Author's Note: this chapter could actually develop into another story- there was still a bit I wanted to write, but I thought the chapter was getting too big… Keep your eyes peeled, it might work out!
The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me
The sun was shining brightly in through the curtains when Clarisse woke up later in the morning and, for a moment, she wondered why she was sleeping in… there was so much work to be done leading up to the coronation in seven days time, and she couldn't afford to miss a moment. She looked up at the ceiling for a moment, gaining her bearings, and wondering why she was still so tired, but so ecstatically happy….
She stretched her arms out above her, and was surprised to see a plain gold wedding band on her left hand… it wasn't the ring that Rupert had given her years ago… As she stared at it thoughtfully, she suddenly remembered, in a gush of happiness that brought tears to her eyes, why… she had married Joseph the previous day, instead of Mia marrying Andrew!
She thought back to the past few days with a mixture of feelings… after he had stormed out of the ballroom three nights ago, she had wondered whether he would ever speak to her again, let alone forgive her, but she instead took matters into her own hands… after giving Mia some timely advice yesterday, she had realised that it was time for her to follow her heart….
She still trembled slightly at the memory of standing in front of a church full of people, all of whom were staring at her, as she openly proposed to the love of her life. A tear ran down her cheek as she remembered how emotional she had been, and how scared she had been that Joseph would turn her down…
"Dear Joseph… Am I too late to ask you… to accept my hand in marriage?"
Time had seemed to have stopped when she asked him that, and she was worried that he would say no… but instead, he had smiled slightly at her and said:
"I thought you'd never ask."
She beamed happily at the memory of everything that had happened yesterday, and she rolled over onto her side to greet her husband (her husband, she thought happily as a chill ran down her spine)… it was the first morning of their marriage, and she was sure it was going to be wonderful…
But she was disappointed, and even a little sad, to see an empty side of the bed… he wasn't there…
"Joseph?" she called tentatively, a note of panic in her voice, as she slowly sat up in bed and looked around… where was he… before she saw him, clad in his bathrobe, walking back into the bedroom, carrying a tray.
"What on earth are you doing?" she almost laughed with relief at seeing him- for a moment, she had had the terrible feeling that it really all had been a dream, and that she was really waking up alone, and unmarried…
"I just thought that my wife deserved to have breakfast in bed," he said as he walked over to her side of the bed, and sat down near her sheet covered legs. "Tea, toast and fruit- that's what your maids told me you liked," he added as he put the tray into her lap, and she smiled at him a little tearfully.
"Thank you…" was all she managed to say before he leaned over and kissed her lovingly on the lips…
"Good morning, my beautiful wife," he murmured huskily when they broke apart, and she beamed at him, her heart racing a mile a minute, and her cheeks reddening with emotion, but loving the fact that it wasn't a dream at all… he really was her husband!
"Good morning my kind, thoughtful and handsome husband… but where is your breakfast?" she looked at him curiously, and he grinned easily as he disappeared back into the living room, carrying in, seconds later, another tray.
"Here's mine!"
"I see that you eat more than I do in the morning," she observed as he sat comfortably back in bed with her, and settled the tray on his lap.
There were a few moments of silence as they sipped their teas, and munched on their toast, before Joseph looked at her again.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I detected a note of panic in your voice when you called out to me before… what was wrong?"
"Oh, that," Clarisse blushed, embarrassed that she had panicked. "It was nothing, really…"
"You and I both know you can't lie to me… you always go red and can't look me in the eye," he said teasingly as he pushed his tray back for a moment, and moved closer to her.
He ran a hand down her shoulder, and leaned over to nuzzle her neck, before gently bringing her fact to look at his.
"So, what was that all about?"
"Oh, you're going to think I'm silly…" she began, and he looked at her seriously.
"I have never thought that you were silly… some of the things you've done over the years, however, have been silly," he amended with a chuckle, and she giggled along with him. "But I've never thought that you were silly…. So?"
"I was… I was just a little worried that everything had happened yesterday… had been a dream and that I would find myself here, alone…"she trailed off shyly, and Joseph pulled her into his arms for a hug, before kissing her tenderly again.
"Does that seem like a dream to you?" he asked softly after they broke apart, and she chuckled slightly.
"No, it doesn't… but I did warn you that it would be silly…."
