Two chapters in one upload! Couldn't resist- still having problems with the internet!

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!

The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!

The flight went quicker than expected, and while Charlotte hadn't planned on having a sleep during the flight, she was surprised to discover herself waking up and finding herself covered with a light blanket. It was only a few minutes later that the flight attendants came around to announce that the plane was about to descend into San Francisco.

Her Majesty seemingly hadn't moved position during the trip- she looked as unruffled and calm as ever- but Charlotte vaguely remembered, as she drifted off to sleep earlier, witnessing Joseph tenderly draping a blanket over the dozing Queen (and he had obviously done the same for her) and when she glanced back to where he was sitting at the back of the cabin (where Scott said he always sat) she wasn't surprised to see him looking unruffled and still immaculately groomed in his usual black shoes, pants, shirt and leather jacket, with a grey tie- and he gave her a smile and a wink before they both buckled up and focused on the landing.

There was a black limousine with the Genovian flag attached and two vans waiting on the tarmac when Charlotte followed Joseph and the Queen down the stairs, and she momentarily wondered where she would be travelling (she usually travelled in the front of one of the cars or one of the vans when Her Majesty travelled overseas or even domestically- not that she had travelled much lately) when she heard Her Majesty calling her name:
"Charlotte? Would you mind accompanying me in the limousine? There are a few things we need to discuss…."

Joseph gave her a grin as she walked around to the other side of the back of the car, Her Majesty having already settled into the car and Joseph had just shut her door, before Charlotte stepped into the back seat while Joseph quickly shut the door behind her and then stepped into the front passenger seat before the car took off.

There was a long, slightly awkward silence in the back seat of the royal limousine, the two women adjusting to the presence of the other in the car before Her Majesty took a deep breath in and let it out slowly and gently as she sat back in her seat before turning to Charlotte.

"Charlotte?"

"Ma'am?" Charlotte said timidly, still not knowing how to act around Her Majesty, especially when they were alone, particularly after what had occurred in the past few years.

"When we're alone, I would prefer it if you call me Clarisse."

"Ma'am?" Charlotte repeated, honoured at the privilege but also confused.

"Charlotte. You have been a dedicated, hardworking and loyal personal assistant to me over the years- and I know that the last few years have been difficult- and I want you to know that I appreciate the hard work you have done."

"Thank… you?" Charlotte couldn't help but sound apologetic and the Queen smiled gently at her.

"I have been wanting to ask you to call me by my first name for a little while- we've been working closely together for a long time now and I feel that you would be able to call me Clarisse when we're working on paperwork together… Her Majesty is quite a cumbersome title to continue saying at least twenty times a day…and I also feel that it might make things more comfortable between us."

"I've always felt comfortable around you," Charlotte couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth- and she could see that the Queen… Clarisse… was equally as surprised. "I've enjoyed working with you since I started- and I hope to be able to continue working for you in years to come," she finished with a blush and, much to her disbelief, the older woman reached over and briefly touched her hand.

"I hope that you will be as well- you're one of the best personal assistants I have had in a long time," before she paused for a moment, appearing embarrassed, and then withdrew her hand and glanced back out the window- they were now driving over the hills of San Francisco and both of them registered two young schoolgirls crossing the street metres ahead of them, one of them pushing a scooter, but as they passed the girls descending the peak of the hill, obviously on their way to school, the Queen… Clarisse… and Charlotte turned their attention back towards the matter at hand- namely, preparing to meet the Crown Princess of Genovia and what could happen then… as well as ensuring that the Queen continuing to run Genovia while in San Francisco….

00000

Once they had arrived at the consulate, Joseph escorted the Queen inside and upstairs to her suite- she planned on having a 'lie down' after the trip, but Charlotte, refreshed from her sleep on the plane, was ready for action- and there was quite a lot to do on her list, the top task being calling Helen Thermopolis and requesting a 'meeting' (in other words, afternoon tea) between Phillipe's 15 year old daughter and the girl's paternal grandmother, the mother of Amelia's father, and while Charlotte knew the Queen… Clarisse… had ever confidence in her, Charlotte also knew that the conversation had the potential to be difficult….

"Her Majesty is HERE?! In San Francisco?" Helen Thermopolis sounded surprised on her end of the line when Charlotte had informed her to the Queen's presence in San Francisco. "She came all this way just to meet my daughter?"

"Yes," Charlotte said simply.

"But… why?"

"With… the Crown Prince's passing, parliament is seeking to determine the next in line to the throne…."

"But Her Majesty…"

"May be Queen, yes, but she is also only royal by marriage and Genovian law states that the blood family member needs to be either on the throne or officially in line for the throne…"

"And since Phillipe is gone and Pierre has abdicated… it's down to Mia," Helen finished bluntly.

Mia… Charlotte had mention 'Mia' on many occasion with tenderness in his voice and expression- a nickname- and Charlotte suddenly wondered what the girl was like….

"Yes, that's correct. But I was also told to inform you that Her Majesty wishes to develop a relationship with your daughter that has nothing to do with this other… issue…"

"Charlotte, I appreciate what you're saying, but I also understand that this issue you mentioned is serious and that the entire country could be affected… I understand that much," she paused for a moment. "Do I need to mention anything to Mia….?"

