This story is based on the charaters from the movie The Princess Diaries and The Princess Diaries 2, which are property of Meg Calbot and Disney.
I made no monetary gain from this story.
This is my first storie so please, review and let me know your opinion.
Thank you so much.
When Charlotte entered the office, Clarisse was already sitting at her desk. Joseph was standing by the window, looking at the gardens…
"Your Majesty, is there anything you need?"-Charlotte thought the angry, tired look of the queen was strange and waited until the queen told her what was going on. Clarisse rose and neared the fireplace.
"The Viscount wants the Parliament to approve a motion stating that there should always be a member of the Congress, himself, near my granddaughter to follow her progresses in her studies! How dare her question me?! Supervise me?!"-Clarisse fixed her coat and straightened her head.-"He doesn't know me! If he thinks he can move here, with such a nonsensical premise, and control the palace's activities, he is wrong. Very wrong. Charlotte, please, cancel everything I have for the rest of the day. I'll be in my chambers, I'm exhausted."
"Would you like for me to send for some tea?"-Asked Charlotte while starting to mark off the queen's appointments.
"Yes, thank you, dear. Joseph, would you please accompany me?"
"Of course, Your Majesty!"
Joseph opened the office's door and awaited for her to pass. He loved feeling her perfume. After inhaling deeply, he closed the door and followed her, always 2 steps behind. They walked silently, only the sound of her heels could be heard on the wooden floor. The guards opened the doors of the room and they both went in. When these closed, Joseph neared the queen and hugged her, kissing her forehead.
"The Parliament won't approve such a silly thing, my dear. And if they do, I'll always be here and won't let that idiot get near you!"
Clarisse put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"What angers me more is thinking about having an outsider in the middle of our family. It's already difficult to find time to be with you, with him here it'll be near impossible. Such a secret relation pains me, but I know I'm the one that's keeping it like this"
Joseph caressed her back and squeezed her tighter.
"Everything will be alright, believe me!"
A slight touch on the door broke them apart. Olivia entered the room with the tea and left it on the table.
"Is there anything else you need, Your Majesty?"
"No, Olivia, thank you. I'll be having dinner in my room today."
Olivia left and Clarisse sat down and grabbed a cup of tea.
"Do you want some tea, Joseph?"
"No, dear, thank you. I'll let you rest and head to the security office to speak with Shades. There are some things I need to talk to him about…"
He kissed her forehead.
"But… I was thinking about walking for a bit with Maurice…"
"Try to rest, dear. This viscount nonsense disturbed you. I won't take long. Shall we have dinner together?"-Said Joseph as he headed for the door.
"Yes, of course."
Clarisse smiled but she felt uncomfortable. It was as if she felt he wanted to leave her side. She looked at him until the door closed but didn't think about it anymore. Maurice came near her and sat by her legs, waiting to be taken for a walk.
"We'll go in a second, Maurice."
After saying this, she pat Maurice's head.
Joseph entered the office and sat in front of Shades.
"Morning, Boss. Is there something wrong?"
Shades found it strange that his boss had simply taken a seat in silence. It was out of character.
"Shades, the queen is very tired and needs a few days of rest. I'm thinking about a trip to the Alps for a couple days."
"Of course. What staff shall accompany the queen?"
"Me. I found a Challet that I will rent under my own name so as to hide the queen's presence from there. It's also a very isolate place, very hard to find journalists or simply other people."
"Isn't that too risky? We can put a team with five or six guards in the Challet and…"
"No. It'll be three or four days only. A team will fully scout the area but then return to the palace. In a short while we'll meet to discuss the itinerary. Now I'll speak with Charlotte to reorganize Your Majesty's schedule."
Joseph was headed towards Clarisse's office when he stopped near a window, watching her. Maurice jumped ahead of her, happy with his little walk and Clarisse enjoyed the warm afternoon sun while walking around the garden. The smell of roses always made her smile. She felt Joseph's gaze on her. So many years near one another made an extra sense grow on them. They didn't need words to speak, they didn't need to be close to one another to feel each other. They developed such a strong bond that it was impossible for them to be apart. How much time had it passed since they fell in love? Neither knew. They only knew that their feelings were timeless, stronger than the obstacles that kept the relationship in the shadows.
