I ask everyone to forgive me for taking so long to make an update of the story.

It wont happen again, it's a promise.

Please, it's only a few seconds to leave a review and, to me, means the wold.

Thank you so much,

Maria

Mother Gothel called the five guards to Clarisse's office. Joseph and the others only could be at Clarisse's room again and now she did not want to waste time. Although not yet visible, she felt her skin dry ... As if with every passing hour, a new wrinkle struck her face or her hands. Only the sound of her fingernails drumming on Clarisse's desk interrupted the silence. The next four days will be vital to her. She have to recover the Blossom of Youth, get back the trust of Torm, the dark spirit and Joseph ... The perfect man to have by her side! The only problem was that she only had five useless guards ... Five guards who served only to fulfill orders and, at the moment, she needed some ideas too ...

"I want you to cut off the electricity in the queen's room and I want to know if there are secret passages in that room. I want two permanently armed guards at the door, and I want to kill anyone who wants to leave except Rapunzel, Arianna, and Joseph. The others shoot to kill, but I want these three alive. "

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Now get out of here, useless. I do not want to see you! Get out! "She shouted.

Meanwhile, in Clarisse's room, Joseph and Pierre prepared lunch, while Arianna and Anna changed into Clarisse's closet.

"Pierre, I do not want to be indiscreet, but you have lipstick on your neck..." Joseph did not avoid a wicked smile and Pierre instinctively reached his hand where he could still feel Anna's lips.

"That's not what you're thinking, Joseph."

"And there's no need to blush, my prince." And then he could no longer keep from laughing.

"Joseph, please ... Do you think Mother saw? I do not want her to think anything inappropriate about Anna, she's a ... "

"Pierre, I do not know if your mother saw it but I know she would never think anything inappropriate about Anna or you. In addition, you are already grown, do not need the authorization of anyone ... "

The women's voice interrupted the conversation and Joseph took the opportunity to unravel the atmosphere between him and Pierre.

"These your humble servants present to you the best possible lunch." And he finished with a bow. Pierre looked at him with amusement and bowed, and the others laughed.

"This little interlude made me forget at times the panic we are in. Thank you my friends, "said Arianna and they all sat down.

"I'm so worried about everyone but Charlotte and Scoth are the ones I think about the most. It's like they're part of the family! " Clarisse lowered her eyes and Joseph squeezed her hand.

"I do not think they are in any great danger since they will be asleep. But we have to think about how we're going to get out of the Palace and more importantly, how are we going to arrest that hallucination. "

"We can defend ourselves, Joseph?"

"Do we have weapons?"

"Yes. We'll need them. If necessary, we'll have to kill that woman, "said Pierre. Everyone looked at him in silence.

"Sorry for the sincerity but between her and us, I will not hesitate for a second."

"Of course Pierre. Me neither. But I only have a pistol with me and I think it will be very difficult to reach the gun room. "

"I'll see if there's anyone in the hallways." And Arianna got up.

"No!" The three men shouted in unison.

"I will!" Joseph said, and without waiting for a reply, he got up and went to the door of the suite. Then he knelt and crouched even more. He reached out, unlocked the door as quietly as possible, and opened very slowly ... several shots hit the door and at least two bullets lodged in the wall of the room. Joseph closed the door again and locked it. The screams inside the room let the guards think they had hit someone. Everyone threw themselves to the floor in a panic. Joseph confirmed that the shots had not come through the door and joined the others. Pierre and Frederic instinctively protected the three women.

"The shots did not go through the door, we're safe for now."

"If you were standing, you would be hit in the chest, Joseph. You do not do that again, do you hear me? Don't you dare leave me! "Joseph grabbed Clarisse's arm and pulled her to him.

"I'm sorry. I did not think they would shoot against us. "

"After all, they're not all sleeping. Every time I understand less. Our guards shooting at us ? "Pierre was shocked. Joseph hugged Clarisse harder and murmured in his ear.

"Forgive me, my love."

Clarisse closed her eyes and snuggled into him. The phone rang again and Joseph answered.

"Yes?"

"They did not hit you after all ... Good! I do not think I ever told you that I find your voice so sexy ... "

"I do not feel like talking to manipulators who do not even have the guts to say what's going on." Everyone joined him.

"Why, Joseph, but you lose the surprise!"

"But what surprise? I have already realized that the guards are in your favor so we are always at a disadvantage..."

"Call me Khristi ... I want you to feel at ease with me. And I want you to know that this is not against you." Clarisse was visibly irritated but remained silent.

"Already said…"

"No, no, no ... Wrong words. Khristi! Or, just ... Dear ... "

Joseph closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Then tell me, Khristi, what's going to happen?"

