Clockwork Princess @tess-is-reading - Tumblr Blog

Jun 25, 2023

Hey! This is super late but congrats on your follower milestone 🎉 I love your Blackdale fics so much (especially anything post ChoT!) and I was wondering if I could request a fic where Lucie and Jesse go on holiday for the first time? I thought it could be fun to see since Jesse hasn’t gotten to travel before 🥹💛

Thank you very much, I'm humbled! 😊💜 Here I finally am, with the fic. I hope you like this because there were several cities ideas for them, but once I was sold on the two I chose, I thought they were perfect. 💖

Read on A03

Farewell. Farewell! One Kiss and I'll Descend

February, 1905: London

A bright winter morning, Jesse decided that it was time for him to make another one of his dreams come true. Dreaming was the only thing he could do while he was a ghost. He could only long to be under the sun again, the warm rays grazing his skin even during the cold seasons. He could only crave the food he saw on people’s tables during their meals, or the satisfied expression of children when they ate their favorite dessert. He could only long to touch someone or to be held, or simply being seen and acknowledged.

Ever since he had been granted another chance at living, he decided to use it to the fullest. He had several things he wanted to accomplish, but he was aware that he couldn’t do everything at once. Some things needed time, like this project that wouldn’t leave his thoughts. The idea of it scared him a bit, but he thought it was time to think about it, make it real. He needed to face his fears. He had been thinking about that plan for weeks, but for one reason or another, he thought it was better to postpone it. He didn’t even talk about it to anybody. Not directly, at least.

He stirred in his bed, his joints cracking when he curled his toes and fingers. He was still amazed by the sounds his body could produce. Things moved about him, inside of him, never ceasing to remember him that he was alive. He yawned. He was up awfully earlier than usual, but Will gave a task and it would offer him the perfect occasion to research for his dream. That was what it still was. A dream. He needed to organize, otherwise, he knew he would delay this idea even more.

He got ready and he headed to the library. He sometimes liked to be an early riser, and he started taking notice of the small habits of the inhabitants of the London Institute. He knew that Bridget never rose before seven, and she tended to a small garden in the backyard before she cooked their breakfast. Will was the earliest riser of them all. He was often up at five thirty, to go out to ride on his horse Balios for an hour or two. Lucie told him that Will gifted Balios to her, but he loved the horse and when he had time, he tried to ride before the city would wake up.

The day before, Will asked him if he could help rearrange a section of the library. Jesse didn’t think twice before saying yes. He thought that he could research on his project while being there. It was the perfect moment. Lucie would be away for the whole day with Cordelia, and she wouldn’t disturb it. She wouldn’t find out about the dream, either. She couldn’t. Yet.

Jesse rummaged through the shelves of the library in search of books he could use for his specific research. The library of the London Institute was so big and very stocked, that it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but he was sure he would find something before nightfall.

First things first, though. He needed to start rearranging the books before researching for his own ends. He decided that for every twenty books he would rearrange, he would take a break to go to the section where the books he needed were located. Funnily enough, that section was better organized than the one he was looking after, and he wondered why.

He found several photo albums with pictures of the Herondales when they were younger. They loved to take photographs, even though they used to take more time to develop when Will and Tessa got married. He found their wedding invitation in a small blue album. There was also a collection of photos of them with James and Lucie.

He heard footsteps behind him and he turned, nodding his head to greet Tessa who had just entered the library. She was another early riser, he learned. “Good morning, Jesse,” she greeted him with a sincere smile, eyeing the albums he was looking at. “She was so cute, wasn’t she?”

Jesse smiled. He always smiled when he thought about Lucie or someone just mentioned her. Just thinking about her filled his heart with glee and adoration. He glanced at the photographs, trying to hide his embarrassment. “I hope it’s okay I was going through these,” he said apologetically. “But I couldn’t help myself.”

“They’re here for a reason,” Tessa grabbed another box where some more pictures were stored. “Oh, this seems like ages ago,” she sighed, and Jesse saw that it was yet another photo of Lucie as a little kid, wearing her gear for the first time.

Jesse grabbed another album, this time one that looked so old and worn. On the front there was a small inscription: Paris, 1879. “I like looking at old photos,” he muttered shyly, “it’s interesting to see how people or places changed through the years.”

“This was the first time we went on a trip together,” Tessa said, touching one of the pictures affectionately. It was a photo of her and Will in front of the church of Notre Dame. “We still weren’t married by then, but we still wanted to go on a trip,” she chuckled, as if she had just told him a secret. “Will had just turned eighteen,” she added, and her voice made Jesse think that it hurt Tessa to be the only one stuck in time, the only one time that didn't change. She looked at the photo with melancholy, but then she turned to him. “Were you looking for something specific, Jesse?”

“I would love to go on a trip as well,” he said honestly, putting the photos back where they belonged. “Go somewhere just for a few days – for now. I’ll have my travel year to stay longer. When I decide where I want to go,” he stated, realizing he was probably rambling. “I was looking for maps and Baedekers,” he added.

“A trip sounds like the perfect break from the London routine,” Tessa tilted her head to the side, as if thinking. “Have you already thought of a destination?”

“I have a place in mind that’s not too far,” he mulled over with a frown. “But I’ll have to check the guides to see if it’s feasible. Also,” he scratched his chin, “I didn’t plan to go by myself. I wanted to leave with Lucie,” he revealed, feeling his cheek heat up. “She still doesn’t know that I want to go on a trip. I needed to be sure of a few details before asking,” he sighed, “in case, uhm, it doesn’t go well.”

“Why shouldn’t it go well?” Tessa wondered, focused on the shelves before them. “Listen. I can help you if you tell me your idea,” she offered, “I’m more familiar than you are with this library, and I’m here to help you rearrange the books,” she said.

“In case you, uhm, don’t give us permission to go,” he confessed.

“You don’t need our permission to go on a trip, Jesse, even though I’m glad you asked,” Tessa replied with a smile, and he grinned. “Lucie, however –” she left the sentence hanging. Perhaps she was thinking about it, but didn’t have an answer to give him. She probably implied she had to ask for permission to leave.

He was independent, and he would turn nineteen in a few weeks. He knew that he could go and leave wherever he wanted, if he wanted to. And Lucie could too, but he realized that their situation was slightly different. They would be away from home together for a few days. And they would be alone. Unsupervised. Will and Tessa asked them to keep the doors to their rooms open whenever they wanted to be together at the Institute. This way, they wouldn’t be tempted to do things they shouldn’t do. He wondered if they would let their only daughter leave with her boyfriend to go on a trip. He still thought it didn’t hurt to ask.

“I know it is an improper thing to do, and that we will be by ourselves” he said quietly. “Because we are not married,” you also weren’t married either when you went on your first trip, he wanted to add, but held his tongue. He didn’t want to look like he was trying to bribe Tessa, so she would give them the green light to leave. “I still thought it was worth trying to ask.”

