"Father, I demand an explanation!" Jace tried hard not to shout so the people that was still outside wouldn't hear him, both him and Clary were following King Stephen trough the hallway, but the two men were really fast, and she could hardly follow them with the weight of her dress.
"Focus your attention in what you need to, Jonathan" he kept avoiding his son's stare, like if Jace would make him reveal an awful secret with just one look from his eyes.
"This is my family we're talking about! They deserve much attention…" that was when Stephen finally turned to see Jace, and Clary following them from behind.
"No, they're not… Not anymore, son…" Clary could say that he wasn't really pleased with that situation either, but why did he accept then?
"What are you talking about? You may push them away all you want to but you know how special Alec and Izzy are for us, what do you think you're doing?" Jace had never sounded as indignant as in that moment, and it would've been a lie if Clary had said she didn't feel the same way, this was just foolish! But even the dumbest thing can hurt badly.
"This is for our own good, Jonathan! At least I hope it'll be…" the last part was a mere whisper and the fact that he went away so fast made it even harder to hear. Jace sighed frustrated because of his father's attitude, and his temper wasn't exactly something he controlled so easily, he turned to the side and saw a flowerpot nearby, with all the rage that such situation had created inside him, he threw it away, turning it into pieces, Clary's heart jumped inside her chest and she looked up to him in fright.
"I need some time, love…" he spoke to her as calmly as he could and he also rushed to his bedroom, it was surprising how alike they were, like father like son. Annemarie and Camille heard the crack of the vase and worried at the sight of Clary so shocked.
"My lady, are you alright?" asked Camille, but she could hardly see anyone that had to deal with the palace, she felt somehow betrayed.
"I … I don't know…" Camille made her turn all over so she could make sure she wasn't hurt, that jest of her somehow seemed annoying for her, she didn't do it because she cared about her, she did it because it was her job. "Don't touch me, please…" she said trying to hide her own anger and got away from her, she had to walk for a while to reach her garden, she sat on her beloved bench and tried to process everything that had happened that day, what was happening? It all seemed to break down, and she didn't understand it! She hadn't noticed any problems, well apart from the normal, taking place; why was everyone acting so strangely all of sudden? And as if her thoughts had awakened Jocelyn's maternal instincts, she received a call from her.
"Honey baby, what happened?! We were watching the press conference, why did it all come down so suddenly?" she seemed to be as clueless as her daughter.
"I don't know, mama! Jace tried to talk to his father but he won't say a thing and I don't… think I can talk to Queen Celine, I'm just not feeling well, none of us is…" trying to lie to her mother wouldn't be of use for any of them, her mother knew her far too well.
"Oh, darling… I know this might be hard but maybe it is for good, they seemed terribly sure about it… I wish I could help you somehow…" she sounded so honest, and Clary also wished she could've helped her, but what could she do? If she as a Princess didn't know a thing about how to survive in the palace, what could Jocelyn know about it?
"I'm really confused, should I try to talk to Isabelle and Alec? … But they didn't look bothered at all either, and grandma! She, who loves them with all of her even though she's not really a relative for them, accepted it with no doubts on the way!" since Clary had gotten to the palace, she had felt really left out, but not as much as that day, both of her families were aware of what they were going trough and which attitude and place they had to take, but what about her?
"Wait for them to calm a bit, and try to calm yourself too, okay?" her mother tried to help all that she could, but Clary's doubts were overwhelming for her.
"I'll try, mom… but still there will be much things for me to think about…"
"Oh, you're so cute, sweetheart! … Really, it doesn't matter; I know you're new in this…" Maia knew for fact that Helen could be absolutely annoying sometimes, ever since she had accused her to be a whore for that "one night thing" she had had that didn't go that well, and it had gotten even worse when Jordan started contacting her; but now that she had another toy to add to her infinite heartbroken girlfriends collection that nobody knew who the hell was because she wouldn't say a word about her, it was just more than what Maia could take.
"Being your friend sucks, Blackthorn" she tried to say that as low as she could, but Helen heard her all the way.