Clarisse, feeling Joseph's gaze, quickly turned. She saw him on the window of the first floor and smiled. That gaze calmed her, filled her with heat and desire. And she continued looking as she saw Alice get far TOO CLOSE to Joseph.
"How nice to see you here, Joseph"-Alice said nearly hugging him, fully aware that Clarisse was watching them.
"Do you need anything, Alice?"
"I wanted to tell you I understand why you want to be discreet."
After saying this she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. Clarisse felt like she was passing out. Her strength had abandoned her. She looked down and returned to her room.
Joseph had been caught completely by surprise. She grabbed her hands and pushed her away, angry.
"What is this? Are you insane?!"
Joseph looked out the window and saw Clarisse returning to the palace. She had seen it. He panicked.
"But Joseph, we're alone…"
As Alice said this, Joseph could only angrily reply:
"Alice, please, what is this nonsense? Step back, please."
"But you… I know you love me! And I understand that you might want to be discreet. I understand you, my love. I can see very well the way you look at me…"-She said in a seductive voice.
"Don't call me that. I don't look at you in any way that's different from anyone else. Don't ever kiss me again."
He turned his back on her and ran to Clarisse's room. Being the Head Of Security he was able to have the guards leave, for he knew this would be everything but a pacific argument.
Joseph opened the door and entered the room, only to close it and await her words before moving further. Clarisse knew very well he was in the room. Tears silently ran down her face, her voice in too much pain to speak.
Deciding to take the first step, he went in, saying only her name. Alice was mad, that was the only reason, and he wasn't at fault at all! Now very close to her back, his hands touched her shoulders.
"Clarisse, dear-"
"Don't ever touch me again."
Her voice cold as ice, burdened with pain and anger. She looked into his eyes.
"DON'T EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!"
"Clarisse, wait, this is madness, I have no idea why she did that. I never-"
As he said this, he went to touch her, but she went back without looking at him.
"Leave. I always knew you were quite a lady's man, but I thought that was in the past…"
"And it was in the past. It is past. Clarisse, you know very well that from the moment I saw you until this moment I have never been with anyone else!"
"No, I don't. You want me to believe that that young lady that just so happens to be incredibly beautiful and interesting kissed out of nowhere? That she put her arms around your neck and pushed herself against you just because she felt like it? Don't mock me Joseph. At least respect my intelligence and leave!"
"No, you must listen to me, my love…"
"I don't want to, I don't have to. My God how could I have been so naïve? How did I not see it before? It's obvious that a man like you wouldn't keep a chastity vow because of me. Of course your desires and needs had to be met somehow. I feel embarrassed for thinking I could still compete against younger women. I feel ridiculous!"
Clarisse couldn't hold back nor her tears nor her pained voice.
"Don't say that! I don't have nor had anyone else. I only want you, my love. You are the prettiest woman I've ever seen."
As Joseph tried to get close to her, she ran out of the room without looking back.
For a few moments Joseph could only mutter her name. He didn't know what to do. How could her show her that it was all a misunderstanding? The sound of her heels scared him. Him and all the staff in that wing. The queen was running. And queen's never runs. Something must had happened. Alice was in the kitchen and was barely able to disguise the smile when Miss Kont, the housekeeper walked in scared.
"Something very bad happened, I'm sure. The Queen just passed by running." No one was able to hide their worries. Not only was she loved by her people, but also by the palace staff. Everyone that wasn't Alice had a genuine affection for the monarch.
Joseph left the room and tried to reach Clarisse but without success. He met Shades. It was much easier to track her using the security cameras. He wanted to avoid the employees starting rumors about them so he stopped chasing her on foot.
"Boss, what the hell happened?"
Shades watched everything and he knew that very moment Joseph was in deep trouble. Both he and Charlotte were suspicious that Joseph and the queen had something more than friendship, but they never allowed it to show.
"Where is the Queen? Find her. Now!"
Joseph was very angry and nervous. He couldn't imagine Clarisse alone and suffering… Even worst because he was at fault.
"She's almost at the stables."
Without another word Joseph left the room to go find the queen.