Chapter TWO

It was close to four in the morning and Joseph was still running around the palace arranging things. At the moment he was on his way back to the Queen and her assistant who had been with Her Majesty all night. Joseph was still absolutely furious that the press had found out about the Crown Prince's death before they had. He'd found out that a member of a news crew had been on his way home and barely avoided the accident himself. Having recognized the injured man to be the heir for the throne, he'd called the newsroom immediately. Joseph had made it his business to know who the man was and he'd already made barely legal plans of action concerning the reporter's future.

Passing the guards, Joseph entered the Queen's Chambers. He found the two women just the way he left them, sitting close to each other on the couch. A doctor had stopped by earlier and offered sedatives for the Queen but she had adamantly refused them. Joseph made his way to the women and cleared his throat, requesting their attention.

His heart broke for the umpteenth time that night as the Queen raised her eyes to him. Red and puffy from crying her eyes were full of raw anguish and desperation, even hopelessness. He loathed turning the knife in the wound, but someone had to take care of the practical things.

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid I must remind you that no one has been in contact with Father Pierre yet. His security detail has informed me he is safe but he is not aware of the situation yet," Joseph told her.

"I'll call him. And Joseph, please," she spoke with a voice hoarse from crying, "I would truly appreciate you putting aside formality tonight. Please call me Clarisse."

He nodded in acquiesce, "As you wish, Clarisse."

"If I call Pierre now I'll wake him, but I'm not sure what time he usually wakes up. I'd rather he heard this from me than from someone else, and especially not by the news or a reporter," she mused aloud. "I suppose it's better to wake him. Or what do you think?"

Joseph glanced at Charlotte whose expression told him she agreed with the Queen. "I think we both agree with you there, Your… Clarisse."

Nodding as in affirmation, Clarisse gestured towards the phone. Charlotte picked up the receiver and dialed the number from memory before giving it to Clarisse.

Using the handkerchief in her hand, Clarisse dried her eyes as she waited for her oldest - and now only - son to pick up the phone. After several rings a groggy male voice answered, "Hello?"

"Pierre?"

"Yes?" A pause before he realized who was calling. "Mama?"

"Yes, darling. Pierre, I'm sorry for waking you up but I have to… I need to tell you someth- something. Pierre, Philippe… Philp-" Her voice cracking, Clarisse covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes again and sobs wrecked her body.

"Mama? Mama? What is it? Mama, what has happened?"

Charlotte took the receiver from Clarisse and glanced at Joseph, searching for a go-ahead. He nodded briefly before sitting next to Clarisse and placing his arm around her back. With only the three of them in the room, decorum had truly been forgotten. As he held her close, he heard Charlotte haltingly inform Pierre of his brother's death. Joseph's respect for the younger woman grew. She was in tears herself but still managed reign her emotions while making plans Pierre for him to come to the palace that very same day.

As Charlotte replaced the receiver she told them what she and Pierre had agreed on. "He's going to leave as soon as he has packed and contacted a Father in the next parish. He should be her at the palace in about three hours."

"Thank you, Charlotte. I was… I had… Thank you. Your help has been most welcome tonight." She raised her head from Joseph's shoulder so she could make eye contact with him as well. "And yours as well, Joseph. I don't know what I would have done without your help."

"We would not have it any other way, Clarisse," he told her.

Accepting the words as the truth they were, Clarisse drew comfort from them, knowing she could continue to rely on the two people who had during the night become her friends. This was the most difficult time of her life so far. Undoubtedly Rupert's death had been very hard on her as well, and it was still very fresh in her memory, but she had never imagined anything could hurt this much. No pain she had gone through in her life before could have prepared for the anguish that now resided in her heart.

After sitting with her a while longer, Charlotte and Joseph managed to talk Clarisse into taking a pill that would help her fall asleep. The upcoming days would be draining emotionally, physically and psychologically. She, in fact they all, needed to rest and gather at least some strength.