The Mistletoe

I know it's a bit short. But I hope you'll enjoy the story nonetheless. Merry Christmas to everyone.

Sighing Clarisse stepped into the shower. It had already been a long day and it wasn't over yet. There was still the Christmas Ball to attend. But a nice long shower would help her recover some of her energy she would need for the festivities.

When she got out of the shower again she felt a little better. Indeed it had been refreshing. But still… Somehow she felt … lonely. She wasn't sure whether it was because of the upcoming Christmas or because it was another Christmas she would spend alone. Mia would spend the holidays with her mother but she was here for the ball at least.

Sighing again Clarisse looked through her wardrobe, looking for a dress. Finally she settled for a ball gown in a deep burgundy red. Indeed she would spend Christmas alone. There was no man in her life at the moment … even though, if she was honest with herself, she had fallen in love some time ago. But the one would never love her… She was his queen, and even if it hadn't been for that he probably wasn't interested in her anyway.

After applying some make-up she took another look at herself and then left her suite. It was already time to go down to the ballroom in order to welcome all the guests. Mia would hopefully join her soon there.

When Clarisse approached the ballroom she saw that Mia was already there, at the moment talking with Joseph. Joseph… Clarisse surpressed another sigh and her queen's façade slipped into place.

"Hello Mia. You look beautiful." Smiling Clarisse hugged her granddaughter. Mia had opted for a red dress embroidered with green.

"Hi Grandma. And look at you. You look gorgeous." Mia kissed her grandmother lightly on the cheek.

"Joseph." Clarisse nodded and her smile widened when Joe took her hand and placed a kiss on top of it.

"Your Majesty… you look truly beautiful tonight." Joe gave her hand another squeeze before offering her his arm to guide her into the ballroom. Since Rupert had passed away Joseph had made it a custom to accompany her. He didn't know anymore when exactly he had fallen in love with Clarisse but his love for her had never wavered.

After entering the beautifully decorated ballroom Clarisse welcomed her guests. Fulfilling her duty as queen and as host she talked to numerous people before dancing with several of the men. She was extremely pleased when Joseph asked her to dance and accepted gracefully. She always enjoyed the feeling of being held by him,the way he swept her across the dancefloor… When the music stopped she realized that Mia looked at them and giggled. Wondering what was the matter with the girl she followed her gaze and saw what caused the amusement. They had ended up right under the mistletoe.

When she saw that she blushed slighty. Joseph just gave her a small smile and wanted to move them away from the dangerous place but Mia anticipated his move and objected.

"Oh no, Joseph. It's tradition. You two have to kiss." The grin on Mia's face was rather un-royal and couldn't have been bigger.

Sensing Clarisse being a little uncomfortable Joe just shrugged and gave her a small peck on the cheek which caused Mia to groan in frustration. Shaking her head the young girl turned around to talk to some of her friends.

The rest of the evening was rather uneventful, and so Clarisse was grateful when she could say goodbye to the last of her guests. She was really exhausted now. Mia had already said goodnight and retreated to her rooms.

As always Joe was still with her and waited until she would retreat to her rooms for the night. Together they took one last look through the now empty ballroom. Suddenly Clarisse stopped in her tracks and turned towards Joe.

"Thanks for dancing with me tonight, Joseph." She looked at him smiling, touching his arm lightly.

"It was my pleasure, Clarisse." He smiled back at her and brought her hand to his lips. Somehow the two of them had always been rather close, and Joe was the only staff member who was allowed to call her by her given name. Which he had accepted gratefully. It was the only kind of intimacy he could have with her, even though after Rupert's death it had become custom for him to dance with her on occasions like this.

Clarisse looked at him lovingly, before her gaze travelled further up,finally realizing where they were. Again. And again she blushed. Joe looked up to see what caused her to blush this time only to see that it was the mistletoe. Again.

Stepping a little closer Joseph circled her waist tentatively with his arm, giving her the chance to step away if she didn't want that.

"It's tradition, you know." He said.

"And who am I not to follow tradition." Clarisse stepped even a little closer and brought her arms around his neck. With no one watching it was so easy to let go of her status as queen and just be a woman in love.

Carefully Joe lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers. Not feeling her move away he gathered more courage and kissed her again, this time more firmly.

Clarisse moaned lightly. This was just too good to be true. Her arms circled closer around Joe's neck on their own accord. When she felt Joe deepening the kiss she eagerly responded. How long had she waited for that man to kiss her? Way too long.

Finally breaking the kiss Joe took a step away from her and brought his hand up to caress her cheek gently.

"I love you, Clarisse." Holding his breath he waited for her response. Even though she had just kissed him back he wasn't too sure whether or not she would accept his love. Deep down in his heart he knew that she loved him too but there was still her love for her country. And her duty of ruling until Mia was old enough and ready to take over the throne.

Clarisse closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Joe's skin on hers. This was all she had ever dreamed of.

"And I love you." To hell with duty. She loved her country and it was still one of her first priorities but Clarisse decided that she had lived without love long enough. Her marriage with Rupert had been an arranged one, and even though they had grown quite fond of each other over the years it had never been true love. And now there was Joseph, the one who would read her eyes and fulfil her wished before she even told him. Somehow he was always a step ahead of her.

Joe happily started breathing again. He leaned his forehead against hers, just enjoying the knowledge that she loved him and the closeness.

"You know that I still have my duties as queen." Clarisse whispered.

"I know that. But I promise we can make this work. You deserve to be happy." Joe said, caressing her back lazily.

Later that evening when Joe settled in his bed he thought about the events of the evening. He couldn't believe that Clarisse actually loved him. But it made him the happiest man in the world.

A couple of doors away Clarisse lay in her bed with similar thoughts. Smiling to herself she hugged the pillow and with a happy smile on her lips she fell asleep. Her last thought was how Mia would react when she found out but knowing her granddaughter the girl would be happy for her.

About one hour later a lonely figure crept through the dark castle towards the ballroom, collecting the several mistletoes that had been placed in the ballroom. Mia smiled to herself. Her little scheme had worked beautifully. And finally her grandmother and Joe had admitted that they loved each other. For Mia it was something that had been so obvious, it was just unbelievable they hadn't confessed it to each other earlier. But since the two had been so oblivious to their feelings for each other she had thought about something to make them realize they were just meant for each other. When Clarisse and Joe thought they were alone in the ballroom Mia had been hidden in one of the staff entrances.

Happily Mia went back to bed now, smiling to herself, her last thought being that her grandmother had finally found true love.