Chapter 7

There would be no more tears, she thought to herself. She had weighed the outcome of each scenerio in her mind for several weeks now. She had made her decision. Somehow, Clarisse had always known what she would do. She would take the route that would secure the crown. Making love to Joseph this evening was not part of a plan. It wasn't planned at all, it was just something she did. Her heart had led her body, and it followed while it was still free to do so. She wasn't sorry for it, on the contrary, she was proud she was able to give him something. It was not even half of what he wanted from her, but it would be a time for him to remember. It would be a time for her to remember, no cherish, also. Her heart would always belong to him, she had told him so. Joseph would have to understand her reasoning.

Queen Clarisse Renaldi followed the housekeeper. He had been waiting for her to arrive, he knew she would. Her stomach was aching, burning with sickness at what she was about to do. Motioning for her to enter, Clarisse walked through the antique doorframe. The door was quickly shut behind her.

"Hello my dear. Beautiful as always." Viscount Mabrey took her by the hand, but kissed her cheek. "I knew you would come."

"I am here willingly Mabrey, I'm doing my part. Just make sure you do yours."

"You can count on it, Clarisse. You have my word of honor. However, you still have a part to play," he said, motioning to the grand bed.

Clarisse took a deep breath. The only way to save her family's crown and reputation would be to lose hers to this man. She would be preventing a scandal, to say the least, and a long fight for the crown, which would put her country in jeopardy. She nodded toward the man, already dressed for bed. He handed her a glass of deep red wine.

"To help you relax."

"Yes, thank you."
"See, I'm not all bad. I do take care of those to whom I choose, Clarisse. I can take care of you, all you have to do is let me. You have been without a husband for long enough. A fine woman such as yourself deserves a husband who will stand strong with you."
"Do you mean me, Clarisse, or do you mean me, the Queen of Genovia?"

"Are you not one in the same? I can stand with you. I know the part, and am well suited to it."

Clarisse simply nodded, not wanting to explain just how wrong he was. She was two separate personalities within this one being. Joseph knew. Each one needed something different. Mabrey would never understand that.

Mabrey pulled her next to his bed, and sat her down beside him. He took off her shawl, Clarisse cringed as the burning became hotter inside her. It was worse than before. She couldn't turn back now. She surpressed her feelings. Mabrey motioned for her to finish as he disrobed himself. Sliding the buttons through the slits, she opened her blouse a little at a time for him. His grin was tailored to a jackel, who through his smile one could see the evil lurking. Clarisse had no idea what he had planned, but from the look on his face she knew she wasn't going to enjoy it.

Fifteen minutes from his Queen and lover, Joseph had awoken to find her gone. He smiled at knowing she had been here, with him. Her body had laid next to his. She had given herself to him. Clarisse had told him that she loved him, her heart would always belong to him. He sighed at knowing he would never get back to sleep now, his heart pumping faster at his dreams of her. He sat up, resigning himself to a late night security check, and perhaps a peek in at his beloved to make sure she was sleeping soundly. He glanced at his clock...not being able to see the time. His name stared back at him on the cover of a paper. He unfolded it, knowing it was from her. He smiled at any thought of her.

My dearest Joseph,

I hope you awoke with the same smile on your face, and the love I confessed to you tucked deeply away inside your heart. Tonight meant more to me, Clarisse, than being Queen for all these years. Joseph, you are my soulmate. Nothing will ever change that. It is with those words that I must leave you. It tears at my soul and conscience that I may never know if you will see to my reasoning. To go to him will not only secure the crown from the other tyrants, but will also save my family's reputation, as well as yours. It cannot wait for testing results, as Mabrey plans to use this against my family one way or another. Parliament will otherwise be informed in the morning that I may have no heir, that my family's indiscretion is a question to our leadership abilities, and that my family may not be of blood relation to Rupert. This is just too much. My country need not be in a turmoil over this when I can do something to avoid it altogether. My love, I now have to leave you. It is a choice that weighs heavily in my heart. I will close it for the rest of my life, and only you have the key. Joseph take that key with you as a reminder of our love. Whether you choose to stay at the palace, or to leave (which I would understand), we will always have a part of each other, and always have the memory of this evening.

