Part Five (Short, I know, but ...)

"Joseph, what are you DOING here? Is everything all right with Mia?" Clarisse, stunned by Joseph's sudden appearance when she had resigned herself to not being able to see him or have his invaluable assistance through the next few trying days, didn't wait for answers to the questions which spilled out as she rose hastily to her feet. She spun around and said, "Charlotte, I TOLD you that it was not necessary to call Joseph and it never occurred to me that you would ask him to return!"

"Joe!" Charlotte's face was a study of relief and joy. Then her smile faded, and she earnestly assured Clarisse, "Your Majesty, I did NOT phone Joseph. Honestly! I did the first time, just to tell him to call you, because I thought you could ask him to come back, but ... but I didn't tell him this time!"

"She's right." Joseph stepped closer to the women. "It was not Charlotte who phoned me, Cl ... your Majesty. It was the Prime Minister."

"Sebastian?" Clarisse gripped her desk to steady herself. "But, why ...?"

"Your Majesty," Charlotte said, hurriedly, "if you don't mind, I think I'll go ..."

"Yes, of course," Clarisse nodded. "Oh, Charlotte? I .. thank you for everything. I'm sorry I ... accused you unjustly of going behind my back and calling Joseph ..."

"That's all right," Charlotte looked uncomfortable at the queen's apology, then she smiled at Joseph. "I'm just glad SOMEONE called you, Joe, and that you are here now! Good night, your Majesty, Joseph," and Charlotte hurried out of the suite.

Clarisse and Joseph remained standing, staring at each other for a moment. Clarisse was fighting the urge to throw herself in his arms. Ridiculous! No matter that they had grown extremely close in San Francisco! She was still the queen, he was still the Head of Security, and they had no relationship other than that, had they? Still, she suspected his embrace would warm her and help make everything right in her world.

Joseph cleared his throat. "As I said, your Majesty, Sebastian Motaz called last night and suggested I return immediately. He filled me in on what was afoot, including the fact that Viscount Mabrey was the one behind the original demand. The Prime Minister wants the proceedings halted, or at the very least, delayed, but constitutionally cannot do it himself. He informed me that he knew ..." Joseph broke off, seeing Clarisse's widening eyes. Something told him that it might not be a prudent move to repeat Sebastian's exact words. The younger man had frankly confessed that he knew how Joseph felt about the queen, having seen them interact for many years. In fact, after speaking with the Prime Minister just half an hour ago, it seemed that most people in Genovia were beginning to suspect that Joseph harboured a passion for Queen Clarisse. The only person unaware of this, it appeared, was Clarisse herself. Personally, Joseph was convinced that she merely thought of him as a very dear friend, perhaps one of her only friends now that Rupert was gone.

Joseph had watched with aching heart as Rupert's health had declined, and shortly before the king's death, Joseph had been summoned privately to his bedside. There, Rupert had confessed that he had never truly loved Clarisse as she deserved to be loved, and he had suspected for a long time that Joseph DID. Joseph had immediately begun to protest, but Rupert had raised a hand to silence him. After assuring Joseph that he knew him to be a man of honour who would never have indicated his feelings by any word or action to the queen while Rupert was alive, the dying king had also confided to him his belief that Clarisse had never been truly in love. "She doesn't even think she is CAPABLE of that grand passion! She thinks she is, well, frigid!" Rupert had sounded thoroughly exasperated. "I've TRIED to tell her ... but she ... she needs to be shown. I think you can do it, Joseph. Stay with her through this. She needs someone, even if she will never admit it. She needs someone to love her and needs to love someone in return. Our sons ..." Rupert's voice had turned cold, "they are weak. Too weak. But Clarisse ..." A fit of coughing had stopped the king's speech. Joseph had done what he could to make the king comfortable, including vowing to remain at Clarisse's side. He had told no one of those deathbed revelations.

"Joseph?" Clarisse's soft question brought him back to the present. "Please, Joseph, tell me about Mia. How is she really doing? How is Helen coping with everything? Is Mia excited about her sixteenth birthday? Oh, I wish I could be there tomorrow to share it with her! Oh, Joseph, how could I have forgotten? Charlotte gave me Maurice today, and said he was from you. He's adorable, and we had so much fun with him! Thank you! Thank you SO much!" Leaning closer, she brushed her lips on his as a gentle thank you. Her own body's instant, heated response to the simple kiss astonished her, and her lips clung to his for an instant before she pulled back, trembling and aghast at what she had unleashed in herself.

Joseph stiffened immediately, and his eyes bore into hers, making promises. A strange combination of apprehension and desire flooded Clarisse's limbs, weakening her knees. Somehow she knew he was going to kiss her again and she was already anticipating it when a knock came at the door, making them both step apart hastily. When the door opened, Maurice himself came scrambling through.

"I'm sorry, your Majesty!" Olivia gasped as she hurried in and tried vainly to catch the poodle. "I just took him out, and thought I'd tell you he should be good for the night now. I'll put him in your room, shall I?"

Her guard once more in place, Clarisse smiled graciously at Olivia. "Thank you, that is most kind of you." Turning to Joseph, she added, "And Joseph, I AM glad you are home. We can speak further tomorrow."

"As you wish," Joseph bowed slightly and departed.

Clarisse refrained from gazing wistfully after him, knowing that Olivia was watching her closely for all she was supposedly chasing the puppy. Without a doubt, the palace was already buzzing at the sudden, unexpected return of the Head of Security. It would not have escaped anyone's notice that the issue of the queen needing to remarry had arisen while Joseph was in America with the newly-discovered princess. It seemed, Clarisse thought with a sigh, that the maids kept close tabs on every movement and even every THOUGHT in Genovia!

That night, the fleeting kiss replayed over and over in Clarisse's mind -- superseding even the recollections of the distasteful Parliament session. Once she sat straight up in bed, exclaiming aloud, "IS THIS LOVE?" before sinking back down hoping no one had overheard or seen her. She lay still for a moment, wondering if there WERE security cameras in her bedroom ... she had never before thought to ask, and now she couldn't. It would be much too embarrassing, no matter who she approached.

Then a furry bundle landed beside her with an excited yelp. Clarisse chuckled as she gathered Maurice close. "You are NOT allowed on my bed, you know! You DO have your own ..." As she petted the dog, her thoughts turned to Joseph, and, still smiling, Clarisse fell asleep at last.

To Be Continued