“Dear, no,” Tessa touched his shoulder lightly, guiding him to the right section of the library. Why did he miss it before? He waited expectantly for her to continue with a pensive expression. At least, he hadn’t told Lucie. She would be devastated if her parents said no. “I meant that wasn’t the right aisle to look for Baedekers and maps,” she reassured him, and he relaxed a bit. “We’ve known each other for a year, Jesse,” she started, “and you’ve been nothing short of reliable and delightful to be around. We only established rules because we know our daughter can be,” she looked for the term, “quite convincing when she wants to do something, but I think you realized that yourself.”

Jesse laughed. “I would do anything for Lucie,” he said sincerely.

Tessa seemed pleased by his answer. “We trust you, Jesse,” she replied. “I always did. And I know Will trusts you too, but you should talk to him too,” she leaned closer to the shelves to search for a book. “Start looking here,” she suggested, “and talk to her too. I’m sure she will be the one begging her father to let her go as soon as you tell her your idea.”

“I sure will,” he sighed, glancing at the books, noticing something about the country he wanted to visit already. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Tessa.”

Jesse spent the whole morning with Tessa in the library. Lucie’s mother found a few books that could be useful to plan his trip, but they didn’t have the latest editions. She suggested he look for them in an actual bookstore, and that was what Jesse set himself to do after lunch.

“Are you free this afternoon?” he asked Lucie once they finished eating their lunch. Tessa rose from her chair, smiling at the both of them.

Once her mother left, Lucie shifted on her chair so she would face Jesse, who sat in the chair next to hers. “I was hoping you’d say that,” she beamed at him. “I need to buy some writing supplies, otherwise, I won’t be able to write tonight.”

“That would be a catastrophe,” Jesse joked, getting an eye roll from Lucie. “Did you already run out of paper like the other time?”

“I did,” she huffed. “I’ve wasted a lot of paper because I just can’t get this scene right. I wrote it so many times, my brain started to hurt. Can brains hurt?” she wondered, but he shrugged. “It’s supposed to be set in a foreign country, but this time, my imagination just won’t work. I feel like it looks fake. How did Jane Austen manage?”

Jesse shrugged, putting his fork in the empty dish on the table. “I don’t know, why don’t you ask her?”

Something lit up in Lucie's eyes, and she gaped at him. “Should I call for her ghost, you think? That would be a great idea.”

“Lucie, no,” he shook his head and stood up. “Let her rest in peace and let’s enjoy the world of the living, since we can,” he stroked her shoulder with fondness, and she nodded.

They went out an hour later without the carriage. It was a beautiful spring day and the weather was warmer than usual, so much so that Lucie wasn’t wearing a coat on her dark pink day dress. Jesse himself ditched his wool coat in favor of a cotton jacket in a dark green color. In the front pocket Lucie put a handkerchief that was the same color of her dress because it was made from the same material, and was supposed to go with the bag that matched it.

“It’s better if you have it, Jesse,” she carefully folded the material and adjusted it in his pocket. “So you and I will match.”

“Won’t you need it?” Jesse asked then, an eyebrow raised. “In case, you know, you have to clean your nose or you just need a tissue.”

Lucie patted his chest lightly and grinned, and he knew that the argument was closed. Well, if she ended up needing the kerchief, he would give it to her.

They decided not to use any invisibility runes on themselves, since they needed to buy things. They couldn’t simply take things from shops, lest they would scare the mundanes present.

Lucie took his hand when they exited the Institute, and he accepted it giddily. This was yet another thing he enjoyed as a living person. He loved when she did these small gestures of affection, like when she held his hand as they walked casually through the streets of London. He loved when the onlookers thought they were an ordinary couple of young lovers just trotting in search of the perfect place to eat or to buy a new hat, or simply going to the park for a picnic.

He never took these things for granted. Even though they did mundane things, they meant the world to him. He used to desire them at night, while he was still half himself, part human, part ghost. He still couldn’t believe he could now hold her hand whenever he wished to, and feel her warmth radiating through him like a balm. It was like coming back home every time.

He kissed her hand as they walked, and Lucie grinned at him, and gave him a questioning look.

“I just wanted to do it,” Jesse said, almost knocking into someone to stare at his girlfriend.

“You can do it again, if you like,” she offered, her cheeks rosy. “Let’s be scandalous.”

“This is not very scandalous, I’m afraid,” he brought her hand to his lips again, “But still intimate to me, to do it in front of a crowd.”

“You also did it while we were at parties and danced. A few guests most likely saw you doing it,” Lucie retorted.

“Yes, but we were among acquaintances, Lucie,” he said. “Now we’re among strangers — ah, whatever. I forgot what I was meant to say, but we’ve arrived.”

Lucie nodded, and they entered the big four story shop. Jesse knew that Lucie loved this place. It not only had a floor dedicated to books, it also had a whole area with notebooks, pens, and other supplies. Sometimes, when he accompanied her to get paper and such, he stared curiously at the various objects that they sold, wondering if he should take on a hobby too. Glancing at the glass containers full of pencils and bottles with acrylic paint also distracted him from the chaos of the store, which teemed with mundanes about that hour.

Once they were done, they set for the bookstore floor. Jesse thought that he would tell her about the trip as soon as they found what he needed. He wanted to surprise her, but he didn’t know how she would take it. He would know soon enough.

“Where are we headed?” Lucie asked.

“The guides and maps section,” he answered with the hint of a smile. He was sure that he had peaked Lucie’s interest with that, in fact –

“Oh, how come? Do you need them for the library?”

“No, I need them for myself,” he said as they finally found the right section of the store, which was the quietest area. He stopped in front of the first shelf, where he noticed some guides. “This must be the right place.”

“I didn’t know you were interested in Baedekers, Jesse,” she commented as he started looking. He saw with the corner of his eye that she was expectant and curious. Good. “I mean, among the many things you read, it didn’t look like you liked this genre.” Her face lit up suddenly, and she grinned. “Now I understand,” she mused, “you want to help me with my writing, don’t you? To research the place where that part of the book is set.”

“In fact, I don’t,” he turned to her.“They’re meant to be used when you go on a trip.”

He heard Lucie sigh next to him, but it was quiet. “Are you planning to go on a trip? And where?” she asked, her voice rising on the second question. An old woman who was walking in the same aisle gave her a disapproving glance. She managed a smile. “If you want to tell me, of course.”

“I’m looking for maps and guides on Italy, Lucie,” he revealed. He started walking slowly along the shelves because he still couldn’t find any. “Can you help me find some?”

“Of course,” she replied. He glanced at her, trying to gauge her expression. She was a mix of sad and disappointed, but also a little mad. It was easy to read Lucie. She wasn’t good at hiding her feelings, even though she was trying now. But he knew from her mouth. She was pursing her lips – he really wanted to grab her by the waist and kiss her right there and tell her everything, but he decided to wait.

He mouthed a thanks, and pretended to be engrossed in the books in front of him, when he really wanted to see what she would do. He was teasing her.

“There it is!” she said giddily, pointing her finger at one of the top shelves. She rose on her tiptoes and tried to reach for it, but she couldn’t. “By the angel, how should short people reach for books if they put them so high?”

Jesse spotted the book she was trying to grab and picked it himself along with another one that was right next to it. “These could be helpful, they need to be. I wonder why they don’t have more,” he opened the volume and showed what was inside to her. “Well, we have to settle for what we’ve got.”