All my undying love,

Clarisse

He sat in shock, for the first time in his life he was in shock. Joseph read the letter over again, not wanting to believe what she was doing, or what she had done by now. The nerves in his body were numb. All this...and now. He glanced at the clock, 3am. It would be too late. Besides, she had made up her mind. She had made it as the Queen she was. He must keep reminding himself of that. She made the decision as Queen, it was her Queenly duty to her country. He had not fallen in love with just anyone. She had chosen to come to him as Clarisse. For that he would always be grateful. He had something to always hold onto. He knew he would have to leave, he knew he could not look at her anymore, not with him by her side. He could never stand aside as he touched her, slept with her, danced with her...

He packed his belongings, easily fitting inside his two bags. He wrote his resignation out, and dropped it on Charlotte's desk on his way out. It fell beside another, he noticed, with her handwriting. So she hadn't come home tonight. She hadn't planned on being back until the morning. Just when he thought his heart couldn't hurt any more, it cut even deeper. He walked out, locked the door behind him, picked up his bags and left.

The burning made her sick, it creased her insides as she tried to move. It hurt almost as much as her outsides. Mabrey was no gentle giant. She had promised herself no more tears, and was trying to will the pains away. He had used her roughly, to his satisfaction. He had taken her every way possible, careful to not leave any bruising where it could be noticed. Now he lay beside her, very content, smoking his cigar. The smell almost made her gag, and turned her face from pale to greenish.

"Clarisse, you felt better than I had ever imagined."

"You will live up to your end now, Mabrey."

"Of course." He laughed, wholeheartedly. This was so amusing. He had waited so long to have her, to use her, and it had paid off.

"So I take it you enjoyed yourself."

"O, Clarisse, you know I did. I wish you had, but there is plenty of time for that. Plenty of time indeed. We should get some sleep. It's late and Parliament meets early." He put out his cigar and took one last drink.

Clarisse lay beside him, cringing in pain. The burning had escalated, and was slowly crawling throughtout her body. She doubled over, crossing both arms over her middle.

"Clarisse, you know it would look better if you resided to calling me by my first name, after all I will be your husband soon. Clarisse? Clarisse, are you alright? Clarisse, oh I see, well let me tell you something. You better be really ill to pull that, espically at this time of night, here with me."

"Mabrey, ...please, I hurt."

"Now I know I was a little rough, but you'll get use to it."
"Please, my stomach.."

"Are you really ill Clarisse?"
"Yes, please. Call my doctor"

"I can't call him from here, not yet. We're not married for Christs' sake. Leave it to a woman to cause trouble. Oh damn, damn, damn! Get up and get dressed, I'll get you back to the palace where you can be taken care of."

Half an hour later Clarisse stepped out of a car in front of her palace. It sped away before she even had good footing on the ground beneath her. She walked slowly, pacing herself, for her suite seemed a million miles away. She reached the bottom of the steps before she dropped to her knees. She felt being lifted up before she saw them. The tall dark figure carried her inside, up to her suite and layed her down. The palace came alive. Two of her security had brought her up, they hadseen her arrival. Olivia was awakened to attend to her once they saw her condition. Charlotte was called, and Shades was trying to find Joseph.

Olivia had her undressed and covered by the time Charlotte had reached her doctor's emergency answering service. It would take awhile this time of night to contact him, but he would come as soon as possible. Clarisse had refused to be taken to the hospital straight away. She was hurting too badly to move anymore. She curled up once again, pale and sweaty.

If she had not been so ill, Charlotte would have questioned her of her whereabouts. As her personal assistant, she should have known where she was. After all, she did work with security to keep her safe. Yet her Queen had been someplace tonight, and she had not known. Sercurity had saw her leave, yet had no idea she left without saying where she was going. That was not Queen Clarisse. Her life was so detailed, so planned. And now Joseph was missing. Joseph of all people. Maybe Clarisse knew where he was.

