Disclaimer: Don't own, wish we did... my how things would change!

Author's Note: MAJOR ROMANCE ALERT! You have been warned so don't complain later, only one more chapter to go after this one, YEY! Enjoy.

Mixed Signals -Part 34

by Posh and Stoneygem

Joseph lazily crossed from the French doors in the library down the stone steps and through the garden. Around him bushes bloomed with roses, every colour imaginable, all Clarisse's work he knew. The fragrance was almost overwhelming; in the sunlight the delicate flowers lifted their heads to the warmth and filled the air with a sweet headiness.

Digging his hands down into his pockets Joseph located his sunglasses and slid them on. The gazebo was in view but he couldn't yet see Clarisse, in fact as he looked around it struck him he could see nobody, no gardeners, no maids, not even the odd sighting of a security member. Shaking his head he climbed the three steps up to the gazebo and stood looking out over the grounds.

"Enjoying the view?"

He turned at the sound of Clarisse's soft voice; her footfalls were silent as she crept up the steps towards him.

"It just got better." He smiled turning to face her; she wore a pale yellow skirt and a light top. "You look very summery. The embodiment of happiness."

"Why thank you, I have tried to make an effort." She stepped towards him and lightly kissed his cheek.

"Any particular reason?"

"All will be revealed… in time." She moved around him sitting to his left. "Shall we sit for a moment?"

"Whatever you wish." He smiled, she was enjoying this little game, as he sat he noticed Maurice lazily collapse next to her feet, settling himself in the sunshine.

"Are you going to inform me what's going on this morning my dear?"

"Perhaps not just yet… oh by the way, Happy first Anniversary my love." She leant forward and kissed him fully on the mouth, leaning into him slightly, feeling the warmth of his body through his shirt.

She handed him a small red box tied together with a black ribbon.

"And the same to you." He whispered slowly opening his eyes to look at her, "you look exceptionally beautiful this morning."

She shrugged. "You were right, it's happiness." She reached forward and slid his sunglasses off. "Now, open your gift."

"Thank you." He glanced down at the box and pulled open the ribbon lifting the lid from the box, he took out the tissue paper and eyed the gold items as they glistened in the sunlight.

"Look at them." She urged.

He tipped the cufflinks into his palm and turned them over, a pair of entwined letters, C and J, he almost shed a tear over the simplicity, the small thought that meant so much to him.

"So we're always together, when you're away."

"Oh my darling, they are wonderful, thank you so much." He reached forward and hugged her, stroking her back and kissing her head. "I'm afraid my gift to you is in our suite, I didn't think we'd be doing this here… such a wonderful idea."

"I wanted…" she stumbled on her words a little, now the moment was here she felt slightly uncertain, could she really do this, could she do it well?

Would it not bring back memories of their pain last year when in this very same spot he had asked her the self same question and she had hurt him so much. An agonising feeling pierced her chest as she recalled the anguish on his face during that dance, the moment she had spurned him.

"Clarisse, darling, what's wrong?"

She felt his hand grip her wrist, his thumb gently stroking her pulse point.

"Nothing, I just, I have something to say… to ask… I'm a little nervous."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I… well, I have to just…" She rose and gingerly bent in front of him.

"Clarisse?"

"Just let me… may take me a moment to get down here."

She knelt on the tiled surface as if it were a plush carpet and placed her clasped hands in his lap.

"Joseph, I know that this may seem slightly, insane," she swallowed, "and yet I cannot prevent myself from asking, my dear Joseph… my love." She touched his cheek, held his gaze, "I do love you Joseph, more than ever, more each and every day."

"I feel the same."

"This year has brought us such uneven times, so much confusion with each other at times, yet woven into each and every moment of uncertainty is my love that has grown and strengthened for you."

"Clarisse…"

"I need to say this," she shifted a little on her knees, they were getting numb; she should have planned a shorter speech. "I never thought it was possible for it to grow, I didn't realise I could feel more and more and more…" she smiled. "What I'm trying to say is this marriage means so much to me, and I'm forever sorry that our wedding was so rushed, that your family and friends were not present, that we had no time to plan things how we wanted them to be – to celebrate our joining properly."

She took a deep breath and held his hands tightly in hers. "Joseph, will you marry me… again?"

"I erm…" He raised an eyebrow, slightly confused.

"A blessing, here, today. I know it's only been a year but somehow it felt right, this feels right, your family are here, your closest friends, my son, it is all as it should have been." She leant into him. "Will you marry me Joseph?"

