"Joseph? Do you have a minute?" Clarisse asked as she approached him from down the hall.
"Of course Your Majesty." He followed her into her office and closed the door after himself as she started pacing the floor. "Is it really that bad?" He asked as he slowly approached her. She was a strong willed woman, she did not pace unless what she was thinking was something detrimental.
"Worse." She stopped pacing right in front of him, as Joseph remained silent letting her take her time with whatever she was about to say. "I just really need a friend right now." She started to close in on herself, so Joseph wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
"I'm here," he hesitated, "I'm here Clarisse." He never used her name except for when he held her similarly like this when Rupert and Philippe died. Her name was still foreign on his lips.
"It's the crown." She began. "I have to go to Philippe's daughter in America, she must take the thrown, otherwise, the Renaldi line is over and the VonTroken's take the crown."
"So when are we leaving?"
She pulled away from him enough to look into his strong and determined eyes. "We?"
"You didn't honestly thing I'd let you go through that alone, did you? Clarisse, I am here for you, any time of the day. You should know this by now."
"I do, I just didn't want to assume, or ask that of you." She sighed.
"You're not asking me, I'm telling you that I will be at your side, no matter what happens." He wrapped his arms tighter around her as she rested her head on his shoulder and took a deep breath. The smell of him consumed her senses and made her feel at peace, like every fear and worry she had suddenly washed away. Just as the queen washed away, and it was simply just Clarisse standing in Joseph's arms as she also wrapped her arms around him. After a few long and calming moments, the queen in her returned again and she slowly pulled herself out of his arms. "When are we leaving?" He asked when his eyes caught hers.
"I'm going to call Helen, and hopefully we can be on our way early next week."
"Then I will start making all the necessary arrangements immediately." He replied. As he slowly turned around to the door, he stopped when he felt her soft hand grab his.
"Thank you Joseph, I don't know what I would do without you."
"You'll never have to find out." He smiled, squeezed her hand, then left.
—
The palace was a buzz with the news that the queen was going to visit the princess in America. The next few days were busy as meetings had to be rescheduled, and bags had to be packed. Some of the staff were staying behind, but most were going with the queen. Naturally, Joseph was far too busy to allow any slacking from his team which included leaning against the wall. He was driving his team mad, but they understood, the queen's protection was the most important thing to him and no one dared to cross him as he had to plan security for an unknown amount of time at the embassy. But if the staff thought that Joseph was cross, then the queen was off the charts, her office had been void of interruptions as her anxiety took on physical forms. Joseph knew that with the both of them stressing out, the staff would be walking on eggshells around them. So he decided to brave what could come and knocked on Clarisse's office door. When he didn't get a response, he just let himself in, to see Clarisse leaning over a particularly tall stack of paperwork. "What is it?" Her annoyance was abundantly evident as she didn't look up.
"You could use a break. I thought a walk among your gardens would suffice." Joseph replied calmly as her head shot up at the sound of his voice.
"Oh! Joseph! I'm sorry— I hadn't noticed it was you. But I really have no time, I have all this work to do."
"The funny thing about paperwork," he began as he walked towards her, "is it will still be here after a nice walk." He smiled and stretched out his hand to her.
"Joseph I—"
He cut her off. "The rest of that sentence had better be 'I would love to join you.'"
She chuckled a bit. "You do realize that I'm the queen right?"
"I do, but as Head of Security, it is my job to instruct the queen on what is safe and what isn't, and frankly, all this paperwork isn't safe." He gave her a wicked smile, one that he reserved only for her at times like this. He sat on the corner of her desk and placed his hand overtop of her paperwork.
"How is that?"
"Consider this, if you don't stretch your legs every now and again they could cramp, and you could fall. We don't want that, do we?" He once again reached his hand towards her, only this time she took his hand and stood to her feet as he hopped off her desk and lead her out the door.
"You really are a bad influence Joseph. With you around, how am I expected to get any work done?" She teased.
