****Listen to Underground by Austin Wintory from the AC: Syndicate soundtrack. The lyrics in this oneshot from that song. I was listening to the song when I was writing this.****
Warnings: DEATH, drowning, ****very long****
I took a carriage to the market. Jacob would’ve gone with me, but he was busy with helping Henry and Evie with some templar hunting, and I didn’t want to bother him. I arrived at the market and got out. I searched around the plaza until I found a flower stand. I looked through the flowers until I found white roses and purchased a bundle of them. I continued to walk through the market plaza, looking around.
“Hello, beautiful,” a voice said behind me. “Are those roses for me?”
I turned around to be faced to face with two men in red uniforms. Blighters. “No, they’re for the Queen.”
“Oh, are you going to try to compliment and give your way into the palace?”
“No. I already work there.”
The one that was speaking to me got closer to me, and I started to back up. He turned me around, pinning my arms behind my back.
I tried to wiggle out of his grasp but failed. “Unhand me! The Queen will have your heads for handling me.”
“Ooh, is that supposed to scare me? You haven’t heard a threat yet.” I stopped trying to get out of his grasp when I felt the cool metal of a blade against the skin on my neck. Fear racked through me, and a tear escaped and ran down my cheek. “Here’s what’s going to happen: you’re going to come with us, and your little boyfriend will never find out.”
He walked me over to a carriage and covered my mouth with a rag that smelt weird. Darkness consumed me, and I fell limp in the Blighter’s arms.
It’s been about three hours since Clary had left, and I was starting to worry. It usually doesn’t take her long to go to the market and come back. I walked into the study, where Evie and Henry were looking at some maps, discussing something of the creed. Evie looked up, her lips pursed, as if she was angry at me for coming into the study, still looking down at the maps.
“Evie, I think Clary is in trouble,” I announced. Evie’s eyes looked up at me, her eyes searching mine.
“Well, you think she’s in trouble? Go look for her, then.”
I let out a huff, turning around and leaving the room. “Go find her yourself,” I mocked, quietly. I walked to my room, grabbed my weapons, and left the mansion. I took a carriage to the marketplace and began to look around. I didn’t see Clary, or anyone really suspicious, so I blended into a small crowd. I spotted two Blighters and made my way to them, in between the crowds of people. I lowered my head, my hood hiding my face from them.
“Barron is going to be pleased with us. We have one of the Frye twins’ lover.”
I ran at them, lodging my hidden blade into one of their backs. The other one swung at me, striking me in the mouth. I wiped the blood from my lip, grinning maniacally. I punched the man in the mouth then punched him in the head, knocking him out. I made sure I kept him alive because I beat him to a pulp, if I have to, to get him to tell me where Clary was. I slung him over my shoulder and walked over to my carriage. I laid the Blighter down in the carriage and hopped up onto the front, taking the reins. I took the Blighter to the mansion. As I walked in, with the Blighter on my shoulders, both Evie and Henry raised an eyebrow at me.
“What?” I asked. “You said to go find Clary myself, that’s what I’m doing.” I took the Blighter to an empty room and sat him in the chair. I bound his wrists to the side of the chair and his ankles to the chair of the legs, and Evie and Henry walked in.
“So you brought a Blighter here?”
I looked up at her. “Yes.” I straightened back up and turned to them. “I’m going to interrogate him until I get the information I want out of him, then I’ll put a bullet in his skull.” Once I made sure he was secured down to the chair and rid him of his weapons, I left the room. Evie and Henry followed me out into the study. “I heard him say they have Clary.”
“So what’s your plan?” Evie asked.
“I don’t know yet. I have to wait until I get the information I need.”
Evie and Henry nodded, and I walked out of the study and into the room where I was keeping the hostage. I hid in the shadows until he woke up. He started to wake up and looked around.
“Where are you, assassin?” He yelled out.
I stepped out of the shadows.
“Hmm, always hiding in the shadows like a coward.”
I cracked my knuckles, grinning maniacally. “Tell me where she is.”
“Clary. The girl you’ve taken.”
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t play bullshit with me. You know what I’m talking about. Where is she?!” I yelled this. I was getting pissed.