“May I borrow them for my research once you’re done?” she wondered brightly, hands tight on her small purse. “You know that part of my story is set in Italy. It could be useful.”

“It could be useful indeed,” he said. “But it would be even better to see the real thing with your own eyes,” he teased her, even though she didn’t know he was being serious.

“It would, surely,” she managed to say quickly. “Then you must write down everything you see and tell me once you return. Because you will return, right?” There was urgency in her voice, and fear. She was afraid that he would leave for good, and settle down elsewhere.

He didn’t have the heart to continue his charade anymore. “Or maybe you can come with me,” he offered, touching her hand gently. “I’ve been meaning to ask you the whole time.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Her brow furrowed, clear surprise on her face, but also relief. “I would love to go on a trip to Italy with you,” she covered his hand with hers. “Of course, I would love to come. I’m delighted you asked me, Jesse. Even though you’re such a tease!”

He grinned at her. Seeing how her face lit up, she was eager as much as him to embark on this journey. “In my defense, I wanted to wait for spring to come,” he shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about traveling outside of London for months, but I needed to mentally prepare,” he sighed. “And I think I’m ready.”

Lucie grinned, and he knew she understood. He had spent the first weeks after he returned to the world of the living getting used to being around people again. “Then let’s get ready! Let’s buy these books and start packing,” she said excitedly, tapping her foot on the wooden floor.

“Don’t be in such a hurry,” Jesse warned, holding the books in one hand and Lucie’s hand in another. They started walking to the counter where they could pay. “We’ll need to ask your parents for permission.”

“Do we?” she sighed. “By the Angel, you’re right. Even though I’m almost eighteen and I could be considered an adult, I should still ask. I don’t want to repeat what happened when I left for Cornwall,” she shook her head slightly.

“I completely agree,” he nodded. “It’s not fair to them, Lucie. You’re still living with them, and you’re their only daughter. They still feel like they need to protect you from the world, even though you’re not little anymore. It is better if you tell them that you desire to go on this trip. Your mother already knows.”

She opened her mouth in disbelief, while Jesse was paying for the books. “Does she? What did she say? If mama gave us the green light, then papa might too. Or she might convince him!” her voice rose a little, and the old cashier coughed.

“Your mother seemed positive about it,” Jesse replied, thanking the cashier and turning to leave the shop. “I found an album with your parents' photographs in the library. They went on a trip to Paris the year before they got married.”

“Very sly of you, telling me this, Jesse,” Lucie giggled. “I might use it to my advance.”

Jesse shrugged, and nonchalantly said: “You didn’t hear it from me.”

After they got back to the Institute from the bookstore, Lucie couldn’t wait to ask her parents for permission. She didn’t even take her coat off. She ran directly to her father’s office on the first floor, Jesse in tow, trying to tell her that they should refresh first.

Not a chance. Lucie wanted to storm into Will’s office without knocking, but realized it wasn’t a good idea, nor would it work in her favor. She needed to calm down. She stopped abruptly before the door, and Jesse almost slammed into her.

“I believe you’re right, Jesse,” she sighed, starting to open her coat. “We should get changed first, and then we should come here. Or maybe I should come alone. I don’t know. My father could be with somebody right now, and I need to think –” she stopped mid sentence, because the door to Will’s office opened. “Papa.”

“Lulu, Jesse. What a surprise,” Will smiled at his daughter. “Did you need something, fy nghariad?” And she spilled the beans. She told him everything she wanted to do.

“Going on a trip to Italy,” Will mumbled behind his desk. “You and Jesse,” he added, wide-eyed. “All by yourselves,” he underlined the last word.

“Exactly so, papa,” Lucie tried to charm him with a smile and a sweet voice. It worked when she was a child, she wondered if it would still work. “Jesse expressed the desire to travel to Italy, and he wishes to go with me.”

“And you, naturally, wish to go with him,” he said, frowning. “I mean, I shouldn’t even wonder. Of course, you are.”

Lucie nodded. “I don’t find it weird, papa, to want to travel with the person I love,” she said, and her father sighed. “It could help my writing as well. I would get to see places I only ever saw in photographs. It’s an occasion I can’t miss!”

“It isn’t odd at all, on the contrary,” he tapped his fingers on the papers in front of him. “I was expecting you to ask me that, sooner or later. Perhaps after you and Jesse got engaged, though.”

She rolled her eyes, and moved closer to the desk. “Two people don’t need to be engaged to travel together,” she protested. “And everyone knows that we have an understanding. They won’t find it unlikely. It’s not like they have to know we went on a trip together, papa.”

Will massaged his temples, and he was about to reply, when Tessa entered the office with a smile. “Tea is ready,” she announced, and he instantly lit up, stood from his chair. Perhaps he needed to get a break. “We can talk about this in the drawing room,” she offered, and her husband couldn’t refuse her proposal.

They sat at their usual spots: Will and Tessa on the blue sofa by the fireplace, and Lucie and Jesse on the other blue sofa in front of them. They often sat together in that room after dinner, so much so that it turned into a routine. At times, they would engage in discussions about random topics. Other times, the two couples would be lost in their own world and talk among themselves. That afternoon, however, it felt as if the air was charged with tension.

“I know you’re trying to protect me, papa,” Lucie said to break the ice. “And I love you for it, but,” she sighed. “I think you should trust me and let me have this experience. And you should also trust Jesse, a person you also know is worthy of your trust.”

“I trust Jesse,” he confessed, his arms crossed on his stomach. “And you know I trust you, Lucie. But –” he sighed again. Will was fond of Jesse, and he treated him as if he were a member of the family already, and Lucie knew that. But she also knew that her father was also worried about her reputation. They were still unmarried. “Aren’t you afraid of people’s judgment?”

“Were you afraid when you took mam to Paris in 1879?” Lucie bounced back with a smirk, and her father looked defeated. “Look, papa. I understand you. I know that you don’t want me to – you don’t want me to end up like cousin Eugenia,” she said. “And I won’t. I love Jesse. Jesse loves me. He is the most respectful person I know and I trust him. And I trust myself. We — I promise that nothing will happen while we’re away from home,” she glanced away, embarrassed. “We will be on our best behavior. Or I will hit him with my handbag,” she said, and Jesse frowned at her. “I am able to defend myself.”

“There’s no need to hit anybody with anything,” Jesse intervened, his voice rising at the end. “I attest to everything Lucie said,” he told Will and Tessa. “But I understand your concern, and I’m willing to commit right now, if you need solid proof that I’m going to cherish and respect your daughter during this trip, as if my life depended on it.”

“What do you mean –” Lucie started to say, but he was already taking his family ring off and he was staring directly into her eyes. “Jesse, what –” she stopped when he took her hand and knelt in front of her.

“We don’t need any proof to trust you, Je –” Will began, but Tessa silenced him with a: “Don’t ruin the moment, Will!”

“Lucie,” he muttered kindly as he always did. “You know I love you, and I know you wanted to wait until your book is published to get engaged to me, but,” he giggled, “given the circumstances, might we pause that promise until we return?”

