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grace-lightwoodd · 4 years ago

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Prompt/inspiration: xxx (complete credit to @hazwads-lasthope for the prompt)

Ship: Jordelia (Cordelia x James)

Prompt list (until April 1st, you can send me your own prompts!): xxx

note: let me know if you want a part 2!

WARNING: CHAIN OF IRON SPOILERS!!!!

Cordelia entered the lobby of the hotel, exhausted from the day’s adventures. Matthew was determined to show her everything there was to see, even though she had already been to Paris.

“Are you Daisy Herondale?”

Both names sent a wave of pain through Cordelia’s body. Her new surname only served as a painful reminder of her marriage blanc, and Daisy wasn’t much better. It was James’ nickname for her, after all.

“I—er, yes, I am,” Cordelia said, stumbling over her words.

The man gave her a strange look. From what Cordelia could tell, it was a mixture of embarrassment and astonishment. “Right this way, Miss Herondale.”

A small part of Cordelia wished to correct him—she was married—but she decided against it. She followed the man to the small desk, watching with confusion as he went into another room and came back with a pile of letters in his hands.

“These are addressed to you,” said the man, practically shoving the papers into Cordelia’s hands.

On the top of the first paper, Cordelia saw the word “Daisy” in James’ handwriting. She felt her heart stutter, as it often did when he was involved.

But then she remembered why she came to Paris in the first place. Cordelia could see the way James held Grace, she could hear his response to the revelation that Grace would call off her engagement: Thank God.

James had written Cordelia to tell her he was ending their marriage early to be with Grace. She would have to move back to Kensington Gardens, and her mother would have two things to mourn: the death of her husband, and the death of her daughter’s marriage.

Cordelia nodded swiftly before returning to her room.

•••

“Why would you send me this, James?”

She got no answer, as James was back in London—probably helping Grace move into their house.

Cordelia shouldn’t have to read the letter. She shouldn’t need to go through that pain. She knew that James didn’t love her; he himself had confirmed that.

But then again, this would give her closure. This could enable her to move on and find a relationship with someone that actually loved her. So she picked up the letter.

Daisy,

I know that my actions have forfeit your kindness. But please, give me the chance to explain.

Against my will, a spell has been placed on me in the form of my bracelet. Grace has explained everything. She told me of how it made me believe myself to be in love with her, while my heart has always belonged to you.

Cordelia, I have always loved you, though I have not realized it. It pains me to think that I have forfeit my chance at a real courtship—a real relationship— with you.

Do you remember when I was ill, and you read to me? And how, when I was falling into shadow, you still would not leave?

Daisy—I feel as though I’ve lost the fight to call you that.

You needn’t do anything. We can continue our marriage blanc, and divorce in a year. You can keep everything, including our house. You’ll be free, and you will become a desirable divorcée with a spectacular reputation.

But, on the off chance that you feel the same way, please come back to London. Some things are better said face to face.

-James

Cordelia’s head spun. Was this some elaborate prank designed to toy with her heart? But surely James would never do that.

Cordelia desperately wanted the claim about the bracelet to seem outrageous, but it made perfect sense. Tatiana Blackthorn tried to bring her son back from the dead and had recruited a prince of hell for the task. Nothing could seem absurd after that.

Cordelia rushed out of her hotel room, nearly crashing into Matthew, who steadied her before asking, “has something happened?”

”We need to go back to London.”

tagging (let me know if you wanna be put on the tag list): @writeforjordelia @ohcoolnice @shathoerendale

#chain of iron #coi spoilers #chain of gold #choi spoilers #james herondale #Cordelia Carstairs #jordelia #chain of iron spoilers #fanfic

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purplebass · 4 years ago

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Close to the Flame // Jordelia (Part 1 of 2)

Couple: Jordelia Rating: slight M (?) not sure because it has a makeout but it’s not too heavy (it’s at the level of the whispering room one but less heavy) Words: 1980 Prompt: “You don’t have to love me”

PART 1 OF 2. It sorts of ends with a cliffhanger? Even if I wouldn’t call it like that because it can be read as a standalone fic. I wasn’t inspired to finish the writing tonight but I wanted to post the first part at least. I’ll try to post the second part tomorrow.

PART 2

Cordelia blushed as she watched herself in the mirror. She was tired, her feet hurt, and her corset was too tight, but she thought she looked great. She smiled because she truly felt like a queen in her golden dress. That color made her feel as if she was on fire. She couldn’t lie to herself. She was combusting and couldn’t wait to get out of her wedding gown.

Everything went smoothly. Her dear brother Alastair had accompanied her to the altar where James stood. On his side, Matthew seemed tense as she walked towards them, which worried her. She would have to have a talk with him sooner or later, but that wasn’t the moment. There was something else occupying her mind while she waited for her husband in their room.

Her cheeks were burning as she replayed the day in her head. She and James had exchanged their wedding vows and had marked each other on the back of their hands as per tradition. She wished he would have chosen to mark her on her arm, but the dress she was wearing wasn’t sleeveless and it would have been difficult to maneuver the sleeve to draw the rune.

Oh, the irony. The mark would be where she could always see it. Every day, it would reprimand her that she had made a poor choice. Sort of, anyway. She loved James, but she didn’t want to marry him like this, not when she believed he didn’t love her back. She looked at her hand and sighed, noticing how well-done James had drawn the rune. How could something so little feel so heavy? It felt heavy because it was bound to something false. A pretense. Except for her feelings. Those were equally burdensome, but manageable. Perhaps.

The door behind her opened and she turned to see who it was, even if she already knew who would be. There was only one person who would come into the room she had chosen to be their own private space at the Institute while they still looked for a house of their own. Cordelia told James that she was fine with staying there for the whole duration of their agreement, despite she knew it would be difficult to conceal her true feelings. They would be under the watchful eyes of his parents all the time, but one couldn’t always get what they wanted. And she had already dug her hole when she proposed this. She thought that she couldn’t complain to anyone, but she could still rant in her head. Unless the whole thing would become uncomfortable.