He just looked up at me, something laced his eyes. Amusement?
“Tell me where she is, or I’ll beat it out of you.” I clenched my hands together in a fist. When he didn’t tell me, I started to punch him in the face. I struck him in the jaw, and blood spurted out. “Tell me where she is!” I continued to beat the shit out of him.
“Wait, stop!” He yelled at me. “I know where she is.”
“She’s in a place you’ve been before, where you liberated the first of our factories, in Lambeth. There’s a secret basement. But you might want to hurry if you want her alive.”
I pulled my revolver and loaded it. I pointed the barrel of the gun at his forehead and pulled the trigger. The echo of the gunshot rang through my ears. I walked out of the room and into the study. Evie looked up at me. “I know where she is. She’s in Lambeth, in a factory that we liberated. We need to hurry. She’s in danger. He said that I might want to hurry if I wanted her alive.” I walked out of the study and into the weapons room, and Henry and Evie followed me.
“I don’t know. I’ll think of it on the way.” I made sure I had two extra revolvers and a few extra magazines of bullets. I slipped on my hidden blades and brass knuckles. Evie slipped on her hidden blades and grabbed her cane sword. Henry slid his blades into their sheaths, and we all walked out. We walked out of the mansion and took a carriage. Evie and I sat in the back, and Henry took the reigns. I started to think of a plan and told Evie as I thought of it. “There’s a secret basement. So this time, we’re going to do this stealthily. We’re going to pick off the Blighters so we won’t have to deal with them when we’re searching for the basement.”
“You’re actually doing something stealthily? Usually, you don’t.”
“I know, I know. I just want to get to Clary as fast as possible.” I looked out the window as I leaned my head against the velvet interior of the carriage as fear racked through me.
We’re coming for you, love.
When I woke up, I was chained to the stone floor, my wrists and ankles bound together by rusted, metal cuffs. The cold air brought me to my senses as I looked around. Everything was shrouded in darkness; the only light there was was the light streaming down from the metal grating above me, and the light that was illuminating the room was barely dim.
I heard a metal door squeak as it opened, and a lantern appeared. I couldn’t see the person who was holding it until he came closer to me, the glow of the lantern cast shadows across his face and the room. He was a man with a bushy mustache, wearing a Templar uniform.
He pulled a dagger out and lodged it into my side. I screamed out in pain as crimson started to stain the light blue material of my dress. “If you don’t bleed out, then you’ll succumb to an ice-cold grave. Either way, you won’t be able to see your lover again.” He left the room, the metal door squeaking shut.
“Jacob! Evie!” I yelled. “Anyone, help!” Tears threatened to fall.
There was a noise, like running water, echoing through the room. A few moments later, ice cold water hit my feet. After a few minutes, the water was up to my ankles, the water soaking into the bottom of my dress. Time went on, and I continued to scream for Evie and Jacob. The blood from my wound continued to spread until the dress material of my whole side was stained. The water has now reached up to my waist. The ice cold water was starting to numb my body.
“JACOB!” I was crying by now, tears ruining my makeup.
More time went on, and the water was now reaching up to my chin. The only way I was still standing was by the tightness of the chains that bound me to the floor. I looked up at the light, a single last tear trickling down my cheek as my body began to shut down.
We arrived at the factory in Lambeth and got out. Evie told Henry what the plan was. We found an open window on the lower level and climbed in. We hid behind a few columns. We all branched out, picking Blighters one by one. We cleared the bottom level. There was a Blighter standing near some crates, his back to me. I snuck up behind him and pinned his arms behind his back, holding a knife to his throat.
“The girl. Where the hell is she?!” I was getting annoyed. “You’re not in a position to test me.”
“I know where she is. Walk down that hallway to the candle holder.” He pointed. I whistled, and Evie and Henry joined me. Evie took the man out of my hands, and I walked down the hallway at the candle holder. “Pull it down.” I did as he said, and a secret door opened. We walked down the stairs to a room that had a hole covered by metal grating. Water filled the hole. “She’s in there.”
