Chapter 5

Viscount Mabrey entered the consolate. He was quickly announced to a surprised Charlotte. She gave him a very quick greeting, assuring him the Queen would see him as soon as possible. Mabrey sat, inwardly smirking at how clever he was being. He crossed his legs, admiring the portrait of Clarisse on the far wall. She was beautiful, and still very much was. He was one lucky man, well luck had nothing to do with it, he reminded himself. It was his cleverness.

"Mabrey, here?" Clarisse got that sick feeling as his name was announced.

"Your Majesty, are you alright? Should I get you something?"

"Charlotte, my medication please...and is Joseph still here or has he left yet?"

"I'm afraid he has left, need I call him back?"

"No," she thought for a moment, "what he is doing is more important. I'll need you to stay when you come back with the Viscount."

"Of course. I'll be in with him and your medication in a moment."

Clarisse could feel the burn spreading through her abdomen. It was him, Mabrey. Every time she was bothered by him it made her sick. Mentally and now physically sick.

"Your Majesty, Viscount Mabrey, " Charlotte announced as she entered.

Clarisse usually greeted her visitors, but today she sat still, waiting for her medication. Charlotte handed her the pills with a glass of water. She eagerly swallowed them, hoping for quick relief.

"Clarisse, you're not ill are you?" The Viscount took in the scene. He had never seen her looking so pale, or known her to take medication. He knew all about her, he thought.

"No, I'm fine, just a little stomach trouble. I'm afraid even Queens get a bug every now and then." She thought at what a monster she had.

"I hate to see you not feeling well, espically now."

"Mabrey, what are you doing here in San Fransisco?"

"Oh, just a little traveling on my own. I thought I'd stop in and see you. Anything I can do to help with...your problem?"

"My problem is being taken care of." Her problem was really him.

"Ah, well how about you and I have a cup of tea together then. I suppose we should spend a little time together." He knew his suggestion would require Charlotte to leave.

Clarisse nodded at her, knowing he wanted to be alone with her. She knew Joseph would not be gone long, but it had turned out to be too long already.

"I must say Clarisse, I could not wait to see you any longer. I hopped the first flight to the States, and here I am."

"What makes you believe that Amelia is not my granddaughter. You seem awfully sure of yourself."

"It never hurts to be sure of yourself, Clarisse. Surely you know that."

She did, as Queen she had to be sure of herself. Yet with him, she was always very unsure. He was her downfall. Why did she let him get to her so badly? There was something about him that made her not only sick, but weak as well.

She watched as he stood and walked around her desk. She was almost shaking as he came behind her. "I can hardly wait to have you." He touched her shoulders, squeezing them. She became ridgid. She wanted to move, but couldn't for fear of him. He took his hands and slipped them under her jacket.

"That's enough. Get your hands off me."

"Sit and relax Clarisse, after all, once we're married I'll be doing this very frequently," he said close to her ear. "Or should we start now?" He lowered his hands, feeling her shoulders right down to her chest.

"Get off me!" Clarisse demanded, as she tried standing up. Charlotte, not far from her door, heard her. She grabbed the two guards standing outside and literally pushed them in.

"That's not necessary," his words directed at Charlotte, " now is it. I mean Clarisse and I were just getting to know one another. Were we not Clarisse?"

She thought for a minute, and then had to make herself agree with him. After all he was holding the stakes right now, and until she found out what he was up, she had to comply to his terms. "It's fine Charlotte. Thank you though." She nodded to the guards as they made their way outside her door. "You'll please excuse me now Mabrey, I have work to do."

His laugh was mellow, wanting to finish what he started, but at the same time he knew that her head of security was not far away from her by now. That was a situation he wanted to avoid, for now. "Very well, Clarisse. I'm on my way back to Genovia immediately. I expect to see you soon then, my love."
"Don't call me that."

"Would you prefer 'lover' then? It won't be much longer. I know you, you'll come to me. For now, I bid you good-bye." He kissed her hand, turned and left.

Charlotte immediately entered her office. "Clarisse, are you okay?"

Clarisse sat still, unsure of what to do, or even how to deal with this. "Clarlotte, I feel so dirty."

"Joseph will soon be back. Meanwhile, why don't you go shower. It will make you feel better. He didn't...well he didn't hurt you, did he?"
"Not physically, no. Make sure he doesn't get back in."

"I promise. Now let me walk you up to your suite."

