Chapter 12.

I decided to skip some weeks again and move on towards the proposal scene. Or somewhat afterwards.

12. After the proposal

He watched the back of her head while she walked in front of him towards her next appointment. He found himself accompanying her most of the time now. Not as her bodyguard, but as a source of emotional support. He offered to do it and Clarisse accepted gratefully. They had an official story towards the staff, but they both new that it was an agreement about love and trust.

Joseph hadn't dared to address to subject of their relationship and its future since that evening before he travelled to America. Ever since he came back home the pressure on Clarisse and her duty seemed higher then ever before. At first the princess came in happily, but soon after her arrival there was the crazy viscount and his abnormal request. An arranged marriage.

It was a choice and many arranged marriages turned out to be good and happy ones. But one month was very short and the princess still very young. How many people get married aged 21 nowadays? Not so many. Clarisse tried to do as much herself as possible in order to take some burden off her granddaughter's shoulders.

Joseph on his turn supported Clarisse by listening and cuddling with her at the late evenings. Most of the time stealing some kisses. Well, stealing… It was Clarisse who started to heat things up last evening. Before she stopped them as always, keeping things proper. He felt like he was in his early twenties again, crazy in love. Thinking that this was the woman that he wanted to make his wife.

Marriage. Joseph wanted to marry Clarisse. Not today or tomorrow or not even this year. But you do not date a royal. That idea came back to him again and again. If you are serious you must take matters seriously and propose. It's either that or nothing. And if he had to pick between marriage or no official relationship at all, he would go for option one for sure.

But they had been only dating for a few weeks. He had the feeling that proposing now was a bad idea. It was too soon, and Clarisse focussed her attention on the crown these days. But he also had the feeling that not proposing also was a bad idea. Clarisse needed his support, he wanted to tell her that he was serious that she could rely on him.

In the meantime, Clarisse arrived at her office. The prime minister was waiting inside for a private audience. So, when the doors closed behind his love Joseph took a stance next to the guard that was already posted near the door. He smiled to himself.

His love. He proposed to her today. Just a mere five minutes ago. He asked her in a special way. He asked her to take their friendship out of the shadows. It was the perfect sentence to ask her with. He practiced it for weeks. It meant that he was serious about his relationship with her and at the same time he gave them room to develop their friendship further into a romantic relationship before becoming husband and wife.

He knew by her reaction that he surprised her. But by the way she kissed hem last night he knew that she loved him as much as he loved her. Clarisse was a smart woman, she would understand.

Not one second did he consider that maybe his way of thought was too difficult to grasp.

Clarisse heard the doors close behind her as she walked towards the prime minster. After receiving the kiss on her hand, she sat down and gestured the minister to do the same.

They had their weekly private audience together. Normally very interesting, but not today. While trying to listen to the conversation enough in order to nod or say "yes" or "no" at the appropriate moment, he thoughts were somewhere else.

Joseph just proposed to her? Did he? Was that actually what he asked? He did not use the words marriage, wife or whatever…but he said something about not kneeling, so yes…that must mean...

She was completely confused. Joseph supported her brilliantly the last weeks. He let her talk about her frustrations freely. He knew about her duty, told her he understood most of it. And oh god his kisses made her wish for more. She knew she had completely fallen for him.

It was not that she did not want to marry him. She did. She knew that it would be nearly impossible to date out in the open. Let alone bring Joseph to official meetings or parties. She was serious in her relationship and she knew that for Joseph it was just the same.

But why now! Why choose today or even this week for this half-hearted proposal? Why not waiting a few more weeks with this? They had been dating only for a few weeks for heaven's sake. Within three weeks Amelia would be married and crowned. For sure he had the patience for three more weeks!

And what does bring their friendship out of the shadows mean? Why was there no ring, no romantic dinner, no kisses, no declaration of love, no whatever romantic? Compared to their private evenings his proposal was very bleak and so very unlike Joseph.

She heard the prime minister cough in order to get her attention. She came up with an excuse "I'm sorry minister, I think my mind was elsewhere for a moment, please continue."

But a few seconds later she drifted off again. How to answer to this? Back at the gazebo the surprise and confusion were complete. She stumbled over her words and he told her to think about it for a while. That she would do for sure. Think about this strange proposal…

Probably if she would just leave it be until after the coronation there would be enough time to talk this trough. To ask him why, how and…. well…maybe to set a date in the future where they could get engaged maybe? She smiled to herself.

The prime minster asked her if she was all right….