oO0Oo
Day Two: 1992; Paris, France
"We met again, madame." Joseph greeted as he bowed to the queen.
"Joseph," Queen Clarisse spoke as she looked at him with raised eyebrows, "I thought it was Vincent accompanying me today."
"Vincent wanted to make sure that the security details in the King's appointment with the President and Prime Minister are safe and friendly, so he and Greg agreed to appoint me into…. entertaining you… to this marvelous day." he said as he tailed her behind, trying to keep his eyes off to her backside.
"Oh really? How devastating." the queen said as she turned to face him, "You do realize that no one can entertain me well enough, especially to this marvelous day."
"We're in Paris, ma'am. Anything can happen here, especially today." Joseph said as he looked around, "And who said I'm doing any entertaining? The moment I took this task, I expected myself to be entertained by her majesty's sharp tongue."
"You've got a taste of it last year. Don't tell me you saw that as an entertainment?" she asked, fubling on the ruffles of her long sleeves, "Or haven't you learned your lesson yet?"
"On the contrary ma'am, I do learn a lot. One of them being her majesty having this enormously wide and never ending patience, not to mention… her wonderful way on telling a person to fuck off." Joseph smirked as the queen looked around and placed her hands on her hips.
"You are clearly deranged, mister." she whispered in a low voice, "Speaking to me as if you know me."
"You've got to admit, you enjoy these seconds as much as I do." Joseph smirked as she turned away, her hands enveloping around her as she cleared her throat and straightened her back.
"We won't be doing any more of these moments today. I'm starting to have an intense headache and I won't make it to one piece this evening if you don't stop bothering me with your unnecessary meddling."
She walked back towards her room, followed by him as the sounds of her heels and his boots echoed around the empty hall.
The consulate in France is normally lively but due to the occasion and the ball to happen in the evening, every staff member is currently located in the ballroom. Every staff except for Joseph, who's guarding the queen, Vincent, who's checking security details and Greg who's discussing security upgrades and background checks with the King.
As she held the knobs and opened the door to her suite, Joseph cleared his throat and said, "Won't her majesty want to know why I have the cufflinks she gave Mr. Davis?"
Clarisse froze on her spot as she swallowed the uncomfortable lump forming on her throat, feeling it heavy down her stomach as it dragged some strings attached to her heart. Her eyes dropped along those heavy curious thoughts and emotions, willing herself not to look so desperate for answers she tried to look for the year before.
"Call for tea and I shall enjoy whatever you may tell," she said in a calm tone that surprised both of them.
She never knew her self-control would make it this far.
"As long as it's with the subject of cufflinks and Mr. Davis." she said as she left the door opened, inviting him in.
Joseph entered and said some words to his radio about her majesty wanting her tea.
They sat opposite to each other down the couch as she crossed her legs again and stared at his cufflinks, "Now while waiting for tea, I am curious to your relation with Mr. Davis."
"Let's cut formality, your majesty. Chris would curse me from heaven, or hell, if I kept using his hated formal name." Joseph smirked, crossing his legs as well, "I was told you two were close. Very close, in fact that…. he got a piece of his catering for the crown's emotions."
"And I was told that those people who knew were nowhere near the crown, nor Genovia." Clarisse said as she stared at his eyes, "You know Christian yet I never saw your face until last year."
"I met Chris when I taught his son back then when I used to teach brats in the Military Academy." Joseph said as he stared at her as well, "His son to the woman sitting here in front of me."
"I thought he let him go," Clarisse said, her face fell at the mention of her other son as she realized how much this man knew about her and Chris.
But why would Chris tell him that? she thought as another wave of curiosity hit her.
"He did eventually, I ended up taking care of your brat." Joseph casually said, "Until he mounted to college and angered a lot of girls. He's quite attractive like his mother."
"I would never dare to call myself his mother," Clarisse said as a knock came to the door, sending their limb out of the other, sitting appropriately for their titles as the queen came back with the neutrally faced guard.
"Tea, your majesty," Olivia smiled as she entered with the tray, almost surprised to see Joseph sitting with the queen as she lowered the tray down the table between the two. Her surprise was replaced by uneasiness as she swallowed whatever bothers her spine and hairs, "The chef sent some pastries up as well, hoping you would enjoy having some, ma'am."
"I am sure I would., Olivia. Knowing Monsieur Delacour, he would send a serving enough for three people for my platter. Don't be shy to have some as well, Joseph. You are welcome to get some if you'd like, Olivia." The queen smiled as Joseph hesitated to reach out for one.
Olivia, however, shook her head, "I'm on a sugar diet, ma'am."
"Oh- well… why?" Clarisse asked, taking a sip on her tea. Her voice filled with concern, "Something we should worry about?"
"Not much ma'am, I was just trying to lessen my sugar intake." Olivia smiled and curtsied as she bid farewell and left.
Once the door closed, Clarisse crossed her legs again and took a longer sip on her tea. Joseph mirrored her seat and finished one macaron.
"That's a deceptive one," Joseph smirked, "Does Olivia know how deep her employer is?"
"Does anyone else aside from Christian and I knew that you're homosexual?" Clarisse asked.
"My dead mother did know," he answered, "She disapproved and faked a heart attack for ten years until it became real and took her away."
"Story of your life," she smirked, "You're gay, closeted until your mother died. You took care of my son and became Christians' lover."
"You're very smart, madame." Joseph smirked back, "But my mother died three months after I took care of Kurt."
Clarisse opened her mouth and closed it while slowly nodding before opening it again, "Tell me, Joseph… How's Kurt?"
"I thought you're not his mother?"
Clarisse raised her eyebrows, "I am the first door he used to enter this world and somehow that made a special connection."
"Women," Joseph scrunched, "If not very emotional, too sentimental."
"We're very far away from the conversation we should be ha-"
"Don't look."
"What?"
"Don't move." Joseph whispered as he looked at her cheeks then to her eyes, and said everything in one breath, "I saw a sniper. I'll wipe something off your cheek, try to shoot him and you'll duck."
"Wait-"
Before Clarisse could speak, Joseph motioned his hand to his cheek. She hesitantly mirrored his movements as he lunged forward to do their plan.
Clarisse's eyes widened when a glass shattered as Joseph quickly took his gun and shot from the empty frame. Collapsing on the sofa as the queen collapsed, her hands around her ears.
The doors flew wide and everything suddenly went black.
"Is the King still inside?" Vincent asked as he rushed outside the door of the meeting room where Bary, the King's secretary, stood.
"He's to be out in twenty minutes." Bary said.
"There's no twenty minutes. He needs to be out now." The head of security said as he whispered something to the secretary's ear.
Bary's eyes widened as he took his phone and dialed some numbers, "How's her majesty?"
"She's fine. More details in the car, His majesty needs to know-"
Before Vincent could finish, the doors flew wide and the Prime Minister and President of France came out in good spirits with the King.
"We are very glad we got into agreement, your highness." Mrs. Cresson spoke as she shook hands with the king.
"We're looking forward to seeing Her Majesty this evening for the Valentine's ball." President Mitterrand smiled.
King Rupert shook the president's hand and nodded as he saw Vincent make a certain hand signal he never saw for a long time.
After facing one photographer, the head of security took the king and whispered something to his ears.
"There's an attempt assassination to the queen, sir."
A/N: HENLOOOO! Idk if this is making any sense but in case ur wondering, yes! Joseph's gay and yes! This is still CJ, we just need a lil' bit more plot development. I hope you enjoy and please r&r! Thank you for those who appreciate and yah! :'))