Author's Note: I'm back...I got a bit off track last story (not that it didn't contribute to their story in some way!) but now I'm back on track (hopefully!)

The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!

SIX MONTHS LATER

It was a beautiful, early June morning in the small, proud nation of Genovia, a county situated between France and Spain, but while the rest of this dignified nation was still asleep (or just rising from their beds), their leader, His Majesty King Joseph Henrik Andre William Renaldi of Genovia had been up for an hour and was out on his usual early morning run on the palace grounds, after which he would do some work (in other words, sign papers, peruse his and his wife agendas for the day and skim the agenda for that day's parliament session) before heading upstairs for breakfast.

He always made sure to have breakfast with his wife, Her Majesty Queen Clarisse before spending a few minutes each with his sons (now five and three) and their now eight month old twin daughters, the highlight of his day. It was a necessary routine they had developed after the New Year, and while he hated that his time with the children was so limited, he tried to finish 'work' early so that he could put them to bed with Clarisse, and he was very much looking forward to that summer, when his time was his (and their) own...

After scrawling a few signatures on some paperwork that needed to be gone before breakfast and trade agreements that needed to be signed off on today, he paused a moment before going upstairs, reaching over the expanse of his desk to pick up a framed picture of him, Clarisse and their sons, taken the previous January (before Rupert's death and her pregnancy with the twins) and smiled, feeling slightly bittersweet- they had seemed so protected, so innocent the, oblivious to what was just around the corner, which had shaken them to their core.

But while the previous year had had it's fair share of highs (the twins) and lows (Rupert and Isabel's deaths, their marital problems) it had made them stronger as a couple and family, determined not to let things affect the royal marriage or their children.

Yes, the previous year had certainly thrown him and his beloved Clarisse a curve ball or two, but they had certainly made a determined effort to relax in the past six months, and not worry about anything...

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After one of the happiest Christmases the royal family had shared in a long time (although Joseph knew that ALL his Christmases with Clarisse, with and without children, had been wonderful), the week leading up to New Year had been relatively uneventful as the family remained in seclusion, relishing the rare opportunity not to be observed and enjoy their lives in privacy.

The boys instantly loved baby Shelley and, adhering to their father's instructions (as well as Nick and Clarisse's advice), were gentle and solicitous of her, the puppy gradually relaxing as she explored her new world (or "the first of two new worlds", Joseph couldn't help but joke) and accepted the new people in her life, although she had obviously made an immediate connection with Clarisse, leaping into her lap whenever she was sitting down, causing Phillipe to get a little jealous.

"She likes you more than us, Mama!" he accused her on New Year's Eve morning when, after entering the boys nursery with Joseph and discovering Shelley there, the puppy ran to her and sat on her feet, her tail indicating her gladness to see Clarisse.

"That's not fair, Phillipe," Joseph scolded, having seeing Clarisse blush guiltily, clearly feeling awful that Shelley seemed to prefer her to her real masters, Pierre and Phillipe.

"She has only been here a week, and she IS only young..."

"Maybe your mother has been bribing her with treats!" someone added from behind them, and they turned to see Henrik and Alexandra strolling into the room.

"Dad..." Joseph complained, not wanting a rift to occur between Clarisse and Phillipe, before he noticed Henrik wink at Clarisse and continue with his train of thought.

"...However, young Phillipe, little Shelley is only two months old, even younger than your baby sisters..."

Phillipe scowled at that- he still wasn't used to Claire and Grace, although Pierre had recently taken to shyly looking into one of the girls cribs, often reaching out to touch an arm or a leg, the baby in question clearly fascinating him.

"... And she is much, much smaller than any of you... I'm sure she will settle down eventually, but you need to give her time."

"Yeah!" Pierre added defiantly, sticking his tongue out at his younger brother, and Joseph had to quickly step forward to prevent a punch up between the two little boys as Phillipe raced towards his brother angrily and Shelley cowering behind Clarisse, whimpering softly.

