Hey all, I just want to thank you all for the support :) you have no idea how much it means to me and I pray that you continue to follow this story. And yes, that is a quote from The Sound of Music at the bottom ;)
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Sunday 9th April 2000.
Sitting at her dressing table, Clarisse stared at her tired self in the mirror as the Royal hairdresser and good friend Tracey fixed her hair, giving it a quick trim for her on this warm sunny morning. It was a Sunday and she was taking a rare day off since working everyday, catching up with all things Royal following her return from Italy just over a month ago. She reasoned that she would take a rest day, not that she would get much rest since receiving a phone call from Eleanor late friday night to tell her that Joseph had gone missing. She had explained to Clarisse what they had talked about the night before and how they hadn't heard from him all day, then when he didn't turn up at the bar that evening they began to worry, so she drove over to Victoria's where he had been staying only to find that he wasn't there.
Nicolai had told her that he had left that morning, but hadn't returned and they all agreed that it was completely out of character for him to just go off without telling anyone where he was going, especially since he didn't take any belongings with him, just his car. The police were called who began a search, and informed border control but so far there was no news and Clarisse was turning into a nervous wreck.
Then, just as Tracey was about to cut a bit of Clarisse's hair the phone rang causing them both to jump. Placing her hand on her heart, Tracey watched as Clarisse stood to her feet and hurried over to answer the phone.
"Joseph?" She exclaimed, pressing the phone to her ear.
"No I'm sorry, it's Jasmine,"
"Oh Jasmine, hello, is there any news?" She asked.
"No, not yet," Jasmine answered.
"Oh," Clarisse said sadly and sank onto the edge of her bed as her sister stood in the doorway, watching her.
The rest of the call passed in a blur and moments later they hung up, only then when she stood to her feet did she notice that her sister was stood in the doorway. Shaking her head at the look on her sisters face, she made her way back over to her dressing table and sat down for Tracey to finish her hair. Then once she had finished she gathered up her things and left them too it.
"You know," Isabella began as she watched her sister move to stand looking out of the open french doors "he will turn up soon, and will be wondering what all the fuss was about."
But Clarisse just stood with her arms crossed, staring out at the beautiful blue sky.
Moving over, Isabella stood beside her sister "Clarisse?" she said, putting her hand on her sisters back and watched as she slowly turned her head to look at her.
"What if,"
"Don't," Isabella said, interrupting her sister "don't even think about that, he will turn up I promise." She whispered and slid her hand up Clarisse's back and onto her shoulder, pulling her into a hug as she began crying. "Everything will be okay soon, I promise," she whispered, gently rubbing her back.
Clarisse may be the oldest by nine years, but Isabella was glad that she allowed her baby sister to be there for her during the hard times. It broke her heart to see her this way, but wouldn't expect her to react any different at the news of Joseph's disappearance. They may not be together anymore, but Isabella knew that her sister still loved him, and missed him greatly.
"I wish we had never left things the way we did," Clarisse said after several moments of silence and lifted her head from her sisters shoulder "I should have gone after him to talk to him, I should have gone to see him the next morning instead of coming home." She said, crying as she stepped back from her sister.
"What do you mean?" Isabella asked as she watched her grab a couple of tissues from the box on the table before moving to sit down on the sofa. Moving around, she sat beside her and took hold of her hand, pulling it to her as Clarisse closed her eyes "Clarisse, what happened?"
She was shocked at her actions, but she couldn't help herself. His lips felt so good against hers and she realised when he had kissed her that she had missed him more than she thought she had, so she kissed him back and when it become more fiery between them she put one hand up on the side of his neck, her other on his bicep. Slowly he pushed her onto her back and gently laid his body down on hers, his hips between her thighs. And feeling his manhood against her she let a moan escape into his mouth as she slid her hands down onto his sides and gripped at his shirt, tugging it from his pants.
"We nearly slept together the day of Victoria's funeral," she said and dabbed her eyes with the tissue "but I stopped him because it didn't feel right and ended up getting into an argument instead."
"Oh,"
"He was so mad and right, what he said he was right I realised that after he left,"
"What did he say?" Isabella asked as she put her arm around her sisters back.
"Well he asked me if I remembered what I had said the night I first met Gino," Clarisse answered and looked down at the tissue in her hands.
