A/N: I know, I know, I'm still dragging but I'm definitely almost close... Just a little moment...
Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!
The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!
In the days and weeks and months after the wedding, the participants as well those who were observing from either the church, outside the church, via television or at the palace found it difficult to believe how much had transpired in the matter of hours and how destinies and the political future of Genovia had changed due to the courage of certain individuals and the knowledge that they were in the right and that the troublemaker, who had wanted the throne for his own means, was defeated handily by his own nephew, the key to his ambition. That was also something that would be discussed long after the event- why the young man had turned against his only relative for the sake of the Princess, defending her against him- but the main event was still the focal point of discussion...no one had ever imagined the wedding day of the princess would turn out so differently- or even more romantically than even the most romantic had hoped...
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Clarisse spent half an hour greeting guests with Sebastian- it was a tradition that she wasn't sure she enjoyed, although she hadn't actually had to do it since Sebastian had been married (as the son of the Prime Minister at the time, he had been entitled to it) and that was when Rupert had still been alive. It still saddened her that she hadn't been a gracious hostess, Queen and mother of the groom for either of her sons, but she was proud to do it for her granddaughter- which was the only positive aspect of today, considering the other problems occupying her mind.
Yes, she was heartbroken over Joseph and their estrangement- but she was determined, more than ever, to try and win him back, even it took for the rest of her life, she loved him, he was the love of her life and she wouldn't have a life without him; she was worried about Mia and the life she was about to embark on- yes, Andrew would be a caring and considerate husband, but did they LOVE each other? They were friends, but was her granddaughter mature enough to accept a marriage at 21 and realise that even if it didn't live up to expectations, she wouldn't be allowed to divorce? That it was for life?
This was all she had wanted to tell Mia last night, or even this morning, but somehow, there was still a selfish part of her that didn't want the Renaldi reign to end with her, that she wanted it to continue through her Mia...there were two sides to every story but now she didn't know what to think or feel...
She WAS delighted that Pierre was here (and he was already up at the altar where the royal family would sit, meeting his past and future in laws- he had always been fond of Helen and had hoped she would be happy after her divorce from his brother) and while she knew there would be people eyeing him askance, wondering why he was here when he hadn't been back since his brother's funeral (and that had been a brief, one day trip, wanting to avoid the people who had made trouble when he had decided to abdicate), she didn't care- for once, today was more personal than political.
While she had been studiously ignoring Joseph, standing discreetly behind her, away from most prying eyes and those who saw him would assume he was simply doing his job as her bodyguard, and had been since the incident back at the palace (which, unfortunately, her already suspicious son had witnessed and had confirmed the answers to the questions she had reluctantly answered), but she was still painfully aware of him behind her, guarding her and watching her, although his job would be over after the coronation...she didn't know whether she wanted to throw herself at his feet, begging him to stay or act as callously as he did and briefly wave him goodbye...as if she could, her conscience told her pathetically.
She was startled when Sebastian gently nudged her, indicating that it was time for her to walk up the aisle (alone, as always- why always alone?) as the bride was just about to arrive- Clarisse hadn't realised that she had been been almost automatically greeting guests (but she had done that on more than one occasion over the years, especially when married to Joseph), but she quickly recovered- she couldn't let anyone see her look distracted or sad- before giving him a warm smile.
"Thank you, Sebastian," before moving towards the door- he would walk up the aisle with Sheila just before her- and her eyes couldn't help but meet Joseph's for a moment... did she spy something other than anger in his eyes, was it compassion, understanding, sympathy... maybe even love... before she turned away, steeling herself for the pairs of eyes that would be on her when she made her entrance, again emphasising her widowhood and the fact that she was alone...
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Joseph knew he had been an idiot when he had been so brief and curt to the Queen that morning- he had seen the hurt in her eyes, as he could see the hurt and sadness in her eyes at this moment, as she was preparing to walk up to her seat while he had to stand in front of the main doors once the Princess had arrived- and he knew that he should have been more pleasant (particularly as Pierre had been watching them) AND, more importantly, that he had pulled her aside a lot earlier in the day (OR he could have gone to her suite!) and informed her that he had sources (NOT the maids, but almost) that had confirmed to him that Lord Devereaux had had no idea about the journalist that had been on the grounds days earlier, but that it HAD been all set up between Viscount Mabrey and Elsie Kentworthy (or one of her associates)...
