The Honeymoon

Based on another story I've written, this covers the day Clarisse and Joseph were married and the honeymoon that they enjoy...

The many lights of the royal palace in Pyrus shone out into the warm July night, illuninating the gardens, grounds and driveway while lighting up the way for the well dressed guests who exited the main front doors, down the stone steps and into their respective cars, all of whom were still talking about the evening's events, just as they always did once the balls or state dinners were over, the royal family having retired for the evening.

This occasion was a little different to the others in that it had been a wedding reception and, even more interestingly, instead of it being for the Princess, who had been engaged to marry Lord Andrew Jacoby so that she could ascend the throne, it had, in a surprising twist, been for her grandmother Clarisse, the reigning Queen of Genovia and her devoted Head of Security, Joseph Bonnell. Their relationship had been the worst kept secret in Genvoia, despite their best efforts, but instead of discussing that night, the departing guests were speculating as to why they had waited so long to marry.

"Maybe Her Majesty wanted to wait until the Princess was ready to ascend the throne," one wife sensibly suggested.

"Maybe it was a whirlwind romance!" another added.

"Yes, I can definitely see old Joe sweeping Her Majesty off her feet!" one member of parliament chortled, but their words were in good fun and not at all malicious- for the most part, they wee all pleased for the Queen and Joseph- they had been in love for so long, they deserved to be happy.

"I wonder where they went after they left... they just snuck out," someone wondered aloud, a question that some of the others wondered about too, although they knew that they would never know where they went- they were newlyweds and, as far as the palace was concerned, they deserved their privacy now..

The happy couple in question were not quite as far away as some of the guests wondered- they were, in fact, only metres away, deep in the maze, strolling quietly hand in hand, compltely unaware that they were being gossiped about and not caring if they were- all that mattered to them was that they were together and married.

"It's a beautiful night," Joseph finally said as they strolled arm in arm towards the gazebo where he had proposed, content in each other's company yet still in mild stupefication at the afternoon's events that had resulted in the throne being secured for Mia and their marriage.

Joseph himself had been in a slight, disbelieving daze since they were pronounced husband and wife, although he had covered it well (much to Clarisse's pride) and had seemed unfazed though the reception line, dinner, their first dance and dancing with some of the other ladies, but now that they were alone, it finally hit him that Clarisse was no longer his employer and friend, but his wife... his bride, his wife... and he couldn't believe it- he had waited so long for ths, but now that it had happened, he was suddenly feeling a little nervous...

"It is indeed," Clarisse, agreed, relieved that he had intiated the conversation- he had been so quiet since they had snuck away from the reception, she had started to worry that he was starting to regret their impromptu marriage, especially after what had transpired between them two nights earlier. She wouldn't have blamed him if he had had second thoughts, she had let him down so badly, but now that they were here, together, her arm through his...

"I love walking in the gardens at night, especially in the summer- the air is so warm and balmy, the skies are so clear and star filled..."

"All you need is someone to accompany you," he finished in a low, husky voice and she blushed slightly as they sat down together on the stone bench in the gazebo before turning to him shyly.

"I did... and I do now- it's wonderful to know my husband..." she thrilled at the words. "... Will be accompanying me... that is, if you want to," he added hastily, not wanting to make assumptions before he smiled back and gently caressed her cheek gently... finally, he was allowed to touch her...

"I do- nothing would give me greater pleausre than to accompany you on walks in the garden- especially at night."

"No additional bodyguards?" she teased.

"Why do you need bodyguards if you have me?" he teased back and they chuckled together before they sat back and gazed back up at the stars, his arm around her shoulders and her head resting against his shoulder.

"I wonder if anyone has left yet," she said after a moment's peaceful silence- she was glad that they had snuck out and were finally alone- and he chuckled, relieved that he no longer had to worry about ensuring any straggling guests left and weren't wandering through the halls and that the palace ground were secure.

"I assume they would have started to- we left about..." he glanced quickly at his watch. "About half an hour ago, and I doubt Mia would have stayed much later after our departure, unless she really felt like celebrating, not that I blame her... so they wouldn't have had much to stare at or talk about..."

