New Year's Eve
Mia stared at herself in the mirror with more than a touch of disbelief- was this her? Was this girl, clad in a pale pink, long sleeved dress, very similar to the one she wore to the State Dinner in May, really Mia Thermopolis? Was she really here in Genovia, about to attend her first New Year's Eve official dinner as the Crown Princess? Was she really about to accompany her grandmother, the Queen, to a dinner with the entire parliament and their partners?
It was hardly her ideal way of spending her New Year's Eve, but she was the Crown Princess, she reminded herself sternly, holding herself up higher than she usually would (she usually liked to slouch downwards, pretending that she was invisible) and if her grandmother and father could do it, so could she!
"Are you ready?" her mother suddenly appeared in the doorway, startling her. "You need to meet your grandmother in her suite."
"Yes, I'm ready," Mia turned around, albeit a little gingerly, painfully aware of her Rose tiara resting on the top of her head (THAT was something she was going to HAVE to get used to, although she surmised, it would be every other girl's dream come true)- and gasped when she was her mother.
"Mom! You look beautiful!"
Helen blushed and looked down at herself- unlike her usual dishevelled, paint spattered appearance (although she usually dressed much neater whenever staying at the palace), she was wearing a black lace formal dress and shaped her figure, her unruly brown hair pulled back into an elegant hairstyle- and she was even wearing make-up and a little jewellery.
"I don't think I could attend the New Year's Eve dinner dressed as I usually am... can you imagine what your grandmother would say?"
"You'd be different, though," Mia protested jokingly as she walked towards her mother. "Did you ever accompany Dad to these?"
"Once or twice," she said as they left the suite and began walking down the quiet, well lit hallway. "Your father was always very good in these situations- he was very charming and interesting."
"How did YOU find it?"
"Daunting... interesting," Helen amended hastily as Mia stopped in her tracks. "It's very different to an outsider, but since you have already been to several occasions as the Princess, I'm sure you are going to be fine."
"What about you? Will you be alright in there?"
"I'm going to be fine," she reached out and squeezed her hand. "It's going to be fine- you will have your grandmother supporting you, as will I- it's perfectly natural to be nervous."
"I'm only a little nervous," Mia admitted as Clarisse's suite- and Joseph standing outside it- came into view.
"You will be fine," Helen soothed again as Joseph stepped forward to greet them.
"Good evening ladies, you both look beautiful," he formally inclined his head to them and Mia giggled.
"Thank you, Joe- and you look handsome," she indicated his tuxedo clad appearance.
"Thank you, Princess," he gave her a smile before turning to Helen. "Ms Thermopolis, Her Majesty will be coming out in a minute and she and the Princess will be making their way downstairs for their entrance... if you wanted to make your way there now..."
"Of course," she gave Mia a quick smile and continued down the hallway, Mia suddenly feeling a twinge of nerves.
"Nervous?" he murmured and she turned to him with a shrug.
"A little, but I'm getting used to it... eventually I will get used to it."
"You'll be fine," he repeated Helen's words. "The Prime Minister will be sitting next to you and your grandmother will be nearby..."
"Where will you be?"
"My men and I will be patrolling the grounds and I should be in the area to make sure no parliamentarians are accosting you... or throwing food," he added with a grin and she laughed.
"You really have an interesting job, Joe," Mia began, wanting to know more about his job- all she really knew was that he was the palace's Head of Security, in charge of organising all the security issues around the palace (and her own bodyguards) as well as being her grandmother's personal bodyguard- but before she could speak, the suite doors opened and Clarisse stepped out, resplendent in a lavender coloured dress, similar to the one she wore to the State Dinner, the hem of the dress skimming the top of her shoes, and a discreet amount of jewellery- including her tiara, necklace and bracelet.
"Wow, Grandma, you look...gorgeous!" Mia breathed, clearly awed and missing Joseph's sharp intake of breath and the look he and Clarisse exchanged.
"Thank you, darling, Clarisse smiled," both of them registering the term of endearment, so different to what Clarisse usually said but tonight it seemed appropriate, more intimate and loving (at least, that was what Mia felt).
"You look beautiful too- is that dress from the same designer who made your State Dinner dress?"
"I... think so, I'm not quite sure..."
"Either way, it suits you perfectly..." she surveyed Mia again, an approving look on her face before she realised that it was time they went downstairs to greet their guests, and she said so.
"Okay," Mia sounded enthusiastic, but Clarisse spied doubt in her eyes and reached out with a gloved hand.
"You will be fine."