"Not at all," he said calmly as he moved his tray over to knock into hers. "Yesterday did seem like a dream to both of us, but I understand completely what you're feeling… I thought the same thing when I woke up before… but it did happen…"
"I'm just not used to waking up with someone… Rupert never stayed all night, and I suppose that I got used to waking up in here alone…"
"Now you're not going to wake up alone- you're going to wake up with me… Lucky you…"
"I am lucky to wake up to you," Clarisse said teasingly as she brushed her hand against his face. "But it is nice to know that I won't wake up alone anymore… not unless we have an argument," she added cheekily.
They ate their breakfast in companionable silence, and Clarisse sighed happily as she pushed her tray away and leant back on the pillows for a moment.
"Incidentally, what is the time?" she asked and Joseph checked his watch.
"About nine…. Why, in a hurry to get back to work already?" he teased, and she laughed.
"No …." she trailed off as another thought hit her- what would the headlines be in the papers?
"Where are you going?" he asked as she slid out of bed, slipping on her bathrobe, and heading towards the doors that led to the living room.
"I'm just wondering what the headlines in the papers are!" she called over her shoulder, and Joseph followed her.
The papers were, as usual, spread out on her desk awaiting her perusal, and she picked up the first one curiously…
As she had suspected, they had made the front page of all the papers, with headlines ranging from: 'QUEEN MARRIES BODYGUARD IN SURPRISE CEREMONY!' to 'PRINCESS/QUEEN WEDDING SWAP: PRINCESS DOESN'T, BUT QUEEN DOES' while the third newspaper read: 'OUT IN THE OPEN: SECRET LOVE MADE OFFICIAL!'
"Wow, these headlines really were imaginative, weren't they?" Joseph murmured in surprise as he wound an arm around her waist, and perused the headlines from over her shoulder. "I've never been on the front page of any newspaper before!"
"Enjoy it, although it does get intrusive after a while… although, I have to admit, this is one of the few times that I'm enjoying it… "
"What are they saying?" he asked as she perused a paper.
"Nothing of consequence… they have a few eyewitness accounts from the ceremony, but the information isn't exactly all correct… it seems that our wedding guests were able to keep a secret from the press!"
"And this journalist is upset that Elsie Kentworthy managed to get exclusive shots from inside the ceremony, but they only got pictures of us outside the church!"
"I suppose I should really ask Charlotte to release a statement confirming our marriage…." Clarisse sighed wearily as she walked over to turn the television on via remote, and sank down on the couch. "But honestly, everyone knows it's true. I just want to keep this private…"
"Understandable and you don't have to if you don't want to," Joe said as he sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "Anything you want to do is fine with me…."
0000
After watching some of Elsie Kentworthy's show (where she was clearly delighted about the fact that she had the exclusive details of the wedding), Clarisse reluctantly realised that it was time she got dressed, and went downstairs to see what was going on.
"What are you going to do?" she asked as she stood up and stretched, and Joseph grinned as he stood up with her.
"Well, I thought that I would join you down in your study… I don't have anything else to do today, and I don't mind… just as long as we're together!"
"That's sweet of you," Clarisse said with a fond smile. "I'm hoping that there isn't that much to do… I don't want to do much work today, for some reason!"
Half an hour later, they emerged from their suite hand in hand, and walked down to Clarisse's suite, almost completely oblivious to everyone around them. Both of them would have been surprised at the reaction their appearance had evoked- the guards thoroughly approved of the marriage, and they were thrilled to see how happy they were together.
When they walked into Clarisse's study, Clarisse was surprised to see Mia sitting in her chair, chatting happily to Charlotte. They both looked up when the couple came in, and looked rather taken aback to see them there. Mia quickly recovered to smile happily at them.
"Good morning, newlyweds…"
"Good morning Mia and Charlotte," Clarisse said calmly. "What are you two doing here?"
"I was just about to ask you the same question- what are you two doing here?"
"What do you mean 'what are we doing here'? I know that there's still quite a bit of work to do before your coronation next week," Clarisse said as she sat down in the chair opposite Mia, Joseph standing behind her.
"We thought that… well, you just got married yesterday, and I thought that you would want to spend some time with your new husband!"
"Joseph has decided to stay here while I work," Clarisse explained, patting Joseph's hand happily. "So, what's on my schedule for today?"