"Stop it, you two! Shelley belongs to all of us, but you're the ones who are going to look after her- she is a family pet- and I know you're excited to have her, but Shelley is not a toy, she's a baby dog and she needs time to settle in... so, yes while you will eventually be responsible for her, there may be times when she may feel comfortable with your mother rather than two very excitable, energetic boys..." he smiled fondly at them for a moment.

"But we are NOT going to make Mama feel guilty if Shelley goes to her, are we?" he looked at them sternly, softening only when the boys nodded almost meekly and Shelley shyly scampered towards them, her tiny tail wagging, and Phillipe grinned.

"Of course not, Papa, they're both girls!"

While there would be a slight transition period as boys and dog adjusted to each other, there was no sign of that slight tension at the New Year's Eve Ball that evening, which was again an enjoyable evening and a massive success, the King and Queen the undisputed centre of attention.

It was Clarisse's first 'official' function in months, her official re-emergence back into public life since she went into confinement and her daughters were born, and while there were plenty of questions about the twins and when they would appear in public for the first time, Clarisse deflected most of the questions with a warm smile and a simple "at their christening" before moving the conversation along.

It didn't bother her that now, as Queen (and no pregnancy to preclude her), she had to dance with all the members of parliament that had shown up (thankfully, Viscount Mabrey hadn't been able to make it) and she did so for much of the evening, experiencing two different types of men- the first group, the older members, were dazzled by her but were still convinced she wasn't as intelligent as her husband and thus spoke to her very little, or condescendingly; the other group, which consisted of a smaller (but hopefully growing) group of men around her husband's age or slightly older, who were impressed by how well informed she was, despite being out of the loop for much of the past four months, and they spoke to her about some of the issue concerning Genovia at that moment, appreciating her input.

It was almost midnight when she finally finished her official duties, much to her relief and, after unsuccessfully scanning the room, looking for Joseph, was heading towards the ballroom doors, intending on heading upstairs and checking on the children before midnight (fully intending on being back before the hour and the new year arrived).

She was almost at the doors when she felt someone take her hand and spin her around so that she was facing them, something that startled her... and it turned out to be Joseph grinning her as she smiled back- she should have known it would have been him as no one else would have dared to touch her in such a familiar way.

"Don't tell me Her Majesty is trying to escape from her own ball before midnight and before she danced with her husband?" he teased as he led her out into the middle of the ballroom and smoothly swept her up into a waltz. "That's not acting like a hostess..." he chided gently, but she knew he was only joking.

"Well, I couldn't see you anywhere, and I though I'd have the chance to check on the foursome upstairs... but, sadly, I was thwarted by a handsome gentleman who came to claim his dance with me..." she looked at him with sparkling eyes and he smiled as he briefly removed her hand from his shoulder and kissed her gloved hand.

"I was going to say now, but... he was far too charming... and I had wanted to dance with him too," she admitted with a coy smile, but before Joseph could respond, the conductor of the orchestra stepped forward to announce:

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's only one minute to minute..." before the buzz in the ballroom drowned him out as husbands and wives, friends and family looked for each other in the crowd, Joseph discreetly moving him and Clarisse towards a darkened corner.

"You don't have to do this," she protested quietly, half wanting people to know that their relationship and marriage weren't in trouble, and that she was far more confident in her new role, yet still wanting to maintain some mystery about them, a quandary Joseph clearly sensed as he smiled at her and wove his arms protectively around her waist.

"Yes I do... we may be King and Queen of Genovia, but our marriage is our lonely, not something we should share with the rest of the country... I know you want the gossiping to stop," he looked at her with a mixture of tenderness and sympathy in his eyes, knowing that people were still talking about them and their marriage being in trouble.

"However, we don't need to pander to anyone... there are only two of us..." he gently stroked her cheek as they moved further into the dark corner, hearing the usually stuffy crowed happily relaxed and counting down to the New Year before...