"Do you think they'll be talking about us for a long time after tonight?" she wondered out loud. "I wish they wouldn't, though, it's not as if we've done anything wrong."

"No we haven't, but you have to admit that what happened this afternoon was rather extraordinary... I'm still rather stunned at what happened," he sounded amused in the dark and she chuckled gently before twisting around to look at him directly- she didn't want to ruin the moment, but she had to know...

"You're not regretting today...are you?" she asked timidly and she almost immediately wished she hadn't asked when she saw the horrified look on his face before he hastily pulled her close.

"No, no, no, I definitely do NOT regret today," he said firmly.

"After what happened two days ago..."

"When I acted like a complete fool," he finished for her. "What happened two days ago was my mistake, I should have understood the pressures you were under, but never for one moment do I regret today... I DO regret walking out on you..."

"You were hurt," she stepped in quietly.

"But I then hurt you... nevertheless, I shouldn't have walked out on you..." he paused, again feeling the surge of guilt he had been feeling since that night before he forced himself back to the present- she was sitting next to him, his arms were around her... and they were married.

"Still, we need to put that all behind us... despite whatever mistakes I..."

"WE," she corrected- she had made just as many mistakes as he.

"...Alright, we made, we are now husband and wife..."

"And that's all that matters," she finished triumphantly, snuggling up to him again and they sat there for another long moment before Clarisse shivered as a slight, cooler breeze passed by- she hadn't changed from what she had worn to the wedding, and while it was a lovely outfit (and it was now to be considered her wedding dress, she thought with a thrill), the material was thin and the evening was getting cool.

Joseph felt her shiver and after feeling the breeze himself, glanced at his watch and realizing that it was approaching eleven, it was time to go in, a statement he made to Clarisse's seconds later as she stood up and held out a hand to her.

"I didn't realize it was as late as that," she looked startled as he helped her up and slipped her arm through his. "It has been so lovely out here... I never want this night to end," she added happily as they started up the path towards the palace, successfullly hiding the fact that nervous butterflies that had suddenly appeared in her stomach in anticipation of what was to happen tonight, their wedding night.

"I feel the same way," he agreed, sensing her nervousness and apprehension, and while he was feeling the same way, he was determined to keep the atmosphere light and relaxed between them- nothing had changed between them, except that they were now man and wife- and he wanted tonight to be special for her.

He knew her wedding with Rupert had hardly been a dream come true for an innocent nineteen year old girl who had been forced to marry Rupert, and he was thus doubly determined that her second wedding night would be far different AND a dream come true.

There was an awkward moment when they stepped into the palace's main foyer and paused at the bottom of the stairs- where were they going to stay, his rooms or her suite? Should they find Mia or Charlotte?- before Joseph solved the problem by pulling away from her.

"I'll collect a few possessions from my room and I'll meet you in your suite," he smiled gently at her- he could see she was more than a little tired and her thoughts were somewhat muddled, so he made the decision for them... besides, he though she would be more comfortable in her own suite- before she smiled in agreement and then said, with a blush:

"See you soon, then."

"See you soon," he promised as, almost simultaneously he headed down the hallway towards his rooms while she slowly walked up the stairs, neither of them breaking eye contact until it became impossible to see each other and then, once the other had disappeared from view, both Joseph and Clarisse hastened towards their respective rooms, keen to be ready when they met back in hers...

0

As soon as she entred her suite, Clarisse realized that Priscilla and Olivia, her ladies maids, had been at work- the lamps in the living room and her bedroom were the only electrical lights illuminating the room, although they had set up several candles on the mantlepiece and on the coffee table.

In addition, they had left a chilling bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, two glasses and two slices of wedding cake on the table and, when she peeked into the bedroom, they had even laid out one of her laciest silk nightgowns beside a pair of his black pyjamas and she again marvelled at how meticulous and attentive they were (although it was part of their job) before she suddenly realized Joseph was on his way- he would actually spend the night in her suite (THEIR suite, and the first of many, many nights) and they would be alone... not that they had never been alone when walking around the garden or when having one on one meetings, but this was different- they were husband and wife and they were 'allowed' to be alone... they needed to be alone... and suddenly the butterflies reappeared with a vengence.

