*Clary's POV*

My name is Clarissa Adele Herondale Fairchild Morgenstern, crown princess of Idris. If you're wondering it, no, I wasn't born as a princess, a terrible mistake and cruel secret took me where I am now. Who would have imagined that this was my fate? Although I hated the idea at the beginning, now I see all my life passing by and think… "How could I have resisted so much?"

Love is a silly and short promise, but when it gets to your heart, it's hard to let it go.

*General POV* A year, 3 months before

"Fairchild, Clarissa" announced the Art Teacher calling Clary, this was the first day of the rest of her life, if she passed the exam all her dreams would be a step forward to come true, she just needed a 7 over 10!

"Here! " She answered crossing her fingers for good luck. -Have a little faith, Clary! You're talented, you really are…-her thoughts encouraged her.

"Your score was 9, 35 over 10, you made it, Congratulations!" He said leaving her test on his table again. Her heart stopped beating for a moment and she shouted in excitement, all her partners looked at her as a crazy person, but she didn't care, she got in!

"Thank you very much!" She squealed in excitement while leaving the classroom to meet up with her entire life best friend: Simon Lewis, she had known him since they were babies. They were neighbors, they said their first word together, they went to the same school and now they were both waiting to enter Alicante Academy, the best (and most expensive) university in all Idris, but only with a scholarship, that's what the test was for, and she passed it. Clary went to the main hall and there she found Simon looking also very excited.

"How much? " He asked first at looking at her trying too hard to contain his emotion.

"9, 35! And you? "She said taking him by the shoulders with a little difficulty, she was really short but they'd never cared about that; any tall guy needed a short best friend.

"9, 30! We're in, Pumpkin! "He said happily, he lifted her with a hug and they both screamed together, excitement wasn't enough to describe what they were feeling.

"We have to celebrate this! " She said, and he winked at her in response.

"You can bet that, I won't let you sleep tonight! " he assured her, she patted him friendly on his arm as they went through the door.

"No way, I have to begin with my sketches and you have to give your new guitar some use, you know make up some songs for your class…" she said reminding him that he had entered the Music Class and they both had to start working hard.

"Right, but the real classes don't begin until tomorrow and…" he was about to say when one of the thousand bodyguards that appeared out of nowhere told them to move away.

"Here we go…" she said with an angry expression, perfectly knowing what was about to take place, as if it had been the hapening of the century!

"Hey, your mother told us about this. I'll quote her: That Academy has even more guards than a prison! But well, if you want to study with Mr. Prince Charming I don't see why should I stop you, we knew this was going to happen…" he said making his best impression of Clary's mother, Jocelyn.

"That freaking prince, I don't even understand why he keeps coming to the Academy, don't they have servants to do all the work for them? What does he even study? How to stop being an arrogant and dependent cry baby?!" she didn't sound happy at all, and she had all the right to hate the Crown Prince Jonathan, for what she saw on the TV and what everyone always said about him, he was a total asshole! And we was about to become the ruler of her dear Idris, not fair at all!

"Calm down, Clary, They could send you to jail for that…" he warned whilst she responded with her I don't give a damn face and watched as Prince Jonathan came out of his limo and talked to his friends Jordan Kyle and Sebastian Verlac, the 3 of them were some of the few students that could actually pay the semesters in the Academy, "Money makes the world go round" had sung a clever and beautiful actress once in a broadway musical, and she was still damn right to the day.

"Show your respects to his Majesty" said one of the guards when the prince was close to them. Simon made a lazy bow but Clary stayed right where and how she was, he stared at her, ith somehting like fear on his eyes.

"Do it, it's just once, we won't see him around this oftem" he whispered,

"No, I don't want to" she said back, making sure the object of her angriness heard behind his human wall.

"Plebeians, they're all the same…" the prince walked past his guards and didn't bother giving her a single glimpse.

"Excuse me? " she exclaimed, making the blond turn around somewhat annoyed; Simon knew it wasn't going to end well...

