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"Pierre actually came to help me, Mother." Philippe said while looking at her, then down at the envelope in his hands "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" She asked, looking between the two again. Then watched as he extended his arm out to her, passing her the envelope.

"We didn't know how to tell you, so we thought we would show you instead." Pierre said and watched as she opened the envelope.

Pulling out the photos from inside, she studied them for a few seconds before putting them back inside and sealing it back up. "I know about this." She said looking between her sons then turned, walking over to her desk as Pierre and Philippe looked at each other. "In fact I have known for several years." She said, sitting at her desk.

"Tell her what you told me, Shades." Joseph said, looking at him.

"King Rupert requested I drive him to a private estate out of town, when we pulled up in the driveway, we were met by a young blonde lady." He said, beginning to sweat as his heart went into overdrive "The greeting was very intimate, then they disappeared inside for several hours." He said and watched as his Queen, who's heart he had just broke, stumbled back in her chair "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty."

"Are you sure?" Clarisse asked, looking up at him as Joseph walked around to her.

"Yes, I am very sure." Shades answered.

"Okay, Shades. Thank you for letting me know, you may go." She answered and slumped back in her chair.

Shades bowed and left, leaving her with Joseph. Closing the door behind him, he took a deep breath and hurried away.

"Are you sure?" Clarisse asked, looking up into Joseph's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Clarisse." He said, kneeling down beside her "Know that I am here for you."

"I know, thank you, Joseph." Clarisse nodded and stared at her desk for several moments.

"What? How could you have known, and stayed?" Pierre exclaimed as he moved over to the desk, sitting down opposite her.

"I stayed because I had a duty to my country, and I wanted to keep the crown in the family. I know I am not Royal by blood, only marriage, if you could even call it that, but you both are of Royal blood. If I were to leave and let him win then you would lose your rights, and not just yours but Amelia's too." She said looking towards Philippe as he stood behind the free chair in front of her desk.

"But after that night, how could you stay." Philippe asked.

"What night?" Clarisse asked.

"The night Father kicked Pierre out..." Philippe said, looking at her as she realized what night he was referring too.

"What happened the night Father kicked me out?" Pierre asked, looking at his Mother then Philippe.

"He beat you for helping Pierre, didn't he?" Philippe asked and watched as she lowered her head.

"He what?" Pierre exclaimed, causing Clarisse to look up "Is this true?" He asked.

"How did you know? You were meant to be in your room." Clarisse asked, looking into her youngest sons eyes. Seeing only the hurt, broke her heart.

"After Father told me to leave, I went and hid in the storage room next to your suite." Philippe said, looking down. "And I wish I hadn't off, as I really wish I hadn't heard what I did that night."

"I'm sorry, Philippe." Clarisse said softly, causing him to look up.

"I just don't get after that, why you would stay." He said moving around, sitting in the chair beside Pierre "I hated seeing him after that, and I tried so much to protect you."

"I know, and I thank you for that." Clarisse nodded a little while resting her arms on her desk in front of her. "Is that why you became so angry towards him also?"

"Yes." Philippe nodded, looking across at her.

"I thought so." Clarisse nodded.

"Can I ask you something?" Pierre asked.

"Of course." Clarisse nodded, and looked across at her son.

"If your marriage didn't involve being Royal, so say it was a normal marriage, would you of left?" He asked.

"Yes." Clarisse answered whilest nodding "I would."

"So because you wanted to secure our future, to make sure we had one I mean, you stayed?" Philippe asked and watched as once again Clarisse nodded.

"Oh." Pierre answered.

"I still wish you had left him years ago." Philippe exclaimed, causing both Pierre and his Mother to look at him. "I hate that he's got away with this, and is free to cheat on you." He exclaimed while standing up, pacing the room.

"I really had no idea that you knew about that night, Philippe, I wish you didn't and if I could turn back the clocks, I wouldn't let it happen again." Clarisse said looking across the room at her son as he stopped and looked over at her. "I'm sorry."

"But it did happen, I heard you crying, begging him to stop and it plagued my dreams for years, still does sometimes. I hate that he's a bully and thinks that it's okay to do that to you, he makes me so angry." Philippe said, getting angry.

"Why didn't you go and get help?" Pierre asked as Clarisse looked at him, then back at Philippe as he began speaking.