“The Merry Thieves didn’t want to let me go,” said James. He was handsome in his wedding attire, the black of his suit making him seem more angelic than usual, and the golden accents here and there highlighted his golden eyes. “They said that they needed to make it seem real and wished me luck for tonight.”

“No problem, James. You don’t have to give me an explanation.”

“You have the right to know. After all, we are married,” he explained as he removed his suit jacket and put it on a chair next to the desk.

Cordelia couldn’t help but make a bitter smile. “Except they know it’s not real,” she murmured, trying not to seem too disappointed. Because she was disappointed, right? That it wasn’t real. “I don’t think we should exchange wedding runes either.”

James turned serious as he was undoing the wrist buttons of his white shirt. He also seemed quite disappointed himself. “Do you think I married you just because we agreed, Cordelia?”

“Of course, James. I know how you feel about me. You don’t love me. You said it yourself.”

“That was true,” he admitted, biting his lip. “But things change.”

“They don’t have to change. You don’t have to change for me. I’m alright.”

“Well, I am not. I thought I was okay with this, with this marriage as we had decided several months ago,” he began, “but I’m not okay. I don’t want to be it like this, Daisy. I want to mark you with the wedding rune.”

Cordelia raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he meant and trying not to keep her hopes up. “You are not obliged to. We told everyone we would exchange them in private. No one would know we haven’t.”

“Why you don’t want to?”

Cordelia was besides herself with exhaustion and she rose from the small chair. “Because it’s not real, James. Because I don’t want you to bind yourself to me because we agreed to cover what happened.”

He strode to her and crossed his arms on his chest. She thought he was angry because he was frowning, but then he reached out his hand to caress her cheek. Cordelia felt a burnt trail where he had just touched her, and closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the instant.

“I want to be bound to you, Daisy. The marriage is not legally real if we don’t exchange both wedding runes.”

“No one will know,” Cordelia argued, glancing at the bed. She couldn’t understand why he wanted to mark her. They had already exchanged the wedding rune in front of their friends and family and it was enough to burden her. It burnt her hand with guilt.

“What about us?”

“There is no us, James,” she replied with the steadiest voice she could find. “Why are you…”

James frowned, confused. “Tell me what’s plaguing you, please,” he told her, touching her shoulder briefly and then deciding upon it.

Cordelia felt like she had just been slapped. She gazed at her shoulder, already missing his warm hand. “You don’t have to love me,” she told him. “We don’t have to pretend.”

“What pretense are you talking about?”

She felt like she wanted to laugh at him. Was he serious? She raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “This, all of this,” she opened her arms to point at the room. “Don’t pretend to be considerate to me just because we are forced to spend the night here together.”

“I had already planned to sleep on the chair, Cordelia,” he admitted, passing his hand through his hair. He seemed frustrated, and he better be. He was upsetting her with all of those questions, and she didn’t like it. She didn’t think all of that would happen. “But just so you know, this is not a pretense to me. I meant every word. And I know you did too, that’s why you are angry right now. You can’t lie.”

“We are both tired because of the day we’ve just had, James. We better go to sleep,” she proposed, turning towards the vanity to remove the pins from her hair.

James grabbed her wrist and gently turned her body towards his so that she was facing him again. “You haven’t replied to my question, Cordelia.”

“You didn’t ask anything.”

“You can’t lie.”

“How come you’re so sure I’m not lying?”

“Because I know you, that’s why. And you’re crying,” James noticed, wiping the tears on the corners of her eyes. “Oh, Daisy.” He pulled her towards him and hugged her body. He began to stroke her hair and she grabbed the back of his shirt, letting it all out.

Cordelia was weeping and James was holding her. What a fantastic first night as the wife of the man she loved. She wanted to berate herself for having let her guard down, but she couldn’t. The tears stopped after a while, and she gazed up at James. His eyes were beautiful. He was beautiful. He looked at her with concern and her heart instantly raced. How could she fake not loving him? How could you pretend not to love someone?

And then something happened. Something to which Cordelia didn’t know how to respond at first, and that she thought would never repeat itself. James lowered his head and he started kissing her. Cordelia felt her cheeks heat, and the rest of the world disappeared along with her thoughts about this one-sided relationship.

James’ kiss turned hot and fierce, and she didn’t realize that he was cupping her face, then his hand descended on her chest to stop right above her bosom. Cordelia remembered their kiss in the whispering room, how he had grazed her there with his hands. It was the first time that a guy had done that, and she never thought that the second person who would be intimate with her, would still be James. James’ hand was tentative as it went on her back and touched the buttons of her dress and tried to open them. Realizing that he wasn’t having any luck, he stopped kissing her and the two stared at each other in disbelief. Cordelia hoped he wasn’t regretting this, because she wasn’t for sure.

James closed his eyes briefly and shook his head. “Daisy, I’m sorry.”

“I’m not,” Cordelia answered, trying to give him her best confident face. “I’m not sorry at all, James.”

“I let myself be carried away because of my feelings,” he explained, looking away from her. “I shouldn’t have done it. But you are… I can’t… I can’t do this to you. I’ve already ruined you once without actually ruining you, and I’m still trying to come to terms with that.”

“I gave you the permission to ruin me, James. And I’d do that again. I’d rather by ruined by you than by anybody else,” Cordelia admitted.

“Why would you do that, Cordelia? Why would you risk so much for me? You said that you didn’t love me,” he threw her words back at her. It hurt her.

“Instead I do. I love you, James Herondale! Don’t you understand why I did it? You’re a dear friend to me, this much is true, but I do love you.”

