𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟: 𝕠𝕟𝕖
𝕖𝕡𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕕𝕖: 𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕧𝕖

ʙʀʏɴɴᴇ [ʙ-ʀ-ɪʜ-ɴ] / ʀʏɴ [ᴘʀᴏɴᴏᴜɴᴄᴇᴅ: ʀ-ɪʜ-ɴ ᴏʀ ʀᴇɪɢɴ]

It took Brynne longer than she was willing to admit to tear Magnus from Ragnor's dead body. When she finally was able to, Brynne told Magnus to head back home and that she would take care of getting what they needed. So, when she took a portal back to his apartment, Brynne found her warlock friend sitting on a couch with a drink in hand while looking through a photo album.

Brynne was about to speak up since he didn't seem to have noticed her, but she stops when she hears him speaking, "How I loved her. I prayed she would love me the same, but she just laughed. To Camille, immortals aren't supposed to feel true love. She was so cynical. Camille broke my heart"

"Magnus?" Brynne quietly asks worriedly for him as he looked across at the chair paying attention to it as if someone was speaking to him

Magnus seemed to have heard someone call out his name making him turn to find the raven-haired girl standing next to a pillar in the room. Magnus clears his throat, "You're back, I assume you got everything?"

"Yeah," Brynne softly says having set the last box of Ragnor's things by the entrance "Taking a stroll down memory lane?"

At the women's question, Magnus looks back down at the photo album resting on his lap. It was of him, Ragnor, and Camille, when they were all on good terms and in the most unconventional ways happy.

Brynne walks over to the sofa and takes the photo album from Magnus being able to see the photo making her roll her eyes at the sight of Camille. Brynne closes the book and then throws it next to her, "Ugh you can't still be hung up on that bimbo snake cold-hearted thing. Now... Imasu on the other hand"

Brynne sees the charango amongst the clutter belonging to Ragnor, she reaches out to pick it up and hands it to him. Magnus takes the charango and strums it lightly bringing a small smile to his face, "He played this so beautifully"

"What happened between the two of you? I was gone long before it ended"

"Imasu wanted more than I can give" Magnus vaguely states before pouring himself a drink "Maybe Camille was right. I am immortal. I can party and have fun to my heart's content without the anchors of love around my feet"

"Do you really believe that? That us as immortals we don't have the right or privilege of falling in love or a chance to reach for certain happiness that doesn't involve parties and hours of never-ending fun?" Brynne asks in disbelief before something in her comes to the realization that she would do anything to prove Camille wrong even if that meant changing her opinion on the things she should or shouldn't do

Brynne stands up from her seat making Magnus look up at her, "Where are you going?"

"To prove you and Camille wrong. I am done being just a friend and not fighting for my happiness by saying time is inevitable. I am done hiding. Magnus, you are not Camille. I will give you time to mourn Ragnor but when I return, and you're still clinging to Camille's demented ideas I will be kicking your ass without magic"

Brynne storms out of the apartment and towards her own, she did after all have to get dolled. One couldn't just crash a wedding wearing the clothes from the day before.

◇─◇──◇─────◇──◇─◇

Portaling herself to the front steps of the institute Brynne hesitated in opening the door. While hearing Magnus speak hopelessly Brynne was confident in objecting to Alec's wedding but now that she stood in front of the institute that confidence had vanished.

Brynne stood in a V-neck high side slit satin long dress, her hair slicked back, red lips, and black heels with a red bottom. Brynne couldn't help but think about the past times she's stood outside a cathedral and entered to object only for that ending to not end happily. With the last ounce of confidence, she owned Brynne opened the church doors and with each click of her heels, she gained that confidence.

Isabelle had outdone herself in decorating the ceremony for the wedding. From down the hall, Brynne could hear Jeremiah, a silent brother's voice boom, "It is time for Alec Lightwood and Lydia Branwell to mark each other with the Wedded Union rune. A rune on the hand, a rune on the heart. A union is born."

At the altar, Lydia takes the stele from the pillow Isabelle held and at the white block of crystal before them, Lydia takes the rune from it and is about to place it on Alec's wrist. The stele doesn't touch Alec's skin they are interrupted by a door slamming and followed by heels clicking on the rose-petaled pavement.

At the sight of Brynne Lydia puts down her stele and looks down the aisle she had just walked. In the midst of a black and white color-coded wedding, Brynne stood out not only for the red dress she wore but also because of being a Downworlder. Not to mention the fact that she stood at the end of the aisle maintaining eye contact with Alec who was entranced by the sight of her.

The guests were confused but no one was angrier than Maryse who through the silence asked, "What's that warlock doing here?"

Maryse shifts her eyesight from Brynne and over to the altar where Alec stood having yet to look away. Upon the altar, Isabelle couldn't help but sigh in relief at the raven-haired woman who hopefully was going to save the day.