Without hesitation he replied. "A thousand times over my love."

She jerked forward into his arms, his hands on her shoulders, her hands reaching to grip his upper arms.

"Clarisse, you've been planning this," he chuckled, "for how long now?"

"It seems like forever, damned dress makers and proud Chefs." She grumbled into his chest.

He laughed again and helped her to her feet as he himself stood.

"Oh, my poor knees, I shall be suffering for days."

"Oh my dear," he kissed her hands. "I shall kiss your knees well again."

"There will be time on our honeymoon."

"We have a honeymoon?"

"But of course, I wanted to do everything properly this time around."

He smiled warmly. "Clarisse, I can't believe you've done all this, I sometimes forget just how sneaky you can be."

"Sneaky?" She playfully tapped his chin.

"Yes sneaky… now tell me just what a blessing entails."

"Now we reach the stumbling block, I rather hoped, I mean, I wanted our own vows. However I have had the privilege of weeks to plan what I should say, you…"

"I have a few hours?"

"Two… if it's not long enough then there are vows in place but I'd rather hoped…"

He placed his finger against her lips. "My vows will be ready."

"Thank you." She kissed his mouth gently.

"There are no thanks needed… now do I have any other orders to follow, such as locking myself in our suite all morning."

"Oh I am sorry about that, I apologise, but I needed to hide it all from you."

"Where do we marry?"

"By the lake, in the sunshine, with those we care for as witnesses."

The sun was gentle, the afternoon pleasantly warm but not overbearing, a light breeze rustled the leaves on the willow tress that hung over the lake.

Joseph closed his eyes just for a second, breathing in the scent of summer, right now everything felt perfectly right, everything was aligned the way it should be, nature was watching him along with those he held closest in his heart.

Glancing up again he spotted the faces of his relatives, many in awe of their surroundings. His gaze settled on Louisa, she smiled at him, warm and full of joy. He dipped his head to her and smiled back, they really were so alike these days, he'd always overlooked it as a child but now it hit him every time he saw her. Those same dark brooding eyes, that appreciation of nature, the calm even temper they kept.

It seemed like he'd been standing there forever, after rushing around for the past hour in an attempt to make himself presentable and prepare his vows, now he stood in virtual silence waiting for her to arrive. It was her privilege to be late and keep him waiting.

When he finally heard the first strains from the violins his eyes darted up between the assembled guests as they stood, Mia was moving towards him, walking a little too fast, she looked nervous! He wondered how she could be nervous these days but still…

Clarisse followed behind her, alone, moving slowly, so gracefully, she seemed completely at ease, completely ready for this. She held white lilies and beautiful blue Irisesin her hands; the necklace of diamonds and aquamarine he'd given her in Vienna sparkled at her throat. And she wore white. A long free-flowing dress, no clumsy decoration, no tight bodice and full ball gown, it was simple and unstructured. She struck him as some kind of Greek goddess as she progressed down the makeshift aisle. She was quite simply breathtaking, and her smile shone with love.

When she finally stopped next to him she surprised him by leaning forward and kissing his cheek.

"Don't look so nervous." She whispered in his ear.

He took her arm and together they took the final few steps to where the Bishop stood.

Joseph stared at her for the longest time, into those eyes he knew so well yet still found so much in them, so much promise and hope. His breath seemed to catch in the back of his throat as he attempted to speak, she smiled warmly and he felt her hand clasp his a little tighter, secure and whole, together.

"Clarisse, you have been at the centre of my life for so long now… have been the root and cause of my happiness for so long I can hardly recall the day it began. I admired you so much, respected you, and from there our friendship grew and I value that above all else. The fact we have this friendship and trust, beneath it all, I trust you more than anybody I've ever met. The love that has grown between us, I never thought I could ever feel more but each day it continues to astound me, I know how incredibly lucky we are to have found each other and this…"

He shook his head, something in her eyes told him she understood and some things should be kept solely between the two of them and not aired for all to hear and see.

"My love, you are the one that I will share my life will, and I promise to do everything to make our time together the happiest…"

"Oh you already do." She whispered. "You do."

Leaning forward slightly their lips met in a quick, gentle kiss that conveyed everything for which words had not been invented yet. Clarisse felt light, giddy, almost as if she was floating.

The voice of the archbishop barely registered, as he asked her to speak her vows. All she could focus on, were Joseph's eyes, the encouragement she saw there. Just as always, he was supporting her in what she did. Clarisse's smile brightened – it was so easy.

