly on the lips. "Vision. You are a visionary."
"Just a guy selfishly trying to solve his own problems, actually," Alec argued. "The options before me were all unacceptable for different reasons so I created my own."
"Oh what were these disagreeable options?" Magnus asked.
"I couldn't disappoint those who were depending on me," Alec recited listing them on his fingers. "But I couldn't be what I wasn't either. The solution of those who came before me didn't sit well. Keeping the one I loved as a mistress while being married to someone I could never love went against my moral centre."
"You still offered it, though," Magnus reminded him.
"I was desperate!" Alec defended himself. "And I missed you."
"As I did you," Magnus chuckled. "I just had the good sense to turn you down." It was amazing to him that they could joke about this painful moment in their lives.
"Setting me back on the path of my Royal Dilemma," Alec smiled. "Where I needed to be. You made everything that's happening possible, Magnus!"
"I did nothing," Magnus replied simply. "I have seen centuries go by with less impact on history than these last few years. You did all that, Alec. I had nothing to do with it."
"If I hadn't met someone I couldn't live without," Alec smiled, turning to face him. "I wouldn't have changed the world to be with him." Alec paused. Magnus was unable to find words to express his emotions. "There will be warlocks in the Palace some day, feel to enter and leave as they choose. Just give me a little more time."
"Oh, Alexander," Magnus gasped as he pulled the shadowhunter into his arms, blueberry in the middle of their hug. "Time is all I have to give and all of mine is yours. I can't live without you either."
Magnus could feel the pressure of the King's strong arms holding him tight. Alec's hugs always made him feel so safe and loved. When they broke apart Magnus took Alec's face in his and kissed the younger man with all the affection he could muster. They were separated by an annoyed toddler demanding his parents attention.
After a few hours of long lingering kisses and time well spent with Max, Magnus made a portal and watched Alec leave through it. He knew Alec would be back, but still he always hated to see his love leave.
Max started talking before Alec's next visit. He needed other children his own age to play with. With Catarina's help, Magnus started taking him to other families he knew with had children Max's age. Magnus loved to watch Max play with the other kids, most of them warlocks. He wondered if the winged warlock that attacked the Palace would be here if Magnus had managed to protect the child, convince him to be less hateful. Magnus tried not to feel guilty about the warlock's death. After all, it was the child's parents that were to blame for everything, from getting him cursed to abandoning him, but Magnus couldn't help the guilt he felt. In his heart every abandoned child was Max and it always hurt.
At the moment the small blue boy was happily playing with a wooden toy truck, making it fly through the air while the other kids called for a turn. The kids ranged in age as well as curse marks. Magnus usually heard the children call their guardian's by name so when he met one parent who called her little girl daughter it was wonderful to hear. They stayed quite late with the other children, especially the one little girl named Stacy and her mother. Magnus enjoyed watching his son play with the purple haired little girl. Stacy also had scales on her skin, but they were a lighter shade of purple and only ran down her spine. It was good for Max to see that there were other kids like him in the world.
They did have to leave eventually and upon exiting the portal and walking to his front door, Magnus saw a note stuck to his door. It seemed Alec had come to visit while they'd been out. Magnus realized, as he took the note down and went into the house, that he and Alexander needed a better form of communication than Alec just showing up and hoping Magnus was home, especially now that Max was older.
The next day Magnus suspected Alec would try again so he stayed home, and looked up and performed a spell he hadn't needed in so long he couldn't remember when. By the time Alec walked in the door Magnus had two glowing light blue pieces of paper on his desk.
"Hello," Alec called as he moved through the house. "Anyone home today?"
"Over here," Magnus called back. Alec's footsteps got closer and Magnus looked up to see the smiling face of his lover. He gestured to the paper that's glow was fading even as they spoke. "I solved the problem."
"Oh," Alec smiled leaning in to kiss Magnus before looking at what the warlock had created. "What problem?"
"You take this," Magnus said handing Alec the now normal looking piece of paper. "And I keep this. Whatever you write on one side of your paper appears on the other side of mine and visa versa. Now when you come to visit I can say sorry I'm going out so you don't have to wait around and give up on us."
"Ah, I see," Alec chuckled. "You have indeed solved the problem."
"I am going to keep mine right here," Magnus said waving his hand and sticking the paper to the wall in his kitchen with a fury of blue sparks. "And I will check it everyday."
"As will I," Alec agreed, slipping the paper into his pocket and kissing Magnus again before asking where Max was.
"He's in the garden," Magnus replied. Alec smiled and left to go join their son. Magnus knew he shouldn't think that way, had no right to tell Max that Alec was his dad, but he always did and Alec didn't seem to mind. In fact, Magnus suspected Alec loved the word.
Magnus stayed in the house for a while to watch Max play with his dad. Max had been very excited all week to talk to Alec, show off his words. Magnus smiled as he saw the elated face of his son as he talked with his dad. Magnus watched Alec be appropriately impressed with Max's vocabulary though his kitchen window.
"She's purple," Max was saying as Alec and him returned from the garden a little while later. "And we made block towers together."
"That sounds like fun," Alec agreed.
"Dad," Max whined. "When I visit you?"