Clarisse walked with Charlotte, her stomach finally easing. She did feel dirty. He was nothing but scum, and he had touched her. As much as she wanted him off her, she couldn't move him. Now she was even more afraid of him. She knew to what lengths he'd go. Joseph was right, he would stop at nothing. She was glad she had listened to Joseph. He had made alot of sense when he told her what she should do concerning the testing. Charlotte had agreed, and arranged everything for her. She knew he loved her, and carried that thought with her in the shower until Joseph would arrive back by her side.

Clarisse paced throughout her suite. She was eager to go back home. The trip here had helped a little, although Clarisse had not managed to do the one thing she really wanted. After all these years she had never met Amelia. She was doing everything she could to make her a Princess, but she still wanted her to be a granddaughter. She really wished she had some time to spend with the girl. Charlotte had reminded her of their flight time, and the evening was drawing nigh.

"Clarisse, are you sure you feel up to flying home tonight? If you wish, I could have Charlotte post-pone our flight till the morning."

"Oh Joseph, after today I really want to go back. I feel safer at the palace, you know that. You can't be with me all the time."

"Well then, let's go home."

Joseph started to turn away, then stopped himself. "You never got to see her." It was a statement he already knew to be true.

"No I didn't. I would have loved to. Maybe it isn't the right time. Maybe she'll need time. I just don't know. I don't know what to think about this whole mess. If I am not her grandmother, maybe she'll not want anything to do with me."

"Clarisse, you're causing yourself to worry again. What will be, will be. She may be a wonderful girl who will come to love you as much as you do her already. Don't judge her, or the situation, not yet."

"I suppose. Thank you Joseph."
He smiled and winked, leaving with two of her bags.

The flight home went much faster. The Queen managed to sleep most of the way. Charlotte did also. Joseph however kept himself busy. He spoke softly to Shades, enquiring of ways to increase security around her. He also had put security on the young girl herself, with permission from her mother. All they had to do was watch her from afar. He made several calls, including one to a young scientist he was trusting to help piece together this puzzle. Everything seemed to be going well, as well as Joseph could make it.

He watched her sleep, hoping her dreams were going easy on her. She looked so fragile. Yet he knew how strong she really was. She always managed to imply that it was his strength that kept her going. He doubted that. She needed him at times, but she could carry her own. She had often done just that. Years of bearing burdens of a whole country made her strong. Her only downfall was that she often doubted herself. Maybe it was her age, she was older now, and with age one becomes fragile. No, she wasn't fragile, a little delicate at times. He liked that about her. It was one of those things that just made her the woman she was.

He realized now that Clarisse might have been right. She had often told him that his anger needed to be controlled. He was doing just that. Joseph had let the Viscount's visit to Clarisse get to him, more than usual. Charlotte had explained what happened. He was sure there was more than Charlotte knew about, and Clarisse refused to speak about it. He had gotten up extremely early, and had came to the gym as a means to express his feelings for the Viscount. Two of his staff watched in amazement as he let blow after blow fall on the bag. Joseph kept picturing his face there, it was easy enough. He had no idea how long he had spent punching the man out, but was pulled back by one of the men just as the bag fell to the floor. He smiled, having won that round easily. So, this was round one. Round two would be much harder. He was ready.

"Excuse me Your Majesty, but would you like for me to schedule you an appointment with your physician?" That was Charlottle's polite way of reminding her that she needed to see her doctor here in Genovia. Charlotte knew it would be no easy task getting Clarisse to agree with her, but since she had been in pain, Charlotte thought it would be easier this time.

"Oh, Charlotte, I do need to see him, you're absolutely right. I'm just not up to it right now, not with all this about Mia. Would you remind me again when we get the DNA results back? I just want to take care of things that really need to be taken care of right now."
"Your Majesty, you need to be taken care of."

"I know Charlotte, and I am fine. I really am. Now, could you get the Prime Minister for me?"

"Of course."

"...and Charlotte, you don't need to inform Joseph that I have put off seeing my doctor."

"Yes, mam." She had caught Charlotte this time. She had every intention of telling Joseph. It would be him that would make her see the doctor. Charlotte made a mental note to hint at the subject around him.

"Ah, Sebastian, how are you, and Sheila?" Clarisse could let down her Queenly demeanor around the Prime Minister. They were such good friends, and it was easy to be casual with him.

"Fine, just fine, all of us. I was glad to hear from Charlotte this morning. I was wandering about your trip to the States. I know it wasn't a political show, so I take it that this was a personal trip?"

"Well, yes and no. Frankly Sebastian, that's what I needed to speak to you about. I'm afraid it's not anything good."