“Yes,” she said with excitement, “I say yes.” And so Jesse slid his family ring on her fourth finger. In their world, it meant that they were promised to one another. Lucie leaned him and she kissed him on the lips, uncaring of her parents watching. It was Jesse who broke away, and sat back down next to Lucie, holding her hand.

“You didn’t need to do that for us to believe your good intentions,” Will said. “I trust you. And I trust that you won’t let anything happen to Lucie and that nothing compromising will happen,” he coughed and glanced away, as if only thinking about that embarrassed him too. “between you and Lucie. Which means, separate bedrooms and always being around people until it’s time to retire to your rooms to sleep.”

Tessa patted her husband’s shoulder affectionately with a grin. “What he means is that you are free to go on this trip, my dear,” she told them.

“Thank you, papa,” Lucie bolted from the sofa to go hug her father and then her mother. “I love you, mam. I promise you won’t regret this choice.”

Will just nodded, and then the argument was settled, filling both Lucie and Jesse with joy.

The preparations started the following day. The first thing they needed to do was decide which cities they wanted to visit. Lucie wanted to see some medieval places to be inspired by the scenes in her book, and she didn’t know which cities were best.

“I remember you said you enjoyed the recount of Matthew’s voyage in Venice,” Jesse said. “Shouldn’t we go there first? It’s a peculiar place, I’m sure you’re going to love it.”

Lucie said yes. “I was also thinking about Venice,” she revealed, so they settled to go there first.

Will and Tessa said they could only be away one week, since this was their first trip solo. They wouldn’t have time to visit a lot of places. Jesse would’ve wanted to see Rome or Naples or go even more South to Sicily, but they would need more days to visit all of those cities.

“We’re going to visit after we’re married,” Lucie promised, and she vowed to keep that promise. Once they were married, there would be no one to stop them from going whenever they wanted, and to make Jesse's travel wishes and her own come true. “I say this time, since we don’t have much time, we should just go to another city in the North.”

“Milan?” Jesse offered. “Wait, I think I know a more meaningful option,” and Lucie couldn’t agree more.

March, 1905: Venice

They decided to leave on the first day of March. It took them a few weeks to prepare everything they needed for the trip, but it was better to take more time to organize should something unexpected happen during their travels.

“Did you put everything you need in your trunk, Lucie?” Will asked. He and Tessa wanted to be present when they would leave.

Lucie huffed, but she knew her father meant well. “Yes, papa. How many times do you have to ask?”

“As many times as I please,” Will frowned. “Here, take this,” he offered a red velvet pouch to his daughter, who looked at him quizzically.

“What’s this?”

“Money, dear,” Tessa said with a grin. “A gift from us to you both. We thought it could be useful, since you may want to buy souvenirs and the like. Spend it however you see fit,” she glanced at Jesse too.

“You shouldn’t have,” he said. “But I’m thankful. We’ll use them wisely.”

Luck was on their side, because Magnus was in town and paid a visit to Lucie’s parents. “Portal is ready,” he announced proudly. “This will take you to the Milan Institute. I’m afraid Venice doesn’t have one. Even so, I could’ve opened one in the city, but you said you wanted the experience of taking the train to take you there, I guess,” he shrugged.

“Don’t worry, Magnus, you were already kind enough to accept this favor,” Tessa told him. “They can manage from there, I’m sure.”

“Or I could come –” Will started, but Magnus rolled his eyes at him.

“William, you know you can’t,” he interrupted. “You have to help me here, that’s why I came. Word’s on the street that the king is ill, and people are in turmoil,” he stopped, seeing that Will was frowning. “Anyways, I’ll tell you all about it in your office, but now, let’s see these young lovebirds cross the portal. They have to catch a train.”

Will repeated three times that when they were on their way to return, they had to send them a fire message so Magnus would know when to open a portal in the Milan Institute to take them back to London. (Magnus seemed very bored but he was going to comply anyway.)

Lucie and Jesse waved them goodbye, and went through the portal. They found themselves in the aisle of a Gothic building that resembled the London Institute a lot. The head of the Milan Institute, an old woman named Giulia Bianchi, was waiting for them. She knew they would come because Will had fire-messaged her.

The woman directed the couple to the station where they would find a train that would take them closer to Venice. It was Jesse who made the wish to take a train, because he had never been on one. Lucie hadn’t minded, of course. She loved traveling by train and she wanted to get the mundane experience of getting to their first destination as if she and Jesse were just an ordinary couple in love who was doing the Grand Tour – or at least a piece of it.

She found herself stealing glances at the Blackthorn family ring on her left hand as they sat in the train. She knew that it wasn’t a proper engagement and that it was just temporary, but the thought still made her feel fuzzy and warm inside. Jesse caught her once, and he offered her a genuine smile, before taking her hand in his. He seemed quite fine to her during the ride in the train, but somehow, she was a little worried about him. They had barely been out of London during the year he spent at the London Institute. And if they went somewhere, it was always through a portal and for not more than a few hours. This time, however, they will be away for a week…

Jesse confessed to her he had had a hard time adjusting to being around people during the first months he came back to life. She would make sure to look after him and be there for him, in case he would need help. She really wanted him to enjoy this trip, because he deserved it.

After four hours, they finally reached their destination. Since Venice was built on over one hundred islands, there were a series of bridges that lead to the various sides of the city, and there were some places that can only be reached through little ferries or with gondole. Venice didn’t have an Institute, otherwise they would have stayed there. Even if it did, Jesse had also asked to have the mundane experience of booking rooms in an inn as if he were a casual tourist. Just for the first city, because they would find accommodation in the Institute of the second destination.

They couldn’t stay more than two days. After searching in the Baedeker, they decided that it was ideal that they stayed near the historical center, in a small city overseeing the isle of Venice called Mestre. The first thing they had to do was look for a place to stay the night, but it hadn’t been an easy task. They had already looked for a room in three inns out of the seven the guide cited, but there weren’t any available.

“Buonasera, how can I help you?” a woman behind the counter cheered with a welcoming smile in heavily accented Italian mixed with English. This was the fourth or sixth inn. Lucie had lost count by that point.

“We would like two rooms, if it’s possible,” Jesse told her, speaking in Italian. “We’ll be staying two days.”

“I’m desolate, sir, but unfortunately, we only have one double left,” she explained. “It’s the Carnevale season, and a lot of people come here to celebrate. You’re lucky we even have a spare room!” she shrugged. “And, uhm, aren’t you two married?” she chanced, pointing at Lucie’s left hand. Right. She had his ring on her fourth finger.

He shook her head and looked at Lucie. “She has one room left because it’s Carnival,” he sighed. The woman replied in Italian so he translated for Lucie. “What should we do? Should we look elsewhere? There’s still one place on the Baedeker.”

She sighed. “We could try, but if it’s the high season, what luck do we have to find a room somewhere else? We should take it. It’s our last chance. Imagine if, while we go to the last place on the guide, someone comes and gets this room. Then,” she raised her eyebrows, “we would have to sleep in the streets like two beggars. It would be quite the experience, but –”

“But your father –” she put a finger on his mouth.

