A/N: Sorry for not posting last night. I was busy getting ready for inspection and just simply forgot and was extremely tired.
"During our recess, I had a talk with my grandmother. She explained to me what happened." Mia took a deep breath to control herself as she had promised Clarisse she would. "I am still unhappy with what has happened, and very angry that there seems to be nothing that I can do. How you can do such a thing, to a woman that has done nothing but serve this country, is beyond me. Which, brings me to what I want to discuss."
"Go ahead, your Majesty." Sebastian nodded, well aware of the fight Mia was having with her temper and control.
"Earlier I asked Lord Palimore if my grandmother hadn't given enough for her country. I know that many of you heard me, and I want to explain." She gritted her teeth. This wasn't exactly how this subject was supposed to come about, but she felt that it was now or never. Maybe, just maybe, this would make them change their minds.
Lord Palimore cleared his throat and stood up. "Your Majesty. I do not think," he started, but Mia's upheld hand, stopped him.
"Frankly, Lord Palimore, I do not care what you think." Mia informed the man in such a tone that had his eyes bulging and his knees giving way so that he fell heavily back into his chair. Satisfied that she had effectively shut the man up, Mia turned her attention to Sebastian.
"Prime Minister Motaz, are you aware of the wedding night ritual?"
Sebastian looked at Mia with confusion. "The what, your Majesty?"
"Ah, that answers my question." She smiled at the man she knew she could trust to fight with her. Turning her attention to the rest of Parliament, she posed the question again. "How many of you have heard of the ritual I mentioned?" Knowing that only Lord Palimore could answer positively, Mia looked at him before continuing. "Would you like to explain it, Lord Palimore?"
"No," was his quick reply as he shifted nervously in his seat.
"Very well then." Mia took a deep breath and clasped her hands in her lap, praying that her grandmother wouldn't be angry with her for what she was about to do.
"When my grandmother saw that I was getting serious about Lord Nicholas, she made a very difficult decision; a decision that would hurt her, but help me. She let me read her diary from her first years as the wife of Rupert Renaldi. I was horrified at what I read. Her wedding night was spent in humiliation while her new father and mother in law along with the Arch Bishop, stood watching the abusive consummation of her marriage. A ritual they had called it. A ritual, she was told, that had been happening since the very first queen of Genovia. She was abused in this way, as well as being locked in her rooms, until the heir was conceived and then, for the nine months she carried the child, she was left alone and allowed out of the prison of her rooms. That, dear members of Parliament, is the wedding ritual of your beloved country." Mia's voice held a menacing tone of sarcasm.
"Our country, your Majesty?" Sebastian whispered.
Mia only smiled at him, knowing that the smile would make him understand what she had meant. "That ritual wasn't the only one my grandmother was subjected to. When the heir was born, again she was humiliated by having to give birth in a room full of people. The child was taken from her and kept from her. Another custom she was told. He was the heir apparent after all. When Grandma begged the Queen to help her, the answer was that it was how it was and that the Queen had done the same when she had given birth to the heir apparent, in this case my grandfather." Mia continued the story, tears rolling down her cheeks. When she had finished, the room was quiet, all eyes were focused on Lord Palimore.
"Is this true?" a voice finally broke the silence.
Lord Palimore cleared his throat. "I'm sure that Her Majesty exaggerates."
"I assure you that I do not. I told you exactly what I read. Why would my grandmother make such horrid things up?" Mia asked angrily.
"I am sure that I wouldn't know the answer to that question, your Majesty."
Mia gritted her teeth. "Lord Palimore, would you kindly shut up!" she nearly screamed at the exasperating old man. "If you insist on denying what was done to my grandmother, I will be forced to go into detail and will even call in the retired royal family physician to provide the details of my uncle and father's births."
Noticing Lord Palimore's face growing pale, Sebastian felt that it was a good idea to call a halt to the day's session. "Begging Her Majesty's pardon, but I believe it would be in everyone's best interest to call a halt to the day's session and continue tomorrow." He swallowed at the glare Mia gave him. "I believe, Your Majesty, that your grandmother wanted to spend the remainder of her time here with you," he carefully reminded her.
