Joe had finally reached an old run down dirt road "This has to be it." He muttered to him self as he made the turn and headed down the drive. Finally approaching the carefully hidden manor. He pulled to a stop and got out. Stretching he turned around a few times surveying the grounds it was well hidden from the main road by talk oaks and weeping willows… The grounds seem to have been well taken care of, but nothing compared to the palace he thought of Clarisse tutting over the gardens before him. He made his way up to the large wooden door and knocked a few times.
"Good after noon Sir how may I help you?" A tall thin man in a black suit had come to the door.
"Yes. I'm here to see Lord Nicholas"
"I'm sorry Sir but my Lord has asked that no one be permitted in."
"Well this is a serious matter. My name is Sir Joseph Romero My wife is the former Queen and I'm here on business for her."
"Oh Sir I'm so very sorry. I did not recognize you." The man had taken on a look of surprise and stepped away from the door letting Joe pass into the entry hall.
"That's quite alright. It is important that I speak to Lord Nicholas."
"Yes… Although I doubt you will get him to talk to you. He has hardly said two words to any member of the staff other than myself and even then it is still very few words. He sits in his den for most of the day. Shall I show you the way?"
"Er… Yes has he mentioned why he is upset?" Joe inquired.
"Something to the effect he has lost the only thing he will ever love. He was quite drunk he had been in the kitchen with two bottles of scotch when I finally convinced him to stop and go to bed. He rambled on about the Queen and then passed out."
"Well just as I suspected he does love her as well." Taking a deep breath. He looked to the man waiting for him to lead the way.
"I'm sorry?" the man asked a bit puzzled.
"Oh its not important to you just yet. Please show me the way?"
They headed off down the hall, and upon coming to the large wooden door they could hear someone yelling on the other side.
"No for the last time No… I will not play any more of your games Mia is Queen now and she doesn't want me… I played your game and only fell in love with her… Now she doesn't want me. Please don't call again." The clattering of the phone being placed on the receiver a bit harsher than should have been signified the end of the conversation. There was a pregnant silence and then a huff and the moaning of a chair as someone sat down in it.
Joe nodded to the butler to leave as he entered the room. Nick was sitting in the large leather chair staring out the window.
"Leave" Nick said firmly
"I'm sorry Nicholas but I can't" Joe returned softly but with power in the meaning.
Not recognizing the voice… Nicholas turned around "Oh great just someone I did not want to see."
"May I ask why?" trying to play with him, like and interrogation game of a criminal.
"No and it has nothing to do with you." He bit out harshly.
"Nicholas I need to talk to you. It's important. Mia…"
"No Joseph I can't bear to talk about her. I've hurt her and now I've lost her and my life hardly seems worth living with out her. You must know this feeling all to well. For how many years did you wait for Queen Clarisse? But you're the lucky fool who finally got what he wanted and I just screwed it up." He began to sulk into the chair.
"Nicholas" Joe sat down in the chair across from him " If you for one moment think that Mia doesn't love then you're crazy! I have seen it in her eyes since she first stepped on your foot. She loves you and now she needs you more than ever. She needs support, and someone to love her as her not the Queen. She can't marry someone she doesn't love and that's what duty will do to her if she doesn't find love. Nicholas I can't see Mia fall into unhappiness like Clarisse did for so many years. I love Mia like she is my own granddaughter and I know you two are more than perfect for each other." He sincerely hoped he was making and impact on the man sitting before him.
"Yes and she hates me. I wanted to see her so much and I knew she was getting married but that didn't stop me and because of what my uncle did she hates me now and probably thinks I'm still the one who set her up." Obviously he wasn't getting it… Joe was preparing to pull out the threats if this man didn't buck up and go after the woman he loved.
"Nicholas you knew what my title entailed as Head of Security." He looked pointedly at Nick. "Contrary to what you think I knew Mia had gone with you and I knew your Uncle had set you up." He paused to let it all sink in. "Mia knew at her wedding that it was your uncle was the one to set her up."
"What?" he sounded slightly bewildered
"Yes Mia knows the truth and she thinks it is you who doesn't love her."
"Oh what a mess this is!" he exasperated.
They sat in silence for what seemed forever, when Joe finally got up and moved to the window staring out at the grounds.
"This place is beautiful." He commented.
"It was my mothers favorite place when she was young and when she died it was left to me."
"Nick I think you should get up and take care of yourself. You need to go see Mia."
"How can I… I feel like such an…" quickly cutting him off Joe held up a hand.
"Nicholas I said get up, get yourself cleaned up we are leaving in two hours."