Cordelia didn’t believe she had just blurted out the secret she had vowed to keep in her heart forever. She had wanted to keep it to herself as she tried to move on from James, because she realized that maybe he would never love her back.

James was shocked. His mouth hung slightly open and his hands were trembling. Cordelia thought how weird that he seemed uneasy and fidgety. Maybe he wasn’t comfortable because he would probably have a hard time dealing with her after he discovered her secret. Cordelia shuddered at the idea, but it was possible. She had slipped.

“I thought you didn’t love me,” he replied as a matter of fact. “I didn’t expect it.”

“Me either. I mean, I didn’t expect to tell you. Like you said, I can’t lie. This is not a lie, James, and I don’t expect anything from you. You don’t need to be kind to me, to treat me as if I am your real wife. We don’t have to exchange pleasantries; we don’t have to sleep in the same bed. But I can’t lie anymore. At least now I feel like I got this off my chest.”

“But I want to do all of those things, Daisy. I want to be kind to you, I want to train with you, I want to open doors for you – as much as it sounds stupid. And I want to sleep with you,” James revealed, blushing.

“Do you mean it, James?”

“Have I ever lied to you?”

Cordelia wanted to tell him that he probably had, when he told her that he didn’t love Grace anymore, but she stayed silent. “You’re the most honest person I know.”

James didn’t reply. He inched closer and grabbed her by the hips, then his lips crushed on hers for the second time that night. Cordelia let him savor her, let his hands wander through her hair and let him help her sit on the soft blanket of their newest bed to be properly kissed.

#jordelia #cordelia carstairs #james herondale #James and Cordelia #cordelia and james #tlh #the last hours #chain of gold #chain of iron #chain of thorns #tsc #tsc fanfiction #the shadowhunter chronicles #tweety writes #I hope it's not bad

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theheartsmistakes · 5 years ago

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The Last Night Part IV

(Author’s Notes: Does anyone even read this part? I’m going to pretend like you all do... Hello everyone! Here is the next installment of my Jordelia fan-fiction based on the characters created by the amazing Cassandra Clare in her trilogy Chain of Gold. This is really turning into what the cool kids call a “slow burn”. I never intended it to have such an extensive plot, but this quarantine is really bring forth my imagination. Anyway, if you enjoyed this please give it a like, reblog, comment, or feel free to just pop in and say hi. As always, thank you for reading! Happy and safe quarantine to you all. P.S. I have added an original character “Martin” for the selfish reason that I didn’t want to kill Cyril. Please forgive the inconsistency.)

Here is Part I

Here is Part II

Here is Part III

Part IV

“Maybe he should lie down?”

“I don’t need to lie down, mother,” said James, not unkindly, but with a bit of annoyance. “He’s removing a bracelet, not my arm.”

“If you don’t remain still,” said Magnus, his dark eyebrows glistened with flecks of glitter when he arched them, “it might well be.”

Magnus stood in front of James in the center of the Institute library with James’s hand suspended between them while the warlock focused his attention on the seemingly inconsequential silver band that adorned James’s wrist. If one were looking from afar without any context at all it might appear comical. Flecks of blue light danced from Magnus’s fingertips causing the silver to rattle against James’s skin. He wasn’t sure if it was a trick of the light or if the bracelet had begun to glow. No. It was most certainly glowing and hot. It rattled and spun until it became so hot that James ripped his arm away on instinct.

Magnus looked up, resigned and slightly paled. “It’s a much more powerful spell than I initially realized.”

“How do you mean?” Will asked from where he sat on the desk under the arched stain glass window cut and stained to look like the angel Raziel rising up to the heavens. Rain hit the glass as thunder crackled against the Institute’s walls rattling the crystal chandelier above them. “Will it come off?”

“It’s the strangest thing.” Magnus picked up James’s wrist again. “An absolute work of genius, actually. It’s as if it’s alive and it’s fighting against my magic.”

“Well I’ve had quite enough.” Lucie stood up from the floor where she had been petting Church in long, absentminded strokes. The cat gave a placid meow when she’d stopped. She smoothed out her dress and walked towards the door. “There seems to be only one thing left to do.”

“What’s that?” Matthew asked from where he stood in front of the door, blocking her way. He seemed more steady than his usual self. His hand wasn’t twitching where it held the door frame; his eyes remained focused and clear. They had all wondered what brought on his sudden sobriety. It seemed after one conversation with her father and he’d dropped the sauce like one of his waist coats that he deemed “out of style”. Will had that effect on people. It was best not to question it.

“I’m going to collect Grace Blackthorn and drag her here so that she can ask James to remove the bracelet her-bloody-self.” Lucie came to a stop in front of Matthew. It may have been the shadows cast across his face, but Matthew almost appeared afraid.

“No, Lucie, we aren’t sure what Grace is capable of,” said Tessa. “You said only moments ago that she confessed the truth about the bracelet, but you failed to think to bring her here to remove it?”

Lucie’s mouth opened in defense, but closed as if she forgot what she intended to say. She turned back to Matthew with a quizzical grimace. “Why didn’t we bring Grace back with us?”

“She—“ Matthew raised a pale eyebrow. “I must say I don’t recall.”

Lucie turned her back against the wall and crossed her arms over chest. Heat radiated to her face despite the chill that surrounded the room. Anxiety prickled underneath her skin like the desire to run as far and as fast as she could.

It’d been a whole day since she last spoke to Cordelia. They’d stood in the foray of her Aunt Cecily’s home after having walked in on her brother ravishing Grace Blackthorn against a wall. It was not an image that would soon evaporate from her memories. A blind rage filled her so suddenly that she feared she might have blacked out for a moment. When she came to, the walls behind James and Grace started to ripple and crease as translucent figures emerged from the atrocious paisley wallpaper. Their fleshless hands reached for the disentangled couple when Cordelia wrapped her hand around Lucie’s wrist and the door closed between them.

