The Other Princess.
Part 1
"But what is down there?"
"Mia, it is not for me to tell you, you'll have to ask your grandmother."
Mia scowled, folding her arms as she stopped walking and blocked Joseph's path. "Oh would you just tell me! Its only a corridor, I just wanna know what is down there!"
Joseph laughed slightly and shook his head. "And I'm saying, I'm not telling you, ask your grandmother...she should be the one to tell you not me."
With that Joseph proceeded down the corridor, shaking his head as Mia shouted after him. "Yeah...well...I am the queen I'll just demand it opened and I'll see for myself!"
She stomped her foot in frustration as Joe neglected to bite at her words, causing Charlotte to become rather confused as she joined the newly crowned queen in the hallway.
"Something wrong your majesty...er sorry..Mia?"
"Yes! Nobody will tell me what is down that corridor! I asked Joe but he told me to ask Grandma! If I didnt know any better I'd think something sinister was going on!"
"Well as much as Joseph probably knows your grandmother better, I dont think she would appreciate having to think about that."
Mia softened, she could tell whatever was going on had affected Charlotte aswell. "Oh please Charlotte...tell me."
Charlotte took a deep breath and checked her watch, they had some time before their next meeting...and they would need it.
"Mia, have you heard much about your cousin?"
"Who?" Mia asked confused as she and Charlotte walked back towards the forbidden corridor.
"Your cousin, Anna, the daughter of your uncle Pierre."
"Oh my god who?? I do not know anything about having a cousin! Why dont I know her Grandma has never mentioned her!"
"Well its a long story, but I shall start at the beginning." Charlotte paused a little down the corridor, just in front of a set of double doors before continuing. "Before your uncle joined the church, he married, a lovely beautiful young woman named Celeste, she was the daughter of a french diplomat. Your grandmother approved of the marriage, encouraged it even, but sadly Celeste died during childbirth. Pierre took it very badly, he joined the church shortly after and left on missionary work, it was agreed the baby would be raised here at the palace and here she remained until she was 16...actually it was a week after her 16th birthday that she left."
"Seriously when did all this happen?" Mia asked enthusiastically as Charlotte smiled slightly.
"Anna is around your age, merely a few months older than you. She was very close to your father, and your grandfather and she took their deaths badly...when Clarisse decided to go to San Francisco to find you, Anna took it very personally. Its not a reflection on you Mia please understand, Anna was simply grieving. In the week running up to our departure, Anna and Clarisse had an argument...the loudest and possibly the most violent I have ever seen. Anna left, resolutely stating that if she was never going to be more important than duty and essentially the needs of a country, she couldnt stand to be a part of this family any longer."
"Wow! Thats intense! How did Grandma take that?"
"She was upset, understandably...she and Anna had been very close but after your father's death Clarisse sort of...pushed Anna away."
"Where did she go?"
"Africa, to be with her father, they've since relocated to England so that Anna could go to university...Cambridge I believe she attended."
"Wow! So all this happened over an argument! Grandma hasnt seen Anna in years and I've never met her all because of them both being stubborn!"
Charlotte laughed and raised her eyebrows. "They were remarkably alike at times."
Mia smiled and nodded, her eyes falling to the double doors behind Charlotte. "Let me guess....her suite?"
Charlotte nodded and opened the doors, allowing Mia to enter.
"Oh wow! This place is gorgeous! A little dusty but still...great!"
The suite was not dissimilar to Mia's own suite, the layout was the same essentially with minor changes. What instantly caught the young queen's attention was the far wall opposite the bed, upon which was possibly hundreds of photgraphs in what looked like a collage, there were gaps where pictures had been visibly removed, probably by the young princess herself when leaving.
"Is this her? She's really pretty!"
Charlotte moved to Mia's side, her eyes welling as she looked at the photographs, numerous ones including Charlotte herself. "Yeah thats Anna."
"Everybody looks so happy! Oh my god is Joe smiling! He is!"
"Yeah Joseph was always close to Anna aswell, she was well liked throughout the palace."
Mia was about to respond when the sound of a door opening with a bang behind them caused both she and Charlotte to swing round in shock.
"What are you two doing in here?"
"Oh Grandma we er...."
"Charlotte I gave specific instructions that this room be sealed and I expect it to stay that way now both of you out!"
Charlotte obeyed readily, hastily leaving while Mia just stared at her grandmother, unsure that she had ever seen her grandmother this angry before.