"Uh… Oh… alright." The younger man conceded to Joe's command, Nicholas got up and left. Once the door was shut Joe turned around and went to the phone and called the palace.
oOo
Clarisse was still soothing Mia all though the tears had long stopped. Silence had taken over the sounds of crying and it was only the occasional sniffle that broke through, until even those had stopped. Mia's looked as though she was asleep, and it wasn't until she shifted a bit and looked up at Clarisse.
"Grandma?" Mia said hoarsely from all the crying.
"What dear."
"How did you do this? I mean manage to find love and still be a Queen." She said softly.
"Mia I was void of all feeling when I was your age and very blind to the emotion of others too." Clarisse admitted remorsefully
"All I ever wanted was romance to feel loved. I see you and Joseph dancing, walking side by side, steeling kisses, sharing laughter and I all I see is happiness and love and I want that feeling again. Nicholas made me feel that way." A lone tear rolled down her flushed cheeks again.
"Like a women not a title" Clarisse responded
"Yes, I love him and I'm so hurt. I find it hard to move on to not think about him and I only feel envy and pain, when I see you and Joseph and I hate my self for feeling that way. Because I love you and Grandpa more than anything else."
Tightening her hold on her granddaughter. Clarisse spoke softly. "Mia I know you're hurt, but I also know that with time you will be able to feel like yourself again. You will find another love, I can't stand seeing you so unhappy and upset if this is too much Mia you don't have to continue."
Mia took a deep breath and looked into her grandmother's eyes, trying to find courage in them. "No I have to I would never forgive myself if I turned away from what is supposed to be done. I couldn't live with the feeling that I let you down and my father too. The people of Genovia need good rulers and most of all they need you still and I only hope that I can be like you and help them and lead them as you have. That's what my conscious tells me" she paused and pulled in a deep breath. "But my heart keeps telling me different it says pain is all I'm destined to feel."
Clarisse couldn't respond how could she Mia was right both sides she needed to find love but she also loves 'how can I push her I could I have… oh what have I done to my own granddaughter?"
There was a knock at the door and Charlotte came in.
"Um Clarisse... Joseph is on the phone he says it's urgent."
"Alright. One moment, Mia will you be alright I'll be just in the other room for a moment."
"Yes. I need to get dressed."
"No Mia just relax I'll be back."
Clarisse got up and moved into the other room and picked up the phone.
"Joseph… Oh it's horrible, Mia has become so depressed and hurt over love. Joseph I know this pain she's feeling and I can't help but think that she doesn't have to go through with this… all of this. I have pushed her too hard and demanded too much of her and not paid attention to what really needed to be taken care of. She loves Nicholas, and wait; where are you that you are calling. Oh it doesn't matter, I need you to find him I need to speak to him I need to know weather he loves her or not…" panic running through her voice Joe quickly picked up on how stressed his wife sounded.
"Clarisse… love calm down what happened? Did you and Mia have another Row?" A worry line creased his brow as he thought of the stress this whole thing was causing everyone.
"I came to talk to her and found her completely under water not breathing I pulled her out and got her breathing and She claims to just have fallen asleep and fallen under but Joseph I'm worried she really loves him and I want him to pay for hurting her so…" Joe cut her off.
"Clarisse… Clarisse listen to me get a doctor there to see her now. He loves her Clarisse; he loves her more than I though he could have and he is in the same state as she, just as depressed thinking the other doesn't love him. I think it best if he returns with me and they need to speak to each other."
"Oh Joseph you are amazing I love you. But I don't think it wise Mia see him now in her state." Clarisse couldn't get the image of Mia lying on the bathroom floor not breathing, out of her mind
"It's the only thing that will help. It's for the best dear we are leaving in about an hour or so. I'll see you at home soon love."
"Alright. But Joseph I need to speak to him before Mia does." She sounded a bit angered.
"Yes dear I'll see you at home, love you goodbye."
Clarisse hung up and picked up the phone again and got the palace operator
"Charlotte please?" waiting for a moment for them to track her down. When a soft voice came.
"Clarisse what can I do for you."
"Charlotte I need you to call the doctor. He needs to come as soon as possible."
"What… Are you okay Clarisse what's wrong?" Her assistant sounded just as worried as Joe had.
"Charlotte I'm fine I just need you to do this for me please and as soon as he arrives, have him escorted to Mia's suite please." She commanded softly.
"Yes Ma'am."
With that they hung up and Clarisse moved back into Mia's room to find her sleeping. Sitting down on the armed chair next to Mia's bed she sat there just looking into Mia's face, studying the pain and anguish that clung to her young face even in sleep. When Mia's Ladies maids came in chattering away, breaking her from the silent revelry. Clarisse shot them a stern look and put a finger to her mouth to motion the to be quiet. Then she got up and walked in to the Sitting room shutting the Bedchamber door.