“I’m aware of what my father said,” she sighed. “But he isn’t here, is he? And it’s not like we haven’t lounged on a bed together in the past,” she put a hand on her hip and shrugged. “He will never know, Jesse. And we will just sleep, we just need a place to sleep,” she looked him in the eyes, and touched his arm. “It’s late, and we are both tired. I think we should take it.”

“You’re very good at convincing,” he smiled at her, even though Lucie could feel that he wasn’t completely sold. “Alright, let’s get this room.”

Lucie was amused because she didn’t know he had been learning Italian. She told him when they retreated to their room, after eating chicken broth and some vegetables in the kitchen of the inn. Jesse replied that the language fascinated him, so, in the prospect of coming to visit the country one day, he learned the essential phrases.

“I am no expert in Italian language, but you sounded very competent,” she complimented him, and he couldn’t help but smile, as they both set on the task of arranging their valises.

Lucie opened hers. Her hairbrush and pins and other hair accessories were in the top box, in a beauty case that she had ever since she was little. She remembered taking this to Cornwall as well, more than one year prior. The thought made her sigh. How different things had been back then. How much things had changed ever since then.

She found her night attire next, and her mouth gaped open. “Oh,” she said without thinking.

“What are you oh-ing about?” Jesse wondered. She saw that he had also gathered his night attire and toothbrush in his arms.

Lucie bit her lip and sighed. “I have to change into my nightgown,” she said, showing him the white material and the light blue robe that went over it. He frowned, but before he could speak, she continued. “You’ve seen me countless times in my night clothes,” she began, “it isn’t an issue for me to show myself in such a state of undress, and it never has been, because –” she tensed, pacing the room as she spoke. “I trust you. I love you. And soon, someday, this will be our routine, part of our daily exchange. Part of our lives as a married couple. But we’re not a married couple yet,” she glanced at the ring on her hand, “and even if I’m comfortable being like this around you, I wondered if you,” she sighed, avoiding his stare for a moment, “you may be uncomfortable seeing me like this.” She took one last breath. “So, I think it would be better if I sleep in my clothes and ditch the night attire.”

Jesse’s eyes widened, and he put his clothes on the bed. “You are thoughtful,” he walked closer to her. She had stopped in the middle of the room, and he took her ringed hand in his. It was clammy, but he didn’t seem to care. “And this, among many reasons, is why I’m in love with you, Lucie Herondale,” he stroked her fingers with his thumb. “But you said it yourself. I’ve seen you countless times before you went to bed, that it has already become part of our daily routine. To me, this is ordinary like breathing. A comfort that not many people have the luxury to have. What I wish to see for the rest of my days,” the corners of his mouth went up.

Lucie took a long sigh and she sat down on the bed with him, their hold on each other’s hand firm. “I told you to ignore my father’s words when the woman told us there was only one room available,” she said, a little flustered. “And here I am, being bothered by them!,” she chuckled, glancing at Jesse, who offered an understanding smile. “We’ve never been alone for so long. We barely have time to be alone in London.”

“What are you afraid of, Lucie?” he wondered, and she shook her head. “Perhaps, of losing control because we are alone? That being in the same bed and unsupervised will prompt either of us to do things before their time?” He didn’t say which things but she understood what he meant. That they would kiss, and things may escalate, and they wouldn’t be able to stop. She wouldn’t be able to stop.

“Maybe,” she admitted, looking at their intertwined hands.

“You have so little faith in yourself,” he confessed. “You’ve made it so far, and I’m confident that you can make it through this trip,” he kissed her hand.

“I don’t even know why I’m thinking this,” she covered her forehead with her other hand.

“Because you’re human, and you’re very much in love with the likes of me,” he touched her nose with his finger.

“Thank you, Jesse,” her face flushed every time he mentioned that they loved each other.

Eventually, Lucie convinced herself and she wore her night attire. The bed in the room was narrow, but Jesse tried to give her all the space she needed. The following morning, she opened her eyes to a sleeping Jesse. He was facing her. Close enough, but none of his limbs touched any of hers. She marveled at the beauty of him. His black lashes fan out against his cheeks created a stark contrast with his pale complexion, and he looked like a sleeping hero, waiting for his princess to wake him up.

His eyes fluttered open after a few minutes, and he stared back at her, a grin quickly forming on his lips. “You should have woken me up. We have only today and tomorrow to explore the city.”

“You were sleeping so peacefully, it would’ve been a pity,” she muttered. “We can make it, don’t you worry,” she said. “I’ll be going to wash up first,” she announced, grabbing the light blue nightgown from the chair nearby and covering herself. He turned to follow her as she walked in front of the bed, and she beamed at him.

Like the woman in the inn had informed them the evening before, Carnival celebrations were in full swing in the city. There were already a lot of masked people while in Mestre, but when they reached the historical center of Venice, groups tripled in number and it was hard to walk in the crowd without risking losing each other. They held each other’s hand firmly as they walked, and Lucie tried to avoid crowded places at all costs, even though it was barely impossible, given the partygoers in Carnival masks making it everyone’s business they wanted to celebrate.

The beauty of the city stunned them. They visited St. Mark’s basilica and San Marco’s square, surprised at how big and massive it was. “We don’t have a place like this in London, I think,” Lucie said, taking in the grandiose cathedral. “I mean the square, not the cathedral. The Institute is bigger than this.”

They were enamored with the gothic and rococo style of the buildings in the area, like the Doge’s Palace. “I imagine it’s really pretty inside,” Lucie commented. “We can visit inside,” Jesse told her. They spent the next two hours roaming inside the rooms, where there were several statues and paintings. They also looked from the infamous Bridge of Sighs, which connected the Palace with the prison. “They say it’s called like this because this was the last view of the canal before the prisoners were taken into custody,” Jesse said, “it was Lord Byron who bequeathed the name to England.” Lucie, obviously, took notes.

There were several other things they saw. They returned to the inn late, ate whatever was left for dinner, and went to sleep. The following would be their last day in Venice, and they decided to visit some other popular places like the Rialto Bridge, which they couldn’t see properly the day before because of the sea of people. That day, they were relieved to see there were less people in that area. Maybe the partygoers had moved somewhere else. (Someone told them that Carnival had ended the day before – if they only had known!). They enjoyed their view undisturbed, and then set out to buy some traditional masks for themselves and their friends and family.

The last thing they did before returning to the inn was going on a ride in a gondola. Lucie had been on ships before, but never on something like this. Jesse wrapped his arm behind her shoulders when they sat in the velvet seats of the small, odd, boat, and she let her head rest on his shoulder. The sun was setting, and it made everything even more romantic. She glanced up at him at some point, and he bent his head so he could kiss her.

“I thought you didn’t like to kiss in public,” she teased him.

“I wanted to be scandalous,” he smirked, repeating what she told him once. She rolled her eyes at him. “And we’re not in public, Lucie,” he raised an eyebrow. “Our only audience is the gondoliere, and the buildings flanking the Canal, but I don’t think they care that much. I think he lost count of the people kissing during the boat rides.”

“If you say so,” her eyes were bright, and her heart pounded fast in her chest. “Then he wouldn’t mind if we kissed again, would he?”