"My love, when I thought of love in the past, it always seemed to be something that had passed me by, something I would never understand and never feel. I wasn't unhappy with this because I never knew what I missed. Love was a hazy concept for me until I connected it with a name – yours. I didn't know what love could be until I felt it with you, until you filled my days and my nights, my every dream and every fantasy. You made loving seem so easy and I fell into you and your love without wanting it to end. Every day you bathed me in your love, made me relish in the warmth, gentleness only you possess underneath that hero-image."

Joseph couldn't suppress a slight twitching of his mouth, couldn't help but notice that Clarisse did the same. Giving her hand a slight squeeze, he saw her smile brighten, becoming even more radiant. He felt almost blinded by it, and if it had not been for her hand firmly held in his, he would have thought, he might leave the ground.

"You made me come alive as a person and as a woman, showed me that I am more than just a queen. You made me laugh and you made me cry. You made me hope and you made me despair. And most of all you made me try. Our love made me try to face the problems we had, made me try to solve them. Even when I thought that there was no way out, that we couldn't succeed, our love made me go on. You made me go on. You are a hero, my love. The person I turn to and will continue to do so for the rest of my life."

The tears were threatening to fall. She didn't know how to hold them in and when she saw a single one make its way down his cheek, it was the most natural thing to raise her hand and cup his cheek. The gesture, done hundreds of times and yet so new and meaningful again, it made her heart swell. The look in his eyes, it was all she needed.

Clarisse lowered her eyes a little bashfully; a flash of how sappy this must sound running through her mind.

"If there is one thing which I have realized during the last incredible twelve months is that in the end, only one thing counts: I want be your wife. I want us to share our lives, every single bit of it. I want to travel with you and be the wife of Mr. Romerro wherever we go. I want to be there, waiting for you, listening to you, standing with you, supporting you. I want to spend my days and nights with you in every sense. And I know that we will, because our love is everything to me. You are everything to me."

There was a sob from somewhere, though Clarisse couldn't have said where from. It didn't matter though; nothing mattered, except the man before her. Her man, her husband, her love. Seeing the happiness brimming in his eyes, reaching out to her, enveloping her in a net of love and delight, Clarisse slowly leaned forward, just like she had done a year ago and lightly touched her lips to his.

Only this time, Joseph did not shy away, then an almost terrified receiver of a kiss. This time he was a demanding participant, drawing her closer, deepening the meeting of their mouths.

The summer day seemed to be almost ethereal in its perfection, Louisa thought as she let her gaze wander over the elaborate garden. The champagne in her hand was chilled and tasted incredibly well. The food she had had on her plate earlier was simply exquisite, the music unobtrusive but of highest quality and above all of this the haze of a perfect summer day – warm, sunny and a mix of yellow, green and blue – cast its glow on the party.

She had not expected it to be this lavish and yet so familiar and nice. Clarisse had outdone herself with this gift to Joseph.

Thinking of her sister-in-law, Louisa had to giggle. Yesterday evening, Clarisse had been no more than a case of nerves, mindlessly afraid that her husband might dislike his surprise.

Some self-delusion. Joseph adored the party and so did everybody else.

Since Clarisse had made her way down the aisle the couple seemed to be quite literally glued to each other, touching the entire time, kissing most of it. Anna's brother had half-jokingly asked if they didn't have a room to go to. She had barely held her own snort in.

However, now – half an hour later – Louisa doubted that either Clarisse or Joseph really cared.

"They look so happy, don't they?"

"Yes, your Majesty, they certainly do."

"Oh please, call me Mia. You are …what now? My…uhm…great-aunt?"

"Something like that, I believe." Louisa chuckled.

"I am glad that they made it this far. They love each other so much. I never believed I would ever see grandma being so happy, so …well… free. It's all because she loves Joe so much and he loves her."

"I believe you. To be honest, I had all but given up on my brother. He always went for women with class, so I often thought that the woman he was looking for didn't even exist. And then, when I realized that he had fallen in love with a queen…"

"You thought he must have lost his mind!" A male voice cut in.

"I never thought that uncle Ernesto." Both women looked scandalized at the suggestion of the old man.

Ernesto Romerro chuckled slightly under his breath at the shocked expressions of the two women. He just loved to get a rise out of such beautiful creatures – his niece and his new great grand niece, such pretty young ladies. Almost as pretty as his newly blessed niece-in-law.

Now that was a sight for his old eyes. Young Joe had really gotten himself quite a woman. Kind, charming, funny and so beautiful.

