Author's note: Just some Clarisse x Joseph moments prior to Princess Diaries. :D We're at chapter 2 now, yay. Many thanks to my big brother who advised me, more than once, to be more fluid with the development of my ideas. It helped me immensely. So I hope you enjoy reading this – I certainly had fun writing it.
Disclaimer: It's terribly unnecessary, but I guess I'm still obligated to say that I do not own Princess Diaries in any way.
The Butterfly Queen
Chapter 2: A Kiss from the Rain
Queen Clarisse was vaguely aware that the sky overhead was darkening, but she simply could not bring herself to return to the palace. No, the queen was still quite unprepared to force herself into her usual forbidding shell of steely resolve, that so chafed at her soul, for all to recognise.
She was growing increasingly weary with all the pretence – the loneliness was gripping. At times, Clarisse feared she might just buckle under the weight of the crown. The queen sorely wished to confide these feelings of insecurity to someone...someone whom she could rely upon not to judge her.
Alas, just when she felt she needed Rupert the most...
Seeking refuge in her rose garden had helped preserve her sanity at least. It was here that she finally felt free to live out her grief and tend to her bleeding wounds.
Gently stroking the petals of a crimson rose blossom, thoughts of her beloved son filled her troubled mind.
"My poor Philippe…" Clarisse murmured sadly.
A rush of cool wind surged against the trimmed rose bushes, playfully rustling their leaves. The queen smiled serenely as she felt the chill air brush against her upturned face. Opening her brimming eyes as the breeze thinned, Clarisse sighed with some conviction.
Well, I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be.
She turned towards the palace, but a sudden flash of colour caught her attention. A quick search with her china blue eyes singled out a small pair of conjoint pale yellow fans edged with black, resting masterfully on a trembling leaf.
Oh! A butterfly!
Pleasantly surprised and quizzical that the fragile butterfly had not fled in alarm at the disturbance, the golden-haired lady edged closer to inspect the curious insect.
"Extraordi – !"
She choked. A closer inspection revealed that there were, in fact, two butterflies...engaged in...
Queen Clarisse turned away instinctively, a blush creeping up her fair cheeks. She risked a sideways glance at the brazen pair, despite her reservations. It seemed most inappropriate to stare, but she had never seen two butterflies locked in passion before and it was all...strangely compelling.
They seemed so calm, displaying absolutely none of the...vigour so favoured by them humans. She leaned forward carefully, cleanly forgetting her embarrassment, and studied the preoccupied butterflies even more intently. Why, the entire process looked positively dignified.
"Glad to see you two are enjoying my garden." She murmured with a mischievous smile.
Still keeping a watchful eye over the two lovers, the queen amused herself by romanticising the idea of two lonesome butterflies so overwhelmed by the intoxicating scent of the mature roses about them, that they –
Her private musings were suddenly cut short by a husky chiding voice.
"You really shouldn't, your Majesty."
The queen spun around quickly, abashed.
"Joseph!"
"Staying out in the cold for hours on end isn't good for your health..." The black clad man continued, trailing off uncertainly as he was taken aback by her strong reaction.
"Did I startle you?" He asked, concerned.
"Haa...not really, I was just..."
She seemed oddly flustered.
Joseph's heart froze. Had she been crying again? A quick scan of her face made his shoulders sag with relief, but still left him confused.
The puzzled man did, however, notice how her eyes kept shifting to the bushes behind her. Curious, he tilted his head slightly to follow the trail of her frequent glances.
"Mmmf – !"
The queen dove to the ground on her knees with a strangled cry, throwing off her bodyguard completely.
"Your Majesty!" Joseph cried in utter shock, dropping to his knees with some difficulty. "What's wrong?"
Queen Clarisse was mortified. She thought she would die of embarrassment if Joseph caught her indulging in such an indelicate pursuit. Scenarios of future encounters with her personal bodyguard adorning his characteristic knowing smile flashed horribly in her mind.
Her mouth worked furiously.
"I...ah...think I dropped my watch here somewhere..." She stammered, blushing hotly.
She promptly began patting the grass about her desperately, while sneaking flurried glances back to the obsessive butterflies.
For heaven's sake! Enough already!
"Please, my queen! Menial tasks like these should be left to your subjects." The gallant man helped the distressed queen to her feet, wincing in the process.
Good lord! They're still at it!
Joseph was just about to kneel back down again to begin his painful search when he finally caught sight of the familiar glint of gold on Clarisse's left wrist. But – there it was! Her watch!
Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!
"I don't mean to be impertinent, your Majesty," Joseph began hesitantly, his eyebrows knotted in a baffled frown, "But don't you already have your watch on?"
"Hmm...? My watch?"
She gasped in mock surprise as she looked to her wrist. "Why, you're absolutely right! Oh, how silly of me!"
Joseph stared steadily at the sheepish queen, feeling dazedly ambivalent.
"Perhaps you've been...er...out here for too long." He coughed delicately, the corners of his eyes crinkling up.
Clarisse resisted the urge to deliver an acidic retort and only responded with a strained smile. Seemingly satisfied, Joseph continued:
"I've already asked the girls to prepare your tea. Would you like me to escort you in, my queen?" He gestured invitingly with a hand, his black umbrella slung over his arm.
The queen smiled radiantly, causing, unbeknownst to her, Joseph's stomach to lurch and his heart to race.
Oh bless you!
Throwing one last incredulous glance at the endeavouring butterflies, she turned back to her bodyguard and nodded her acceptance gratefully.
"That's a wonderful idea!"
They had just taken a step forward when Clarisse felt a cold drop of rain splash onto her cheek. Almost immediately, the queen's personal bodyguard whipped open his umbrella and swung it over her protectively, with impressive dexterity.
Touched by the simple gesture, Queen Clarisse looked to him to offer her thanks. She noticed, however, that his eyes seemed oddly focused on a particular point on her face. Before Clarisse could question him about it, she saw his gloved hand rise past her slightly parted lips. Wordlessly, the man began to wipe away at the moisture clinging to her cheek with gentle brushes of his thumb.
The queen felt her heart leap at his touch, and a blush began to build up in her cheeks again. She stared into his pale blue eyes uncertainly, unsure of how to react. Clarisse was quite sure that her bodyguard had overstepped a boundary of some kind. And yet, she was uncomfortably aware that she was making no move to pull away from his lingering hand.
The two of them locked gazes.
"T-the rain..." Joseph explained hastily, breaking away at last, as if suddenly realising what he had just done. He quickly withdrew his hand stiffly back to his side.
Clarisse nodded mutely, not daring herself to speak.
Was he...blushing? It was hard to tell as his face was nearly completely shadowed by the hovering umbrella.
Wait a minute – was she still blushing? That would be much more apparent, what with her fair skin and all. Clarisse quickly turned away from Joseph as the implications of her last thought hit her, eyes widening in horror.
Oh dear.
Her heart was pounding furiously. She felt a lump rise in her throat. Did she...?
A sudden rapid succession of pitter patters nearly made her jump out of her skin. The noise grew distinctly louder as the rain drops pelted their umbrella mercilessly.
"Let's go before it really starts pouring." Joseph suggested, as normally as he could.
There was a tensed silence.
"Yes." She breathed, her eyes looking determinedly away from him.
XxxxxxxX
The lovers tore away from each other at last as the first few drops of rain splashed messily about them. Weaving dextrously through the air, the butterflies fluttered away in opposite directions and disappeared into the film of rain.
~ T B C ~