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Ariadne Bridgestock considered herself to be quite sensible. Though she could be impulsive at times, she believed herself to be in control of such emotions. She certainly did not allow them to impair her judgements so severely as she had now. After nearly 20 years of spending most of her life in Idris or London, trapped in the same location her entire life, she had snapped at last.
“I want to visit India.”
The words had burst forth, barging in to abruptly interrupt the carefully balanced silence of the room. It wasn’t that Ariadne hadn’t loved her parents, she just wanted to explore her childhood home. Needless to say, her parents had expressions of shock, Ariadne never having expressed such a desire previously. Regardless, her parents eventually agreed, they only wanted the best for their daughter and tried their best to respect her wishes.
Not a month had passed before Ariadne had been portaled to the Mumbai Institute, her old home. She supposed it rather odd to be back, though there was a welcoming air to the location. Ariadne took a few steps forward, gazing at the intricate arches etched with carvings of figures when she was met with an older shadowhunter around the age of 40. The women was very familiar, a face she had seen multiple times in childhood, a sort of aunt but with no blood relation.
Ariadne ran up to her, catching her in an embrace. It had been so long since she had a chance to speak with these people, people so influential in her childhood, having only seen them in fleeting glances at Clave meetings in Idris. She clutched onto the silk sari wrapped around her.
Maybe Ariadne’s loss of sense wasn’t such a bad thing.
The next morning had arrived in a blink, and Ariadne set out to the shadowmarket to try to visit the locations she’d been to as a child. The place had been rather familiar to her, her parents, her biological ones, having brought her with them during their trips. Yes, the shadowmarket seemed lovely.
~*^*~
Anna Lightwood didn’t think travelling to Mumbai would have turned so interesting as it had in actuality. If someone had told her that she would have run into her first and only love, the girl who broke her heart, she would think they had had too much to drink at the pub. Anna certainly wouldn’t have believed she would have spotted her at the shadowmarket of all locations. Most of all, Anna wouldn’t have guessed this rather awkward meeting could have been prevented had she not have spontaneously decided to travel to the city due to sheer boredom.
Anna had thought a vacation away from her home in London would have been a rather nice idea, having been there her whole life. Now, most of this hadn’t stemmed from that really. In actuality, the quarantine due to the demon sickness had been the thing to nearly drive her off the edge, to realize that maybe she should explore more of the world.
Out of all locations, of course she had decided to go to the one where Ariadne Bridgestock was.
She was easy enough to spot, in obviously english garb, a gown of deep blue flaring at the knee, among colourful saris and kurtas of the shadowhunters and downworlders residing here.
Anna considered approaching Ariadne, but it seemed as though Ariadne herself had taken notice of Anna’s presence and had begun walking towards Anna herself. Anna may or may not have been panicking, though she attempted to keep that internal, and instead put up a cool, calm facade.
“Hello, Miss Bridgestock, it’s a pleasure to see you, though a rather big surprise, I must admit.”
A small smile crept onto Ariadne’s face. Dear lord, that smile made Anna’s heart beat rapidly, a quality that she didn’t quite like. That smile, one that could brighten a room. Those amber eyes, ones that poets would write about. “Back to formalities, huh?” A mischievous glint had taken residence in Ariadne’s eyes. “Well then, Miss Lightwood, since it is such a pleasure to see each other, I was wondering whether you would like to join me while I explore the city. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, and a familiar face would be appreciated.”
Anna stayed silent for a split second, dumbfounded for the first time in two years, before recovering and, once regaining the ability to do so, speaking once more. “I would be delighted.”
~*^*~
Ariadne supposed she looked rather odd in this crowd, gown and bustle starkly contrasting the silk saris and cotton kurtas she had worn in childhood. Shadowhunters were far more diverse than mundanes, yet she still felt a bit out of place. Too British to be Indian, too Indian to be British. At least the shadowmarket had helped, the sheer mixture of shadowhunters and downworlders from all locations helping calm her.