No one had seen anything. Not even her brother whose eyes were fastened on Cordelia. No one knew the dark depths to which her power could reach— not even herself.

“I know you’re upset, darling,” said Tessa, from beside her daughter now, “but have faith that Magnus can remove the bracelet and we will figure this all out.”

“We don’t have time for faith and waiting.” Lucie dropped her arms back to her sides. “Cordelia is on her way to Idris and after what James did, she’s likely to rune her room with wards not even the Angel himself can get through.”

James grimaced. Good, she thought. He deserves to be in pain.

“That doesn’t sound like Cordelia to me,” said Tessa and pressed a hand to Lucie’s cheek. “You’re warm darling, are you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine.” Lucie insisted. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment I think I’ll pop into the kitchen for a glass of water while I have faith and wait.”

Tessa looked resigned. “Maybe someone should go with you.”

“It’s only down the hall,” said Lucie, skirting past her mother towards the now empty doorway. Matthew stood beside James, an arm around his shoulder, as the two of them studied the bracelet. Matthew said something in James’s ear that brought a small smile to her brother’s face. Whatever they had fought about only days ago, it seemed not to matter now. Or if it did, other things took precedence at the moment.

Tears stung her eyes as she turned from the scene and exited the room.

The framed pictures on the hallway walls rattled with the thunder. Lucie stopped to readjust one that had tilted slightly of her sitting in a deep purple velvet arm chair studying a book. She secretly hated the likeness— not because it didn’t capture her respectfully— but because of the memory of it. She had to sit for nearly four hours listening to the artist drone on about his holiday in the Americas while her brother clashed swords with Matthew in the training room next door.

“Chin up, dear.” Bridget would say from time to time. “You’ll look like a potato.”

Lucie left the photo off center and pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen. To her relief, it was empty. Bridget was probably in her room reading or minding the Institute’s many chores. The kitchen always smelt like rosemary, freshly baked loaves, and exotic spices. It was heavenly and had an instant calming effect on Lucie. Memories of being a child and helping Bridget beat dough with her tiny fists until she was covered in flour from her mess of mousy brown curls to her apron came to mind. What she wouldn’t give to have a mound of dough to beat now.

Lucie walked around the center island, covered in a thin layer of flour, to the cupboard that housed the glassware and pulled a cup from the shelf. The pitcher of cold water sat beside the sink; she filled her cup to the brim and took a sip when a slight chill brushed against the exposed skin on the back of her neck.

“Not now, Jessamine.” Lucie stared down into her reflection in the cup. The soft wispy hair around her face stood out in delicate curls she’d inherited from her father. A leaf sat tucked behind her ear. The coal she’d lined her eyes with had run making her eyes appear wide and fatigued.

“Should I return later then?”

The cup fell from her hands and shattered at her feet, but she hardly seemed to notice. She spun around and faced the voice. “Jesse.”

A smile curved at the corner of his mouth. His straight black hair fell against his pale skin and swept across his green eyes that studied her from across the room.

“Where have you been?” The shattered glass crushed under her shoes as she moved forward to meet him. An uncontrollable desire to grab him around the shoulders and collapse into him made it difficult for her to breath evenly. She knew she couldn’t; that it wasn’t possible anymore, but reality rarely dissolved desire.

“Tracking my fugitive mother,” said Jesse, his lips curled over his teeth. “I thought how hard could it possibly be to find a woman who still chooses to wear an enormous Victorian bird hat? Well, it turns out that it’s extremely difficult. If you needed me why didn’t you summon me sooner?”

Lucie averted her eyes to the ink stain marks on her fingers. “I promised I wouldn’t.”

After commanding him against his will to take her to James, she’d made a promise not only to him, but to herself to never command him to do anything again. That included summoning him to her even when she longed to just hear his voice.

“It’s alright, Lucie.” Jesse stepped towards her but stopped. “Why did you summon me now?”

She looked up aghast. “I didn’t.”

“I heard you,” said Jesse, his expression softened. “It was faint but I heard you.”

Lucie shook her head. “Jesse, I promise you that I did not, or if I had, I hadn’t meant to.”

Jesse opened his mouth to reply when he looked to the kitchen doors. “Someone’s coming.”

Lucie waited for the doors to swing open to reveal her mother, or father, or Matthew coming to retrieve her after being gone for too long. The air in front of the door rippled, like heat rising on pavement, until the form of a man materialized out of the haze. He was dressed in a rain soaked driver’s uniform, but his back was bent out of shape and his right leg curved out at an unnatural angle.

“Martin?” Lucie balked, recognizing the man that has driven her carriage since she was a child.

Lucie and Jesse both moved towards the ghost from either side of the room. The water that dripped from his coat splashed onto the floor and instantly dissolved into mist.

“What’s happened to you?” Lucie demanded.

Martin looked between them as if he wasn’t all together sure how he’d come to be standing in front of them. “I was told by others that you would be able to see me; that you would be able to help.” He looked down at his hands. “I feel so strange. Everything and nothing at the same time.”

“Martin?” Tears sprang to her eyes as she realized that he was dead; a ghost standing in her kitchen as he had all of her life. Always casually slipping in to steal a fresh biscuit behind Bridget’s back with only crumbs and Lucie’s giggles left to give him away. He would listen to her stories on long drives and praise her for her prose. He’d laugh in all the right places and made her promise to sign a copy of her first published work, so he could keep it on his mantle. “What happened to you?”

“I was taking Mr. and Miss Carstairs to the London Portal when we were attacked.”

“Cordelia.” Lucie rushed forward. “Where is Cordelia?”

“I don’t know—“ Martin’s body began to flicker and wain, “I don’t have much time. I’m not supposed to be here, you see, but I fear something terrible may have happened. Something truly, truly terrible.”