"Thank you... .I know that..."Mia looked vulnerable for a moment and Clarisse suddenly remembered the first time Helen had accompanied them to an formal occasion- Mia looked exactly like her at that moment- before she refocused her attention on the evening ahead...
0
Dazzling. It was the only word Mia could think of to describe the evening that followed. She had been to several formal functions, granted, but they were nothing compared to this evening.
From the moment she and her grandmother had stepped into the ballroom, Mia had felt overwhelmed (although she had tried to hide it)- she had been reintroduced to all the members and their wives, and while they were all pleasant (although she could sense a few were wary around her), their names swam in her mind during the pre dinner cocktail hour and she was relieved when, finally, they were seated in the dining room, the Prime Minister and his wife seated on either side of her while Clarisse was at one end of the table, a visiting ambassador on either side of her.
"How are you doing?" Sheila murmured over entrees.
"It's different... I can't exactly describe how I'm feeling... dazzled and dazed could be two words."
"You are doing very well- your father would have been very proud of you."
"Did you know my father?"
"Very well- he and Sebastian were good friends since childhood and he was best man at our wedding."
"What was he like?"
"Very funny, kind, considerate, intelligent... I though your mother would have told you about him."
"My mother, yes, but my grandmother... we haven't really had that talk..." Mia sounded a little wistful.
Sheila sighed as she looked down the table at the Queen, who was chatting to one of the ambassadors.
"You need to understand that the accident was a terrible shock to this family, such a shock that we are still recovering... but for his mother..." they both looked down at Clarisse again. "...Especially after the passing of the King, may he rest in peace, it's been a struggle... a mother should never bury her child and that pain, I imagine, is indescribable... just give her time, she'll eventually be able to talk to you about Phillipe. I CAN tell you, though, that he was always talking about you and that he was proud of you."
"Even if he didn't really know me all that well?"
"Even then, but he did know you, more than you know..." before Sebastian broke into their conversation.
"What are we talking about?"
"Just how amazing this dinner is," Sheila said vaguely with a conspiratorial wink at Mia.
0
The evening seemed to fly by for Mia- in between the courses and observing everyone around her (she was especially impressed with the Motezes, although she knew they had been in public service for a long time... and her mother- she was amazing!), she found she was constantly being drawn into conversations and topics, the exchange of opinion mutual, and she was exhausted when dinner finally broke up, as per Clarisse's signal and they moved into the ballroom for tea/coffee or a nightcap.
It was then that Mia realised how out of her depth she was... and, almost just as important, that she was the youngest present by at least 20 years.
She hung awkwardly around the fringes of the group (not wanting to be seen to be relying too heavily on the Motezes or her mother), pretending to listen to conversations and sip a cup of tea (she hated coffee) while she, on the edge of the room, stepped on someone's foot.
"Sorry..." she began, mortified that, after an almost perfect evening, she had spoiled it by stepping on someone's foot before she looked up and noticed that it was Joseph.
"Are you enjoying yourself tonight, Your Highness?" he asked formally and Mia shrugged.
"Not really... it's fascinating to watch everyone around me, but I'm the youngest person here by at least two decades!"
"Alright, that wouldn't make an enjoyable evening for everyone," Joseph agreed and she chuckled.
"What would Dad have done?"
"He would have been charming and interested in everything around him... but he also would have made fun of them behind their back."
"Really?" Mia was wide eyed but no one was watching them talking, except Clarisse, who felt a mixture of relief and pride.
"Really- and he would have been proud of you."
"Everyone says that but..."
"He would have," he said firmly. "I knew him and I know he would have been so proud of you."
"He didn't know me."
"He did," Joseph said. "He did. Your mother would write many letters to him, telling of you and your life- he had pictures from almost every year of your life- and even you sent him pictures."
"I can't remember that," Mia frowned, aware that it was a conversation that should be held at another time and place. "So... when does this evening usually end? At the stroke of midnight? Or one or two o'clock?"
"The parliamentarians try to stay until then, but the Queen usually signals that she's ready to retire around eleven... and when she leaves, they have to as well."
"I hope she does it tonight too."
As do I, Joseph thought to himself before discreetly disappearing as several wives converged on Mia- that, he knew, was a good thing as although the honoured members may be viewing the princess with suspicion and hostility, their wives were fascinated with her, seeing her as one of their daughters or granddaughters...
0
As he had predicted, Clarisse signalled for Joseph and Charlotte at eleven o'clock- she knew that the men usually wanted to stay until midnight but she didn't want to see the new year in with him- all the kisses, the attempts to kiss or grope her, talking drunkenly to her or manipulating her to make changes in parliament...
