Author's note: this is the final chapter of Hell's angel part 2. In a way there's an open ending to the story but it centered around a Queen and a motor cycle and that's how I want to keep it.
Chapter 7 – An eye opener
When Joe entered the Queen's office his liege made a point of checking her watch.
Joe swallowed.
´Today I learned that my head of security is a macho,´ the Queen greeted him.
Joe's limbs made themselves felt even more.
´A macho who neglected his duty,´ the Queen continued. ´Pray tell me what other things besides wanting to drive my own motor cycle I shouldn't be doing? Being a woman.´
Joe was relieved that she hadn't figured out what had bothered him. He was – for now – saved from giving a reply by a knock on the door, immediately followed by prince Philippe's entrance.
´Surprise!´
´Darling!´
The Queen rose to embrace her son. ´I thought you wouldn't arrive until the day after tomorrow.´
´But here I am,´ he replied, kissing her cheeks.
´Hello Joe,´ he greeted the head of security.
Joe inclined his head: ´Your Highness.´
Prince Philippe glanced from his mother to Joe.
´Am I interrupting?´
´Yes you are,´ the Queen admitted, ´If you could leave us alone...´
´Did you get yourself in trouble Joe?´ the prince teased.
´Will you join me for tea in ten minutes Philippe?´ Her Majesty replied.
After the door closed behind the prince all warmth left the Queen's eyes.
Joe quickly took the initiative and admitted that he had acted unprofessionally: he should have followed her suggestion and have someone pick up himself and his bike. He didn't tell her that it wasn't until he'd been dragging his bike along that he'd realised he should have told Iglesias to stay behind, so he could have taken the guard's bike (increased as it was, but that mattered not for him). At least there was one thing he'd done correctly: ´I contacted Teballi to tell him to take charge until my return.´
The Queen raised her eyebrows.
Conscience Joe told him he was a moron. Joe couldn't agree more.
´I am not pleased with your choice to stay with your machine -´
She raised her hand to prevent him from replying.
´... but I am more concerned about your macho attitude. I am but a woman and should not be riding?´
Joe hated the idea that she thought he was a sexist pig but he'd die of shame should she find out the real reason why he couldn't sit behind her.
´Ma'am, please believe me that all I could think of was your safety,´ he replied.
´Really Joseph? Should I still believe that it was a communication error that made you forget to tell the guards about the free licenses? Or did that, in some weird way, have to do with keeping me safe as well?´
´That was a communication error ma'am.´
So why don't you look into my eyes? the Queen wondered.
´I need to think this over Joseph,´ she said, picking up her pen.
He bowed his head and left.
OoOoOoO
Prince Philippe, upon leaving his mother's office, walked into Charlotte's domain. After exchanging small talk with the secretary, the prince casually remarked that Joe had seemed uncomfortable. He sensed that Charlotte wanted to avoid the subject so he gave her a roguish grin. It made her blush and whisper: ´His bike had to be fixed. I believe that Her Majesty wasn't pleased that it took him so long to return to the Castle.´
´If Joe wants to spend his spare time in a ga-´
He stopped talking when Charlotte shook her head.
´He and two other guards accompanied Her Majesty and then his bike broke down.´
The prince informed after the damage but Charlotte couldn't tell him about it.
´Well,´ the prince said, ´the Queen can hardly blame Joe for it.´
´No no, she doesn't,´ the loyal secretary explained, ´I'm not quite sure, but I think that they had arranged for Joe to come back earlier, without him waiting for his bike to be repaired.´
´I would want to be present too when my bike needed mechanical attention,´ the prince said, ´and I am sure Joe only stayed because he knew Her Majesty to be safe.´
OoOoOoO
Prince Philippe had often seen his mother pour tea and he never failed to admire the elegant way in which she did so. He smiled fondly.
´Here you are darling,´ the Queen said as she handed him his cup and saucer, ´What is it?´
´Oh, I again realise that I have a gracious mother.´
He suddenly thought of something. ´You even ride your motor cycle elegantly.´
She raised her eyebrows. He looked caught.
´The subject being...´
´Please don't be hard on Joe. He's very good at his job and I can understand that he wanted to see what the mechanics were doing to his bike.´
´He was on duty Philippe. And he is not his motor cycle's bodyguard.´
They drank their tea and the prince told his mother about a plan princess Emma had made.
