"Well, Lucie, it seems that this year is not only the year of excitement, it's the year of surprises as well." Willow took in the landscape outside the window, while addressing her siblings – her parents, sat across from them, deep in their own conversation. "Especially now that the Blackthorns have come out of hiding, maybe we will finally be able to put faces to the names."
She felt James' eyes bore into her soul. What was his problem? Willow could not for the life of her begin to understand why the news of the Blackthorns joining London society had taken her brother off guard. Why did he care so much? Willow was determined to get to the bottom of it. She'd tried to get something out of him this morning, but he wouldn't say a single thing – he'd just stare and then eventually drift off to somewhere in his mind, looking deep in thought. Willow made a mental note to ask Matthew directly if he knew anything.
The situation made her very confused – why would her brother care if their reserved (if that's even what one might call them) neighbours decided that they wanted to be recognised by society? Both of them knew near to nothing about the Blackthorns – at least that's the impression that Willow was under – and even then it wasn't from personal interactions but rather stories which had been told to them.
Lucie let out a small laugh, as they started to slow down in front of 102 Cornwall Gardens. Willow could feel her excitement from the other side of the carriage.
Before they had entirely come to a stop Lucie had opened the door to the carriage and slid out. Their parents followed after, her father, Will, holding his hand out for her mother, Tessa.
James followed after her, holding a hand for Willow in order to help her down.
"You know I don't need your help, right?" Willow said, looking down at James' hand from the door.
"I know," James smiled, but he did not bring his hand down.
Willow waited for a second before grabbing it. "Thank you"
Together they made their way towards the house. It was a grand white Victorian house with the number painted in austere black on the rightmost pillar, nearly identical to the row of houses on the street.
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When the Carstairs' carriage arrived the Herondales were all standing on the front steps of the house, waiting to greet them.
Cordelia, much like Lucie had previously done, hastily got out of the carriage. Her feet harshly hit the ground and she nearly stumbled over. James, who was standing besides their mother, was instantly in front of Cordelia, steadying her. Willow, following his lead and walking towards the two, a growing smile on face, excited to see the red headed girl again.
"Daisy?" he said. "Are you all right?"
"Just clumsy. I was hoping for a more gracious arrival."
"Nothing to worry about." He smiled at her. "The pavements of South Kensington are vicious. I've been attacked by them more than once myself." James then turned away and to the boy behind her. "I see you're here, Alastair." James's voice was curiously flat. "And you look—"
"You look well," he finished. The boys looked at each other, as deafening silence filled the atmosphere around them.
Lucie raced down the steps and threw her arms around Cordelia. "I am so very, very delighted to see you!" she said, in her breathless way. For Lucie, everything was always very, very, very something, be it beautiful or exciting or horrid. "Darling Cordelia, we shall have so much fun—"
"Lucie, Cordelia and her family have come to London so that you and Cordelia can train together," Tessa said, gently. "It will be a great deal of work and responsibility."
"Well, you must remember being sixteen yourself, Mrs. Herondale," said Sona. "Young girls adore dances and dresses. I certainly did when I was their age, and I imagine you did as well."
Tessa arched her eyebrows. "I do recall attending a vampire frolic once. And some sort of party at Benedict Lightwood's house, before he got demon pox and turned into a worm, of course—"
"Mother!" Lucie and Willow said at the same time – Lucie scandalised, yet Willow with a playful look in her eyes.
A soft but large smile graced Willow's face as she looked at her mother.
"Well, he did turn into a worm," said James, entering the conversation again. "Really more of a vicious, giant serpent. It was entirely one of the most interesting parts of history
class."
The remover's van which carried the Carstair's belongings was the next thing to arrive. Several large men leaped down from one of the vans and went to pull back the canvas covering the various furniture pieces, which had been fastidiously roped down.
"Please thank Cecily Lightwood for me, for the loan of her domestic help," Sona said to Tessa, as Willow's attention was brought to something being brought out of the van. It seemed to be a painting of some sorts, the colours barely visible through the protective sheet that covered it, yet Willow could make out the soft green brushed across the surface. Before she could get a better glimpse at the painting it disappeared through the doors of the house.
She watched the doorway of the house, resisting the urge to walk inside and uncover the painting – to see what the whole picture was, what was hiding under the surface of the thin layer of fabric.
She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard her mother mention her name.
"James, Willow, go with the girls. Perhaps Kensington Gardens? It's a short walk and a lovely day."
"Kensington Gardens does seem safe," James said.
