The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!
Thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers!
When they finally resurfaced much, much later, the storm had finally subsided (although there were still a few claps of thunder and flashes of lightning, obviously another storm was around) and Joseph, after a momentary glance at his watch and realizing he had to put the vegetables on, gently extricated himself from Clarisse and their perch on the long leather couch, and dashed out to the kitchen to do just that, Clarisse admiring the view and was still smiling when he returned, clad only in his boxers.
"What's so amusing?" he teased as he rejoined her on the couch, Clarisse slipping on his t-shirt as she sat up next to her husband.
"You really don't know how magnificent you are," she almost breathed, running a hand down his bare, muscular chest and he chuckled almost smugly as he reached for his shorts, his only available item of clothing now that Clarisse had stolen his shirt, and surmrised that they both had time to shower and change their clothes before dinner. "You are, you know."
"I never really thought about it," he shrugged modestly but he was secretly pleased that Clarisse had noticed and admired him, not that she wouldn't have, she was an intelligent and alert woman. "I DO have to keep fit!"
"You did as my HOS, but now... you don't have to for cosmetic or health reasons as I love you just the way you are..."
"I know that, but I enjoy exercising and keeping fit... what intrigues me is that you look fabulous...you always have," he added hastily, not wanting to insult her. "But now you are simply... stunning and youthful!"
"That's what love does!" she smiled with a blush. "That, and a lot of assistance from maids, stylists, hair dressers, anti ageing creams and modern technology...not that I've experiment with that!" she added with a rueful laugh. "I doubt I would be able to get anything done without the country finding out about it!" but he shook his head with a frown.
"No...you've always been naturally beautiful but as you've aged, you've gotten even more beautiful!"
"You're just biased," Clarisse protested before chuckling as he reached over, slipped a hand under her shirt and ran his hand up and down her back.
"Either way, I adore you just as much as when I first realized how much I cared about you... but you are still a gorgeous woman and I don't think there was much assistance in helping you stay the way you are!"
"I love that you find it so easy to compliment me and make me feel better about myself."
"It's easy," he lay her back down on the sofa and hovered above her with a broad smile. "I find you beautiful, kind, intelligent, sweet, compassionate and... incredibly sexy," he finished in a low voice as he leaned over and began nuzzling her neck, eliciting soft chuckles from his wife.
"Sexy?" she turned even bredder but she also looked pleased at his words.
"Yes, absolutely... you are the sexiest woman I know..."
"I'm hardly that as compared to other, younger women..."
"Nevertheless, you are incredibly sexy and I love the fact that you... belong to me and I don't need to compete for you attention or your heart..."
"I love that too," she said softly before she touched his face with her hand. "You don't have to compete with anyone else, you've always had my heart and my attention..." before he leaned down again and kissed her, a kiss that deepened by the second and, as hands began wandering, the second approaching storm was all but forgotten...
0
It was only when delicious smells began to waft from the kitchen that the newlyweds realized that they soon had to leave their comfortable couch to shower and dress before their eagerly awaited roast dinner and, while neither of them had said it, tonight was a special occasion and they were both secretly planning on dressing up a little.
There was another storm rumbling around, but Clarisse was so relaxed and content, the nightmares of the past finally laid to rest, that she didn't really notice the storm, thunder or lightning, being far too absorbed in gazing at her husband and again absorbing the features of his face that made him look so gentle, so caring, compassionate and intelligent... she was so lucky...
"Penny for your thoughts?" he teased as he played with a strand of her hair before tucking it behind her ear.
"I was just thinking... how lucky I am to have you as my husband," she admitted shyly.
"That's funny, because I was thinking the same thing about you as my wife..."
"Life won't be quite as easy and relaxed when we return to the palace," she warned with a sigh as she sat up and reached for her blouse- she wanted to have to have a shower before dinner and she wanted to dress up a little. "Even after the coronation, Mia is still going to need us..."
"I know that," he caressed her cheek, his eyes shining with tenderness. "All that matters to me is that I'm with you, we're together, and I'm able to share your life and burdens... and share your responsibilities to Mia..."