Lucie burst through the library doors, the hem of her dress wet from her cup of water and her face noticeably pale.

The previous occupants of the room where joined by three more: Christopher stood beside Magnus surveying the bracelet and Thomas towered next to Matthew. Anna Lightwood was holding Church like a baby beside the fireplace. They all looked to her as she entered.

“It’s Cordelia.” Lucie shouted, her hand gripped the wall to keep her stable. “She’s been attacked.”

The room fell silent except for the small yet noticeable ting of metal hitting stone. Lucie’s eyes, along with everyone else’s, looked down at James’s feet where the bracelet now rested half on the toe of his boot and half on the floor.

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zoroshonkingbazonkadonkas · 4 years ago

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Jordelia ahem-ahem

Beauty could tear at your heart like teeth, she thought, but she did not love James because he was beautiful: he was beautiful to her because she loved him. The thought brought hot blood to her cheeks; she glanced away, just as the door rattled in its frame. Someone was trying to get in. James whirled, his eyes wild. Cordelia’s hand flew to the hilt of Cortana. “We’re not meant to be in here—” she began. She got no further. A moment later James had pulled her toward him. His arms went round her, lifting her up and against him. His mouth was gentle, even as he crushed her against him; she realized what he was doing a beat later as the door opened, and she heard voices on the threshold. She gave a little gasp, and felt James’s pulse jump; his right hand slid into her hair, his rune-scarred palm against her cheek as he kissed her. James was kissing her. She knew it wasn’t real. She knew he was making it look as if they were Downworlders having an assignation in the Whispering Room—but it didn’t matter, nothing mattered except the way he was kissing her, gloriously kissing her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, arching her body up against his. She felt his breath hiss out against her mouth; he was kissing her carefully, even as the movements of his hands and body mimicked passion. But she didn’t want careful. She wanted it shattering and tremendous, wanted the passion to be real, the kissing to be the desperate everything she had always dreamed of. She opened her lips against James’s. His were so soft, and he tasted of barley sugar and spice. She heard nervous laughter at the door of the room and felt James’s hand tighten on her waist. His other hand left her cheek and cupped the back of her neck as he deepened the kiss, suddenly, as if he couldn’t help himself. He leaned into it, into her, his tongue tracing the shape of her mouth, making her shudder. “Oh,” she whispered softly against him, and heard the door close. Whoever it was had gone. She kept her arms around James’s neck. If he wanted this over, he would have to end it. He broke off the kiss but didn’t let her go. He was still holding her against him, his body a hard cradle for hers. She stroked the side of his neck with her fingers; there was a faint white scar just above his collar, in the shape of a star. His breathing went ragged. “Daisy… my Daisy…” “I think more people are coming,” she whispered. It wasn’t true, and they both knew it. It didn’t matter. He pulled her against him with such force she nearly tripped, her heel catching on the rug. Her shoe came off, and she kicked away the second one, going up on tiptoe to reach James’s mouth—his lips were firm and sweet, teasing now as he ran them over the seam of her lips, over her cheekbone, down to her jaw. She was swimming in dizziness as she felt him undo the strap of Cortana with one hand, his other hand tracing the bodice of her dress. She had never known her body could feel like this, tense and taut with desire while at the same time she seemed to float. He kissed her throat as her head fell back. She felt him bend to lay Cortana against the wall; when he straightened, his arms tightened around her. He moved them both away from the bookcase, half-carrying her, his mouth urgent against hers. They stumbled across the carpet, hands and lips frantic as they fetched up against the massive desk. Cordelia arched backward, her hands gripping the desk’s edge, her body curving into James’s in a way that made him inhale sharply. His hands shaped the curves of her, sweeping from her hips to her waist, rising to cup her breasts. She gasped, breathing into the new sensation, wanting his hands on her. His fingers curved to hook into the neckline of her gown. He was touching her skin, her bare skin. She shivered in amazement and he looked at her, his eyes wild and hot and golden. He shrugged off his black frock coat, tossing it aside; when he came back to her, she could feel the heat of his body through her thin silk dress. Even in her dance, even in the training room, she had never felt her body so absolutely right as she did now. He lifted her onto the walnut desk, so she sat on a wooden perch above him. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He cradled her face between his hands. Her hair was a curtain of flames streaming about both of them as they kissed and kissed. At last she drew him up. Her back met the wood of the desk as he leaned over her, one hand braced above her head. The feel of his body all along hers scorched her blood. She understood now why poets said love was like burning. The heat of it was all through her and in her, and all she wanted was more—more kisses, more touches, to be devoured by this like a forest by wildfire. And his face—she had never seen him like this, eyes burning and lost to desire, his pupils wide and black. He groaned as she touched him, running her palms over his hard chest, his rigid arms holding him braced over her. She tangled her fingers in the dark riot of his hair as he bent to kiss the swell of each breast, his breath hot against her skin.

#james herondale #cordelia carstairs #jordelia #chain of gold

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ohnotoomanyfandoms · 4 years ago

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What do you think is the significance of when James calls Cordelia "Cordelia" versus when he calls her Daisy? I remember he called her Cordelia once after she danced at the Hell Ruelle, but other than that I mostly remember Daisy.

Hi, thank you for the great question!

What I’ve noticed from my recent re-read is that he always thinks of her as ‘Cordelia’ but refers to her as ‘Daisy’ out loud. There are only a couple of instances where he calls her ‘Cordelia’, and it’s always in moments where he is either shocked or dead serious, sometimes both:

1) as you mentioned, at the Hell Ruelle, after she performs and he is completely awestruck by her, he calls her Cordelia, and even Cordelia notices it’s strange, because he never calls her anything but Daisy:

“Well done, Cordelia.” He indicated the now-empty jacquard settee. “Anna has disappeared with Hypatia, so I would call your distraction a success.” Cordelia. He had not called her Daisy. She didn’t know what to think of that.

