A Malec Story

Chapter 33: Ave Atque Vale

Alec

Inside the Hall, Alec saw his father hadn't moved. Jace was standing behind Robert now. Isabelle sat next to her father and Maryse was nowhere to be seen. "Where's mom," Alec asked when he approached his family.

"She went to search for another house where we can stay," Isabelle said, her voice hoarse from crying. "She didn't want to go back to the Penhallow's."

Alec breathed in deeply and went to search for his mother. He found her talking to a woman with gray hair who was handing her a key. "Mom," Alec said, "What are you doing?"

His mother turned to him and Alec was shocked by how she looked. Her face without color, she looked as if she aged ten years within the last hour. "I've arranged for another house," she said, her voice sounded lifeless. "We can bring Maxwell there to say our goodbyes before the funeral."

She handed Alec a white, silk ribbon which was a customary for Shadowhunters to bind the eyes of their dead with. "Isn't he supposed to stay here with the rest of them?" Alec asked, indicating the bodies of the fallen Shadowhunters. People were busy bringing them in and lying them down in rows.

But Maryse flinched. "You think I'll leave my son lying on the ice cold floor of this Hall? Alone?" She shook her head, "He's coming with us. We're going to perform our family ritual today."

Alec nodded and asked her where they were going. She gave him the address and looked behind him at their family, her whole body suddenly sagging, exhausted. "I'll get them to come," he said and he saw his mother looking at him.

"Thank you, Alexander," she said and he knew she was grateful he was keeping it together. He seemed the only one capable. If she knew he had Magnus to thank for the strength he felt now, what would she say?

Alec had taken his family to their new temporary house in Alicante, which was, he noticed, close to Angel's Lane. He had also gone to the Penhallow's with Jace to retrieve their luggage. As they entered the new house they found their parents sitting next to each other on the sofa. Beside the sofa stood a white ottoman on which Max was lying. He was clothed in white, Shadowhunters color for mourning. His hands folded on his stomach, his eyes closed. Alec walked towards them and touched his brother's hair. "Where's Izzy?" he asked.

Robert didn't say anything, but stared at Max. Maryse didn't look up either but said slowly, "Upstairs."

"I'll get her," Jace said and he raced up the stairs calling for Isabelle to come for the family ritual. The ritual was a simple Shadowhunter ritual, done with only the closest family members before the actual funeral. Everyone would stand in a circle around the departed and draw a Rune for mourning on the hand of the person on their right. Then the eldest person would bind the silk ribbon on Max's eyes. The ceremony closed with the eldest child citing the Catullus poem from which came the official Shadowhunter salute to the dead. Ave Atque Vale.

Isabelle came down and they each took their place around the ottoman. Maryse at Max's head. Robert to her right, then Alec, then Jace, then Isabelle. He looked at his sister standing across from him. She looked exhausted, there was a purple bump on her head from where Sebastian had hit her. Alec knew she blamed herself. She was in the house with Max and Sebastian when it happened. And she hadn't been able to prevent it. Alec also knew it was useless to tell her it wasn't her fault. She wouldn't believe him anyway.

They stood for a moment in silence until his mother took out her stele. Maryse took Robert's hand and drew the Rune on there. Robert winced at the touch. Alec held out his hand to his father when his mother was done. He felt the roughness and calluses of his father's large hands when he took his hand in his. Careful and bend on his task, he bowed his head over Alec's hand and traced the Rune, the swirling lines of grief appearing on Alec's skin. Alec took the stele from his father and turned to Jace, taking his outstretched hand. He looked into his parabatai's eyes, they were shining with unshed tears. Jace could seem like a statue without feelings sometimes, but Alec knew he was hurting as bad as he himself was. He draw the Rune as careful as his father had done and squeezed Jace's hand lightly when he was done, before handing him the stele. Jace took Isabelle's hand and Alec saw the tears sliding down her face, dripping in her neck and onto the collar of her shirt while Jace was working. Then finally, Isabelle took the stele and turned to her mother. Isabelle's hands trembled as she took her mother's hand in hers, but she managed to draw the Rune. Maryse retrieved the stele to put it in her pocket and held out the silk ribbon. She bend over Max and bound it carefully on his eyes. With a caress only as gentle as a mother's can be she touched his face when she was done. Then she stood up straight and looked at Alec. Your turn her eyes told him.

Alec swallowed and started to recite the poem. It should normally be in Latin, but he preferred the English version, the one they all understood.

"Through many countries and over many seas
I have come, brother, to these melancholy rites,
to show this final honor to the dead,
and speak (to what purpose?) to your silent ashes,
since now fate takes you, even you, from me.
Oh, brother, ripped away from me so cruelly,
now at least take these last offerings, blessed
by the tradition of our parents, gifts to the dead.
Accept, by custom, what a brother's tears drown,
and, for eternity, brother, 'Hail and Farewell'."

"Atque in perpetuum frater ave atque vale," Jace and Isabelle said.

"Ave atque vale," Maryse and Robert repeated. And then silence fell.