"Without me, how are you going to have any fun?" He smiled as his hand moved to the small of her back as they stepped out into the garden.
"You're such a distraction." She smiled as he faked a hurt look. Then his look changed back into that wicked grin she knew only too well.
"If I were distracting you, you would know it." He winked at her.
"Oh? And how might you distract me?"
"Now, now. I can't go giving away all of my secrets, can I?"
"I never asked for all, Joseph, just one."
"I guess you, my queen, will just have to wait to know how I might distract you until such a time should occur when you need to be distracted."
"Very well," she gave him a smile then turned back to face forwards, "then I won't tell you how I might distract you."
He looked at her curiously. "When would I need distracting?"
"When you're too uptight." She stated matter-of-factly.
"Me? Uptight? I'm not uptight." He protested.
"Oh, you most certainly are. For example, you have a team of trained staff in that security hub of yours, yet you have a hard time delegating."
"That's because no one can protect you like I can. If something happened when someone else was guarding you, I would blame myself."
"Uptight." She repeated as they stopped walking at the fountain in the middle of the hedges.
"Being concerned about my queen's safety does not make me uptight, it makes me responsible in my duties."
"Sometimes it does make you uptight, but," she paused as she gently placed her hand on his cheek, "I appreciate it nonetheless." He was stunned. Sure, they'd held hands and hugged a few times when he was helping her up or comforting her, but this— this was new. He didn't know what to think, his head was racing. "And Joseph?" She said sweetly drawing him back from his transfixed state.
"Hmm?"
"That is how I can distract you." She smiled then dropped her hand and returned to walking around the fountain in circles. She started to laugh as he ran around the fountain to catch up to her.
"I might be old, but I'll always catch you." He said when he'd caught up to her.
"Good, I was hoping you might." She walked over to the nearest bench and took a seat, followed by Joseph seconds after. She leaned her head against his shoulder as his arm wrapped around her shoulders. "You were right Joseph, I really did need this. You always seem to know what I need."
"You learn a few things when you've been around someone as long as we've been around each other."
"That's true." She sigh into his neck. "You know, sooner or later, I do have to get back to that mountain on my desk."
"Later." He said definitively.
"Again, I'm still the queen."
"But as you've yet to move, I'd assume you've taken to my recommendation."
"Don't ruin this."
"Never my queen, never." he replied soothingly.
—
He took a deep breath then knocked on her door, and without waiting he just walked in. "Your Majesty?" He called as he closed the door.
"Oh Joseph! I'm ever so glad to see you." She sighed as she walked into the main room of her suit and took a seat. She then gestured for him to sit too.
"Today didn't go well." He stated.
"You can say that again. She doesn't want to be a princess? But what about Genovia?"
"If I may," he began but paused only long enough so that she could nod, "perhaps you needn't think of her as the princess, but think of her first and foremost, as your granddaughter. The princess needs her grandmother before the queen."
"But Genovia needs their princess."
"I don't deny that, Geneva does need an heir. But, if there is one thing I know about Renaldi women it's that they're incredibly stubborn but come around in the end. She will come around, I have no doubt in that, but you also have to come around too. She needs her grandmother to be her grandmother too, not just her queen." He watched as she smiled a bit at the comparison between herself and her granddaughter.
"But Genovia…" Clarisse started.
"This isn't about Genovia, Clarisse." He cut her off. "This is about you and the princess."
"Joseph!" She was shocked. She had seen him strict and equally as adamant in the past, but this was different. It wasn't uncommon for him to suggest things to her, but he'd never once dared tell her how she should live her personal life.
"I'm sorry Your Majesty. I was out of line."
"I needed to hear it." He stood up and took a seat beside her on the sofa.
"Forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive."
He took her hand in his and placed a soft kiss to the back of it. "Is that enough of a distraction?"
"A perfect distraction. Thank you."
