JUJUChick16: Thank you very much, I´m sooooo sorry it took so long, I´ll be quicker next time!
addlogcon: Yeah, he is... There´ll be a lot more of those dialogues, dialogues are fun :D I´ve started on a one shot that´ll be only about Clarisse and Rupert, I hope I can post it sometime soon.
bluegirl-783: Hey :D Aw, thank you- yeah, Clarisse actually doesn´t have a plan and it´s worrying her of course but she´ll have to live with it... I can´t really imagine what it is like to be in an arranged marriage of course but I HAVE tried the relationship with my best friend thing and that´s how I think it might be if you have done it for several decades, you know each other inside out, you know exactly what buttons to push, you fight a lot but in the end you are always sorry for having hurt each other- it´s not going to be easy for her.
Captian Weirdo: Thank you- hehe, yes, they sure do- and she does have a bad conscience but I can´t help her there ;) Aw, thanks, that´s really nice of you!
Prettycrazy: Thanks- aw, I know, I´m afraid you won´t really appreciate this story but I promise I´m working on something just Rupert/Clarisse featured and I WILL finish it at some point- it won´t be a really fluffy story, it will be rather melancholic but I think you´ll like it all the same- well, I hope you keep reading and reviewing anyway!
Clarisse Renaldi: Yeah, classic is good for them, fitting- yeah, I never have betrayed anyone but I don´t think it´s really easy for anyone, no matter how difficult or even messed up a marriage is. Ok, I obviously did not and I´m sorry but here´s the next part, finally.
"Long morning?"
Josef asked sympathetically as the queen sank down on a chair at the breakfast table, next to Charlotte who was making notes on her clipboard while scanning the newspaper.
"Long and rather unpleasant phone conversation" Clarisse offered and his expression instantly changed into one of concern, then, with a sideways glance at Charlotte, it became impressive again.
"I see- shall I drop you off at the way to Miss MIa´s house?"
Charlotte looked up, surprised and Clarisse hastily nodded.
"Yes, thank you, Josef."
"Who is going to pick you up again, Your Majesty?"
Charlotte asked, frowning but Josef obviously had thought that through.
"The appointment isn´t going to take longer than an hour, Charlotte, I´ll drive the princess to school, then I´ll pick up Her Majesty and bring her back here."
Charlotte nodded.
"That sounds plausible."
Clarisse felt Josef´s hand lightly brushing against her´s as he reached for the bread and she felt a shiver run down her spine, the simple touch instantly had her on fire again.
"When will Amelia be here today, Josef?"
She asked, avoiding his gaze, she feared that she wouldn´t be able to look away again and after all Charlotte was still sitting next to them.
"At two, Ma´am- what have you planned for today?"
"Nothing special, walking, talking, drinking tea."
"Sounds like great fun, could I join you?"
Josef joked, causing Clarisse to chuckle.
"Lovely, Josef, I bet Amelia would like that a lot- I´ll go and get my handbag now."
"I´ll come with you, I need to get my jacket" Josef stated, getting up and pulling back Clarisse´s chair.
Charlotte´s phone rang at that precise moment and she started talking while the queen and Josef left the room and started to climb the staircase.
Josef had Clarisse pushed up against the door of her room as soon as it had closed behind them, his lips pressing down on her´s in a passionate kiss and Clarisse moaned into his mouth, something about him made her loose control completely, leaving her helpless and burning with desire.
"Josef" she breathed when he began to kiss her neck, her hands clasped around his upper arms, her head falling back against the door.
He drew back, resting his forehead against her´s, his breathing as ragged as her´s.
"I´m sorry, I simply can´t resist you."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and softly kissed his lips before looking up into his eyes.
"You don´t know how much I wish I could cancel my appointment."
--
"So bad?"
Josef asked as he helped Clarisse into the back seat of the limousine.
"Worse- how is Amelia?"
"Good, as far as I could see- do you want to go back straight away?"
"Why, do you have other plans?"
"I´d like to take you somewhere, we still have two hours before we have to be back for lunch after all."
"Then go straight ahead, I´m in no hurry to get back to my paper work."
The queen leaned back into her seat and looked out of the window, enjoying the moment of complete relaxation.
"You need to sleep more, Your Majesty."
Josef´s voice was even, polite and Clarisse broke into a fit of giggles.
"Oh, really, well I´ll try to follow your advice, even though I have a feeling that someone will have objections."
"Probably- even though I think it possible that he would be very happy with you sleeping in his arms as well."
"In that case I should think about the sleeping thing" Clarisse mused, then she sat up when Josef stopped the car near Fisherman´s Dwarf.
"Do you have sunglasses and a scarf?"
"Yes, of course- we are actually getting out?"
"Yes, we are- I think it would be a good idea to disguise yourself a little, though."
Clarisse put on sunglasses and draped a scarf elegantly around her head, then she checked her image in the mirror.
"You look like Grace Kelly" Josef told her as he helped her out.
"Only more beautiful."
"Thank you, Josef" Clarisse smiled as she turned her face towards the sunshine.
"Oh, this is just wonderful- so where are we going?"
"We are going to have ice cream."
"Ice cream?"
"Yes- Dryer´s Ice Cream, very typical American, you´ll love it."
--
You are right, this was lovely" Clarisse sighed happily as Josef helped her back into the car.
"I wish we could just stay out all day."
"Tempting but unfortunately no possible- who is going to be there for lunch?"
"The American ambassador in Genovia, he´s visiting California this week and since out meeting last months had to be cancelled because of that extra curricular parliament meeting he asked if we could talk over lunch."
"A bit odd, meeting him here when he´s staying at Genovia about eleven months of the year."
Clarisse shrugged.
"Yes but well, it doesn´t really matter if he´s there or not, there´s nothing important to talk about, just a little catching up on trading negotiations and afterwards I´ll see Amelia and then I have some paper work."
"No one is invited for dinner?"
"No- actually I was hoping you would join me for dinner in my rooms."
"That can be arranged, Your Majesty" Josef teased her as he stirred the car back onto the street.
"Good- we´ll need an excuse though, any ideas?"
"I´ll think of something and tell Charlotte in passing, if she believes it everyone else will."
"I do hope she does, she´s about the last person I want to find out, she´d be completely disillusioned."
"Probably- though I have to admit there´s someone I want to find out even less."
"I suppose you are talking of Rupert."
"I´m talking of King Rupert, somehow the title holds a lot of threat from this position."
Clarisse knew it wasn´t the right reaction but she simply had to laugh, Josef´s sarcasm was too funny to stay serious.
"How nice that you find this so amusing, I hope you´ll stop laughing once he challenges me to a sword duel or has me shot by some hired killer."
"Oh don´t worry, I won´t let him and besides he wouldn´t do something like that."
Replaying the conversations she had had with her husband that week Clarisse had to admit that she wasn´t so sure what Rupert would do if he found out about Josef and her but she didn´t want to think about that right now.
"I hope that sounded more convincing to you than it did to me" Josef muttered and Clarisse leaned forward so she could lightly stroke his cheek.
"Stop worrying, we´ll be careful and nothing will happen."
"If you say so- who am I to contradict the queen."