"Your mommy didn't tell you that you had to be kind with those who are superior? " He said looking at her with contempt.

"You're no superior to me, fool! " She answered and the prince's friends squealed in a manner that surely indicated trouble.

"I can't believe they just let anybody enter this school, someone needs to teach this people some respect" he said not being too afected by the lose tounge of another miss Nobidy and went back to talk to Jordan and Sebastian as they entered the Academy.

"Can you believe him?!" She shouted when the Lunatics Court was already too far to hear her.

"Can I believe him? Yes, he was born a prince! Can I believe you? No! We have to give a good impression or everyone here will hate us, you know how they love Jonathan" Simon said, he was right once again, every girl in Idris loved Prince Jonathan and every guy in Idris wanted to be Prince Jonathan, that just made her hate him more.

"Well I swear by my beloved grandpa, who's now in heaven, that I'll never… ever! Love that jerk! Never in my life!" She said and they took a cab to Clary's house.

Jocelyn was cooking lunch when the phone rang.

Her husband Luke wasn't at home and her daughter must have been too busy with the audition; but everything was doing just fine, she was convinced of that, she hadn't felt that kind of peace since... her ex husband had left their home. Yes, everything was alright... until she had to answer the phone.

"Hello? " She said, she didn't want to believe that she, the dowager queen Imogen, was calling her. That it was that time she always knew would come but never would be ready to accept it.

"Dear Jocelyn, how are you?" the queen said with her always sweet and charming voice that everyone loved, but Jocelyn just didn't want to love that voice, she didn't want to love the monarchy as everyone in Idris did.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking, majesty. " She said, but she wasn't really grateful.

"How is little Clary? You know that she is the reason why I call…" she said, Jocelyn knew that perfectly. Her father's agreement, the promise that poor Clary had to go trough for her own good, she just didn't want to acknowledge that the kings would take her baby girl away.

"She's doing great, majesty, but… I was wondering… she's still seventeen years old, isn't she a bit young… couldn't we wait a bit more until she's ready?" She asked with a faint hope of convincing the queen, though she knew it wouldn't work.

"Oh, darling… I wish we could, but… our Jace is turning eighteen soon and he won't be able to access to the throne if the marriage doesn't happen as it was planned, I understand it's hard, but it has to be done, dear." she replied, and it wasn't that Jocelyn didn't know... she'd known since Clary was born, she'd always known it perhaps was the only way to give her daughter a worthy life... for all that they had been through.

"But I heard that Prince Alexander is coming back soon; shouldn't he be taken in consideration too? " She was looking for every single excuse to avoid Clary's destiny.

"Ah right, our Alec, as he's not completely a Herondale… he won't be able to access to the throne, unless he claims it, and the Crown Prince's birthday is in 2 days, it simply has to be done... I'm sorry, I know there's never a proper way to process a happening of this kind" the Queen was a woman that believed in justice and knew how tirelessly a mother's heart worked, but even she could not change the late King's rules.

"I understand majesty. Don't wprry, but if you allow me... could I have a little time to explain the situation to her? She… needs to know what will happen" she surrendered, drowning in anguish, thiking of how she could tell her poor daughter something like that.

"Of course, dear, of course. The Consort Queen Celine will have an audience with her within two days, prepare her well… Celine is very demanding when it comes to my grandson. "She forewarned her and that just made Jocelyn even more worried about her own child.

"Until then, majesty. Thank you for everything" she said goodbye and hung up. Luke got to their house right in time to see the reason of his wife's distress.

"Who was it?" he shut the door behind him.

"the Queen Mother, It's time..." she announced, with her arms tight around her slim frame.

"Already? But she'd still an undergae..." he reacted just like her, Jocelyn walked in his direction and embraced him.

"I know, but the prince is turning eighteen in two days, she says there's no more time, and Prince Alexander is no use in this case. " She told him.

"Then… it will be what it has to be…" He said as he tried to calm Jocelyn down and himself in the way, kissing her forehead.