"And do you?" Isabella asked and watched as Clarisse closed her eyes, nodding to her question "what did you say?"
"I said that, 'it took a good few years, but I believe I have finally found my King' and I meant every word, or I thought I did. If I did then I wouldn't have pushed him away like I had, I wouldn't have sent him away after Philippe died." She said and began crying again "and now he's gone missing."
"Oh Clarisse," Isabella soothed as Clarisse rested her head on her shoulder.
Moments later there was a knock on the door and Clarisse lifted her head, tears still rolling down her cheeks. "Can you get that for me, I can't let anybody see me like this," Clarisse asked.
"Of course," nodded Isabella and they both stood to their feet.
"Thank you," Clarisse said and made her way through into her bedroom as Isabella walked over to the door.
Opening the door, she stood in surprise to find Joseph stood looking back at her "you're here?" She exclaimed.
"I'm here," he nodded "is Clarisse here though?" He asked and watched as Isabella put her hand up, pressing her forefinger against her lips.
"Shh come in," she whispered and watched as he walked past her before closing the door and turning back to him "she's just freshening up, I will go and leave you to talk. She's a bit upset, so I know she will be happy to see you here."
"What's the matter, is everything alright?" He asked, whispering back.
"I'll let her explain," she said and opened the door "I'll catch you later," she added and walked out, closing the door behind her.
Moving across the room, Joseph stood by the open french doors and waited for Clarisse to emerge. He didn't have to wait long.
"Isabella, I," she said, her words trailing off as she stood in the bedroom doorway just moments later to see Joseph stood looking back at her.
"Hello Clarisse,"
"Joseph? Oh thank god," she whispered and hurried over to him.
"Careful, I've been driving since yesterday so I'm all dirty and yucky," he exclaimed as she flung her arms around his shoulders, giving him a hug.
"I don't care about that I'm just glad you are okay, I have been so worried, we all have," she exclaimed and lifted her head to look up into his eyes.
"You all have?" He asked, puzzled.
"Yes, you disappeared on friday, everyone's been worried sick about you."
"Oh," he said and averted his gaze across the room "I never really thought about letting anyone know where I was going, I just got in the car friday morning and just kept driving until I arrived here."
"You drove all the way here?" She asked as he nodded "all the way from Italy?" She asked and once again he nodded "why didn't you just get a flight?" She asked as he laughed and nodded.
"Well I know that seems the obvious choice, but I couldn't find my passport and I couldn't wait to get a new one, I had to see you." He said and took her hand, leading her over to the sofa and they both sat down "I wanted to apologise for my behaviour that night we uh... it was wrong off me and I'm so very sorry."
Placing her free hand on top of his that held onto her other hand, Clarisse looked down at them momentarily before looking back up at him "and I must apologise too, I shouldn't have kissed you back, I shouldn't have led you on like that only to stop it from happening, I'm sorry."
"It's okay, you don't have to apologise. I never really understood it before but Eleanor put it a different way the other night and it clicked, I'm so very sorry for the way I have been acting."
"You had every right to act that way, I wasn't being fair to you and just hope that you can forgive me?" She said softly, gently rubbing the top of his hand with her thumb as he looked down at them.
"There isn't anything to forgive," he said, looking up into her eyes.
"Thank you," she said, and looked around her suite before looking back at him "did you really drive all this way?" She asked, still unable to believe it.
"Yes, I did," he nodded and laughed "I know it's hard to believe but if you go down to the drive you will see my very dirty car from home."
"Alright, I believe you," she said, smiling at him.
"Why thank you," he smiled and brought her hand up to his lips, kissing the back of it before letting it go.
"Now, I think you better call home to let them know that you are okay, they've had the police out looking for you." She said and placed both of her hands down on the top of her thighs.
"Oh wow," he said "I better phone them then, and then would it be okay if I went and had a shower in my old suite? It's just I have been driving for some time, and I'm in desperate need of a clean. Plus most of my cloths are still there."
"Of course," she nodded and slid her hands to her knees before standing to her feet "and it's not your old suite, it's still your suite, if you want it?" She asked, clasping her hands together in front of her and smiled.
"I would like that, yes," he nodded, returning her smile.
That Afternoon.
