The next few years seemed to fly by and Charlotte was still very much enjoying her job and settling well into the palace while her responsibilities continued to increase. She was still Her Majesty's 'link' to the diplomatic corps (and still keeping in contact with her colleagues) but she was moving further away from the diplomatic corps as such and becoming more involved in the culture of the palace.

Jane Kent retired about six years after she had started, and while Charlotte had been expecting to be involved in the interview process to replace her, she was surprised to discover that she herself had been promoted to Her Majesty's personal assistant, as well as continuing the rest of her other work.

"You seem surprised," Joseph commented one lunchtime after Charlotte had been informed of her new title and she had signed her new contract.

"Of course I am! I didn't expect this promotion," Charlotte admitted with a slight blush.

"Why not? You're more than capable of filling the position, and you have to admit that you have been doing more and more of the work over the years."

"Still… I'm much younger than His Majesty's personal assistant…."

"Are you questioning Her Majesty's decision?"

"No, not… not exactly…. But…."

"Just take it as the compliment it is meant to be- Her Majesty knows what she is doing and she has been watching you over the past few years…"

"Really?"

"Really," Joseph grinned- Charlotte was a genuinely nice young woman and she was definitely more than capable of fulfilling both positions, but he was more than a little surprised by her surprise at her promotion- she was obviously more modest than he had expected, but it only confirmed his belief that she should be working with the Queen, the Queen needed someone like her, as he had mentioned to Her Majesty when she had asked his opinion about Charlotte…

"I was thinking of promoting Ms Kutaway rather than advertising for the position… what do you think?"

"I think it's a terrific idea- Charlotte is a very hard worker and she had done well, even despite Miss Kent."

"Miss Kent?" the Queen looked confused.

"Yes, Miss Kent," he said firmly and the Queen's expression lightened and she was fighting to hide a smile- she knew that he didn't like her personal assistant, and she had to admit that there were times when she found her overbearing, but she had done an excellent job over the years and she knew that she couldn't have done without her.

"Well, that's not being very kind, Joseph," she chided him gently, but with a twinkle in her eyes. "She has been an excellent assistant over the years…"

"But Charlotte will do a much better job," he said firmly.

"Then, it's decided. Ms Kutaway will be my personal assistant as well as continuing to be my liaison with the diplomatic corps."

"So, are you looking forward to your new job? I hear there's a considerable pay rise," he teased gently and Charlotte couldn't help but laugh along with him.

"Yes, the pay rise is very appealing," she joked back at him and Joseph laughed. "However, it helps that I enjoy the job as well. Do you know whether she's going to replace my position?"

"I wouldn't think so, she seemed to feel that you would be more than capable of handling both roles… as do I."

"Really?" Charlotte was surprised but she couldn't help but feel flattered that Her Majesty had so much confidence in her.

"Really," Joseph affirmed. "She really does trust you and is certain that you will be able handle it."

000

Charlotte hadn't spent very much time in Her Majesty's study prior to her promotion- Jane had been her personal assistant so it made sense for her to have more access to Her Majesty- but the moment she moved desks (and her own desk was removed, confirming Joseph's words that she was going to be handling both roles), she discovered that she was much closer to the study and that she was constantly in and out of the study.

The first time Her Majesty had called her into her study, Charlotte couldn't help but feel slightly nervous as she stepped into the room with her notebook and pen and walked over to the desk to where the Queen was sitting, absorbed in a pile of papers that were scattered all over her desk.

As she did so, Charlotte couldn't help but admire the study around her- while she had only stepped in His Majesty's study only once before, this was so much more different to his- while his clearly belonged to a man, with wooden furniture and painted in dark, mahogany colours, the walls decorated with stuffed animal heads, several wall to wall book shelves, a bar in one corner, a fireplace and one or two paintings on the walls, Her Majesty's was much different, much softer. The room was painted in softer, pastel colours, the desk situated in the middle of the room, an antique sofa and two chairs as well as a coffee table, wall to wall book shelves and paintings on the walls as well as flowers in several vases scattered around the room and while His Majesty's curtains were usually only half opened, hers were fully opened and the large French window was half opened, making the room even lighter than ever.

"You called me, Your Majesty?" she asked when she was finally standing in front of the desk and after a moment, Her Majesty looked up and Charlotte was again struck by how blue her eyes were and how smooth her complexion was- she looked far younger than her late forties or early fifties.

"Yes, yes I did… Charlotte… is it alright if I call you Charlotte?

"Of course, Your Majesty," Charlotte was slightly surprised that the Queen was asking permission to call her by her first name, she assumed that it was naturally understood that Her Majesty could call her that as well…

"Charlotte… I wanted to know whether you feel comfortable enough to do both Jane's job as well as your own. There will be a lot of work involved."

"Of course I will, Your Majesty."

"And you will let me know if you have any problems?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Alright, then, if you will take a seat," she indicated the chair Charlotte was standing next to. "There's quite a lot that we need to do today…."