—
"You've been wearing black too long." His words repeated over and over in her head the next morning after their dance that was far too personal to be just a dance. They'd been close— too close. Sure they had danced before, but that dance yesterday afternoon was different, it meant more than any other dance they'd shared. His arms were strong and firm around her as she let him take her into his arms. He never let go of her, not even for a second. With every spin they took, their dance became more and more intimate. She knew he was right, she was no longer wearing black out of grieving, but out of habit. After she dressed, part of her missed the black, but part of her had hope that things would start changing around her too. Not just her wardrobe, but those nearest to her too. With one last glance in the mirror, she steps out of her suite and makes her way to her office. Upon arriving she finds Joseph standing by her desk, his eyes fly up as he hears her footsteps. He very obviously takes in her looks. "Stunning this morning Your Majesty." Joseph breathed.
"You were right Joseph." She replies as she makes her way over to her desk.
"I often am." He answers smugly. "But what specifically this time?"
"I had been wearing black too long."
"Colour suits you beautifully. I've missed it."
"Well, as long as I am dressing to suit you." She scoffed.
"You know I didn't mean that. I simply meant, colour makes you stand out, and it's much easier to find your beauty. Whereas the black, though lovely, doesn't allow for your beauty to shine as much."
"Well then I should hope I'm not a distraction for you today." She gave him a sly smile.
"You always are, my queen."
—
"Joseph?" She called to him as she turn in his general direction.
"Yes my queen?" He bowed as he stepped closer.
"I think it's time I left and let Mia enjoy the ball with her friends." Clarisse smiled in the direction of her granddaughter whom just hours ago accepted her role as princess.
"If you'd please." Joseph gestured for her to lead as he followed one step behind. After leaving the ball room he moved to stand at her side as he waved away the guards along the hall. Once they were out of sight he took her hand in his, and as he kissed the back of it, his eyes never left hers as she turned to give him a sweet smile.
They continued their walk up the stairs in a comfortable silence as their hands were locked together. "Champagne?" She asked as the door to her suite drew nearer and nearer.
"Please." He said as he opened the door to her suite with his free hand.
"You know Joseph, I will need my hand to pour the glasses." She teased.
"Allow me." He slowly released her hand and closed the door before walking over to the champagne in a bucket of ice. "You had planned this?"
"Well, I wasn't going to drink alone. I knew you'd come through for me. You always have." She smiled as he walked over to her with the two, now full, champagne flutes. "Thank you Joseph." She tipped her glass against his gingerly, then took a sip of the shimmering gold liquid.
"I'd move a mountain if only to see you smile once."
"I'm sure a mountain would be less stubborn." She chuckled. "Oh, I am sorry Joseph, I know I've been rather difficult these past few months."
"You know I understand. I can't imagine any of this was easy for you."
"You're right of course, these past few months have been difficult. But I feel as though I've done nothing but be a burden to you."
"You could never be a burden to me, a distraction, yes, but never a burden." He smiled teasingly at her.
"Well, I apologize for being such a distraction then." She joked back as she moved past him to take a seat on the sofa.
"You're more than just a mere distraction to me Clarisse," he sat beside her and turned towards her, "you have to know that."
"I know Joseph, I've known for a while." She replied softly as her eyes met his. The conversation started to get too serious for her, so she quickly joked: "And you Joseph, are such a distraction."
"Who knew I could distract a queen so easily?" He smiled as he leaned back into his seat.
"I've always known. You've distracted me for years."
"How many years?" He turned back towards her.
"I've been distracted by you since the day we met Joseph, 35 years ago. There you were, standing in front of me calmly, and I nearly tripped over the chair I was sitting in when I went to approach you."
Joseph smiled, a piercing smile that he didn't use often. "That was the best day of my life."
"It was?"
"Yes. That was the day I realized how happy I'd be to be distracted by you every day of my life."
"I came to the same realization that day about you."
Joseph set his champaign on the table in front of him then took a hold of Clarisse's free hand. "Clarisse…"
Clarisse followed suit and placed her glass down beside his, and placed her palm delicately to his cheek. "Joseph…"
"May I…"
"Please." He didn't wait a second longer before touching his lips to hers.