Thank you for my reviews, they were lovely! Enjoy!
Not mine, certainly not. They belong to Meg Cabot and Disney and their associates! Oh, also. I stole a line from Julie Andrews movie "Relative Values", which I love, because it's just adorable when she says it. Doesn't belong to me, belongs to ISLE of Man Film Commission and associates. As always, for me artistic licence with age!
The week, leading up to the ball was hectic. She had, many a night spent her time signing papers, looking over election results and consulting specialists on what was the grandest ball after the annual Independence Day Ball. She had insisted, of course that he rest and so, the very few chances she had had to speak to him were rushed and usually their spectrum of conversation was entirely focused on security and such arrangements for the Ball.
She sat at her office desk, looking over her itinerary for the last few days which Charlotte had taken the initiative to draw-up. Having risen at 6am, it was now 8 and she hadn't stopped for a break since, she had and unbelievably large load of work ahead of her. Charlotte, who sat at her own desk, was writing furiously.
She startled as the phone on her desk, which hadn't stopped ringing all morning began its familiar song. She sighed and after a moment, lifted the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Hello", the voice on the other end answered. She smiled to herself.
"Good morning".
"You know", he said, "I'm very bored cooped up in my bed with only Mrs Kowt to amuse me." She laughed slightly.
"It is what is necessary".
"Your Majesty", he answered, "Allow me to join Charlotte and yourself in the office; I would like to be useful".
"Joseph!" she ordered, "The doctor insisted you rest, your side is still sore!"
"I like pain!" he offered, smiling to himself. She laughed on the other end and backed down. If she was willing to be honest with herself, who she rarely was, she wanted to see him.
"If you must, if you are so bone-idle it is hurting you more, then by all means join us". He had dropped in to the office for a while, then excused himself to go and scrutinise Shades plans for the Ball.
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By the time lunch had come around, Charlotte conveniently made her excuses. Mia had arranged to spend the day with Lilly at the theme park and therefore required adequate security protection. So she was left in her office, signing the last of her papers and waiting for her lunch to arrive. Soon it did, however it was delivered by Joseph, rather than Mrs Kowt.
"Good afternoon".
"Hmm", she smiled, looking up from behind her desk, "It is indeed a good afternoon when you bring my lunch".
"Are you hungry?" he question setting the tray of soup and sandwiches for the two of them on the table.
"I am", she answered, waving the final paper in front of her as evidence, "So far this morning I have read and signed, 107 papers, contracts and documents. This is my 108th and then, I shall join you. It is hunger inducing work".
"I have no doubt, my dear", he laughed and then sat himself down at the table, "Tea, Clarisse?"
"Please", she answered, not taking her eyes of the paper, "How are you feeling?"
"I am good", he answered, bending awkwardly as he poured the tea, and at the pain in his side, taking a sharp intake of breath.
"So I see", she answered sarcastically.
"I am, just when I move sometimes", he argued setting himself down and slouching into a comfortable position.
"I see", she smiled, standing up from the desk and making her way to the table, sat down. Suddenly, she paused as she lifted a sandwich and a look of pain came over her face. He realised exactly what it was and he was stuck to help her. However, he did not blame her.
"You know, I was driving very recklessly on the road", he said slowly, lifting his coffee to his mouth and taking his sip.
She looked up and swallowed, then took a sip of her tea.
"I made you angry".
"I was driving like a maniac, Clarisse" he answered, with finality in his words, "I crashed because of my own lack of self-control, not because you had made me angry".
She smiled sadly.
"Come on", he said consolingly, reaching across the table to take her hand, "Some time together and we get all heavy like this. You see, I blame you for nothing."
"I know", she murmured, "Sorry".
"I love you, very much my dear" he smiled, lifting her hand and kissing her, "After all these years of wanting you, I shan't leave you over something as trivial as nearly killing me".
"Joseph", she cried, half laughing, half embarrassed.
"I mean you only slapped me, told me you loved but hated me and made me crash", he teased, "Who am I to get angry at you!"
"Joseph", she whined, an annoyed smiles on her face, "Stop!"
"Ok", he laughed, "I'm merely teasing you".
"I know!" she whined again, "But how horrid you are!"
"Horrid I am, blame you, I do not", he smiled; "Now my dear we should eat, or your soup will get cold, lunch will be over and you will have to get back to organising! "
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After lunch though, the palace seemed to calm down slightly and it had begun to rain. It was summer rain, they type of rain that smelled wonderful. So she opened the French windows of her room and they sat curled up on the sofa.
Until the election results were through that evening, there was nothing much to be organised nor any details to be seen to. Everything had been organised. The catering, the flowers, the band selections, the place settings…
"We should, perhaps" he adjusted their sitting position on the couch so she leaned against him more, her head lying in his lap, his hands playing with her hair "Arrange something for your birthday, and you haven't celebrated your birthday for years".
"You remembered my birthday?" she questioned.
"Yes", he answered.
"How curiously humiliating" she said suddenly, "You know me so well and I hardly know you at all".
"Really? You shouldn't feel humiliated at that, we've just never had the time to speak, or the courage. It is my job to know everything about you".
"Why on earth not? I have known you for well over 30 years, yet I don't even know where you came from!"
"You know my birthday!" he admonished, "You see I'm here Clarisse, that's enough for me". He stroked her hair lovingly.
"We must begin now", she smiled, "Tell me about you - everything I don't know".
"I'm boring" he laughed.
"No, you are not", she smiled, "We have the entire afternoon in front of us, so tell me!"
"Tell me what you know about me first?"
"Well, you are Spanish. You were born on the 12 of June and you have seven brothers and sisters", she paused, "You know, I actually know a surprising amount about you".
He nodded his head and laughed, "And?"
"And you were in the Foreign Legion", she shivered, "Which is horrible, because you are too nice to be too violent".
"Thank you".
"And you suit black; I know you were considered a womaniser in your younger years by all the women in the palace who fawned over you"
"Yes", he smiled, "In my much younger years".
"I know you love me", she smiled.
"That's all you need to know about me", he whispered bending his head to kiss her, "I love you". She smiled against his lips. They broke the kiss and she rested her head back in his lap.
"Joseph?" she questioned.
"Do you want to make love?" He stared at her for a moment, as though he was shocked by her question.
"Well, no", he answered, "Because from such a question, I get the feeling it's certainly not what you want and I do not wish to rush you".
"Oh, no!" she protested, sitting up, "No! I will, I mean I want to - just not right away". She ran her hand down his face.
"Last time", she continued quietly, "I wanted you so badly but it was so intense, so frantic that I felt terrible after it. I had cheated on Rupert; I knew that we could go nowhere so I had used you I had promised you something I could not give you at the time. But now I can and I don't want it to feel like we have to, because we don't. I want it to be slow and real for us, not a passing moment that we might have to cling onto for the next 20 years because we can't bear to look at each other".
"Wise words", he smiled," Which I agree with entirely".
"Really?" she laughed, "You see, your reputation of a Casanova has somewhat proceeded you"
"Palace gossip, hmm?"
"Yes", she smiled, "But I refuse to believe you're such a Romeo!"
"Oh, my dear" he laughed, "You do not remember, was it not so memorable!"
"Oh, yes" she turned red and giggled slightly.
"Well then!" he kissed her forehead softly, "You must take no one else's opinion as Gospel and simply refer to your memory!"
Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Yours,
M
Xx
Please R&R!