Declaimer: I don't own anything. I just like to play with the characters.

Summary: Clarisse and Rupert enjoy an evening out… with unforeseen consequences.

An Evening Out

Chapter One: Of Love And Fear

It was a warm summer night. Joseph, personal bodyguard of his majesty king Rupert, waited for the royal couple to leave for the palace. He had escorted them on their evening out. The king had chosen the opera as surprise for her majesty queen Clarisse. The show had just ended and the royals had sent their compliments to cast and crew for the wonderful show. So Joseph waited for them to leave the building. While the couple descended the grand staircase in the foyer he caught himself staring at his queen. That evening Clarisse wore a floor length blue gown accentuating the color of her eyes. Rupert helped her into her thick white fur coat. Some ladies of the upper class thought ill of her because she detested real fur and only ever wore fake fur. But Clarisse couldn't bear the thought of animals being slaughtered for some people's luxury. When they arrived at Joseph' side he averted his gaze, knowing his place in this constellation. Luckily the couple hadn't noticed his gaze.

Rupert took Clarisse' hand and let her out of the opera. She was happy and smiled at him, putting her head at his shoulder. "Thank you Rupert, I had the most wonderful evening." Rupert returned her smile and they descended the stairs arm in arm. At that moment Clarisse felt a love for her husband, she hadn't felt in a long time. She wanted to show him her feelings and her gratitude for his beautiful idea. Just as they were walking out of the shadows and into the spotlight in front of the grand building, she pulled him at his arm back into the shadows and kissed him lovingly. As their lips parted the sound of a shot and a scream was heard. Joseph, their ever present shadow pushed them both behind the next column.

Only when Rupert held Clarisse in his arms and she felt the hard stone of the column at her back, she realized what had happened. That the scream had been hers and the shot just narrowly missed her husbands' body and hit exactly this column they were now hiding behind. Clarisse didn't even hear Joseph's voice when he asked her if she was alright, she had only eyes for her husband. She had to be sure that he really was unharmed. Rupert felt his wife's body trembling in his arms and heard his own blood rushing. He looked in her eyes and saw his fear reflected in them. He tried to smile at her but a second shot took all his thoughts back to danger. He feared for her life, even if he knew it was him they were after. She looked so vulnerable. So small in his arms.

Rupert blamed himself for this situation. For his stubbornness. He had insisted on taking just a small security detail. Against Joseph' warning. Now his mistake endangered not only himself but Clarisse as well. He didn't even hear Joseph giving orders to his men. His eyes were only on her. Just than his gaze landed at her shoulder. "You're wounded… you're bleeding, Clarisse." Clarisse slowly followed his gaze and saw the little amount of blood that showed at her shoulder. She hadn't even felt it when the ricochet grazed her flesh. She saw the fear in her husband's eyes doubling and pulled him against her to fend off the ascending panic. She raised her mouth to his ear and whispered soothing words. "I'm alright my darling. It's just a graze. Nothing to worry about." He hadn't even time to think about her words. Joseph and his men took them both back into the building and down to the garage. Words of the assassin being arrested grazed his ears.

Clarisse held onto Rupert's hand even when they were safely back at the palace. As soon as they had been in the car Rupert gave order to call the doctor to the palace. Joseph held them both down as long as they were near the scene of crime. When they had left the city Rupert gently pulled her coat from Clarisse' injured shoulder and gratefully took the handkerchief Joseph was offering. Clarisse watched his hands while he carefully dapped at the small wound. It amazed her time and time again with what gentleness those strong hands could caress her. And gave her a feeling of safety. Such safety she usually only experienced while Joseph was near her. Guiding her through a crowd of journalist. She looked at her husband's bodyguard, taking in his features. Joseph sat opposite them, gazing into nothingness and then back at the royal couple. Once their eyes met, but he quickly averted his gaze.

Was that guilt on his face? Joseph tried to avoid looking at her again. Seeing the wound, even this small one, let him doubt his abilities as a bodyguard. It was his job to protect the king. To foresee situations like the one which caused the couples worries. But he had been distracted. Distracted by his love for his Queen. By her beauty and her smile, a smile she gave her husband.

Her husband, not him. The man who tonight nearly had paid the prize for Joseph's mistake. He was not able to forget the sound of her scream when the bullet hit the column. He wasn't sure he would ever be. And maybe it was right. It would remind him of his failure and its consequences. He would make damn sure to never again get himself distracted from his task. If he got the chance to make it right, that was. Surely the king would dismiss him. Who needed a bodyguard who was unable to protect his ward.

The driver's voice raised him out of his thoughts. They were just passing the palace gates.

Some guards helped Clarisse and Rupert out of the car and into the palace. Joseph took his time to get out. He didn't even respond when Shades spoke to him. He just wanted to get under his shower and get ready for his majesty's wrath. As if you ever could be prepared for your own execution. He doubted it.

Tbc

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