"Excuse me, darling, I'm sensing some jealousy around my apartment … Must I remind you that you've done worse than I have? You have nothing to complain about!" A diva was just a diva even when she wasn't on the stage, but they were friends after all. "Oh, and if I have to be honest with you, I think it'll last this time" then she winked at her and got inside the kitchen so she could focus on her "sweetheart", that kept her hopes up about Helen not being such an awful bitch with every poor girl that stepped on her way. As she was so entertained on the phone, Maia had figured that her only escape from hearing her cheesy and infinite talk would be finding something good to watch on the TV, and hell she found it.
"Hey, the royals are on TV" she said when the screen showed the image of Clary and both of her families, they all looked serious and still a bit worried about something.
"Oh, what is it this time? … Wait, please don't tell me that they're splitting because I don't have much patient left for those two!" and she surely knew what she was talking about, after so many problems they've had, they couldn't go back to fight like children again!
"I don't think that's it but it seems bad…" answered Maia after Prince Robert announced something and Clary's expression turned into confusion and anger, her husband didn't seem to feel well either.
"I'll call you later, babe, I have something to take care of… Turn the volume up…" Helen got out from the kitchen and sat next to Maia both of them listening to the Prince's speech attentively, what he was announced was pretty scandalous and Jace and Clary didn't seem to have an idea of what would happen; even them girls, who had nothing to deal with the palace besides from Clary, were shocked and concerned about it.
"God, that's awful… so, this means they're not related anymore?" Helen asked when the speech was over.
"No, I just think they won't accept they're related anymore… I wonder what Simon will think about this, I mean… apart from Becky, Clary was the only bond in between him and the princess…" maybe that was the reason why they were so worried about it, now that them as Clary's friends had gotten involved with the royals, the separation of both families… would also mean their separation as well?
"But Becky cannot do much about it… do you think she'll…" Maia understood what she was about to say in less than a minute, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
"Don't you even think about that! You know how touchy Simon is and he's madly in love with her, I never thought that two months could cause such strong feelings but they definitely did… we must do something to make sure they won't break up because of this, anything, no matter the cost…" the three of them, including Becky, had tried so hard so Izzy and Simon would get to know each other better; but more than that, they didn't want them to be hurt again, and this time it would end badly; because if Simon got his heart broken again, he'd never heal for sure, they had noticed how affectionate they were with each other, it was love for sure, it just couldn't finish like that!
"And this doesn't only affect them; I remind you… did you see the look on Clary's face? She's not happy about this, well I cannot think of anybody being happy about this but… this is really wrong, Maia, it means something big is coming, but I cannot think of what… "As good friends, Maia and Helen would try anything to protect their closest ones, but this matter only proved that the situation was not on their hands, them as Clary and Jace would have to wait to see how things developed, their state was almost ignorant at this. If they only had known that the last thing they had… was time.
Clary was conscious that after Prince Robert's so unexpected speech, things would change… like an awful lot, but she wasn't really prepared for what was to come that day.
"Good morning, highness" Amatis greeted her with her usual bow, but her expression wasn't the kind and joyful one she always gave her, she seemed to feel miserable, as Clary herself, but more than that she was distant from her, everyone in the palace seemed to be like feeling the same that day. That morning, the Lightwoods would part to the other half of the palace, the one that hadn't been occupied for years, the one that had been covered with a giant gate, like banning the access to it, Clary knew what that meant, complete isolation for both families, as if they were enemies, and for the last days she had really believed they were.
"Hey…" was the only thing Jace said as he approached to her trough the hall.
"Feeling like hell, right?" she told him trying to smile gently, but she couldn't.
"Language, highness" Amatis reminded her, for her everything about what was happening was already terribly annoying, but that was only the start of it.
"Right, sorry…" and she knew she'd have to apologize for many other things later on, especially with Queen Celine watching her 24 hours a day.