If he were a good 20 years younger and not already married to the most beautiful girl on the planet…then…then he might even give his nephew a run for his money.

Speaking of his nephew, however, "Well, I wouldn't blame you, Louisa, I certainly thought he was out of his mind to go for a queen."

"So did I, to be honest." Jorge joined in. "I mean, what do you think when your best friend admits to being in love with a real queen."

Mia chuckled at this. "I don't know, but I sure hope that the man I will – hopefully – fall in love with will have a best friend who doesn't think him off the rocker for loving me. I mean we can all see that Joe is definitely still in his right mind."

"And his mind is hopefully on dancing." A female voice with the slight undertone of nausea-chimed in. "I can't bear to think what else he has on his mind instead."

"Oh Aletia," Louisa laughed, "You sound like a child realizing that her parents are really doing IT."

"Well, lets face it: They are certainly doing IT."

The small group erupted in groans. "Your Majesty, that was one image I didn't need." Aletia whimpered.

Mia's face scrunched up embarrassedly. "It is the truth and I have the imagery."

"Now that is my boy!"

"Uncle Ernesto!"

It was Charlotte who interrupted the conversation. "Your Majesty, the dance is about to start. If you could make your toast now, because her Highness and Sir Joseph have hinted that they wish to leave early so that they will reach their destination before dark."

The queen's aide was rather confused at the exchanged looks among the group. But she became even more nonplussed, when Sir Joseph's uncle exclaimed "My boy, indeed!" and the rest of the group broke out in laughter.

"It was a beautiful ceremony, don't you think mi querido? A little too much dancing for me today though. I am exhausted."

Ernesto Romerro carefully pulled his chair closer to his wife's. "You should not exhaust yourself so much, cariño"

"It was such a lovely thing though. The ceremony and the garden here, and the food and the music…"

"And the newlyweds." Ernesto teasingly interrupted, knowing his wife's penchant to get overly emotional at weddings. Sofia had proved it earlier again, when she had used up a good number of tissues during the – admittedly beautiful – ceremony.

"They are hardly that, Ernesto." Sofia indignantly exclaimed. "This was their one year anniversary today. You saw it on television last summer, remember?"

"Yes," the man sighed, "but only now can I see them as truly joined. Dios mio, getting married without the family, in a spur of a moment. I really believed my nephew would possess more reason than that."

"The heart does things for reasons, reason cannot understand, mi amor. You of all people should know that."

"But, but…"

"But, you are actually overwhelmed that your nephew married a royal. And you feared that they deliberately did not invite us to their wedding, even though we all could see that they were not even intending to get married. And then you were afraid that this royal woman would be stuck up and cold and look down on us and that as a result your boy would do so too."

Ernesto had the decency to blush under his wife's stronger growing voice. As frail as Sofia looked, her tongue was a nasty piece of work, when she was angry. It was a lesson he had learned the hard way over the last 62 years.

"You were afraid of it. But you see, it all turned out well in the end. And what a lovely woman our Joe has married."

"Yes, she's lovely indeed."

"Yes, mi perrito, and she's married to another." Sofia's eyebrow rose knowingly.

"As everybody could see, when they were dancing earlier, aunt Sofia." Louisa couldn't keep the smile out of her voice.

"I wonder if they ever do this dance at an official ball here. I imagine that would cause quite a scandal."

"No, they dance it at balls. The Wango is an old traditional dance here in Genovia. Joe and grandma told me, when they taught me to dance." Mia said.

"Are you saying that you were actually taught to dance like that, your Majes…Mia?"

The young queen smiled. "Well not exactly like that. If Joe had danced with me like that, I would have died of embarrassment. And grandma might have scratched my eyes out for getting that close to her man."

"But they actually dance like that during royal balls?" Louisa was still incredulous.

Everybody chuckled.

"Not exactly like that, with much more distance between them, of course."

"Which is a good thing too. They would cause a riot like that. Come to think of, I'm glad we were outside, inside it would have become unbearingly hot."

"You have a dirty mouth, Louisa. And a dirty mind, too." Sofia scolded, but her eyes were dancing.

As a footman announced that a late dinner was served, Louisa muttered quietly under her breath: "I am certain, my dirty mind is nothing compared to those of my darling brother and his dear, proper wife."

And before she entered the palace on her husband's arm, she sent a silent message out. "Enjoy your honeymoon, Joseph. And enjoy your wife. You deserve it. The both of you."

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