Title: The love behind the mask

Rating: T
Category: Romance
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, but to Disney
Summary: a Valentines ball

Clarisse was watching the beautiful sky from behind the window of her hotel room. She didn't even know why she was here. Mia had told her that she had rented a few hotel rooms here in Pyrus, so that everyone could change themselves for the ball. But why couldn't she just do that at the Palace. She had tried to argue with her over this one, but her granddaughter didn't take no for an answer. Mia didn't want anybody to see who would be wearing what, it would spoil the fun she said, and Clarisse had to agree when she said that there's almost no privacy in the Palace.

Tonight was the Valentine's ball. Never before had they held a Valentine's ball, Mia had asked if they could give one. Clarisse didn't want one at first, but when Mia started using all her charms, she couldn't say no. So she had permitted it her, but only with one condition, Mia would sort out everything. And she did, she was impressed, her granddaughter had proven she could handle these kind of things, and was becoming more and more royal every day. Clarisse was so proud of her, and was starting to get very curious about this ball. Mia hadn't told her that much, only that it would be a masked ball and that everyone would get a number at the beginning of the ball. That way you could write secret messages, without anyone knowing who you were. In a way this secretiveness was very appealing to her. Would they easily recognize her, or could she also play the game?

'Your Majesty, are you ready to get dressed?' Clarisse turned, 'Yes Olivia, I'm ready'.

It would be the first time she would actually see her evening attire. She had been blindfolded during all the fittings. She was very curious to see how it would look, and hoped her granddaughter wouldn't let her make a fool out of herself. She entered the bedroom, the dress was still nowhere to be seen.

'Olivia, I thought you said everything was ready, but I don't see the dress.'

'Sorry your Majesty, but Princess Mia gave me the orders to give you this card and after reading that to put on a blindfold.' Olivia handed Clarisse the little card together with Clarisse reading glasses.

Grams

I know that your are wondering why you have to be blindfolded again, just trust me. That's all I can say. I don't want you to give Olivia a hard time, it took me hours to convince her that you wouldn't mind if she blindfolded you. So please don't scare her. In about 30 minutes you will see the dress and someone will pick you up to bring you to the ball at the palace. We will not be driving together, I don't want you to see my outfit, It has to be surprise. Don't be too scared to be yourself tonight, just enjoy this evening!

With love,

Mia

'Ok Olivia, I'm ready, you can put on the blindfold.' After the blindfold was put on, Olivia went to the closet to retrieve everything, and then took Clarisse's robe of. Clarisse felt how Olivia started with the top piece, it was a corset, hopefully she would be able to breathe the whole night. While Clarisse was holding the corset in place, so that Olivia could pull on the straps, she let her hands go over the fabric. She could feel that the outside was made of lace. The inside was very soft on her skin and felt like silk. It was time to put on the skirt, it was very soft, and it felt wonderful on her skin. She had been thinking a lot about it these last couple of days, what would the color be, and different kind of images came floating around. Only a few minutes were left before she would finally see the dress. But Clarisse's thoughts were interrupted by Olivia.

'Time to put on the mask, Your Majesty.' Clarisse went to the blindfold to take it of but was interrupted by Olivia. 'Your Majesty, you have to wait until the mask is on before you can take of your blindfold.'

'Your majesty, you are ready. I will now take the blindfold of, and let me tell you that you look absolutely stunning.' Olivia had to blush while saying that. Her monarch was a beautiful woman, but this outfit was so beautiful, to say at least very daring, though Clarisse could definitely pull it off.

Clarisse felt the blindfold taken away, it took a few minutes to let her eyes adjust to the light. She saw herself in the mirror, she gasped. She couldn't believe that she was the same woman as the one she saw in the mirror. Her face was covered by a black mask of a cat. She let her eyes travel lower, the corset was made of black lace, with very beautiful patterns. She still had a very beautiful body for her age, nature had been very kind to her. She was wearing a long silk black skirt with a slit in front of the dress. She let her leg come out of the opening, which stopped mid thigh. Never before had she worn such a daring dress, but it made her feel very feminine, sexy, she had to blush at the thought. It was a dress she normally would choose herself, she loved the feeling of it, and how it brought out her curves perfectly. But could she really wear this, what would people say if they saw there queen wearing such a dress. Then she remembered Mia's words 'just be yourself'. Was this a part she had been hiding too long, a part of her she forgot about a long time ago. The chances she would be recognized this evening were very small, nobody knew what dress she would be wearing. Would men still find her attractive? So many questions were going through her mind. She was making herself crazy with her thoughts.

Clarisse took one last look in the mirror and went out to the living room.

'Your majesty, they are ready for you.'

'Thank you, Olivia. Thank you for the compliment you gave me earlier. I still can't believe I'm wearing this.'

Olivia handed Clarisse her scarf. 'I hope you will have a wonderful evening tonight.'

'Thank you, Olivia, it's very sweet of you to say that.'

