Chapter 14

Rupert looked up from the file before him. Seeing Clarisse and Joseph enter together, he took off his glasses and leaned back into his leather chair.

"Why is it that I do not like the look on your faces?" Rupert made the move to speak first as the two sat across from him. "Leave us please, and make sure there are no interruptions," he spoke directly to the two aides he had called upon earlier.

Waiting for the two to leave, Clarisse took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. The worst was over, she tried telling herself, nothing else bad can happen. She looked to Joseph, who sat beside her almost as nervous as she was.

Rupert looked to Joseph first, not speaking, but somehow relating to him that he knew he had finally told her.

"Yes, I told her," Joseph answered quickly and to the point. Rupert nodded.

"I had you pegged as one who would, Joseph. I must admit, you had me worried, it took you long enough." Rupert was honest with the man before him. "What I mean is that you are a strong man, Joseph. If anyone were to want my wife, I would want him to be like you." He glanced over at his wife and Queen, seeing the quite shocked expression on her face. "Clarisse, you almost want to make me laugh. I had to ask him to do that...I had to see at what length his love for you runs. Can you understand that?"

"Rupert...What difference does it make to you? I mean why do you care? I don't understand." Clarisse was left rather dumbstruck, fiddling with her own fingers as she awaited his answer.

"I think Joseph here does..," Rupert motioned to the quiet man in black. "I know I can be an ass, Clarisse. Hell, I am one most of the time. I think my father instilled that in me from the time I was born. I am, however, for the most part, still my own man. I love you Clarisse, not like Joseph here, but nevertheless, I do. I can't let just anyone have you Clarisse. It would kill me to see you act the way I do. I've known Joseph here for a rather long time, and I am certain he will take care of you. I just needed to know if he really loved you." Rupert hung his head, almost as if he had shamed himself.

Clarisse stood, walking to the picture window, unsure as to how to respond to Rupert's unsuspected speech. Never had she realized how much her husband did care for her. Was it true? He seemed to be very level-headed at the moment. His intentions seemed to be good. He was handling this very decent. She turned to him, walked over and let her arms slip around him.

When she finally let Rupert go, she placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Clarisse nodded to him, adding softly, "You meant that, didn't you?"

"Yes, my dear Clarisse, I did." Rupert kissed her again, on her other cheek. "Now, if you and Joseph still wish to continue your relationship, we need to talk about it. I know it's not going to be a popular subject between us, but we need to establish some kind of ...well, some kind of way for the two of you to be together, in secrecy." Rupert let out a loud sigh, realizing it may be harder than he had first suspected.

"Your Majesty.." Joseph started, but was cut off by Rupert.

"Rupert, Joseph, Rupert. If you're going to be intimate with Clarisse, the least you can do is call me Rupert. When we are like this anyway...and to make this whole deal work, it looks like we will be quite often." Joseph nodded, quite taken aback himself by the sudden transformation of his King's personality.

"Very well, Rupert. I know the security in the palace as good as anyone. If anyone can get around it, it would be me."

"Right you are. Joseph, why don't you take the rest of the day and figure out just how to do that. In the meantime I have a little something of my own to look into..." he trailed off.

0o0o0o0o

An hour later Clarisse found herself alone, sipping tea in one of the many studies that could be found throughout the palace. This one she liked, more so than the others. It had a woman's touch, and surely Rupert's mother had it decorated to her liking. She had known the previous Queen since she had been just a small girl. Smiling to herself, thinking of all the times they had kept each other company; they had shared the delights of afternoon teas on more than one occasion. Even before she was promised to Rupert, Clarisse had found herself giving the Queen an afternoon laugh. It was a time they both very much looked forward to, a time they could enjoy themselves, a light-hearted time.

Things changed when she became the future princess. Clarisse felt the weight of it now, even more so. It had been a time when her days were planned for her, right down to her evening bath. Tea with the Queen had become a ritual by then, but it was no longer a time for laughter. The betrothal had turned Clarisse from a young light-hearted girl to a serious, proper, heavy-hearted young woman in a matter of days. Clarisse still loved her Queen. It was just she that had been made different, and neither one of them could enjoy their time together anymore. It had become a time of learning for her, just as her schooling had been, maybe even more so.

In thinking of the former Queen, Clarisse's mind ran through the events of the past six months. They had been a time of heavy burden on her also; a time of change that would effect her whole world. As she sipped the warm liquid, she realized it may pan out for the better now. Rupert's words had been rather hard to believe earlier, yet now as she sat, it all fell into place. Rupert had spoke the truth to her. She had known that all along. It was her own guilty conscience that had made her question it.

