Josef didn´t know if he should laugh or cry- protecting the queen?
The girl who was to marry Prince Rupert a few weeks from now was but sixteen, he most probably would be on this job for the rest of his life.
Josef sighed, running his fingers through his black hair.
There was no way to decline the job, it was too much of an honor, especially for a man who had only been trained for a little over two years- perhaps it wouldn´t be as bad as he thought now.
He had been in the palace before but the waste corridors were confusing as he followed the prince´s personal secretary.
How long might it take to truly know where once was going Josef wondered but his thoughts were interrupted when the other man knocked on a door and they were bid to come inside.
The crown prince of Genovia was seated behind an antique desk, a stack of papers in front of him and at the sight of his visitors his handsome face lighted up.
"FInally a reason to abandon my papers" he joked, getting up and shaking Josef´s hand.
"I´m glad you could come here at such short notice- my bride has just arrived and is settling into her rooms now and I´d rather know her under qualified protection straight away."
Josef nodded, smiling politely at the prince.
"Of course, your Majesty- I suppose the princess will have a say in whether she wants me to take on the job though?"
For a moment the prince looked puzzled, then he laughed.
"I can´t see you two not getting along, you are easily the best man for the job and Clarisse- well, she isn´t a person not to warm up to instantly."
Josef nodded again, obviously the future king hadn´t even given the possibility that they might not get along well a thought or perhaps he didn´t care much as long as he thought Josef was the best man to protect the young princess.
Josef couldn´t help but see the situation a bit more complicated, given that the queen would have to trust him completely as well as spend a lot of time in his company but he would simply have to wait until he had met her.
"I suppose I should introduce you then" the prince stated, leading the way over to the office door.
The queen´s rooms were a far distance off from the office and when they finally got there Josef was even more astonished how big the palace actually was but he had no time to dwell further on it.
The door opened and the prince led Josef inside, dismissing the maids that had been bustling around the room with a nod of his head.
He then turned to a young girl who had been standing in front of the window.
"Clarisse, dear, I´d like to introduce you to someone."
When she turned around Josef´s breath got caught in his throat, she was so beautiful, slim and fair with fine blond hair and ivory skin and eyes of the deepest blue Josef had ever seen.
A shy smile spread over her lovely face and Josef thought how young and innocent she looked and yet she would be queen in less than a month at the sight of a man she hardly knew, she must be a lot stronger than she looked right now.
"Clarisse, this is Josef, he´ll be responsible for your safety- Josef, her Highness, the princess."
Josef kissed the young woman´s hand, still feeling a bit breathless.
"It´s a pleasure to meet you" she offered, her voice was warm and gentle, very much like Josef had imagined it.
"The pleasure is mine, your Highness."
He replied, then stepped back and noticed a satisfied smile on Prince Rupert´s face, he was obviously relieved that his bride seemed to like Josef instantly.
"Good, good- so that seems settled then, Josef, could we meet at my office tomorrow at three and go over the details of your employment?"
Josef nodded.
"Of course, your Highness."
"Splendid- I´ll leave you two to get to know each other a little better then, I´ll see you at dinner, Darling."
He kissed Clarisse´s cheek, then nodded to Josef and excited the room, leaving Josef alone with the future queen.
He didn´t know what to say and was glad when she began a conversation instead.
"I hope you had a choice in this" she said, her shy smile still in place.
"There must be more interesting options than guarding a teenage girl."
Josef smiled back at her, she was absolutely enchanting and she didn´t even seem to be aware of it.
"It´s an honor, your Highness" he assured her, bowing his head and she blushed, sighing deeply.
"I wish you wouldn´t do this- the title, it´s- I feel as though all of a sudden I´m this distant thing no one realizes to be human anymore."
"I´m sorry if it makes you feel like that but I´m afraid it´s what comes with being a queen" Josef half smiled and she nodded.
"You are right of course, I´m sorry, I´m being ridiculous."
A knock on the door interrupted them and one of the queen´s maids stuck her head inside.
"We were wondering if we could resume unpacking, your Highness."
Clarisse nodded.
"Yes, thank you, Jeanette."
She looked back at Josef.
"Thank you."
"What for?"
"For listening to the silly rambling of a scared child" she whispered, then she turned away from him and towards her maids who had started to fuss over her wardrobe.