"Please don't tell me that we don't have a Princess." Sebastian's voice loomed low and concerned.

"I'm afraid I don't know. It's not that she has declined." Clarisse slipped from her chair behind her desk and made her way over to sit beside him. She motioned for Charlotte to do the same, after all it was going to be a long story and she would need all the help she could get.

Prime Minister Motaz took a deep breath, trying to come to a rational conclusion of what all this meant. He had listened to his Queen, and her aide, try to explain the past week, and about DNA testing. He was not shocked to learn that Mabrey had something to do with it all. He was the origin of this whole mess, so it seemed. Sebastian took every opportunity to keep the Viscount at bay, and away from the Queen. He knew he was no good. Sebastian thought the world of Clarisse, and often told her so. She was more like the sister he wished he had. They had helped one another in political messes for a very long time now, ever since Rupert's illness, and to some extent even before.

"Clarisse, I don't know what to say, other than I'm not sure if there's anything I can do to help. It sounds like you have the ball rolling, so all we can do is wait and see if it rolls in your court."

"Our court Sebastian, our court," she took his hand as she said those words.

"This must be kept from Parliment for as long as possible or we will have to worry about more than just Mabrey. I think I can help a little, with Mabrey that is. If you wish, I know of a way to keep him busy for awhile."

"By all means..."

"Parliament has that rezoning issue to consider, and as you know, it will be no easy task considering the floor is split in three ways. Since Mabrey would benefit from the ordinance, he will most likely be the one fighting the hardest to get it passed. First thing tomorrow morning, that will go on the agenda. I will keep it open and going while you wait for the results of the testing. That will help keep him occupied and away from you as much as possible for the time being."

"I agree, very well. That will give him more to think about. Thank you Sebastian."

"You're very welcome, it's not much, but it's all I can do now."

"It's all anyone can do. Joseph is trying to make sure the tests are not tampered with. He has Amelia being watched at all times, and her mother. He has pretty much put me under house arrest." Sebastian let out a hardy laugh.

"Imprisoned his own Queen? Now that is taking your job seriously. If I may say so Clarisse, he does take very good care of you. I am so glad you have him as your security."

"Me too, Sebastian, me too."

Clarisse wondered the halls of the palace, going no place in particular. She hadn't really slept since the flight back home. She remembered Joseph being close to her, and that had settled most of her fears. He always did. Here she couldn't just see him when she wanted. He had a job to do. She was watched closely, he made sure of that. Monitors and guards everywhere. She had hoped to run into him someplace. The palace halls were vast, an endless supply of red carpet, doors, and stairways. She could stroll through them all evening and never find him.

She made her way to someplace he would find her if he were looking, eventually he would if she were not in her suite by nine. She could have waited there for him, but the photos of her family seemed to haunt her this evening. As she stared at Philip's, she felt so guilty over not even meeting Amelia yet. Rupert seemed to rub in more guilt over not securing the throne. That was a promise she had made to him. Pierre was there as well, again throwing guilt her way. He seemed to say, "Mother, why must I have to leave my church? It was you who told me to follow my heart in the first place. You know I would never be happy as King, and now you're practically making me take the crown." Clarisse sat as the worry settled in her stomach. The night air was refreshing to her, but did nothing for the burning growing in her body.

"I asked Lionel if he had seen you on the monitor this evening, and it took him five minutes to tell me every place you had been." Joseph tried making her laugh as he sat next to her.

"I needed to walk. I couldn't find you before. I knew you'd look here eventually if I were not inside by now."

"You look pale, even out here in the dark. You are feeling sick again Clarisse?"

"Just a little."

"You need a hobby, something to keep your mind from worrying."

"I have enough to do."

"No, I mean something you would enjoy. Something you would look forward to during the day. Something to be passionate about." Joseph reached for her hand.

"Passionate, there's a word not often used to describe me."

"I disagree."

She turned her eyes to him. It had taken her this long to figure out where he was going.

"...and you know of something I can be passionate about?"

"I was hoping..." She didn't give him time to finish. She placed her lips to his. It was the most natural thing she had ever done. She wasn't sure if she even thought about doing it, it just happened. Their lips met and greeted each other with warm wetness. She felt a slight tickling as his tongue pressed inward. She gladly accepted. She was eager to kiss him with her whole soul. Out here she knew she could. Queen Clarisse Renaldi had found her passionate side.

"Oh love, passion comes naturally, espically to you when you let yourself go."

"Joseph, I want you to know, whatever happens, I love you. I have for so long."

"I know Clarisse, I know."