So unnerved was she by the thought of being alone with Joseph (and the subsequent consequences) that after removing her shoes and jewellery, she remained in her wedding outfit and sat on the sofa, watching the candles flicker in the darkness, when she heard a soft knock on the door and Joseph stepped in when bidden- it was still her suite and he didn't want to push her too far.

"You don't have to knock, you know," Clarisse chided gently, relieved to see that he was still dressed, having only removed his tie, jacket and vest, and carrying a bag in one of his hands. "This is now your suite, you know... if we want it to be."

"I didn't want to push you, and I'll be fine wherever we'll be... I was going to bring my pyjamas," he added as he set the bag down in the corner and, with a quick glance into the bedroom, noted the presence of his pyjamas on the bed. "However, I notice that your maids were quite quick on the uptake... they never miss a beat, do they?"

"No they don't," she said with a small smile, sitting back against the sofa and trying to relax- it was Joseph, for Pete's sake, the one man she truly felt comfortable with and always had, but today they had crossed the boundary from friendship (and secret love) to marriage. "They're just as well informed as your security colleagues.

"Former colleagues," he corected as he sat down next to her and reached for the champagne- neither of them had had much to drink all evening and he suspected they both needed it now. "As of this afternoon, Scott is the royal family's Head of Security and HE has to be the one who needs to be well informed about the goings on in and outside the palace."

"Not everything," she said with a slightly bigger smile and he laughed, knowing exactly what she meant.

"No, definitely not everything," he agreed with a chuckle before handing her a champagne flute. "Anyway, I would like to propose a toast to you, Clarisse, my bride," he looked at her tenderly, love shinging out of his eyes and Clarisse didn't dare protest.

"It has taken us a long time to get where we are, but now that we're here, married, I've never been happier in my life being with you, my wife, and knowing that you are my wife..." he paused for a moment, still feeling a little overwhelmed that Clarisse was his now, just as he was hers. "... to my beautiful wife!" he toasted her and she blushed before they clinked glasses and drank a little of the bubbly liquid before relaxing back against the sofa, allowing a peaceful, happy silence to sweep over them- neither of them felt inclined to speak but were just content to sit there in each other's company.

"I wonder how Mia is feeling at the moment," he finally broke the silence- the room was dimlylit but he found it soothing and romantic- and she chuckled, knowing exactly how her granddaughter was feeling.

"I'm sure's she's quite relieved that she's not married."

"Are you?" he asked immediately and she nodded emphatically- she always had had doubts about her spirited Amelia marrying someone who, although quite pleasant and nice in his own way, was clearly too dull for her, but she hadn't been able to say anything to anyone, not even Joseph- the throne had been under threat and she had needed to ensure that Mia was capable and ready to take the throne and an arranged marriage had seemed like the solution, but she had always known, deep down, that it hadn't been, no one deserved that.

No one would ever know how much it hurt Clarisse to see her granddaughter struggle with the challenges she had had to face over the past month (even though some of them were Mia induced) but now, thankfully, it was all over and Mia would be crowned Queen in a week...

"Clarisse?" she heard from beside her, seemingly far away, and she realized that she hadn't responded verbally to his question.

"Yes, I am relieved she's not married- no one should have to go through an arranged marriage and it's consequences," she said quietly with a tinge of bitterness in her voice and while Joseph wanted to point out that there had been some happy consequences from her marriage to Rupert- the boys, Mia and him- he also didn't want to ruin the moment, so he allowed the atmosphere to grow quiet again, although there was a frisson of tension in it, before he cautiously slid over and wrapped an arm around her and, after a moment of surprise, she relaxed into him.

"There's so much we need to talk about," she began softly, well aware he didn't agree with all that she had just said about arranged marriages, but he stopped her from continuing that sentence by tenderly nuzzling her neck, eliciting tiny goosebumps on her skin as he did so.

"We do, but not tonight... tonight is our special night."

