Crowns ~ Alec Lightwood

Two Different Pieces

"Isabelle, I'm honestly sorry about what's happening with Meliorn-"

"Save it," Izzy snapped, "First, you arrest him for treason. Then you go so far as to send my parents back to Idris!"

"I swear to you, I had nothing to do with any of it," she defended, "My mother arrested Meliorn and I defended you, otherwise she would've arrested you as well. As for Maryse and Robert being sent back...I had no idea until you just said so."

Rory really wished she hadn't walked in on that moment. All she wanted to do was apologize to Izzy for her mother's foolish behavior but she seemed to have walked in on an argument between the three siblings.

"Have you told them yet?" she whispered to Alec.

"Told us what?" Izzy seethed.

Alec seemed hesitant, "Rory and I are engaged."

Izzy and Jace's mouths fell open. They looked skeptically at each other before turning their doubt on the pair.

Jace scoffed, "You're not serious!"

"You were supposed to tell them no!"

Frankly, the reaction was what Rory expected, but it still hurt. She thought she was getting through to them.

Izzy glanced between them again and scoffed, "It's your life to ruin."

She angrily stormed away and Rory bowed her head. Alec felt bad for her but they still had to deal with Jace.

"Not sure what to say."

"How about none of this matters?" Alec suggested, "We have to stop Valentine."

"Finally...something we agree on."

Jace stormed off as well, leaving the two in uncomfortable tension.

"That went about as well as I expected," Rory joked lightly.

"Sorry about them. It's not you they're mad at. It's just the whole thing," he explained.

"I get it," she shrugged, "Why would two people who aren't in love get married?"

He turned red at the word love and she chuckled, "Sorry, I made it awkward."

She started to walk off but he stopped her at the entrance. She turned back around to face him when he called her name.

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown," he reminded.

-

As every shadowhunter who had ever met her said, Alice Morrison could be a heartless bitch.

And that's one thing Rory knew personally.

"I cannot believe you got engaged, to a Lightwood nonetheless, without consulting me!" she shouted, "What the hell were you thinking?"

"You asked me to take responsibility, and so I am," her daughter said calmly, "The combined efforts of our families could lead this institution all the way to Valentine's defeat."

"And what about our plans for your future? You were supposed to be a Clave envoy!"

"That's what you planned, not me."

Alice slammed her hands down, "Damn it, Rory!"

"Don't call me Rory," she snapped, "You lost the right to call me that a long time ago."

Her mother stepped threateningly close and lowered her voice, "You made a decision that affects everyone around you...and you did so without thinking of the consequences."