Royal Dilemma

History Learned

Alec was sure he was going to die. The nation Valentine had aligned himself with had a human army, lead by a dozen trained soldiers with the Angel's blood. Sure, the humans wouldn't last a second against demons, but they could massacre Alec's people by the thousands on their way to the Palace then walk through the shield like it wasn't there. They could overwhelm Alec's few skilled fighters with sheer numbers.

Either way, they were doomed. His options were to either surrender and save everyone else or try and face this head on and attack the enemy at his boundaries. But Alec's 'army' was mostly made up of people who had only been holding a sword for a matter of months. Even if they had the blood they didn't yet have the training or the experience. They had never seen been in a life or death fight. So really Alec had no options at all.

Despite what he'd told Magnus in his message, Alec wanted to run. He wanted to open a portal and be in his lover's arms. Then Alec would ask Magnus to portal their family far away and never look back. Alec wouldn't have been human if the thought hadn't crossed his mind. Though, really, what Alec wanted most was to see Magnus one more time before he died.

What Alec was actually doing was dictating orders. The first thing he'd done was insist that Josey, Elizabeth and baby Sydney escape. They would suffer the most under Valentine's rule and Alec wanted them far away. He thought Elizabeth would have argued, but for the infant in her arms. Alec watched them flee through the portal, wishing he was going with them. In a way, it felt like they were his legacy. One happy mixed family living in the world meant hope for the future.

Alec knew his nephew and Adele would be safe. Though Alec sensed Valentine wasn't bluffing in regards to his threats against the people who'd joined his cause, Alec knew Valentine wouldn't harm the others. His family was safe, because his family was also Valentine's family.

"I am going to give you a chance to leave with the others," Alec offered to the three people standing before him. "You shouldn't have to go up against family."

"Does this mean we are going to fight?" Jonathan asked.

"No," Alec explained. "This means I don't want to put you in this position. If you want to join him no one will hold it against you."

"I always knew my husband had ambition, but I never thought he'd betrayed us to get it," Jocelyn spoke, with a fierce will. "I will not betray my country for the sake of my husband. He has chosen his path and I have chosen mine."

"I agree," Clary declared. "He turned his back on us."

"I won't leave Rose," Jonathan explained simply.

"Your father won't accept the two of you," Alec reminded him. "You will lose her either way."

"Don't surrender then," Jonathan argued, his bright eyes hopeful. "We should fight."

"A few dozen against hundreds?" Alec sighed. "You mean we should show up to our own slaughter."

"We've faced worse odds before," Clary agreed with her brother.

"Well, yes but against demons who couldn't enter our shield," Alec counted. "This is very different. This is a civil war, not light versus dark."

"Jace and I want Adele to grow up in your new world Alec," Clary pleaded with him.

"That new world is shattered," Alec cried, his voice rising as he tried to get the point through their thick hopefully skulls. "There is only two ways this can end. Either we all die or I die. That's it! No other options. Understand?" Alec paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "I am going to give myself up to them, just as soon as I know everyone who would suffer under Valentine's rule is safe and far away from here. Thank you for your loyalty. The best way to honour what we tried to do here is to remember." And with that he walked away, firmly, trying to hold back tears as he went.