Jace stood confused behind Alec and glanced over at Isabelle who stood behind Lydia who was waiting for Alec to do something, after all, she wasn't going to force the wedding if he wanted out.

Jace whispers, "Izzy, did Alec invite Brynne?"

"I did," Isabelle says with a chuckle followed by a smile she couldn't hide, "But I didn't think she'd show."

Maryse seeing that her son had yet to look away from the warlock at the end of the aisle, stands up with urgency in each step she took, "Brynne, leave this wedding now."

Brynne raises her hand ending eye contact with Alec and moving toward Maryse who stood before her. Brynne's palm was the only thing stopping Maryse from taking another step, "I'm not here for you Maryse. I'll leave if he asks me to"

Brynne takes a few steps past Maryse but stops needing her answer, needing Alec to do something rather than just standing frozen looking at her.

"Are you gonna be okay, buddy?" Jace asks Alec knowing exactly what he was feeling. The Shadowhunter dressed in a white tux doesn't say anything, instead, he lets out a sigh as if it was the first breath, he's been able to take

"Alec?" Lydia asks making Alec look down at her smiling supportive face, "Hey."

Alec starts to breathe heavily looking down at the blonde dressed in white, "I... I can't breathe."

"I know. It's okay." Lydia quietly says with a smile as Alec gains his breath

"I can't do this," Alec tells her making Lydia's smile falter for a moment, "I thought we were doing the right thing, but... this isn't it."

"You don't have to explain," Lydia replies with a small shake of her head knowing he was doing the right thing but it still sucks to be on the losing side

"Lydia, I'm sorry." Alec apologizes his mind a puddle of goo not thinking about what he was doing or saying

"Hey... you deserve to be happy. Okay?" Lydia supportively says making the man before her smile, "I'll be fine."

Alec breaths deeply before turning around to the crowd, then his eyes meet Brynne's. For a few seconds, he doesn't do anything and in those seconds Brynne's heart had run a marathon in anticipation of what was going to happen next. Alec walks down the two steps from the altar and waits a couple of seconds before walking down the aisle to where Brynne stood still.

Maryse seeing her eldest marches towards him and attempts to stop him, "Alec, what are you doing?"

"Enough," Alec states walking past his mother without even sparing her a glance and continuing to walk towards Brynne.

Alec pulls Brynne into a passionate kiss by placing his hands on her jaw making her melt at his touch. Brynne raises her hands to place them on Alec's white suit, both of them entranced by each other's lips that when Alec pulls away to breathe, Brynne is the one to pull him into a kiss.

Alec and Brynne had been ignoring the crowd before them, all of them filled with various reactions. Jace, Isabelle, Simon, Clary, and Lydia were happy for the couple making out on the aisle, it was different levels of happiness but happiness nonetheless. Maryse was fuming at what her son had just done in front of the guests who were well respected in the Shadowhunter world.

Brynne was in awe at how good a kisser Alec turned out to be making her pick up her jaw by saying, "That was wow Alec... just wow"

"Yeah..." Alec exhales and looking at Brynne who with her heels was his height made the fog in his mind lift, "What did I just do?"

The two turn to look down the aisle, first seeing Robert and Maryse who gave them a disapproving look before Maryse storms away with her husband following after. With the parents having walked away Isabelle picks up the end of her long tight dress to allow her to quickly walk towards her brother with a smile, "Alec, I am so proud of you."

Alec smiles down at his sister but that sibling's moment was interrupted by Simon walking to stand next to Isabelle with a wide smile, "Guys, that was incredible. It was like watching the live version of The Graduate. You know, the Dustin Hoffman movie? The amazing one?"

"I better not be Elaine," Brynne states knowing exactly what movie her friend was talking about, especially when he had been the one to make her watch it

"You were Ben," Simon says pointing to Brynne before doing an impersonation of Ben "'Elaine!' And you were Elaine. I mean, a... a taller, masculine, handsome version of her. But the altar, though, you were like, "Ben!" And then... and then now, you're both sitting on the bus at the end of the movie, both totally stoked, but wondering, like "What are we gonna do now?" You know?"

Brynne couldn't help the smile appear on her face at Simon's word vomit that included impersonations. Alec on the other hand was just as confused as his sister as to what the vampire was saying making him ask, "Who invited the vampire?"

At the question, Brynne's happiness won making her laugh while Simon was offended by Alec's serious question, "Seriously?"

The four continue speaking before Brynne excuses herself to go talk to Clary who stood next to Jace. Not knowing if she had interrupted anything her presence makes the two turn to look at her, "We need to speak privately, I might have some news. First I need to go kick Magnus' ass. Meet you in the training room in ten?"

