Night took far too long for it to fall on the palace in Joseph's opinion. But alas, the king finally retired to his suite. Joseph knew he and Clarisse needed to talk, and he knew exactly where he would find her: her gardens. As Joseph approached, he saw his second in command standing close to ten feet away from the queen. "You may go." Joseph told him.

"But I must escort the queen back to her chambers." He protested.

"I think I am more than capable of doing that, don't you?" Joseph just stared him down.

Afraid of Joseph, he stuttered out a "Yes sir." And all but ran away from Joseph.

"Do you delight in scaring your staff, Joseph?" Her back was turned to him, but she knew there would be a smirk on his face.

"I find that they work better when they're afraid." She then turned to look at him as he walked closer to her. He saw the red streaks down her face from what must've been a wicked crying episode. "I'm here." He whispered as he held his arms open wide for her.

"He shouldn't have done that." She whispered into his shoulder as she encased herself in Joseph's arms. "He had no reason to."

"Actually, I think he might have had fair reason to." She pulled a way a little, while not leaving Joseph's arms and looked at him inquisitively, so he continued. "He came to see me last night, just moments after you did in fact. He must have seen you leave, and I hadn't realized until after that my shirt wasn't done up. He probably has suspicions about the nature of your visit, and my attire didn't help."

"He's still jumping to conclusions." She protested.

"So what if he is Clarisse? He would be right, and he's the king, he makes the rules and I have to follow them."

"What about me? Don't my opinions matter?"

"Of course they do, my love. Your opinions matter the most to me. But he is the king, and my job as head of security is to protect the crown. That includes His Highness."

"It's not fair." She exclaimed.

"Sometimes life isn't fair. But I promise, I will always make time to see you." After a few more minutes, Joseph walked with her back to her suite, said goodnight then walked off to his own suite.

When she heard his footsteps fade down the hall, she then set off to Rupert's suite. She knocked on the door and waited, hating every second of what was going on in her mind. "Clarisse!" Rupert was shocked to say the least when he opened the door to see his wife standing there.

"Good evening Rupert. Do you have a minute?"

"Please." Rupert gestured into his suite. He closed the door slowly after her, check down the hall both ways to ensure they wouldn't be disturbed. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Are you okay Rupert?"

"As well as I was early today." He was clearly confused.

"We should talk about what happened this morning." She said as she gracefully took a seat on the sofa.

"What is there to talk about?" He asked coldly.

"How about we start with why."

"Perhaps because there is something going on with you two." He was fuming.

"How about you ask me before you jump to conclusions."

"Fine! Were you or were you not in his suite last night?"

"I was." She admitted. "I was thanking him for helping you yesterday. I know that romance isn't easy for either of us Rupert. I was thanking him for helping you last night, it meant a lot to me." She lied.

Rupert lightened up a little, he hadn't considered that, then he remember that Joseph's shirt was undone. His face soured again. "And he was virtually half naked during this talk?"

"Not when I was there." She lied again. "He was prim and proper. His tie may have been slightly loosened, but other than that…" She trailed off.

"Oh." Was all Rupert said, perhaps he had overreacted.

"Was he not that way when you stopped by?" She asked sweetly.

"No." Rupert replied weakly.

"I'm sure he just didn't plan on company. I will speak to him." She offered.

"No, it's fine."

"But Rupert, you asked me to trust him. The last time I had the second in command watching over me, it didn't go well, remember?" He grunted, hating that she was right. "Frankly, today didn't go well, for any of us four. Can't we go back to how it was yesterday? I think it might be best, for us all. Don't you?"

He sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry I overreacted. I know what I thought I saw would never happen. I trust him with my life, and yours. Plus, there is someone in his life, I can't see him doing that to her."

"Exactly. Are we okay now, Rupert?"

"Yes. Please tell Joseph I'm sorry. I'll go speak to his second, and tell him that he will be with me tomorrow." He felt disgusted with himself.

"Thank you Rupert." She smiled then left. She went straight down to Joseph's suite and knocked enthusiastically on his door. As he opened the door, she just walked in and passed him, waiting for him to close the door.

"Clarisse?"

"I talked to Rupert. I told him everything he saw was a misunderstanding. He then agreed that today didn't go well. He's taking back your second, and you're with me again come morning!" She spoke so fast it was hard for him to keep up.

"One more time?" He heard her, he just couldn't really believe it.

She walked over to him and stood not even a foot away from him. "It's you and me Joseph."

"How…?"

"It doesn't matter Joseph." She paused and searched his eyes. "Joseph?" He leaned in and kissed her.

—

"Yes Your Majesty?" Joseph's second asked the king the next morning.

"Close the door, this stays between us." He did as he was told then walked over to the king's desk. "I have a favour to ask of you, and I know it won't be easy, but I need it done."

"Of course, how may I serve you, my king?"

"Watch Joseph." The king looked up to meet the shocked eyes of the man who stood before him.

"Pardon?"

"I need you to watch Joseph, and don't be seen."

"May I ask why?"

"No, you may not. Just watch him, and tell me if anything out of the ordinary happens."

"As you wish." The man bowed.

"Now leave me." Rupert ordered, and watched as the door closed behind the man, and he was now alone with his thoughts.