Clarisse suddenly realized that Rupert had always been honest with her. He never faltered in telling her of anything, whether it be something he knew she wouldn't like or not. He had trusted her to understand. He depended on their friendship, as much as he depended on her as his Queen. It had never even occurred to Clarisse to just tell Rupert she was in love with Joseph. She had tried to hide it, tried to cover up for herself. If Rupert had gotten angry, well he had reason to. She could have come out and told him...but she did not.

Snow; she giggled to herself, picturing Rupert watching at the sidelines. She understood now why he had to do it. It even became clear to her that maybe even he enjoyed the view of her with Joseph. Maybe one day she might even ask...No, she needed to be honest with him. She would ask, that and so many more questions she had wanted to know and then she would tell him her secrets, all of them, what few there was left. She didn't have to loose a friend over this. She didn't want to.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

The small four-wheel drive vehicle sped along the dirt path, barely able to spare the two passengers from overgrown tree limbs and vines. The path had not been used as a main thoroughfare by no means. Joseph sat behind the wheel, although the passenger was doing the driving for the most part.

"Joseph, watch that tree!" Rupert yelled, getting smacked on his shoulder once more as the limb bounced off the front roll-over bar and landed on him.

"I'm sorry, we could get out and walk..."
"No, no, no...it's too far."

"Just where are we going?" Joseph was intrigued now, speeding down an ancient horse-and-buggy road. He knew it ended several miles down, to where the cliff dropped off once again to the sea. He could think of no reason to go down here, other than for security reasons. He knew no cameras were posted there, but that the cliff was viewed from below.

"Just up ahead, you'll see," Rupert smiled to himself. He hadn't had such a good idea in years. It made him proud to know he still could. Hell, if the thought had ever occurred to him before, he would have used it himself. It was right to give it to her, to his best friend. It would make her happy. She had not been really happy in such a long time. She deserved it.

0o0o0o0o0o

She had done it. She had made herself sick of tea. Clarisse remembered the former Queen having the same problem. They had both loved it, and would drink it to no end...until it made it them sick. She sat her empty cup down, chiding herself for drinking two pots by herself at once. Now it would be days before she could bring herself to pick up another cup. The last time she had done this, it was two weeks before she could think of tea without making herself sick.

Clarisse found herself making her way to her suite, eager to lie down a few moments. It was a slow day at the palace, and Rupert had taken care of much of the work earlier, so nothing prohibited her from relaxing for awhile. She made her intentions known to the few maids she passed, hoping they would pass the word to not interrupt her.

Passing the doors to Rupert's suite, Clarisse wondered where he and Joseph had ran off to. If not for their earlier conversation, she would have asked the guards. It was most certain to her that they had not gone far, especially since they remained silent to her. Reaching her doors, watching them open before her, she wondered if it would not have been easier to just have one of them to worry about. She chuckled to herself, holding her stomach which disagreed with the movements.

She snuggled under a blanket, finding herself warm and cosy. Joseph came to mind, filling her senses with security. The worrisome in her heart had disappeared, along with the ice cold walls that had loomed in the palace for months. She had not felt so content, really content in such a long time. Her breathing slowed as her eyes closed, leaving her nothing to do but sleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Stepping out of the vehicle, King Rupert nodded his head, holding up his arms as he looked to Joseph.

"Well, what do you think?"

"Ahh, the old servants quarters?" Joseph wasn't sure what Rupert was thinking, but he was praying to the God above that he wasn't suppose to move into that old building.

Joseph had forgotten about the old building that still stood in the woods only meters from the cliff. It had seen better days, and even in those days it wasn't much. It had housed maybe 30 or so of the servants who chose to live on the palace grounds, although living in town may have been closer to the palace itself. The wood was worn, stained white from the sun and sea salt. The roof needed replacing, the windows were tinted white as well. Several of the main porch beams had rotted in two, falling to the ground, leaving the overhang of the roof indeed hanging. The stone chimney seemed strong, still standing straight and towering above the V-line of the roof. A smaller one was covered in vine, obviously coming from what use to be the kitchen area. It was humble, but definitely not too small. It was rather large, and somehow looked more like a barn than a home.

The boards squeaked as Rupert stepped on them, banging his foot to see if it would fall through.