"It's better already. Not good but better. So listen, because I know you're all listening, your guards are going to force into that suite and Rapunzel, Arianna and you, my dear Joseph, are coming to me! "

"And the others?"

"They'll be killed, of course!" A muffled cry came from Anna's throat.

"You're mean. It's horrible, despicable, disgusts me, "Anna shouted.

"My dear Rapunzel, this is all your father's fault." Khristi Gothel's voice sounded like stone, cold! And they all looked at each other in silence.

"I do not understand ..." said Anna, visibly upset.

"You do not understand, my rosebud?" She said in a voice of joy, but then she turned into a devilish, cavernous voice that froze everyone's blood. "When your mother was pregnant with you, your father sent men to the whole kingdom to seek and bring to the palace, the Blossom of Youth. Then they made the tea your mother drank ... and all the power of the beautiful Blossom of Youth, IT WAS IN YOUR HAIR! But I will restore order! And in four days, when the moon is born, I will bury your heart your mother heart, still warm and with a bit of life ... And in this place will be born the new Blossom of Youth! "

The silence was total and Joseph immediately hung up the phone. Khristi Gothel called again but Clarisse did not let him answer. Arianna pulled Anna into her arms and wept. Frederic knelt beside them and, in the midst of tears, could barely babble. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. "Arianna kissed her husband.

"It's not your fault, my dear. This woman is completely crazy. Let's not care about what she says ... "

Pierre and Clarisse were terrified. What if Gothel fulfilled what she had just said? What if she could kill mother and daughter?

"Joseph? Do you think I could get a gun for myself? I'm going to defend my family until my last breath. "

"And so do I, Joseph!"

Joseph shared his attention between Clarisse, the door, and the other four.

"I'm gonna do my best. We really have to defend ourselves. This woman is completely crazy. "The sound of more shots against the doors set the panic in the group. From tracks, everyone left the room and entered Clarisse's room.

"Help me lock the door Pierre."

"Of course, Joseph. But how are we going to defend ourselves here? And how are we going to get out of here? "

"Easy, Pierre. I'll explain. Now help me. I do not think the other doors will hold out for long. "The gunshots came to a halt again, but this time Joseph did not risk it and let himself stay in the room. But as sometimes what is bad still can get worse, the electricity has been turned off.

"Oh my God ... Why, I did not expect that. No electricity… we can not stay here. I'll leave…"

"No." Clarisse's expression left no room for doubt, but he had to take action NOW. Clarisse was at the bottom of the bed, with two steps, he was next to her and kissed her. A kiss almost desperate, begging her to understand.

"My queen, your life will always be first than mine. Besides, here is your son, the woman he loves, and two extraordinary friends ... I have to get you out of here ... I have to get you out of here, my queen! I can not live without you anymore! And, as you know, the secret passage is near the entrance of the suite ... I go now and as soon as I signal, you follow me in silence." Arianna was crying with emotion. Clarisse placed her hand on his cheek and ran her fingers over his lips. Joseph closed his eyes. Then she kissed him softly. He smiled, opened the door slowly, and advanced ... Frederic waited for Joseph's signal. Seconds later, they were all at the entrance to the secret passage. Silently, they groped for Joseph's room. The night had already fallen on Genovia, and with the sudden departure of the room no one carried flashlights.

"I think it's here," Joseph whispered. Frederic pushed the door very carefully and entered, followed by everyone. Joseph turned on the light.

"We'd better keep talking low. These doors are not so sturdy. "And he took the opportunity to lock them. The coat on the bed caught his eye. "Someone was in this room," he thought, but not to frighten her, he stopped talking and did not think about it again. With the help of Frederic and Pierre, Joseph put a bookcase in front of the door and then filled it with books again. They already had a line of defense that was good enough to prevent anyone from coming in immediately, without they first getting away. Joseph opened a small fridge ...

"I think I can get dinner for everyone. We spend the night here. Tomorrow we'll have to find a way out of the palace. "

Since Khristi's phone call, Anna did not leave her mother. All the pretexts were good to touch. Frederic noticed that too. If he guessed ... But how could he ever let Arianna die without trying everything? Oh God ... He could not lose them.

Minutes later, Joseph returned with four pistols and several porters.

"It is all I have…"

"And you will not need anything else, my friend! We have to believe! "

Joseph looked at Frederic and smiled. Clarisse sat on Joseph's leg, chose a weapon and the porters. She put a cart, locked the gun and, looking at Joseph said:

"I still remember!" Joseph smiled and gave her a small kiss on the lips.

"That's my girl."

With shifts of two to be guarded, the other four took to rest. The data was released and they had three days remaining to eliminate Khristi Gothel!