Having spotted Anna Lightwood, Anna Lightwood, in the crowd helped even more. Ariadne made up her mind in a matter of seconds before she began moving towards her direction. Anna Lightwood, her violet blue eyes revealing a moment of shock before the emotion was replaced by a cool, calm gaze. The girl she had fallen for 2 years previous was there, in India, wearing a dashing suit. It felt almost dreamlike. As a conversation began, Ariadne let herself smile at Anna’s panic showing itself in her attempt at remaining proper. At that moment, Ariadne made a split second decision to invite Anna to view the city with her.
And so, the two girls walked, taking in the details of the city. Ariadne pointing out buildings and restaurants she used to visit, exclaiming that, “we must go there!” and that “the food was absolutely brilliant there”.
Anna laughed. It was warm and husky, and Ariadne could smell the distant scent of smoke. That laugh, that gorgeous laugh that sent her stomach rolling. “I don’t think we have time to visit them all, maybe we should just stick to one.”
Due to the time, Ariadne settled on a small restaurant at the end of the street, one that brought back memories of warm laughter. Though Ariadne had come to terms with her parents’ deaths, only recalling the joy of the day’s past now, she still wished to experience memories lost to time. It wouldn’t be the same, but for some odd reason, the location had seemed important somehow.
The girls grabbed a seat, settling in the lively restaurant. Upon receiving their food, Ariadne laughed as Anna chugged a glass of water, claiming that her “mouth was burning”, before helping her to quench the spice. The rest of their lunch was spent in light conversation as they finished their meals.
As the girls left the store, Ariadne turned to face the other girl. “There is one more location I’d like to visit, if you don’t mind.”
Anna turned to look at her as well. “I don’t mind at all.”
Ariadne led her to a set of stone steps leading up to a temple overlooking a lake bathed in the orange of the setting sun, taking a seat before gesturing at Anna to join her. The two sat there in silence, Ariadne’s head having found its way onto Anna’s shoulder. The two gazed at the sinking star in the distance, turning everything around them a peachy gold.
It was Ariadne who broke the silence first. “My parents had brought me here almost every month when I was younger.” Ariadne turned to look Anna in the eyes, Anna doing the same. “We would always watch the sun set, day turning into night. They always said that the transition between two such opposite forces were always the most beautiful to watch.”
As Ariadne said this, she felt no sorrow, only joy at the memories left behind. She paused for a moment before adding. “I think it’s time I told my parents about myself, don’t you think? The only person I’ve ever loved has been you, and I’m not prepared to live in a loveless marriage forever. I love you Anna Lightwood.” She stopped, considering her next words carefully. “May I kiss you?”
Anna gave her a slight nod, gazing at her for a moment. A moment so vulnerable and raw and emotional, cool and calm facade fading back to one of love that Ariadne had known only for a day before it had been lost for what she assumed would be forever. Until now. Having decided to throw all rational thought to the wind, she seemed to be doing that quite often now, Ariadne leaned in.
~*^*~
Anna’s brain may have stopped responding in that moment as she leaned down to catch herself in a kiss with Ariadne. Anna had forgotten how right it felt, Ariadne with her. No one else had ever been able to fill that void before. They broke apart, Anna’s brain catching up to the events that had occurred. She realized how big a step this was for Ariadne, how her parents might not be as accepting as Anna’s were.
“Are you sure you want to tell your parents?”
Ariadne smiled, letting out a short laugh. “I’ve known this for a long time now, I might as well tell them.”
“Alright then.”
The two sat in quiet for a few moments before Ariadne nudged her slightly, a wicked smile on her face. “I told you I’d win you back.”
Anna smiled back. “You did, although, you should know, my heart has always belonged to you.”
With that, the girls watched the day transform into night in a comforting silence, the sun dipping out of the sky, bringing forth a sheet of glimmering stars in its wake. The transition from day to night. Heartbreak to love.