Its back!!! sorry for the delay guys, hope ya still liking!

as ever i own nothing...cept the insessant ramblings of this plotline!!

Chapter 14

The day before the royal family's return to Genovia, should have been a very busy day, for most of them it was a very busy day indeed, but for Clarisse, it was the perfect time to spend with her grandaughter.

After she had proved far too distracted even at breakfast, Mia and Joseph had convinced the former queen that her time today would be better spent with Anna, instead of dwelling on the inevitable goodbye she would have to replay with the former princess in only a matter of twenty four hours.

Clarisse didnt really understand why once again she found herself nervously standing on Anna's doorstep, waiting for that door to open, and finally finding herself face to face with Max.

"Oh hello your maje....er I mean, Clarisse." Max smiled nervously, still a little unsure of himself around her.

"Good morning Max, I wondered if I might possibly steal my grandaughter for the day?"

"Of course, do come in! Anna is just erm.............."

Clarisse stood in the hallway, waiting for Max to finish a sentence he seemed so unable to conquer, wondering why he'd gone a little pink and was nervously looking up the stairs, until both their train of thought was interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps and a door slamming, followed by an indecipherable noise that Max successfully managed to cover up just in time.

"She's just getting dressed, overslept a little this morning it must have been the excitement of last night! I'll just go tell her you're here, you make yourself at home!"

With her eyes narrowed, Clarisse watched him almost run up the stairs, before shaking her head and proceeding to walk into the lounge.

"Anna? You ok?" Max asked quietly, wincing slightly as he heard her wretch once more before she finally opened the bathroom door.

"I think thats over for today at least! Do I look like hell?" Anna sighed as she took a deep breath and looked in her bedroom mirror.

"Well, I wouldnt say hell but, a bit pale." He replied unsurely as she turned and flopped onto the bed, and he suddenly realised why he had come to find her in the first place. "Oh! Your Grandma is here by the way."

"What! But I look like hell I cant face her like this she'll know somethings wrong!"

Max laughed and steered her towards her dressing table. "Dont be silly, bit of make up and you'll look as gorgeous as ever! Get dressed I'll...be brave and keep her occupied for a little while."

As he turned to leave she grabbed his arm, smiling as she realised just how much he was doing to make her feel better. "Thank you, Max....really." He simply smiled and gave her a brief cheeky wink before he descended the stairs to face Clarisse alone, thankful that his fiance only took ten minutes to join them, and before she knew it, Anna Renaldi found herself strolling through Hyde Park with her grandmother.

"This month has gone by far too quickly." Clarisse reasoned quietly as they made their way around the large duck pond. "makes me not want to leave tomorrow."

"Oh come on! Soon you'll be back in Genovia, back in the limelight and loving every second of it! I bet you love helping Mia run the country eh!"

"Helping Mia I wont deny that I enjoy, but the limelight I lived in for so long, now seems to be a little.....blinding."

Anna narrowed her eyes a little at her grandmother's admission, as they lowered themselves onto a park bench.

"Anna, I let duty be the main priority in my life for so long, at the expense of those I love and now....now I want to make that right. Which is why I want to ask you to come to Genovia. I'd really love it if you came back permanently but I know that has to be on your terms so for now all I ask is....a visit, a nice long visit if you will, if it wasnt such short notice I'd ask you to return with us tomorrow!"

They both laughed for a moment before Anna sighed and nodded. "I'll come for a visit soon Grandma, this week I have plans but soon I promise."

Clarisse smiled and nodded, gently nudging her grandaughter. "Good! Now, theres something I've been wanting to try for a while now, and I think you can be the one to help me with it!"

Anna narrowed her eyes as Clarisse smirked, not revealing anything in her expression, and instantly the young woman's mind began working overtime, but nothing could have prepared her for exactly what her grandmother had in mind!

"But Grandma! You hate heights!"

"Will you just get in this.....capsule or whatever its called and stop arguing with me!"

Anna laughed a little and shrugged, gazing up at the London eye before her, this was definately one of Clarisse's most outrageous ideas!

"Oh my this is certainly high!"

Anna simply couldnt help a laugh at her grandmother's comment as they found themselves creeping gradually higher above the London skyline, just the two of them in the large glass capsule.

"Well that is the general idea."

"Sarcasm young lady, does not become you!" Clarisse smiled as she took a deep breath and moved up to the glass windows, her fingers slinking around the waist high bar. "Such a beautiful city, it really suits you Anna, fast paced, vibrant, full of life..."

"But..."

Clarisse sighed, concealing a smile, knowing her grandaughter could read her very well. "But....I'd be lying if I said it suited you better than Genovia."

"You really want me to come home dont you?"