"Listen, I'm sorry for what happened yesterday, I didn't want to scare you or anything, I was just so bothered about this… but what can we do? It just pisses me off so much that they didn't ask me, or us, what we thought about it! They're expecting us to be kings but they always act like we were never there…" he was right, she had to admit it; but the fact that they were being selfish, irresponsible and childish were no news to them.
"Don't worry, son, from now on we'll take special care of you both, heaven knows how much you need it " both Jace and Clary felt disgusted because of the mocking smile Queen Celine brightly showed that day, while they were feeling like shit, she and Robert enjoyed it?
"Highnesses…" King Stephen greeted them walking behind his wife, at last Clary saw some normality in her father in law, he didn't seem as happy about it as Celine did.
"How are you feeling today, majesty?" she asked him, not sure about if she was trying to be kind of just to get some peace of mind knowing that he knew what kind of terrible mistake they were making.
"As good as I can be, princess..." he replied with a sad smile, Jace sighed annoyed at his answer, and she understood why, if that was his and Robert's doing he had nothing to complain about; but had Prince Robert given him another choice? For the looks on his eyes she could see when he appeared along with his family, it didn't seem so; Queen Imogen was the last one to appear in the center of the hall, and Clary knew that she had been hesitating to come, as her swollen and teary eyes showed clearly. She took it as a cruel joke, that the place where they'd say the last goodbyes was right in front of the gate, the one that would divide them definitely, after the door was closed, they'd just disappear as if they had never existed or cared about them. Alec was the first one to approach, knowing that this could be the last time he'll see the woman who had always loved him and his sister like her own grandchildren.
"Take care, grandma..." Imogen stroked his hair gently, but behind that embrace Clary could clearly sense the pain they both felt and were prohibited to show, it was too late to take a step back.
"Goodbye, my darling... watch after my princess, your lovely mother and the baby, alright? I trust you blindly, Alexander, and I love you like that as well, don't forget that..." Clary told herself not to cry, she couldn't with all those judging eyes looking at her, but it pierced her heart, this couldn't be fair for anybody.
"Uncle Stephen..." there was no much that Alec could say to him, so they just held their hands.
"Uh, good luck, Alexander..." King Stephen was a man of few words, and she wondered if that was because he had been told so many times things she was just starting to understand: when you're in front of a country, expecting much things from you, you cannot let your heart speak so often.
"Aunt Celine..." he kissed her cheek softly and Celine just smiled once again, And that's the woman who's demanding me to be a better princess? Hypocrite...was what her mind had to say about her mother in law's behavior, how could she claim anything from her when she wasn't such an angel either? The thing got worse when Alec and Jace were eye to eye; that was it, they had shared everything with each other, they had been their only companion for so long, the little taste of reality they could ever had, and it was ending right there, like if had meant nothing.
"Cousin, I hope you take good care of yourselves..." Alec offered his hand with a gentle smile, Clary's heart was turning into dust, Jace looked miserable; he pulled Alec into an embrace, he didn't need to talk, he was telling all with that gesture.
"Farewell, pumpkin; keep up that smile, they might not say it often but they need that... someone that still ha faith on life, and that's surely you..." the look that Alec gave her was the same on he had when they had first met, like wanting to protect her from a world she was already too involved with.
"Thanks, Alec... I really hope we see each other soon..." he smiled and kissed her cheek and whispered to her ear "the best things will always be the things you don't notice that happen", for her surprise she knew what he meant, more than just friends they were allies now, and none of them would forget that. On the other hand, Izzy sobbed as a child who was being punished, and her grandma did her best to comfort her, but nobody could know what the weight of those tears was, deep inside her she knew she deserved such deathly pain.
"... don't worry, honey, we'll be there for you if you need us; we'll never be too far away, ok?" Imogen caressed her wet cheeks as she nodded and cried quietly.
"Be fine, princess, you both will be missed..." now, that was the smartest and most honest thing that had come out from King Stephen's mouth since Clary had married his son!
"Same to you, uncle..." she breathed heavily as she got closer to Celine, but who could have hidden the panic she could cause on people?