"You always believed in her," she said with a smile.
"So did you," he retorted as he slipped his shirt on, grinning to himself as he smelled her scent. "And now, in a few days, we'll be able to enjoy seeing Mia step into her own as Queen."
"She'll be a marvellous Queen," Clarisse said with a proud smile- she had had some doubts initially, especially after the beach party incident, but she had always known, deep down, that if she was anything like her father, she would do very, very well.
"Of course," he said lightly, kissing her on the cheek before standing up and helping her up. "Why don't you go and have a shower before dinner, and I'll just go and check on things."
"Alright... just don't set the table!" she instructed before she disappeared out of the room to have her shower...
0
Nearly forty minutes later, Joseph bounded down the stairs clad in black trousers and one of his best dress shirts and stepped into the kitchen to discover Clarisse carefully setting the plates on the workbench and was about to head to the stove to collect a saucepan of vegetables that were ready to serve before pausing with a shy smile when she saw Joseph in the doorway.
"I thought I would start serving... you look very handsome," she began before she realized that he was more interested in what she was wearing rather than what she was doing.
She was wearing a simple red and white silk summer dress with a shorter than usual hemline, a v neckline and a waist that cinched in and then flowed out for a pretty short skirt; she was wearing matching white sandles, a little makeup and very little jewellery, aside from her wedding ring and a simple diamond drop necklace he had given her several birthdays back, a birthday when she realized how much she loved Joseph, and he remembered that birthday too when he saw the necklace. "Is something wrong?"
"You look beautiful..." he cornered her and wrapped his arms around her. "Is that the necklace I gave you?" he asked, touching it gently.
"Yes, but while I only used to wear it on special occasions, I will be wearing it much more often now."
"Good," he said before kissing her forehead lightly. "That's why I gave it to you," he added before he turned and headed towards the oven for the lamb while Clarisse cotninued to serve their vegetables- it was a strangely domesticated feeling, considering that she was used to other people serving her, but she liked it.
Once dinner was served, Joseph followed Clarisse toward the table, carrying both plates while she carried a bottle of wine before stopping when he saw that she had gone to a great deal of effort with the table- candles were their only light, she had set the table to perfection and she had even found some flowers to place in a vase in the middle of the table.
"This looks terrific!"
"I was always good at setting tables and place settings," she said modestly as she sat down in the chair he held out for her. "I enjoy it... but this time I especially loved doing it..."
0
After a long, leisurely dinner by candle light, the occasional flash of lightning outside reminding them that there was still storms outside, with plenty of conversation to share (they had always been able to talk about anything with each other, even when they had been Queen and Head of Security), Clarisse sat back against her chair after dessert (apple pie and ice cream) with a contented smile.
"That was delicious... I never realized how good a chef you really are, Joseph, although it doesn't surprise me... how did you learn to cook so well?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "My mother taught me the basics, but my father didn't encourage it, he didn't think it was manly enough..." he avoided looking at her for a moment.
"So... it wasn't until I was out on my own that I really learnt to cook... There were a few disasters, like the time when I almost burnt the kitchen down trying to make my own pasta sauce, but I've improved over the years... and I've had a few hints from the palace chef..."
"You could have had a career as a chef then," she said lightly, sipping her wine. "You could have owned your own restaurant..."
"No," he shook his head. "I didn't want that... can you imagine me in a kitchen, pandering to others appetites? I doubt I would have had enough patience to keep up with their complaints," he added with a broad grin. "I probably would have lost my temer at least once a day..."
"You were always so patient with your men..."
"But sometimes they drove me crazy... no, I prefer to keep some of my talents under wraps and prefer to display my cooking skills to only a select few... namely, my wife..." he reached over and took her hand in his, lifting it to his lips.
"How fortunate for me," she looked coquettishly at him. "My own personal chef...
"Only on special occasions... I don't want Jean Pierre to get too envious," he joked and she chuckled. "Did you ever want to cook yourself...aside from the soups?"