Charlotte and Mia exchanged another smug look, and Clarisse couldn't help but feel slightly suspicious… what had those two girls done now?
"Well… don't get mad, but Charlotte and I were discussing it with Sebastian last night, and we thought that it would be nice if we cleared your schedule for the next three or four days so that you and Joe could go the beach house or the Winter Palace…"
"I see," Clarisse managed to say as she stared at the two young women in astonishment and slight annoyance. "How did you manage to clear my schedule? I thought that it was packed all week… not to mention that you forgot to consult me about this?" she said, a tinge of sarcasm in her voice.
Mia, however, was completely unperturbed by Clarisse's annoyance.
"We didn't want to disturb you, Grandma… you've done such a great job preparing for the last few weeks, and there are only minor details to wrap up… Besides, I think you and I both know that you've been working very, very hard for the past month, not to mention the past five or so years, and you deserve to have a break… I know that you won't be Queen after next week, but this is a special time for both you and your husband, and you deserve it."
She looked gently at her grandmother, and Clarisse suddenly found that she couldn't be mad at Mia… It was true, it was a special time for them, and there was Joseph to consider in her plans as well… Joseph squeezed her hand gently, and Clarisse finally found the words to speak.
"Thank you both very much… It's a lovely idea and we…" she glanced at Joseph, who only nodded. "Would be delighted to accept it."
"We were hoping that you would because we've already had your maids packing some clothes for you, and the car is ready to go outside… We've set up a decoy, as the press will be trying to get another picture of you," Mia waved one of the papers in their direction.
"The official limousine will be going to the airport, to where our plane should be leaving, and we're hoping that the press will follow it… You will be in the plain black car heading in the opposite direction…"
She chuckled at the stunned looks on Clarisse and Joe's faces, before Joe had to laugh along.
"You're going to be an excellent Queen, Mia… I can tell by the fact that you've planned to get us out of the palace as soon as possible!"
"Thank goodness I've finally got my act together… besides, I can't have a party with you two being here!" she joked before looking past him into the doorway, where Clarisse's maids were standing.
"Right, it looks like you're ready to go…"
They all stood up together, and Mia moved over to give Joe an impulsive hug.
"Have a great time, and I'm going to make sure that you have a decent honeymoon when all this is over… take care of her," she added into his ear, and he squeezed her warmly, suddenly realising just how fond he was of the girl.
"I will, and we will have a good time…"
Mia moved over to Clarisse, who was still looking slightly bewildered at the turn of events, but also happy to have some time off, and couldn't resist laughing at her expression.
"Don't worry, the palace will be still standing by the time you get back!" she joked as Clarisse pulled her close for a hug, tears filling her eyes. Everything had been so wonderful since yesterday, and she couldn't believe how happy she was…
"I hope so… and thank you, darling," she whispered into Mia's ear… she wished she could tell Mia exactly what she was feeling, but there were still a few things that would take a little more time. She had begun opening her heart years before, when she fell for Joseph, but it still would take a little more time to complete… Mia, however, sensed her quandary when she pulled away, as she beamed happily into her grandmother's face.
"Have a great time!" was all she said, but her eyes told Clarisse what she wanted to know.
0000
After a few exciting moments when they quickly dashed from the front of the palace to the car, they soon found themselves in the black sedan borrowed from the palace garages, following the royal limousine out of the gates. The press were camped out in front of the gates, and the movement from the palace had alerted to the fact that it was possible that the royal newlyweds were on the move.
Joseph had planned on driving up to the beach house, and he tapped on the steering wheel a little nervously as they followed the limo up the driveway. Clarisse, who was sitting beside him, sank a little in her seat as the limo turned in one direction and their car in the other direction… would they follow the ruse?
"Which way are the photographers looking?" she hissed softly as they headed north, and Joe glanced in his review mirror for a moment.
"They took the bait… they're following the limo!"
"Good," Clarisse gave a deep sigh of relief as she straightened back up into her seat. "I just don't want to have to explain us to the rest of the media… they're already annoyed they haven't had any exclusive pictures, or even a statement confirming the wedding, and now…"
"Don't worry; I'm sure it's all going to blow over… I'm sure that Mia and Charlotte will be able to handle anything," Joe reached over and stroked her hand reassuringly for a moment.
