Morning...
Joseph stood outside of Clarisse suite as he waited to escort her to the dining room for breakfast with the King. He had requested to meet with Clarisse very early this morning stating they had an urgent matter to attend to. As he stood, his mind wondering what the King wanted to speak with Clarisse about, Charlotte appeared.
"Is she in" Charlotte asked as she faced Joseph?
"Yes...is everything alright" Joseph asked concerned by this early visit? He immediately noticed her clutching an envelope in her hands.
"I only need a moment of Her Majesty time" Charlotte replied avoiding answering the question he asked.
"Charlotte" Joseph questioned as he looked at the envelope?
Charlotte sighed deeply. The look in her eyes giving away her emotions.
Joseph looked at the envelope again.
"I have to do this Joe" Charlotte said in a low voice.
"No, you don't. If this is about, he looked around saw no one else, Pierre then you should speak with him. Don't do this" He said pointing at the letter.
"I can't talk to him about this. The King..." Charlotte began but Joe cut her off when he knocked on Clarisse door.
"Thank you Joe" Charlotte said grateful.
"Come" Clarisse said so they entered.
Clarisse came out of her bedroom when she heard the door but was surpised to see Joseph and Charlotte.
"What is it" Clarisse asked instantly?
" Charlotte needs to talk to you" Joseph answered immediately as he took the envelope out of Charlotte hands and walked out with it leaving the two ladies alone.
Charlotte stared at the door in shock. She couldn't believe Joe just did that.
"Charlotte, what is it" Clarisse asked concerned?
"I have given this a lot of thought and as much as I love being here working with you I think it's best that I resign..." Charlotte forced herself to say. Her eyes watered instantly at the sight of Clarisse face.
"Why? I thought that you were happy here" Clarisse replied. She was truly confused.
"I was..." Charlotte admitted.
"Was? Please Charlotte tell me what happened" Clarisse asked patiently as she motioned for Charlotte to sit with her?
Charlotte walked over and sat.
"Tell me whatever it is. I promise to listen" Clarisse said wanting to support her.
"It's Pierre..." Charlotte admitted although her heart was pounding in her chest.
"Pierre" Clarisse asked surprised?
"His engagement to Antoinette. With all due respect Your Majesty I can't stay here and watch him marry her" Charlotte confessed as a tear slid down her cheek.
"Charlotte...are you in love with Pierre" Clarisse asked as she held her hand in support?
Charlotte couldn't speak. She felt tremendous guilt because of Shades and she was violating Pierre trust by telling his mother. Not being able to speak she nodded her head yes.
"Oh Charlotte" Clarisse hugged her. She knew the engagement wasn't real and was having a difficult time not being able to tell her when she was clearly hurting.
"I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I promise. I didn't..." Charlotte cried.
"Stop apologizing. It's not your fault" Clarisse reassured her.
"I know that we can never be. Seeing him with her and knowing we'll be planning their engagment/wedding...it's harder than I thought it would be" Charlotte admitted as she wiped at her face with a tissue.
"I understand. Listen to me Charlotte, I want you to go talk to Pierre..." Clarisse said wanting them to clear this up.
"I can't. The King told me that I can't be a distraction to him" Charlotte blurted out before she could stop herself.
"He what" Clarisse fumed?
"Forget I said that please. I don't want the King to be upset with me" Charlotte begged her.
"I will handle the King" Clarisse promised her. She was so angry that he would dare say such a thing to Charlotte.
Dining room...
Rupert sat having breakfast when Clarisse arrived.
"I started without you. Hope you don't mind. I'm starving" He said as she walked over and had a seat.
Clarisse poured herself some tea replying, "I'm not hungry anyway"
"You should eat something. You know how you get when you don't eat" He said as she sipped his coffee.
"We need to talk about Pierre" She said ignoring him.
"I agree. My assistant just informed me that they invited her parents for lunch or dinner this weekend. Were you aware" He asked clearly bothered?
"Actually no, I wasn't. I suppose it's expected" She replied as she sipped her tea.
"I would rather not see them but if we must" He sighed.
"Do you think she told them about your relationship? The baby" She asked curiously?
"I don't think so. I'm sure they would have said something after all of this time if they knew" He guessed.
"Hmmm" Clarisse replied as set her tea down and looked at him for a long moment.
"What" He asked when he noticed?
"You told Charlotte to stay away from Pierre" She said surprising him.
"She told you. I didn't expect that" He admitted.
"She told me because she was going to resign, no thanks to you" She snapped.
"It's for the best that you let her leave. It will deter anything from happening between them" He insisted.
"What are you saying? Pierre and Charlotte are both mature adults with a strong sense of duty. They would never engage in anything unless..." She began but he cut her off.
"Unless they wanted more. A life together. And they do. It is obvious. Clarisse, it can't happen" He said now upset.
"I support Pierre. If this is what he wants..." She continued.
"I won't allow it" He yelled as he stood up in a rage!
"It is not your decision" She yelled back as she stood up facing him. She was tired of him thinking he can order his family around like he does his employees.
"It is our decision and we can't have the Crown Prince with a commoner. My God Clarisse, what are you thinking" He asked upset?
"I'm thinking that it's not a bad idea. It is actually a good idea. And it's also one that I thought of. I had planned on asking Charlotte to become his Princess consort when we were first looking for one" She admitted.
"Absoloutely not" He said adamant.
"We have polls that support the royal family becoming more like the people. I can show you if you are willing to get out of our own way and be objective" Clarisse challenged him.
"I want to see them but it doesn't mean that I will agree to this" He said making himself clear.
"I will show you then" She said as she walked out of the dining room. A smile crossed her face.
