A/N: And here we have the end. Thank you for the follows and reviews!
It was finally over. She couldn't believe it. The meeting she and Joseph had arranged with Parliament, just hours after they had returned to Genovia, had gone better than they had hoped. But there were still things which they couldn't get Parliament to change their minds on. Her title and its privileges hadn't been returned and she would forever remain just Clarisse Elizalde.
As the days had passed, Clarisse realized that she felt freer than she ever had. The title had weighed so heavily upon her shoulders for so many years, but now, now she was free to just be a woman madly in love with her husband. A mother who was proudly showing off the daughter she no longer had to hide, and a grandmother who was privileged enough to sit back and watch her granddaughter become one of the most beloved and successful rulers the country of Genovia had ever had.
It saddened Clarisse that the truth had hurt so many people, but the country had bounced back in the months that followed the media frenzy. Rolling her eyes, she sighed. Elsie Kentworthy had been the worst of the lot.
How had she learned the truth of the old queen's involvement with Von Troken's father?
How had she learned the truth behind the curse?
Clarisse shook her head, she supposed she'd never know, but what she did know was that the woman seriously grated on her nerves.
"What are you thinking about, Rissee?" Joe whispered as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
Clarisse sighed as she leaned back into his chest. "Just thinking about the things that have taken place the last few months."
"Are you sorry your title wasn't," soft fingers on his lips stopped him from continuing.
"No, I'm not sorry." She dropped her hand, returning her head to his shoulder as the setting sun filled the sky above them with reds, oranges, and pinks. "I never thought I could be just a woman, but now I am. Without the title and its limitations and privileges, I'm just a wife, mother, and grandmother now. A role I greatly enjoy filling."
"I'm sorry the press managed to learn what happened all those years ago." Joe placed a gentle kiss to her ear.
"I don't like that everything was made public, but it is all in the past now, and is hasn't harmed Mia's position as Queen, so I'm not going to worry about it. I know that people have questioned Rupert's legitimacy as the heir to the throne, but Sebastian has done a wonderful job making it clear to the public, and to the naysayers, that Rupert was Edward's legitimate heir. Old Doc has been quite helpful, too." Clarisse shook her head. "I still can't believe the old queen did such a thing."
"It is hard to understand how someone can mistreat their own flesh and blood, but she was crazy, and crazy can't be rationalized or understood."
"Are we really free?" Clarisse placed her hands over Joe's that rested against her stomach.
"Yes, we're really free. Von Troken and Mabery won't test their luck. They know that if they step even one foot on Genovian soil, they'll be arrested and spend the rest of their lives in prison."
"What about Pierre? What is to become of him?"
"He's going to be alright, Love. Old Doc took him to a clinic where he can get help and be carefully monitored as they wean him off whatever drugs he was being fed."
Clarisse shook her head. "All these years. All these years and I never knew my son was being drugged." Turning she stared up at Joe. "They started drugging Philippe, didn't they? That is what caused that horrid accident."
"Clarisse, you can't blame yourself. None of us can. There was no way for us to know. Edward must have known, which explains why he always had me take the food brought to him and dump it then bring him something I had fixed myself." Joe shrugged. "I never thought that it could be laced with something harmful. It never occurred to me to question his telling me that he hated the cook's overly spicy food." Sighing, he kissed her nose. "I do think that Philippe's accident was due to the drugs. Even though none of us will ever know what drugs were used, Philippe had a high sensitivity to most drugs, so a high content of any one of the prescription drugs would have caused him to have a bad reaction."
A tear rolled down Clarisse's cheek. "Do you think I will ever have a relationship with Pierre?"
"Yes, I do." He wiped her tears. "I believe that one day your son will be free of the addiction that's altered his personality for so long, and want to get to know his mother, sister, and niece."
"And his step father." Clarisse reminded.
"Yes, even me. I would love to get to know the young man. I'd like to think that he would let me be the father he never really had." Joe smiled. "One day. We have to believe that." He kissed her gently.
"I love you." She traced his lips with her finger as she moved closer to him.
"And I love you." Joe wrapped his arms tightly about her. "Walk with me?"
"I'd love to." Clarisse took his hand and walked by his side as he led them down the garden path.
CnJ
Mia sighed. It had been a busy few months, but everything was back to normal. "Pfft," she guffawed and shook her head. "Nothing is normal. Grandma and Grandpa don't live here anymore, and Grandma still doesn't have her title back."
"Mia?"
Mia jumped, not realizing someone was in the room with her. "Oh."
"Sorry."
"It's alright. What was it you wanted?"
"Madre doesn't want the title back."
Mia blinked at her aunt. "What makes you say that?"
"She's free, Mia. Think of what that must mean to her. Madre was never allowed to be just a normal person."
Turning to look out the window, the young queen stared out at the moonlit grounds of her home. "I never really thought of that. I guess I forget that she didn't have the chance that I did to just be, well, just be." Looking back at her aunt she smiled. "You're very wise, Auntie."
"No, I just know Madre. She's happy, Mia. For the first time in her life, she is truly and completely happy."
"She and Grandpa can be together now without interference." Mia smiled at her aunt. "Thank you for giving me some insight. I'll stop fighting with the members of parliament." Moving over to where her aunt stood, the young queen hugged her. "Will you help me with my Spanish? You speak it so beautifully and I just can't grasp it."
The young woman laughed. "I'll be glad to help you. Will you help me learn more about America?"
"I'd love to. I'm so glad you're here." Mia hugged her again. "I get lonely without someone around that's close to my age."
"I'm glad to be here, too. All my life I've dreamed of seeing my parent's home."
"Do you miss Spain?"
"I do a little, but I was lonely there. I hated not having Madre and Padre."
"I'm so sorry." Mia whispered.
"It wasn't your fault." The young woman smiled at her niece. "It's over now and I'm here with my family."
"Yes, you are, and I am very happy about it." Mia grinned. "Where are Grandma and Grandpa?"
"Out in the moonlight."
"Ah." Mia smiled knowingly as she looked out the windows again. "Most likely walking in Grandma's favorite garden."
"Yes, they are. Madre said that they would be gone for a while. That is why I rode Morning Star up here. I wanted to visit with you."
"I'm glad you did, and I'm glad you have better luck with horses than I do." Mia frowned while the young woman standing beside her laughed. "It isn't funny. They have these crazy traditions around here that require me to ride a horse."
"Maybe I should help you with that as well."
"Maybe." Mia nodded then stifled a yawn. "Sorry." She smiled sheepishly at her aunt.
"It's alright. You've been busy all day. I'm going to go back home. I'll see you for afternoon tea." The young woman kissed her niece's cheek.
"Goodnight, Auntie." Mia called as she watched the petite beauty walk from her room. "She even walks like Grandma," she mused to herself with a smile. Everything was really going to be okay.
CnJ
High upon the roof of the majestic Genovian palace, a lone figure stood, her long, dark hair billowing around her in the wind, her aqua eyes watching as Joe and Clarisse disappeared into the shadows of the lush garden.
She was no longer alone.
No longer separated from her parents.
No longer hidden in another country to protect the name and reputation of Genovia's queen.
Now she could roam freely about the country. She could live freely and be known to every one as the daughter of Clarisse and Joe.
She smiled at the thought of her parents. She was their love child, an object of proof that something good can come from an evil situation. She was a symbol of an undying bond that had been made and tried by fire.
And her name…
Elena.