"Besides, now that we're heading to the beach house and we're in hiding for the next four days… Oh, I've just realised something else- we're heading in the direction of a certain spot you asked me to take you to again some day…"
"Oh yes…" Clarisse's eyes began to sparkle with pleasure at the memory. "You are definitely going to stop when we get there!"
A little over an hour and a half later, Joseph pulled up in the familiar spot, which was thankfully deserted, and Clarisse beamed happily as he helped her out of the car before they walked over to the fence overlooking the ravine. Clarisse stood close to him as he put an arm around her, and they enjoyed the sunshine and the warm breeze for a few minutes.
"I… I came out here that night…" Joe said after a moment of looking out towards the sea in the distance. "It was the only place where I could go and think… I think I got here in about an hour, and I remember being surprised that I hadn't been done for speeding…"
"But were you in one of the palace cars?" Clarisse asked impishly, and he laughed sheepishly.
"Yes, which is why I didn't get caught… Anyway, I just stood out here for a while and thought… I thought that we might never be together…"
"Oh darling," Clarisse said softly, turning to look at him. "I never realised… well, we don't need to think about that anymore… we're together now and, you're definitely going to be bringing me out here again!... We'll have plenty of time to do that!"
They both laughed as they looked out at the view again, and Clarisse beamed tenderly down at the wedding band Joseph had slipped on her finger the previous afternoon. Joseph saw where she was looking, and smiled- he hadn't realised how much it would mean to her…
"By the way, when did you take the other ring off?" he asked after a moment, turning to look at her, and resting his left hand on the fence with hers.
"Oh… I took it off the night we… anyway, I thought that since I wouldn't been Queen in a week, and it was time to start anew with a new life… and it included taking off the ring that Rupert had given me. It was a lovely ring, but I found it too big and ostentatious… Rupert insisted that a Princess, and future Queen, needed a decent ring, so I didn't argue… But he never wore a wedding ring, which is why I can't believe that you're wearing one… how does it feel?"
Joe looked down at his left hand next to hers and smiled- he had never been married before, and hadn't really thought that much about having a ring to wear, but he had to admit that he liked this one… it meant more to him that Clarisse had given it to him, and that he was now, officially, taken…
"I've never had one before, but I like it… I like the fact that it will tell everyone that I'm a married man…"
"Oh Joseph…" Clarisse crooned softly as she leant over and kissed him. "I like being a married woman again, too…"
They stood there for a few moments more, before Joseph glanced at his watch.
"I know we could stand here forever, but I think it might be time to keep going… we've still got another almost two hours till we get to the beach house…"
"I know," Clarisse said as she looked out at the view again. "I just love this view so much, and I'm glad that you showed it to me…."
0000
Clarisse beamed happily as Joseph drove on the gravel paved driveway of the beach house- although her garden was her sanctuary, and she enjoyed her time at the Winter Palace as well, she loved coming out to the beach house, even though she had never spent any more than a day there… Unlike either palace, however, there was more sentimental value for Clarisse- originally intended as Phillipe's weekend and summer retreat, he had invited Clarisse to use it whenever possible, but she hadn't had the chance…
More of a simple house than a palace, it was situated several hundred metres away from the ocean. It was two storeys with three bedrooms, with the main bedroom taking up most of the second floor, with its own en-suite and balcony; a large, airy living room that opened out onto the sand, two bathrooms, and a large open kitchen. There was also a garage and a smaller cottage a little distance from the house, intended for guests or the security entourage, but she was relieved to know that they wouldn't need it at all.
It was a gorgeous, simple house and Clarisse wished that she could have managed to spend some time out there… especially with Phillipe… But she would be spending her first few days of married life with her new husband, and it suddenly took on even more significance….
She sighed happily as Joseph pulled up outside the main entrance, and was literally bubbling over with excitement when he helped her out of the car.
"This is such a lovely place… so close to the ocean, and located in the middle of nowhere," she sighed happily, breathing in the scent of the ocean.
"Yes, it's always been so pretty," Joseph agreed- he had accompanied the Prince out several times on day trips, as well as Clarisse, but he was looking forward to making memories of the first few days of married life with his wife…
"Yes, I wished that I could have spent a night or two here," Clarisse said thoughtfully as she followed him back to the boot of the car, and he laughed.
"We will now, and it's going to be great fun!"
"By the way, I forgot to ask Mia- what are we going to do about food for the next few days?"