"I was so scared after hearing that, I couldn't move until the next morning. And even if I had managed to move, I would of only trusted Joseph, who I found out wasn't even at the Palace that night. As he took some stuff to Pierre so he could travel to England." He said looking at Pierre then at his Mother "I'm so sorry I didn't get help, or try to stop him."

"It's okay Philippe, I understand." Clarisse answered "I don't blame you, and you shouldn't blame yourself either."

"I have to go." He said starting for the door.

"Philippe," Clarisse exclaimed and watched as he stopped at the door, only turning his head to the side, much like his Mother does "I'm sorry."

"So am I." He answered and carried on out the door.

"I will go after him." Pierre said jumping to his feet, and started for the door.

"No," Clarisse exclaimed "Leave him be." She said sitting back in her chair "He needs time to cool off."

"Are you sure?" Pierre asked and walked back over to the desk.

"Yes." She nodded, looking up at him.

"Okay, if you're sure." He said, sitting back down.

"Yes, I'm very sure." Clarisse nodded.

After a few moments silence, Pierre looked up at Clarisse "Did you ever love Father?"

"Of course I did, at the start. The first few years were heaven and then he just changed, I know I should of left years ago, and sometimes I do regret not leaving, but I couldn't break up the family." Clarisse said, resting her elbow on the arm of her chair and her chin on her hand.

"He was doing that himself though, Mother." Pierre said and watched as she nodded in agreement. "I agree with Philippe, you should of left and found someone else that loved you."

"Oh come on, who would love, or even have me for that matter. I would of been a single Mother of two, who are Royal by blood. If I would off been lucky to have found someone, they would of only used me." Clarisse answered.

"That's not true, I can think of someone who wouldn't use you." Pierre answered "He would of loved you for who you are, and he would of made sure we all had the best life's and future no matter what." He said, giving a small smile.

"Who?" Clarisse asked, just as there was a knock on the door. "Come in." She called out, looking towards the door as Joseph appeared "Good afternoon, Joseph."

"Your Majesty," He smiled at her then at Pierre "Your Highness." He said, slowly walking towards the desk.

"Hello Joseph." Pierre smiled and stood up "I will leave you too it, I have a few things I need to do in town."

"Okay, you are coming back though, aren't you?" Clarisse asked, watching as he turned to her.

"Of course, I will be home for dinner, Mother." He smiled and bowed to Joseph before walking over to the door "Mother?"

"Yes," Clarisse said, looking over at him.

"Open your eyes." He smiled "I will see you later." He said and left them too it.

"Open my eyes? What's that supposed to mean?" Clarisse asked feeling a little confused and looked up at Joseph "Anyway, what can I do for you, Joseph?" Clarisse asked as she picked up the brown envelope, slipping it into her desk drawer.

"I just wondered if everything was okay with Prince Philippe?" Joseph asked, watching her as she looked up at him "He seemed to leave in a bit of a hurry."

"Yes, everything's okay. He was a bit angry with his Father, but it will pass soon enough." She answered and watched as Joseph nodded. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Joseph nodded and watched as she stood to her feet.

"Do you think I was crazy to stay, well, come back after Rupert cheated the first time?" She asked, standing beside him "And then stay the second time?"

"I do, you know that. But as you told me time and time again, you were having his baby, you had to stay. I personally felt that you wanted to leave, but you was trapped. I hate that he done that to you, and then when he done it to you again, I wanted to kill him."

"I know you did." Clarisse said, looking up at him "Thank you though for sticking by me and being an honest friend over the years, I really don't know what I would of done without you." She said stepping closer, giving him a quick hug before stepping back.

"You're welcome." Joseph smiled and watched her walked back around to sit at her desk.

"Anyway, I best get back to work." Clarisse said, slipping on her glasses.

"Okay, if you need anything then please do call." Joseph said while walking over to the door, looking back at her as she picked up her pen.

"I will." She smiled and watched him walk out, closing the door behind himself.

Later that evening.

Clarisse sat at her desk, her elbows resting in front of her on her desk and her arms up, her chin resting on her hands, thinking. When moments later, Joseph hurried to his friend's office, knocking and walking straight in without even waiting for an answer. Behind him was Charlotte, and Shades. They all stood and watched as Clarisse slowly stood up behind her desk.

"What's going on?" She asked, studying her best friends face.

"It's Prince Philippe, he's been in an accident."

"What?" She gasped, stumbling back in her chair.