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"Are you sure?" he almost barked over the phone an hour earlier- it had been a terrible morning, with seeing Clarisse... the Queen... on her early morning stroll, ignore him (not that he blamed her) and then his semi confrontation with her son (although he hadn't exactly been confronting, not that Joseph blamed him- he had walked out on the younger man's MOTHER) and now this, although he wasn't quite sure whether it was good news or bad news...
"Yes, I am quite sure- Viscount Mabrey made sure that there was a journalist in the boat...he was hoping that they would be seen in a compromising position..."
"Obviously they were!" Joseph snapped- he was still furious at his own men who hadn't seen the Princess sneaking out (or noticed anything amiss)- they had allowed this breach to happen, and he felt guiltier than ever- but while he was pleased that he had a source and some information that put Lord Devereaux in the clear (and he had always suspected that the young man hadn't had anything to do with it), he also had to make sure that the information was correct.
"So, how do I know that this information is true?"
"Because..." the voice on the other end of the line paused for a moment. "I'm Viscount Mabrey's housekeeper and I heard the phone conversation with Miss Kentworthy."
"Why are you telling me this?" Joseph was naturally suspicious- a lot of people usually gave information for a price. "Aren't you worried about your job...not that I'm not grateful for your information."
"I don't think it's right that he's been manipulating Lord Nicholas and Her Highness the whole way through just for the crown... the Princess will be our Queen and that's how it should be... as for my job, I don't think I'm going to have to worry about that," she gave a chuckle and Joseph suddenly realised that she probably had more information on the man that she would be able to use to her own advantage. "So... was my information useful?"
"I think so, madam, I think so..."
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He SHOULD have said something, he had allowed his own personal feelings to interfere with the safety and the feelings of the Queen and the Princess, and his pride had got in the way... he didn't know what he was going to do to make up for it... but he HAD to let the Princess know, before she made a mistake that she, he and, deep down, the Queen knew that she shouldn't have to make.
He stepped forward- he was going to say something before she made a move- but Sebastian gave him an even look, quite unlike Sebastian (and Joseph had to wonder whether he knew about him and the Queen) and Joseph desisted- no, she didn't deserve this distraction before the wedding, but Mia HAD to know! Before she made what he felt was possibly the worst mistake of her life...Andrew Jacoby was a nice guy but he wasn't the right one for his Princess... he suspected that Lord Devereaux had the potential, and there were always certainly fireworks between him and Mia when they met...
But how could he tell her...and when...they were the questions that he had to ponder for only a short amount of time as the bride was only minutes away from her arrival... but could he really tell her the truth? Did he have that right? The conundrum was driving him crazy...
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Mia clutched her hands as the carriage made it's slow way towards the church- she could hear the shouts and screams of the people standing on either side of the street and she knew she wasn't far away, but she was too preoccupied to care- and wondered whether it was normal to be so scared and worried about getting married...she was 21, she was just about to become Queen and, before too long, she would be a mother as well as wife and Queen...
Mia didn't think she was truly ready for all those responsibilities, having only just realised that she was ready to be Queen, but she couldn't say anything to Grandma, not now, not when everything was depending on her marrying Andrew. That stupid law, saying a Queen cannot rule unless she was married...her own grandmother had been doing it for seven years and there had been no problem with that... so why was there such a difference with her? Of course, she hadn't ruled a country before (and had very little experience in politics or diplomacy) but she would learn and grow over time, it didn't mean that she didn't qualify just because she wasn't married...
"Your Highness?" she heard a voice just outside the door, breaking into her thoughts, and she started before she realised that it was Joseph standing there.
"Joe!" there was relief in her voice but she knew that it was time...
"You're here..." he said gently and she smiled as he held out a hand to help her down and helped her into the church, amidst the screams and yells, Mia only pausing for a moment to wave briefly- they weren't helping the situation, before they were inside. "Well done," he gave her a small smile, lightly kissed the top of her hand and moved towards the closed doors leading into the main area of the church- they would wait until she was ready.
The foyer was oddly quiet- she could hear the soft murmur of voices inside, waiting for the doors to open so they could see her and watch as she made her way up the aisle to her future husband- but Mia felt cold all over and she knew it wasn't because of nerves but that it simply wasn't right, that she shouldn't have to sacrifice herself and her happiness (as well as Andrew's) for the sake of the throne and parliament...
