By the time the sun set on what Alec had thought would be the last day of his life, his future had never looked brighter.
"I would very much like for you to stay," Alec told Tessa and Catarina as the craziest day of his life drew to a close. "Ragnor as well, though I won't be able to formally invite him until he wakes up. I want warlocks to be among those who call this place home."
"The Palace was the first home I ever knew," Tessa smiled at him. "I would happily call it so again."
"Can I set up a healing station?" Catarina asked. "And spread the word that people could come if they need me?"
"That is a brilliant idea," Alec beamed. "How much space would you like?" For a while they talked out the details before they agreed on the best place. Then Alec gave her free reign to build her healing center, since she was more than capable and he really didn't have the time or energy to supervise her. Tessa expressed an interest in childcare and talked about starting a daycare or some kind of school.
"Maybe I can rope Ragnor into helping me," Tessa mused.
"Just let me know," Alec told her. "I am sure we can work something out. If you'll excuse me." Politely removing himself from the situation Alec moved down the hall. He'd caught a glimpse of the one person he wanted to talk to. In all the chaos of getting people back today Alec hadn't really had a moment alone with Magnus.
The day had been quite a productive one though. The mundane servants had all been offered their jobs back, though some still hadn't physically returned to the Palace. Many teams had already returned with those who had escaped the barely averted disaster. Jonathan and Rose were back along with Amatis and the rest of her recruits. Elizabeth and Josey were yet to be found, though Alec wasn't worried. They'd likely gone into hiding faster and didn't know that it was safe to return. He had faith they'd be back soon. The Palace was once again alive with people, it's lights flicked with a temporary energy, its portal room used for nothing, but storage.
"Magnus!" Alec called when he caught sight of the warlock. Max was holding tight to one of his papa's hands, still looking wide eyed around at everything.
"Alec," Magnus smiled as he turned to face Alec. "This is amazing. Everything you've done here… it takes my breath away. You are truly the most caring person I know. To bring the world together like this… I-" Magnus seemed at a loss for words which made Alec smile. He leaned in and kissed Magnus sweetly, holding his lover's face in his hands as he did so.
"Actually, I'm selfish," Alec stated when their kiss ended. It couldn't get too heated with Max beside them and Alec had things he needed to say. "So very selfish. Tessa and Catarina are moving in. I will try and convince Ragnor to stay as well." Magnus didn't say anything so Alec continued. "I want nephilim and warlocks to be allies, along with the mundanes. I want the world to be as it was before, but I can't claim I want any of these things for the benefit of this country or my people. I think you have suspected though I have never told you in so many words; I want this for you, for us. To be with you I have done all of this, created a world in which we can be together." Alec could see tears running down Magnus's cheeks, but he didn't stop. "I trust that this time when I asked you to live with me, I will not be disappointed."
Sobbing in earnest Magnus flung his arms around Alec, holding him tight and whispering in his ear. "Indeed you won't." Alec held his lover close, sparing one arm to hold Max who had joined in the hug.
"Besides," Magnus laughed as they broke apart. "I turned my house to ash anyway."
"You did what?" Alec laughed with him. It was impossible to be sad in this moment, even about this.
"Turned it to dust and let it fly away on the breeze," Magnus explained merrily. "Oh, speaking of which." The warlock snapped his fingers and suddenly a pair of suitcases appeared to their left. "Lead on." Magnus gestured for Alec to walk ahead and together the little family went up the stairs, hand in hand. Alec turned to see Magnus's suitcases floating along behind them as Alec's once had on the way to Magnus's house.
"This is my room," Alec explained as they entered the king's keep. "Our room now." There was a large four poster bed with curtains around it to their left. The grand window was straight ahead with an elegant couch set in front of it. A few bookshelves sat against the opposite wall and there was a desk in the corner. The whole thing was decked out with purple, the royal colour though Alec now suspected this colour had only become so because it was also the colour of the magic within the Palace. He had to smile at the simple fact. Ragnor's influence on the Nephilim culture was quite impressive, even if it all came from a single afternoon spent with a friend as far as Ragnor was concerned. All the historical significance was, of course, lost on the child.
