A.N. – I'd like to say a special thank you to all of the people who reviewed my last chapter. All your reviews were very touching and it was really lovely of you to say the things you did. You have no idea how much it meant to me. So thanks.

Chapter 14 – A Night of Torture, A Lifetime of Suffering

Charlotte would never remember how she had made it back to her room, or when exactly she had begun sobbing uncontrollably. Nor when the comforting arms had wrapped her into a loving embrace.

All she would remember was the love that this woman was showing her and feeding into her broken soul after so many years of absence. The comfort she felt that night was nothing like she had ever experienced in her life before.

Perhaps this woman could be forgiven.

Charlotte felt warm. She was enveloped in a sense of comfort and safety but most importantly, love.

She refused to open her eyes as she woke up from her peaceful slumber, even though the sun was streaming onto her face. She really needed to get back into the habit of closing her curtains when she retires for the night.

She felt a wriggle beside her and nearly jumped.

'Someone is on my bed!' she thought to herself before the events of the night before came flooding back.

Opening her eyes slowly, she looked timidly at the person beside her.

Clarisse was fast asleep. Charlotte couldn't believe that her Queen had come in here last night just to comfort her. But then again, she remembered her revelations that Clarisse is really her mother and, after all, that's what mother's do; comfort you when you're upset.

Charlotte now comfortably watched Clarisse as she slept as it gave her time to think over the past few days and what they meant.

Charlotte thought she had been abandoned in the hospital as an unwanted child, but as Clarisse had revealed, the situation really was entirely different.

Charlotte looked at the woman before her.

She had been through so much in her life. She had been raped without anyone realising, given birth to a secret child, lost her sister when she needed her most, and then, most recently, lost her youngest son and husband.

This woman had been through so much, most of which the country didn't even know about, but yet managed to be the tower of strength for so many people. How she did it Charlotte would never know.

How could she not forgive this woman? It wasn't even her fault. She had done what she thought was best for her child at the time and best for her family, which, inevitably, came back to the best thing for the country.

Charlotte had to forgive this woman or it would cause them both so much more grief.

Besides, had living with her adopted parents been so bad? Definitely not! They had treated her as any other mother would treat their own child. She had the best parents in the world in her opinion, and she had Clarisse to thank for it.

If Clarisse had kept her as a baby, then she would be living in the palace. She could even be under the title of Princess. That is something that Charlotte didn't even want.

So was it so hard to forgive this woman of a past that couldn't be shaped any better way? Oh no, she would forgive her birth mother, and she would be there for her if ever Clarisse needed her.

Clarisse was obviously becoming aware that she was being watched as she stirred in her sleep, a sigh escaping her lips. The arms that were drawn around Charlotte slowly slipped from around her as Clarisse's hands stretched up to Clarisse's face to cover her awakening eyes.

As Clarisse's eyes opened, Charlotte watched silently. Her Queen's eyes searched the room, getting their bearings before landing upon Charlotte herself.

She blinked several times before smiling lovingly.

Standing up from the bed, Clarisse smoothed out her slightly creased clothing and ran her fingers through her hair.

"How are you feeling this morning, Charlotte?" Clarisse asked her quietly.

"Much better" Charlotte managed.

Charlotte sat on the side of the bed, her back to Clarisse. She couldn't seem to face her yet, not even say the things she needed to say to show her newly revealed mother that she forgave her.

Clarisse made that even more difficult as she came around the side of the bed and sat down beside her. She placed her hand on the back of Charlotte's head, pulling her into a warm embrace. Charlotte felt the tears begin to fall as Clarisse kissed the top of her head.

Charlotte let the tears fall as she wrapped her arms around her mother.

"I'm sorry" Charlotte whispered, her heart saying so much more but her mind only managing so much.

"No Charlotte, it is I who should be apologising. I could have handled this situation entirely different so you didn't have to find out the way you did" Clarisse said quietly, holding Charlotte tightly and rocking her back and forth slightly.

Charlotte immediately knew that Clarisse was once again blaming the entire ordeal upon herself. Charlotte couldn't let that happen as it wasn't Clarisse's fault at all.

"No! It is my fault that this has spiralled into the misery that it has because I refused to listen to you from the start. I reacted extremely inappropriately and hurt you more than anyone could. For that I am truly sorry" Charlotte said, pulling back slightly.

Looking into Clarisse's face, Charlotte saw a sad smile as tears also trickled down the elder woman's face.

"I'm sorry for everything I said and I forgive you for any wrong you believe you have caused me" Charlotte said, smiling.

Clarisse pulled Charlotte into another tight embrace as she kissed her atop her head, her answer for all of what Charlotte had said and more.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Joseph stood leaning forwards against the banister of the balcony. He had been watching Charlotte and Clarisse interacting in the gazebo in the gardens below him.

His heart was swelling with love for the two of them as they talked cheerfully and laughed together. They truly had sorted out any misgivings between them and had accepted the other into their life. They had spent the last couple of days just 'catching up' with what the other had done in their life. Pierre had also spent many hours with the two women as he also came to accept the new addition to the family. He and Charlotte had got along right from the start so there was no problems there.

The past couple of weeks had managed to stay a secret, as the press hadn't said a word hinting that they knew something immense had occurred. The secret had been kept safe.

Joseph smiled as he pushed away from the banister. He would join the two in the gazebo for some afternoon tea.

Joseph's smile grew as he reflected on how much the relationship between himself and Clarisse had grown, and how she had gone to him with her sorrows instead of drawing into herself.

They truly had something magnificent.

As Joseph walked off, the palace carried on with their daily routines, fully unaware that anything significant had occurred in the past couple of weeks. Only a select few knew and that was all that mattered.

The loving family in this beautiful Genovian palace could only grow in their love for each other, taking the country forward with them.

A night of torture may have first appeared to cause a lifetime of suffering, but it in fact had brought about a love so strong and forgiving, that even the people themselves were yet to realise it.

But they would, in time.

The End

A.N. – Well for now it is. I am going home today and will be on holiday for about 2 months so I won't have the chance to write any more until the end of January. Thank you to all reviewers and readers, all your comments meant the world to me. I'm just sorry I don't have time to thank you all individually. But I have in my heart!

When I have the chance, I will extend on this idea. So keep an eye out for any more of my work!

Thank you again, Annette-Rose.

Adios!