Special thanks again to RevSue, Prettycrazy, NikNik4 and mainer2121 for your encouragement for me to keep telling the story. Please note this chapter contains adult situations. I know the rating says M but just wanted to give you fair warning as well. Hope you enjoy it and I look forward to your feedback!
Chapter 3
The rest of the day had gone by rather quickly. The reception after the wedding continued as planned – there were just two different guests of honor. Joseph and Clarisse had been perfect hosts and other than the first customary dance they had shared together, they really had been unable to spend any quality time together since they had exchanged their vows. Finally, the festivities had ended and the palace grew quiet again.
He took her hand and quietly they walked to her suite. He dismissed the guard outside of her doors and they stood there for a moment – unsure of how she wanted to proceed.
She turned to him and smiled, "I guess we should talk, hmm?"
A mischievous grin crossed his face as he leaned closer into her personal space, whispering into her ear, "Well, talking wasn't really what I had in mind, but if you'd like to talk, I'm certain I can accommodate that."
A pleasant shiver ran down her spine as his breath grazed across her ear and neck and for a moment she had forgotten what she wanted to talk about. She turned to try to look at him and found that her lips were directly opposite his. Years of waiting and wanting were pent upside of her as she closed the distance between their mouths. At first the kiss was tentative as each was exploring and learning the other. She felt her lips instinctively softening and Joseph deepening the kiss – all coherent thought was lost at that point as her arms found his neck and their bodies molded together. When he broke the kiss, they were both breathless. He leaned in to whisper to her again, "I'm going to go to my room to get a few things and then perhaps we can 'talk' inside your suite? Even though I dismissed the guard for a bit, he will be back and I don't think he should be witness to any further conversation between us out here in the hall, wouldn't you agree?"
She could sense his smile as he spoke the words to her and couldn't believe she had just been so totally lost in the moment that she had been practically making out in the hallway outside her suite. A blush crept up her already flushed face as she replied, "I think that's a wonderful suggestion – I'll meet you inside in a bit."
With a smile and a kiss on the cheek, Joseph promised to return as quickly as possible.
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She stepped inside her suite and leaned back against the doors trying to catch her breath. All of her uncharacteristic impulsiveness of the day had just caught up with her. It had seemed like, no it definitely was, the right thing to do by asking Joseph to marry her. This is what she – they – had wanted for years and finally the timing had been perfect – thanks to Mia and her quick thinking. As her thoughts started to drift to Mia and what a great Queen she was going to make, Clarisse caught herself and pulled her mind back to present moment. In only a few minutes, Joseph would arrive and she had no idea how the remainder of the evening was going to proceed. Shaking her head somewhat she said out loud to no one in particular, "This is why I shouldn't be impulsive – I definitely didn't have time to think through this part of my evening…."
She walked into her dressing room – certain of one thing, she needed to change before Joseph got back. Although she realized she had no idea what to change into. The nightgown she had been required to wear on the nights Rupert was going to visit had long since been discarded as they held less than pleasant memories for her.
As she opened her closet, she noticed hanging in the front were some beautiful new night gowns. She was certain Charlotte must have arranged for this and smiled as she touched the silky fabric of the material. Her heart smiled when she thought of the woman and then saddened when she thought about recent events...but, once again, she pulled herself from her thoughts – this was no time and there was no place for unpleasant thoughts tonight. She had Charlotte's devotion and Joseph's love and that was all that mattered at this moment.
She carefully selected a dusty rose colored satin gown that dipped embarrassingly low in both the front and back. The lace covered most of the swell of her breasts, although covered would be an overstatement she thought as she looked at herself in the full length mirror. The spaghetti straps led down to the lace which met in a "V" shape about an inch or so below where her breasts rounded and then continued down a few more inches to where the satin joined and covered the rest of her – well at least to her mid thigh. She ran her hands over the gown to smooth everything into place and felt and saw a flush creep up her entire body. It has been such a long time and she had never felt like this before. The butterflies in her stomach were different now than they were on the nights she knew Rupert was coming. Whereas the Queen façade would always take over to help her get through the time with Rupert, she knew there was no place for the Queen in her bed tonight. Only Clarisse and Joseph were to share tonight and shaking her head she realized Clarisse the woman had no idea what she was doing.
Out of habit from years ago, she went to lie down in the bed and wait for him, just as she had done for Rupert when he was coming.
Back in time:
She lay down in the bed smoothing the short white teddy that he insisted upon around her now prone form. She didn't want to do this – it had been a long time since she had "wanted" to do this… but he had decided that he wanted another heir…just in case, he had said. "In case what?" she had demanded. She didn't like the thought of him suggesting that something could happen to her son, Pierre who was now two years old, that could either making him unable or unwilling to take the crown when the time was right. She also didn't like the thought of having to perform her "duty" on a regular basis until she conceived again. It wasn't that he was unkind to her when they were making love – it's just that they weren't making love. They were somewhat fond of each other but who had ever heard of "making fondness"? It just didn't work. She had tried to be affectionate towards him but there was never any tingle inside of her when they touched. Their kisses were always very chaste and although he had always been a gentle lover, she just hadn't felt anything that would allow her to want or desire to join with him – thus it had become another duty that she had to perform. But tonight was different – she was in no mood for duty or service of any kind. She wasn't sure if it was because she was angry with him from his earlier statements or if it was because of the deepening friendship between her and her bodyguard, Joseph.
Ahh…Joseph, they had shared so much over the past couple of years. The birth of Pierre had actually brought them closer than she ever thought possible. The way he had been so strong during those long, long hours of labor and they way she noticed him looking at her in awe and wonder and maybe even some jealousy the first time she offered her breast to Pierre to nurse. She had chuckled slightly as she had noticed the red creeping up his face as he couldn't tear his eyes away from the feeding infant or her partially exposed breast and then how he had excused himself somewhat hastily. Since that time he had always been by her side – protecting the Queen and being Clarisse's friend. Each time he had touched her – even though it was mostly in the line of duty, she had felt those small tingles – the ones she had never felt before. And now as she laid waiting for Rupert, she wasn't sure she could convince the Queen in her to do her "duty" tonight.
She heard the doorway of the secret passageway open up and saw Rupert emerge. Rather than laying there and waiting for him to join her, as was their custom, she sat up and turned toward him.
"I don't want to do this, Rupert. Not tonight – not anymore. My duty has been done. Please – no more." She couldn't believe she had just said those words – she knew he would be angry and braced herself for the barrage to come.
His jaw tightened noticeably but he kept his calm. "Lay down, Clarisse. We are going to do this and you are going to comply – willingly."
Her temper flared now, "Like hell I will!" She started to get up, but he was next to her in a moment and had grabbed her wrists and pushed her back down into the bed. His body now covered hers but he was not moving – simply waiting for her struggles to cease. When she finally realized that her struggling was getting her nowhere, she looked up at him and with anger in her eyes, "You may take me, your majesty, but it will not be willingly."
He released her arms and his hold over her and leaned closer so he could whisper in her ear. As she listened to what he had to say – no threaten was more accurate, tears welled up in her eyes and a look of resignation crossed her face. She swallowed hard and looked in his eyes – seeing there the resolve to do exactly what he had just threatened; and, since she could not bear the thought of that happening, she pulled the nightgown over her head and lay back down.
Rupert smiled realizing he knew he had her. "Clarisse, my dear, I said willingly. Show me you're willing."
The tears had flowed freely now as she opened her legs and pulled him to her.
As he began to touch her – only one thought kept running through her head…"Joseph, forgive me."
