Prologue

One's legacy is rarely something you get to see in your own lifetime. It's something you leave behind, not so that the world remembers you, but remembers the good you did. Legacy is planting seeds in a garden that you will never be able to see, but the others who come after you will cherish.

And although Clary had long ago come in terms with the Morgenstern legacy, and had truly come to love the life that she was living, in times of apparent crisis she would remember the name that represented normalcy to her to remind herself to be calm.

So when she woke up to the slight aching in her legs and joints and a pounding head, and started stating facts in her head to keep a level head in a time of crisis, as she she was taught in the academy, she called herself Clary Fray rather than her given name. The name Fray was just an identity to use undercover, an alibi her mother had coined for her, but sometimes when carrying the legacy of her family name became too much for her, she resorted to a name that represented comfort, a name that did not have a legacy of it's own for her to carry.

"Oh, you're awake," came a voice from somewhere behind her, interrupting her thoughts.

Clary groaned, recognizing the voice immediately." Why does it have to be you. Off all people that could've done this, why am I not surprised that it was you," came her exasperated reply.

He frowned at her words, the lines on his forehead creasing, and said, "oh come on dont act like you're not excited to see me."

Mentally smiling, knowing that her words hit the mark, she replied, "And could you explain to me exactly why you kidnapped me and that too in what i call, if I may, extremely tacky and way below your usual standards."

Knowing that she was going to annoy him even more, she asked, "What were you thinking. I thought you had more class than this? Or is it that you are slipping with old age?"

" Hey! That's insulting. I'm not old."

"You look like an old man to me. I think I spot a lone grey hair. Gotta start calling gramps."

"Don't call me gramps. We're literally the same age."

Knowing she had succeeded her mission to annoy him, she tactfully changed the subject.

"Now, could you explain to me that why in god's name did you kidnap me?"

As if she had personally insulted him, he replied, " I just wanted to talk to you. You can't possibly be mad at me for that."

"You kidnapped me! In what world is that okay?"

"This isn't kidnapping. And why are you getting so angry?"

"Why do you think I'm getting angry, you ass?"

"Maybe you're mad because I 'kidnapped' you? Is that it?"

"No, I'm fine with the kidnapping. I was just upset by how much you managed to mess up my hair," Clary said sarcastically. "Yes, of course I'm mad that you kidnapped me!"

"Well I'm sorry. But in my defense, you put up no fight when I was getting you here."

"Yes, because you drugged me and I was unconscious the whole ride, you complete ass." Clary was about ready to claw her hair out of frustration at this point.

"Yes I realize how that might've given off mixed signals," came his reply. He had a small frown on his face as he came to the realization that he might have been a complete idiot. Not that it was something unusual for him.

"Mixed what? You know what. Forget it. I don't wanna know anyway." She raised her hands to massage her temple but realized that they were tied together. " Did you really have to tie me up though?"

"Yes, you would have run away otherwise."

"So what, we both know that you're faster than me."

" I'm not in the mood for any cardio," he said before getting a look on his face that practically screamed trouble.

"Plus, there's something about you being bound that makes this situation even more fun, not that conversations aren't always a pleasure with you. This just makes them even more, shall I say, interesting," he teased. At least she hoped that he was just teasing, she could never tell what went on in that messed up blond head of his.

Clary fake gagged, making sure he could see her and silently relished in the look on his face after that. She knew he was a complete flirt. Always was and always will be. It was one of the things about him that made him so much more different than other gang leaders.

Well, gang was a broad term and the word leader was stretching it even further. Idris was a small town with a population of roughly 5 thousand people. Since it lied on the borders of both France and Germany, it's history included a lot fighting between the countries to lay claim on the town and hence recorded a lot of conflict from the earliest recordings of it's history.

The way this argument was settled was rather unconventional, and slightly dysfunctional. Neither of the two countries governed the town, it had its own separate government, or interfered with it's business but always showed it as a part of their country.

The first leader of this new city had been a Morgenstern and since then, Morgenstern's had substantial power in the government throughout generations. Every Morgenstern was expected to join office and the first born to one day become the leader. So it was a real surprise for everyone when Clarissa Morgenstern, the perfect candidate renounced we place in the office and instead, at age 24 after finishing academy training, became the youngest person to join and then lead their own police task force. It wasn't that big of a deal then, her not taking charge of the government. There was a successor all ready to take charge. But now, well now it was a different story...

The Morgensterns were very prominent in the town, so much so that every person knew their name. The Morgensterns had always been kind people but everyone knew not to mess with them. Morgenstern's were great allies but deadly enemies.

And yet, there were people who messed with them, or with their town. Crime rates weren't high in Idris but they certainly weren't low. And hence there was a small police force. But some people did not believe in the justice served by the police. They believed in their own system of punishment for crimes, an eye for an eye. And that's where the Herondales came in.

The Herondales weren't villains per say, but they certainly weren't the heroes either. They were a group of vigilantes who had been serving justice for generations, since the very first Morgenstern had taken part in the government.

They were a group of people who did not believe in a government system. They wanted what they wanted. They weren't terrorists or murderers or even thieves. They never killed or stole from the common people. They did believe in heavily maiming drug dealers, rapists and other criminals and only stole from people who didn't get what they owned in a fair manner. In a way, they were just a bunch of vigilantes that helped the government but were never hated.

The Morgensterns and the Herondales had a weird relationship. The Morgensterns weren't exactly approving of the vigilantism but respected them for their work. The Herondales weren't particularly fond of the government but appreciated the work done by them to achieve their common goal. There was a mutual respect between them regarding a common goal but a disharmony about how that goal should be achieved.

Clarissa Morgenstern was the youngest Morgenstern and one of the youngest yet most promising member of the police force. And now at 26, she was a force to be reckoned with. And the person in front her was the youngest but most promising member of the Herondale gang.

They had known each other since childhood, since Idris had only 1 school, and had been frenemies all throughout their schooling years. But now she didn't even know what to call their relationship. He made everything so confusing with his constant flirty comments, his extreme anger and his goddamned mood swings.

Because Jace Herondale had been an utter and complete drama queen right from the beginning and damn it if he didn't love messing with her head.

_

So that's the prologue. Please tell me whether you like the idea or not. The actual plot will be unravelled over the next 2-3 chapters. Dont forget to review. Constructive criticism is always welcome.