"Daddy has a huge bed!" Max giggled as he ran up to jump on it. Alec laughed, leaning to his side and resting his head on Magnus's shoulders. He'd had to do so much more than either Jace or Izzy to get where he was in this moment, his child playing before him and his lover standing next to him. Magnus's arm wrapped around Alec's waist and the king knew with perfect clarity that it had all been worth it.
Once Max began yawning, they made up a bed for him or, rather, Magnus summoned one from the location Alec gave him. Alec was going to have to get used to magic being so casually used. He'd almost gotten used to it during his visits to Magnus's, but they had only been visits. Magic was quickly becoming a part of his daily life now.
"I never thought he'd get here," Magnus whispered as Alec settled into his lover's arms on the big bed. Max had finally fallen asleep in his own bed just a few minutes ago.
"I know what you mean," Alec replied softly.
"I'm not sure you do," Magnus counted. "The first time you touched me, every instinct I had told me to pull away. I could picture it ending in one of only two ways, both of which frightened me. I was scared of becoming Tessa, trapped with the ones she loved yet apart from them. I was scared either one or both of us would die. So I told myself that given a week I could get you out of my system, but our week together had quite the opposite effect." Magnus turned in Alec's arms to gently kiss him in the dark. "We are here, thanks to you, Alexander. Despite all the things that stood in our way, you and I can lay here together freely."
"Without either one of us feeling trapped," Alec agreed, kissing Magnus again softly.
"Or Isolated from their own people," Magnus smiled, leaning forward to kiss Alec again.
"I love you," Alec said stroking the warlock's face.
"Love you more," Magnus counted.
"Love you most," Alec said grinning like he'd won.
"Love you mostest," Magnus replied with a slight laugh. Alec decided he was okay with this. Grinning, he settled down it the huge comfortable king sized bed, with his lover's arms around him. Magnus's solid presence beside him was a sensation Alec would never tire of. This moment was so peaceful, so beautiful he didn't know how to describe the feeling. It was a kind of perfect contentment, but better somehow. Closing his eyes Alec relaxed his body and mind, taking in the moment. He thought nothing of the past or the future, but simply existed in the here and now.
Alec awoke so soon he was sure it was still the middle of the night, but to his surprise there was bright daylight peeking through the curtains. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept so soundly. Magnus was still asleep, one arm draped over him. Alec loved waking to the warm presence of Magnus in his bed. Turning gently so as not to wake the sleeping warlock, Alec gently brushed the black hair out of his lover's eyes. He gazed at Magnus in the dim light, knowing that he didn't need to commit the face before him to memory for he'd be seeing it every day for the rest of his life. Max was likely still asleep from the lack of noise, and Alec was in no rush to move from this spot and disturb his family's slumber.
Alec gently snuggled close to Magnus. Closing his eyes, Alec let his mind wonder. The imagines of people he knew floated around in his head, thoughts from the previous day and all the change that had happened recently danced around his mind. Had it really only been yesterday that his world came crashing down? Suddenly Alec knew how his people had felt; everything had happened so fast. He would make an effort to be more understanding in the future when it came to rapid change. Being overwhelmed with the sheer volume of events was quite unpleasant. Though Alec thought, as he gently caressed his lover's caramel skin, he couldn't argue with the quality of the outcome.
Even with all that he'd so far done, there were still so many things that still needed to be accomplished. The portal room would need to be taken apart and used for another purpose. Alec had considered using it as a temporary portal room of sorts, but knew somehow that wouldn't ever work since a temporary portal could be made anywhere. Why would a warlock go to all the trouble of changing locations just to make portals? It made no sense, but the room was too central to be used for storage forever. The design of the Palace had been built around it after all. There had to be a better way to utilize it. Maybe Ragnor would have some ideas.