"According to Mia, the boot is packed with food, and the house was resupplied with more food last week (possibly in anticipation for her and Andrew, I assume), so we don't need to worry!"
"She's a lot more organised than I gave her credit for," she murmured in an undertone as Joseph opened the boot. Sure enough, there were several boxes of food packed into one side of the car, and their luggage was arranged on the other side.
As Clarisse reached in eagerly to take the first suitcase out, Joseph stopped her with a grin.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I am reaching for a suitcase to carry in, Joseph," she looked at him mock haughtily for a moment. "I can't expect you to carry everything in… and this seems to be light enough…"
She lifted it easily out of the car, and then suddenly dropped in on the ground. "Actually, it seems to be a bit heavier than I imagined…"
"I suppose that the maids packed all your clothes," he teased with a grin, and Clarisse pretended to glare at him before dissolving into a smile.
"Here, you can carry one of these boxes in…I'll deal with the luggage."
She waited patiently for him to bring their luggage to the main doorway, and waited as he unlocked the door.
"Wait!" he said dramatically as she stepped towards the doorway, and she had to laugh at him.
"Are you going to do what I think you're going to do again?"
"Of course… there are only a few times that I will be able to do this, and I enjoy it… after all, it is our honeymoon!" he chuckled before he lifted her up and carried her over the threshold again.
00
After unpacking the boxes of food in the kitchen, Joseph amazed at how many electrical appliances there were in the kitchen, they went upstairs to the main bedroom to unpack their clothes, opening windows on the way to air the place out.
"This view is breathtaking!" Clarisse cried as she opened the curtains and windows, before stepping out onto the balcony, the ocean before her. "I can't wait to wake up to the sound of the ocean in the morning!"
"Neither can I!" Joe said as he followed her out onto the balcony and put an arm around her waist. "It is a wonderful view, I agree with you there… but I have an even better view," he said as he looked at Clarisse's profile, and Clarisse blushed as she turned to look at him.
"Stop that… you're embarrassing me!"
"I know, and I'm planning on doing that every day, for the rest of our lives… I wish you would realise and accept how beautiful you really are… and you are to me…. Anyway," he continued after Clarisse had leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I thought we came upstairs to unpack!"
The unpacking didn't take too long- Clarisse couldn't help but chuckle when she saw the difference in the way their clothes had been packed- hers had been packed carefully into her suitcase, while Joseph's had seemingly been tossed into the other suitcase without much thought at all.
"I assume Scott had something to do with this," he said rather sarcastically as he unfolded the tangle of clothes from his suitcase. "I can just see him throwing everything into a suitcase without folding it…Yours, I see, look a lot less wrinkled!"
"Yes, my girls do take care with my clothes," Clarisse said impishly as she hung up another blouse. "I would have wondered if they hadn't, after working for me for so long… I notice that there are some clothes in here that I haven't worn in quite a while!"
"You couldn't exactly were one of your lovely, tailored suits at the beach, could you my dear?" he teased as he placed a stack of his clothes into one of the shelves in the built in cupboard.
"No, I couldn't," she agreed with him. "But I will enjoy not being dressed up- some of those clothes are so very restrictive!"
After they both changed into more comfortable clothes, Clarisse looked longingly out onto the beach again, and Joseph knew what she wanted to do.
"Did you want to go for a walk on the beach?" he asked after a moment, and she beamed happily at him.
"Yes, I would love to… and I know that I'm not going to wear shoes…" she said before she slipped off her shoes, and Joseph laughed.
"I suppose you've never done that before?" he asked as he followed her out of the glass doors downstairs onto the patio, and she chuckled.
"When I was a little girl, I did… but not for a long time since then… I wanted to, though!" she joked ruefully, thinking of the other times she had been out to the beach, and hadn't taken the chance… The last time she had been out here was when Mia and Andrew had had their first appearance as a couple.
It seemed as they were all alone in the world as they strolled down in the mid afternoon sunshine to the edge of the water, and Clarisse squealed slightly as the cold water rushed over her feet. Joseph laughed at her reaction, and she threw him a look before he took her hand in his, and they headed down the beach.
"It feels like we're the only ones in the world right now," Clarisse said softly after a few moments, and Joseph nodded- it was exactly what he had been thinking.
"That's exactly what I was thinking," he said, and she grinned at him.
