Note: I don't own this stuff. Just made up the story line.

The next morning at breakfast, Clarisse watched as Shades and Charlotte sat side by side, laughing together. Charlotte laid her hand on the table. Shades reached over and rested his hand on hers. They didn't care who saw. It didn't matter.

Clarisse bit off a corner of toast and munched on it rather violently. She glanced at Joseph and caught him staring at the happy couple as well. He felt her gaze and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Life is not fair Joseph."

"Indeed it is not, Your Majesty. But to what specifically are you referring?" His bantering tone belied the formality of his words. The Count entered the dining room as he spoke.

"The fact that I had not yet seen Radu's lovely gardens and green house before last night." She smiled a greeting at the Count.

"I have just come from speaking with Armand, my dear. He assures me that only the greenhouse was damaged. Apparently there were some chemical fertilizers in there that were left too close to the heater and that caused the explosion.

"However," he continued brightly, "I would be happy to give you a tour of my dungeons this morning. If you are up to it?"

"I would be thrilled! I'm sure you have many of stories of romance and intrigue that took place in this castle," Clarisse said.

"I don't know about that, but I imagine the cells are suitably dark and dank enough to lend themselves to good story telling." He turned to Joseph. "Will you be joining us?"

"Definitely," Joseph replied somewhat darkly. "As will Shades and the other security officers. After last night, I don't want Her Majesty taking any chances."

"Shall we meet at 10:00 then? In the library? I will tell Armand that we will be late for lunch."

Everyone agreed and the talk turned to the festival being held in the village that week and whether they wanted to sample some of the fish from the Count's own lake for dinner that evening.

Joseph watched carefully whenever Armand entered the room to serve. He didn't trust the man and this morning Armand seemed especially tense. Finally he asked Count Kolov, "Is Armand the only staff in your employ, sir?"

"At this time, yes. I've had a terrible time keeping live-in help. He came to me almost two years ago, not long before most of the rest of my employees left. But Armand is very good at his job and he manages to hire temporary help from the village whenever we need it." The Count smiled. "I would be lost without him. He takes very good care of me."

Joseph returned the smile, but the answer hadn't allayed any of his suspicions.

Following breakfast, Clarisse strolled out into the garden. It was a warm morning, but dark rain clouds hung in the air.

"Stay out here too long and you're liable to get drenched," a husky voice spoke into her ear. She hadn't heard Joseph approach. She took his arm as he fell into step beside her.

"I don't really care." She squeezed his arm.

They walked in silence for a while. Then he asked her, "Did you happen to notice the closet door this morning, Your Majesty?"

"Yes! It probably opened the minute we gave up and went to bed." She laughed lightly. "Do you really think Shades spent the night in the hallway? Or was he in Charlotte's room?"

"He better hope he spent the night in the hallway!" Joseph exclaimed. "He was there when I went out to relieve him in the wee small hours this morning."

"Oh, Joseph! I didn't realize how little sleep you've had!" Clarisse stopped walking to look at him more fully. "Why don't you skip the trip to the dungeons this morning? There will be plenty of others there and you could catch up on your rest."

"I don't need rest," he growled, pulling her closer to him.

"Well, what do you need?" she asked archly, surprised at the challenge she heard in her own voice. In answer he swung her around until her back was pressed against a large tree, shielding them from the view of the house. He crushed his lips onto hers. She met his kiss with a vengeance of her own. Her arms circled his waist, pulling him deeper, closing the distance between their bodies. After several heated moments he pulled himself from her embrace and stepped back.

Neither one of them spoke. Both were somewhat shaken by the ferocity of passion they found themselves capable of.

Finally Clarisse found her voice. "Don't touch me," she said softly.

"What?!" he gasped. His eyes darkened with hurt.

"No! That's not what I mean, Joseph, darling. Please – " She raised her hands imploringly and leaned back against the tree. "If you touch me again, here and now, I won't be able to control myself, and we'll make fools of ourselves right out here in the middle of the garden." She laughed uncertainly.

Joseph nodded his head and sat down on a bench across the path from where she was standing. "You make a good point," he agreed. He stared hungrily at her. She could almost feel his hot eyes moving up and down her body. The very air between them seemed to crackle and pulse.

She took a deep breath, and continued to lean against the tree, not trusting herself to cross the path to sit next to him. "I wanted you last night," she said quietly. "I told myself this morning that it was just the wine." She raised her eyes to meet his fiery stare. "I was wrong - wine has nothing to do with it."

He laughed and ran a hand across his face. "We've been dancing around each other for years, Clarisse. Will things ever change?"

"Yes."

She spoke that one word quietly and with conviction. She didn't know how or when things would change, but she knew her heart.

His eyes locked onto hers and she could read all he wanted to say in that gaze. Her simple answer seemed to be enough for him. For now.

Eventually he spoke. "It's almost 10:00." He stood and took a step towards her. She smoothed her hair back into place and took his proffered arm. And together they walked back inside.