"Our wedding night," she said softly, again feeling as nervous as the young nineteen year old girl she had been many years ago, but this night was going to be different- not only was she older, she also knew that tonight would be infinitely more special, more tender, more loving and definitely more passionate with Joseph than anything she had experienced with Rupert, and it both terrified and excited her at the same time at the thought of making love to Joseph, but she knew her husband... her husband, she couldn't believe it... would be patient with her.

"OUR wedding night," he repeated and, at the awestruck tone in his voice, she turned to beam radiantly at him- he was feeling just the same as she, both nervous and excited- before he leant forward and kissed her, a little timidly at first- this was their first real kiss in private (although they had willingly complied to Andrew's request when they were in the garden and the pictures would remain private) and Joseph didn't want to push her too fast, but when he felt her relax into his embrace and wrap her arms around his neck, he knew she was encouraging him to continue.

"Wow," she murmured almost dazedly when he finally broke the kiss and pulled away slightly. "That was certainly a kiss..." she wanted to say more but she was feeling far too dazed and, even more disconcertingly, aroused to express how she was really feeling.

"Our first real kiss since the Archbishop declared us husband and wife," he said as he set both of their glasses back on the table and, much to her surprise, stood up and held out a hand to her.

"What?" she looked puzzled, feeling a little twinge of panic- surely he wasn't going to lead her into the bedroom just yet... she wanted it to happen, but she didn't think she was ready yet.

"Dance with me," he said simply- he could see the panic in her eyes and he wanted to reassure her that they wouldn't go anywhere she didn't want to go until she was ready- he had waited so long to be with her, he wanted her to be the one that decided when she was ready.

"Here? Now? There's no music!" she tried to sound reasonable but she was so nervous about tonight- she didn't want to disappoint him, but she was so inexperienced in terms of seduction and passion, she knew that he would be.

"It's only the two of us, no one else will see and I have already locked the doors," he reassured her and Clarisse considered it for a moment longer before she smiled and silently reached out for his hand- dancing was one of the first things they had really bonded over and it was also a means of relaxation for them. Joseph was a natural dancer and he brought the best out in her, although he argued that she too was a naturally graceful dancer and they complemented each other.

Sure enough, after only a few minutes of gently swaying on the carpet, his arms around her and her head resting against his shoulders, all her nerves had disappeared- this was Joseph, she was dancing with, the love of her life- and this time, when he moved to kiss her, she was the one who initiated it and the kiss was more passionate and slightly more electrical than their previous kisses, perhaps because they both knew there were no boundaries that prevented them from moving forward.

As he felt her hands move shyly towards his shirt, her delicate fingers fiddling with the top button, he felt the need to pull away again just to make sure that he wasn't imagining her sudden surge of confidence.

"Are you sure?" he asked, suddenly nervous himself, and she smiled at him almost seductively, looking far more like the Clarisse he fell in love with, only sexier, than the mask she wore around the rest of the world.

"Yes...I love you," she said softly but proudly, gazing at him with a look of tenderness and he suddenly felt his eyes turn damp as he realized she was finally opening up her heart to him- the wedding had finally allowed some of her walls to crumble around her, she was finally letting him see the real Clarisse...He had seen glimmers over the years, but now she was baring herself to him completely.

"I love you too," he said in an almost choked up voice, a trembling hand reaching out and touching her soft cheek and she smiled- he was such a dear gentleman, so gentle and tender with her, even when she was in the worst of moods, and she knew that he understood her better than anyone she knew. They were meant to be together, and she was pleased that they were- now her life could really begin again- before she felt herself being pulled into his strong arms again and he was kissing her passionately, so passionately that she felt her heart speed up at the intensity of it.

"Shall we?" he murmured into her ear and she nodded, knowing what he meant before he took her hand and led her slowly into the bedroom, pausing only when Clarisse stopped on the threshold, suddenly frozen- now reality was sinking in. They were going to share a bed that night, and while she had always dreamed of that happening, hoping that it would, the sudden awareness took her slightly by surprise.

"I... I..."