"I guess we know each other too well…" she teased, and he laughed as he put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. "I wish we had more time… three days seems like too little now," she said wistfully.
"Oh, there was something else I needed to tell you… Mia insisted that we tack an extra day onto this break… today doesn't count, apparently, because we've been travelling, so we've got four full days here. She said, and I quote her directly, 'I don't expect to see you back here until Wednesday night or Thursday morning!'"
"When did she say that?" she asked, looking at him, but laughing as she imagined Mia saying exactly that to Joseph, and secretly rejoicing that they didn't have to go back so soon.
"While you were dashing out to the car to avoid the press, Mia pulled me aside to give me a few more things she thought I needed to know!" Clarisse had to smile to herself
"What a thoughtful girl…"
00
She didn't realise how late it was in the afternoon until, as they headed back towards the house, she suddenly realised that the sun was beginning to disappear over the horizon, and the air was beginning to get chilly.
"What time is it?" she asked as they stepped back into the house, and he slid the glass doors shut behind him before switching on the lights.
"About five thirty… almost time for dinner… So, would you like to sample my infamous spaghetti bolognaise?"
"I'd love it… I've never tried any of your cooking before, besides those sandwiches," Clarisse said as she followed him into the kitchen, ready to help. "What would you like me to do?"
He, however, had other plans as he chivvied her towards one of the stools sitting in front of the bench.
"I don't need any help in the kitchen tonight… you can just sit and watch the master!"
"Don't you trust me to help?" she pretended to pout, and he laughed.
"How long has it been since you cooked something… anything?" he asked pointedly, and Clarisse had to think hard for a moment.
"About… ah… no comment," she laughed, realising that it had been a very, very long time since she had done any cooking. As he rummaged through the cupboards, looking for cooking materials, she glanced around and realised that there were no telephones.
"Where are all the telephones?" Clarisse asked after a moment, and Joseph grinned as he emerged from the pantry.
"Apparently all the phones needed to be removed last week as there was a technical fault with them, so we've only got my mobile phone to rely on!"
"Completely and utterly cut off from the world," Clarisse murmured to herself in wonder, and then smiled happily- she was pleased that they were finally alone.
"I'm glad of it, actually… no one can bother us for the next few days…"
She watched him as he began preparing food, and realised that she wanted to have a shower.
"You don't mind if I have a shower, do you?" she asked as she stood up and stretched, and Joseph smiled at her, touched that she was asking, even though she didn't need to.
For someone who had been alone for so long, she had quickly settled into accepting someone else in her life, and being mindful of their needs and feelings… although he knew that she had always considered his feelings and needs.
"Of course not… take your time!" he grinned- he wanted to surprise her, and it fitted in that she decided to disappear upstairs for a shower.
When she came back downstairs twenty minutes later, she found that Joseph had planned a surprise for her- the table, set for two, had two lit candles in the middle, the lights were dimmed, and there was an open bottle of wine waiting for them. He was just putting a second plate on the table when she came into the room.
"What a lovely surprise!" Clarisse cried with delight as Joseph escorted her to her seat, holding out her chair for her, and she looked down at the appetising meal in front of her as he sat down opposite her.
"And this looks absolutely delicious, Joseph… you are always full of surprises, aren't you?"
"Yes… that's one of the things you will have to get used to… I like surprising people, and I love surprising you!"
He stood up and walked over to kiss her softly, before walking back to his chair and sitting down with a grin. "Now, eat up! You've still got dessert on the way!"
"Yes sir!" Clarisse said impertinently, mock saluting him, before smiling at him and tucking into her food.
Dessert was apple pie and ice cream that Joseph had 'found in the freezer', and Clarisse was full when she leant back in her chair, watching as Joseph poured another glass of wine for her.
"That was wonderful… much better than the food served at the formal dinners I attended!"
"Yes, I always wondered how you could bear to eat any of that," Joe grinned, and Clarisse shrugged nonchalantly.
"I got used to it over the years… but this was fantastic- you really a good cook," she smiled lovingly over at him. "Maybe you might have to teach me some of your secrets…"
"I could teach you a few things, but then I would have to gag you, so I'll think I'll keep my secret… But I will enlist you to help me with the washing up, when that happens…"
"I can do that quite well," Clarisse said calmly before she sipped her wine. "I noticed that there was a television in the living room… did you want to watch anything before we go to bed?"
