Hey everyone, thank you all so much for reading and to those leaving wonderful reviews for me :) it's much appreciated. Especially since I have really struggled with this chapter. It just wouldn't flow, so now it's done I really do hope you all enjoy it x
After watching her uncle hurry out of the suite, on the hunt for the missing bag, Mia averted her gaze to her grandparents sitting on the sofa a moment. Joseph was now resting back against the cushions, his arm resting along the back of the sofa, and his body turned slightly to her grandmother, who was currently still sitting on the edge of the seat, talking quietly to one another.
She watched him take her grandmother's hand in his and lift it up to his mouth, to kiss the back of it before she cupped his face and smoothed her thumb over his lips and letting her hand fall down onto his chest.
She watched curiously as he lifted his hand from the back of the sofa and moved it closer to her grandmother, seemingly lifting her grandmother's scarf from her neck briefly before putting it back into place and putting his arm back on the back of the sofa with a smile.
She watched, with a smile, as her grandmother finally leant to the side and rested her elbow on the cushions next to her husband, as she crossed her legs and rested her foot against the front of her husband's leg, this action surprised her after being told many times that Princesses never cross their legs and she had never seen her do it before. But then it was not the first time her grandmother had surprised her in the last couple of days and she was sure it wouldn't be the last.
She watched as her grandmother looked down and straightened out her scarf a moment before looking back up at her husband, and asking him, what she could only assume was a question because Joseph nodded with a smile in response. She raised her eyebrow at that, wondering what the fascination was with her scarf tonight.
She watched as Joseph leant into her grandmother, placing a kiss on her neck before putting his hand up onto the other side of her neck, his thumb resting against her jaw as she turned her head slightly, and pressed his lips lovingly against her grandmothers.
And she watched, in amusement, as they quickly pulled apart like two naughty teenagers being caught by their parents instead of the other way around when her uncle came back through the door.
"Okay, I'm back," Pierre said, closing the door behind himself. Completely unaware of what he had walked in on.
"That was quick," Clarisse said as she uncrossed her legs and sat back up straight, "did you find what you were looking for?" She asked as Joseph sat laughing beside her.
"Yes, I had left them on the coffee table," he chuckled as he walked around the sofa to stand on the other side of the coffee table opposite them.
"Good," she smiled up at him before glancing at her husband now sitting up beside her.
"Oo I wonder what he got you both," Mia said with a smile as she looked at her grandmother.
"Okay, I'll give you yours first, mother," Pierre smiled as he took a leather box out of the bag and reached across the coffee table to give it to her.
"Thank you, darling," she smiled up at him as she took the box and rested it down on her lap. Opening it, she gasped and put a hand up to cover her mouth when she saw a beautiful red eternity rose inside.
"It's glazed, and trimmed, with pure 24-karat gold," Pierre said as his mother looked up at him. "It comes with a stand too, so you could put it up on the mantelpiece, or even on your bedside table," he smiled as his mother looked back down at it. Completely blown away by it. "Or anywhere really."
"Oh my goodness, grandma," Mia exclaimed as she moved closer to see what it was. "It's beautiful."
"After I saw this in the shop this morning, I just knew I had to get it for you," Pierre said and watched as his mother looked back up at him. "Do you remember when my brother and I were young, we both said that we were going to get you a golden rose one day," he asked and slipped one hand into his pants pocket, his other hand still holding onto the bag.
"I do, of course, I do," Clarisse nodded with a smile and looked to her husband sitting beside her.
Returning to her suite after a busy morning in a meeting with the Prime Minister, Clarisse was left amused at the sight that awaited her. "Oh my goodness, what is going on in here?" She exclaimed as she placed her paperwork down on the sideboard just inside the door before turning back to them.
"We're climbing a mountain mummy," Pierre giggled from Joseph's back.
"Well, your mountain sure looks like my head of security," Clarisse said as she moved to stand at the end of the sofa and put her hands on her hips, trying her best not to laugh when she heard Joseph laughing. "Sounds like him too, are you sure it's not him?"
"Nooo he's our mountain, mummy, he's not head of security today," Philippe exclaimed excitedly and climbed over his brother.
"Oh goodness, please be careful," Clarisse said as she made her way across the room to the table by the window. "In fact maybe you should settle down now and finish your drawing and colouring. Let your mountain have a break." She said thankful her back was to them so they couldn't see the smirk on her face.
"Okay mummy," Philippe said as he climbed from the 'mountain' followed by his brother.
"Good boys," she said, turning to look over at them as they both sat at the coffee table to finish their drawings before looking to her head of security as he sat up and straightened out his shirt. "I'm sorry Joseph. Berta just informed me when I came out of my meeting that the nanny is sick."
"It's okay honestly, I'm having a great morning," Joseph said with a chuckle as he moved closer to the coffee table and sat on the floor between the two Princes before looking back over at his Queen. "Besides, it was either me or them sitting quietly in their fathers office."
"Oh no.. I'm glad it was you, but it's meant to be your day off, I feel just awful," Clarisse said as she looked to Pierre, who was concentrating so hard on his colouring that his tongue was sticking out, making her chuckle. Knowing that she actually does the same thing.
