Not your Mundane

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter 25
Raleigh's POV

I stayed in the Institute with Ashton, while the meeting went on with Charlotte and Benedict. 
We sat in the library, playing cards, reading, and pouring through the compass with ideas of codes that came through our heads.

"Maybe we test different codes," Ashton says. "We could try ideas from our heads because this person has to be from our time period."

I nod in agreement, finishing my tea when a knock sounds at the Institute doors.
Ashton and I grab our daggers and head to see who it is.

I reach it first and open the door. A young girl that is probably near my age stands there.
She has bright blue eyes and long, black hair.

"Hello," She says. "I apologise for interrupting your leisure hour, but I had nowhere else to go. I am Cecily Herondale, you see. I have come to be trained as a Shadowhunter."

Ashton and I's jaws drop.

"Hello, Miss Herondale," I reply, trying to regain the ability to talk naturally. "You may come inside, Miss Campbell and I were finishing up a set of cards."

Cecily nods, smiling.

We lead her in and show her to a guest room.
Bridget, Sophie and Cyril all rush to get her room ready and unpack while we lead her around, showing Cecily to the weapons room and the library. 

"This is amazing," She says to Ashton and me as we sat down and continued to go through the codes. 
"It is," Ash replies. "Are you any good with codes?"
Cecily nods.
"Mother and Father wanted me to learn everything, and so I did learn a lot about codes."

I smile.
"Could you help us decipher this one?" 

She nods eagerly. 
I hand over the compass and she handles it carefully.

"When can I go to see my brother?"

Ash and I shrug, an idea forming.

"Let's surprise him," I say, smirking.

***

Ashton and I dress up in nice suits, running to greet our friends as they come into the dining room. 
I get up and run into Antony's arms and he hugs me before dinner begins.

Ashton makes a quiet, whistling noise and I hiss quietly at her.

"Is your cook always singing?" Gideon asks with an annoyed voice. 
We all nod in response.
Tessa and Jem walk in, hand in hand, making us all look up.

"Tessa and I have some news," He says. "I asked her to marry me, and she accepted." 
Will raises his glass of wine.
"I do not know two finer people and could not imagine better news. May your lives together be happy and long."

Will's eyes looked pained with jealousy.
"Congratulations, brother."

Tessa bent worriedly over Charlotte as she paled in front of her.
"Charlotte, are you alright?"

"Yes," She replied. "Yes, it is just- I have news of my own. We won the Institute back, and Henry and I are having a child. A boy. Brother Enoch told me."

Sophie gave a little shriek and clapped.
Gideon looked very embarrassed while Will and Jem exchanged bemused smiles.
Tessa had a grin that matched my friends' faces.

Henry waltzed around the room with Charlotte before he stopped suddenly to make sure she was okay.
I looked at Ashton and nodded. 
She gave a look to Sophie, who smirked and went to open the door for Cecily.

As she walked in, Will turned and drew a sudden breath.
"Cecil-" He said before she ran and tackled him, hugging her brother tightly. "Oh, I missed you." 

"I missed you too Gwilym," She responded.
Cecily let go, her blue eyes matching Will's, rimmed with salty tears.

She took her place next to Ashton and me, and I give her a smile. 

"I have cracked your code," Cecily announces as she takes a bite of bread.
All of my group gasp, including Sophie, Tessa and Will.

Tears well up in my eyes. 
"We can go home."

"Go home?" Jem asks, confused.
Tessa quickly explains our story to the group, making everyone more wide-eyed than before. 

"That means you guys will have to leave," Will says, realising it for the first time.
The five of us nod.
The infernal devices people give me a sad expression.

"We'll finish up dinner," Charlotte says. "Then we can pack you up and give you a proper farewell from all of us."

I nod. 

~

As we all clear out from the dining room, I quickly head to my room, packing up the meagre things that I had brought into this world.

Sophie and Will walk in, both with sad expressions on their faces. 

"Let me gather your clothes," Sophie says.
"But-"
"No buts, Raleigh," She hisses sharply.

Sophie walks to the side of the room, pulling out a bag.
Will walks over and envelopes me in a hug.

I hug him back.

"I'll miss you, Ral," He says. "You remind me of my sister that I never got to have."
My heart races hearing that.
"I'll miss you too," I say. I poke him in the ribs. "Older brother."

He smiles.
Will pulls out a small box and a letter.

"Here. Don't read it until you get settled at home."
I nod.

I open the box. 
In it is a tie, and a ring.

"The Herondale ring?" I ask, confused. 
"I recognised my family's symbol on your necklace, Ral. And after the iratze incident, Antony and I think you have some ancestry from me."

I smile, tears threatening to spill.

"Will you didn't-"
"Yes, I do. You are a friend that I decided to accept, one, because you are brave and two, you were willing to help me find information for Jem in an opium den."

I slide the ring onto my middle finger so it resides on my left hand.
A perfect fit.
Will shows me his.

"That ring belonged to Ella, my older sister. Use it well."
I nod.
"And the tie?"

Will chuckles.
"That was the first one Sophie gave you. It was mine, and I'd like for you to keep it." 

"Thank you, Will," I reply. I hug him tighter.

Sophie had packed up the blue dress, and all the suits I preferred (only three), plus a small locket with rare images of them inside.
I smile bigger.

"I love you both, you guys are my family, all of you."

The two of them smile, sniffling quietly.
I grab my bag and put Will's tie inside, and the three of us walkout.

Everyone stands in a circle, hugging and giving each other platonic kisses.
I set my stuff down, one by one going and saying goodbye.

Each person I said goodbye to got a special hint at the future from me, even if it was cheesy.
I tell Charlotte and Henry not to go too hard on their children, Gideon and Sophie to train and watch over each other, all the cooks to keep doing their hard work, even Bridget's singing, Tessa and Jem that I wish them the best, and it got even harder as I reached Will and Cecily for the last time.

I hug Cecily.
"I wish that I got to know you more," I tell her. "And keep Will out of trouble for me."

Cecily nods, smiling. 
I give a last hug to Will as she types the answer code into the compass, and hands it to me.

I take it and link my hands with Antony and Ashton.

"Bye!" We all call, and the device takes us home.