A/N: Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!
The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!
The evening went well into the early hours of the morning- when members of parliament wanted to party, they really wanted to party- and Charlotte was delighted to see that the Princess and her friends partied as hard as the others and that most of the guests enjoyed dancing with and around the princess and her friends.
"I've never had such a great time in my life!" Lord Palimore chortled happily and almost breathlessly as he and his wife passed her by on their way to bed when the evening finally ended. "We should have some more of these type of parties at the palace!"
"I agree with you," Sebastian and Sheila were right behind them- Mia, Lily, Michael and her mother had long since gone home, Mia thanking Charlotte profusely.
"Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. I know you're all going back to Genovia tomorrow, so I probably won't see you until I fly over… but thank you for everything," before she impulsively leaned forward and gave Charlotte a hug, surprising the older woman momentarily before she responded in turn. "I just wish I had seen Grandma before… do you know where she went?"
"Her Majesty will probably call by your house before we go the airport," Charlotte said, avoiding the other question- she did know where the Queen had gone, much, much earlier in the evening, but she wasn't going to say a word.
Once the music had changed and the dancing had become less formal, Charlotte had been standing near the doorway and watching the scene around her when she had noticed Joseph walk up to the Queen, who was also standing alone in one corner of the room, whisper something in her ear and gently guided her out of the room.
Charlotte had then peered around the doorway and watched Joseph dismiss the men at the door with a flick of his hand and then, seconds later, reach over and take Her Majesty's gloved hand in hers (and it was clearly a surprise to her) and press it to her lips before looping it through his arm and the two of them turned the corner, out of sight and Charlotte turned her attention back to the party- they deserved their privacy, especially now more than ever.
"I think that we will have to discuss the idea with Her Majesty," Sheila brought Charlotte back to the present and Charlotte nodded with a smile.
"Yes, I think so… although she may approve on occasion… particularly when the princess is in residence."
"Yes, I think that it may lighten the atmosphere of the palace for her if some of the parties are less… stifled," Sebastian said with a small frown and Charlotte realised that he too was concerned about the new princess- which was a good thing, as Charlotte suspected that that she was going to need all the supporters she could get.
000
The next morning, the consulate was a hive of activity as the consulate staff and security teams began preparing for the Queen's departure back to Genovia mid- morning. Although she had gone to bed well after midnight, Charlotte was up bright and early, overseeing the packing up of paperwork and other necessary papers in her study and the Queen's study.
"Good morning," Joseph said cheerfully as he strode into the room. "Did you get any sleep last night?"
"A little, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to catch a nap on the plane," Charlotte laughed.
"You should be able to do that- most of parliament and their wives are flying on Genovia 2 and 3; I believe it's only us and the Motazes on Genovia 1... Have you heard anything about the Von Trokans?" Even through the excitement of the scene the evening before with Mia and the press, Joseph had observed the Baron and Baroness storming out of the consulate (also with some valuable vases that, fortunately, the butler had managed to retrieve from him) and they hadn't been seen again that evening.
"Not a word, Joe, although I suspect that they will be waiting at the airport for us."
"Yes, I think that they will be there as well. Is Her Majesty up?"
"Yes, I am," came her voice from the doorway, and they turned to see Her Majesty striding confidently into the room, looking happy and relaxed. "Good morning Charlotte, good morning Joseph," she gave them both a warm smile and Charlotte looked at them closely, as if wanting to observe a change or an expression between them, but there was nothing, aside from a warm smile exchanged. "I hope that you both slept well."
"Indeed, although I'm looking forward to returning to Genovia and my old, uncomfortable bed," Joseph joked and both women laughed.
"Will there be time to stop and see Mia for a few minutes on our way to the airport?" the Queen inquired and Joseph nodded as he glanced at his watch.
"Absolutely, we can let the members of parliament wait a few more minutes in their limousines at the airport."
"Joseph!" the Queen chided but she was still chuckling along with him. "That's not nice!"
"Can't help it," he shrugged with a sly grin and Charlotte again had the feeling that they weren't aware of her presence in the room. "You know that about me."
"True," she mused, watching him for a few moments before she glanced over and realised that Charlotte was in the room (and hastily packing the last of the paperwork into her folders) and blushed, realising that there had been someone else in the room. "I'm sorry, Charlotte, we were being rude…"
"It's fine… Clarisse," Charlotte almost stumbled over the name. "I'm almost finished packing up these papers- I think the car will be waiting outside for you."
"Excellent- and will you be able to ride with me, there a few things we need to go over before we return to Genovia," the Queen suddenly turned professional again, as did Joseph and Charlotte was again flustered at how quickly they changed their demeanours- they were good, they were really good and discreet, and that was probably why their relationship, if there was a relationship to speak of (and Charlotte knew that there was one), was so quiet and undetected- and she hoped that it would remain so, at least until the new Princess became the new Queen of Genovia.