Jace was sitting in his every day table with his friends Jordan, Sebastian and Aline, his "girlfriend." or so, they were dating... She wasn't exactly a noble girl but she had a high status in the society, her father Patrick Penhallow owned over 14 factories in Idris, she was studying to be a professional ballerina as her mother Jia had been. Jace had had an uncomfortable doubt and rushed idea o his head when he saw her that morning, so why wouldn't he let it out without making a fuss of it?

"What if we… get married? " He said to her not paying much attention tp anything in particular, Aline almost choked with her latte.

"What?!" She almost yelled. You'd think it was weird such reaction and sure! she wanted what every girl wanted: a good husband, a nice house, a cute family… but not at eighteen

"Let's-get-married, do I have to spell it for you?" he reppeated with his usual hint of pride and sarcasm.

"But… we're on second semester! What about the school? What will I tell my parents? " She was about to go crazy with confusion and indignation, he might've been the prince and all but what kind of proposal was that?!

"You won't have to worry about that, you'll be the crown princess! " He assured her, as if there was anything better to life than being his wife!

"Why… Why now? "She asked scared, she wasn't even sure if she loved him or not, they had been "dating" for like 3 months, but it seem more like a game than a relationship.

"Look, my parents told me that my grandfather had made a promise with a friend of his: that the oldest of his grandchildren would have to marry this man's granddaughter to get the throne, and as Alec can't be the king because of his family… I will have to succumb to the curse, so I said to myself… If I have to marry someone to become the king… why don't I marry a friend of mine? And problem resolved! "He explained freely, as if his words wouldn't hurt or bother her, he wanted her not because he loved her but because he saw her like a simple solution to his problems?!

"I'm not your toy, Jace. " She stated, frowining.

"I didn't say I wanted to play with you… I said that I wanted you to be my wife…" he continued like nothing bad had really happened... he sometimes was so unbearable!

"I heard what you said! But you can't just do with me whatever you want to! Besides, I got selected for an audition for the International Dancing Contest in Beijing, you know how much people want that spot? I don't have time to think about marriage right now and I'm not going to marry you just because you don't want to marry someone else…" she said and left the table, not looking back to him.

"Ok, just remember you said No to the future king of Idris! " He shouted to her shamelessly and everyone in the cafeteria started to whisper things, Jordan and Sebastian approached him.

"You just proposed to my cousin? " Sebastian asked.

"What the heck, man?!" said Jordan.

"I already told you! I don't want to marry some Mrs. Nobody to get the throne! " He said irritated.

"But, she said no…to you…" Jordan said, Jace was about to hit him but him decided it was no use to create and scandal, besides there were something like "friends".

"Well, just prepare to meet Mrs. Nobody, because Aline surely won't come back, and don't even ask her to go to the wedding" Sebastian laughed and Jordan followed him, Jace's life was about to get ruined.

"I hate you guys" he said and just left, nobody would dare to stop him. Jace's life had been really difficult since he was a little child, though he lived in a beautiful and big palace, he spent most of the time on his own, learning how to be the perfect, respectful and lovable crown prince instead of doing what every normal boy would do, his parents were always busy and he could hardly see his cousins because of the family differences and everything.

But when he was with Izzy and Alec, he was really happy, they did everything together but they had to do it hiding from their parents, they didn't like the kids hanging around. But the Lightwoods knew it wasn't his fault so they always forgave their aunt and uncle for pushing Jace away from them, until the day of their graduation. Isabelle and Alec decided they had no real future in the palace, so the princes decided to study abroad, Izzy in every single country she could go and Alec was finishing his studies in London. Jace missed them and he felt lonelier than he had ever felt, he couldn't talk to his parents to ask for help because that wasn't what a good prince would do, or so they told him. And now he had to marry someone he didn't even know! Sometimes he just wanted to stop being who he was for a moment and live a real life instead of a royal life. And the marriage thing, what was with royal commitments that left all emotion behind?!

