Thank you all so much for your nice reviews. So happy you liked the two updates and that I haven't lost my loyal readers. Oh and many thanks for the congrats on my marriage. I truly appreciate it!

And now Chapter 25…..

"Your Majesty?" Charlotte called as Clarisse and Joseph waited in their suite while guests piled into the ballroom for the wedding reception.

"Yes Charlotte, here I am." Clarisse said coming out of the bathroom and sitting in her makeup chair for Paolo to do touch ups.

"Your Majesty I believe most of the guests are accounted for."

"They're all here already?" Clarisse asked looking at Joe as he sat on the sofa patiently waiting for his wife to be finished.

Joe shrugged his shoulders and got up to look outside. "The circle is full of vehicles," he said seeing all of the cars and limos parked along the driveway.

"Well then we better hurry Paolo." Clarisse ordered.

"Not a problem Your Majesty. With these hands I can touch your makeup up in seconds." Paolo replied.

After rolling her eyes Clarisse turned to Joe. "Darling are they back yet?"

"Who?"

"What do you mean whom? The bride and groom silly."

"Oh no they're not," Joe said looking at his watch.

At that moment Paolo finished and Clarisse gracefully got up from the chair and walked over to Joe. "We better go find them then don't you think?"

"But they are probably in the middle of something" Joe said through his teeth so the maids and Paolo could not hear.

"Oh that's right, well let's go see I mean it's been over an hour." Clarisse pointed out.

When she turned around to walk out she noticed Paolo following her every move and listening intently to her conversation with her husband. Realizing he might have heard something and thought they meant Mia and Nick were already consummating the marriage, she nervously chuckled and said " Not that I want to see or anything. I mean ….Oh you know… Newlyweds!" as she faking a laugh and shrugged her shoulders at Paolo and her maids.

Paolo was obviously playing like he hadn't heard anything but Joe and Clarisse figured even if he did it most likely wasn't that Mia was telling Nicholas about being pregnant.

Joe stared at Paolo remembering how he had leaked to the press years earlier that Mia was actually the Princess of Genovia.

"Ah thank you for your help Paolo." Clarisse said as she graciously signaled that he was to leave.

Before departing Paolo came over to Clarisse and kissed her hands. "Your Majesty I would do anything for you…maybe we go with a darker shade of lipstick next time," he said about to touch her cheek.

In mid air Joe caught his arm. "I think you can figure that out next time, don't you?" he said as he guided him towards the door and opened it with his free hand. "Now as Her Majesty said thank you."

The couple waited as Paolo, his assistants, and the maids left the room. Once the room was cleared Joe and Clarisse secretly made there way down a back staircase and outside onto a small patio that was hidden from the rest of the palace. Making their way to the fountain they went through the garden maze quietly.

"Joseph we are going the wrong way!" Clarisse whispered. "I thought you knew this maze better than I did?" she said staying close to him so she didn't have to talk loudly.

"I do."

"Well then how did we get lost like this?"

"We're not lost," he said pulling her to a stop at a dead end.

"Oh really?" she said sarcastically as she began walking away to find the right way to the fountain.

Before she could take another step, Joseph grabbed her wrist and feverishly pushed her against a wall of the maze. Startled by his sudden behavior Clarisse tensed up. Noticing his deep gaze he was sending into her eyes she instantly got weak. He then leaned in and whispered into her ear "Though the bride looks beautiful, I can't keep my eyes off of you in that dress. You look absolutely stunning." He then grabbed her shoulders, pulled her in close, and kissed her hard and passionately.

Realizing that they had gotten lost on purpose, Clarisse wrapped her arms around his neck and succumbed to his advances. During this all she let out a small moan.

"Shh they may hear you." Joe said breaking their kiss as he leaned down to kiss her neck sweetly.

The two laughed quietly and continued their quick rendezvous in the maze.

Meanwhile not too far away, but enough so neither couple could be heard, Mia waited for Nick's response.

"Are you ok? Are you upset by the news cause I know it's much, much earlier then we had planned but…" Mia's question was cut short as her husband rushed over to her and kissed her with so much passion she wished they didn't have the reception to get to.

Breaking from the kiss, which left him breathing heavily he answered her. "I'm, I'm definitely not upset." He then sat down besides her and brushed her cheek with his hand.