"Aunt Celine, please take good care of my cousins..." it wasn't much to ask, but still she'll do it her own way.
"Don't you worry, highness, I will..." she kissed her niece's cheek, with fake affection that she couldn't hide from Clary. And she stood in front of Jace.
"Forgive us, we were weak..." she cried to Jace's shoulder; Clary had seen people cry before, but never as strong and yet softly as Izzy did, she looked like she was being doomed or something, trying to fix something that was already a lost case. Why did she blame herself so much? She knew that when it came to Robert Lightwood, trying to fight was useless, and she knew it hurt but Isabelle looked like tearing into small pieces, as if it had been her idea; and Clary pushed that thought away from her mind, they were kind, good people; the fact that their parents were such difficult people didn't mean anything for them! Because if that had been the case, Clary would have been as terrible as her father was, and she wasn't! She knew it; in young hearts with high hopes and beautiful dreams there could still be a place to know what was right.
"I don't blame you, Iz; but I'll miss you..." Jace said to her ear, Izzy shook her head fiercely.
"Don't... don't let this affect you, stay strong and fight till the end, I know you won't give up easily, so please... I just want the best for you both..." Clary hadn't noticed ho bad she was crying until she said that last phrase; she wanted the best for them, but they already had it, they were powerful and about to become Kings of all Idris; and then she understood that, power meant nothing if their hearts were empty.
"I want the same for you as well, and I know that... one day things will be what they have to..." Jace assured her, and his wife secretly pared for that to be true, when Iz turned to face Clary she didn't even say a word and just held her, she didn't want her apologies or shame, she just wanted her funny and pretty cousin back, smiling and joking as she always did.
"Don't let go of him, Clary, he needs you... Your the best thing that has ever entered this palace, only God knows what we would've done without you, and what comes next will be on both of your hands... I trust you, I know what kind of person you are so, please; don't let them take your heart and spirits away like they always do! Be Jace's and the monarchy's hope, just be what you've always been... and fight for what you want and love, the Angel knows that the only ones who survive the battle are the ones who have something to protect..." Clary tried to ask her what did all of that mean but she turned away from her before she could say anything that would make her feel even worse.
"Alright then, be well majesties and highnesses... I believe that from now on we won't have that much troubles but we'll remind you dearly until we officially leave..." Robert said with another winning smile, and Clary was getting tired of those; she reminded that her grandma had said that the Lightwoods would reside at the other half of the palace until the knew one that had started being built as a residence for the royal family in the outsides of Alicante was finished. And like that the door was opened and hey left in less than a second; so five months of constant changes, of tears and laughter, confusion, friendship and love ended right there; the dream was over, even thought Clary would always have Jace at her side, she knew that things would never be again what they used to.
'And you won't be forgotten either, Prince Robert, you count on that... someday, we'll all have to pay for our mistakes, and I'll make sure you pay for yours...' Clary promised to herself, to never see her dear ones that hurt ever again, if only she had seen further that what her eyes showed her.
It was the next day that the nightmare began... On weekends usually, Clary got one or two more ours of sleep, but that day she got less of what was normal. At 6 a.m Camille and Annemarie entered her room unannounced, opened the curtains, and made her shiver when they removed the sheets from her.
"A princess wakes up with the first sun ray, I believed I told you that before" Amatis followed her maids with a cold and unpleased expression, Magnus also entered and tried to smile to her, but she somehow knew that wasn't going to happen, she could've tried asking her grandma to let Magnus go with the Lightwoods but that just wasn't going to happen, they had treated him practically like Clary's belonging, and that wasn't right. "Help her to get ready, you have fifteen minutes" as soon as her aunt said that and got out of the room, Camille and Annemarie were already preparing her bath, and Magnus approached to her giant closet and left something there so he could choose what would she wear that day.
"This place seems more like hell than a home now, right?" she told him, Magnus sighed with sadness and looked down for a while.
"I'm not supposed to talk to her highness but if you want my opinion, I don't believe that this will get any better..." she was a bit shocked about his comment.
