Cecily Herondale

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{{Infobox character
|affcollapse = off
|statcollapse = off
|gallery = :Category:Images of Cecily Lightwood
|name = Cecily Herondale
|image = CJ Flowers, Cecily.jpg
|full name = Cecily Lightwood (née Herondale)
|AKA = * Cecy
* Cariad (by Will)
|born = 1863, Wales
|age = 15 (as of [[Timeline#1878|1878]])<br /> 40 (as of [[The Last Hours|1903]])
|kind = [[Shadowhunters|Shadowhunter]]
|residence = * [[London Institute]]
* [[Ravenscar manor]] (former)
* North Wales<ref name="north">[https://twitter.com/cassieclare/status/506483553048473600 Wales], [[Cassandra Clare]] on Twitter</ref><ref name="CP2">''[[Clockwork Princess]]''</ref> (former)
|father = [[Edmund Herondale]]
|mother = [[Linette Owens]]
|siblings = * [[Ella Herondale]] † (sister)
* [[Will Herondale]] † (brother)
|spouse = [[Gabriel Lightwood]] (husband)
|children = * [[Anna Lightwood]] (daughter)
* [[Christopher Lightwood]] (son)
* [[Alexander Lightwood]] (son)
|relatives = * [[Benedict Lightwood]] † (father-in-law)
* [[Barbara Pangborn]] † (mother-in-law)
* [[Tessa Gray]] (sister-in-law)
* [[James Herondale]] (nephew)
* [[Lucie Herondale]] (niece)
* [[Gideon Lightwood]] (brother-in-law)
* [[Barbara Lightwood]] † (niece)
* [[Eugenia Lightwood]] (niece)
* [[Thomas Lightwood]] (nephew)
* [[Tatiana Blackthorn]] (sister-in-law)
* [[Jesse Blackthorn]] † (nephew)
* [[Grace Blackthorn]] (adoptive niece)
|family = * [[Herondale family]]
* [[Lightwood family]]
|allegiance = [[The Clave|Enclave]]
|status = Alive
|gender = Female
|hair color = Black
|eye color = Blue}}
{{Quote|I think when we make choices-for each choice is individual of the choices we have made before-we must examine not only our reasons for making them but what result they will have, and whether good people will be hurt by our decisions.|Cecily to [[Gabriel Lightwood|Gabriel]]|''[[Clockwork Princess]]''}}
'''Cecily Herondale''' is the younger sister of [[Will Herondale|Will]] and [[Ella Herondale|Ella]], and the wife of [[Gabriel Lightwood]].

==Biography==
===Early life===
Born in 1863, Cecily is the youngest of the three children of [[Linette Owens|Linette]] and [[Edmund Herondale]]. Cecily and her siblings were raised in Wales, believing that [[Shadowhunters]] were monsters. When she was nine years old, her older sister, [[Ella Herondale|Ella]], died of [[demons|demon]] poison after the demon [[Marbas]] was released from a [[Pyxis]] by her brother, [[Will Herondale|Will]]. For reasons they could not understand then, Will, racked with guilt and fear, ran away from home and went to [[London]] to become a Shadowhunter.

Three years after, when her father lost their family's house and fortune through gambling, they were forced to move to York, where [[Axel Mortmain]] offered them a [[Ravenscar manor|manor]] in Ravenscar.

===Hearing from Will===
Cecily and her parents never really forgot about Will, and vice versa. In 1878, it was Cecily's name that Will called out to while he purged himself of [[vampires|vampire]] blood, leading [[Tessa Gray|Tessa]] to believe that Cecily was someone whom Will was romantically involved with since Will rarely talked about his past.<ref>''[[Clockwork Angel]]''</ref>

After almost two years of living in peace and isolation in the country manor in Yorkshire, Will found them in 1878 while on a job for the [[the Clave|Enclave]]. Will, along with [[Jem Carstairs|Jem]] and Tessa, saw Cecily, in particular, coming home to the manor one morning. Mortmain knew that they would find them and sent an [[automatons|automaton]] to scare Will, warning the others to stop investigating, else he would hurt his family.

