The tears had stopped and she was lying back with her eyes closed, her robe wrapped tightly around her. Joseph had no idea what to say to her, so he went into the outer room of the suite to wait for Charlotte.
She arrived within minutes – hair pulled back and sweats thrown over pajamas. "Joseph! What on earth is wrong?!"
He led her into the bedroom and she immediately ran to Clarisse's side, kneeling down next to the sofa. Clarisse didn't open her eyes, but reached out a hand towards her assistant, which Charlotte gripped in both of hers.
:"The Queen has been assaulted, Charlotte," Joseph said. "I need you to stay with her. The doctor should be here soon. I am going to place her attacker in custody."
"Joseph – NO!" Clarisse cried.
"I have to, Your Majesty," he said formally, his voice husky with emotion. "I've already failed in my duty once tonight. I won't fail you again."
Charlotte looked wordlessly from one to the other.
"God in Heaven, Joseph," Clarisse said quietly. "Do not do this. It is none of your affair. Rupert is not himself and if you confront him I don't know what he might do." She was trying to pull herself up, but again the pain in her side kept her down. "He is still the king."
Joseph looked into her eyes, searching – he wasn't sure what for. He said only "I'm sorry, Clarisse." He turned to leave and the sound of her softly crying reached his ears. He didn't turn, but slowly closed the door behind him.
He hesitated only a moment before heading to the stairs. The king's suite was one floor above. As he reached the landing, he saw his men step out of the shadows. Four of them. Joseph raised a brow in silent inquiry.
"He's inside sir. He dismissed his own guards as well. We've heard nothing from inside."
Joseph nodded mutely. He left the men where they stood and strode purposefully to the king's door. He didn't knock – simply threw the door open and entered. The door slammed behind him. At the sound of the door, he heard a gasp from further inside the suite. He followed the sound.
King Rupert Renaldi sat on the floor of his bedroom. Rupert was a large, powerful man, much huskier than Joseph's wiry, muscular frame. Rupert's normally stern countenance and watchful intelligent eyes were exactly what a casting director would look for when filling the role of benevolent ruler.
Now Joseph found this powerful man cowering like a frightened child at the foot of his bed. He held his head in his hands, barely looking up as Joseph entered.
Joseph's eyes surveyed the room. His gaze was again captured by a smear of red. The smear was a blood stain across Rupert's white shirt. He knew it was Clarisse's blood. It was where Rupert had crushed her against him while he –
Joseph leaned down and grabbed the King by the shirt, pulling him up on the bed. "Get up and face me you son of a bitch!"
"No. No, no, no." the King moaned into his hands. "Go to her – help her. She needs you Joseph."
His reaction caught Joseph completely off guard. He took a good look at Rupert. The King finally met his eyes and for a moment, a cloud seemed to lift from his gaze. "I hurt her. I don't know what's wrong with me, Joseph. I never should have hurt her." His voice trailed off into a moan and blood began to run out of his nose. "Something is wrong…" Blood dripped down on the front of his shirt, mingling with the blood of his wife.
Joseph was frozen to the spot – his anger pushed him to action, but he knew this was not his King, not Clarisse's husband. This was a man quite literally out of his mind. Even as he watched, Rupert's eyes rolled back in his head and he slid backwards off the bed into the floor.
For a heartbeat, Joseph didn't move, didn't react. Then he bent down and felt for the King's pulse. Very weak. He ran to the door and called to his men - "Get an ambulance! Now!"
Leaving the door open, he crossed the room to the King's side. The blood was still coming out of his nose, soaking his clothes, the rug. Joseph knelt down at Rupert's side. The King turned his face toward Joseph. "Tell her I'm sorry," he whispered. It was his last breath.
It seemed like days later when Joseph was finally able to descend the stairs to Clarisse's door.