Look At Me Now: Clarissa Morgenstern

Chapter 14

"Darling you must get out of bed sometime." The Seelie Queen's musical voice drifted through Clary's chambers.
Clary groaned and buried her face even deeper into her silk sheets.
"5 more minutes." Clary mumbled into her pillow.
The Seelie Queen just sighed.
"You have until the maids come to prepare you to be seen in court."
Clary didn't respond but she knew she had no choice in the matter.
The Queen just rolled her eyes and swept gracefully out of the room.
Clary closed her eyes and savored the few moments of silence she had left.
"Your highness? We were instructed to dress you." A small voice chimed from the door. Clary groaned but pushed back the covers.
Her body instantly missed the warmth of the blankets as the chilling air hit her naked body.
Even though The Queen could not lie it felt like it had been mere seconds since she left.
When she arrived in faerie the previous night sobbing her mother pulled her into her arms and comforted her till the early hours of the morning.
The Queen didnt press for details but Clary could tell her mother knew it had something to do with Jonathan.
Although The Queen was pleased to have Clary back she was still forced to attend to the court with her mother all day and then her mother instructed her to attend a party later that night.
As the maids pulled her hair into a painful braid and she was reminded of Isabelle.
The thought of the raven haired beauty sent a white hot spike of rage coursing through her body.
But the burning rage came with a flood of sadness.
Even though Isabelle had betrayed her in the worst way possible it was still painful for Clary to think of her.
After all Isabelle had been like a sister to Clary before Clary left.
"Your Highness?" One of the timid maids called from her right.
Clary looked over at her and raised an eyebrow as a signal to continue.
"Would you like the green dress or the blue dress?" The girl said staring at the italian marble floor like it was the most interesting thing she had seen in centuries.
"Green."
It was probably a good idea to wear the color of the fey while in court.
After all the opinions of the lower fey still mattered.
As the maids helped her into the green dress Clary gazed at herself in the mirror.
The girl staring back at her wasn't the Rageddy Anne girl she was used to seeing with wild red hair.
The girl in the mirror had a regal beauty.
Her platinum hair was braided in one long braid that swept over her left shoulder.
A crown of bronze leaves sat across her brow. Her face was sharp but still kind.
A gentle sweep of makeup cover her features. Red lipstick accented her black lashes and pale face.
Her blue-green reptile eyes stood out next to the black kohl liner that surrounded her eyes.
Clary's dress was made of chiffon.
It had a halter neckline and was tight around her mid-section then it flowed out.
The maids had somehow slipped a diamond choker onto her neck along with a pair of emerald teardrop earings without her realizing.
The maids grabbed onto her arms to support her as she slipped her feet into the same black pumps she arrived in last night.
"Your Highness we must leave now if we want to make it to court in time." One of the maids chimmed from her side.
Clary nodded and strode across her bedroom, through the open doors and down the empty hallway.
—x—
"Clarissa!"
"Yes mother?" Clary asked in a small voice.
"I thought i told you to hurry up!" The Seelie Queen snapped as Clary seated herself on her throne.
"I'm sorry mother i got distracted, forgive me?" Clary murmured as she aranged the silky fabric around her legs.
The Seelie Queen huffed.
"You are forgiven." She said almost reluctantly. "We have guests."
Clary instantly perked up. If there was a guest that would mean she wouldn't have to listen to the fey's issues all day.
"Bring them in."
One of the guards disappered from the throne room and returned a few seconds later with a group of all too familiar people.
The guards abandoned the group once they were situated in the center of the throne room.
"What brings you here, young Shadowhunters?" The Queen spit the word shadowhunter like it was a curse.
The Shadowhunters hesitantly dipped their heads as a show of respect.
The Shadowhunters couldnt afford to fight a war on two fronts and The Queen knew it.
"We came to request your assistance in finding Clarissa Morgenstern but it appears to be that you have beat us to it." Jace replied with his ever present charm.
The Queen smiled gently as her gaze flickered over to Clary.
"What buisness do you have with me?" Clary asked as the guards began inching towards her throne, ready to protect the princess at all costs.
Jace opened his mouth to respond but Isabelle cut him off.
"'What business do you have here?'" Isabelle repeated incredulously.
"By the Angel Clary you even sound like them." Isabelle snapped expecting Clary to yell back but Clary just laughed.
"After all Isabelle they are my people."
At Clary's words Isabelle scowled.
"Where's evil lover boy?" Isabelle leered as she tried to mask her hurt.
Clary's calm fascade slipped and she snarled at Isabelle.
"You have no right to decide who is good and who is evil." Clary snapped at the accomplished-looking shadowhunter.
"And for you information me and Jonaathan are perfect-" Clary started but only to be cutt off by a searing pain in her head.
Clary cried out and clutched her head.
"Clarissa darling i warned you what would happen if you lied. You have the blood of the fey, darling you must adapt to it." The Queen sighed from her own throne.
"Yes mother." Clary furiously spit as the ringing in her ears vanished.
The shadowhunters stood frozen staring at Clary and The Queen with similar expressions of confusion and concern.
"Escort them out Merlion. I have no need for them to be here anymore." Clary said calmly as she slipped back into her calm, collected fascade.
The knight in question moved from his post beside the door and herded the shadowhunters out of the room.
But as the huge oak doors slammed behind them Clary didnt miss the look of longing on Jace's face as he glanced back at her one last time.