Knocking on Joseph's door, Clarisse waited for an answer but when she didn't get one she tried the door. Opening it she found Joseph sleeping on his couch, slowly walking in the room she stood by the coffee table and just watched him for a long moment before placing what she had found down on the sofa beside him and made her way over to the door, but as she turned to walk out she knocked into the corner of the coffee table.
Waking to french swear words, Joseph opened his eyes and watched, sleepy dazed at the scene before him. Clarisse was bent over, cursing the coffee table as she rubbed her shin furiously. "Damn you coffee table," she exclaimed, almost crying at the pain.
"What happened?" He asked, sitting up as she stopped and turned her head to look at him.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she said, standing back up straight.
"It's okay," he said and stood to his feet "let me take a look."
"Oh it's fine, it's just a small knock," she said and took hold of his hand "I've had worse."
"Well it wouldn't hurt to take a look, would it?" He said, guiding her carefully around the coffee table and sat down, patting his lap for her to rest her leg on.
"Joseph, it's fine honestly," Clarisse said, protesting as she sat down and put her leg up, carefully resting it down on Joseph's lap.
He said nothing as he looked down at her leg, gently rubbing his thumb in circles over the spot she knocked "it's going to bruise," he said eventually and looked up at her.
"I thought it would," she nodded, looking down at her leg as he ran his hand down towards her ankle. Looking up at his face, she blushed and quickly lowered her leg, placing her foot back on the floor beside her other one "I should go."
"Was there something that you needed?" He asked, watching her stand to her feet.
"Sorry? Oh," she asked, realising what he had said "I found something that you might have needed." She said and pointed to the item she placed on the sofa.
Looking down, he picked it up and smirked. "My passport?" He said and looked up at her.
"Yes, I'm sorry I found it among my things," she said and watched him as he laughed.
"Oh it's fine," he smiled "I quite enjoyed the ride." He said and this time she laughed before looking back into his eyes.
"Can I ask you something?" She asked, moving to sit back on the sofa beside him.
"Of course you can," he nodded.
"Eleanor mentioned that you had been flirting with several women at the bar, and I just wondered," she hesitated.
"If I what? Slept with any of them?" He asked and watched as she looked down.
Ashamed for asking, she shook her head and stood up "sorry I shouldn't have asked."
"Clarisse, wait," he exclaimed as she hurried to the door, jumping to his feet she stopped and turned back to him as he walked over to her.
"I had no right to ask you that, we aren't together anymore so it's none of my business if you have or not," she said, looking up into his eyes as he stood in front of her "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, it's fine, and to answer your question no I didn't," he said and watched as relief washed over her. "I'm not going to stand here and lie though, I'll hold my hands up and admit right now that yes I did flirt with these women, but that's as far as it ever went."
"Okay," she said, nodding.
"Eleanor was right, there is only one woman for me and that's how it's going to be for the rest of my life," he said softly and watched as she averted her gaze away.
"Joseph, I," she began and looked back up into his eyes "when you disappeared I thought I was going to lose you too,"
"You're not going to lose me Clarisse, I'm never going to leave you again, okay?" He said softly and watched as she slowly nodded.
"That night we kissed," she began, looking deep into his eyes "I realised just how much I had missed you and although I do love you and do want to be with you again one day, I just need time and hope that you don't think of me as being selfish for being the way I am. I'm not trying to lead you on, you have the option to leave if you want but you must understand that I'm not ready."
"I know, and I understand," he nodded and put his hand up to brush a bit of her hair back behind her ear before cupping her cheek "I'm not going anywhere, and I certainly don't think of you as selfish."
"Thank you," she whispered and put her hand up onto his wrist before watching him lean closer, placing a kiss to her forehead.
"Now," he said, stepping back and opened the door "shall we go for a walk?"
Smiling, Clarisse nodded "I would love too."
Extending his arm, Joseph smiled "after you." He said and watched as she walked out the room before following her.
Pulling up into the drive, Isabella watched as Clarisse linked her arm with Josephs whilst walking away from the palace with him and her pup, Maurice running around them and smiled. "You know," she said and looked at her husband, Charles, as he looked at her "there is nothing more irresistible to a man than a woman who's in love with him."
Nodding, Charles watched as she looked back out the front window at her sister and Joseph a moment longer before they both climbed from the car and made their way back inside the palace.