Clary run up the stairs and entered her house very quickly and Simon could hardly follow her. Her parents were sitting in the living room with tense expressions that their daughter luckily didn't see, but her best friend did. Jocelyn got up to greet her.

"I guess that face of yours mean you got in" she said, Clary nodded energetically.

"Congratulations, honey!" her mother exclaimed prideful, holding her as she bounced excitedly.

"Good Job, little girl, we didn't doubt you for a second" Luke congratulated her and ruffled her hair, messing it up a little.

"I also got a scholarship too, you know? But of course, I'm not as pretty and as much of a daughter to you like she is" Simon looked to the floor, apparently hurt, but they knew how he liked to joke around.

"Oh, you know you're almost like a son to us. Congratulations, Simon!" the mother said and kissed his cheek, making him smirk while thanking her.

"Granville would be so proud of you…" Luke said to Clary. She had loved her grandfather more than anything in the world, he had been there when she was born, he had held her and sang lullabies until she fell asleep, he had seen her take her first steps along with Simon, he had taught her how to draw instead of Jocelyn and since then she took her sketchbook wherever she went to, and she had been there for him when her grandma Adele died. She looked at her grandpa's picture that was on the coffee table, she took it on her hands.

"You really think so? " Clary said with tears in her eyes, she missed her grandpa so much she could hardly admit it.

"Of course, dear. This was the dream of both of you, wasn't it?" Jocelyn said rubbing her daughter's arm.

"Yeah, I just wish he could be here to see it" she said leaving the picture where it was. Granville Fairchild had died 3 years ago, a couple of days after Jocelyn and Luke got married, Clary used to say that when his grandpa left, he had taken a part of her heart with him, and no one could every fill that space inside her again.

"And he would have wanted that too…" her stepfather assured her.

"Um, I don't want to ruin the moment, honey, but… speaking about your grandfather… "She was about to say but her husband stopped her, it just wasn't the moment.

"What about him?" Clary wanted to know.

"He also would have wanted us to celebrate this! Let's go to eat what your mom made and then we can go somewhere else. "Jocelyn thanked him in a whisper and they went to the dining table. They kids told them about their first experience in the Academy, of course Clary didn't tell them about her encounter with the Crown Prince, that would've just mad everyone uncomfortable in such a wonderful day! She wouldn't let him or anyone ruin her perfect moment, finally she was getting all she ever wanted and no one could take it away from her!

"So, where are we going now?" asked the redhead when they were done talking and eating.

"I have an idea…" Luke announced.

"And I'm sure it's a really, really fun one, but I have to go now… My mom is waiting for me; she said that Becky was going to call. But thank you all for everything!" Simon said taking his things with him

"Tell her I said hello and that I miss her!" she told him as he went through the door. Becky was Simon's sister; she was studying in Switzerland, and she was also a very close friend for her and her own brother.

"Got it!" He waved at them and closed the door.

"So…?! The youngest insisted.

"Why don't we… visit the palace?" Jocelyn suggested, sharing her husband's idea.

"What?! You said we were going to celebrate, not anger me to death! I went to that freaking palace in every single school excursion! Can we just go somewhere else?" she protested, but her parents still thought it was a good idea, she couldn't tell why!

"Oh, c'mon dear! Where's your patriotism? " Her mother asked her, she scowled.

"It went away right after you said palace" she answered, Luke helped her mother with the dishes while she melted on the chair like a grumpy five year old.

"I promise it will be fun" her mother said and gave her daughter a kiss on her cheek.

"Yeah sure" she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms to her chest.

And there she was again, the same tourist area of the palace that she had always gone to. Looking at the same photos and family trees framed in gold, listening one more time to the pitiful story of King Marcus's and how he had a child before marrying the Queen Mother, watching the crown jewels no one could have ever even approached to and pretending she loved them, well, all that she could do in that place was: pretend.