2) after she’s ruined herself in front of the entire Enclave to save him:

“Cordelia,” he said. “I need to talk to you. Right now.”

3) in the scene following that one, where they go to a private room to talk, he calls her Daisy and then switches to Cordelia when she won’t relent:

“You cannot do this to yourself, Daisy,” he said, with a cold desperation. “You must take it back.” “There is no taking it back,” she said, as James paced in front of the fireplace. “Cordelia,” James said. “You will be ruined.”

In contrast, when he proposes, because this marriage feels like a joke to him, a prank they’re pulling on the Clave, he jovially calls her her nickname:

“Daisy,” he said. “Will you marry me?”

Basically, it’s like he makes himself call her ‘Daisy’ on purpose. Because only when The Mask drops, he slips and calls her ‘Cordelia’, and those instances shock her as well.

What I make of it is that he always thinks of her as Cordelia, in all her layered complexity, a mystery that he wants desperately to uncover. But Daisy is the little girl he knew growing up, she’s Lucie’s future parabatai, she’s the one he can be playful with because the nickname alludes to a past of innocence and childhood. He makes himself call her Daisy out loud always, so that there is no doubt that he thinks of her as anything more than a friend. Because Daisy is a little girl picking flowers, but Cordelia is a force to be reckoned with, one that even James under the Gracelet can’t be impartial to.

It makes a lot of sense in my head, I hope I’ve explained myself clearly enough so that it makes sense in yours too :)

#jordelia #JORDELIA HELP DESK #herondaisy #James herondale #cordelia carstairs #daisy carstairs #goldendaisy #James x daisy #James x cordelia #chain of gold #the last hours #chog #cog2 #tlh #tsc #the shadowhunter chronicles

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ohnotoomanyfandoms · 4 years ago

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On Cordelia’s Persian heritage and how it relates to future Herondales

“If Cordelia’s skin is so dark, how come Jace is blond?” is a question I get at least a few times per day, so I decided to intervene. Many Jordelia shippers have come to the Help Desk wondering about this. Many Fairstairs shippers feel that Jace’s blond hair is the validation they need to prove their ship is canon - although I’m not sure how Jace Herondale’s hair in 2007 relates to who Matthew Fairchild married in 1904, but I digress.

Anyhow, I get so many lovely questions like this one every day, both on here, on Twitter, on Instagram, and even among my friends (yes, I operate Jordelia Help Desk sessions in real life too).

Sit tight, kids, cause mama is about to give you a very sound explanation and put your minds at ease.

I understand the concern for Jordelia, I truly do. But I promise genetics and Jace’s looks are the only things we don’t need to worry about. I am going to give you two very separate answers to this question, both proving my point that Jordelia is endgame.

1) The Scientific Answer:

It’s been a few years since I aced AP Science, so forgive me for probably using improper genetic terms here, I might be oversimplifying things for the sake of this post. To put it bluntly, Cordelia and Alastair are mixed-race. They’re not white, they certainly wouldn’t be Black (I’ve seen some confusion about this too), they are Brown. However, they are the children of a Persian (Brown) woman and of a very white (English) man.

What this means is that their genetic code is already 50% white. It may not show in their physical exterior, but it’s in their DNA. Their children - regardless of who Cordelia or Alastair may or may not marry - would be inheriting that genetic code that is already half Persian and half English. If Cordelia and Alastair and their Unborn Carstairs Baby Sibling stay in England and their hypothetical children and then their children keep marrying white people (for 3 more generations until The Mortal Instruments), there is actually very little part of Sona’s initial genetic code that is being transmitted by that point, and the more you go forward in time, the less likely it is that those genes would manifest outwardly in significantly dark skin.

James and Cordelia’s babies (the found family tree tells us they have one son, you can do with this information what you will) have the potential for skin as dark as Cordelia’s, as pale as James’s, or something in between. But as we go on with the generations of marrying white people, the skin tone will become lighter and lighter.

If you think that’s a load of scientific crap that you don’t trust coming from me, I will give you one other thing to hold on to when it comes to Herondale descendants: while Jace is in no way a person of color (he’s the whitest boy to ever walk this earth, and I mean that in the worst way possible), in later books Cassie has taken care to never describe him as pale, which could be a subtle nod to one of his ancestors being a Persian woman. In earlier TMI books - keep in mind that City of Bones was published in 2007 and written years before - Cassie had no idea who he would descend from, the thought simply had never occurred to her. Additionally, in super early concept drafts of The Last Hours now dating almost ten years ago, before the series even had a confirmed name, Cordelia was most certainly white. You can see this from the way she was described and also depicted in official artworks commissioned by Cassandra herself.

Jace’s blond hair can come from literally any of the women who married a Herondale in the following three generations. We know from City of Ashes that Imogen’s greying hair was once blond. She passed it on to her son Stephen Herondale. Stephen married Celine Montclaire, who is also blonde: Jace’s blond hair therefore comes from his parents passing on predominantly blond genes to his DNA. That’s it.

Now, on to my second answer.

2) The Logic Answer

I will prove that you’re all stressing over Jace Herondale for no reason with one very short sentence: Emma Carstairs is also white.

In her case, we have absolutely no doubt who she’s descended from. She is a direct descendant of Sona. Whether Alastair decided to marry and have a child to carry on the Carstairs bloodline, or Unborn Baby Carstairs is a boy (which I think is the most likely option), Emma’s ancestors are undoubtedly Persian. We fully know there are no other relatives to carry on the Carstairs name at the time of The Last Hours (this issue arose in Clockwork Princess when Elias wanted to give Cortana to Will because Jem was dead and he had not married Sona yet).