"Come along, then," Lucie grabbed Cordelia's hand, pulling her down onto the pavement.
"I'm so happy you're here," she declared. "I never thought it would really happen."
"Why not?" said James. "The Law demands you train together before you can become parabatai, and besides, Father adores Daisy, and he does make the rules...."
"Your father adores any Carstairs," said Cordelia. "I'm not sure it's to my particular credit. He may even like Alastair."
"I think he may have convinced himself Alastair has hidden depths," said Willow, looking forward in the direction they were travelling, a small hint of humour in her eyes as she made her comment.
"So does quicksand," said Cordelia.
James laughed.
"That's quite enough," said Lucie, reaching over to smack her siblings on the shoulder with a gloved hand. "Daisy is my friend, and you're monopolising her. Do go off somewhere else."
They were walking up Queen's Gate toward Kensington Road. It was loud to say the least, the clatter of omnibus traffic all around them. Willow found it strange to think about how all of these people, normal people who she'd passed on the street, had lives of their own.
"I will walk ten paces behind you like a train-bearer," said James. "But I must keep you within sight, otherwise Mother will kill me, and then I will miss tomorrow's ball and Matthew will kill me, and I will be dead twice."
"And then Anna might kill me for skipping the ball to mourn the loss of my dear brother," adds Willow, contributing to James' dramatics.
The two siblings slowed their pace, allowing for space to be put between them and the soon to be parabatai.
"So, James, I've yet to get your opinion on the Blac–"
"I honestly don't understand why you're so held up about this, Willow."
"I'm not held up about anything. I truly don't care, but you do. I know you do, I can see it in the way you react every time I mention it. I simply want to understand why."
"I think your observational skills have malfunctioned this time, Wil, because I'm an unaware of what you mean"
"On the contrary, I believe you know exactly what I mean," Willow replied harshly – maybe she was a little bit offended that he had criticised her observation skills, they never failed her.
"I don't."
James looked away from her. He knew that Willow would see through him, it is something he had to get used to a long time ago. Everything was always harder to hide from her. She saw life in a different way, with a different perspective. Not even the smallest of details could escape her view, she just wouldn't let it. Maybe that's why on many occasions James found her with a canvas set up in front of the windows of the institute. Spending hours trying to capture the same landscape, moving the brush slowly over the surface – capturing every single detail. James had told her countless times that it looked identical to the view outside the window, but she always insisted there was something missing. Something the normal person would not notice. Something that only she could really ever see.
James, sick of the silence, opened the book that he was holding in his hand, and began to read – Willow making sure that he didn't knock into someone or thing.
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Anna Lightwood was something else.
Not quite in a bad way, more so in a way that made Willow want to scream, and claw her eyes out.
Just as Willow was about to settle down and read, she received Anna's letter. It was brief but it got the message across. Be at mine - immediately. A.Lightwood. Blunt, but it did the job better than most would think. With a slight roll of her eyes and a sigh Willow was out of her chair and on her way to her cousin's apartment.
Willow knew better than anyone that when Anna Lightwood says 'immediately,' you get there as soon as you possibly can – no matter the circumstance. So she got into one of the institutes carriages and set off towards the apartment.
Surprisingly, when she arrived there was no one running out past her with tears streaming down their faces. A rare occasion for someone like her cousin, who seemed to be breaking hearts every other day. Willow made her way up to Anna's apartment which was on the second floor of the building, knocking on the door and waiting to be let in.
"Willow, my dear cousin, you received my note then?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."
"Yes, that is very true. Tea? I've just put the water to boil," Anna stated, leading the girl into her home.
Anna's home was somewhere that Willow loved to be. It wasn't anything special but Anna's chaotic, yet elegant, choices of decoration was always something she admired. The Softly coloured old Victorian wallpaper in dark green and gold and amongst the small space a scatter of furniture that didn't match but looked but complemented each other either way.
Willow made her way over to the worn sofa, and pulled one of the pillows to her side.
"Sugar? Milk?" Anna called out from behind her.
"No thank you." Willow answered, a small smile gracing her face. "May I ask why you have called me here this late in the day? It seems to be becoming a habit, cousin."
Willow heard Anna's light laughs as she made her way into the room holding two cups of tea.
"I took the liberty in making sure you look absolutely stunning tomorrow at the ball. The dress is here." She handed one of the cups to Willow and then sat down in the armchair across from her.
"Can I see it?" The smile on Willow's face grew.
"Have you finished your tea?"
"No." Willow slowly replied.
"Then you must wait."
© sonderincandesence (2023)