Royal Dilemma

Past Dissolved

The last decade had been a baby boom of sorts, with countless interracial marriages leading to a new generation of nephilim with both a mundane and shadowhunter parent. Alec tried to remember whose kids were whoses as he listened to them laugh and play. Little Robert, Adele and Sydney were among the oldest and seemed to be trying to keep the rest under control. Robert looked nothing like his grandfather, but rather resembled his mother instead, with hints of Simon around his eyes and in his smile. Robert was currently running after two other children, his little sisters, if Alec wasn't much mistaken. Jace's first born, Adele, had inherited her father's blonde hair, but she had Clary's defiant independence. Adele was the furious defender of her little strawberry blonde brothers. Sydney mostly reminded Alec of Elizabeth, that cool calm confidence he so admired in her. Sydney was an only child as her biological father had married one of the mixed blooded nephilim less than a year after her birth. Alec was sure his other children were among those playing, but he couldn't name them.

As one would expect prior to a baby boom there had been an influx in weddings. Alec had attended the ceremonies of Jonathan and Rose only months after the shield fell. Next Alec witnessed the ceremonies of Jocelyn and Lucian's wedding. Lucian's sister Amatis had married Victor a few years later. It had taken a while for the people to become used to seeing the king standing beside a man, and longer still for that king to be standing beside a warlock. Alec knew he should have probably waited longer than five years to change such a law, but his patience hadn't lasted that long. Alec had married Magnus in a joint ceremony with Elizabeth and Josey the day after the laws were changed.

Absently playing with the ring on his finger, Alec spotted Tessa moving among the children, watching over them. Alec knew Ragnor to be around somewhere, though that warlock was far less predictable than most and he prefered to teach older children who could learn the complicated knowledge he had to offer rather than the little toddlers who wanted to pinch his green skin to see if it was real.

When the little warlock girl with purple hair and scales appeared Alec just knew his son was around here somewhere. The two of them were rarely apart these days. They'd been friends for most of their lives, but Max was approaching his teenage years now and Alec was expected it to blossom into something else. He knew it wouldn't be long now before his son stopped growing, and became frozen in time just like his husband.

It had been over ten years since the shield fell. Ten years since warlock's had taken up residence within the Palace walls. Ten years of living with the man he loved and just a mere ten hours left before the kingdom no longer had a king.

Of all the things Alec had done during his reign, dissolving the monarchy had probably been the hardest change for his people to accept. As Alec sat and watched the children play, he knew up at the Palace all the adults shadowhunters in his kingdom were lining up to vote. The voters had to prove they had the blood by touching a weapon of the angels'. It was the only restriction for being given the vote. Alec would have allowed humans and warlocks to vote, but he felt like with all the changes already he had to leave something alone. He was sure in time they would also be granted a voice. Those of mixed blood could be called to lead now and that was a great improvement from only those of a single family tree.

Once the voter had proven themselves by making an Angel's weapon glow with their touch, they would pick up the little magic orb. The Orb not only kept the records, but also prevented the same person from voting twice. It couldn't be fooled or tricked into given false information and it was similar to the old shield and portal in that it was composed of permanent magic, too advanced for most warlocks. The Orb had, of course, been created by Ragnor Fell.

"Are you going to miss it?" It was his husband's voice. Alec pulled his mind back out of his thoughts and turned to smile at Magnus.

"No," Alec replied, gesturing for Magnus to sit beside him. "I'm going to miss you."