“Oh, god.” A tear came to my eye at the thought of her being dead when I found her. Henry and I opened the metal grating. I took my weapons and overcoat off and sat them on the floor. I plunged into the murky ice water, and it felt like a thousand needles stabbing me. I swam to the bottom and searched but didn’t find her. I came back up for air.
“I can’t find her.” My voice cracked. “I can’t find her, Evie.” I was starting to panic. A tear threatened to fall, my lips trembled from the cold water.
“Keep trying,” Evie encouraged.
I took a breath and redove. I found her and kicked the cuffs on her ankles and resurfaced with my arm around her waist. I swam over to the side, and Henry lifted her up onto the stone floor.
I lifted myself up onto the floor and crawled over to her. “Clary.” I shook her. Nothing happened. “Clary, baby, you gotta wake up.” I cut the thin material of her dress open to reveal her corset. I loosened the strings to allow her to cough up any water. I started to do CPR. Nothing happened. More tears stained my cheeks. I checked her neck for a pulse and didn’t find one. The tears dripped off my cheek and splashed on her cheek. I heard Evie sniffle, and I looked up to see a single tear sliding down Evie’s cheek. My bottom lip trembled as I shook with grief. I stroked her soaking hair. “Clary,” I sobbed. I was shivering, and Evie wrapped my coat around my shoulders. I held her face in my hands.
“Jacob,” Evie started. “Come on. We need to leave.”
I got up, slipping my coat and weapons on. I picked Clary up, bridal style, and carried her out. We all walked out to the carriage. I laid Clary on the seat on the back. I stroked her cheek. “I will avenge you, love.” My anger started to flare. I clenched my jaw together as I looked at the Blighter. “Take me to your leader,” I spat at him. I walked in the front of the group, with Evie, who still had the Blighter’s arms pinned behind his back, behind me, and Henry following up on the back. He led us through the factory but stopped us halfway through it.
“Wait, I should go alone. He will suspect that something is up if you were right behind us.”
“If you screw up, I will make you suffer.” My face was inches from his. Evie shoved him forwards. “Get a move on.”
He began to walk, and Evie, Henry, and I crouched down and edged along the sides of the building. The Blighter began to run, and all three of us began to run after him. He made it to the door before we could reach him, and he burst through the door. I pulled out a knife and aimed for his head. I threw it as hard as I could, and it didn’t lodge in his head, it went through his skull, blood splattering onto the wall next to him. Evie and I walked through the room, with Henry following us. We walked through the door, and Henry slammed it shut. Evie leaned against it with her foot flat against it and her arms across her chest.
The Blighter leader was sitting at his desk. He was casually sitting there, a smirk on his face.
“You manky chav,” I spat at him. “I’ll wipe that smirk off your face before you have time to fathom what has happened, you knobhead. Are you dead from the neck up?!”
“I see you’ve found your lover.” He stood up from his desk and walked to the side of it.
“Yes, and you’re going to die for it. If I don’t kill you today, which I don’t think will happen, the Queen will have your head. Because Clary was her personal maid.”
“Do you think that I really care about that daft cow of a slag?” He spat back at me.
My blood boiled even more. I clenched my fists together. “Shut up, you arselicker.” I closed in on him. I slid my hidden blade out and pressed it against his throat. “This is for Clary.” Tears glazed my eyes as I pressed the blade further into his throat until it broke the skin, then still kept pressing until blood started to gush from the wound. My face was so close to his that when the blood gushed from his wound, it splattered onto my face. I wanted him to see the pain and anger in my eyes just as he dies. I dropped the body onto the floor and turned around, my legs suddenly feeling like they had turned to jelly. I leaned against the desk, trying to relieve the weight, tears spilling down my cheeks.
Evie walked over to me and wiped some blood away. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
I weakly nodded, and we began to walk out of the hideout. I eventually leaned against Evie, and she put her arm around me, the weight of grief becoming too unbearable. We walked out to the carriage. I got the back, and Evie and Henry sat in the front. I sat down with Clary in my lap, holding her close to me. Tears continued to fall and land on her cheeks and hair. I stroked her hair.
“Why did you have to be taken away from me so fast?” I whispered into her hair.
