Joe felt none of the confidence he had shown to Mia. Even though he had very reluctantly agreed to Pierre's scheme, he knew that Clarisse had already made up her mind. It was a steel trap, and he knew it from years of experience. At the Inn he had caught her off guard, and he had seen her true feelings. Only deep emotions could have made the incredibly strong former Queen of Genovia faint. Tonight, however, it had been different. She had seen him come in, her eyes instantly meeting his as he walked in behind Pierre. A moment of shock, a brief second of panic, and then the wall went up. He held no hope that she would even talk to him this time.

When he left the chapel he knew exactly where he would find her: the studio. It was two floors up the circular staircase. He didn't know if she had been painting recently, but the room had been her sanctuary over the years when she couldn't face people. People, meaning Rupert. But she had never wanted to be away from Joseph, and often welcomed him into the studio, only never allowing him to see what she was working on. He climbed the stairs and paused with his hand on the doorknob. It was ajar, and he pushed it open slightly. She was there, at the open window looking out over the palace grounds. The door creaked and gave his presence away.

"You don't have to sneak in, I know you're there. Come in."

Joseph opened the door and entered. He looked around. The paintings were all covered and the paints and brushes unused. The place looked abandoned. "You don't come up here much anymore?"

"There's no one to get away from these days. No reason to hide up here."

"Until tonight?"

"I'm not hiding, Joseph. I'm protecting my family from seeing me like this."

"And what's 'like this'?"

"Oh, I don't know. Betrayed, angry, played…"

"Played! You think your family has played you? Clarisse, don't blame them; all they wanted to do was see you happy. Blame me, for God's sake. I'm the one at fault." Joseph suddenly felt very tired.

"Why did you come here, Joseph?"

"For two reasons. One, because Pierre has always been like a son to me, and it was an honor to stand with him on his wedding day."

"And?"

"And because I wanted to see you again, Clarisse."

She turned to face him, and he caught his breath. The sun was going down behind her, washing her in a beautiful light. Her white suit with its embroidered beads made her look like an angel. In his mind, that's what she had always been to him – an angel.

"You are welcome to stay and be part of the wedding ceremony tomorrow. But I must ask you when it's all over, to please leave the Palace and stay out of my life."

"Clarisse…"

"That's my only offer, Joseph. If you don't like it I can have Marcus drive you to the train station right now."

Joseph bowed slightly, and stepped back through the door. "Out of respect, and because of my promise to His Highness, I will accept HerMajesty's kind offer." And then he disappeared down the stairs. Clarisse watched him go, and when he was out of sight she sank to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest and letting the tears come once again.

A/N Is anybody else freezing in this palace? Brrr.