"Ladies you need to learn silence when entering a room. Also send for a fresh pot of tea and have Olivia bring me a dry set of clothing please."
"Yes your Majesty. Deepest apologies for upsetting you." Brigitte responded
"Your forgiven please make haste and do not doddle in your tasks." Clarisse said softly. Watching the two maids leave the room she sat down on the settee. It had only been a few minutes when Oliva entered carrying a beige suit, for Clarisse.
"I take it they saw you first. Olivia" she smiled.
"Yes your Majesty here is your dry clothes." Handing the former Queen the clothing.
"Thank you Olivia you're excused."
After quickly changing she moved back to Mia's side. She looked so pale. They both did. Clarisse knew Mia's pain all too well, and it broke her heart too, thinking of how this was affecting Mia. It had been nearly ten minutes when Brigitte brought in the tea for Clarisse.
"Your Majesty is there anything else I can do for you?"
"No thank you, just leave and be silent about it please."
Clarisse got up and moved into the sitting room and poured herself a cup of tea and sat down on the settee. She had been sitting there for a few minutes when Charlotte came in followed by Dr. Lynn. He came running straight for her, as she stood up feebly.
"Clarisse what's wrong, I came as soon as I received the call?" He was surveying her appearance for any sign of pain or problem
"I'm fine. It is Amelia. I came in about three hours ago and found her in the bathtub completely submerged and when I pulled her out she was blue and not breathing. I turned her over and got her to cough up the water in her lungs and breathing again. But I fear she is dealing with some very serious depression right now, and I want you also to make sure that she is alright from being under the water."
The doctor looked mortified. "Under water was it a suicide?"
"I don't know she claims to have fallen asleep." She responded remorsefully. Thinking this all could have been avoided, has she just paid more attention to Mia's needs?
"Well where is she I will have a look at her now." Picking up his bag ready for a full check up emotional and physical.
"She is sleeping at the moment. But follow me." They walked into the bedroom to find Mia still sleeping. Clarisse moved to her bedside and rubbed her arm a bit.
"Mia dear… Mia I need you to wake up, I called the doctor I would like him to have a look at you."
"I'm fine honestly. There is no need for a Doctor." She blushed slightly.
"Nonsense, Amelia your grandmother has explained to me what happened. You could still have water in your lungs and if not properly checked you could develop pneumonia."
The doctor began pulling a few things out of his bag and moved to Mia's side and placed a hand on her back and the stethoscope on her chest
"Amelia please breath in deep for me."
"Please Mia be cooperative?" Clarisse gave her a reassuring smile
"Good… Another deep breathe."
"Oooh that thing is cold."
"Amelia. Your grandmother tells me you have been depressed lately? Do you care to talk about it?"
"No. You wouldn't understand."
"Amelia you nearly died. You need to explain to us if you thought that what ever is bothering you so much that you though about taking your life would solve it. You're mistaken my dear,"
"I said No. When I'm ready to talk I will and certainly not with a man!"
"Mia did he do something to you?" Clarisse asked alarmed by her last statement.
"No… Just broke my heart."
The doctor gave Clarisse a nod to move into the other room. Coming out of the bedchamber He closed the door behind them and turned to Clarisse with a very serious look.
"Clarisse she has a fever and her breathing is staggered she probably still has fluid in her lungs. The water in her lungs it should evaporate or she will end up coughing the rest of it out. If she doesn't do that with in a week and she can still feel some pain or heaviness in her chest please bring her in and we will pump it out. I want her to take these anti-depressants also a few sleep aids. She needs a lot of rest. She is obviously dealing with some serious depression Oh and she will need supervision for sometime. " he stated seriously.
"Thank you. Thank you so much I will stay with her at all times."
"May I ask as to whom was it that brought her to this state?"
"Someone she fell deeply in love with and now the two are in a mess because the truth of the matter they still love each other very much but both are too stubborn to contact the other and tell them how they feel." In that light it sounded so silly, and yet it had caused such a mess.
"OH! well take care of her, and I know you have felt the same way before too. Please don't leave her alone and try to help her. You're probably the only one to know just how she feels. Take care Clarisse."
The doctor left with a bow and Clarisse returned to Mia's side
"Mia, I need you to take these. They will help you rest and feel better." she held out two pills and a glass of water. Mia sat up and accepted the pills. She drank a little of the water and handed it back to Clarisse. Then laid back down puling up her covers.
"Please try and sleep dear, I'll be right here if you need me."