Because there's this new story I really wanna write, I am going to quickly move along a few years. Almost 13 to be exact, which means my other story is going to be put on hold for even longer. FYI: I'm finishing my school holidays on Sunday (Saturday if you live in the U.S), so I won't be updating often.
Anyway here is my lame, but totally believable excuse for the time gap…
13 years later…
6/1/85
I FINALLY FOUND MY OLD JOURNAL!
Lauren said to me a few years ago, "It's always in the last place you look."
And I replied with, "Of course it is! Why would you bother looking for something if you've already found it?"
I can't believe it was in the only place I hadn't looked for it – under my wardrobe.
I can't believe I didn't think of looking for it there sooner, I thought it had disappeared for good. I remember sliding it across the floor when Lauren came in one time and I didn't see where it went. I was writing nasty things about how much of a slut she is because I found out that she sleeps with practically the entire security staff. It's a wonder that she has the energy to come into my room anymore. She got herself pregnant a few years back when she was 28 or something and assured me that it wasn't mine, but I didn't know whether to believe her or not. Long story short, she put the child up for adoption and never saw him again.
Clarisse and I had a couple of fights a few years ago, mainly about privacy, but nothing we couldn't work out. Would you believe she still hasn't come to visit me in my room? I know she hasn't completely patched things up with his majesty, because I still hear them yelling occasionally (not as much as they used to, but I still hear them).
As the years went by, I started climbing the ranks and am now deputy head of security/queen's bodyguard. Still in the same room, but it's more homely now. I added a fresh coat of paint as well as new curtains, furniture (excluding the wardrobe), carpet and smell.
Lauren only comes into my room about three times a week these days, I guess we just grew apart over the last few years.
I'm going to turn 50 this year – quite scary and I still don't have a family. Sometimes I feel very lonely and wish I had married, but there's only one person I'd ever want to marry and I can't have her. I hate it because every time I see her I fall deeper and deeper in love even after all these years. If I ever had a chance at having a family with her then I've lost it. She's too old to bear my children now, not that I thought she would have wanted to in the first place, but that's beside the point.
Anyway, not much happened during the time I lost my Journal except that someone we're still trying to find attacked the palace, there was a small fire in the library and I almost ended up sleeping with the queen of Cakeon (wherever that is). Other than that, not much has happened, although I have my suspicions that something big may be about to begin with the two princes.
I hear them talking to their mother sometimes and it seems that Pierre is more interested in religion than he is in being a king and that Philippe seems to have knocked up his new wife whom he eloped with after meeting her at college. She apparently wants the baby but doesn't want the lifestyle. I find him crying in Clarisse's lap sometimes rambling on about how he doesn't know what to do. I try to keep my distance in situations like that, but I can still hear some of the things he says.
8/1/85
I overheard a "conversation" (cough, argument, cough) between the king and queen last night. She was telling him that she didn't think Philippe should have married Helen (which is his new wife's name) because she dislikes free spirits. He was saying that it didn't matter what her occupation was because their son is in love. They argued for well over an hour, then I heard a door slam and feet stomping past my door. I knew it was her, so I quickly put a shirt on and followed. She doesn't run to the stables anymore because Rupert was smart enough to lock them up at night after somebody tried to steal a horse last year, instead, she goes straight to the west tower.
Anyway, I followed her up there and found her staring out the window covered in cobwebs.
I walked up behind her and very softly whispered, "Hello."
She turned to me and smiled, "Oh, Joseph, hello. I suppose you know why I'm up here?"
"Because you have trouble trying to find my room?"
She laughed, "No, because it's the only place where nobody dares go. I'm sure you've heard of the wicked old witch that supposedly lives up here?"
"Is it you?"
"Ahahaho no, dear boy, although I'm sure my husband would beg to differ."
"I've noticed you've been having a few…problems lately."
"Oh Joseph, you're too good for this job, very observant."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No, I'll just get myself worked up again. I really only came up here to calm down, take my mind off things. So how have you been? We haven't talked in a while."
"I've been alright…bored…"
She stared at me with half a smile on her face, "You should take a break for a while and come back when you're married and have a family."
I blushed and said, "I don't think I'll ever have a family."
"Oh? Have you still not found 'the one'?"
"Oh I've found her, I just can't have her."
She raised an eyebrow and I stared into her beautiful eyes, "Oh…Joseph."
"I know, it's silly."
"No it's not silly, it's just…"
"Difficult? One-sided?"
"Impossible is what I was thinking."
"I see."
"I shouldn't have said anything."
"It's fine, really."
"No, I'm sorry."
"Clarisse, can we please drop it?"
"Oh course…so…how's Lauren?"
"I don't know, I haven't seen her today."
"Ah."
"How's Rupert?"
"He's an arrogant prick."
"You're ready to talk?"
"Philippe is in a crisis. He's married this American girl and they are expecting a baby, which means I am going to be a grandmother!"
"And you're not happy about that?"
"I'm 49 for heavens sake, I'm not old enough to be a grandmother!"
"Ah, it's the age thing?"
"No, it's her! She's an artist, a free-spirit, somebody I don't want running my country. Rupert says Philippe should follow his heart, but I say drop her and move on!"
"You could at least give her a fair go."
"But I don't want to."
"Isn't she important to your son?"
"Yes…"
"And isn't he important to you?"
"Yes…"
"Then I suggest that if you don't want to lose your son, you should make an effort to be nice to this girl. You should meet her first and then judge. Who knows, you might even like her."
"Well…if you say so."
"Trust me, it's what's best. Not only for you, but for your kingdom."
10/1/85
Clarisse has arranged to fly over to America with her son following close behind on his private jet, as royalty don't fly together. I have been asked to accompany Prince Philippe on the flight just in case anything goes wrong. I have the biggest feeling that I'm going to be worrying about Clarisse the whole time.
Anyway, we're scheduled to leave in a week's time, so I'm going to have to start packing and arranging security details.
I watched her as she told him that she was willing to meet the girl and he seemed over the moon.
I still have that influence on Clarisse…it's just a pity I can't use it to make her fall in love with me.
A/N: About the movie that was on the other day, it was on channel 7 which is an Australian channel and I believe it was a made for TV movie, so I don't know how you could get it.