"Wouldn't it be nice to live in a wonderful palace like this?" Jocelyn told her, and she wondered how she couldn't tell she was not fond of the idea by just looking at her.

"Sure, if you want to live for the rest of your days locked in a horror mansion with despicable people… yeah, who wouldn't want that?" She replied, her mother sighed.

"And what do you think about him…?" Luke winked pointing at Prince Jonathan's portrait, Clary pulled out her seriously? face this time.

"Right, I've heard that every girl in Idris would love to be his… you know… girlfriend… "what was with them that day?

"I would prefer to be eaten by a giant rabbit." She said and turned away from her parents. She needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

"It's a lost case, I tell you…" Jocelyn said to her husband.

"What else can we do? Remember what your father wanted for her. We have to tell her, tonight." Luke answered. It was now or never.

When they got home, Clary was really annoyed and tired but they oh so prudently decided to have a little talk with her. She was about to go to her room when Luke told her to sit down with them for a bit.

"There's… something we need to discuss" her mother announced nervously.

"What is it?" she was getting concerned about their suspicious attitude form all day long.

"We need you to be understanding and reasonable, ok?" her stepfather tried to soothe her, and failed.

"Okay…" she nodded just wishing they'd end with it fast and painless.

"Do you know what this is?" Her mother said giving her a small box, she opened it. It was a golden ring with an "H" and a heron pattern engraved on it.

"A ring?" she guessed, raising her eyebrows.

"But not just any ring, it's a family ring…" her parents held hands, making her shiver, they did that when they were about to tell her something big.

"Well, it's certainly not from our family" she didn't know anyone with a last name that began with an "H"; she was starting to get confused.

"Um, do you remember that your grandpa used to talk a lot and hang out with that person he called "his longtime friend"?" Her mother asked, Clary did remember.

"Yes, but I don't understand what does my grandpa have to deal with this… and what do I have to deal with this?" She asked taking the ring and observing it carefully. Nothing seemed very clear at that moment.

"You see, my father was very close to his longtime friend and as they were like brothers… they made a promise… that both of their grandchildren would get married when they turned 18…" Jocelyn began to explain.

"And…?" she wasn't really sure of wanting to hear the end of it now.

"Well, your grandpa's friend was… late King Marcus and you know who his direct grandson is…" Luke continued, knowing there wasn't really a swift or easy way to tell her about something as huge as that.

"And you are my father's only granddaughter." Jocelyn finished.

"Wait, so you're saying that…" Clary was starting to process what they had said, but it just sounded crazy… no way…

"Darling…" her mother was trying to calm her daughter even before she could answer something.

"No, no, no! I'm not… this cannot be true! "She got up from the couch and began walking around the room, trying to process the abruptly acquired information.

"Clary, just listen to us…" Luke tried to explain but she wouldn't let him finish.

"No! I'm not going to do it! You hear me?! I would rather die than doing it! "She threw the ring away violently, not caring where it could've landed.

"But, honey…" Jocelyn attempted to make her understand again.

"No, mother! I said no! This stupid arrangement has nothing to do with me! I… didn't even know! How can you try to make me marry someone just like that?" the redhead hadn't wanted to make such a scene, but she was just overwhelmed. She was just starting to live the life she wanted… she couldn't give it up by somebody else's decisions for her.

"It wasn't our choice." Her stepfather continued.

"It isn't even my choice, Luke! And I'm the one who has been committed to a motherfucking stranger! "She interrupted, finally losing her temper and letting the tears fall.

"Clarissa!" her mother hadn't expected such a furious reaction from her, of course… at that moment she could hardly understand what she was feeling.

"No! No! I don't want to… I won't do it…" Clary sobbed inconsolably, her life, her dreams; her plans were being taken away…

"Try to think it through, darling… I know this isn't easy" her mother said and hugged her while she cried her eyes out.

"It's not fair! How could I throw my life away like that?!"

"I know, precious, but understand that… If the wedding doesn't take place, the prince will never get to the throne… and remember that this was what your grandpa decided, he wanted only the best for you. And a promise is something you have to fulfill" it seemed that no matter what she said, they wouldn't listen.

