Clarisse Marie Renaldi tossed her riding gloves onto the table and impatiently brushed a strand of honey blonde hair that had escaped from her pony tail out of her face before flicking through the letters on her desk.

Sighing she decided to she´d better have her breakfast brought to her office after she had showered if she wanted to be through with her correspondence before lunch.

She had the final dress fitting for her ball gown in the afternoon and afterwards the prime minister would arrive for dinner with her parents and she would have to be present.

The princess tried to make up her mind about some political topics that were certain to be discussed that evening while she took her shower, then she sat down in front of her vanity, dressed in her bathrobe and began to untangle her wet hair.

Sometimes Clarisse wondered if it wouldn´t be easier to just have it cut short but then again she could´t bring herself to do it.

She had just began to apply cream to her face when the door opened and her mother came in, smiling at the sight of her daughter in her disheveled state before sitting down on Clarisse´s bed.

"Good morning, Mamam, I´m afraid I will have to skip breakfast, there´s too much paperwork on my desk."

Queen Marie sighed, shaking her head.

"You could just let your secretary deal with most of it, you know Papa does that as well."

"It´s mostly answers to my birthday ball invitations, it´s not right to not answer them myself and I think I will be finished before lunch, anyway."

"Well, if you think so- how was your ride?"

"Wonderful, I feel much more awake now."

Her mother nodded, then said "The Gerards will be joining us for dinner tonight."

"Yes, I know- wait, you mean Rupert and his mother will be coming as well? I thought only Francois would be here."

"Rupert expressed his desire to accompany his parents."

Her mother winked at her and Clarisse blushed, Rupert Gerard, the Prime Minister´s son, was a very handsome man, if a bit boring but perhaps he was simply shy or not comfortable in the presence of the Royal Family, a lot of people had that problem in the beginning and Clarisse was sure Rupert would loosen up a bit once they were engaged.

She had hoped she might fall in love before she turned twenty one and would be pressured to get marry to secure the Renaldi´s claim to the Genovian throne but it hand´t happened and being the practical person she was she hand´t offered any complaints when her parents had suggested Rupert as her future consort.

"Perhaps he is anxious to secure your affections once more, after all there will be a lot of hopeful young men at the ball on Saturday" the Queen added, her blue eyes twinkling as Clarisse laughed.

"Yes, that might be the case- but he doesn´t have to worry, I have no desire to replace him with someone I don´t know and I can´t trust, I wouldn´t put it past certain people to smuggle someone in to try and distract me from marrying Rupert."

"You are starting to sound just like your father" Marie sighed, then got up from the bed again.

"Don´t be too set on marrying him, Darling, if you meet someone you might fall in love with seize your chance."

"That sounds very sweet and romantic, Mamam but I wouldn´t jeopardize Genovia for anything, you know that."