"What do you mean you're not supposed to talk to me? You're my friend, you can talk to me whenever you want!" she tried to remind him.
"No, my lady, I'm not... I'm just here to serve you and your relatives, and it seems that is something I have forgotten, so from now on... let's remember what's our place inside here, it's part of being professional and formal..." he put up this huge indifference wall in between them, another crack to her feelings, another loved one lost; part of being professional he had said, but that situation had Queen Celine's name written in all of it.
"I can't believe she's doing this..." answered Clary and got inside the bathroom. And what she was waiting on her room as soon as she finished, it was already too much for her, no one could have prepared her for all that was going to come.
"What?! A corset?!" was the beginning of the list of problems she'll have from that day on.
"Orders from her majesty, princess..." answered Camille unusually scared of the thought of the Queen, she had always behaved strongly especially in front of Magnus; it was clear that the Queen had shouted at all of them too, what a wicked game of hers.
"No, I won't do it, it's ridiculous! What year is it, 1878? I know she doesn't like me much but trying to kill me? I won't wear that!" Clary sat in front of her comber with a scowl and tried to untie her wet hair with all the anger that built up inside her.
"I don't believe you want to trouble her again, highness; it'll only be worse if you refuse..." Annemarie tied to advise her, as if she had always followed the palace's rules, but if Clary began to unveil everything she knew up until that moment, the scolding would have absolutely no end.
'Ok, so why am I doing this again? Uh, first: my country, but there's hundreds of girls who could be better Crown Princesses than me! Fine, second: my family! Luke doesn't care what I'm doing if I'm safe and happy, my mother and brother think this was the best for me, but that was just bribery! … Third: Jace... God, I hate when he's the center of my world, but I still love him and it! Stupid, stupid Clary...' Izzy had said she was Jace's and the monarchy's only hope, she'd have to keep the show up if she wanted things to get better somehow. "Fine, then... bring the straitjacket as I'll finally loose the last piece of sanity I had left..." she smiled to them.
After "eating" breakfast, that was almost an impossible thing to do, she could still hear Amatis say: sit straight, elbows down from the table, the biggest spoon goes first the smallest last, finger up when you grab a glass, one napkin goes on your tights the other must be used carefully so you won't look like a five year old while eating... she knew all those things but she sometimes forgot them! Was that a sin? And not to mention the fact that the strong wrap of the corset around her made it like hell for her to swallow anything! Well, after that torture came another one; her oratory class... with Queen Celine of course; and she picked an interesting speech that day, was the one that King Marcus had given when the Lightwood family had been officially settled.
" … Family is the greatest and strongest union and social grouping that has manifested since the beginning of time, the serenity, peace and kindness of it is what keeps the person behaving human and smartly..." she felt somehow dumb saying such things, maybe King Marcus had found in that something important or influential in them, but after all that had happened she just couldn't find any sense. "... and when it means a difficulty for proceeding the...uh, rightest way, a decision must be taken, and today we have done it... for the good of our beloved nation..." apart from that, the letters were really small and there was no much space in between the words, and the fact of Queen Celine looking at her in disgust was unbearable for her; but putting how uncomfortable she falt aside, she had heard those kind of things before, not so long ago.
"Stop... Princess, tell me... you do talk everyday, right? I mean, you say at least a million words a day, I'd say am I wrong?" great, now she was using sarcasm?
"No, majesty..." she was only allowed to answer to her majesty, the greatest divinity, direct descendant of Raziel, beautiful, perfect and flawless Queen Consort Celine Herondale with small replies, of she said more than three words it meant her end.
"Then why does it seem like you don't even know how to talk? First of all, you never take the sheet with your hands or you'll leave marks on it, luckily this is just a copy of the original speech or you already would've ruined it; second, try to make more eye contact with the audience, there's a reason why you have eyes and those don't only work when the Crown Prince is around, I suppose; third: hesitating with words, poor reading skills, lack of elegance and seriousness at your speak... it leaves much to be desired form you... From the top again and this time try to do it like you mean it" Clary sighed silently, she had already done it four times! She had studied and wanted to be a painter all her life, not an actress and definitely not a speaker, she couldn't expect that much from her! 'Fine, then... she wants a movie like speech? That's what I'll give her!'