"But...Grandma this....Anna...she...."
"Enough! Amelia I dont want to hear it! Now if you'll please leave!"
Mia nodded, slowly walking past her grandmother and out into the hall, where she was met half way by Joseph who was jogging along the corridor, having been informed by Charlotte of what had happened.
"Joe she....so angry! I've never seen her so..."
"Its alright dont worry Mia I'll talk with her."
Mia sighed and nodded, laying a hand on Joseph's arm briefly. "I didnt mean to upset her I....I didnt mean to."
"I know! I know! Go on I'm sure you have a meeting to get to."
As he watched his new step-grandaughter leave the corridor, Joseph took a deep breath and walked into Anna's suite. The sight he saw however...almost broke his heart.
The strong, formidable, independent former queen, was pacing the floor, her anger visible as she shook and practically seethed.
"Ah Joseph, just the man! I want this suite stripped and everything destroyed. I want everything ripped out and disposed of!"
"You dont mean that." He replied calmly as she continued to pace.
"Yes I do! Annastacia made it clear she did not want to be a part of this family anymore and therefore she shall have her wish and every trace will be removed."
"Clarisse, darling, I cant let you do that and I wont do it."
"Oh yes you will!"
"No I wont!" He added defiantly as he walked towards her and placed his hands on her arms. "Darling I know you dont want any of that. You miss her, I do too. Anna said and did what she did because she was upset...you both were, and neither of you meant any of it. Destroying this suite wont make that feeling or the memories go away."
"And what do you suggest I do!" Clarisse replied angrily, but he saw the pleading in her eyes, he knew she was scared, and still deeply upset.
"I suggest, we make this right. By that I mean, we find Anna, and we put this family back together."
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Clarisse missed dinner that evening, instead spent the evening sitting in her suite, for once allowing her mind to reflect upon her other grandaughter, considering Joseph's suggestion thoroughly.
"Darling. You should eat something." Joseph lowered himself into the chair opposite his wife and reached out to take her hand in his.
"I will I promise. I'm just doing some thinking."
"Are you alright?"
"Yes I'm fine darling, I'm afraid I was a little harsh on Mia earlier."
"Its alright she understands."
Clarisse sighed, rising from her seat to settle on her husbands lap. For a moment she simply savoured the contact, the feel of his arms tight around her, holding her, protecting her in a whole new way.
"Do you really think its a good idea?"
Joseph nodded, reaching up a hand to run down her cheek as he looked in her eyes. "I do, and I think its long overdue."
"I shall speak to Mia about it, it is a family matter she deserves to be consulted, I'd like you to be there too Joseph, I fear I may need your support." She laughed slightly nervously as he smiled back at her.
"And you'll have it always darling."
"Let us get it over with now, if I dont I may lose my nerve."
Joseph laughed as they climbed to their feet, moving towards the door. "Ive never known you lose your nerve before."
The corridors were quiet in the early evening light, and Joseph couldnt help but watch as his wife moved expertly along each of them, she still had the presence of a queen...and she always would.
"Oh! Grandma I'm sorry about this afternoon really I am I didnt mean to upset you I swear!"
Clarisse smiled at the terrified look on both Mia and Charlotte's faces as they rose from their seats at the former queens entrance.
"Relax the pair of you I'm not angry...at least not anymore. Actually I owe you both an apology I shouldnt have shouted at you as I did."
"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Mia asked as Joseph and Clarisse seated themselves opposite the new queen's desk. Charlotte still sitting dutifully at her side.
"Well, Joseph believes it would be a good idea if I, instead of harbouring ill feeling towards your cousin, attempted to make things right."
"Thats a great idea! Oh really! Oh I cant wait to meet her!"
"Mia, darling calm down, I'm not too sure of how willing she will be to see me."
"Why?"
Clarisse took a deep breath, reaching out for Joseph's hand as she clung to him. "Because, Mia, when Anna and I argued I said some very hurtful things, things I didnt mean but still said nonetheless. I see now that how I treated her was out of order, I neglected to consider her feelings. As a grandmother I should have put her first, before Genovia and duty but I didnt....I realise I did that alot, it was a hard habit to break. I made her feel like she wasnt good enough, like there would always be someone, something better. For that I could never apologise enough but she will never forgive me and I dont blame her."
"How do you know unless you give her the chance?"
