Author's note: Just some Clarisse x Joseph moments prior to Princess Diaries. :D

Disclaimer: It's terribly unnecessary, but I guess I'm still obligated to say that I do not own Princess Diaries in any way.

The Butterfly Queen

Chapter 1: The Butterfly Queen

"Do you think she's alright? She's never stayed out for this long a stretch before." A girl with blonde bushy pigtails whispered worriedly from the corner of her mouth, her eyes never leaving the regal figure that strolled along the rose bushes.

"I don't know – ooo but my feet are killing me already. Oh, she does love the gardens so!" The other girl grumbled, as she shifted her weight from foot to foot irritably.

"Mine too," the blonde admitted with a wince, "But I completely understand. She deserves some cheering up, you know. I'd go half mad with grief myself, I would." A sudden chilly breeze swept by and she instinctively adjusted her maids cap and smoothed her rippling apron to undo its mischief.

Her friend's dazed brown eyes lit with sudden interest; the brunette forgot her burdened feet momentarily and joined in eagerly.

"Oh, that was the most tragic thing! To have both King Ruper – "

" – mayherestinpeace."

The maid flapped her hand impatiently.

"Yes, yes, mayherestinpeace…and Prince Philippe – now don't you start again!" She quickly warned with a wag of her finger.

Her friend gasped. "Susan! We have to observe the proper protocol!"

"Fine, fine, may he rest in peace too," Susan declared with exaggerated patience and muttered, while gazing longingly at a garden bench several yards away, "I quite envy him right now actually."

"Susan!"

"All I'm saying is, she's taken to spending hours on end in this very stuffy – "

" – and enchanting." The girl with the pigtails offered eagerly.

"Thanks, Millie. Stuffy and enchanting garden – ever since the accident – for the past five weeks! Oh I love our queen to bits, but I really can't take much more of this…" So absorbed in self-pity was the girl, that she missed the distant ominous rumble of thunder that rolled across the darkening sky.

Millie, herself, was hardly listening as she stared transfixed at her queen.

"It's such a lovely picture though, don't you think? The way her Majesty moves so gracefully and daintily from blossom to blossom", she said dreamily, flinging out her arms expressively, "Just like a flitting butterfly fairy."

There was a prolonged pause.

"You've been reading Enid Blyton again, haven't you?" Susan accused, with raised eyebrows.

"O…only to my nieces!" The maid stuttered; cheeks reddened. "And don't you dare tell anyone about this!"

"Tell them what? That you compared our esteemed and beloved Queen Clarisse to an insect?" Susan teased.

"Oh? And which insect was that?"

The maids gasped with a start at the sound of the low, quiet voice behind them. Wincing, they turned reluctantly, bracing themselves to face the wrath of the silent intruder.

Staring determinedly down, both red and shamefaced, Susan was the first to speak.

"We're sorry, Joe. We didn't mean any disrespect to her Majesty. We – "

"Do you know how much trouble you're in?" Joseph interjected with mock severity, tapping the ground with the slender, ebony umbrella he held in his hands.

"How much have you heard?" Susan joked weakly, but drooped under his stern gaze.

"I was being so silly!" Millie broke in nervously. "She just looked so beautiful…so graceful, the roses, the bushes, her hair, graceful…roses…"

Susan silenced her babbling friend with a surreptitious glare.

"And Millie here…uh…said her Majesty resembled…well…a butterfly…which hardly counts as an insect!"

"…fairy." Millie corrected with a shy mumble.

The chief bodyguard had tried valiantly to resist the urge to smile at the young maid, who almost gushed as she spoke of Clarisse, but ended up turning away to conceal his grin. The maids, unfortunately, misread his reaction and flooded him with a fresh wave of apologies, hoping to charm him over.

Joseph quickly silenced them with a raised hand. He took off his shades and tucked them into his black leather coat. The maids relaxed. Of course, he was only teasing – they could see his blue eyes twinkling with mirth.

"What interesting conversations you both have." He remarked dryly, causing them to blush.

Clearing his throat, he assumed a more business-like tone. "Charlotte's attending to some administrative matters for her Majesty at the moment and asks that you prepare tea for the queen – preferably before she catches a cold in this chilly weather."

"Oh but of course! I'll inform her Majesty at once!" Susan responded hurriedly.

"No, that's alright. Just prepare her tea – I'll escort her in." Joseph was surprised to hear the possessive note that had entered his voice at his last statement. He was also slightly disturbed to catch the maids exchange a quick, meaningful glance. Had they noticed? Clearing his throat yet again, he dismissed the maids more gruffly than he intended to.

"Now scat."

Both Susan and Millie made a clumsy dash back to the palace, partly due to their overstrained calf muscles that felt stubbornly knotted and defiant.

Chuckling softly at the maids' hurriedly retreating backs, Joseph turned and directed his attention to the lone lady admiring her garden – who seemed oblivious to the rumpus that had been going on behind her. He shook his head appreciatively; all amusement had melted away.

The somber bodyguard watched her intently as she cradled each plump red blossom lovingly in turn with such grace and tenderness that –

Joseph blinked back tears, startled. Not again! What was the matter with him? He had become all choked up yet again! Why, lately it seemed he had become as sentimental as…as…a heartbroken poet on a rainy day! The head of Genovian security smiled ironically at the last thought, and quickly forced the embarrassing image out of his mind.

He made a move to approach his queen, but was quickly distracted by another threatening growl of thunder from the gloomy skies.

"Speaking of rain…" Joseph muttered to himself, shaking his umbrella loose while staring accusingly at the heavy grey clouds looming over the palace grounds.

~T B C~

Author's note: Thanks for reading! I promise to keep the brain juices flowing :D