Chapter 6

First, I must apologize for a couple of errors in Chapter 5. I apparently didn't get the scene spacing correct as the entire thing ran together. And, Lionel, as we all know, is the Prime Minister's NEPHEW, not his son. Typo, sorry. Secondly, thanks for all the wonderful reviews. And to aserene, while I agree that Lily isn't a "two steps behind" kind of person, Mia is an unusual queen and may not be the "two steps ahead" type, either. Now, onwards...

Charlotte looked up from her clipboard as Joe entered.

"Good evening Charlotte. How is everything going?"

"Very well." She smiled. "I think Queen Mia is doing exceptionally well. She's cleared for her trip on Thursday."

"Excellent." Joe perched on the corner of her desk. "And how are you?"

"Me?" Charlotte smiled a bit uncertainly.

"Yes. Are you happy working with Mia?"

"Well, of course. She's delightful, and doing extremely well for someone who wasn't raised to the job."

Joe decided not to dance around the issue. He and Charlotte had always been honest with each other; there was no reason for subterfuge now.

"Clarisse thinks you're unhappy, and it's bothering her."

Charlotte's eyes widened.

"Oh! I hope I haven't done anything to make either of them think that." Charlotte said in a rush. "I love working here. Everyone is so friendly and the work is always interesting---"

Joe laid a hand on hers. "It's all right, Charlotte." He smiled gently. "It wasn't a criticism. Clarisse just thought you might find it difficult to adjust to a new queen."

"Oh." Charlotte flushed. "I... Queen Mia is a wonderful person and she's becoming a great queen." She licked dry lips. "It's a great pleasure to work with someone like that."

Joe nodded and squeezed her hand. "My wife worries about the people she cares about and she's very fond of you, Charlotte."

The woman smiled.

"As I am of her. I'm glad she has time to enjoy things now." She paused. "She doesn't miss--? "

"No," Joe assured. "I don't believe she does." 'That certainly seems to be the question of the day.' He thought, then rose. "I'll let you get back to work."

"Goodnight, Joseph."

"Goodnight."

He walked down the corridor toward the stairs, shaking his head ruefully.

"Once again my love, you seem to be right." He muttered to himself as he opened the front door and stepped out into the cool night air.

"Everything's clear." Shades said, stopping beside Joseph on the stone terrace.

"Good. Monitor as usual. Rotate patrols."

The security man nodded. "Good night, sir."

Joe nodded. He stood in the cool night air, drinking in the peace of a cool spring evening.

Then a movement caught his eye and he started down the steps, gun drawn.

Yes, it was a man running. Joe took off after him, silent and fast. The figure disappeared in the shadows of the pear grove and Joseph dove in after him.

After running a few yards he stopped, listening. At a noise behind him, Joe spun, crying out in surprise as an object hurtled toward him so quickly he couldn't dodge aside. There was the pain of impact and then nothing.

The first thing he noticed was the throbbing in his head. The second was Shades bending over him when he opened his eyes.

"Wha—"He sighed. "What the hell hit me?"

"Canvas bag filled with dirt and cement debris... probably from the site of the new waterfall."

Joe didn't quite suppress a groan as he tried to sit up.

"Lay still. I'll call for the doctor."

"I don't need a doctor. Just give me a moment."

"Landry and Lionel jogged up to them and knelt.

"You okay?" The older guard asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." Joe eyed them. "Tell me you didn't leave the security room unmanned."

"No sir." Landry told him. "Two men are monitoring until we return."

"Good."

With Shades' help, Joe rose, gripping the man's arm until a wave of dizziness passed.

"First order of business is to find my gun." He told them, fighting to catch his breath. "I had it in my hand when I was hit... it should be around here somewhere."

"We'll get right on it." Landry said, pulling a torch from his pocket. Lionel did the same and they moved off in opposite directions around the site.

"Shades, I may need a bit of help getting home." Joe let out a breath. "Dammit my head hurts!"

"You're sure you're all right, sir?"

"Yes. Let's go."

By the time they finally made it inside the palace, Joe was sweating and pale.

"You could have a concussion—"

"I don't. Just—"

"Sir, you really need to clean up before Queen Clarisse sees you." Shades said insistently.

Joe had assumed he had a bump on his head and nothing more.

"All right, I'll take a look when I get upstairs—"

"That's not a good idea." Nicholas came down the steps. He studied Joe's face for a long moment. "If anybody catches sight of you, you're busted, as Mia would say."

Joe frowned but allowed the young man to take his arm and lead him up. "Come to our suite."

"I'm all right." Joe protested.

"You don't look all right."

"Then perhaps Mia shouldn't see me either."

"Better her than Grandma Clarisse." Nicholas insisted dryly.

A smile tugged at Joseph's mouth. "Clarisse is not as delicate as some think."

"I know she's not but she's had a hard few weeks. Let's not add to it."

"Joe!" Mia exclaimed when she met them at the door. "Grandpa, what happened?"

"There was an intruder on the grounds. I went after him and he got the jump on me."

Mia led him to a chair in her bathroom while Nicholas assembled some towels and hot water.