Jesse shrugged, but he was smirking. That was all it took for Lucie to cradle his face in her hands and kiss him more vehemently than he did.

When they broke apart, the man was blabbering something Lucie couldn’t understand. “Ah, queste coppie di sposini novelli pensano solo a baciarsi e non si godono il panorama!” he said, and Jesse giggled.

The last day went well, in Lucie’s standards. She often glanced at Jesse when they were in the streets, squeezing his hand every now and then to make sure he knew she was there and everything was okay. He seemed like he was enjoying his stay, but you never knew with him. He tried his best not to make her worry, but she was still worried about him, and she had been ever since they were on the train. He managed well the day before, but they avoided all the crowded spaces. Today, the frenzy was less, but still.

They repeated the same routines of the day before. Lucie went to wash first, changed into her nightgown, and then it was Jesse’s turn. This time, it was easier to fall asleep. They had had a long and tiring day, and when Lucie put her cheek on the stiff pillow, she was out in less than five minutes. The last image she remembered seeing was Jesse’s angular face staring right back at her from his pillow, his own eyes threatening to close.

Sleep, however, didn’t last long. Lucie woke up with a start, hearing muffled cries. She opened her eyes to the dark room, and tried to understand the source. It could’ve been a thief, it could’ve – It wasn’t. Lucie realized that it was Jesse mumbling something she couldn’t understand by her side. She took her witchlight to see better. He was holding his throat and was breathing heavily. She noticed that his forehead was wet with sweat, along with his collarbone.

“Jesse,” she called him softly, stroking his cheek, trying not to panic. “Jesse, I’m here. Jesse.” He heard her. He gaped his mouth open and gazed up at her, the witchlight still in her hand, blinding him. She moved it away so she could see him but he wouldn’t be bothered by the light. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” she kept caressing his cheek and forehead.

“I don’t know what –” he began, but couldn’t continue, his voice broken. “I don’t know.”

She took his hand and helped him lie down, then placed her cheek on his chest, trying to calm him down. “Your heart is loud, Jesse,” she muttered with care after a few seconds. He also felt himself trembling, but she didn’t say it.

He hesitated, chuckling softly in the darkness. “I don’t know how to slow it down.”

“You shouldn’t,” she said, and tried to lighten the mood with a chuckle herself, “I mean that, it will slow down by itself once you feel safe again. Just – breathe,” she tightened the hold on his hand. “I’m here.”

He nodded, even though she couldn’t see him. A few beats passed. He took a deep sigh and then another, and then – “I don’t know what’s gotten over me,” he said apologetically. “I –” he sighed, “woke up and felt my heart in my throat. I think it was a nightmare.”

“Must have been this new experience,” she pondered. “Traveling. Being far from home for the first time, not sleeping in your bed, eating food you’ve never tasted,” she began. “Being alone with me for the first time. It all came up while you were unconscious.”

“You’re probably right,” he was playing with a lock of her hair to distract himself. “I didn’t think I’d be homesick, but I’ve never been outside of London, how could I know?” he asked rhetorically, more to himself than to her. “This is the main reason I waited months before taking up the courage to leave,” he added. “I still feared it could happen, but I would’ve wanted it to do with you anyway.”

“You couldn’t know,” she told him. “And I’m proud of you for still wanting to follow through with the trip, even though you were afraid. I’m proud of you, Jesse,” she patted his chest.

He decided he would be proud of himself too, then. For making it there. For crossing the continent to get to another country he could only dream of visiting through the pages of old books he found in his grandfather’s library. I’m proud of you, he told himself in his head. For making it this far.

He bent down to kiss Lucie’s head. “Thank you, my love,” he whispered into her hair, and she rubbed her cheek against his chest. “I believe we should sleep. There’s a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Can we stay like this?” she asked tentatively. “In case, you know, have another nightmare?”

Jesse managed a smile in the dark. He tried so hard to suppress his fears, but they caught up with him. And now, he felt like he needed support, and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it. I’m proud of you.

“Just for tonight,” he conceded, resting his hand on her shoulder. “Let’s sleep like this just for tonight.”

Lucie nodded, and covered them with the heavy sheets again. She tightened her hold on Jesse’s frame as if she was holding on for dear life. And that night, they both had a peaceful sleep.

March 1905: Verona

On the third day, they left the inn. Lucie asked Jesse if he wanted to go back to London, considering what happened the night before, but he was firm that he wanted to continue. They still had roughly three days left before Magnus would open a portal in Milan to take them back to London, and he wanted to make the best of each.

They said goodbye to Venice, and vowed to go back there in the future. They needed to get on another train to reach their last destination: Verona. The choice of Verona came to Jesse when they were deciding where to go. He knew it was a popular tourist destination, mostly because Shakespeare made it famous.

“You still haven’t told me why you wanted to go to Verona, Jesse,” Lucie said when they were on the train. “Not that you need a reason to travel, that is.”

“Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona,” Jesse told Lucie, who nodded. Of course, she knew. She grew up with a family obsessed with literature, and the main theme of discussion in the drawing room was often literature. “It has a – a sentimental meaning to me.”

Lucie had frowned, curiosity taking over her. “Oh, yes,” she said, remembering why Jesse had thought about that. “You likened our families and ourselves to the tragedy while we were getting to know each other,” she told him. “Said it would be a tragedy if we loved each other.”

He crossed his arm on his chest in protest. “I did, I won’t say I didn’t,” he tilted his head to better look at her. “But it was all I knew back then. When we met the first time and even the second, I was truly convinced that our families despised each other. And out of loyalty to the Blackthorn family, I also needed to despise the Herondales. That was what my mother convinced me to think all those years. ”

She patted his forearm. “And our story turned just like Romeo and Juliet in the end, except we survived,” she smiled at him, and he chuckled.

The Verona Institute was situated in front of the Scaligeri Tombs, a group of gothic monuments where Juliet staged her death in the tragedy. “That’s the first thing we’re going to visit,” Lucie announced, and Jesse nodded eagerly.

The head of the Verona Institute was a man around her father’s age named Riccardo Ferrari. “Welcome in fair Verona,” he shook their hands. “I reckon you are the Blackthorns from London, am I right? We were waiting for you. We’ll prepare your room,” he said in Italian. “Francesca!” he called the maid, presumably. “You can wait in the drawing room, in the meantime,” he added, and then he disappeared. So much for welcoming them.

They sat by the fire, and Lucie frowned at Jesse because she didn’t understand anything of what Riccardo had just said. “He welcomed us in Verona and said they’ll prepare our room.”

“Our room?” she inquired, eyebrows raised. “But we’re not –” recognition dawned on her. “He also thinks we are married, doesn’t he?”

“I think he does,” Jesse said with an apologetic smile. “We fire-messaged him by signing Jesse and Lucie Blackthorn. And I’m sure he saw the ring on your hand.”

“By the Angel, you’re right,” Lucie gasped. “Do you think we should tell him?”

“Do you?” he wondered, but she shook her head. “Then it will be our secret,” he winked at her, and she blushed.

Riccardo Ferrari surely showed them to their room an hour or so after, but not before offering them a cup of hot tea. They refreshed themselves – they made quite the journey from Venice, and then decided it was time to visit Verona’s important landmarks. The Shakespearean ones, obviously.