"Not really… there's an even better one upstairs, with a good collection of DVDs… I think it might be more comfortable to watch something in bed!"
"I've never done that before," Clarisse beamed brightly at him, and he chuckled.
"It's a good habit to get into, and I'm pleased that I can introduce you to it!"
"We really are going through a lot of firsts together, aren't we?" she asked softly, and he leaned over the table and took her hand in his.
"Yes we are… "
After doing the washing up together, they decided to head upstairs to have an early night. While Joseph had a shower, Clarisse changed into her nightgown and casually perused the three shelves of DVDs situated next to the television set.
"What were you thinking about watching?" came Joseph's voice behind her, and she almost jumped out of her skin as she turned to see him, clad in his bathrobe, his pyjama bottoms poking out of the bottom of the robe.
"I didn't think you would be out for a while!" she gasped, and he laughed as he walked over to join her in front of the shelves.
"Unlike you and your granddaughter, I don't need to spend forever in the shower," he teased as he wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned against him for a moment. "So, what have you decided for us to watch?"
"I don't know… I was just looking to see what was here…"
She put the DVD she had been looking at away, and walked over to toss her dressing gown onto the chair near the bed, and look out at the starry night. She was startled (and a little pleased) to hear him whistle and she turned to look at him with a mock stern look.
"What do you think you're whistling at?"
"I was… I was just thinking how lovely you look in that pink nightgown," he said almost shyly, and she blushed as she walked over to him, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Thank you… you're very handsome in your robe as well," she murmured softly before kissing him. After a moment's pause, the DVD and television were both forgotten as Joseph slowly led her over towards the bed…
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The next morning, Joseph woke up and wondered where he was for a moment before, after hearing the sound of the ocean outside, he realised where he was… at the beach house, with Clarisse, his wife! He rolled over to greet her but, to his surprise, her side of the bed was empty.
"Good morning, my love!" came Clarisse's cheerful voice from the doorway of the bedroom, and he turned to see her walking into the room carrying a tray. "I thought that I would do the same for you as you did for me yesterday," she explained as she handed him the food laden tray, and sat down on the edge of the bed with a happy smile.
"That was very thoughtful of you," he said before he put the tray on the bedside table next to him, and pulled her onto the bed to kiss her.
"Good morning, darling," he said after they broke apart, and she smiled a little shyly at him as she sat up on the pillows next to him. "So, what is the plan for today?" he asked as he poured two cups of tea, and handed her one.
"I don't mind what we do… It's such a relief not to have second of the day mapped out for me that I don't care what we do today…"
"Well, you won't be having every second of every day mapped out for you in a few days… then you'll be completely free to do what you want!"
"Hmmm… I wonder what I'm going to do with my time?" she pretended to look puzzled, and then laughed out loud when she saw Joseph's slightly unimpressed expression.
"Will you miss it?" he asked softly, handing her a plate of toast, and she looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I might miss it for a little while… after all, my life has been planned for the past 40 years, both as Princess and Queen, and it's going to feel a little strange not to have it all planned… Still, I think… Actually, I know," she added with a smile at Joseph. "I'm going to enjoy being able to do what I want… with you…."
He leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the lips, and she smiled happily at him before they both got back to their toast.
"So… did you want to watch movies all day in bed… or shall we go to the beach for a couple of hours?" he asked after a moment, and Clarisse smiled happily at him.
"Let's go to the beach… we could go swimming!"
After breakfast, they sat out on the balcony adjacent to their bedroom and looked out at the relatively calm ocean for a little while, before Clarisse decided that it was time to go the beach. She disappeared into the bathroom to get changed, and Joseph waited patiently downstairs for her, a picnic basket packed for the day, before she came downstairs with an excited smile.
"Let's go!"
As soon as they got down to the beach, they decided to go for a swim first, and Joseph's jaw literally dropped when he saw Clarisse's slim figure in the blue swimsuit he had only seen once or twice in the past ten years. Clarisse laughed at his stupefied expression, knowing what he was thinking.
"This is why I don't wear my bathing suit all that often!" she joked as she finished stripping off her clothes, and standing in front of him with a radiant smile.
"I always suspected your reaction would be like this- and I'm flattered- but it's still funny to see you actually act like this now!"
