"Last I saw you, you were an ugly duckling. Actually, not even a duck should be insulted like that." A horribly infiltrating smirk played on his full lips as he eyed me amusedly, making me want to kick his shins.
Behind every exquisite thing There was something tragic.
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"
"So, you've never been on a train before, Tessie?" Zelie asked with a mischievous smile on her pink lips showing her dimples as she carelessly lounged on one of the seats in the train compartment next to Will. Tessa was slightly taken back by the familiarity Zelie addressed her with, but nodded politely none the less.
The differences between the two girls were almost comical. Tessa always tried to be the proper young lady her aunt Harriot raised her to be, she was very quiet and suppressed. Zelie on the other hand had also been an orphan most of her life but she had been completely alone. She had always been overly confident and rebellious as a way to hide her emotions and the void her family had left in her. During this time women like that were difficult to contain. So, Zelie was sent from institute to institute using the excuse, that she was sent to train with their best fighters when the head of the Institute she was staying at got tired of trying to tame her. And somehow in the mist of a lonely childhood she actually became the best shadowhunter of her generation. She never cared about being proper or being the bell of the ball. Zelie believed that respect was earned by actions not manners and pretty dresses. "You decided to embark on this dangerous mission to Yorkshire, that isn't all that special, to meet a crazy old wack who cuts off downworlder parts and keeps them as souvenirs just to go on a train?"
Will snorted from his spot next to her, and Tessa nodded sheepishly as her cheeks tinted red. "May I be honest with you?"
"Of course." Tessa gave her a strained smile that Zelie didn't bother returning as her bright turquoise blue eyes scanned the train compartment.
"I don't believe you."
Tessa frowned, her attitude becoming more hostile. "What other reason would I have?"
"I asked myself that same question, actually." This time Zelie grinned and sat up eagerly. "Exhibit A." She pointed at Jem while giving him a cheeky wink to which Jem only grinned back. Momentarily forgetting that she was accusing Tessa of something."And exhibit B." She gestured to Will, who she smirked at briefly. They all knew Tessa was there for one of the boys, however what they didn't know was that she was actually there for both of them.
"Yes well this also has to do with Mortmain who is the only person I know that can tell me what I actually am."
Zelie smiled, she also had her own reasons for arriving at the London Institute when she did and for accompanying them on this trip, but unlike Tessa she was better at hiding things. Zelie leaned back confidently on the seat and showed a sweet dimpled smile at Tessa. She looked like a real life angel when she did that but the sparkle in her eyes let you know there was a little bit of devil too. "Of course, Tessie my apologies. That was horribly insensitive of me." Tessa only nodded slightly and gave her a tight lipped smile.
Will leaned over to Zelie. He pushed some of the curly chocolate brown locks that had escaped Zelie's pinned up hair behind her ear. His warm sweet breath tickled her ear as he smirked arrogantly when he felt Zelie stiffen for half a second. To anyone on the outside it was unnoticeable but not to Will. He always noticed when it came to his rival. "I told you, you were jelaous."
The sun was beginning to set when they arrived at the country side a couple hours later. The greys and blacks of the busy city were off in the distance and replaced with vibrant hues of greens and sky blues. The train passed by the seemingly never ending feilds that were going into harvest within a month or two. The blue unpolluted sky had swirls of oranges and slamons in it. The residents were going home for the day, an occasional child was running to buy the last ingredient for supper but other than that the country was ready to shut down.
"It's beautiful." Tessa breathed out softly, admiring the beautiful sight.
Will scoffed arrogantly. "This is nothing compared to the unearthly beauty of Wales."
Zelie took her gaze off the lovely scenery and on to Will. "What makes Wales so special?"
"Well, for starters I came from a Walish woman that country is the Homeland of the most beautiful man on Earth."
Jem rolled his eyes good heartedly. "Oh lucky us."
Zelie gave Will an unimpressed look and he continued. "The lakes there are the clearest nicest lakes you've ever seen. There's this one lake behind my house I used to swim in when I was younger."
"Well, then it is not clean anymore." Will shot Zelie a glare that she ignored. It did intrigue her that Will was giving some piece of information about his past, but she would never admit that out loud.
"You'll never taste better crops than the ones grown on the all mighty Wales fields. None of the other farmers can do it like in Whales."
"It must have been lovely growing up there." Tessa said kindly, trying to get Will to continue.
All of a sudden something dark flashed in Will's eyes and the soft smile that was beginning to form on his face was replaced by a cocky smirk. "It certainly must have, but it wasn't Tessa. Nothing ever happens in that primitive little place."
Zelie was surprised to say the least. No less than a few minutes ago Will was arguing the Country's greatness, and now he was insulting it. "Weren't you just telling us it was a splendid country?"
"No, I said it was better than here. Not that it was a good place. It's not my fault you can't tell the difference, Zelie dear."