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" they all bellowed as one as the noise literally deafened Joe and Clarisse.

"Happy New Year," Joseph and Clarisse murmured in unison before their lips met in a sweet, loving, passionate kiss, the entire ballroom fading into the background as they celebrated the advent of the new year in their own, special way...

0

After the New Year, the rest of their Christmas break was quiet and private, Joseph revelling in the free time he was able to spend with his wife and children and, before the royal family returned to the Pyrus Palace (Henrik and Alexandra off on another jaunt in Europe), Joseph whisked Clarisse off for a day away for their anniversary (it couldn't be overnight as the twins were still nursing), just a simple lunch in a nearby restaurant, before returning and locking themselves in their suite, emerging only to see the children before they went to bed.

"Six years ago today, we became husband and wife," he marvelled as, after saying goodnight to the children, they strolled back to their suite and again, he locked the doors behind him. "It's been the best six years of my life- I never thought I would get married or be so happily married with you."
"So I should lo

ok forward to the 'seven year itch'?" Clarisse teased as, in the bedroom, she slipped off her robe to reveal the cream satin and Genovian lace negligee she had ordered for an evening like this, smiling to herself as she heard Joseph's breath catch- he was obviously still physically attracted to her, even after four children...

It still surprised her that, for a man who had partied his way through his adolescence and early twenties away, his devotion to the children and their marriage but she loved it.

He was smiling as she slowly turned to face him, a slightly shy expression on her face- he knew she still had trouble believing not only her influence over him but also how easy his transition from playboy to husband had been, but he had been ready to get married and Clarisse had appeared at the precise moment he had relaxed that, albeit as, firstly, the future bride of Rupert... what a nightmare that could have been, he often reflected, if his older brother had decided to pursue Clarisse with the full intention of making her HIS wife, mother of HIS heirs and Queen... not that, sadly in some instances, it hadn't happened in the past year...

"Darling? Are you alright?" he suddenly heard Clarisse ask and he looked up to see her standing in front of him, looking anxious yet lovely and appealing in the negligee he had already stripped off her earlier that afternoon, and he smiled lovingly at her as he reached over and pulled her into his arms, cuddling her close.

"I'm fine... and no, I'm 100 percent certain I will not be feeling the seven year itch this year or next year... I am utterly and completely in love with you, my love, my wife, mother of our four beautiful children and Queen of Genovia, and I'm sure that that's not ever going to change... " before he bent down slightly to kiss her and, before she knew it, he was carrying her towards the bed...

"Happy anniversary," she murmured dreamily as his lips moved from her lips to her neck, shoulder, chest, his hands gently caressing her, touching her, quickly divesting her of her nightgown, ans her hands doing the same with his pyjamas, and she shivered slightly from the momentary loss of contact as he sat up slightly to beam down at her tenderly, loving every inch of her. He suspected she felt a little self conscious about her figure after four babies, but he loved her just as she was...

"Happy anniversary, my beautiful, sweet, kind darling Clarisse... here is to many, many more wedding anniversaries together..."

0

King Joseph and Queen Clarisse returned to their royal titles, duties and responsibilities in early February, and the press warmly welcomed their Queen back, and although there were again gentle inquiries about the twins (which were politely ignored- the twins would be seen at their christening, not before or after (Joseph had certainly learned his lesson about that), she had been a little afraid that they would take her to task for her long absence from public life but, as Joseph suggested, they seemed to understand- a healthy, happy Queen and royal family was just as important as a stable government.

The major event of February was, at the end of the month with the unveiling of a lasting tribute to Rupert and Isabel, which including a memorial service that, despite her years of training, clearly and visibly upset the Dowager Queen Alexandra who, uncharacteristically, clung to her husband and remaining son during the service and at the unveiling afterwards.