When [[Charlotte Branwell]] once again sent [[Ragnor Fell]] to investigate the Herondales, just as he did years before, fourteen-year-old Cecily found him lurking outside their home and questioned him. She immediately assumed that he was there to check on them on Will's behalf, and while she was pleased by the fact that Ragnor did not deny it, she insisted that Will should be there himself and return to them if he truly cared. To satisfy her yearning for her brother, Ragnor told her that Will missed her.<ref>''[[Clockwork Prince]]''</ref>

===Shadowhunter life===
Only days after her encounter with Ragnor, Cecily decided to go to [[London]] and the [[Institute]] there, determined to return home with [[Will Herondale|Will]]. Arriving at the [[London Institute]], Cecily claimed that she wanted to be trained as a Shadowhunter.

Cecily went on to be trained, also guided by her own brother. It was not as she expected, however, since Will did not take her arrival very well. Aside from her frequent arguments with Will, which usually began when she tried to get him to come back or write to their parents, Cecily also found herself unexpectedly liking the Shadowhunters, whom she believed to be monsters for a long time, as well as enjoying her training, though she did not admit this until several weeks after. Cecily proved to be naturally skilled and attuned to Shadowhunting, much like Will was when he first came to the Institute.

Throughout her stay, Cecily grew to love being a Shadowhunter and being trained—something she initially refused to accept as she was intent on only staying long enough to convince Will to come home to their parents with her, or at least to get in touch with them. During one of her training sessions with Will, during which he always expressed his contempt at her being there, she struck a deal with him that if she managed to hit the target with a knife—something she has feigned not being skilled at—three times, he would write to their parents. Assuming that Cecily would not be able to, Will agreed. When Cecily succeeded, Will obliged to her request but found a loophole, saying he would write but not send it as it had not been a part of their deal, much to Cecily's irritation. Will then told her that he would agree to sending it to them if she delivered it personally and never returned to the London Institute, and she refused.

When [[Gabriel Lightwood]] came to the Institute asking for help, Cecily, deeming herself ready after weeks of training, demanded to be a member of the party to respond to his call. With most everyone in the Institute, they traveled to the [[Lightwood manors|Lightwood mansion]] and confronted the giant, demonic worm Gabriel's [[Benedict Lightwood|father]] had become due to [[demon pox]]. Despite her brief training, she bravely climbed a tree in search of the giant worm and when it attacked the others, she jumped onto its back and stabbed it with a [[seraph blades|seraph blade]]. Her time at the Institute had awakened her love for battle, which led to her realization that she belonged at the Institute and her decision to stay.<ref name="CP2" />

===Later life===
Eventually, Cecily and Gabriel got married and had three children, namely: [[Anna Lightwood|Anna]], [[Christopher Lightwood|Christopher]], and [[Alexander Lightwood|Alexander]]. After the birth of their third child, Cecily began going hunting less and less.

Sometime before 1901, despite Anna's attempts to keep it secret, Cecily realized that her daughter was interested in women and preferred wearing men's clothes. To show their support for their daughter, she and Gabriel decided to go shopping for some nice tailored suits—so she would not have to keep borrowing her brother's—as a surprise. Cecily gifted this to her, along with her [[Lightwood family necklace|necklace]], after her break up with [[Ariadne Bridgestock]]; she also offered her daughter comfort over her broken heart. It was then that Anna knew for sure that her mother had known for a while and not only accepted but understood her.<ref>''[[Every Exquisite Thing]]''</ref>

In 1903, when the [[Carstairs family]] moved to [[London]], Cecily and her family attended the welcome party for them at the London Institute. Cecily was especially pleased that [[Cordelia Carstairs]] was planning to become [[Lucie Herondale|Lucie]]'s ''[[parabatai]]''; feeling that the bond had been monopolized by men for a long time and was happy to see more girls taking the oath.

Following the [[Mandikhor#Khora|Khora]] [[Demons|demon]] attack in Regent's Park the next day, Cecily rushed to the Institute to check on her niece, [[Barbara Lightwood|Barbara]], and the other wounded. Surprised that such an attack happened during daylight, she bombarded Lucie with questions before subsiding with the hopeful comment that [[Brother Zachariah]] and the other [[Silent Brothers]] would soon arrive and be able to cure Barbara.