"It's alright, my love," he said understandingly, standing beside her and stroking her arm soothingly. "We have all the time in the world... whenever you're ready, I'll be ready... actually, I should blow out those candles..." and he hurried outside to blow out the candles and switch off the lamps.

When he returned, Clarisse was still standing in the doorway and when he cautiously touched her, she turned to him, her eyes shimmering with tears.

"I'm sorry... I...It's been so long..."

"It's alright," he said, immediately wrapping her into his arms. "I understand completely... we only need to do baby steps..." he paused to tilt her chin up so that she was looking in his eyes. "I love you, Clarisse, and I will do whatever it takes to make you feel comfortable with me here..."

"I shouldn't be nervous..." she whimpered, ashamed of the tidal wave of emotions she was feeling- she was here with the man she loved, about to do what they had always wanted to do, and yet she was scared and nervous about everything, even him. It was beginning to make her feel like she had more than one personality, and she was certain that it was annoying Joseph as well.

"It's just that I... I'm so inexperienced... I've only been with one other man in my life..."

"It's perfectly natural," he said calmly, now intent on making her feel relaxed. "It's our wedding night and I'm a little nervous too..." he admitted and she looked at him, startled. "What if... you're a Queen, I'm only your Head of Security...we're from two different worlds..."

"Oh Joseph..." she said softly before shyly, timidly, she leaned over and kissed him, a kiss that while was initially timid, instantly turned into something more, something more passionate and electric and all their combined feelings of nervousness, fear and inadequacy disappeared in the blink of an eye as they both realized they were where they wanted to be and nothing could stop them now...

Her hands almost fiercely unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside before they returned to run down his smooth, muscular chest, goosebumps appearing from her touch, while he gently removed her jacket before she pulled away from the kiss, which had seemed to last forever, and stepped back, her hands reaching behind her and unzipped her dress before allowing it to slip to the floor, revealing the cream coloured lace slip she was wearing underneath, the slip not hiding her still wonderful figure and revealing her long, graceful legs.

She was almost like a rose, the clothes merely embellishing the beauty that was underneath...

"Oh my darling..." he murmured, almost taken aback at how beautiful she was and how she was his, before she walked back towards him, a sexy smile on her face- he was so sexy clad only in his black trousers and his expression so dumbfounded, although his eyes said something more- and he couldn't help but pull her into his arms again and kiss her, not only on her lips but on her cheeks, neck, shoulders as she did the same with him...

"You are so beautiful," he managed to murmur between kisses, her only response being the quickening of her breath and the soft moans that were emerging from her throat,- she had never felt like this before, but she knew that she never wanted to feel this way with anyone but Joseph- before he suddenly scooped her up into his arms, her slip having slipped off during his passionate kisses on her shoulders and neck .

"Joseph... your knees..." she whispered almost dazedly- she was so carried away by her feelings and the way he was touching her, she almost didn't think about it but she still remembered- but he only smiled as he gently deposited her on the bed (after tossing her nightgown and his pyjamas out of the way) and lay down beside her after ridding himself of his pants.

"They're fine...and we're fine," he reassured her before he ran a hand down her body, his eyes drinking in every feature of her- age had only enhanced her looks and motherhood hadn't hindered her figure much at all- and she blushed shyly at the intense look in his eye while shivering at the way his hands were touching her.

"You are beautiful, Clarisse, didn't you realize that?" he looked back up into her eyes and she shrugged before looking away- Rupert had never said anything like that to her, so hearing Joseph say it didn't seem real to her.

"Hey, don't look away," he added, guiding her face back so that she was looking at him. "You ARE so lovely, Clarisse, I wish you had been told that more often."

"It's not appropriate," she shrugged as she caressed his chest, her eyes focused on that and while he wanted to discuss the issue, he knew that now wasn't the time.

"Anyway," she sat up on her elbows to smile at him. "I thought you were supposed to be kissing me... I am your wife, you know," she reminded him with a teasing smile and he laughed.

"As if I could forget..." before she pulled him down with her, his lips covering hers again and they both forgot about everything except each other and the new world that they were now inhabiting together...