"Really?" she asked while leaning into his gentle touch.

"Trust me I couldn't be more happier with this news, especially on this of all days." He said as a big smile grew on his face.

"Well I know it's a lot to take in at the moment since the day itself is so overwhelming and exciting, but I thought it would be great to tell you now, and here by the fountain where we shared our first kiss."

"You're amazing you know that?" he said lovingly while smiling at her.

Mia was relieved. She knew it would be a shock at first but she knew Nick would be happy.

Her husband stood up and held out his hand for her to take. Mia placed her hand and his and he gently kissed it. He then pulled her up, drew her in close so that their foreheads were touching, and closed his eyes. Mia watched him and smiled as he held her tight and began to sway back and forth.

"I hope this swaying doesn't count as our first dance as husband and wife," she whispered to him.

Nick opened his eyes and laughed at his adorable wife. Before she knew it he had picked her up and spun her around.
Placing her slowly back on the ground, Nick sighed and said "My wife" while shaking his head as if in disbelief that she was his.

Mia smiled at him as tears of happiness welled in her eyes "I love you so much," she said looking into his eyes.

"I love you as well Your Majesty," he teased. Mia laughed as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Nick then added "and our baby."

This time it was Mia's turn to initiate a kiss.

Walking over to the fountain Nick sat down and carefully placed Mia on his lap because of her wedding gown and veil.

"When did this happen?" he asked.

"Remember that night we had the palace all to ourselves because grandma and grandpa went to visit an old friend of grandma's?"

"That night?" Nick asked with a smirk.

"Yeah that night was what did it," she said nudging him.

"Well I don't know what I want to do more of- shout to the world that you're officially my wife or that your having my baby?" he said placing his spare hand on her abdomen.

"I'd go with the one about me being your wife since only a very selected few know that we're pregnant and we have to keep it that way for a few weeks."

"Oh why?"

"Well you see the only people that know are grandma, Joe, my mom, and my stepfather. We can't let the public or anyone else know yet because they will raise issues that really don't need to be brought up. Grandma said that we will keep it secret until a few weeks after we get back from our honeymoon and that way the media will think I just got pregnant while we were away."

"That woman is very clever." Nick said with a smile. "You know it's going to be hard."

"What being pregnant?" Mia asked.

"Well of course that and having the baby, but I mean if it's a girl I don't know how I'll keep them away?"

"Who?" Mia asked confused.

"Well with you as her mother it will be very hard to keep all the boys away."

"Aww you're too cute."

At that moment Clarisse and Joe quietly peered around the corner of the garden at the young married couple. Seeing that they were just talking but had to get inside for the reception, they decided to go over.

"Wait!" Clarisse whispered while pulling Joe back before he started towards them.

"What is it?" he asked.

Clarisse quickly kissed him and replied, "You just have my lipstick all over you," while giggling and trying to wipe it off so Mia and Nick wouldn't notice. "There now you look presentable. How do I look?"

"Just fix your necklace." Joe then took her hand in his and they walked towards the couple.

"There you two are?" Clarisse exclaimed.

"Grandma! Joe!" Mia said getting off of Nicholas' lap.

"Sooo Nicky how do you feel about being a daddy?" Clarisse asked while placing her free arm around his back.

"Oh I can't even explain how great it feels to know Mia is pregnant with our baby."

"Aww well congratulations darling!" she said placing a kiss on Nick's cheek.

Yes congrats," Joe added. "Did Mia tell you how we are going to handle telling the media?"

"Yes she did and may I say Your Majesty you come up with wonderful ideas."

"Oh well thank you Nicky, but now we must rush and get to your wedding reception."

"Oh my god the reception!" Mia said grabbing Nick's arm to look at his watch. "We definitely have to get in there."

Mia paused and looked at her grandmother.

"Grandma? Where's your lipstick? Didn't you see Paolo for touch ups? I thought you were supposed to get them before me?"

Clarisse froze and glanced at Joe. "Well…you see I couldn't find him, but lets go see if we can get them done together before our entrances."

"Ok let's go," Mia said grabbing her grandmother's arm and rushing towards the palace.

"Women you can't live with them and you can't live without them!" Joe advised Nick.

Nick looked at him and they both began to laugh.