After Barbara's death, Cecily and Gabriel joined Tessa and Will at the Institute, keeping one another company in their grief. They also agreed to take in [[Thomas Lightwood|Thomas]], who had wished to stay in London while his parents went to [[Idris]] to be with his [[Eugenia Lightwood|other sister]]. After her son was attacked and poisoned, Cecily was distraught at the thought of Anna going out on her own but relented so that she may get stronger wards put up. Later that day, Cecily went with the others to Highgate Cemetery upon receiving word from Thomas and [[Alastair Carstairs]]. She rushed to fuss over [[James Herondale|James]] who appeared quite injured and ask after Thomas who was in the [[Silent City]], distributing the antidote Christopher had made—who was later thankfully cured and able to return home.<ref>''[[Chain of Gold]]''</ref>

Cecily, Gabriel, and their sons were present when her brother, Will, died on his deathbed.<ref name="CP2" />

==Personality and traits==
Cecily is a fierce, strong, and brave person, an attitude she developed when she was young. She is extremely loyal, faithful, and caring to those she trusts, as well as very protective.

Typical of the Herondale Shadowhunters leading up to her, Cecily is a natural at fighting. She also has the bitter sense of humor of Herondales, and swears strongly, particularly in Welsh; as a child, she was also said to be quite demanding. Afraid of nothing, Cecily is stubborn and resistant of authority, even if what she is told to do is for her own good. She is also eager to prove herself and often charges into battle if done for those she cares about, willing to do anything, even risk herself, for them and a good cause.

Cecily is also quite a romantic, proven when she tears up while witnessing Gideon's proposal to Sophie, and how quickly she found herself falling for her eventual husband, Gabriel.

==Physical description==
Cecily is a very beautiful young woman, with gleaming black hair and startling dark blue eyes, traits she shares with her mother, Linette Owens, and brother, Will Herondale. She has pale skin, high cheekbones, and full lips. She is also quite small, contributing to her semblance of defenselessness, and is often assumed to be fragile and delicate, surprising people with her strength because of it.

Bearing a striking resemblance to Will, she has been described as being "pretty as Will is handsome." Their similarities have been described as unnerving, as both look almost exactly like each other in their youth, particularly when both look peaceful, and even when they scowl.

==Skills and abilities==
* '''Nephilim physiology''': Being Nephilim, Cecily possesses a myriad of enhanced physical and mental abilities granted to her by the blood of [[Raziel]] in her veins and also by the angelic Marks of the Gray Book. This includes enhanced strength, agility, stamina, coordination, and many others which improve over time and practice.
* '''[[Runes|Runic]] [[magic]]''': Due to the angel Raziel's blood in their veins, all Shadowhunters are able to apply runes on their skin without any real danger. These Marks, in turn, give varied effects that serve to benefit the wearer.
* '''[[The Sight]]''': As a Shadowhunter, Cecily is able to easily see through most magical illusions and layers of [[glamour]] over reality.
* '''Use of heavenly weapons''': As a Nephilim, Cecily is also able to handle heavenly weapons with effect, since this would normally not work for other species. In particular, these are weapons made of ''[[adamas]]'' and forged by [[Iron Sisters]], such as [[seraph blade]]s.

==Relationships==
<tabber>Will Herondale=
{{Quote|You are my weakness.|Will to Cecily|''[[Clockwork Princess]]''}}
When they were young, it is believed that [[Will Herondale|Will]] and Cecily had a good relationship, since they were siblings. When Ella died and Will ran away from home, Cecily did not know why he chose to become a Shadowhunter as she believed they were monsters.

When Cecily appears at the Institute, Will is furious with her and insists she return home. Cecily refuses to leave and argues with him to come home with her. She tells him that their parents are upset and still miss him. She insists that Will write letters to them about his well-being, even when he refuses over and over again.

Will does not seem to approve of the reckless things Cecily does, like when she jumped on the giant worm's back while they were battling it, or when she followed Will in search of ''yin fen'' for Jem. However, he genuinely cares for her as she does for him.