00000
The return trip to Pyrus was smooth and relatively quiet- of course, the Von Trokans managed to get onto Genovia 1 for the flight home, but they were thankfully further down the cabin than the Queen and Charlotte, and were busy talking to several other members of parliament, so there was no opportunities for them to try and wheedle an audience with the Queen, much to the relief of the Queen and Charlotte, although the Queen's expression didn't changed.
Thankfully, the Queen's schedule was going to be lighter than usual upon her return, with parliament being in recess for the summer and very few official visits, and Charlotte was relieved about that, particularly in respect to the Queen- the past few months had been incredibly full on and they all needed a break- and she sensed that Joseph was looking forward to little 'down time', more for the Queen herself than for himself.
Of course, the main event of the summer would be the mini coronation that would officially present Princess Mia as the Crown Princess, but Charlotte already knew that the Queen was intending on keeping the ceremony quiet and low key.
"There is no need to focus any more additional attention on Mia- she has already had an eventful few weeks in San Francisco and she doesn't need any more attention for a little while," was her reasoning as she and Sebastian discussed the plans during the flight, Charlotte as always taking notes, while Joseph was hovering a seat or two down, his attention bouncing from their meeting to the Von Trokans
"When is Her Royal Highness and her mother due to Genovia?" Sebastian inquired and it was Charlotte's turn to speak up, she already had all the necessary information, that was what she had been organising after the Independence Day Ball, in between preparing to returning to Genovia.
"School finishes in a week and we've arranged for them- and that includes the Moscovitzes- to fly in a couple of days after that…The coronation should be scheduled for a fortnight after that…"
"…And while you and I have agreed that she will be accompanying me to a few public appearances, this first trip should mainly be about getting used to Genovia and her history," Her Majesty said briskly as Charlotte continued taking notes.
"Have you decided whether Princess Mia will be having a tutor in Pyrus or will be returning to San Francisco to complete her education?"
"At the moment, I haven't decided what will happen in September- we'll see how the summer goes."
Once they landed back in Pyrus and travelled directly back to the palace (the rest of parliament returning to their respective homes), Her Majesty went upstairs to bed and while Charlotte wanted to go to bed herself, she knew that there was plenty that she had to do before the mini coronation.
"You're not going home for a rest?" Joseph had followed her into her office.
"I can't, I've got a lot to do before the Princess flies in."
"Which is not for ten days," he stood in front of her desk and folded his arms across his chest. "No, Charlotte, I insist that you go home and go to bed- it's been quite a few weeks and we all need a break."
"But…."
"Her Majesty would have approved… Go Home, Charlotte," he looked at her sternly and Charlotte gave a small grin.
"Okay, okay- I've been told."
"Good. Good night, Charlotte."
"Good night, Joseph."
000
"So, have you got any gossip from San Francisco?" Scott asked the next morning when Charlotte and Scott met in the kitchen, getting coffee. "Did any of our honoured members of parliament get drunk at the ball or at the dinner?"
"Not that I know of."
"What about the Princess? What is she really like?"
"You'll find out soon enough about her- she's a very nice young lady and I like her a lot. She's going to be a fine princess and a fine Queen…"
"I heard a few stories…."
"Who from?" Charlotte asked sharply- she couldn't imagine Joseph telling stories behind Princess Mia or the Queen's back, but who would tell stories from San Francisco- and Scott looked slightly surprised at her tone.
"From the press cuttings the press secretary sent back…why, who did you think I would heard from?"
"Nothing. Never mind."
"But… those stories that came back from the press… was it really as bad as that?" he looked curious and Charlotte shook her head.
"She's young and she still has so much to learn… but she's so sweet and eager and intelligent…"
"She sounds like her father."
"She is, in a lot of ways…but she's also like her grandmother as well."
"Speaking of…has there anything been happening with our favourite couple?" He raised his eyebrows meaningfully and she rolled her eyes and glanced around the kitchen to ensure that there was no one listening to them.
"Are you serious? Why would you ask something like that?"
"Well…. I suspect that something is going on…."
"Shut up," she hissed in a low voice, suddenly irritated. "You cannot assume anything like that- she is the Queen and he is her head of security…."
"They're also a man and a woman, both are single…."
"You are disgusting."
"Well….I probably should tell you this," he suddenly looked awkward and serious and Charlotte suddenly felt a tiny fission of apprehension.
"What?"
"The maids…" he trailed off and the apprehension in Charlotte grew at his words and his expression.
"What about the maids?" she demanded.
"Well… it's just that there have been a few whispers around the palace about the Queen and Joe…."
"Such as?"
"Charlotte. I really don't want to repeat what they've told me."
"What?"
"Well…."are they friends or are they more?"; "Was Her Majesty cheating on the King, as revenge?"; "He spends an awful lot of time in her presence, even when he doesn't have to be with her…" he trailed off in embarrassment.
"Oh no," Charlotte murmured to herself. "Who is saying this? Hopefully not members of staff?"