"You're… you're beautiful," he managed to murmur in a soft voice, managing to find his voice again and she laughed as she took his hand in hers and kissed it lightly.
"Thank you…. I bet you I'll beat you to the water!"
They spent much of the day at the beach, swimming, laughing and teasing each other and enjoying the fact that they were alone. They had never had the chance to spend so much time alone together, and although Clarisse was initially a little shy being around Joseph (despite everything that had happened between them in the past few days), they were happier than ever…
There was only a slim chance that anyone would figure out where they were, and no one could contact them, except Mia…. But Clarisse was surprised to discover that she didn't miss the politics and chaos of the palace, and she barely thought about it at all during their honeymoon…
"What was your honeymoon with Rupert like?" Joseph finally plucked up the courage to ask her on their second night there. He had always wondered what had happened on her first honeymoon- surely, in the beginning, they would have cared about each other enough… he had, sadly, been an unfortunate witness to their unravelling marriage over the years….
Clarisse sighed as she looked out the ocean view from their bedroom window, dark stormy clouds looming on the horizon, and cast her mind back to a honeymoon that she barely remembered, with a man she hadn't thought about in years, had been somewhat afraid of (in the early years), and whom she hadn't loved as much as she loved Joseph…
"Well, I was eighteen and just out of high school, so I had very little experience about life and love. Rupert was the handsome Prince of Genovia, heir to the throne, and every girl I knew dreamed of being married to him…"
"What about you?" Joseph asked gently, and she smiled warmly at him.
"Actually, I really couldn't have cared less, to tell you the truth… he was handsome, and kind, but I never dreamed of being his Princess and Queen… Anyway, the wedding was an enormous affair, with at least six hundred people I never heard of as guests… I was shy and afraid, but Rupert looked after me," she smiled in the dark at the memory.
"He knew that I wasn't used to procedures and protocols, and he helped me- something for which I will always be grateful…
Anyway, our honeymoon was a two month trip around Europe, and was a combination of business and pleasure, and it was lovely. I had travelled around when I was a young girl, but this time was different. Rupert did his best to keep me comfortable and relaxed, and I thought that I would have the chance to get to know him better…
Unfortunately, the only time we were really alone was at night- we were literally surrounded by everyone all day, all the time, and I was still getting used to everything… it overwhelmed it a little. It was a lovely honeymoon, but it wasn't what I wanted… I just wanted a few days away from the palace, his parents and his responsibilities to get to know him and even fall in love with him… But, sadly, it wasn't meant to be, and our marriage never really recovered from that beginning….
This, what I'm sharing with you, is what I wanted with Rupert… but, in hindsight, I don't think he would have liked it… he wanted more glamour and to be seen by everyone… This time, however, I am thoroughly enjoying every moment of my honeymoon, and that's because I'm with the man I love- and I know inside out," she said as she snuggled up to him in bed and Joseph put his arms around her.
"I'm sorry… I just wanted to know…"
"And I wanted to tell you," she looked at him earnestly as lightning lit up the room, and Clarisse cuddled up even more. "I'm sorry… I just don't like thunder storms that much!"
"Really… did you want me to shut the curtains, then?" Joseph asked solicitously, and Clarisse smiled at him.
"No, I'll be fine… I know you like to watch them develop and come over…"
She shivered even more as a clap of thunder echoed outside.
"But I really don't like storms, I never have… Anyway," she continued after a pause. "I know you've never been married before, but is this what you imagined your honeymoon to be?"
"Yes… I've always just wanted a few days away with the woman I love… funnily enough, I only ever imagined enjoying this with one person…"
He trailed off as he looked significantly at Clarisse in the dark as lightning again lit up the room, and she smiled tenderly at him.
"I always imagined this with you as well… I don't know how we managed to stay apart over the last few days, and I don't really want to figure out why… But I have to confess that I was lost without you those few days… I actually wondered whether you would ever forgive me for what I said, and what I didn't do…"
"I was lost without you too," Joseph said honestly as he stroked her hair, and she leaned her head against his chest, loving to hear his steady heartbeat. "I thought I might have been able to last without you, but I don't think I could have… I love you, Clarisse… more than you will ever know…"
"I love you too, Joseph," she said softly, and as his lips came down onto hers, the world suddenly faded into the background, just like the storm now above them…