He also seems to disapprove of her relationship with Gabriel. But in the end, he comes around and is supportive of them being together.

|-|Gabriel Lightwood=
{{Quote|We are not our parents, Gabriel. We do not have to carry the burden of their choices or their sins. You can make the Lightwood name shine again.|Cecily to [[Gabriel Lightwood|Gabriel]]|''[[Clockwork Princess]]''}}
[[File:Tarot_Steles_Ace.jpg|thumb|200px]]
Gabriel seemed to like Cecily when he first laid eyes on her. Cecily, however, was more wary of him given the clear tension between him and her brother. Still, they began to bond and Will, noticing this, warned Cecily away from him, claiming he was only trying to get close to her to get revenge for what Will did to [[Tatiana Blackthorn|his sister]]. Though this upset Cecily at first, she continued to train with him.

Gabriel and Cecily really started to bond when Charlotte sent them to get ingredients for Magnus in their efforts to help Jem's illness. She began to think of Gabriel as less of a pest, and began to enjoy his presence more. She realized that they were very similar, as both of them had done things they were not proud of, had allowed their parents' actions to speak for them instead of their own, and relied on their older brothers for support.

Eventually, Gabriel and Cecily shared a kiss after the battle against Mortmain and officially became a couple. When Cecily finally got Will to go back home to their parents and explain why he had left, Gabriel came along so that Cecily could introduce him to her parents. Years later, the pair married and had three children together: [[Anna Lightwood|Anna]], [[Christopher Lightwood|Christopher]], and [[Alexander Lightwood|Alexander]].
</tabber>

==Appearances==
* ''[[Clockwork Angel]]'' {{1stMention}}
* ''[[Clockwork Prince]]'' {{1st}}
** ''[[Clockwork Prince: Manga]]''
* ''[[Clockwork Princess]]''
** ''[[Clockwork Princess: Manga]]''
* ''[[The Whitechapel Fiend]]''
* ''[[Nothing but Shadows]]'' {{mention}}
* ''[[Cast Long Shadows]]'' {{mention}}
* ''[[Every Exquisite Thing]]''
* ''[[The Midnight Heir]]'' {{mention}}
* ''[[Chain of Gold]]''
* ''[[Son of the Dawn]]'' {{mention}}
* ''[[What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything]]'' {{mention}}
* ''[[The Red Scrolls of Magic]]'' {{mention}}

==Gallery==
{{More|:Category:Images of Cecily Lightwood}}

<gallery>
CJ Flowers, Cecily.jpg|Flower card
Tarot Rings Queen.jpg|Tarot card
Tarot Steles Ace.jpg|Tarot card, with [[Gabriel Lightwood|Gabriel]]
CJ 03 March Cecily.jpg|March
CJ Cecily.jpg
CJ Seasons 04Winter TID.jpg|Winter
</gallery>

==Trivia==
* Cecily's [[Lightwood family necklace|necklace]], given to her by Will, has been passed down the succeeding generations of the [[Lightwood family]]. It now belongs to her descendant, [[Isabelle Lightwood]].
* According to a found [[The Shadowhunter Chronicles/Extras#Family Tree|family tree]], Cecily died in 1945, at the age of 81, or 82.
* Cecily is a reference to the character of the same name in ''{{wikilink|The Importance of Being Earnest}}''.<ref>[https://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/post/15658354637/so-i-just-read-that-woolsey-scott-is-based-off "Cecily is,"] [[Cassandra Clare]] on Tumblr</ref>
* Cecily can play the harp.<ref>''[[The Last Hours/Extras#Fairy Tale of London|Fairy Tale of London]]'', a ''[[Chain of Gold]]'' extra</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[de:Cecily Herondale]]
[[el:Σέσιλι Χέροντεϊλ]]
[[es:Cecily Herondale]]
[[fr:Cecily Herondale]]
[[hu:Cecily Herondale]]
[[pl:Cecily Herondale]]
[[pt-br:Cecily Herondale]]
[[ru:Сесили Эрондейл]]