His cell buzzed his side again. This was the fifth time in five minutes. He was sitting in the almost terminal, waiting for his flight out. He couldn't stand it anymore, he had to know who it was. He glanced at it. Shades. Shades didn't know he had left. Maybe he should answer it.

"Yeah?'

"Joe, where the hell are you? Get in here. She's hurt, doc's on his way. Marvin said somebody literally pushed her out of a car tonight out front. He had to carry her in. She's in pain, real bad, and Olivia says she's got a few bruises. Know where she's been Joe?" Shades said it all in one breath.

"I'm on my way." He had to go to her. Whatever she had chosen, it didn't matter. He loved her and she needed him.

Entering her office for her keys, Charlotte immediately saw the notes left on her always tidy desk. She saw who they were from, and decided to take a few minutes to read them. They would shed some light on her questions.

Shades stuck his head in, "I got Joe finally, he's on his way." Charlotte nodded her thanks and continued to read.

Being one of the only few allowed in while the Queen was being seen by her physician, Charlotte slipped in the doors and came to sit on the opposite side of the bed as Clarisse. Her Queen was looking a little better, her skin had gotten some color back and she was now able to sit up some. Charlotte was able to make out some brusing on her lower chest where the sheet had fell a little. It made her angry. She now knew what had been going on while she had slept soundly. She was almost afraid to ask how many more there were.

"Clarisse, you are a stubborn woman, one of the worst I have ever seen in my lifetime. You should have come to me the moment you returned to Genovia from the States." Her physician shook his head at having seen too many of these circumstances. "At least I know what's causing the pain,and can take care of that. Are you going to tell me about the bruising?"

"It's nothing."

"Nothing turned you red and purple tonight? Clarisse, I am your physician, and you are not only my patient, but the Queen of Genovia. I took an oath to take care of you to the best of my ability. I cannot do that if you won't confide in me. Clarisse, look at me. From the looks of those bruises, well, were you raped?"

It took her a minute to reply, "No. No I wasn't. I did it willingly."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Please, just drop it. It's fine."

"NO it's not fine. It's time you trusted us. Tell him what's going on Clarisse. No more secrets. Either you tell him, or I will." Joseph stood tall and his words were firm. Clarisse jumped a little at his words, but did not look at him. She couldn't face him now, not after what she had done. She merely shook her head no and slid down in her bed.

"Fine, doctor would you join Charlotte and myself in the sitting room. There's a few things you should know."

"Yes, yes just moment."

Joseph and Charlotte spent the remaining early hours of the morning filling in the royal physician of the stress Clarisse was under. They also tried to piece together what had happened at the Viscount's, thought neither of them were present and could say for sure. Dr. Jaqueas had alot to say on the matter, reminding them both that he should have been informed of health matters immediately. They ordered coffee at 6am, after Olivia checked on Clarisse to make sure she was sleeping.

"Parliament is scheduled to start at 8," Charlotte noted. "Two hours before we know if he is going to say anything."

"He will. We have two hours to come up with something as a defense. Charlotte, the numbers to the labs are in my room, in the hidden pocket of my leather jacket. Would you call and see about the results?"
"Sure. I'll get right on it."
"Dr, can you prove that Pierre and Philip were her sons, without a doubt, without any testing? If Mia is her granddaughter, then he will try and disgrace her family, hoping it will cost her the crown."

"I'll need the whole families medical files from my office...and I'll see what I can do. Joseph, they are Rupert's boys, are they not?"

"Yes, they are. If only I had something on Mabrey..." Joseph was trying to think of anything he could use against the man. He was already so angry with him, but that could wait. He was going to use his head when he got his revenge. He looked over at her bedroom doors, slightly closed, and wished he could lie beside her and hold her. He was angry, yes, and upset over this whole situation, but his love for her always softened his heart. He was going to leave because of her, but then he returned because of her. Everything he did, it was because of her.