We Are All Drawn to What's Broken & Beautiful

The Actual Beginning

"You shouldn't have done that." Ragnor said sharply, glaring at the prince when he reappeared in the great hall. His golden eyes were blazing and he pushed past Ragnor huffily, pulling his jacket closer.

The night was chilly, a cold wind blowing through the open window. Magnus tugged his jacket close, glaring out at the stars.

"She stole. She stole from me, when we graciously offered her food and shelter." He said, his tone icy.

His shoulders were stiff when Ragnor moved to stand beside him, jaw tight. He laid a hand on the prince's shoulder gently.

"I know you're thinking of her. But the princess has done no wrong..."

It was the wrong thing to say.

Magnus spun around, golden eyes ablaze. He lunged away from Ragnor, teeth bared in fury.

"Nothing wrong? She was a thief!" He bristled when his friend tried to soothe him, striding off furiously.

Ragnor stared after him, his face a mask of despair. A hand on his arm made him turn, Catarina melting out of the shadows with a grim look on her face.

"He will bring the Lightwoods down upon us all."

-

The cell was cold and dark, the light coming from a single square of moonlight streaming in from the window. Isabelle pulled her red cloak tighter around her, trying to calm her racing heart.

The man had appeared out of nowhere, storming over to pull her from her horse when she had tried to leave with the roses.

He had golden eyes, like that of a cat and his grip was painfully tight.

"Is this how you treat your hospitable hosts?" He roared and the princess shield back, her hand flying to the dagger at her hip.

But the man was quick, catching her wrists and twisting her arms behind her back. He was so close that she could feel his breath, hot on her neck.

"You will pay."

Isabelle screamed as he dragged her back into the castle, fingers digging into her arms. The walls closed in around her, dark and looming. Lamps flickered and snuffed out as they passed, plunging the hallway into darkness.

They arrived at the top of the tower, where the air was so cold that she could see gusts of white puffing from his lips. His golden cat eyes gleamed as he yanked open an iron door and shoved her inside.

"Wait, wait please!" She gasped, finally finding her breath. The man turned and she could see his face in the faint flickering of the only remaining candle.

He would be breathtakingly beautiful, if it were not for the strangeness of his eyes. Half his face was shrouded in shadow and Isabelle took a shaky breath.

"The flowers, I'll pay you for them. Please, let me go. They were for my girlfriend." She pleaded, white misting the air. It did not seem possible but the man's eyes darkened and he spun on his heel, ignoring her pleas.

-

"Well?" Ragnor said, his eyes pleading. He liked himself in one piece thank you very much. Everyone knew of the Lightwood family and their ever rising power. The royal family was gaining more and more territory and allies and their children were beloved by the citizens.

Catarina shook her head tiredly. She patted his shoulder, stepping around him.

"He's bolted the door to the tower and locked himself in his room. We best leave him be. Perhaps we can talk sense into him by morning."

Ragnor muttered curses under his breath. He had gone out to the courtyard in the hopes that he could perhaps bring the horse Isabelle Lightwood had ridden in but the creature had already fled, probably scared by Magnus' eyes.

There was blood on the ground, the girl's blood, from where she had pricked her fingers on the rose thorns.

Ragnor scuffed his boots over it, throwing dirt over the stain on the grass. He had no doubt that they would send someone after her but perhaps the magic that had hidden the castle for so long would work to their advantage. For as long as they needed to convince Magnus to release the girl anyway.

He doubted Magnus would keep her for long. The prince was always so temperamental.

-

"Milord, you must come quickly!" A hand clamped down hard on Alec's arm, jolting him awake. He sat up in bed, eyes wide with shock. His servant thrust his coat onto him, pulling him out of bed frantically.

Alec let himself be pulled out of his bedroom, wide eyed. His hair was mussed with sleep and he was sure he looked like an absolute mess when the great oak doors were yanked open.

Three guards were gathered around a froth covered Valiant. The black stallion was foaming at the mouth, the whites of his eyes rolling. He reared, neighing loudly at the guards that were trying to calm him.

"Valiant!"

Alec shoved one of them back, narrowly missing Valiant's hooves. The horse twisted his neck and bucked when the other guard got too close, baring his teeth.

"Whoa there, whoa." Alec held up his hands, palms flat out, putting himself directly in the stallion's eyeline. Valiant was wild with anyone that was not him or Isabelle. Even Jace could not get close to him.

The stallion was panting, eyes rolling even when he landed back on the ground. He allowed the prince to take his bridle before stamping his feet and pawing at the ground roughly.

"Easy boy, easy," Alec patted him gently, his eyes scanning for injuries.

"Where's Izzy?" He asked the guards, who were cowering back, away from the horse. They shook their heads.

"He came alone, Milord. All wild and spooked." One of them said, stepping back when Valiant glared at him with one eye.

Alec's face paled just as the doors were flung open a second time.

"Alec! What's going on?" Maryse Lightwood was standing in the doorway, still dressed in her sleeping robes. Her hair was loose across her shoulders, swirling in the night wind.

"Izzy. I have to go after Izzy." Alec replied, putting a toe into the saddle. He swung up just as his mother came down the steps, wide eyed.

She grasped Alec's saddle, her words a whisper, "where is she?"

Alec shook his head.

"I don't know Mother. But I'll bring her home. Promise." He leaned down, pressing a kiss to his mother's cheek as Valiant sidestepped away.

His servant barely had time to thrust a cloak into his arms before the stallion was spinning around, mouthing at the bit.

"Whoa there!" Alec fastened the cloak as quickly as he could, snatching up the reins. They were knotted neatly, as if Isabelle had left them that way.

He dug his heels into Valiant's sides, the horse leaping forward into motion.

"Be careful, Alec!" Maryse stared after him, a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.