"I think Her Majesty would prefer to have that conversation in person- it is possible for her to come to the Genovian consulate this afternoon, around four?"
"She has a part time after school job at a local rock climbing centre… Would tomorrow suit Her Majesty?"

"It would," Charlotte didn't have to look at the schedule to know that any time would suit Her Majesty, the situation was that delicate and urgent… "After school tomorrow, around four?"

"Fine, I'll let her know and make sure she's there," and there was another pause. "Oh, and Charlotte? Thank you," and Charlotte was startled at the gratitude in Helen's voice but she only murmured a generic farewell and hung up the phone. Tomorrow was definitely going to be interesting….

000

The following day, the consulate was a hive of activity- while the Queen… Clarisse… had been disappointed that she couldn't see her granddaughter until the next afternoon (and she had wondered aloud about why her granddaughter had an after school job- 'Surely her father provided well enough for her'), by the time the following afternoon arrived, she had clearly gotten over her disappointment and was already waiting almost nervously upstairs in her suite, pacing in her suite, according to the consulate staff.

"How is she?" Joseph asked Charlotte when they met in the hallway, Charlotte on her way back to her desk for her tape recorder (she had a few things she wanted to note down before she forgot) while Joseph was on his way outside to the garden where afternoon tea had been set up and where he would be hiding unobtrusively, observing the situation as it unfolded- for now, the Crown Princess was still an unknown quantity, although Phillipe had spoken about her enough over the years for them to have an idea of what the Princess would be like, but then again, she was now a teenager….

"She seems nervous…." Charlotte said as she perused her list for her upcoming dinner- it would be held in a week's time and there was so much to do.

"I suppose that would be understandable," Joseph replied. "Her Majesty hasn't seen her granddaughter at all… she's only heard stories and seen pictures of her… wouldn't you be nervous about that if you hadn't seen a long lost relative?"

"I hadn't thought about it, but yes, I think I would be nervous- how about you?"

"I suppose so," he mused and Charlotte watched him for a moment before she couldn't help but tease gently:

"Are you nervous as well?"

"Hmmm?" he paused, he had been looking distractedly out the window and checking his watch.

"I think you're nervous as well," she said bluntly and Joseph looked at her directly and intensely for a moment, his expression unreadable and Charlotte for a moment thought that she had stepped over the line, before he grinned slightly.

"I guess I may be… I've been with this family for a long time, have seen the boys grow up and now… there's another generation of the Renaldi family… and I'm interested to see what she's like… don't tell me that you're not the slightest bit curious about her as well?" he looked at her with twinkling eyes and she blushed slightly.

"Alright… I may be a little curious…" she admitted with a responding smile.

"Well, it's just after three now, so we don't have to wait too long now…." Before he looked at his watch, glanced back towards the stairs and turned back that way.

"Where are you going now?"

"I'm just going to make sure that she's alright," he said simply and Charlotte could only grin broadly at his back- he was so solicitous of her, it was very, very sweet...and hopefully not too obvious to other people….

0

The Queen was pacing the living room of her suite, glancing out the window every time she reached the window- it was just after three, she still had to walk from the school, about fifteen minutes away, to the consulate, so she was being ridiculous… but she was still curious, nervous and excited about finally meeting her only grandchild.

There was a soft tap on her door and she paused for a moment to call out "Come in" before she continued pacing- she knew who it would be, it wouldn't be Charlotte as she was downstairs and the rest of the consulate staff were around the place and out in the garden, preparing for the afternoon tea.

"I just came to see if you were alright," Joseph said in his familiar husky voice as he slipped into the room and closed the door quietly behind him.

"I'm fine, fine… just a little nervous…. Which sounds silly, coming from me."

"Why does it sound silly?"

"I'm Queen of a country, I should be calm and unflappable… and being nervous about meeting my granddaughter…"

"A granddaughter who you have never met before," he reminded her quietly. "A granddaughter who is Phillipe's daughter… and someone who may have many of his features…."

"I know, I know, I'm being ridiculous," she continued pacing before he stopped her by grabbing both her hands and squeezing them gently.

"You're not being ridiculous, you're being human- and I can well understand why you are nervous about meeting Amelia."

"But I shouldn't be."

"But it's perfectly natural, and you shouldn't be getting yourself in such a state just before she gets here."

"What if she doesn't like me?" she pulled away one of her hands to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and touched one of her earrings with a tugging motion.

"Now you are being ridiculous," he teased her gently before leaning over and gently kissing her forehead. "She will like you… she will love you…"

"You're just being biased," Clarisse blushed slightly as she pulled away from him completely and nervously smoothed down the skirt of her black suit.

"Aren't I allowed to be?" he teased and she finally looked up at him and their eyes met and held.

"No… and you should be down in the garden, doing a final check of the garden before she arrives," she reached out with one hand, pausing for a moment and then finally deciding to take a chance as she reached over and touched his cheek gently for a moment.

"Aye, aye, boss," he said, pulling her hand away from his cheek and gently pressing his lips onto her hand. "But are you sure you're alright?"

"Nervous, but fine… and thank you," she gave him a gracious smile but there was something more in her smile.

"You will be fine… and she will like you."

"I hope so, Joseph, I hope so."