Chapter 5: Sleep On
Joe walked slowly down the corridor. He was exhausted. But Mia was here, safe and sound.
It had been easier to get her here than anyone had guessed. It all had to do with visa's and the like. In the end it was mostly a matter of not hurting anyone's feelings, or stepping on anyone's toes. He had been firm with the customs agents. His diplomatic immunity hadn't hurt either. There would probably be a bit of a scuffle to get her into the states again. But then she would be Queen. Hopefully the war would also be over.
He rounded the corner, entering the Queen's private wing. His room was here too. As her personally body guard, he needed to be near her at all times. Joe yawned. He needed to get some sleep. But duty called. He would stop at his room, before heading over to check on the queen. If Charlotte had succeeded the Queen wouldn't even know he had left. Joe suddenly realized he needed a way to explain how her Granddaughter had managed to get here. Why hadn't he thought this all the way through?
He rubbed his temple with his hand, all that could wait. He would be of no use to the Queen if he was exhausted. He'd take a little nap before he reported to her, with his story.
Joe opened the door to his quarters, dropping his bag. It was good to be home. The door to his room was just cracked open. He pushed it the rest of the way, his eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness. He stopped dead in his tracks, not believing his eyes. Someone was on his bed. And that someone looked remarkably like the Queen.
She was curled up in the middle, her head resting on his pillow. She was snoring softly. He had always wondered if she snored, and now he knew. But somehow it made her all the more appealing. He tried not to let his mind go to the gutter, but it wasn't listening to him. He didn't know how many times he imagined falling asleep with this woman in his arms. And here she was asleep on his bed.
But he knew he couldn't disturb her. Why was she there?He He suddenly remembered yesterday mornings little episode. Her smooth back. The way her head had been slightly tilted. He needed to get his mind out of the gutter. But he couldn't. Joe wanted nothing more than to lie down next to her, and feel her in his arms. Slowly he backed out the door. He was a bodyguard, a lowly servant. He couldn't love her. It wasn't allowed
Joe picked up his bag and left. Closing the door behind him. He would wait in the kitchen.
Clarrise awoke to the sound of the door closing. Where was she? She didn't recognize her surroundings. But it all came rushing back. She was in Joseph's room. She had just laid down for a minute. It couldn't be much past 1l, maybe midnight.
She crept out of the room, excepting a dark hallway. But it was bright as day. She must have fallen asleep for a couple of hours. Where had Joe slept? It must have been him closing the door that had awoken her. Had he seen her? She started to dart across the hall, but heard someone coming. She slunk back into his room. The person had passed. How would she get back?
Her room was around the corner, and across the hall. But how was she supposed to get there, without anyone seeing her. That would be an interesting dilemma to explain. Why she was walking around in her pajama's at god-only-knows-what-hour. Had Charlotte come looking for her? Was the maid, in her room?
She decided she would just need to make a mad dash for it? Clarrise flung open the door, slammed it behind her, and began to run. The hallway had never seemed so long. It couldn't be more than a hundred feet. It was as if she was running in slow motion. As if she was running through peanut butter. She was just about around the corner when BAM she hit something. Something that was groaning and holding his head.
The Queen straighten up, embarrassed beyond belief. She had been caught. And not just caught, but caught by the person she least wanted to be caught by. If she wasn't a Queen, and if she hadn't been raised to hide all emotion, then she would have probably burst into tears.
"G-Goodmorning Joseph." And with that she walked around the corner, into her room, and fell down on her bed. She began to cry, but was soon laughing, with tears streaming down her face.
"Oh, Joseph!"