They agree to her proposition making her go tell Alec that she would be back and reassure him that she wasn't running away. Portaling outside of Magnus' apartment Brynne was ready for anything behind those doors but she stayed in her glammed outfit, heels, and all.

Luckily Magnus was only mourning Ragnor and not clinging to Camille's ideals and he had found something. The two warlocks portaled back to the Institute in less than ten minutes and walked up the stairs of the training room where three shadowhunters stood waiting.

Clary, Alec, and Jace stand up straight at the sight of the warlocks making Magnus have the floor. He uses his magic to transport some of Ragnor Fell's items from his home to the Institute, "I pulled every item of magical importance from Ragnor's belongings. But I can't determine which will lead to the Book of the White."

On the table, there were knives, books, and small trinkets that to the blind eye would look useless.

"Wait, this bookmark." Clary speaks up reaching out to grab a golden fabric bookmark from the table "I've seen it before. In the alternate dimension you showed me a book of spells and this was in it. It must have the Book of the White."

"If that's the case, we can use the bookmark to track the owner of the book," Alec plans as he stood next to Clary with his white suit jacket nowhere in sight

"Okay," Jace replies ready to execute Alec's plan

Jace reaches out to take the bookmark from Clary's hand making Brynne who stood at his side stop him, "Warlock tracking is stronger"

Brynne then looks over at Magnus who nods his head and takes the bookmark. Magnus closes his eyes and with both hands on the fabric bookmark, he tracks it to its owner and then quickly opens his eyes, "Well, there's good news and bad news. The good news is I know the owner. The bad? It's Camille."

"Camille?" Clary asks in disbelief

Brynne on the other hand was angry, "You let that idiot snake take the Book of the White!"

"I did not let her do anything." Magnus replies making Brynne send him a glare making him know they weren't done talking about the topic, "Looks like Raphael has her locked up in the basement of the Hotel DuMort."

"Well, after I punched her, there's no way she'll help me," Clary sighs looking down at the table

"She won't have a choice," Jace states making Clary look up at him, "Trust me"

◇─◇──◇─────◇──◇─◇

Clary and Jace left the training room needing to have their own private conversation, making Brynne silently signal to Magnus to leave. Once he understood what he was saying he leaves making Brynne and Alec finally be alone.

"I'm so glad we got away from that crowd and all those people." Alec voices walking over to Brynne who was leaning on the table "So intense."

"I have to hand it to you, Alec," Brynne smiles standing up to be at Alec's height, "You undoubtedly know how to make a statement"

Brynne was about to close the gap between the two but they are interrupted by footsteps approaching them. Turning to the steps of the training room the two were able to see Robert and Maryse walking toward them. Brynne contains her eye roll before turning around to give the family a sense of privacy

"What have you done, Alec? To us? This family?" Maryse asks standing before her eldest and paying no attention to Brynne

"This isn't about you," Alec states no longer fumbling with the ends of his sleeves

"Of course, it is." Maryse exhales and it was taking everything in Brynne not to jump into the conversation every time she opened her mouth, "You are either being selfish or naive. This wedding was your plan from the start. And now you have humiliated us in front of the most respected members of the Clave. I don't even recognize you anymore."

"I'm the same person I've always been"

Maryse looks over at Brynne who sends her smile and wave only adding to the mother's anger, "And all for a Downworlder."

Maryse doesn't give Alec time to reply as she turns around to walk away making Robert step up to speak to his son, "Just give her time."

"And you?" Alec asks defensively not knowing what to expect from his father

"It's not the Shadowhunter way but I support you, Alec," Robert says before glancing over at Brynne who wasn't hiding that she was eves dropping, "How long has this been going on? Are you two in love?"

"Love?" Alec nervously laughs "What? No. No, it's... it's, uh, it's sort of a different... It's not–"

Brynne steps in and interrupts Alec from his word vomit, "It's all-new"

"Right," Robert replies with a slow nod before sighing, "I better go check on Mom."

Robert leaves the two alone making Brynne contain her awkwardness in the silence. Not taking her chances at the privacy the training room provided them Brynne turns to Alec, "You know... we still haven't gone on our first date"

Alec couldn't help but scoff that the realization, "Yeah, you're right. You wanna... I don't know, get a drink sometime?"

At the question, Brynne pretends to think about it, "Well... what about we start with a cup of coffee?"

"Great," Alec says nervously about their first date as it was going to be his first date, ever. At least he got the first kiss out of the way along with the buzzing questions of wondering if the person in front of you on a date was actually interested

a/n: so I changed Maeve's name to Brynne [B-r-ih-n] / Ryn [Pronounced: R-ih-n or Reign]

* if you don't know what I'm talking about just ignore me