So if Emma descends from one of Cordelia’s brothers, and you guys aren’t worried about HER being white and blond, I don’t see why you should worry about Jace being the same.

3) BONUS - the @destinedtobemine Crack Theory answer

(Please know that we’re just being Fairondale clowns here.) Matthew is the biggest Herondale fanboy and upon marrying Lucie, he would take on the Herondale name. That’s how you get to Jace. (We’re truly joking. Jace has James’s eyes so we know he’s descended from him.)

Just kidding with that one, obviously. But you get my point: genetics = not at all against Jordelia being endgame. I hope this helped!

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ohnotoomanyfandoms · 4 years ago

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Analyzing Jordelia in the table read excerpt: are they or aren’t they married?

I might be wrong but I’m pretty sure James and Cordelia did get married - we can’t know if things went smoothly or how the wedding ceremony was, but all evidence in the table read scene point to them living together and having married. Here’s why I think that:

- Daisy and James leave the party together and with Will and Tessa in the Herondales’ carriage. Presumably to all go back to the Institute. Not sure if James and Cordelia would live in the Institute as a married couple (I wouldn’t love that tbh), but maybe they simply don’t have a carriage yet and have to share with his parents, even if they weren't going to the same place. We’re told that Filomena - who, as a guest, would be staying at the Institute - would be driven home by Miss Highsmith = we only have one carriage available

(it was so cute how Daisy sensed James’s discomfort and told him she wanted to play chess - SO DOMESTIC, it was code for “let’s go home and go be alone, darling”)

you could say even as a fiancé it would be James’s duty to escort Cordelia home, but not if her brother who lives in the same house as her was at the party, don’t you think?

- when the scene opens, Cordelia is with Alastair. if she weren’t living at home anymore (because she got married and is now living with James) she would probably spend time at parties with her brother to catch up since she doesn’t see him all the time anymore

- when James asks Alastair how Sona and Elias are and Al replies, Cordelia’s inner thoughts say “she didn’t have the heart for investigation” on whether what Al said is true. this can only make sense if she hasn’t been living at home (because otherwise she would know)

- on a different note, when Cordelia sees Grace approach James, she’s calm. She doesn’t hyperventilate about how Grace could steal him away and that only makes me think she’s totally chill because they’re already married

note how James is wearing the Gracelet and that it glimmers when Grace is near. that is an easy sign of the spell being activated. however, James doesn’t seem to want to talk to Grace. Their conversation lasts the span of 30 seconds and he rushes straight to Cordelia (I WAS SO PROUD OF HIM AND HAPPY) instead of going back to the Merry Thieves that he was with before Grace approached him. I think the Gracelet’s spell didn’t work or that it was infinitely weaker - if the spell was broken, James would simply take it off, so we know it’s not. It must be weak enough that James can fight it off - with considerable effort, in fact his face is very pale when he goes to Daisy, he seems in pain. My only theory for this is that the magic of the marriage rune IS doing its work and contrasting the Gracelet. If Cordelia is near, the runic power might overpower the spell.

- the only point that people saying Jordelia aren’t married have is that Cordelia says “I see that I have agreed to marry into a very peculiar family” rather then “I’ve married into” but how much difference does it make, really? wouldn’t she have agreed to marry into the family all the same if they had married?

What do you guys think? do you have questions or theories about this excerpt?

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ohnotoomanyfandoms · 4 years ago

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Let's talk about those two chapters!!!!!

You ask, we deliver! Let’s talk about my theories from the two preview chapters of Chain of Iron, shall we? So many thoughts, I’ll have to be brief with each one. Feel free to ask questions on anything I don’t mention or clarifications on points I do touch.

1. Belial. Who is he possessing? James would be so obvious it’s cheap. The fun plot twist would be Lucie, who complained in Chain of Gold that she’s also Belial’s granddaughter. It would go in perfect irony with Lucie’s line to Grace “I don’t want to do evil things” while she runs around being possessed by a Greater Demon killing innocent mundanes (and probably Shadowhunters too) in London. However, as marvelous as this sounds, it appears Belial is possessing a male body (unless it’s just written to mislead us). In that case, my next best guess (and something I DO NOT want happening) would be Matthew. He isn’t a descendant of Belial’s, but he is magically linked to James via the parabatai rune and bond, so that could be a loophole. What made me think that? At the Devil’s Tavern, Matthew wishes James gone for a second, and James ends up in the shadow realm, Belial’s realm, for the first time in four months.

2. There is something FISHY going on with Hypatia and the Helle Ruelle celebrating Lilith. Well, not really that. What stinks is that Cassandra would feel the need to explain Lilith’s history with the angels to us again and that Cordelia would spend another entire paragraph going over the ceremony performed when Shadowhunter babies are born. We know this already. She’s saying it for our benefit and for a reason. Are the warlocks hiding a Shadowhunter baby? Or alternatively, WHO DIDN’T GET THE CEREMONY? This could also be the answer to our previous question, because we know that “unbaptized” babies can be possessed by demons (like Jace after his rebirth in TMI) so it could solve the mystery of Belial’s possession without needing a blood relation. Or... WILL LILIHT MAKE AN APPEARANCE IN COI/COT?

3. Cordelia will go see Wayland the Smith in this book. When? Well, when Cortana starts burning her, of course. She’ll try to find answers everywhere, consulting books, Jem, even friendly warlocks perhaps, but eventually she’ll have to ask that faerie to take her to Wayland, Cortana’s legendary maker, and make a deal. NEVER PROMISE ANYTHING TO FAERIES, DAISY! That will be a mess.

4. I think the Gracelet doesn’t work in the shadow realm, which confirms that Belial didn’t cast the spell on the bracelet, because surely his magic would work in his own kindgom? James was thinking of the wedding in the tone he would under the effect of the Gracelet, and in the shadow realm he suddenly has a rather romantic view of Cordelia, like an avenging angel or “a goddess captured in a painting: Liberty or Victory leading the people.” Something to keep an eye on.