"I know, and please don't feel awful I didn't have any plans," Joseph said as Clarisse looked back at him. He of course lied. He did have plans to meet a lady friend for lunch, but when he heard the nanny was sick he knew what he had to do. And going out for lunch with his friend, was not it.
"Well, please make sure you mark yourself as working today," Clarisse said as she turned back to the table and started rearranging the bouquet of flowers in the vase.
"No need, it's a joy to be able to help, and you know that I would help in any way I can," Joseph said as he watched her pulling a couple of stems out of the vase.
"I know you would, and I can't thank you enough for that, but I insist that you mark yourself as worked," Clarisse said, not looking up from her flowers.
"I insist too," Joseph said and watched as she finally looked over at him.
"You are stubborn, you know," she said and they both nodded as she turned to him and rested her hip against the table.
"Reminds me of a certain Queen, who can be just as equally stubborn," he said with a smile and watched as she averted her gaze away a moment before nodding and looking back at him.
"Touché," she smiled and turned back to the table, to continue rearranging her flowers.
"Mummy," Philippe said as he watched his mother intently.
"Yes, sweetheart," Clarisse replied and briefly glanced over at him.
"What are you doing?" He asked, his brother now looking up at her too.
"I am rearranging my flowers," she smiled and turned slightly to them, a rose stem in her hand.
"Why?" Pierre asked curiously.
"Because," she smiled and leant forward a little while putting her free hand on the table beside her, "between you and me, the person who arranged them first, didn't do a very good job."
"It was Joseph," Philippe giggled and pointed to his mother's head of security sitting beside him.
"Me?" Joseph gasped and put his hands up on his chest.
"It was mummy, I saw him," Pierre agreed and started laughing when Joseph wrapped an arm around him and an arm around his brother and started tickling them both.
Laughing, Clarisse watched them together for a moment before turning back to her flowers. It made her so happy when they were laughing. It was one of her favourite sounds, and one she often heard whenever Joseph was about. Because it wasn't just her that loved spending time in Joseph's company, it was her boys too. And she loved that he always made time for them whenever he could.
"Mummy," Pierre said a few moments later.
"Yes, Pierre," Clarisse smiled and looked back over at them all sitting back at the coffee table.
"Are roses your favourite flowers?" He asked.
"I like many different flowers, but yes, roses are my favourites," Clarisse smiled.
"Which colour is your favourite?" Philippe asked.
"Oo well I like all the different colours of course, but if I had to pick a favourite then it would have to be red, I love a red rose," Clarisse said, nodding.
"What about a gold one?" Pierre asked.
"They have yellow," Clarisse said and put a hand on her hip as she thought a moment, "that could be seen as a gold one."
"Well when Philippe and I are older and have lots of money, we will buy you a lovely golden rose, mummy," Pierre said.
"Oh, will you?" Clarisse asked in amusement and watched as both her boys nodded.
"A real gold one mummy," Philippe smiled.
"Oh that'll be lovely," Clarisse smiled, "thank you, sweetheart."
"You're welcome, mummy," Pierre smiled and got back to drawing his picture as his mother continued to watch him and his brother a moment longer.
Smiling, she sighed contentedly and averted her gaze to Joseph still sitting on the floor between her boys before turning her attention back to rearranging her roses.
"I do too," Joseph smiled and looked up at Pierre. "I remember getting the blame for arranging a certain person's roses wrong," he said and he, Clarisse and Pierre all laughed together at the memory.
"Yes, I remember now," Pierre smirked.
"Hmm, I bet you do," Joseph laughed and looked at Clarisse.
"Anyway," Pierre smiled at his mother as she and Joseph looked back up at him. "I hope you like it."
"Of course I do," Clarisse nodded as she leant forward to place the leather box down on the coffee table before getting to her feet and walking around to her son as he placed the bag down next to him. "I love it, and will place it pride of place on the mantel." She said, embracing him in a hug. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Pierre said softly as his mother pulled back and looked up into his eyes as she moved her hands to frame his face in them for a moment. And for the briefest of moments, she saw her son as the young boy he once was. Smiling, she lowered her hands and wrapped them around his waist as she turned her head and rested it against his chest.
Smiling, Pierre simply wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Remembering how once upon a time a hug shared between them like this was the other way around, her arms around his shoulders and his arms around her waist before he got too tall and they swapped places. "It's been a long time since we have had a hug like this," he said softly and felt his mother nodding her head.
"It has," Clarisse replied as she stepped back and took hold of his hand as she looked up at him. "It really has."
"You okay?" Pierre asked, giving her hand a small squeeze as she nodded. "You sure?"
"Oh absolutely," Clarisse nodded and let go of his hand as she turned to make her way back around the coffee table to sit back down on the sofa next to her husband.
"Everything alright?" Joseph asked quietly as he reached his hand out onto her thigh.
"Of course," Clarisse nodded as she put a hand down on top of his hand and leant forward for her drink from the coffee table with her other hand.
"Good," he said quietly while leaning closer and placing a quick kiss to her neck before sitting back and watching her take a sip of her champagne.
Thoughts? Please do let me know what you think of it, it's always appreciated x