Fragile Hearts (TID - Will Herondale fanfic)

Chapter 74: The Christmas Gifts

Ella watched as Magnus turned and left, then stepped back out into the cold. Will's face was flushed with cold, and he had no coat or hat on.

  Ella approached him. She had just deposited Taylor into Cecily's care. The two made a mischievous team.

  "Liam?"

  Will turned to her, and she handed him a coat. Will smiled gratefully, shrugging the coat on.

  "Thank you," Will said.

  Ella nodded. "Where is Magnus going?"

  She was aware of Will watching her face for a sort of reaction. "New York."

  Ella sighed. She didn't even want to add Magnus to the list.

  "He said he would see you again," Will added. "He promised."

  Ella licked her lower lip. "Maybe. Why are you out here freezing to death?"

  "Elias Carstairs is inside the Institute. He is Jem's Uncle, having come from Idris. He wanted to give me a sword made by Wayland the Smith, a sword that's been the Carstair's for generations. Jem was supposed to get it when he was eighteen," Will said, anguish clear in his voice. "I declined, and came out here for some fresh air."

  Ella didn't know what to say. She wished she had Tessa's intellect at the moment.

Instead, she took Will's hand, shivering slightly. "I hope you've froze yourself enough and you're ready to warm up inside."

Will laughed mirthlessly. "Very funny, Ella."

She grinned. "I thought so."

Will turned to face her abruptly, taking her face in his hands gently. "Will you marry me?"

Ella blinked in shock. She blinked, then said, "what?" in a stupid voice that made her want to kick herself.

Will looked anguished. "I have loved you for so long, Nora. I want to be bound to you, by marriage and by love. You have been the one person holding my heart together through all the times I thought it would break. I love you, Nora, and I want nothing more than to be the man who will love you and sleep by you and comfort you for the rest of your life."

Ella was speechless. Again, very stupidly, she said, "Liam."

Will watched her face, as if nervous.

Then she smiled and finally said, "I will marry you. I apologise that I don't have as grand as a speech as you do, but all I have to say is that I love you, and will love you for your whole life, and I will stay by you."

Will exhaled slowly, as if he expected a different response. He rested his forehead against hers. "That is all I want, Nora. You by my side. Through everything."

Then he pressed his lips to hers, pulling her toward him in a close embrace. Will's secure arms were holding her close, keeping her warm. All Ella could think was that it all began with revenge.

Distantly, Ella could hear Taylor playing the violin.

Distantly, she could hear a quiet applause.

  Alas, the real world caught up to both of them, and they separated for breath. Will's hands fumbled as they reached into his shirt pocket. He pulled out something that glinted silver, and he took Ella's hand.

  Ella felt as if she was dreaming.

  Will slowly opened her palm, and placed a ring on her palm. "Eleanora Herondale. Nora Herondale."

~

  Will had then left to tell Tessa. He said he wished to tell her first.

  Ella twirled the Herondale family ring in her fingers, convincing herself that she wasn't dreaming. Finally, she decided to head inside the Institute, and found Gabriel. He was at the entrance, eyes wide, smiling.

  "Herondale just walked in looking like he was in a daze," Gabriel said, then noticed the ring in Ella's hand. "I see."

  Ella grinned. "Am I dreaming, Gabriel?"

  Gabriel shook his head, laughing. "I had come to ask you something, something important."

  Ella swayed, and Gabriel took her arm to steady her, laughing again. He seemed nervous.

  "I'm sorry," Ella apologised.

  Gabriel shook his head. "Ella, as you know, I'm only eighteen. I'm still eligible for. . . for the parabatai ceremony, and so are you."

  Ella froze, looking up and into Gabriel's eyes.

  Gabriel looked truly nervous and yet excited. "We have been best friends for almost two years. I have thought about it, and now that my. . . feelings for you have been diminished, I wanted to ask you if you would like to become my parabatai."

  Ella thought of that time with Will, when Jem had died and his parabatai rune bled out onto his white shirt, soaking it. That look of anguish on his face.

Love could be labeled poison and we'd drink it anyway.

Ella nodded. "Yes. Of course, Gabriel. Yes."

Gabriel's shoulders relaxed, and Ella pulled him into a tight hug.

  "You were absent at the party," Gabriel said.

  Ella nodded. "We should go in, shouldn't we?"

  Gabriel pulled away, grinning. "Yes. We should."