"Exactly! This is what he decided! Not me! This is my life! Why would he do this to me? "She tried to think why her grandfather would want such an inflexible future for her…

"Forget it; I won't make her do it…" Luke surrendered stealing Clary from her mother's arms.

"But the Dowager Queen is counting on us…" Jocelyn insisted with a faint hint of desperation on her eyes.

"I don't care, she's my daughter… and she's right, this is her life, Jocie! She won't marry anyone if she doesn't want to, we'll figure something out…" he finally said as the shaky child held tight onto him.

A couple of hours later, after talking the matter over and over again and she heard their reasons for supporting or forgetting the idea, they left the choice on her hands, as if it had to bed. At last she felt a little calmer and went to bed, or…that's what her parents thought. She was listening to them from the stairs, wondering how could they even consider giving her off to the palace like that… they'd said she'd live a good, better life, but she already had everything she needed and wanted…

"I just want the best for her… and I'm sure that that is what my father wanted too. Raziel knows what we've been through in this family, it's not easy… but at least she'll struggle a bit less, I believe" Jocelyn confessed, Clary's heart sunk inside her chest.

"I know, Jocie… but how can we force her to do something like that? A marriage is something serious, you know that! You married twice! " Luke said; they didn't usually talk about her biological father ,Valentine was something they, and specially her took long to get over.

"Yes, I know… please just don't mention his name when he's the entire reason of our misery" She answered exasperate "but its Clary who we're talking about now..."

"We'll have to talk to Imogen and tell her that she's not going to do it" he stated, running his hands through his hair.

"What will happen with the prince, then? Who'll become King?" she remembered suddenly how the choice would affect not only their family but the entire nation. More than just a promise, it had become an agreement and requirement for the next King of Idris.

"I hardly care about that; I bet they'll find someone to marry that annoying little prince in less than two days! We can only answer for our kid's decision and that's as far as we can do"

"You're right… I just can't stop thinking that I'm letting my father down, after he did so much for us when… when Valentine left, he did what he could to protect and take care of us all, and you know Clary was his adoration…" She said sounding awfully sad. Clary covered her face with her hands, embarrassed; of course, everything they did was always for her own benefit, and there she had been throwing tantrums!

"It's no one's fault… The past is the past and Clary's future is no game" he took Jocelyn's hand and she turned around to be welcomed by his arms.

"He just wanted her to be happy, safe… that she never had a hole so big to fill ever again…" well, yeah, Valentine hadn't been the best father of them all… but he had been the man she'd grew up with, and was a wonder of a parent when he wanted to. But then he left without saying a word, her grandpa died, Jonathan went abroad… and she would've been totally alone if it hadn't been for her friends and them.

"I understand, but maybe… this is not the best way to do it. C'mon, we'll figure something out, we always have; you always have, she won't get hurt again."

"I've done as much as I could, Luke but I'll never be able to give her the kind of comfort and safety the Kings will… just imagine it, they're willing to take a common girl into their home and make her the next Queen of the nation" Jocelyn kept giving turns and turns to it.

"She doesn't need the kings…she needs her family and that's it, you know she's never desired such a fancy life, she'd happy with was she has… and we'll make sure it stays that way"

"I hope you're right." Her mother sighed.

She felt miserable at that moment, she didn't want to marry someone she knew she hated and would hate even more if she had to share her life with him, but on the other hand she didn't want them to feel so worried and lived their entire life making sure she was alright. She didn't want to let her grandpa down…

If she said yes, her life would surely go on a distinct direction she hadn't seen coming and was not convinced she could keep up with.

But if she said no, she would always feel guilty about not making her family proud, about not helping them out in any way she could… and being a selfish coward.

If she went through it, she'd do it for the love she held for her dear ones… but she couldn't stop thinking that marriage should be all about… a different kind of love…

To be continued…

Dreamer.