5. As we know, Grace and Christopher are supposed to get married, according to the misleading family tree. We don’t know if that will end up happening, but I suppose this is how they could grow closer: we know Lucie has been asking Kit for ingredients for their spells. When Lucie inevitably pulls away from the agreement with Grace because she doesn’t yet want to do full-on necromancy (good call, I hope she sticks by it but I doubt she will), Grace will need to ask Christopher directly - she can’t risk being seen at the Shadow Market, given her mother’s history, so he’s her best option.

6. Filomena di Angelo will be the name of the Italian Shadowhunter, I’m 99.9999999% sure at this point. Am I happy? No. Speaking as an Italian myself, Cassie couldn’t have picked a worse name. (Yes, it makes me smile that she and Rick Riordan exchange character names, but this name still doesn’t sound right or fitting. Happy to elaborate more in another post if you’re interested!)

7. As I’ve said before, to the delight of our Jordelia hearts, James has no intention whatsoever of cheating on Daisy or breaking his promise to her by seeing Grace. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to help it because Grace’s spell will compel him to go see her at one point. Sad angst and a loss of trust will ensue. UNLESS the magic of the MARRIAGE RUNES is stronger than the Gracelet and can counteract it. That would be dope. But that would also mean a win for us, and it’s only the second book...

8. The Lucie/Jesse content was too on the nose. it’s only the first two chapters and it’s 1903, stop flirting, goddammit. Apart from that, Lucie is being too reckless. She’ll get in trouble soon.

9. Matthew is going to behave with Cordelia. He would and will never put her in a compromising position or one where she would have to choose between him and James. The “”””kiss”””” was accidental, Cassie said as much in a Tumblr answer. I love their friendship, it’s one of my favorites. But trust me, it’s not going to go anywhere beyond that. Matthew may wish, but he will never act. He likes pursuing loves that are “hopeless”, it’s said as much in the text.

10. ANNA WAS TOTALLY FLIRTING WITH CORDELIA ON THE EVE OF HER WEDDING TO ANNA’S COUSIN, SCANDALOUS

11. Thomas and Alastair will finally speak at the wedding. Not make up yet, but have a conversation. I just hope Charles doesn’t magically come back from Paris to make an appearance.

12. THE NEXT CHAPTER WE READ WILL BE THE JORDELIA WEDDING (!!!) and all the adults will be there so we’ll see all our TID darlings as well. I am prepared to bet anything that Brother Zachariah will officiate the wedding. I cannot wait.

13. What the fùck was up with the reverse mermaid???????????

Need more analysis or clarifications on some points? Want help believing in Mucie and keeping your faith in Jordelia? WE’VE GOT YOU. Send me all your questions. I would prefer non-anonymous ones, so I can notify you!

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ohnotoomanyfandoms · 4 years ago

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I’m gonna come out and say it.

Yes. I’ve read Chain of Iron. No, I will not give anyone spoilers, or access to the book, or leak part of it. No use asking because it won’t happen, okay?

Here is my review, and that’s everything I can say at the moment.

I will note one thing: I finished it a week ago and I have since stopped posting regularly because I knew too much. I did get many things right in my obsessive theorizing, but you can’t consider those spoilers if I posted them before I read the book. You can’t sue me for simply knowing the characters too well, or understanding Cassie’s style after a decade of loving it.

Let me say this again: flooding my inbox with asks won’t lead anywhere. I cannot and will not give anybody spoilers. As soon as the book is out, I will be happy to discuss things under the cut, so as not to spoil anyone who doesn’t wish to see. Until then, this blog will stay blissfully spoiler-free.

Thank you for your cooperation. T minus 3 weeks now! I hope my words give you guys hope. ♡

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ohnotoomanyfandoms · 4 years ago

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OH MY GODDD!!!!!!! I can’t believe that Cordelia went to Paris with Matthew....... poor James finally realizing his true feelings for her and then watching her leave😭😭😭😭 I CANT TAKE IT. I love Matthew but I really hate the thought of Cordelia considering loving him romantically. UGHHH. I want jordelia to be happy.... GRACE TRYLY CHOOSE THE WRONG MOMENT TO APPROACH JAMES!

For all their intelligence.... the gang truly need to COMMUNICATE with each other and not running away assuming it’s for the best😡

I agree, communication is the operative word that we’re lacking here!

The Jordelia Help Desk is here for your kind soul, we shall take very good care of you <3

Cordelia going to Paris with Matthew was an impulsive choice brought forth by weeks of stress, with the added last straw of her finding out that James was, from her perspective, breaking his promise of not seeing Grace. What’s worse, she saw him embrace Grace in their house. After they kissed. She heard him say “Thank God” at the prospect of Grace not marrying Charles. Cordelia should have probably waited before bolting out of the door, but I understand her frustration, the sense of betrayal.

Matthew, to be fair to him, wasn’t planning on asking Cordelia to go with him. he was just going to leave without saying anything (again, PLEASE COMMUNICATE). He offered Cordelia to stay at his place, and she said no. I don’t blame him for inviting her along.

But do not worry about Jordelia. Matthew and Cordelia love James more than anyone else in the world. They are friends who respect each other. Cordelia has made it clear she does not reciprocate Matthew’s romantic feelings. Whether you want to believe that Matthew’s feelings for Cordelia are true or not, he would never presume to expect anything from her. And believe me when I say that Daisy is not going to develop romantic feelings for Matthew any time soon. And, lastly, they would not cheat on James just to be petty. Matthew wouldn’t, Cordelia wouldn’t. It would also be cruel to Matthew, to use his willing body and his feelings to take revenge on James.

Nothing will happen between Daisy and Matthew. They are just escaping because they can’t take it anymore.

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