Chapter 12
Author's Note: Hi Girls! I'm here with the next chapter so I hope most of you arrived back from holiday! I'm sending a big hug to all of my lovely reviewers, namely to Ilane, Arwen1995, faby, fantasyinmymind, blugirl-783, Quinnie3, sevy MMAD, Vluy, Kristi-Julie, Sprinks and to beMMADfabulous. Thanks girls, really! = )
"Don't worry, you two will not divorce… at least not it public."
"How do you mean 'not in public?" asked Rupert with disbelief.
"I thought you've already learnt over the years that in our family divorce are completely out of the question. We simply cannot afford it. What should people say? After all, we are not the English royal family..." She remarked wittily. "We're held to higher standards of behavior. At least this must be the appearance… and what is going on in the background, well that is really not their business."
"You mean?"
"What is that you cannot understand? You two will get divorced in silence."
"But I absolutely have no intention to divorce! And anyway don't you think people will miss her after a while?"
"Be a bit more flexible darling. As for the divorce, I will stick to my guns. If Clarisse still wants to divorce, you two will do it, that's it. This is the minimum you can do after what you committed against her."
"I don't care! I won't let her go away and certainly not with a blighter like Joseph! She is MY wife, so I have every right to her!... Now we are just in a little trough of wave, but it doesn't matter because this is just a transition state."
"Little trough of wave?" Sylvia asked sarcastically "And what should you call a bigger one? If it still would last in your next life?"
"Ok, I think we should move on… What I would really like to know that how did you imagine this 'divorce in the background' thing? I mean what should I say to the people of Genovia? Where the hell is my wife? On a holiday?"
"No dear. We should say she... died."
"WHAT?"
"We should simply announce that our beloved queen – we still have to find out how- died. Of course we have to work on the details, but I think it could work."
"You are not normal!"
"Why? Clarisse could marry Joseph after the divorce, while you could live as a… you know, a merry widow."
"I will never approve of it!"
"Well, I think you do not have much choice."
"Do you really think that? Then let me inform you, that I AM the king in this country… so it means I can do ANYTHING!"
"You can be so sweet darling." Sylvia chuckled and patted his cheek. "And now sleep a bit. Maybe tomorrow you will see the world in a different kind of way." She smiled as she left him.
Rupert just stood there for a few minutes, tried to figure out something… anything, but he could not concentrate. All he had wanted to do was kicking Joseph's ass…
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A few minutes later in Joseph's room…
"I'll be back in a minute," smiled Clarisse, turning back from the door, "I just want to arrange a few things with Charlotte. You know, I would have two meetings in the next few days, but I'm sure we can postpone them."
"Just go dear." Joseph winked and gave her a quick kiss. "And while you are away, I'll start packing."
"I'm sure you will be through with it when I come back."
"That's sure! Give me two minutes and I'm ready."
"Oh my God, I cannot wait for this vacation." She stopped for another kiss before she left… As the door closed behind her Joseph turned around and picked out his suitcase from under the bed, but he barely started packing when the door opened again,
"Have you left something?" He smiled and turned around. "Or just another kiss you want…."
"That's very kind of you, but I think I will pass this time if you do not mind." answered Rupert coldly, his gaze wild.
"Oh what a surprise." Joseph straightened and looked at him with self-confidence.
"Do you really think you can run away with my wife? Hm?" He just looked at him. "That she will divorce and you can live with her happily ever after?"
"Well…" Joseph smiled. "You told me that soon I will go back to where I belong… and I said 'yes, but only with her' and look at that, we are really going."
"You think you're funny?" Rupert asked and stepped closer. "Then let me tell you, that this is MY country, MY home and she is MY wife. Clear? Or is it too sophisticated for you Mr…. nobody?"
"Yes," nodded Joseph and stepped closer challengingly. "Maybe I'm too… hick to understand such a complicated sentence like that. Could you explain it to me?"
"…With pleasure." Rupert hissed and hit Joseph as strong as he could…
The first round sent Joseph to the floor, but he pulled himself together quite quickly and started beating Rupert, hitting him any place he could reach him.