Verona was completely different from Venice. Like the former, it had several gothic buildings. But where Venice was crowded, Verona had the normal amount of people one would expect from a town that wasn’t as big as London. This was a relief for Lucie, and she was sure it was a relief for Jesse as well. She clutched on his arm while they started roaming around the city, laughing about ordinary things, like an ordinary couple.

They visited Juliet’s house first. The building was not too far from the Institute, in a street named Via Capello. The famous balcony where the lovers saw each other at night was here. “The Baedeker says that rubbing Giuletta’s statue outside of her house brings good luck,” Jesse commented before they entered the two story house. The statue was near the entrance.

“Then we should do it,” Lucie shrugged. “What do we have to lose?” And they did it. There was no certainty that this couple really existed, but they were legendary anyway.

There was nobody but them visiting, so Lucie wanted to lean out of the balcony and pretend she was the tragic heroine. She asked Jesse to pretend to be Romeo. “Pretend you’ve just fallen for me,” she encouraged him. “That I’m the prettiest girl you’ve ever seen and my eyes remind you of bright stars that lighten up your day.”

Jesse shook his head at Lucie’s suggestion and smirked. “Why pretend,” he glanced up at her on the balcony – she wasn’t that distant – “when you know, as well as I, that I love you? You are the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen,” he almost shouted. “And you sure do light up my day and my night – you’ve lightened up my whole life, and my love burns for you!”

Lucie blushed from the balcony, and managed a shy grin. Those weren’t the original lines, but she melted anyway. Next to Jesse, a group of people – presumably tourists – clapped their hands. She didn’t think they would have an audience, and decided it was time to leave.

They continued their walk to Romeo’s house, but unfortunately, the building was not open for visitors. They could only admire the medieval house from outside. Lucie had collected a lot of information already, but she was hungry, and Jesse suggested they go to the Scaligeri Tombs, the place where Juliet staged her death. They went back to the institute to eat. Riccardo Ferrari prepared a feast for them, which they enjoyed because they were both tired and starving.

Come night, they said goodnight to Riccardo and his family and retreated to their room. The bed of the Institute was more comfortable than the one of the inn, and they didn’t have trouble falling asleep. Even so, every once in a while Lucie woke up because she wanted to make sure that Jesse was fine and he wasn’t having another nightmare. She was secretly happy to share the bed with him again, because she could look after him. She knew that, had they slept in separate rooms, she wouldn’t have been able to fall asleep worrying about him. She was grateful that Jesse didn’t seem to be haunted by his dreams for the whole night.

Their second day in Verona started with a generous breakfast. Riccardo was the talkative type, but Lucie didn’t know Italian nor did he know much English, so they couldn’t interact much. He talked to Jesse a lot, and he made them lose a lot of time, but they thought it would be rude to interrupt him and say time was running out. It was duty who brought the man to his office and freed them to go about the town.

They tried to see everything worth seeing in the hours they had left. Lucie itched to see the real tomb where Juliet’s remains were, and Shakespeare’s bust. Jesse wanted to see the place where Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, killed Romeo’s best friend Mercutio. After they had enough, they went to eat local food in a tavern in the last neighborhood they had visited instead of going back to Riccardo. “It’s our last day here, we should breathe the air of Verona as much as we can,” Lucie confessed, and Jesse agreed.

“I can’t believe we have to go back tomorrow,” she added with a tinge of sadness in her voice, after their bellies were full.

“It didn’t last long and we had to rush, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Jesse said. They were walking in a street where a lot of the houses had flowers outside their windows. “I’m the type of person who prefers quality over quantity.”

“Quantity doesn’t guarantee quality, yes,” she halted mid-step, and Jesse observed her with a questioning look. “I have an idea. Come,” she prodded, and took his hand to drag him close to a short wall encased in Roman columns that united in archways covered by wildflowers. “Sit here,” she told him, and Jesse did as he was told with a puzzled expression. He was even taller than her after he sat on the wall. “Can you put your hand on my hips?”

“What do you want to do?” he wondered, an eyebrow raised. He put his hands where he would hold her if they were dancing at a party. Or tried to. He was too tall.

“I’m recreating the balcony scene,” she told him excitedly. “I mean, we are recreating the balcony scene.”

“But this is not a balcony,” he said, looking behind him. “It’s the wall that delimitates a park. And I thought we already acted that one this morning for the Verona crowd to see?”

Lucie blushed at the memory. “The scene we did this morning was the lovers professing their love to each other,” she clucked her tongue disapprovingly, to which he snorted. “Use your imagination, Jesse,” she rolled her eyes. “You’re Romeo and I’m Juliet. We’ve just spent our last night together, and it’s morning. You have to leave, otherwise –” she pretended to be scared. “My parents will find you in my room and they will kill you. And I won’t just lose my lover, but my reputation will be tainted forever. I’ll be kicked to the streets.”

“So you want me to kiss you goodbye or jump from this impromptu balcony?”

“Whichever you want first,” she sighed. “Better the kissing before the jump,” she decided.

He smirked but rolled his eyes at her antics. “I can’t kiss you,” he admitted. “You can’t reach me if I’m sitting on this wall, unless –” he stopped, and got off the fake balcony. Lucie started protesting, but when she realized what Jesse was doing, she shut up. He grabbed her by the hips and helped her up on the wall where he’d just descended.

“Now I’m Romeo and you’re Juliet,” she said, surprised to be able to look him in the eyes directly from that height. “My dear Juliet, let lips do what hands do,” she cleared her throat, trying to imitate a masculine voice, and touched Jesse’s face sweetly. She knew she didn’t say the right line, but she couldn’t remember it well.

He went along with her plan. “Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.”

“Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take,” Lucie muttered gruffly, and she bent down to find Jesse’s warm lips. “Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged,” she smiled against his lips, her hands on his shoulders.

“Give me my sin again,” Jesse urged, saying Romeo’s line in her place. He cradled Lucie’s face in his hands to give her another, more intense kiss.

“You kiss by th' book.” Lucie closed with Juliet’s parting line, and bent down to kiss him a third time. Luckily, there was no Nurse to interrupt them.

“Farewell, farewell. One kiss and I’ll descend,” Jesse whispered softly, his face still inches from his girlfriend’s. He dove on her lips again with hunger.

“I thought that was my line,” Lucie argued when they separated. He helped her down the wall and she dusted the back of her dress with her hands. “I was Romeo.”

“A Romeo who mixed up the first kiss scene with his lover, with the scene before he had to leave for exile,” Jesse offered a big grin. “It’s understandable. I also would rather be with my lover forever than be forever parted from her.”

There was melancholy in his voice. He was probably remembering another time, the time when he used to be a ghost, Lucie realized. A time where, like the two lovers in Verona, they could only see each other at night. Romeo and Juliet were star-crossed lovers because of their families. Lucie and Jesse used to be star-crossed because he was a ghost and she a living girl. They belonged to worlds that intervowed together and yet, whose threads never truly met.