"Touche!" Clarisse laughed, tipping her grandaughter a nod. "But it really isnt that simple Mia, time has passed, time in which resentment builds and....well...what if she hates me?"
Clarisse laughed slightly, but it was unmistakable how hurt she was feeling, her gaze had lowered and if Mia didnt know any better, she would say she'd seen the beginnings of tears.
As Mia's gaze softened, an awkward silence descended. Joseph shifted closer to his wife, taking her hand tightly in his, offering the subtle support she desperatley needed and to everyones horror, it was Charlotte who spoke next, almost upon a whisper.
"She's never hated you."
The statement settled upon them as they each processed it, but it was Joseph who questioned it.
"How do you mean? Er...I mean how do you know?"
Charlotte paused, taking a deep breath. "Because we stayed in contact. We write, a few letters a year, the odd occassional phone call or text message."
"You've been in contact with Anna all this time!" Joseph laughed, the shock rippling through each of them as Charlotte looked uneasy.
"Yes! Alright I know I should have told somebody but...Anna begged me not to! You know her Joe you know she's stubborn she was standing her ground with her grandmother but she....she loves Genovia so much, she loves this palace and everyone in it so much...she just wanted to know all was well!"
"Wow! This is soo intense!"
"Yes thank you Mia theres no necessity to state the obvious!" Clarisse smiled as Mia laughed slightly.
"Sorry Grandma! But this is great! Charlotte can contact Anna and ask her to come for a visit it'll be easy!"
"No....no!" Clarisse stated, very defiantly, causing the others to stare in confusion.
"Not yet, this is all happening too fast I need to time to think I need to plan it through completely I cant afford to make matters worse!"
With that, the former queen of Genovia, rose to her feet and left the room, leaving Mia and Charlotte in a confused state, yet Joseph didnt seem phased at all.
Sighing he rose to his feet and smiled to the two young ladies before him. "I expected that reaction at some point. Dont worry I'll speak to her, she just needs time is all, losing Anna affected her more than she would ever admit!"
Mia and Charlotte nodded idly as Joseph left in pursuit of his wife. He first checked their suite, and upon realising it was empty, he knew exactly where she would be, and followed her steps of not five minutes previous, into the suite of Annastacia Renaldi, former princess of Genovia.
"Hey you." He smiled from the doorway as he found Clarisse sitting on Anna's bed, clutching a worn old teddy in her hands.
"She could never sleep without this teddy...do you remember?"
"How could I forget, all hell broke loose that time it was sent to be washed and wasnt here in time for her bedtime story!"
Clarisse smiled at his words, briefly making eye contact with her husband as he walked slowly towards her. "I let her down didnt I? How will she ever forgive me."
Joseph sighed and knealt on the floor in front of her, laying his hands on top of hers. "She will forgive you, because she loves you, and dont say she doesnt because how can she not! I was there remember, I was there through it all, her whole life here and I know how close you were...yes she was her grandfather's little angel and undoubtedly they were close but you....you were her hero Clarisse."
Clarisse smiled slightly but shook her head in denial, provoking Joseph to continue.
"Who was there when she had a nightmare in the middle of the night?"
"I was."
"And who sat with her when she was sick, nursing her back to health?"
"Me."
"Who did she write a project about for school when she was 13 about Kings and Queens?"
"Me."
"And finally, when she was five years old, and Sebastian Motaz asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, what did she say?"
They both laughed slightly as Clarisse pushed back some tears.
"She said...she wanted to be like me."
"Yes she did, because she loves you Clarisse, and no matter what the two of you may have said to each other...she'll still love you...I know her, and I know you, and I know I'm right."
Clarisse nodded, her smile creeping back into her features as she tugged on his hands. "Get up off the floor before you aggravate your knee replacement!"
He laughed, rolling his eyes a little as he did as instructed. "Seriously darling, Anna would never turn her back on you....not completely."
She smiled in response, holding his hand a little tighter as she looked into his eyes. "Sometimes I wonder whatever I would do without you Joseph."
"Well its a good thing you'll never have to find out then." He laughed as he leaned in to kiss her softly, provoking one of the most honest lines from his wife in a long while.
"Joseph I'm scared."
His grip tightened as he pulled her closer, encasing her in his arms for a moment. "I know, I know you are, but I promise you it will all be alright, you're not alone, not anymore...I dont think you ever really were. But you know I will be with you every single step of the way."