Alec loved Catarina's healing center idea. He'd planned on something similar anyway and having someone so enthusiastic on the project did nothing but make Alec's job easier. He couldn't wait to see how it turned out.
Without the permanent portal at least one warlock would need to join shadowhunters on missions to portal them back. Without a warlock the hunting party would at worst be unable to escape in the event of an ambush and at best have to walk the long way home. If one day enough warlock's lived here, Alec thought it best to bring along two warlocks for the bigger missions, one to heal and one to protect and portal. Alec would create an environment where warlocks know they were welcome, one where magical services were exchanged for friendship, or even just room and board. Or if they weren't interested in that, he would even hire them, allowing the relationship to remain professional. Alec very much suspected what the warlock would want depended solely on the individual warlock in question. Neither Tessa nor Catarina had asked for wages, but as Alec understood it, Catarina had spent most of her life healing those who could not pay her while, for Tessa, living here felt like returning home. He was sure other warlock's would want different terms. It would be an interesting adventure to say the least, but one Alec was eager to start.
An interesting adventure could also describe how Alec felt about his secrets. Sure, he'd always been open with his family, but it was time Alec told his people who he was. It wasn't something he could change or had any control over and though Alec didn't want to be defined by who he was attracted to he did think he owed his people the truth. He wasn't scared anymore. Alec was excited to be free. If they wanted him to step down as King Alec would accept that. Either Izzy or Jace could take his place. Alec had faith in their abilities to not destroy everything he'd built.
Alec was also excited to introduce Max to his mother. Though Maryse had likely seen Max in the Palace today, Alec hadn't mentioned the little warlock to his nephilim family in the years since his adoption and knew his mother probably didn't know that Alec considered Max to be his own. He hoped she'd be happy about the name Alec had chosen.
Once Ragnor woke up, Alec planned to offer the ancient warlock whatever position in the Palace he wanted, even if it was resident lecturer of misbehaving armies. Actually, that might work. He would be a great teacher and Alec hoped Tessa would rope him into helping her with the school. Alec wanted to employ as many warlocks as possible. He knew their lack of a constant shield made them vulnerable and demons would eventually catch wind of this. Having multiple beings in the Palace that could create temporary shields when needed would more than make up for that. With a temporary shield that could be moved and used strategically during a fight they would be even safer than when the shield had been constant.
There was a way to have everything. No dilemma was unsolvable. Alec had done his duty by his birthright, his people. He had found and held tight to love. He'd acted, rather than accepted life as it was because as long as you try there is always hope.
In a way, Alec knew this applied to Valentine as well. The king didn't want to just let the guy rot in jail for the rest of his life. If Ragnor was willing to stay and teach, Alec thought he would ask the ancient warlock to give Valentine lessons on why he is so wrong about everything. Valentine had been loyal to Alec's father after all. He'd served for many years and though he was the most hateful of warlock's Alec hoped with time that would change. Maybe there was hope for him too. Alec's heart was so light, so full of joy he didn't have it in him to give up on anyone at the moment.
Magnus began to stir beside him, making soft noises of a just waking up person and drawing Alec from his thoughts.
"Good morning, my love," Alec whispered kissing Magnus awake.
"Where am I?" Magnus mumbled, rubbing his eyes. Alec chuckled as he saw recognition on his lover's face. Magnus turned his head a few times, taking in the room. "Oh, right."
"Did your dream confuse you?" Alec asked, smiling as he stroked Magnus's face.
"Yes," Magnus replied. "We were back at my place before I destroyed it."
"Why did you destroy it anyway?" Alec asked, calmly. He was curious, though felt as if now that they were together it hardly mattered.
"I thought you were dead," Magnus answered simply. Alec didn't need more of an explanation than that. He knew losing Magnus would have made him act just as irrationally. Alec leaned forward a fraction to kiss Magnus sweetly, but the warlock was in no mood for sweet. Alec soon found himself in the grips of a passionate kiss, hands roaming freely.