The carriage lurched forward.
I started to curl her hair around my fingers like I used to do. “You have to wake up, Clary. I was going to marry you one day.” it felt like it was an eternity until we reached the mansion. Once we reached our home, I gathered the strength I had and got out. I carried Clary to our room and laid her on the bed. I collapsed to the floor. I leaned against the side of the bed, sobbing. Evie walked in a few moments later and sat down next to me. She wrapped her arm around me, and I leaned into her shoulder, the tears soaking her shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Jacob. I’m sorry that this had to happen to you and her.”
I was too grief stricken to speak. I continued to cry into her shoulder. Henry walked in. “We need to stitch her wound up. She’s still bleeding.”
I looked up to him, my eyes blurry from the tears.
“Henry and I can do it,” Evie said. “It’d be too much for you to have to stitch her wound.”
I nodded. They left and prepared the medical tools. In their absence, I got up and walked to our closet. I began to look through her dresses. I found one that was a light blue and white with short, white, lace sleeves. It was one of her favorite dresses. She would look so beautiful in it. I pulled it out and hung it up. I pulled out the diamond and sapphire engagement ring and sat it on the nightstand.
Evie and Henry came in with the needle, thread, and the pan of water with a rag. I sat down in a chair beside Clary. I watched as they undressed her and cleaned and stitched her wound. When they were done, Evie pulled a blanket over her up to her shoulders. They started to walk out when I spoke.
“Evie.” She turned around, and Henry took the bin of water from her and disappeared down the hall. “I want to put her in that dress. Will you help me?”
“Of course.” She walked over to the dress and took it down. We slipped her into the dress, but my fingers kept faltering with the laces of the corset, so Evie took over and laced it up. Once we were done, and Evie had left the room, I slipped the ring onto her finger. I folded her arms over her torso and clasped her hands together at her lower torso. “You need to come back. We were going to get married and have a couple of kids together. And we were supposed to grow old together.” I sat them in the chair and stared at the moon outside. I began to sing a sad song:
“Take a look round lively old London
Buzzing crowds we sweat and we revel
Red-cheeked shouts and songs
In the flicker of the gaslight
Eager Blighty bursts from the cobblestones
Racing, climbing blooming fertility
Born from secret seeds
That were scattered in the nighttime
London is fed upon the meat of the dead
They’re one shallow inch below the town
Underground
Underground
Leave them underground
Them that whispered dreams that only poisoned us
Them that told us lies of their bravery
Them that preached of progress, and put us in the poorhouse
Them done horrid murder on bloody stages
Them that loudly crowed their humility
Lords and dames that sung in the chapels on a Sunday
All quiet now.
Their mouths are stopped up by mud.
They lie flung in rags and make no sound.
Underground
Underground
Leave them underground
Those who fought for something better
Those who taught by how they lived
Loved ones taken long before their work was done,” I began to sob but continued to sing, the words barely audible:
“Underground
Underground
Leave them underground.
Underground
Underground
Leave them underground.”
When I was done, I was a sobbing mess. I sat down on the floor and leaned against the side of the bed, still crying.
“God, anyone, why did you have to take her from me? She was far too young. She had so much to experience. Please bring her back. I’m lost without her. She means so much to me.”
Eventually, exhaustion took over, and I slipped into the darkness.
I was laying in bed, a warm body next to me. I looked over to see Clary, laying there, watching me. Her chocolate brown eyes twinkled in the moonlight as they watched me. A smile was plastered on her perfect lips. She leaned in and kissed me. Our lips molded together as if they were shaped by destiny to be together. Her fingers traced my scars on my bare chest as I wrapped my arms around her. The gold wedding band she wore gleamed at me, and her engagement ring sparkled against our skin. We pulled back to take a breath in.
“I’m happy you were first love,” she whispered.
“I’m happy I found you before any louzy man could’ve found you.” I smiled at her. I began to draw on the skin on her waist, and she hummed.
“You know, it is our wedding night, so you know what the means…” She trailed off, and I caught onto her drift. We began to kiss again. I slipped her nightgown off.