Too many people were making sacrifices for the throne, she suddenly recalled a conversation she had had earlier that morning with her maids, regarding Joe...it hadn't been mentioned but the maids had inferred that his resignation (which was another shock that she had yet to digest- Joseph couldn't be leaving, he belonged there!) had something to do with the Queen...that something had gone wrong with their friendship (although Mia had the feeling that there was more than friendship between them)...and she wasn't sure that some of these sacrifices should be occurring...
Knowing that Joseph was standing guard at the doors on the other side, she knocked gently and opened it somewhat, wanting Joe to know that she understood the power of sacrifice- she too was about to do it...
"Joe... I just wanted to say... I'm sorry you're retiring."
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Nicholas couldn't believe that he was riding his grandfather's bicycle- a unicycle- to the church in Pyrus, wanting to convince the Princess that she DIDN'T have to get married to Andrew...he had been nursing feelings of unease since their night out in the forest, or even earlier than that, but it had been a gentle nudge from Gretchen, his uncle's long suffering housekeeper (and he felt that she shouldn't be working for the man) that had convinced him that he had to try and get there before she married him... not that Andrew was such a bad guy, Nicholas had to admit that he was nice and intelligent and caring... but not the most appropriate consort for Mia...
But was he the right consort for Mia, his conscience was asking and he had to wonder- was he just flying literally to the church to prevent a wedding so that he could claim Mia for himself? The title of King for himself?
NO! His heart and soul gave a definite, immediate reply- he DID NOT want the title of King, not that he had ever wanted it, he had just wanted to keep his uncle, his sole relative since the death of his aunt five years earlier, happier... he hadn't wanted to lose his family, but now, after seeing all of Mia's efforts and getting to know her personally, he realised that he wanted more for her than this, being seen as the runner up in the throne wars...SHE should be Queen, she was not only the daughter of a prince and the granddaughter of a Queen, but she had the potential, as well exemplified by the Independence Day parade and he knew that she would make a wonderful Queen, just as good as, if not better, than her grandmother.
Hence, he was racing towards Pyrus, dressed in formal morning suit, on a unicycle, wanting to talk to her before she got married... hopefully he would get there in time...
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Pierre watched as his mother walked regally up the aisle- even at her age, she was still as elegant as ever- there was just something about her that emanated class, style and poise, qualities she wanted to pass onto her granddaughter (and he suspected that she would, in time, Mia would mature and become just like her grandmother) but he still couldn't stop thinking about the the scene he had witnessed between his mother and Joseph that morning. They had obviously had a serious falling out- something they had both admitted (although scant on detail), Maman with tears, Joseph somewhat more gruffly but with his pain clearly obvious- and he sincerely hoped that Joe wouldn't be foolish enough to leave before making up with his mother...
He wasn't being biased, but he could see that his mother was in love with him- and that she trusted him more than anyone else in the world- and he knew (and suspected that Joseph knew) that she wasn't going to let him go without a fight and that Joe probably didn't want to go, it was just his pride and stubbornness that was forcing him to leave...
He just wished he could bang their heads together and force them to work out their differences... they were obviously meant to be together and if they couldn't be... he dreaded to think what it would do to his mother, she had already suffered so much loss... and Joseph, even at his angriest, wouldn't want to hurt his beloved Clarisse...
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Lily felt like a fool as she glided through the doors after the rest of the bridesmaids, once the signal had been received that the Princess was ready- she wasn't meant to be in pink, she hated pink and wearing dresses and she hated the fact that everyone was watching her walk up the aisle, ready to criticize and comment, although they really had no right to say anything, she was the best friend, not the Princess herself... it annoyed her to no end that they had that right with Mia and she longed to launch into a diatribe about it- even an on line diatribe- but she knew that she couldn't, not with everything at stake at this point in time or not even later- she had too much respect for the crown of Genovia and the Queen herself to even want to do something like that... it just seemed unfair that women had to suffer to keep men happy...
She had to admit, as she moved up the aisle towards the altar- as maid of honour, she was last before the bride appeared- that the Queen had done an excellent job with the decorating and planning- of course, she was probably used to it, but still, the whole church looked beautiful...
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Mia heard the organ and the singers pause and she knew then that the bridesmaids and Lily had reached the altar, when suddenly the music suddenly turned imperious, less light and more formal and, as the doors swung open, she knew that it was time... she was getting married...