"Not for a while yet, I'm afraid," Alec replied, leaning down to look Max in the eye. "But one day." Max reached out and hugged Alec. It was enough to melt Magnus's heart. They ate lunch together before Alec had to return to his duties. Watching Alec leave through that portal was getting harder everyday.
The next day Alec sent Magnus a message saying he couldn't visit because Jonathan had been found unconscious that morning by the gate and Valentine and the spy were missing. He suspected someone had broken the spy out and killed or captured Valentine in the process. Something wasn't right, Magnus knew. He sent fire messages to every warlock who had ever owned him a favour, trying to gather information.
Alec didn't visit and he didn't send Magnus any messages for a week. Magnus redoubled his efforts to gather intel, but he learned precious little for days. When word finally reached Magnus's ears that Valentine had defected rather than been kidnapped or killed he sent the news to Alec at once. Alec's response was short and business-like and Magnus knew the King was far too busy to reply, let alone visit. A constant anxiety had settled in Magnus's chest for the safely of the one he loved.
Alec's next message broke Magnus's heart. The people were of his neighbouring nation and half his own people were calling for Alec's head on a spike. Before Alec had so much as heard the news, Valentine's army had already surrounded Alicante. They were threatening to rape and pillage their way through Alec's people to get to him in the Palace if he didn't give himself up. Valentine's message had instructed Alec to walk through the portal and give himself over for execution. Magnus felt broken as he reading the last few lines of Alec's message.
'I have to do this, my love. Even if I don't surrender I will die once they reach me. The only way out is to run, a cowards way. I will not do that. If I had run from my problems I would have run away with you after our first week together. I will always love you.
Goodbye, Your Alexander.'
Magnus clutched the paper to his chest, sobbing uncontrollably as he slide to the floor. He was helpless. There was nothing he could do to stop Alec. He couldn't get past the shield to make Alec run away. He didn't know where on the border of the country Alec would come out on the other side. He could try to be there when Valentine called for his lover's execution, but Magnus knew in his heart there wasn't time. The only solution was to get past the shield and stop Alec from entering the portal.
Magnus didn't want to burden Max with his pain. The toddler could easily forget Alec if given enough time and there wasn't a need for him to suffer. Max was outside and he didn't need to see Magnus on the floor sobbing like his life was over. His friends were another matter. Magnus decided they could be burdened and sent them all fire messages mere seconds after reading Alec's letter. He needed someone here, anyone to just be in the room with him.
Slowly they arrived, Tessa first, then Ragnor. The green skinned warlock had been helping Magnus with Max's education and thus he'd been around more often than usual, lately. Catarina was the last to arrive. They were all gathered around Magnus where he lay on his kitchen floor, curled in a ball. They'd all asked him a thousand questions since arriving, but he'd been unable to answer them.
When he finally spoke all Magnus managed to say was, "Alexander is going to die because he tired to move heaven and earth to be with me."
"Oh no," Catarina gasped. "What's happened?" Tessa had been instructed by Catarina to go care for Max so he didn't have to see Magnus like this. Only Ragnor and Catarina sat beside him on the floor.
"What do you mean, Magnus?" Ragnor asked. Magnus held out the note to Ragnor, unable to speak its contents out loud. There was silence as the ancient warlock read, then to Magnus surprise Ragnor snorted.
"This is ridiculous," Ragnor scoffed. "What are those foolish mayflies think they are doing? It's not like their lives aren't short enough as it is. They have to go kill each other over nothing!" He was standing up and seemed rather angry though Magnus didn't understand why. All he could feel was pain and loss, so why was Ragnor behaving like his favourite horse was acting out?
"All that king of yours is doing is questioning the world," Ragnor roared, pacing now. "Trying to improve it. How can mortals forget so easily! They twist everything until there is nothing left of the truth, but lies. Stupid painful lies!" And with that Ragnor snapped his fingers and then promptly vanished through the purple portal he'd just created.
I have made some serious progress on my novel so I decided to give in and let myself write fanfic. :D Hehe all the things happened! Am I evil? It seems I might be. But had to happen because plot. This has been planned since chapter two guys! Or at least the main part of it, the details come into focus as I write closer.
Sneak Peek Chapter 17
Alec was sure he was going to die. The nation Valentine had aligned himself with had a human army, lead by a dozen trained soldiers with the Angel's blood. Sure, the humans wouldn't last a second against demons or trained demon fighters, but they could massacre Alec's people by the thousands on their way to the Palace then walk through the shield like it wasn't there. They could overwhelm Alec's few skilled fighters with sheer numbers. Either way they were doomed. His options were to either surrender and save everyone else or try and face this head on and attack the enemy at his boundaries. But Alec's 'army' was mostly made up of people who had only been holding a sword for a matter of months. Even if they had the blood they didn't yet have the training. So really he had no options at all.
Despite what he'd told Magnus in his message, Alec wanted to run. He wanted to open a portal and be in Magnus's arms. Then Alec wanted to ask the warlock to portal their family far away and never look back. He wouldn't have been human if the thought hadn't crossed his mind. Though really what Alec wanted most was to see Magnus one more time before he died.