“Jacob, wake up,” a voice said in my ear. My teary eyes opened to see Evie. She had her arms around my shoulders. “You were crying in your sleep.”
I sighed. “It was our wedding night…” I looked down, the tears still falling. “I just want her back.”
“I know.” She stroked my hair. “Go get a bath. I’ve already sent Henry to get a bath ready.”
I nodded. There was knock on the door, and Henry came in. “The bath is ready.”
I nodded again. I got up and picked up the folded clothes that sat on the nightstand. I walked to the bathroom and stripped down. I slipped into the warm water.
“God, Juno, please bring her back,” I plead again. “I need her. She keeps me at bay when my stupidity gets the best of me.” More tears came to my eyes. It was impossible to think of life without her; I didn’t want a future without her.
I eventually got out, dried off, and slipped on my clothes. I walked back to the room and sat down in the chair. I watched her the whole day, not eating nor drinking when Evie or Henry brought me some food. I couldn’t think. It was around six in the evening when I think I started to go insane.
I could see a beam of light. Before me, a goddess appeared. “I am here, Jacob,” her voice was angelic.
“I heard your pleas, and I am here to fill them. I will bring her back but hear this: this is the only time I am allowing some who died to be brought back. My reason is is that you and Evie are so close to finding the Piece of Eden, and Clarissa is an excellent asset you and your sister. If Clarissa is to die again, I will not allow her revival.”
“I will protect her with my life,” I swore.
“I certainly hope you will. You looked lost without her.” She then extended her arm out until her hand was directly over Clary’s mouth. A bright, white smoke fell from her hand and was sucked into Clary’s nose. The goddess left, and the bright light disappeared. I looked to Clary, who was still unconscious. She didn’t show any signs of life, and I was grief stricken. Maybe all of this was dream. Maybe she wasn’t going to come back. I stared out the window and started to sing my sad tune again like I had the night before.
A sudden breath of air made me lurch forward. I opened my eyes to see Jacob sitting in a chair, staring out the window. He was singing a sad tune. “Jacob-” I gasped, shaking. I couldn’t feel my limbs; they were numb.
He turned around, tears in his eyes. “I’m here, love.” He rushed to me. “Evie!” He yelled. He pulled a blanket over me just as Evie and Henry came in through the door. They both were wide eyed but soon snapped out of it when they saw me shaking.
“Evie, help me get her out of the dress,” Jacob instructed. “Henry, go get some hot pans.”
Henry left, and Evie and Jacob started to undress me.
“This is impossible,” Evie said. “How?”
I was in my favorite dress. Once they had me undressed and into a nightgown, Jacob slipped me under the covers.
“I plead to God or to Juno, to anyone really, and Juno answered my prayers,” he confessed.
They laid two more fleecy blankets over me, and Jacob slipped in next to me. He wrapped his arms around me, and his warm skin burned my ice cold skin. I curled into him, wrapping my arms around him. Henry came in with a couple of hot pans and slipped them under the covers, the heat warming up the bed sheets. I was still shaking, and Jacob was rubbing my back and arms to try to warm me up. Evie left us alone.
“What happened?” I asked through a shaky breath.
“You had drowned by a Blighter leader. You were dead for a day and a half.”
Shock wracked through me. “As long as I’m with you, I couldn’t be any happier.”
A tear trickled down his cheek. I’ve never seen him cry before. “I was so lost without you.” He started to break down. I pulled him closer, and he buried his face into my shoulder. “I didn’t want to be in this world without you.”
“Shh. It’s alright now. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.” I kissed him, and he kissed me back passionately. I soothed his crying, and we eventually fell asleep, wrapped in each other’s arms, in a warm embrace.
I woke up. Jacob was still asleep, so I untangled myself from him. I pulled some clothes out of my closet and was walking to the bathroom to ready a bath when I noticed an engagement ring on my finger. I heard shuffling and looked back to see Jacob getting out of bed.
I examined the ring. “Jacob, what’s this, love?”
He got up and walked to me. He was still shirtless and in his trousers. He had a smile plastered on his perfect lips. “Clarissa Olivia Kingston, will you marry me?"
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