When Clarisse arrived back with Charlotte, they were already near the door, rolling up and down on the floor…
"Oh my God!" screamed Clarisse as she saw them, "Charlotte, call for Shades and the others! Quickly!" She cried, while tried stop them with not much success, but fortunately the security team arrived within a minute, so they separated them quickly.
"Joseph, are you ok?" she rushed to help him up from the floor.
"Of course, I'm fine." He smiled. "Don't worry."
"What the hell were you thinking?" Now she turned to that bastard. "Hitting Joseph will solve everything? Do you really think you can win me back with this macho fighting?"
"I won't sit here in peace and looking patiently as someone is stealing my wife." He was holding his cheek with a painful grin as he stood up.
"Joseph is not stealing me, I left you! Do you understand me? I!" She was extremely close now. "I was the one who decided that way!" She was screaming. "And now GET OUT!"
"Never!" He hissed and grabbed her hand, tried to pull her with him, but Joseph quickly stopped him and with a final swing he knocked him out completely.
Rupert laid on the floor unmoved until Shades and Scott picked him up and took him to his suite with a satisfied smile on their faces...
"Are you alright?" Joseph asked softly as Clarisse was still massaging her wrist after Rupert's strong squeezing.
"Yes," she nodded. "It doesn't matter."
"Of course it does." He whispered as drew her to his embrace.
"Hey it's over."
"No it's not, it hasn't even started yet."
"What do you mean?" She looked up a bit scared.
"You saw him. He won't give up on you easily, so I think it's better if we leave tonight."
"Tonight? But I haven't even started packing…"
"Olivia and Brigitte will pack in quickly. Just stay here with me."
"Joseph I do not think…"
"Please."
"Ok." She gave up. "After all I can arrange everything through the phone, but first please sit down. That wound on your cheek seems pretty serious."
"Oh it's nothing."
"Really? Then what would you say to a little perfume to disinfect it?" She asked and opened the bottle on the nightstand and reached for a Kleenex. As she covered the wound with it, he hissed painfully.
"Nothing, isn't it?"
"It was just a bit cold…"
"Uh-huh." She smiled on his manly comment, when he stopped her softly, saying a quiet thank you for being with him, that they were together and…for everything. He knew this is all worth it, it worth every moment of it…
"Ok finished." She smiled a few minutes later as she put on a Band-Aid. "You look handsome."
"Yeah, like a pirate."
"No." She chuckled. "In that case the blindfold would be on your eye."
He did not answer just drew her closer for a kiss. He would have gone anywhere with her…
"Just call those girls…" He winked after they slowly broke the kiss. "I want to 'steal' you as soon as possible."
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Nearly two hours had passed when they finally reached the safety distance from the palace. Joseph drove fast, but carefully as always, he could never risk her health for a little time saving.
They did not speak too much during this journey, but they were both filled with happy tiredness. Actually Clarisse fell asleep quickly.
When they reached the border it was nearly one o'clock and it was almost dawn when he finally stopped the car at the friendly little house near the beach.
He softly picked her up, taking her upstairs, where the bedroom was cozy, furnished with great taste and care. As he softly put her down on the bed and covered her carefully, he stopped for a few moments. She was so beautiful and peaceful as she was laying there and he perfectly knew how lucky he was to have her. So he just stood there for a few moments enjoying the view, before he took in the luggages one after the other, just putting them down in the living room.
As he finally closed the main door, he felt some kind of a relief. He leant against the old wooden door and let out a sigh. She was with him, finally she was REALLY with him and he knew he will never give up on fighting for her, whatever comes. If Rupert sent a whole army to get her back, it still wouldn't matter.
A few minutes later he was already upstairs, leaving the packing and everything for tomorrow. He was extremely tired, this whole day was exhausting both physically and mentally, but now they were finally here, far away from everything in their own little hideaway.
As he took off his shoes and laid next to her, he gently pulled her to his embrace and a dreamy smile appeared on her face as he was whispering,
"Welcome home my darling."
To be continued…