Most years she was more than happy to retire at that hour- usually alone as Rupert was in his suite with his 'cronies' or his 'girlfriends'- but on this New Year's Eve, it was different...she was actually in a relationship and she was looking forward to spending some time with Joseph.
"Where's Mia?" she inquired when Charlotte and Joseph came to tell her that the guests were getting ready to leave. "How is she?"
She regretted that she hadn't had the time to spend with her this evening, but as negotiations were under way for a trade settlement with two countries, she had to spend the time with the ambassadors.
"She's fine and I think she's ready for the evening to end as well," Joseph said simply and she nodded.
"I can understand that," before, after glancing around to ensure that no one was watching them- Charlotte had moved on to help the parliamentarians, she leaned over and whispered: "Join me for a nightcap in half an hour?"
"Of course," he whispered back and moved away, just in time, as Mia and Helen joined them as well as being converged on by their guests.
"Did you enjoy your evening?" Clarisse asked afterwards and Mia shrugged.
"It was alright... I liked watching the people, but... I was the youngest person here!"
"I can understand your frustration- next time, I will make sure that there are some age appropriate people for you."
"Thank you," Mia's face lit up as she leaned over and kissed Clarisse's cheek. "Thank you for tonight- and Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year," Clarisse echoed, slightly surprised but pleased at the kiss- it had been impulsive and simple, something she hadn't experienced for a long time, not since Phillipe... both boys ha d always kissed and hugged her, but Phillipe (not to impugn Pierre- she loved him dearly and his distance from her was painful, although she understood) had ALWAYS been impulsive.
"Grandma?" Mia was looking at her oddly and Clarisse realised she had missed what she had said.
"I'm sorry, dear, I just missed what you said."
"I was just asking if I could go to bed."
"Yes, go... Happy New Year to both of you," she embraced both of them. "May next year be better for all of us," she said with a twinkle in her eye and Mia laughed.
"This year was interesting... next year hopefully not as full on... but... .bring it on!"
0
Twenty minutes later, now free of his jacket and in a more casual shirt with his black pants, Joseph knocked on Clarisse's suite door with only a twinge of nervousness, which accelerated when, after bidden to 'Come in', he stepped in to see Clarisse clad in casual black slacks and a pale blue cashmere sweater.
"You've changed!" he blurted out and she smiled.
"Yes, I decided to let the maids go to bed... but so have you," she pointed out, pointing to his plain black shirt. "You've changed shirts- you're not in formal wear any more."
"Touche... Would you like a drink?" he offered as he walked toward her private bar. "The usual?"
"Yes, and help yourself to yours as well, although I can see that you are doing that," she teased.
"Mia was talking about Phillipe tonight," he began conversationally as he sat down next to each other on Clarisse's sofa.
"I know," Clarisse said simply. "Sheila told me about her dinner conversation and I had the feeling you two were doing the same thing."
"Are you planning on talking about him to her."
"Yes I am... it's just... it's still hard to talk to him..." she trailed off and he reached over and squeezed her hand.
"I know it's hard for you, we all do... but she needs to know about him and you're the only one who can give the most real and accurate perception of him."
"You, Sheila and Helen have done well... but yes, you are right, only I can tell her things that no one else could know... I miss him though... especially at this time of the year."
"I know... I thought Pierre was coming home."
"He was... but then he changed his mind- he thought it was still too soon after his banishment by his father and that people still might..."
"People are not as superficial as he thinks- yes, some certain members will cause trouble, but his brother is gone, as is his father and you, as his mother, need him."
"You are sweet," she smiled at him tenderly. "Always so protective of me."
"It was part of my job, but now that things have changed and I have to be protective," he moved closer to her and she chuckled.
"I have to admit that I like it- no one has ever been as protective of me as you have been."
"I guess it's good that you're going out with a man who is security for a living," he slipped his arm around her shoulder and she snuggled in.
"Yes, I'm lucky."
They sat there for a time in companionable silence, watching the fire gradually die down, before the mantle clock on the mantle began to chime.
"I guess it's the new year," she said softly, pulling away to look at him. "This will be the first year I want someone to kiss me."
"So you're wanting a kiss?" he teased.
"Of course, it's traditional when a new year begins," she teased back.
"Alright, then..." he moved over to cup her face in his hands, gazing into her eyes with his and Clarisse felt herself suddenly weak all over- if she was standing, she probably would have sunk to her knees, such was his affect on her. "Happy New Year..."
"Happy New Year..." she murmured in return- this was a new year and she wanted this relationship, at this moment, more than anything...except for a new year's eve kiss from the only man she had really ever cared about...that she loved...