"I DID do a year at a finishing school," Clarisse looked thoughtful. "I had a few lessons when I was a little girl with my grandmother and I did enjoy it... but it was drummed into me that a real lady never cooked, it was beneath her and as Queen... it wasn't allowed..."
"Did you ever want to cook?"
"I don't know," she said with a sigh. "A part of me does, a part of me wants to contribute in some way- which is why I enjoyed helping you today- but I also know that... I am used to a certain way of life and it would be difficult to change that," she said honestly.
"But I would be willing to try if we were ever to leave the palace," she added hastily, not wanting to emphasize any differences between them- she grew up as a pampered, protected almost spoiled rich girl who had married into royalty while he had grown up in a far different, far harsher world than she had and she was well aware that their experiences were very dissimilarl.
She sighed at that thought, not aware that Joseph was watching her carefully and had seen her eyes sadden as a thought.
"Is something wrong?" he inquired suddenly and she gave a start before smiling slightly at him.
"I was just thinking...about how dissparate our lives have been and how different our experiences have been..."
"So? That makes us all the more different, but there is so much we can share with each other..."
"But what if..." she paused, biting her lip and he was immediately concerned.
"But what if what?"
"What if we're too different?" she almost whispered, revealing her true concerns about their marriage and he couldn't help but sigh- she worried too much about what everyone else though and it had coloured her confidence in them and their relationship.
"Do YOU think we're too different to be together?" he asked finally, hoping that she wouldn't express any doubts about them being together and he was relieved to see her shake her head fervently.
"No, I KNOW we were meant to be together and our differences compliment each other- you're protective..."
"You're protected."
"You're outgoing..."
"You're quiet... and unflappable in a crisis."
"You're dependable, reliable and loyal..."
"...while you are intelligent, sweet and caring... but while I could continue to list your numerous qualities, I need and want to know WHY you're worrying NOW about our differences?"
"I'm not..."
"You are... you were worried about our differences being too great... I would have thought that our strong friendship over the years would have given us a firm foundation for marriage... Clarisse, my darling, you worry too much..."
"I know... and I know that we're perfect together... but I can't help but worry that... we come from two different worlds, we have so many different life experiences..."
"It doesn't mean anything to either of us (hopefully)- but our very different life experiences may contribute in beneficial ways to our relationship. Yes, we came from different worlds but, deep down, we're the same and feel the same about the important issues."
"You're right," Clarisse said with a smile. "As usual, about everything... especially relationships..."
"I'm not an expert in love and relationship, we both know that, despite my reputation... but I DO know what's best for us... see, sometimes our differences do help and we will learn to live together happily, without worrying about anyone else's opinion," he added pointedly.
"Alright, alright," Clarisse chuckled- she didn't have any doubts about their relationship, but she was just worried that the differences they DID have would ultimately tear them apart. "I'll try not to worry... and other people's opinions don't bother me, they haven't for a long time."
"Really?" he arched an eyebrow at her and she visibly weakened.
"Maybe sometimes, in terms of my personal life, but I just don't want you hurt by their words."
"I can fend for myself," he said firmly as he shifted his chair so that he was sitting next to her. "Sweetheart, you don't need to worry about me and other peoples opinions of me... I don't care what they say, all that matters to me is your happiness... are you happy with me?"
"Absolutely," she squeezed his hand firmly and lovingly. "I don't think I could ever be happier with anyone else."
"Then that's all that matters...I've never listened to anyone's opinion- except yours and Shades occasionally- and I'm not going to start listening now, unless it affects you!"
"I should learn somethings from you," she said wryly but she smiled at him. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make you feel like I've doubted you and us... I haven't... I just don't want our differences to divide us..."
"They won't," Joseph said confidently before he held up his glass in a toas. "To our differences... may we always embrace them as being beneficial to us rather than seeing them as opportunities to divide us!"
"To our differences!" Clarisse echoed as they clinked glasses and drank some of the sweet liquid- they had gone through nearly a bottle that night, but it was a special occasion AND they didn't drink too much too often- before he leaned over and kissed her long and passionately enough so that any residual doubts about their differences were blown away...