Clarisse arrived at the palace, it was so strange to arrive at the entrance to go to a ball in her own house. Normally she would be announced and everyone would kneel for their ruling monarch. Now she could just blend in with everyone else. She had no obligations tonight, never before had she been so free during such an event. It made her feel like a woman, not a queen, just a woman enjoying a wonderful evening. At least she hoped it would be a wonderful evening.

Before she entered the ball room she received a pin with the number 35 on, they also gave her information how she would be able to write messages and where she had to post them. On one of the walls in the room hung a big red sheet with boxes on. On those boxes were all the numbers written, she could also see her box hanging on the sheet.

The ball room was beautifully decorated, all in warm colors, she had to admit that Mia had done an excellent job. She received a glass of champagne, and started to mingle with the guests. She saw how people were writing messages, would she be receiving messages this evening? She hoped she would.

But there was only one man she really would want to get messages from. A man that she was secretly in love with, but too scared to admit it. They could talk about everything, but still she was too scared to admit to Joseph she was in love with him. The last year their relationship had changed a lot, in a way she had to thank Mia for that. That girl had changed her life in so many ways. Clarisse always kept her feelings hidden for the outside world, but Mia showed her it was ok to show it. So more and more she had let her guard fall but only with people she trusted completely. She had still a long way to go, but in a way it felt good to show the people close around her who the woman behind the queen was.

She still hadn't been able to discover Mia, but she had to admit that she hadn't been paying that much attention at all, to see who was wearing what. There was only one man that had her attention, he was dressed all in black, even his mask and cape. He was standing with his back at Clarisse, and was writing a message down. Her eyes were wandering over his body, such a beautiful body, she felt the heat rising in her cheeks. Thank god she was wearing a mask. He started moving around, and at one point she lost him in the crowd, she scolded herself for losing him out of sight. Then suddenly she felt a strange sensation go through her body, someone was touching her. She felt a finger go over her backside, it made her shiver. Only when she didn't feel the finger anymore, she turned around to see who it was. Then she saw him again, he was heading in the direction of the sheet. She went closer to see where he would drop his note. She was shocked when she saw him putting the note in her box. He turned around and their eyes met, he blow her kiss. The top half of his face was covered by the black mask, his goatee fitted perfectly with his costume. But before she knew it, he was already gone.

Normally she would be furious if someone would touch her like that, slap him in the face even. Never before had someone touched her like that, she could still feel the sensation, it made her skin burn. She needed to know who he was, and what he wrote to her.

She made her way to her box and opened it.

I noticed you from the moment you came in the room, you have set my hart on fire. Let me love you like you deserved to be loved

With love (1)

While reading the message, she felt someone's breath on her neck, it was warm. She turned around to say something, but he was already gone. She could see his black cape disappear in the crowd. She made her way to one of the tables, so she could write down her own message.

From the moment I saw your eyes, looked into your soul, I knew I was in love with you

With love (35)

She went to his box and left the note together with one red rose. Then she made her way to the side of the ballroom and watched to see when he was going to come and read her message. She didn't have to wait long. She stood behind him, trembling, gave him a kiss just above his collar. And gone was she, she didn't leave him the time to respond. She also could play games, and was loving every minute of it. Her only hope was that nobody knew what their queen was doing. The press would have field day if they got word of the behavior of their queen. For the first time in her life she was able to be free, to act on her feelings. She loved this man, he was her life. She couldn't believe herself that she actually had admitted on the card that she was in love with him.

A man came dressed like Louis the XVI and asked her for a dance. She accepted his hand and he led her to the dance floor. She didn't really want to dance with him, there was only one person in this room that she wanted to dance with. She started to skim the room to see if she could spot him somewhere. Maybe he could cut in, and share a dance of their own. The song was almost over and she saw him put a new message in her box.

She opened the box and took the card of. She could smell his cologne on the card. It was absolutely intoxicating.

Love is like a friendship caught on fire. When you touched my hand for the first time, I wanted nothing more than to hold it forever.

If you really love me, come to the gazebo at midnight, I will be waiting for you there.

With love (1)

She looked at the big clock in the room, only one more minute before midnight. She had to hurry if she wanted to be on time. She picked her scarf up and made her way to one of the terrace doors. She started walking to the gazebo, and on her way she saw that the garden was decorated with lights and candles, everything had been so romantic tonight. No wonder that she was so easily captivated.

She heard music, it was too far to be from the ball. The nearer she went to the gazebo, the louder the music was. She had heard the song before, even danced on it before. Mia had called it the wango. There he stood in the middle of the gazebo, the floor was sprinkled with red rose leaves. He held his hand out, she accepted it, their eyes met. They started moving their feet along with the music, keeping their eyes on each other. No words were necessary, everything was said with their eyes and body. Both were breading harder, the song near it's end, their faces only inches away from each other.

Their lips met, it was soft full of emotion. She traced his lips with her tong, their tongs touched, scared at first, just little touches. This kiss grew deeper, never before had she been kissed that passionate. They broke the kiss, both were breathing very hard, gazing at each other.

'I love you Joseph'

'I love you Clarisse, you are my life'.

Finally they had admitted their love for each other, of course they would have to keep it hidden for the rest of the world. But in time they would be free to love each other out in the open.

The end