"Max is sleeping over there," Alec reminded Magnus, through his grin. A quick movement and a flash of blue light later there was an opaque barrier separating the room. Alec couldn't tell what it was made of and, frankly, he didn't care. Magnus whispered in his ear that it was sound proof and all else was forgotten.
They eventually left their room, mostly due to Max's complaints. It seemed the barrier was only sound proof one way so they could still hear when their son woke up. Alec and his family headed down stairs to find Elizabeth and Josey being warmly greeted. They had clearly just arrived, still in traveling cloaks with mud on their shoes. Alec hugged them both and congratulated them on their excellent hiding skills.
A late breakfast was held in the dining hall. Alec smiled as he saw the humans, nephilim both mixed and original all eating together with a warlock or two sprinkled among them. Max talked of a little girl he knew with purple hair and scales and how he thought she'd like it here.
"You remember her, right, papa?" Max asked turning to Magnus. "Can she come visit?"
"She could stay here if her mother so wished," Magnus replied kindly. Max's smile was beyond gleeful as he turned back to his food.
"Maybe Tessa's school could double as an orphanage," Alec offered. He watched as Magnus wrote the idea down on a napkin, transformed it into a bird and sent it straight to Tessa at the other end of the table. Alec had to laugh at his lover's impatience. A moment later, the note was returned in the form of a butterfly saying she loved the idea.
After breakfast, Alec tracked down his mother to introduce her to Max properly. Since the moment Maryse had realized Alec would die her behaviour had changed drastically. She'd always supported him, but now it was like she could see past anything she didn't understand with the sheer joy of his continued existence. Alec introduced Max as his son and his mother didn't even bat an eye. Instead she leaned down to talk to him.
"My son was named Max, you know?" Maryse told the toddler.
"Really?" Max asked titling his head like this wasn't possible. Maryse nodded, smiling.
"Yes," Maryse replied. "One day I will tell you all about him. When you are a little older."
"I'm plenty old," Max huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm four." The blue warlock stood up a little taller than added, "Almost five."
"My mistake," Maryse smiled at her grandson. Max seemed to deflate a little at her reply and if surprised he'd won. Maryse held out her hand to him. Max turned to his parents, as if asking if this was okay.
"You can go with grandma if you want," Alec told the uncertain child who looked to papa for more confirmation before he took Maryse's outstretched hand.
"So many new things for him to take in," Magnus sighed as they watched Max walk away holding Maryse's fingers tight. "Your mother seems like a totally different person."
"In some ways she is," Alec observed. "Losing dad was hard on her. I know they never loved each other, but they'd been friends for a very long time, raised kids together. That isn't nothing. And then thinking she'd lost me. She looks at life differently now."
Alec reached out his hand and took Magnus's. Together they spent the day moving around the Palace, checking on people as they settled in. It was so wonderful to have a Palace full of people again, even if the place wasn't quite so well lit as it had been before. The lighting improved immensely as they reached Catarina's new healing center. She had wasted no time in getting her center going. Alec couldn't believe his eyes. Not only had she magically lit the place, but there were beds and comfortable seating arranged in rows and a woman working behind a desk near the front of the whole thing who looked ready to receive patients.
"I am hoping some of my regular patients will be able to come here, the ones I used to portal to," Catarina explained. "Not that they knew that since I was pretending to be human at the time so they wouldn't freak out."
"Will you still have to pretend?" Alec asked.
"For some of them, probably," Caterina continued. "I still might have to make house calls, but most should be able to accept me with credentials like a healing center within in the Palace."
"Official healer of the crown," Alec smiled at her.
"Oh, I like the sound of that," Caterina grinned. Then she turned to issue orders to one of the many people who had volunteered to help her set up her center. Alec could already imagine apprentices working under her.
Magnus and Alec moved on, continuing to wander and observe the activity in the Palace. They found Tessa in Ragnor's room, trying to get his assistance, but the ancient warlock was still asleep. Alec wondered if maybe he'd exerted himself more than Alec had realized, but when he voiced his concerns Magnus just laughed.