"Ah well, you just gave yourself an answer in that question Anna. I want you to come home yes, but in that last question you referred to Genovia as 'home', if you considered anywhere else 'home' you would have asked....'you really want me to come back to Genovia?' but you didnt, therefore stands to reason that deep down, you want to come home!"

"Woah! Serious psychological warfare Grandma!"

"Sorry, but you did walk right into that one sweetheart!"

Anna sighed contentedly as she joined her grandmother, surveying before them the bright city. "You're right though, as much as I love this city, and everything it has brought me....its not my home."

"Oooo is this an agreement I sense!"

"Not yet no! Lets just see how a visit goes down! You do realise this isnt just my decision to make anymore."

"Ah yes, you have your fiance to consider! For now I shall be happy in the knowledge that it is at least a possibility."

"You like Max though dont you?"

"I must say that I do Anna yes. It wasnt easy at first I admit, having to adjust to certain modern ways of living but.....I have to say I do think that you and he are well suited! You're both smart, kind, caring and compassionate, intelligent and modest all at once...and by all accounts he treats my little girl very well! If he makes you happy darling then I'm happy."

"Thank you." Anna answered simply, an expression of complete sincerity on her face as she battled to keep her emotions in check.

Clarisse noticed her sudden falter, something small clicked inside of her as she realised just how happy Anna was to have her back in her life, and so with a smile she reached up her arm and placed it around her grandaughter's shoulders. "Now, enough on the subject, as long as you promise me you will discuss the possibilty of a move with Max?"

"Yes I promise! I mean theres much to discuss, my career, his career, the wedding, the baby!"

The words were out of her mouth before she had even thought that sentence through, but as soon as she said that final word, it hit her like a brick and she froze, her gaze stuck to her grandmother as Clarisse processed her words herself.

"Baby?"

"Oh god! Me and my big mouth!"

"Anna! What baby? Are you....pregnant?"

Anna sighed and moved away from Clarisse, folding her arms about herself as she paced slightly, suddenly regretting the fact she was alone with her grandmother in a confined capsule at the top of the London Eye!

"Yes!"

"Oh Anna! Why didnt you tell me before?" There was no anger in the former queen's voice, only confusion and a hint of hurt.

"I wanted to I was just....scared!"

"Why scared?"

"Well, cos, well Max and I arent married yet and I didnt want to cause a scandal which you know will happen if the Genovian press get a hold of this and I didnt want to cause any trouble for you or Mia! Even though Mia told me that was stupid and I shouldnt worry about stuff like that!"

"Mia knows?"

"Actually she was the first person I told! She knew something was wrong that night we all went for dinner...you know the night Max and I got engaged and so she talked it out of me! I told Max later that night and he's thrilled I mean I am too but...I just didnt want to upset you!"

Clarisse paused watching her now suddenly very nervous grandaughter pacing the small distance before her, and she realised something. She wasnt angry with Anna, nor was she disappointed as she thought she would be, should one of her relatives present her with an illegitimate child, and the scandal it would cause. Suddenly she didnt care about any of that, all she cared about was Anna's happiness, and now was most certainly the time for her to tell Anna this.

"Well, as always you astound me with the speed in which you talk. But that aside Anna, you need to stop worrying! For starters this anxiety is unnecessary and secondly the stress of keeping this to yourself is not good for the baby!"

Anna froze, confused by her grandmother's demeanor but she said nothing, merely listened as Clarisse continued.

"First and foremost Anna, you are my grandaughter, and I will not let anyone, not even a single member of the Genovian press say a bad word against you! Now, as shocked as I am at this little revelation, my main concern is why you felt you couldnt tell me. Fact of the matter is, a child is a blessing, and despite the absence of the traditional convention of marriage first, that makes no difference to the fact that this child will be so loved and so lucky...to have a mother as wonderful as you."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do." Clarisse replied to the teary look of her grandaughter, 21 years old yet harbouring the expression of a little girl desperate for her Grandma's help. As the tears spilled down Anna's cheeks, Clarisse quickly darted towards her, enveloping her little girl into a tight hug.

"Now, young lady enough of these tears, I think...dinner...tonight would be a good time for you to tell everyone else the news! I know your father for one, will be thrilled to know he's going to be a grandfather! Oh lord that makes me a Great-Grandmother I suddenly feel so very old!"

"You're not old!" Anna laughed as she dried her eyes. "Actually thats one of the reasons I'm happy I'm going to have a baby this early in my life....it means they'll get some time with the greatest....great-grandmother in the world!"

Clarisse smiled at her words, her mind suddenly whirling with thoughts of the future, excitement built as she contemplated a time within reach when she could devote herself entirely to her family, and not be forced to put her duty first....in truth the only duty she had now was truly to her family....each and every one of them.

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