“You are with your lover,” Lucie said, holding his hand. They started walking back to the Institute. It was getting late, and the streets were deserted. “And your lover will never let anybody nor anything tear us apart,” she stopped and looked him in the eyes. “Only death do us part,” she vowed solemnly.

“Sounds like a threat,” Jesse joked, and Lucie rolled her eyes and started walking again.

“You know, you can back out of this relationship before we’re officially engaged, Jesse,” she groaned, while he was chuckling. “What are you laughing about?”

“My lover,” he asserted giovally. “My beautiful lover I intend to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”

Lucie gaped her mouth open in awe. It wasn’t lost on her that he had just quoted the vows mundanes used during their marriage ceremonies. “Sounds like a threat,” she teased him cheekily, and they both chuckled as they walked back to the Institute.

By noon, they arrived at the Milan Institute. Riccardo Ferrari wished them goodbye and told them to greet Will and Tessa, whom he hardly knew but he believed to be nice people. He also added a line that Lucie didn’t understand and that Jesse pretended not to understand – but he completely understood – which was: “auguri e figli maschi!”

They had already sent a fire message to Will, and he told them Magnus would arrive in London around three p.m. to open the portal. This gave them the chance to do a quick tour of Milan in the two hours they had. But Magnus, as usual, didn’t follow a tight schedule, and not even an hour passed from Will’s fire message, that the portal had already been opened before them and they had to give up on their plans. They thanked Giulia Bianchi for letting them wait in the Institute and went through the portal, bidding Italy goodbye.

Will and Tessa – but Lucie’s father, especially – wanted to know everything that happened in Italy. Will was excited to know about it all the evening they were back, but Tessa reminded her husband that even though they had come through a portal, Lucie and Jesse went on a journey and needed to rest. So they delayed their tales of travel to the next day.

Jesse described how Venice surprised him and how colorful it was because of the people dressed for Carnival. He told Will he would have liked the Bridge of Sighs because it was also linked to Shakespeare, and Will said that he would definitely take Tessa there someday. However, she wasn’t of the same idea. Tessa didn’t know how to swim and she didn’t like to go close to water, so Will resorted to going somewhere else, then, like Verona.

Lucie said that she had enjoyed both cities, but, unlike her mother, she would’ve liked to jump into the Venetian water to swim, but she had been equally happy just riding in a gondola.

They told them about Verona and how exciting it was to visit Romeo and Juliet’s homes and the streets where blood was shed between their families, to which Tessa seemed very enthusiastic to hear about. They gave them the masks they bought in Venice and other souvenirs from Verona as well as Riccardo Ferrari’s greetings and wishes to see them sooner or later in Verona.

They told them everything they could have possibly shared, and kept most of their experiences to themselves. There was so much one couldn’t share with their parents.

“I know that I told my parents I enjoyed the gondola ride,” Lucie declared merrily, “but you know what I enjoyed the most? How it ended.”

Jesse, who was sitting next to her on their sofa in the drawing room, frowned. “Then you lied to them,” he stated, “if you liked when the experience was over?”

“No, no,” she said quickly. “I meant that I liked the way it ended,” she fixed her gaze on him. “I meant the kiss part, Jesse. That was one of the most romantic things I’ve ever experienced.”

He gave her an enigmatic smile. “More romantic than the reenactment of two important scenes from Romeo and Juliet in fair Verona?” he questioned. “Because those, if you ask me, are my most favorite moments from the trip.”

She gazed up at him lovingly. “Of course I also adored those romantic moments,” she stroked his arm, the Blackthorn ring still there on her finger. I loved every kiss with you. “But there was this one moment that I will cherish in my heart, while building my future.”

“What is that?”

“When we said our vows in the deserted street,” Lucie confessed coyly. “I know they aren’t our vows, shadowhunter vows, I mean, but –” she bit her lip. “That was a meaningful moment to me. It made me think about how far we’ve come. How far we still have to go,” she gesticulated with her hands. “How much we’ve promised to achieve before we will say those vows in front of the people who also love us. How much we don’t need those vows to know that you and I – nothing will ever part us, not even death.” She took the Blackthorn ring off her fourth finger and took Jesse’s hand to gently put it back on the fourth finger of his left hand. The finger where the vein connecting to the heart was. “I suppose this is yours.”

Jesse glanced at the ring, then at Lucie, and managed a grin. “One day this is going to be yours,” he simply said, caressing her hand. The hand where his ring had just been. “Until that day, I’m also grateful for what us – you and I as single people and as a couple – have achieved. You gave me back my life, Lucie. But you are also my life. You gave me something I never thought possible to get back,” he kissed her hand. “There is still room to grow. Still time to learn. Still time to –” he licked his lips, looking for the right word.

“Time to kiss?” Lucie proposed cheerfully.

“Why do you have to –” he rolled his eyes. “Decidedly, there is never going to be enough time for kissing,” he kissed her forehead for emphasis. “Thank you for coming on this trip with me, Lucie. I don’t think I can thank you enough for that.”

“And you don’t have to,” she smiled. “Haven’t I told you? I enjoyed myself a great deal,” she yawned.

“Someone needs to sleep,” he guessed. “You haven’t slept much these last three days.”

Lucie’s mouth went slack. “How did you know? And, Jesse, are you –” she twisted the hem of her sleeve nervously. “Are you okay?”

He knew why she asked. “I enjoyed myself considerably, but I can’t wait to sleep in my bed tonight,” he also yawned. “Maybe it’s better if we retire to our rooms now.”

“Can we stay five minutes more?” she pleaded, and he nodded.

“Just five,” he conceded, yawning too.

They drifted off to sleep on the sofa as the flickers of the flames in the hearth finished burning the remains of wood. It was Tessa who found them. They were peacefully resting there, Lucie’s head on Jesse’s shoulder and his head bent on her daughter’s hair. She found a thick blanket and gently placed it on the legs of the tired couple with a content smile. She turned off the candles and lamps, and went to sleep.

I know, I know, this one shot was quite long. But I couldn't stop myself while writing it, and I hope you made it here and you enjoyed it.

Translation of the two sentences in Italian: - The one by the gondoliere: "“Ah, queste coppie di sposini novelli pensano solo a baciarsi e non si godono il panorama!” "Ah, these newlyweds only think about kissing and never enjoy the view!" - The one by Riccardo Ferrari: "Auguri e figli maschi!" "Well wishes and may you have boys!" This is more of a Southern Italy saying (from where I'm from) that people usually tell to couples when they get married. They wish the couple happiness but also that their first kid is a boy. This is because the boy could carry on the name of the family, so I thought that since Riccardo thought Lucie and Jesse were a couple of newlyweds, he would wish them happiness in a very Italian way that was common at the time. Some facts about the things I said in my fic: - There is a real Carnival celebration in Venice, during the week of Mardi Gras! And there are several exhibitions and a lot of people go there, so it's very crowded! - The Romeo and Juliet painting by Sir Frank Dicksee inspired the scene where Lucie and Jesse reenact RJ's kiss. That's how I pictured them :) - The lines from this scene are from Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 5. The title is from Scene 3, Act 4

tess-is-reading

Thank you so much @luciehercndale! I’m so excited to read this later and see what Lucie and Jesse get up to on their holiday 🫶

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