Clarisse, desperately sorry for her mother in law (and fervently hoping that she and Joseph would never have to bury a child) was content to remain in the shadows, even suggesting that she stand with Andre and Andrea during the events, but her husband surprised her with the vehemence of his disapproval and the way he kept her close to him all morning, her hand never leaving his grasp.

"My parents might need me today, but I need YOU just as much- you're my tower of strength," he murmured after the unveiling of Rupert's memorial (a plaque and portrait of him and Isabel) at Pyrus Museum. He was about to say more when his mother stepped up next to him, interrupting his train of thought.

"Joseph, your father and the Prime Minister wish to speak to us privately over there...Clarisse," she added, turning to her daughter in law with a slightly condescending air, quite unlike the warm mother figure she usually was. "Why don't you mingle with our guests and we'll catch up with you later, if not here, then back at the palace..." before turning back to her son.

Joseph was horrified to notice, before she quietly slipped into the crowd, a dull flush colour Clarisse's cheeks and the mortified expression on her face, and was annoyed at the way his mother had spoken to her, his wife and mother of her grandchildren, and dismissed her like she was a servant, but before he could say anything to her, or follow Clarisse to apologize, he found himself gently pushed towards the corner where his father and Andre were waiting...

By the time their conversation had ended (which had been about something so insignificant, Clarisse could have been included), and he had turned, searching the room for her, it took him seconds to realize she was gone, obviously having returned to the palace to help organize the light lunch his mother had organize for the select group of friends they had invited, and he felt sorry for her.

"You're awfully quiet," his mother commented in the limousine on the way back to the palace, having not noticed that Clarisse wasn't with him. "However, I don't blame you- it's been a difficult day for all of us, and it will be over soon..."

Joseph was about to retort that while the day, realizing Rupert wasn't there was difficult, it wasn't the day itself that had made him so quiet, but rather the way she had treated her only daughter in law but, after a look from his father, he chose not to say anything about that, instead agreeing:

"Indeed, it has been a long day..." before looking out the window again as the landscape passed them by, wanting this day to be over and missing his brother like he never had before...

Back at the palace, everything was set up and waiting for the guests, and after greeting the early arrivals, Joseph hurried up the twins nursery and, as he had expected, she was rocking one of the girls (not sure which one, as he was too far away) to sleep, her sister in her crib and the boys playing quietly with Shelley in a corner.

"I knew I'd find you here!" he said jovially as the boys waved at him, Shelley yipped and Clarisse smiled slightly as she rested Grace on her shoulder and rubbed her back soothingly.

"I'll be downstairs soon... I just want to settle the boys down to lunch, but I'm sure we won't be sitting down for a while."

"Not many have arrived yet," he waved his hand downwards. "However, I actually wanted to apologize to you."

"What for?" Clarisse looked at him blankly as she stood and walked back to the crib with the 'G' sewn on to it.

"My mother's behaviour towards you before- she treated you like you were a servant, and she shouldn't have," he looked at her seriously, still annoyed at what had happened. "There was no reason you couldn't have joined us, the conversation was nothing serious."

""It's alright, today is a difficult day for her and your father," she said mildly, but he didn't look convinced.

"She had no right to treat you like that...I know my brother's death hit her hard, but she had no right..."

"Joseph," Clarisse began calmly, seeing his irritation grown as she walked over to him. "It's sweet that you're annoyed, wanting to defend my honour, but it's fine... really," and his expression softened slightly as he looked into her eyes. "Today, you're her remaining son and she needs you... I'm more than happy to stay in the background."

"Alright, just as long as you're alright," he said gruffly, pulling her close. "You've always been everything to me... but today has just reinforced those feelings..." he murmured before he kissed her gently, both of them momentarily forgetting the guests downstairs...

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PRESENT:

His musings were interrupted as he now realized that he was standing in front of their closed suite doors, but before he could move his hand towards the handle (he hated the guards standing on either side opening the doors- he wasn't completely incapable), the door was opened to reveal Clarisse standing there, smiling warmly at him.

"There you are! I was wondering where you were!"