Mia closed her eyes and lowered her head. "Yes, Prime Minister Motaz, I do believe you are correct. I agree that ending for the day is a good idea," she spoke quietly before slipping from the chambers through the back entrance.
Sebastian watched his young queen with a heavy heart. Turning his attention back to the very silent room, he glared. "What has gotten into all of you? I don't understand how you went from realizing we need a change back to the way you were." He frowned. "No, you're worse than you were," he growled then banged his gavel ending the day's miserable session.
CnJ
Mia clung to Clarisse as they stood at the airport departure gate. "I don't want to let you go, Grandma."
"Oh, Darling, I feel the same way, but I have to." Clarisse rubbed the young woman's back and placed a kiss on the side of her head.
"I know, but I still hate it." Mia pulled back, but not completely out of Clarisse's arms. "I'm sorry that I told them about," she shrugged. "Well, you know."
"I told you that it was alright. The truth had to come out sooner or later to spare you from the same fate." Hearing the last boarding call for her flight, Clarisse hugged Mia to her once more. "Remember, my darling, I will always be with you even though I can't come see you. And remember where I said I'll be. Just call the number I gave you, and a plan will be set in motion for you to come visit."
"I'll remember, Grandma." Mia sniffed as she finally let go. "When you get settled, check your carry on."
Clarisse looked at Mia with a puzzled expression. "Why?"
"Just do it." Mia gave her a watery half smile.
"Alright, I will. I love you." Clarisse squeezed her hand before moving toward her gate.
"I love you, too." Mia called as she finally had to let go of her grandmother's hand. "Be safe, Grandma!"
"I will. You be safe and don't give Shades a hard time. He learned from the best how to take care of you!" Clarisse called one final instruction to the granddaughter that had changed her life so much over the years, the granddaughter she might not ever see again.
"I promise, Grandma." Mia whispered as her grandmother disappeared from her view. Biting her lip to keep from breaking down, she turned and let Shades lead her back out to the waiting limo.
"She'll be safe, Your Majesty." Shades assured his sovereign.
Mia studied the bespectacled man. There was something in the tone of his voice, did he know something she didn't? She shrugged. Now wasn't the time to question him, and she wasn't sure that she ever would. If she was meant to learn of it, in time she would.
"Thank you, Shades," she whispered as she let him help her into the limo.
Shades sighed partly out of relief that Queen Mia hadn't questioned him, and partly because she hadn't. He was worried about her. With her grandmother gone, and Joe soon to follow, his young queen had no one with enough power and strength to stand behind her and give her the support and strength she needed to deal with Parliament and the ugly mess that he knew lay ahead.
"Well,"he thought to himself, "I'll just have to make sure I do everything I can to protect her as they would."
CnJ
Clarisse, having finally gotten settled, pulled out her carry on and unzipped it to see what Mia had snuck into it. Covering her mouth to keep the sob from escaping, she pulled out the framed photo of Philippe that she had kept beside her bed. A tear trickled down her cheek when she saw that two smaller frames lay beneath the first one. Those containing a picture of Mia and herself from San Francisco, and a picture of Joseph and herself that Andrew had taken out in the gazebo on their wedding day, unbeknownst to them. On top of the second frame lay her necklace which she picked up and put back around her neck.
"Oh Mia," she sighed softly. Her granddaughter was so wonderfully tender hearted. Closing her eyes, she held the frames to her chest and said a silent prayer thanking God that her granddaughter hadn't inherited the Renaldi curse.
Opening her eyes again, Clarisse looked at the picture of she and Joseph. "Oh Joe," she whispered, slipping into the familiarity she'd only regained after their second marriage. "I hope you're safe and free, my love, and that I'll be seeing you soon."
Yawning, she decided that a nap would be in order to give her the strength she would need for the next part of her journey. If only she didn't have to go through a charade to get to her home in Spain, but it was the only way to keep she and Joseph safe. Now if only she could find her daughter.