´We are to tour in the Netherlands. She wrote down names of cities we'll pass or visit and they all have unpronounceable names with heaps of Gs in them. I think she made half of them up.´
´I very much doubt that. You might find your motor cycle lacking for petrol in a town called...´
The Queen concentrated.
´Ghou-jan-ver-welle-slois.´
Philippe raised his teacup by way of salute.
His mother shook her head: ´I never get the first and the last syllable right.´
´Well,´ her son said, ´if I won't be able to continue cycling in whatever ill-named town I will ask Emma if she can give me a ride.´
The Queen smiled in her cup. She got Philippe where she wanted him.
´You would trust her to drive you?´
The phone rang. The Queen checked the display. ´It's the Prime Minister dear, I am sorry.´
Philippe gestured that he didn't mind her answering the call. As his mother was talking to Mr Motaz he thought about her question. Of course he trusted Emma. She was unafraid but not reckless. Unlike most bikers she never disregarded the traffic rules but she wasn't a sissy. He pictured himself sitting on her bike's rear seat. He'd have to hold her. Well, she was his friend. His female friend. He shook his head.
The Queen put down the phone. ´I am sorry darling. What were we talking about?´
´About whether I'd trust Emma to drive me.´
´Oh yes. Would you?´
´Of course I would.´
The Queen was relieved to learn that her son was a modern man.
Philippe laughed: ´Imagine Mother: someone taking a picture of Emma driving me on her bike. Me holding her. My body pressed against hers. They'll say we'll be married before the end of the year.´
´They say that every year,´ the Queen smirked.
She had no difficulty discussing Pierre's upcoming birthday even though she was thinking about a possible cause for Joseph's behaviour.
My body pressed against hers.
'I think your brother will appreciate a metre of thrillers,' she replied to Philippe's idea for a present.
Had the holding part been the reason for Joseph's refusal? Surely not? He was her bodyguard, close physical contact was needed now and then. He sometimes placed his hand on her lower back when guiding her through a crowd. Having to hold her wouldn't cause him to feel repul - .
A picture showed itself for her mind's eye. To suppress a naughty smile she interrupted Philippe.
'Wrapping up that many books as one present will tear the paper before Pierre can open his present.'
'I'll be careful and it would just be the outer layer of paper. I might wrap three or four books together. I'd just love to see him try to remove the paper. I'll put lots of tape around each parcel. It will be fun.'
With her son grinning about the silly joke he would pull his brother the Queen allowed herself a smile. Joseph on her motor cycle...
Could it be that Joseph agreed with Tittle Tattle and thought her body to be "shapely"? Had he perhaps felt that he couldn't guard his own body sitting behind her?
A dirty mind is a joy forever Clarisse, she told herself.
OoOoOoO
When the prince left he asked her again not to be hard on Joe.
'I will try not to,' she lied.
She would tell Joseph that she had realised she couldn't accuse him of being a macho on account of one unfortunate remark. He would exhale and assure her that he was the last person to think there was anything women couldn't or shouldn't do. She would say that the prince had told her that a biker would want to witness what the mechanics were doing to his motor cycle. Joseph would incline his head and remind himself to thank His Royal Highness.
As for neglecting his duty, she'd tell him that she knew it would never happen again, no matter the state of his machine. She would give him a small smile then and he would relax.
A wicked grin adorned Clarisse's face when she pictured the next scene. The Castle's grounds are perfectly safe, aren't they Joseph?
He'd nod. Confident and proud.
To prove I can handle my motor cycle even with a passenger on it, I can drive you around on the grounds.
The muscle near his eye would start twitching.
She'd give him an escape route: Or would you agree that having a passenger on the rear seat is safe as can be?
Would he be able to hide his relief? From her trained eye?
Joseph would readily agree. Knowing him he had already worked out a different scenario: one that excluded anyone to sit on her motor cycle's rear seat.
Back to reality.
Tonight she would attend the opening night of Wonderful town. She hadn't yet told her dress maid which gown she would wear: a Valentino which would show modest cleavage or an Armani which bared her shoulders and part of her back.
The choice was easily made now. After all: Joseph would stand behind her most of the time...
A shiver of anticipation ran through her body.
Poor Joseph. She would tease him mercilessly.