Chapter 2

"Charlotte, have you seen Grandma?" Mia asked after searching for ten minutes. "I can't find her anywhere in the palace."

"Did you try the back garden? It is her favourite place to go and think." Charlotte answered.

"Well, I walked by it…" Mia said. "I didn't go in, but I didn't see anyone there. Maybe I should go look again?"

"Good idea." Charlotte said brightly.

Mia walked into the gardens, but there was no sign of her grandmother. She remembered the hidden area near the back of the garden. It was surrounded by tall hedges, and had a beautiful fountain right in the middle of it. She couldn't help but giggle at the thought of the fountain. "Grandma?" Mia asked as she walked through the maze of hedges, getting closer to the fountain area.

Startled, Clarisse and Joseph stopped kissing, but couldn't break apart from each other. Mia's head popped out from behind a hedge. She saw Joseph and Clarisse's arms around each other, sitting very close to one another, and Clarisse was slightly blushing.

"I'm so sorry!" Cried Mia. "I hope I'm not disturbing anything."

"No, no, of course not." Clarisse said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Was there something you wanted dear?" She and Joseph pulled apart.

"Well, I was just wondering if you could come with me to pick out a wedding dress." Mia said looking down. She was embarrassed by her unwanted presence.

"Oh, well I have a lot of work…" Clarisse started to say, but was cut off by Joseph.

"Clarisse would be delighted to join you." Joseph said as he took Clarisse's hand encouragingly. He smiled at Clarisse. She couldn't do anything except give in to that. "Alright Mia. We can go in about ten minutes. I have to get ready."

"Cool, I'll go get ready then." Mia said as she turned quickly and left. As she walked back to the palace she smiled to herself. "Awww. Grandma and Joe look so cute together." She thought.

Back at the fountain area, Clarisse started to follow Mia, but Joseph caught her by the waist and pulled her back to him. "You aren't leaving until I get another kiss." He whispered in her ear. Clarisse smiled and slowly kissed him on the lips. He kissed her back and they stayed like that for a few moments until Clarisse pulled away slightly. "I mustn't keep Mia waiting. I promise we can continue later." She whispered softly.

"Promise?" Joseph said as he hugged her tightly.

"Yes. I promise." Clarisse said and they walked back to the palace together.

Clarisse was in her suite getting ready to go to Pyrus with Mia. As she was fixing her already perfectly applied make-up, she heard a knock on the door. Clarisse smoothed her skirt and said "Come in." Joseph walked in. Clarisse smiled, but it quickly faded when she saw that something was wrong. "Joseph?" Her expression changed to concern. She walked over to him and placed her hand on his cheek. "What's wrong?" Joseph motioned for them to sit on the couch. He held her hands, tighter than usual.

"I have a bad feeling that something bad might happen today." Perhaps I should go with you and Mia." Joseph said quietly.

"Oh, Joseph," Clarisse replied sadly. "It's just Mia and I going out today. We hardly ever have time to spend together. It is like a mother-daughter thing…well, grandmother-granddaughter thing in this case. But I am positive that nothing will happen. Everything will be fine. What could possibly happen?"

"I don't know." Joseph replied.

"Oh, Darling, come here." Clarisse said as she hugged him tightly. "Don't worry." She tried her best to comfort him, but it was no use. He hugged her back, yet not the least bit less nervous. He kissed her goodbye and left their suite.

As Joseph walked down the hall he tried to relax a little. Why was he so nervous about Mia and Clarisse going into the town?

Clarisse and Mia had decided to go to Pyrus in Mia's convertible.

"This sort of reminds me of the time we went out in my convertible so you could see San Francisco." Mia said.

"Only this time the car won't crash." Clarisse joked.

"So where are the best bridal stores in Pyrus?" Mia asked.

"To be honest I don't know. I think they would be on the main street somewhere." Clarisse answered.

"Okay, we'll go there first then. I'm so excited! Mia exclaimed.

Back at the palace Joseph was worried sick. He hadn't been able to relax from the minute Mia and Clarisse had left. The last time Mia and Clarisse went out without any security, they had been in the same convertible as they were in today. The car was poorly made and it slid down a steep hill and crashed into a trolley. Thank God they had been okay. The car was fixed now, so why was he so nervous?

"Joe," Charlotte said with a concerned look. "I think you'd better see this." Shades, the new head of security and Nicholas were there too. Charlotte turned on the television and a news report came on. Joseph's heart skipped a beat when he saw what was on the screen. Arthur Mabrey had escaped.

"It seems as though he had outside help to escape." He got a hold of a copy of the prison door keys and somehow got passed all of the guards and security systems." The reporter announced.

"Who would want to help someone like him?" Joseph asked, knowing that no one could provide the answer. They kept listening.

"Apparently he is not at his home. He is hiding out somewhere. Perhaps with the person who helped him escape." The reporter continued.

When the news report had finished, Joseph wondered if this was what had been bothering him all day. Charlotte turned off the television.

Joseph turned to Nicholas. "Why do you think he escaped?"

"My guess would be to try to take revenge on me? He was very angry with me the last time I saw him…because of Mia and I getting married after her coronation." Nicholas said. "You don't suppose he would go after Mia do you?" Nicholas asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure." Joseph responded. He thought back to the day Viscount Mabrey was arrested. He clearly remembered the horrible look he gave Mia, Nicholas, AND Clarisse. "Shades, get a few of your best security guards, and meet Nicholas and I outside. Make sure no one finds out anything about this. Or it will be all over the news. All of the media will make it too hard to find anything."

"Are you saying that you are sure something happened to Mia?" Nicholas asked.

"No, I am saying that if anything does happen, this media will make it impossible to deal with." Joseph said.

When Nicholas, Joseph, Shades, and a few other security guards were in the limo, Joseph asked "Where do suppose Clarisse and Mia went Nicholas?"

"They are in one of the bridal stores in Pyrus. How many are there?" Nicholas replied.

"Quite a few I think, but we have to go to all of them." Joseph said.

They went from store to store but there was no sign of Mia or Clarisse. After about ten minutes Nicholas practically screamed "There is Mia! Sitting at a table in that café over there!" He breathed a sigh of relief.

Joseph looked towards the direction of where he was pointing. He certainly did see Mia, but…"Where is Clarisse?"

Nicholas, Joseph, Shades, and the security guards went up to Mia's table.

"Hey everyone!" Mia said when she saw them. Nicholas kissed her and then took a seat beside her.

"Mia, where is Clarisse?" Joseph asked hesitantly.

"She went to the book store around the corner. I didn't really feel like going, but she said she just wanted to look around for about ten minutes." Mia said before taking a sip of her coffee.

"And how long ago did Clarisse leave?" Joseph asked, trying to sound calm.

Mia looked at her watch. "Actually, it has been a little over twenty minutes." Then Mia looked at Nicholas, Joseph, and the security guards, wondering why they were even there. "Why, what's wrong?"