𝔯𝔞𝔯𝔢 | 𝔪𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔴 𝔣𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔠𝔥𝔦𝔩𝔡

2.02

𝔄𝔥 𝔴𝔢𝔩𝔩, 𝔴𝔢𝔩𝔩, 𝔴𝔢𝔩𝔩, ℑ 𝔪𝔞𝔶 𝔟𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔤𝔲𝔦𝔩𝔢𝔡
𝔅𝔶 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔦𝔰𝔥 𝔡𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔦𝔱.
𝔜𝔢𝔱, 𝔦𝔣 𝔰𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔞 𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔱,
ℑ𝔣 𝔐𝔞𝔲𝔡 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔰𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔢𝔢𝔪'𝔡,
𝔄𝔫𝔡 𝔥𝔢𝔯 𝔰𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔢 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 ℑ 𝔡𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔪'𝔡,
𝔗𝔥𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔩𝔡 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔰𝔬 𝔟𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯
𝔅𝔲𝔱 𝔞 𝔰𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔪𝔞𝔨𝔢 𝔦𝔱 𝔰𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔱.
~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "Maud"

---

Estelle knew it couldn't have been either for James or Cordelia on this day, but both of their families had truly outdone themselves with the decorations. The Long Hall, which was a rectangular room separating the entry from the chapel was where the greetings were taking place.

And the chapel itself was completely transformed for the occasion. The beams were festooned with in garlands of chrysanthemums woven with winter wheat and tied with gold ribbons and aisle was strewn with golden petals. Estelle loved that Shadowhunter weddings, unlike mundane ones, incorporated tons of gold in them.

The ends of the pews were decorated with sprays of yellow-heated lilies, Welsh daffodils (that Estelle beamed at fondly) and marigolds, and gold velvet banners hung from the ceiling, stitched with designs of birds and castles – the symbols of the Herondale and Carstairs families, united. On either side of the altar, huge crystal vases were overflowing with more flowers and candles glowed from every niche and surface.

Estelle saw James and Lucie as soon as she walked over, and James sagged in relief when he saw her. She reached out to hug him. "Are you alright, Jamie?"

She hugged Lucie next. "I've been greeting strangers all on my own, and Matthew isn't here yet."

"Probably perfecting his outfit, James. He'll be here." Estelle reassured him.

"Alas, I must be by Cordelia's side today, James. Not yours. I am her suggenes. She's getting ready in my room."

"You'll know the duties of a suggenes soon, Jamie. Don't you worry." Estelle patted his shoulder.

"Why can't I get ready in peace too?" James asked.

"Because you are not the bride." Lucie explained. "You are the groom. And when you see her for the first time, in the chapel, in all her wedding attire, is meant to be magical."

"Who lit all the candles?" James asked. "It must have taken them an hour."

"Honestly, James." Lucie looked around the chapel, peeking her head through the door. "Not the thing you should be thinking about."

"I suspect it was Magnus. He's been helpful." Estelle answered. Lucie waved at them and left with a bouquet of yellow roses in hand.

"Jamie. I see Tom and Kit over there. Matthew will be here soon, don't you worry."

James looked across the room for them, but Estelle's parents and Thomas' parents appeared with a girl that Estelle squealed upon seeing. "Mena!" She beamed, hugging the girl tightly.

"Estelle!" Filomena hugged her back just as tight. She was Estelle's Italian friend and was around Anna's age. Her hair was dark and her lips very red.

"Jamie! This is Filomena di Angelo." Estelle introduced. "She's here from Rome, for her travel yea."

"Are you the groom?" Filomena asked. "What a waste. You are very handsome."

Estelle laughed. "Well, you know what they say." James shrugged. "All the best men are either married or Silent Brothers." And that set Estelle's mother off.

And then their pleasant conversation was interrupted by Estelle's future brother-in-law. "Estelle!" He plastered a smile and took her hand, kissing it. "My future sister-in-law!"

"Charles." Estelle nodded at him.

"James! Congratulations!" The redhead turned his attention to James and slapped his back. "Have you seen either of your parents lately?"

As if summoned, Will appeared. "Charles, you were looking for us?"

"I wanted to confer with you about Paris." Charles pulled Will aside to discuss matters in hushed tones and the Lightwoods were speaking with Filomena.

"Any clue what that's all about?" Estelle asked James and he shook his head before his gaze was drawn by something else, or rather someone else. Estelle barely looked away for a second before James had disappeared from her side.

Estelle looked around for the groom only to spot him with Grace and Matthew. The latter was dressed in a morning coat with a beautiful waistcoat embroidered with a battle scene, ad he had a silk ascot around his throat that was gold. But he did not look very happy. His hair was tousled, and his face twisted in anger.

"Oh bloody hell." Estelle sighed, lifting her skirts, and hurrying over, hoping nothing bad would happen. Just as she got there, Grace had left, and she heard James speak.

"Math, she is hurting too. This is not her fault. It is my fault if it's anyone's."

"I hope bloody well you're not blaming yourself for anything that's happened." Estelle said, hands on her hips. The two boys turned to look at her and Matthew's look of anger faded. "James Herondale, Grace is not innocent here, and it is not your fault either."

"Estelle – " James began.

"No." she held a hand out to stop him. "I will have none of it. None, I say." She shook her head. "This is your wedding day. Get it together, Herondale. For Daisy's sake."

"I'm sorry." He sighed and Estelle's face softened. She stood in front of James and cupped his face.

"James, I know this is hard. But Cordelia is your friend. We – " She gestured to herself and Matthew. "are your friends. Don't hold it all on your shoulders."

"I won't, Estelle." He promised.

She let go of his face and nodded, satisfied. "Good. Now go do your job as the groom. Shoo. I want to speak with Math, I'll send him to you later. Go."

James left and Estelle turned to Matthew with raised eyebrows. "I don't know where she came from!" He lifted her arms in surrender.

"She has no shame." Estelle sighed, rubbing her temple. "I'm going to murder someone."

"Please don't." Matthew took her hands. "I won't get to marry you if you're jailed."

"Who said I was going to get caught, Math cariad? Have you no faith in me?"

"I should have known." He shook his head before leaning down to kiss her. "You look beautiful. Mon amour."

"Oh, thank you. You look beautiful too." She fingered his collar. "No flask hidden inside that jacket, is there?" When he didn't answer, she frowned. "Math."

"I haven't been drinking from it. But having it there gives me something to hold. My hands get shaky, you know that. I don't people to know that." Matthew said, voice low.

Estelle held her hand out. "If you need something to hold."

"Estelle, I can't ask you to hold my hand whenever I need it." He shook his head.

"You're not asking, I'm offering, cariad." Estelle smiled at him, cupping his face and brushing her thumb over his cheekbone. His own hand covered hers and he turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand.

"I don't deserve you."

"You deserve the world."

He brought her hand away and looked at it, tapping the Fairchild ring. "I'll never get tired of seeing that on your hand."