"Dear subjects, our people, our brothers and sisters, blood of St. Raziel on earth... I've come here today, with the hope that you'll be completely understanding about the decision we've been forced to take; due to the recent problems that had affected our beautiful country, the constant threats, fear, instability and danger inside the palace and that has unfairly reflected on you, today we take a turn on the way, changes are meant to make a significant difference, and a different result will come, so you must remember this day, in order for you to know that we're completely devoted to you, so much, that we'll even have to sacrifice the union of our family..." she felt even sillier, but it sounded better than before, or so she thought.
"Are you talking to the people of Idris or rehearsing for a school play, highness? This is not a game, even worse a joke! Are you trying to make fun of your husband ancestor's words?" she insinuated.
"Of course not, majesty, but I'm not really comfortable with this..." she lost it with that, she knew it was important and everything but could she at least appreciate the effort she was making and stop acting so rudely.
"Excuse me?" Celine seemed to feel more indignant than she had ever felt.
"I'm really trying to do my best but... I just don't think I'll be saying something like this ever in my life..." she tried not to laugh but still a smile came out, and that would've turned out awfully if it hadn't been for Amatis.
"Sorry to interrupt, majesty, but the relics you requested have been delivered to his majesty's office, you should take a look at them..." she said with a bow and never looking at her eye to eye. Relics? Maybe they had started to spare which of them would go with the Lightwoods.
"Right, thanks Amatis..." she smiled pleased, she was the one who had to be called in a formal way all the time, but when it came to Amatis, she meant nothing for her, not anymore. "Follow me, princess, and try not to fall, I think that walking is something you'll actually have to do right once in your life..." she was using her own words against her? Clary rolled her eyes and walked behind her with her head down, looking like a prisoner and feeling like that as well.
When she got to King Stephen's studio, she was surprised that Jace was also there. Her father in law had two boxes on his desk and looked at them suspiciously, as if they reminded him something he didn't really want to remind.
"Princess..." he greeted without looking at her.
"Good morning, majesty" but she had to bow, for her own sake.
"Do you have any idea of what's going on?" Jace whispered to her when she stood next to him.
"If you don't, then I'm absolutely and terribly clueless..." she replied, Jace smiled sweetly and held her hand.
"Hands off the princess, your highness, how inappropriate from while you having your parents right in front of you..." said his mother, 'Oh, so she also behaves like a bitch with her own son? No wonder why her husband looks tired and annoyed all the time...'
"Sorry, mother...I mean, majesty" he did as she told him but Clary knew that in the inside he felt frustrated.
"Ok, so... as now is a period of changes and you must have gotten a clear idea of were you both belong, we've decided to give you another family jewel, so you have that idea much more present... you shall wear this proudly..." she opened both boxes, inside of them were two round lockets, a golden one and a silver one, in the center of them both was carved the symbol of the angelic rune, and in the edges the bird pattern that represented the Herondale family.
"These were first worn by King William and Queen Theresa... and now they're yours, you must take good care of them..." the King's maids took the necklaces out of the boxes and placed them on their necks; Clary was given the silver one obviously, as her wedding ring.
"Thank you both, we'll cherish them..." his mother smiled after Jace said this, but he didn't look like he meant those words.
"I'm sure you will; this means that you must know where you come from to know where you'll go..." Clary knew there was an awful implicit message behind that comment.
"It's nothing new that we're called children of the angel, is this really necessary?" Clary whispered to her husband, she had never been a fan of family relics, apart from her family rings but wearing those lockets were something like a symbol of believed superiority.
"No, this means we're Herondales, royals... this means that whatever happens next, we wont be able to escape from who we are..." Jace ended.
To be continued...
Dreamer.