"Ragnor has done this sort of thing before," Magnus explained. "One too many drinks, too many social interactions or some such thing and he's out for days."
Instead of talking to Ragnor about staying which had been Alec's reason for entering the room, they talked with Tessa who had decided to begin working on her orphanage. "I want it to be for any and all needy children," she explained. "Humans, nephilims and warlocks alike."
"Could you include a school?" Alec asked.
"I think so," Tessa replied. "If this guy wakes up and agrees to help me," She sighed. "Guess I will try again later." Magnus laughed and offered to help Tessa wake Ragnor with a gong if he was still sleeping this time tomorrow.
Alec spent the day observing his world, with Magnus at his side. He watched Amatis and Lucian train with the recruits. He witness again Amatis smiling at Victor while she graded his throwing skills. If Alec wasn't mistaken he saw Victor flirt back, though rather awkwardly. While Alec did a lesson on archery he continued to watch the pair interact, thrilled to see such things once again. Maryse brought Max back after that. It seemed Max had begun to complain and wanted daddy and papa back. Alec greeted the young warlock with a hug, as he planned more grandma visits for his son. Alec wanted Max to be comfortable with Maryse.
To Magnus's great disappointment, Ragnor did in fact wake up the next day without the help of a gong. Alec was thrilled when Ragnor easily agree to sticking around for a while. Though from everything Magnus said Alec had a feeling that Ragnor had a very skewed sense of time. He wasn't sure if a while meant a few decades or a matter of weeks. Either way, everything was falling into place. There was just one thing left.
Once everyone was settled in about a week later, Alec took Magnus's hand and walked out among his people. With the introduction of warlock's to the Palace there had been many against it, and still more who basically ignored it. Alec wasn't sure what to expect walking through the streets holding Magnus's hands. The results were so varied it almost made him laugh. Some walked right up to them both and introduced themselves while others throw fruit at Magnus, some even included Alec. Of course, none of it actually hit them since Magnus's hand always came up very fast to dispense with the fruit before it messed up his hair. Over all, Alec thought it was rather successful for a first introduction. You couldn't expect everything to change overnight. It would take time. He'd learned a great deal about the attitude of his people which was a good start.
Over time Alec turned his group of advisors into a council who helped him make decision. He put Ragnor on the council along with Tessa. Catarina was offered the spot first, but she turned it down to be solely responsible for the healing center. Alec would have offered one to Magnus, but his lover had agreed it would look rather bias. Alec had also put two humans on the council. One of them was Josey and then other was a prominent merchant of the people named Marco. There were also four shadowhunters among its ranks, Lucian, Amatis, Jocelyn and Jonathan who had taken up his father's seat. Alec hoped to one day turn the council into a ruling body with a leader that was voted in instead of a king. He knew this would take time, but that was alright since no matter how long it took Alec would have Magnus here with him. He'd transformed the world enough at least to have that. For the rest, Alec could wait.
So funny story... everything else I needed wouldn't fit into chapter 20 and now this story will end on chapter 21. :D Also chapter 20 is basically finished because all I did today was write. sigh... I had other things to do... I also think I had more to say here... but I can't remember. I think this is my longest chapter yet...
Sneak Peek Chapter 20
Alec spotted Tessa moving among the children, watching over them. Alec knew Ragnor to be about somewhere though that warlock was far less predictable than most and he preferred to teach older children who could learn the complicated knowledge he had to offer rather than the little toddlers who wanted to pinch his green skin to see if it was real.
When the little warlock girl with purple hair and scales appeared Alec just knew his son was around here somewhere. The two of them were rarely apart these days. Max was approaching his teenage years. Alec knew it wouldn't be long now until Max stopping aging altogether, just like Magnus.
It had been over ten years since the shield fell. Ten years since warlock's had taken up residence within the Palace walls. Ten years of living with the man he loved and just a mere ten hours left before the kingdom no longer had a king.