There was a tap on the door before Charlotte stuck her head inside.

"Your Majesty, I heard – "She broke off when she saw Joe.

"Oh, Joseph – Sir!" She corrected.

He waved it away. "Joseph is fine Charlotte. Just because I married Clarisse—Ouch!" He jumped as Mia began to dab at his face with a wet cloth. Joe turned to glance in the mirror and stared. The right side of his face was already swelling and blood flowed from several small cuts and his nose.

"Oh my ..." He murmured.

"Yes, oh my is right." Charlotte agreed, all business now, taking the bottle of disinfectant the queen handed her. "Queen Clarisse is not going to be happy."

"I'm not thrilled myself." Joe told her, then winced when she applied the alcohol.

"Sit still please." Charlotte told him. "Perhaps if there's no blood, she'll...."

"No, she's going to notice that bruise." Mia eyed the blackening welt. "Good job, Grandpa."

"Thank you." He returned dryly.

When the two women had done their best on his injuries, Joe rose and reluctantly started for the door.

"Maybe she'll be asleep?" Mia suggested.

"It would only prolong the inevitable." Joe told her and left.

"We're too far away to hear anything." Mia complained and glanced at Charlotte.

"You are not going to spy on them." Nick told her firmly.

"I'll leave you now." The aide said quietly and slipped into the corridor. "Goodnight."

"She's going to listen isn't she?" Nicholas asked.

"Oh yeah. If Grandma's really angry, she may need to referee."

"Clarisse wouldn't be angry at Joe because he was attacked." Her husband objected.

Mia snorted. "Shows what you know." She frowned. "I wonder how Charlotte found out so fast."

Nick shrugged. "Palace grapevine?"

Joseph slipped into the darkened suite and moved quietly toward the bedroom. He was almost undressed when Clarisse's voice came to him in the dark.

"Is everything all right, Joseph?"

"Yes. I'm sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep."

"What was the ruckus about? Charlotte couldn't tell me anything."

'Or wouldn't', Joe thought gratefully. He made a mental note to find out how the woman had found out about the attack so quickly.

"I spotted a man on the grounds and we went after him." Joe sighed as he slid into bed. "Unfortunately, he got away."

She moved close, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I'm sorry."

"We're getting close, Clarisse. He's getting sloppy."

"You'll get him." She said with confidence.

Clarisse cupped his face, fingers caressing as she had done a thousand times before, but Joe's involuntary cry of pain had her sitting up in bed and reaching for the bedside light.

"Clarisse," He began, "before---"

"My God! Joseph what happened?"

Gingerly she touched the bruise that went from the corner of his eye to just above his chin. "You're hurt!"

"Not badly."

"You call that not badly?" She exclaimed. "Did you fight with this intruder?"

"No, I was ambushed." He admitted sheepishly. He let out a deep breath. "As much as it frightens me to say, I think perhaps Nicholas is correct and you may have been the target of that first attempt."

"Why?" She sat up and faced him in the bed. "Why now when I'm no longer queen?"

He forced the words out. "I think it may be personal... against me."

Her eyebrows rose. "Against you? What nonsense!"

Joe held up a hand.

"I've made enemies over the years, my dear. It's possible one of them is trying to get some revenge."

"By killing me?" She asked. "You're not even head of security anymore."

"Yes Clarisse, I know that." Joseph took her hand, brought it to his lips. "I believe whoever it is knows me well. He knows that the surest way to destroy me would be to kill you."

"Oh, Joseph." She watched his face. "And you have no idea who it might be that'd doing this?"

He heaved a sigh. "We have come to the conclusion that it's someone here, in the palace."

"No!" Clarisse shook her head. "That's not possible!"

"It's the only explanation." Joe insisted. "And it's difficult to watch everyone that comes into contact with you or Mia. I've excluded my security staff of course, but other than that..." He shrugged helplessly.

"Joseph I'm sorry. I had no idea that it had come to that." She paused, "Then we're not even safe here, in our home."

He decided now was his best chance of convincing her to implement his plan.

"Clarisse, I'd like for you and Mia to spend some time in San Francisco at the consulate there."

She frowned. "Why?"

"To keep you both safe. Just until we can get to the bottom of this."

"No, Joseph---" She shook her head, her distress obvious. "I would do nothing but worry about you, and so would Mia. That's not the answer."

"It would help ease my fear for your safety, and Mia's." Joe told her. "Please Clarisse, at least talk it over with her. Perhaps she'd like a trip to visit her family in America."

"Yes, I will agree to sending Mia and Nicholas to San Francisco." The former queen nodded. "But Joseph, I'm not leaving you. Not when you could be in danger." She touched his bruised face with a feather touch, feeling the heat radiate from the injury. "I couldn't bear it Joseph, don't ask me to."

"All right." He pulled her to him, arms going around her. "All right. Whatever happens, we'll stay here. Together."

Clarisse nodded against his shoulder.

"Come on." Joseph said. "Let's try and get some sleep."

On the bedside table where he'd laid it, Joe's transmitter beeped. He scooped it up.

"Yes?"