"It's still holding up pretty well," Rupert stated looking to Joseph. "Joseph, don't you have any imagination...I would think that for someone who had Clarisse out in the snow...you could picture the possibilities," Rupert let out a hardy laugh. "Let me show you the inside." Rupert motioned to him.

"It needs a lot of work, I'll give it that," Joseph sighed.

"Yes, but think of it...it's on palace grounds, but out of the way. It's private, so very private, and you can add to that in ways I cannot think of...It's hidden...No one knows it's here, except you and I and Della and Franklin."

"Della and Franklin?" Joseph asked, knowing the two older servants who had worked for Rupert's parents.

"Yes...they grew up in this very place. It looked better then, with folks living in it. They can help with the remodelling and upkeep. You may even want someone to stay out here permanently, help I mean. That's up to you and Clarisse. It does need lots of work, but look Joseph...look at that view, the staircase, the details on that rail was handmade. If I'm not mistaken, there's a room with four windows upstairs that overlooks the cliff. Magnificent."

Joseph looked around, finding Rupert to be correct about it all. It did need work, and lots of it. Clarisse would be worth it, however. She would love it.

"It does need allot of work. It probably would be best to have someone live here permanently. I could make security work around it. It's on the palace grounds, but not close to the palace. It's private...Hmmm." Joseph sighed.

"Clarisse will love it." Rupert nodded to him.

"Yes, she would."

"She deserves to be happy, Joseph. Her life hasn't been easy. Despite what you may think about me sometimes, I do care for her, very much so. I want her happy." Rupert walked over to a window, clouded with dust and cobwebs, straining to see the view.

"Yes, well that's something we have in common." Joseph traced his finger down a crevice on the mantle of the main fireplace. "I want to do most of it myself," he announced.

"Yourself? Joseph this is major renovation..."Rupert started.

"Yes, but I need to give something to her..."Joseph replied. Rupert nodded his head, knowing he was doing the right thing for them.

"Very well. Anything you want or need...bill the palace, after all it is for Clarisse. Lord that woman costs money," Rupert let out a hardy laugh, Joseph soon joining him.

"I'd like for this to be kept quiet, for now. I'd like to surprise her."

"It'll take months Joseph...are you sure?"
"Yes. In the meantime, we'll just have to keep things under wraps."
"Use my door...the adjoining door to Clarisse's suite, until you finish here. No one will suspect anything. When I'm entertaining...I simply shut my bedroom door. You won't be bothering me." Rupert announced, knowing it had crossed Joseph's mind already.

Joseph thought for a moment. The door was on the opposite end of Rupert's suite, on the wall next to the balcony. He would just peek in before entering, to make sure Rupert didn't use any other place besides his bed. He nodded to Rupert, motioning for them to leave, after all they would be missed.

Settling back into the driver's seat, Joseph looked at the building one last time. The more he looked, the more the wooden structure had possibilities.

"Clarisse will love it, Joseph," Rupert assured him. "And don't worry about the boys, they never come out this way. They came here once, and decided it was boring. Besides, they are growing up, at school most of the time, or travelling themselves someplace now."

"Oh, to that there is no doubt. I was just thinking, it will take a lot of work. It's not the work that bothers me, it's the time."

"I see." Rupert thought for a minute. "I can help when you're on duty, give you an assignment of some sort, and you can spend the time out here. If you do want to house servants out here permanently, then I can order you to be the overseer of the job, but that is up to you. Or we could always say that I wanted it redone for myself. However Clarisse would hear of that. Now, Clarisse is a different story. Getting something by her is a real job. I will help you all I can; all I can say is 'good luck' when it comes to her."

Joseph shifted the all-terrain vehicle in gear and turned it around, heading back out on the narrow winding path through the woods. The weight of the job ahead was heavy, but he found it to be exciting. If he could concentrate on her face, on that beautiful angelic face looking upon his finished work, then maybe it would go by faster. He knew it would cause him to work quicker. Right now he longed to touch her, knowing she was alone back at the palace. Taking a deep breath at the thought of her, his foot became heavy on the pedal as his arm shifted into high gear. Yes, he wanted her now.

Rupert watched the expressions change on Joseph's face. He could almost tell what he was thinking, and as the little vehicle sped up, he was sure Joseph was anxious to return to Clarisse. True, he wasn't angry at them, but he was envious. Envious at their relationship. He had all the women he could dream of, and yet not one of them suited him. They changed in his life like the staffing at the palace, maybe even more so. He wondered if he'd ever find one that would make him act like Joseph did when it came to Clarisse.