"Are you sure, Gramma? You don't have to go. Kids love you, everyone loves you and we will miss you!" Mia's voice wafted through her bedroom where the staff were packing her belongings.
"I know sweetheart, and I will miss everyone terribly but I am tired of this life. Though I have been living here for forty three years and I mostly loved every bit of it, I am tired. I don't remember the last time I had my privacy or time for myself and my passion. I don't seem to recall when I last went down to the kitchens and did something for myself beside making coffee or tea. Can you imagine everyone's faces if they saw me in the kitchens? No, I don't think so darling. Besides..." her voice was trembling and Clarisse, former Queen of Genovia, had tears in her eyes."It's not the same anymore, Amelia. I miss him too much to be able to walk around the gardens without thinking about him. Too many things have changed and I need my time to heal."
Clarisse looked around her room. Everything seemed so different, so unknown, and dare she say it... sad? A few years back, when he sat on the same sofa, in front of the same fireplace he told her that he had to go. No further information, just those awfully sad eyes and frightening tears. She hadn't said much when she looked into the dancing fire. Just soft, almost whispered, "You know your way out." It had hurt too much to turn around and watch him leave, instead lonely tears ran down her pale face. It'd been three years since she last saw him or heard from him. Every day, when Charlotte brought her mail, she had hoped. Heartbeats increased when her smooth fingers browsed through envelopes, every time her heart hurt when she saw none of his, almost calligraphic, writing. Though Clarisse had never told anyone about her feelings, and she suspected nor did he, theknowledge was out among the staff that the Queen and her Head of Security shared something deep and passionate. No one knew if it was simply an affair or romantic feelings that lived within them that would so deeply scar both of them. The day of Joseph's departure cut through their souls, leaving nasty wounds that would scar.
"Please, Gramma, think about it again. I..I really don't want to be here alone. I am scared. What if I do something wrong and then everyone is mad at me, including you, and there is no one here to help me and parliament will go crazy with me and kids will miss you and I will miss you and...and.." Mia talked faster than Clarisse ever heard her talk before, she was sad - of course she was - but the dowager Queen had made her decision. She was going to move out to her beautiful house in the outskirts of Pyrus, where she could finally be herself. Not Queen Clarisse Renaldi, the Queen of Genovia, but Clarisse Bonnet the woman who was finally free of duty, which haunted her all her life; since she was a little girl.
"Mia, my darling," She said, putting her arms around young Queen's shoulder,"I am not going far away and you are certainly not going to disappoint anyone. Besides, I don't believe Charlotte would let you make any mistakes. She cares about you as if you were her younger sister and Scott would give his life to protect you."She smiled, knowing that Mia would be left in presence of her most trusted people. Charlotte was like a daughter to the former Queen and she knew that no matter what, that previously shy and scared girl would protect her beloved granddaughter.
"I need it, darling. I need to start living again. I am finally free from the duty which has been my life for as long as I remember. Finally, I can just sleep in or read a book without being worried that I would let down my country and my people. I just can be a woman, feel like a woman, not like a person on whom everyone relies. And also, my love, why do you think I have a huge swimming pool and playroom? I want to see my great-grandchildren as often as I can, someone indeed has to teach them how to be a proper royals, don't you think?" She smiled, kissing her granddaughter forehead. "I love you so much Amelia and I have never been more proud of you than I am right now. You are going to make a perfect Queen of this country and a perfect mother for your little ones."
"Your Majesty?" Shades asked in this low voice of his. "We are ready when you are." He said, looking at both women who seemed to be much more sad then they wanted to admit.
"I am as ready as I will ever be, Scott. Please take care of Amelia and my great-granddaughters and..." A grin appeared on her face when she looked at Charlotte.."Look after her, because god help me if you don't. Trust me, you wouldn't like to face a very mad former queen, now would you?" Clarisse smirked when she saw how both Scott and Charlotte's faces were covered in several shades of red.
"I wouldn't dare, ma'am. She is my everything." Suddenly being brave he commented. Clarisse laughed, kissing Mia's cheek. "Goodbye, my love. We will see each other soon. I am sure of that. Kiss the girls goodbye from me when they are back."
Looking for the last time at the rooms in which she lived for many years she had never felt more free. Finally free. After a minute of silence she, Clarisse, the woman, turned around and left.
As soon as she disappeared behind the corner, Shades' smile turned into worried expression, making both women furrow their brows.
"Spill." It didn't take long for Mia to figure out that something was wrong. She looked into his eyes with the same look her grandmother had owned.
"We've got a problem." Charlotte looked at suddenly terrified Scott.
"What sort of we've got a problem we have, Shades?" Mia asked.
"Her neighbour. Katherine. Of course we checked her, and.. and this is Joseph's daughter."
"Shut up!" Young Queen exclaimed, covering mouth with her hands.
"Well, this is a problem. Did you tell her that?" Even though she was stunned and in obvious shock, Charlotte tried her best not show it.
"Are you crazy? She would have killed me with that look of hers! Of course I didn't. Besides, from what I know, Joe is living in the countryside and travelling."
"How do you even know that, Scott?"
"Your Majesty..."
"Mia, for god's sake, I am Mia. Please don't use my title here."
"Mia, then... We are, indeed, in contact. When he left he said that he would kill me if something happens to her and that he is more than sorry. He had to leave."
"Did he ever tell you the reason why, though?"
"Yes, Char. Katherine's kid had been ill. Leukemia. He died three years ago. Katie was depressed and she wasn't able to take care of her other child, Alexandra. Her, forgive me for saying this ma'am, fucking husband had left her as soon as Andrew died and Joseph had to help them. That's the reason why he left Clarisse."
Mia and Charlotte had tears in their eyes, everything suddenly seemed to make sense. Sudden departure, the deep sadness in his beautiful blue eyes and shadows on his face.
"What about Joe's wife?"
"From what I know, she died after giving birth to Katie; their second child. Joseph raised her himself and then sent both Katie and Jacob to a boarding school in Spain. They lived there with his mother for most of their lives. After Andrew's death Katherine moved in here to be closer to Joe and her brother. It is all I know."
"Oh my god,and she does not know about it, does she?" Mia's voice was cracking, knowing how sad her grandmother when Joe left the palace.
"No, she does not. And now Katherine and Alexandra are her neighbours so that indeed is our problem."
"You are not to tell her about this. No one can know, do you understand? This can't leave this room. If she knows that you didn't tell her, she is going to be very mad. I dare say she is going to be furious with us. Not a word. Now, go with her and act as if you know nothing."
Amelia's voice was full of anxiety and sadness. She knew that Clarisse, if she ever found out, would be devastated and angry that Joseph had never told her the truth." Taking a deep breathe she left her room, leaving Charlotte and Shades alone.
"What we are going to do?" Charlotte asked.
"Exactly what Her Majesty told us to do. We don't say a word and act as if we know nothing. Clarisse will know the truth eventually but it is Joseph who needs to tell her. And..." He started, taking a deep breathe. "Heisgoingtobehereinfewdays."
"Wait, wait, wait, what the hell did you just say?"
"Joseph, is going to be here in few days, visiting Katie. I am to meet him out for drinks."
"We are dead, Scott. If she ever knew that we had known the truth, she is going to be really mad."
"I know" He said, and left.
After all, the former Queen of Genovia, Clarisse Renaldi had a temper and, even though she was loved by everyone, she was feared by even the toughest.