"Landry, Sir. We haven't been able to find your weapon. We've gone over the entire area with search lights."

"Then he took it. All right, ten o'clock tomorrow morning in the main hall – everyone. Please tell Shades."

"Yes sir."

Joe sat the radio down and switched off the light. Clarisse still sat up in bed, her thoughts scrambling over each other.

Joe smoothed a palm along her arm. "My darling, come to bed." He urged.

Clarisse lay down next to him, turning into his warmth, but the sun was peeking through their window before she finally drifted off.

The next morning after breakfast, Clarisse and Mia called Charlotte into the queen's suite for a meeting. The two had talked at length about Clarisse's plan and Mia said she felt that Lily would be agreeable. Providing, she'd added firmly, that Charlotte was agreeable.

"Well of course, darling." Clarisse had said, waving it away.

Rolling her eyes, Mia had called down to her aide.

"Charlotte," began Clarisse when the three were seated. "Mia and I have been talking and wanted to let you know of some possible changes."

The aide looked inquiringly at one woman, than the other.

"Tomorrow," Mia took it up, "Nicholas and I are going to California for my friend Lily's graduation from Berkley."

Charlotte nodded. She'd arranged the travel for them.

"I spoke with Lily last night and she's tentatively agreeable to our plans."

"What plans, Your Majesty?" Charlotte asked.

"Well, since Lily was going to spend the summer here anyway, and she's kind of..." Mia shrugged, grinning, "Interested in the captain of the royal guard, we thought she could train with you to maybe be my assistant."

Both women watched for Charlotte's reaction.

"I... oh."

She felt as if a lead weight had smacked her in the chest, knocking the breath from her body. Was this what had been behind Joe's visit the night before? Did he know that they were planning on replacing her? Of course he did! Queen Clarisse would have told him—

"Charlotte?" Clarisse gave her a tentative smile.

"Oh, well if that's what... I mean, whatever you want, Your Majesty," She turned to Mia once more. "Of course."

Clarisse frowned. Not the reaction she'd hoped for.

"Your Majesty." Brigitte poked her head in the doorway. "You have a call from America."

"Oh, okay." She rose. "Be right back."

"Charlotte," Clarisse began.

The woman looked like she was in shock. Could she have misread the situation that badly? Joseph had concurred with her belief after he'd talked with Charlotte, but....

"Your Highness?" Charlotte prompted.

They looked up as Olivia entered.

"The Prime Minister has just arrived, Your Highness. He'd like a word with you before Parliament convenes."

"Yes, of course." Clarisse rose.

Mia came back just then.

"That was mom." She explained.

"Darling, we'll have to finish this later. I need to speak with the Prime Minister and then you have a session with Parliament."

"Right." Mia turned to her aide. "Charlotte, can we continue this later? Maybe this afternoon?"

"Of course Your Majesty." Obediently she rose and with a slight bow, managed to get out of the room, down the wide staircase and outside before the tears escaped.

Charlotte walked aimlessly through the small pear grove, still numb from her conversation with the Queen.

'This isn't necessarily about you." She told herself. 'It's only natural that the queen would want someone she knows, someone nearer her own age to be her aide.' Charlotte wiped impatiently at her tears. 'It doesn't mean she isn't happy with your work.'

Charlotte stopped, leaning against a sturdy tree trunk. 'But that still leaves you without a job.' She told herself. 'What in the world are you going to do now?"

She could return to America, she knew, and work at the consulate there as she had before Queen Clarisse had asked her to return to Genovia with her as her permenant aide. But the thought of leaving Genovia and all the people she cared about at the palace. And most of all...."

"Hey."

Charlotte jumped as large hands settled on her shoulders.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh..." She turned into his warmth and Shades, royal head of security, held onto her while she cried.

"What's happened?" He asked gently. "Are you all right?"

Charlotte realized she couldn't tell him she was about to be sacked... time enough for that later when she had to leave the palace. Instead she gave him a watery smile. "I didn't know anyone was around."

"I saw you on the security monitor.' He explained, thumbs brushing at the wetness on her cheeks. "When I saw you were crying I had to find out why."

"I'm just upset by everything that's going on," She lied. "The threats and Queen Clarisse being shot..." Charlotte trailed off, watching to see if he bought her excuse.

"So you came out here to let off some steam where no one would see you." He smiled fondly down at her.

Charlotte nodded.

"It's going to be okay." Shades drew her into a hug. "We're getting closer. Joe's confident that we'll get him before he does any more damage."

Charlotte nodded against his shoulder. "I know. The Queen is in with Parliament and Queen Clarisse is in the village with Joseph, so I thought I could vent a little without anyone noticing."

Shades kissed her hair.

"Well you can't hide from me."

"That's what I get for falling in love with the head of security." She joked.

"Yep." He held her at arms' length. "Better?'

She nodded. "Much better, thank you."

"Anytime."

"I'd better get back." Charlotte glanced at her watch. "The session will be over soon."

"Okay. We still on for tonight?"

She nodded. "Usual place? Around eight?"

He caught her lips in a light kiss. "It's a date."

He watched her walk toward the palace, a frown visible behind the dark glasses.