00000

The months flew by after her promotion and while Charlotte was flat out at work- she knew that it wouldn't be easy, doing two jobs rolled into one, but she had to admit that she was enjoying it and she was constantly being challenged and nothing was ever the same. Because she was now working much closer with Her Majesty, she was getting to know the woman behind the crown and Charlotte found that she not only respected her but she was liking her as well.

She possessed a quiet, shy, almost retiring nature, Charlotte could see that but when she was in public, or in meetings with others, Charlotte couldn't tell that she was shy, she was eloquent and confident, cool and in control, but when she was in her study, she let her guard down a little- only a little, because whenever her husband visited her (or, more often than not, she was 'summoned' to his study), he tended to speak over her and preferred not to listen to her.

There had been constant rumours about their marriage (even Charlotte had heard them when she was still working at the Attaché corps) but there was even more rumours around the palace and she couldn't help but over hear some of the palace staff gossiping about the 'latest incident' involving the King and a woman….

"Apparently they were caught in a compromising position at the State Dinner…"

"….In his study…."

"Her Majesty was still in the ballroom…."

"….Caught by his Head of Security…."

"…smuggled out the back way…."

"….Still going on…."

"How can Her Majesty remain so oblivious to what's going on?"

"Well, she must enjoy the life of being the Queen… the power, the trips, the glamour…"

"Yeah, that sounds just about right…" and the two men laughed conspiratorially as they walked away and Charlotte, who had been looking for a book in the library, slowly made her way out of the library.

Joseph scowled angrily when Charlotte informed him of the rumours going around the palace- it was true, of course, and the press had had extensive coverage in the papers and in the daily talk show- but it wasn't necessary for it to be discussed around the palace, Joseph said angrily and he was clearly furious about the conversation that Charlotte had overheard.

"Honestly, these people have better things to do than gossip about the King," he paced the security hub, the room having emptied earlier and Charlotte having felt she had to tell someone about what she had heard. She hadn't wanted to speak to the people in question (it was two male members of staff, who worked closely with His Majesty, and she knew that his staff didn't view Her Majesty's staff with much affection, creating more tension within the palace, although Charlotte tried to get alone with everyone) but she had wanted Joseph to know, just in case…

"I'm sorry, I just thought you would want to know."

"Thank you, Charlotte," he stopped pacing to smile gratefully at her. "I know that you wouldn't be condoning the talk yourself, and I'm glad that you told me."

"What are you going to do?"

"There's not a whole lot I can do," he shrugged, looking irritated. "I'll mention it to Tom, but I'm sure that there's nothing he can do either… not that he will do anything."

"So… what can we do?"

"Just make sure that Her Majesty is alright…" before he stopped pacing again to look at Charlotte seriously. "Is she alright? I assume she would have seen the papers this morning."

"She seems to be alright," Charlotte shrugged. "A little quiet and a little drawn, but she was more interested in getting the work done this morning."

It was true, she had been quieter than usual and hadn't met Charlotte's eyes as often as she would normally, but the façade that she had obviously crafted over the years was still in place, although Charlotte could see the pain in her eyes.

However, Joseph's demeanour was something else altogether- of course, as her Head of Security, he would be worried about his Queen and her manner but… Charlotte sensed that there was something more than professional concern in his expression. She looked at him closely, wondering what it was that she had seen in his eyes just before and then it suddenly struck her… she had seen tenderness in his eyes, it was almost as if he cared about the Queen more than a bodyguard and her Head of Security.

Could it be? Charlotte wondered to herself as she rose from the table- her lunch break was almost up and she knew that there were letters that she had to type that afternoon- and Joseph paused to look at her again.

"Thanks again, Charlotte, for telling me what's going on."

"No problems," she said lightly before leaving the room, her mind still wondering: could it really be true and, if it was, was there anything she could do? Was it even possible for anything to happen?

But, then again, Charlotte's more pragmatic side argued, even if there was something on Joseph's side, it didn't necessarily mean that there was anything on Her Majesty's side… she was married to the King of Genovia, a mother of two sons and Queen in her own right…His Majesty might not treat his marital vows with as much respect, but Charlotte knew, in the little time that she had worked so closely with Her Majesty, that the Queen took her marriage vows seriously and that she would never consider having an outside affair with anyone…

It was a pity, though, Charlotte thought as she stepped into her office and headed towards her desk- Joseph was such a nice guy, so nice, intelligent and courteous and handsome (not that she thought of him in that way at all), he would make a good boyfriend/husband to any woman… but… was he married? She had never dared to ask him the question, knowing that it was too personal a question, but if he wasn't….

Don't be stupid, Charlotte, she told herself sternly as she sat at her desk and waited for her computer to warm up. You're just being silly and romantic, trying to match make with every person…Joseph and Her Majesty….she shook her head, ridding herself of the thoughts. That was just ridiculous, just ridiculous…