Beach House

Disclaimer: I do not own the original characters.

Chapter 1

"I'm going to go for a holiday… on my own," proclaimed the Queen with a self assured smile on her face and there was silence for a while.

"Erm… Then I think I should inform the household to arrange everything Your Majesty." Charlotte was a bit at a loss. "We need to chose the staff first, of course. Maybe Olivia, Shades, the kitchen staff and…"

"No, no, no, Charlotte," the queen cut her off quickly. "I'm just going to the beach house for a couple of days. There's really no need such a big organization. I want to go alone."

"You mean with a smaller staff, right?" Charlotte tried, while Joseph was smiling behind her, fully enjoying the show.

"No. I meant I want to go alone."

"Oh I see!" cried Charlotte relieved. "Only with a housemaid, a chef, a security man and me of course?"

"No Charlotte, I think you're misunderstanding me." Clarisse was smiling patiently. "When I said 'alone', I meant 'ALONE'. You know, only me, without anybody else. Just… ME."

"With my deepest respect, Your Majesty, you cannot go alone." Clarisse raised an eye bow. "You will need someone to help you with dressing and…"

"I can dress on my own, thank you, Charlotte."

"Then you need someone to cook for you…"

"Oh don't worry about me, it will be a challenge." She smiled. "Please, don't look at me that way Charlotte, I'm not totally helpless, I'm just a queen."

"I've never ever thought you would be helpless, Your Majesty." Charlotte started blushing, while Joseph felt a little sorry for her, but it was too funny to be stern.

"So… can I go alone?"

"Certainly not, Your Majesty!" Charlotte had to be persistent. "I admit that you can dress on your own, can make a dinner and maybe you won't need an assistant on your vacation, but…" She paused for a long moment. "You surely need security."

"Oh tosh!" Clarisse waved like it would be a totally nonsense idea. "I will be in the royal holiday home, far away from everything. What could happen to me?! And besides, I really do not need some annoying security team like Shades and Lionel, not that I don't like them, but it's my holiday. I need peace…if only for a couple of days of course."

She looked so sweet, her eyes like a puppy; but that was not enough for Charlotte. "I'm sorry Your Majesty, but you must have security."

"Then I will go," came the sound of a final solution from the back of the room and they both turned around.

"Erm… sorry?" asked Clarisse, looking at Joseph.

"I'm just saying, that if you really want to go 'alone' on this vacation, which means with a security man, of course - yes, I agree with Charlotte this time- then I will escort you, if it's acceptable."

"But you are going to go for your usual holiday…"

"No, I can go anytime for a vacation, but you CANNOT, so it's simple, I will postpone my holiday. Is that ok?"

"No, Joseph, absolutely not. I cannot ask you to do such a thing…"

"That's true." He smiled, stepping closer. "Because you do not have to ask… I will go with you, but only if it's ok with you to spend a few days in my company."

"Of course it's ok! I mean…" She tried to hide her smile. "That would be lovely."

To be continued…