"Some of the staff… some of the distant staff members, not those who are here all the time… But some of my sources are informing me that there are discussions from certain members of parliament…"
"Oh no," Charlotte's voice lowered even more- why on earth couldn't they leave the Queen alone? Surely she had suffered enough?
"So… what do we do?"
Gone was the joking, curious second in charge- he too was well aware of the potential scandal of a potential relationship with the reigning monarch and a member of staff, most especially her handsome Head of Security. "Should I speak to Joseph?"
"Perhaps… It might be better coming from me," Charlotte said slowly, trying to think about how she was going to broach the subject with Joseph, particularly in regards to Her Majesty.
"Good luck with that," Scott said with a small smile, before it quickly disappeared again. "Did you need any back up?"
"No, I should be alright," she finished her coffee, set the cup on the table and, taking a deep breath in, walked towards the door. "Where is Joe, by the way?"
"He's been in his office since about six this morning…"
Thankfully, the security hub was almost empty when she stepped in and walked hastily towards the shut office door, knocking and then entering when bidden.
"Good morning, Charlotte- did you rest well?" Joseph said with a warm smile, standing up at her entrance- that was something he always did for the Queen and Charlotte had noticed that he also did it for her, another sign that he was a gentleman.
"Yes, I did, and you?"
"I did- I always rest well after travelling… so, what can I do for you this morning?" he indicated the seat opposite him and sat down after her. "Her Majesty isn't down yet, is she?"
"No, she told me that she wouldn't be coming down until after lunch, I just came in earlier to catch up on paperwork."
"But that's not what you're wanting to see me about, is it?" he joked with a grin and Charlotte suddenly felt sorry for him, it was clear that he had no idea about the rumours and the whispers.
"No… Joe, Scott was just telling me what had been happening back here," she started, half apologetically and Joseph's expression suddenly changed, to one of seriousness. "And I felt that I should come and speak to you…."
"Is this in regards to the comments parliament are making in terms of the Queen's closeness to me?"
"Yes, I…"
"And that certain members of the palace staff- not from here but from the Winter Palace- have been giving them little titbits?"
"I…yes…"
"I'm well aware of all the rumours, Charlotte, and I appreciate you coming and telling me about it… but rest assured, I am dealing with it."
"Yes, I…."
"I would also appreciate it if you didn't repeat any of this conversation- or what Scott told you- to Her Majesty."
"Of course, I wouldn't… May I ask what….?"
"It's best if you don't know too much… and could you send Scott into me as soon as you leave?"
"O…okay," she said, getting to her feet and turning towards the door before Joseph's voice stopped her again.
"Charlotte?"
"Yes?" she turned back to him again, a little fearful- his anger was something she didn't want to witness on too many occasions- but she was surprised to see that he was giving her a small smile.
"Thank you. I appreciate you coming to tell me what you heard…"
"It's no problem… Will you be telling… Her Majesty?"
"I think she's got enough on her plate, don't you, Charlotte?" his expression hardened momentarily. "No, I won't be telling her," and it was Charlotte's signal that she was dismissed- she only hoped that she hadn't got Scott into trouble….
000
"Did you rest well last night, Joseph?" Clarisse asked him later that afternoon when they met for a run down on the security activities while they were in San Francisco- she thought they had done well in regards to protecting both her and Mia, but Joseph was also seeking perfection.
"It's part of my job to ensure that everyone is fully trained and up to date with all the latest security updates in the world," he said when she had teased him about it on one occasion. "My top priority is to ensure that you are safe."
"Yes, I did sleep well," Joseph responded to her question, although his mind wasn't necessarily on the security briefing- he was concerned about the growing rumours about him and Clarisse. They had been discreet, he knew that, but he also knew that it was only a matter of time that attention would be focused on the amount of time that they spent together- and while he knew that he would have to pull away from Clarisse… Her Majesty… for a little while, just to dispel the rumour but the very thought of not being near her… he felt a little ache inside. "And you?"
"Very…" she looked at him for a moment- he seemed distracted and she wondered what was going on, but she wasn't going to push him. "Are you alright, Joseph?"
"Yes, I'm fine, just trying to catch up on what I missed out here… not much, of course, but still…"
"Thank goodness it's summer- I think we both need the break, I'm so tired," she gave a long, deep sigh. "I am looking forward to Mia and her friends coming but… I just need a rest… as do you and Charlotte," she added, looking pointedly at Joseph and he couldn't help but grin back at her.
"Any plans- aside from Mia and her coronation?"
"Maybe some gardening, reading some of the books that have been piling up… just relaxing… what about you?"
"Haven't really thought about it…"
"Have you thought about having some time off, get away for a couple of weeks?"
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" he teased, giving her a flirtatious smile- yes, there were rumours starting to build about them, but as long as they were discreet and he kept the stories away from Her Majesty (and Scott was going to be extra vigilant with rumours and stories), he wouldn't have to pull away from Her Majesty.. Clarisse… not that he really would be able to….