Later that evening, Joseph found Clarisse walking among her rose gardens. "I thought I just might find you here." He said as he approached her.
"No one else is out here?" She asked and he shook his head. "Then now might be a good time to talk." He followed her over to the nearest bench and sat beside her. "I can't hide what I feel from you anymore. I've never been able to be so open and so free with someone. When I first found out that I was to marry Rupert, I'd always hoped that I would eventually fall in love with him, and then I met you and everything changed."
"From the first second I saw you, I couldn't keep my eyes off you." He began. "But I knew that what I felt was wrong, that I shouldn't feel this way, but I do. If it were found out, how I feel about you, I probably wouldn't see tomorrow."
"I promise you Joseph, no one but us will know." She gave him a reassuring smile.
"Are you prepared for tomorrow?" He asked after a few moments of silence.
"Why? What is happening tomorrow?"
"Press have been outside the palace gates all day, I've done what I could to get rid of them, but you have a meeting with parliament tomorrow. The press is going to try and ask you questions about His Highness."
"What Rupert does is his decision. I'm just going to leave it at that, and if the press tries to ask, it's not my place to answer."
"With all due respect, they will expect a comment or two from you, not as the queen, but as his wife." The look in her eyes was enough to say her respond, Joseph knew what she was going to say before the words passed her lips.
"I know they will, but I really don't have anything to say about the matter. They will expect me to be upset, but I'm not." She slipped her hand into his. "I don't want to pretend that I am. I don't want any questions about it, I just want to be left out of it."
"I know Clarisse. I'll do my best to help you through it." He brought her hand that he held up to his lips and kissed it as he kept his eyes locked with hers. "I will arrange for extra security to be there." He stood up and loosened his hold on her hand. As he turned and was about to release her hand, he felt her squeeze his hand, so he turned back to her.
"Joseph. Don't go." Her eyes were like a knife to his heart, one look into them and he would do anything she asked, he was fairly sure she knew that by now.
He sat back down beside her. "I'm here." He whispered.
She rested her head against his shoulder. "I just want this to be over." She sighed.
"With the press, you mean?"
"No. Well, yes. But also everything that's keeping us apart." She felt him take in a sharp breath. "I hate being so close, but yet so far."
"Things must be as they are right now. Maybe one day that will change, but until then…" He trailed off, he didn't need to finish his statement, she knew what he was saying.
"Just don't ask to be reassigned."
He turned his head to look down at her. "Where did you hear that?"
"I overheard the maids. Are you being reassigned?" Her sad eyes pierced through him.
"I don't know, this is the first I've heard if it."
"I'll talk to Rupert then. I don't want to have to allude more of the security team." She gave him a wicked smile.
"Oh, I'm well aware of how many times you've snuck away from the security team. I was watching every time you snuck out on them and found yourself here in the gardens."
"I can't sneak out on you, can I?" She teased.
"I'll always find you."
"I believe you would. Truth be told, you're the one person I don't want to run from." She looked into his eyes and reached her free hand up to cup his cheek before pulling him into a quick but sweet kiss.
"Joseph?" His name sounded in his ear piece.
He pressed the button on his microphone. "Here." Then he released the button.
"The king is asking for you. Also, who is with the queen?"
He pressed the button again as Clarisse looked at him but remained silent. "I'm with the queen. Where and when does he want me?"
"He wants you now, in his office. Where are you? I will come to watch the queen."
"I'll walk her back to her suite, then I will be there." He let go of the button again.
"What is it?" Clarisse asked.
"His Highness wants me. Might I escort you back to your suite first?" With a small smile, she stood to her feet and walked with Joseph back to her suite. Joseph waited until she closed her door, then set off to the king's office. He knocked once, then entered. "Your Highness." Joseph bowed as he stepped in, closing the door after himself.
Rupert gestured to the sofa and waited for Joseph to take a seat. "I'm sure you know by now…"
"I do. The press have been at the palace gates all day trying to get more information." Joseph confirmed.
"I know this is a weird request, but will you protect her and the baby?" Joseph was stunned. His job was to protect the royal family, though technically the baby would be in the royal bloodline, the baby, and the child's mother we not part of Joseph's job. Frankly, Joseph would much rather prefer watching over Clarisse.
"Sire, perhaps my second in command would be much more suited." He paused only to see Rupert shake his head, then he continued. "Besides, who should then look after Her Majesty? We've tried everyone else of the security team already Sire."
Rupert sighed. "I suppose that's true. Give me the night to think it over." Joseph nodded, bowed, then left only to find Clarisse pacing in the hall.
"Joseph?"
"You should talk to him." Was all Joseph said, then he disappeared down the hallway.
Clarisse swallowed hard then walked into the room. "Darling." Rupert said with a sad smile.
"Earlier today I heard the maids mention that Joseph was to be reassigned. Is it true?" She came and sat on the sofa across from him.
"I know you're mad at me about my affairs, but she and the baby need protection too. And Joseph is perfect to…"
She cut him off. "To stay right here. I need Joseph here. Send someone else. You had asked me to trust Joseph completely and now you want to take that away? You were the one who pushed having someone on the security team to watch over me basically all day, and now that I've finally allowed that and have come to terms with it, you're going to take that away? She might be carrying your baby Rupert, but I'm you're wife and I've given you two sons. Joseph needs to stay here." She knew her temper was short, but she couldn't care.
Rupert stood up, walked over to the window and let out a long sigh. "Fine. I'll send someone else." He said reluctantly.
"Thank you." She stood up and left to go find Joseph.