At 7:30p.m., the dinner was servid. They were in silence for a while. Four people, and no words… Charlotte looked nervously one by one, ready to challenge Ruth, if she made the slightest gesture to provoke the Queen. Joseph ... Strange ... uncomfortable ... and Clarisse noticed. Ruth was the first to break the silence.

"I must apologize to all of you… I'm a very warm person… I'm sorry! I suppose it was the surprised to find the love of my life here, after so many years."

Joseph cleared his throat and Clarisse almost dropped the spoon. Joseph was sitting on Clarisse's left and Ruth on her right. Charlotte as sitting next to Joseph.

Ruth stretched out on the table and tried to grab Joseph's hand. That is too much and Clarisse tolerance was at minimum…

"It's beautiful to see a love that has survived so many years of absence..." She had to serve all the years of her self-control training to keep her voice calm. Ruth laughed.

"Well, dear sister in law, were not so many years... We were always fanning the flame from time to time. I'll not risk losing such a man, don't you agree?"

"What?" Said Joseph chocked.

"Now I understand why you never told me where you were, Joseph."

"That's a lie! I never see you since college. Why are you doing this?" Joseph was dumbfounded. He feel the anger grows to a point of no return. Clarisse attempts to control the tears... Ruth was hit her deeply. That's enough!

"Excuse me, Princess Ruth..."

"What?" Ruth looked at Charlotte contemptuously.

"Joseph was my fiance and I wish Your Highness stop talking in what happened, or not, among both of you!"

Joseph choked and almost stopped breathing. The three women got up to help him.

"Charlotte, call Shades or the guards. Joseph..."

Clarisse leaned against his back, and placed both hands to apply the Heimlich maneuver. After three compressions, the piece of meat that was obstructing his trachea came out. Joseph fell on his knees and crawled Clarice with him.

"Joseph, talk to me, please. Are you Ok?" Said Clarisse.

Charlotte walked back and forth in panic. Ruth kneel in front of him and grabbed his face with both hands.

"I'm so glade you're Ok, my love..."

Joseph turned immediately to Clarice.

"Your Majesty, I owe you my life!" Said Joseph and pressed her hands.

Ruth rose and Charlotte kneel next to him and Clarisse.

"You scared me to dead, Joe. Never do that again, please."

Joseph and Clarisse laughed.

"I will try it, Charlotte! Your Majesty, please let me help you to rise."

"Thank you, Joseph." And the they leave the dinning room, completely ignoring Ruth. Clarisse looked at Joseph and Charlotte…

"So, lovebirds, will you join me to a cup of tea, at my suite?"

"That will be an honor, Your Majesty!"

Ruth was in fury. She closed the door from her room with a kick and caught the phone.

"Artur! Joseph was Charlotte fiance!"

"Hello Ruth. How nice to ear you… And that's impossible, everyone knows about the Queen and his Head of Security..."

"Maybe not… Clarisse always quiet but Charlotte lost his head when I told them I had been a little time ago with Joseph."

"What? Then the Queen does not have a lover?"

"I don't think so…! But I don't care about that. You told me you will help with Joseph!"

"And I will, Princess… But my first priority is the Queen… Remember, I told you, you will be the next Queen of Genovia!"

"Ho Mabrey, You know how to please a woman!"

"Only for you, my Queen. Because you are truly a Queen. It's an outrage to have a commoner for queen! LONG LIVE QUEEN RUTH!"

"Mabrey… You are a flatterer." Said Ruth with a smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow, my queen!"

"Of course, Artur!"

Artur Mabrey hung up the phone and smiled... Stupid woman. Almost, almost, almost! His plan was almost finished. Just missing Princess Mia…

"That slut must be alive. I need her alive and kicking…" He walked to the window and took a deep breath.

"Paul!" He shouted.

"Yes, Your Lordship?"

"Paul, call immediately our man at the Genovia Embassy in New York. Tell him I expect his call tomorrow morning, at the Parliament. And tell Alexandro that I want Genovia I ready in two days! Next week, GENOVIA WILL HAVE A NEW KING!"

In the meanwhile, at Clarisse's suite…

"Your Majesty, please, you must calm down..." Said Charlotte.

"Clarisse..."

"Joseph, I know she's lying, but I can't help myself… It make's me furious!"

"I know, my dear, but please, sat down." Clarisse looked at him… and the sat next to him in the couch. Charlotte rose from the chair.

"Your Majesty, if you don't need anything from me, I shall call it a day..."

"Of course, Charlotte. Get some rest, please. And thank you so much, dear girl! Your friendship was priceless!"

Charlotte blushed deeply.

"Your Majesty, you know how much I care for you! I told you before… You can always count on me! Good night Your Majesty. Good night Joseph."

"Good night, Charlotte." Joseph rose and walked Charlotte to the door, then turn back the suite and locked the door.

"Clarisse, I think we should talk..."

"I think so, Joseph!"

Joseph stopped in front of her…

"Clarisse, you're not to doubt me, do you?"

"Joseph, Ruth is much younger then me. She's a beautiful woman and you seem committed when she's near you… How can you expect me to act as if it was nothing?" She rose and walked to the window…

"Clarisse, we stayed together for two months only… The true is… She´s wonderful in the bed..." No sooner were the words left his mouth, and he regretted it immediately.

"I beg your pardon?" Clarisse was shocked and devastated. After all, Ruth was more important than she thought…

"No dear, you didn't understand..."

"Despite my age, I still hear well. If you excuse me, I don't intend to continue hear details of your love life. I'm ratter exhausted. please leave." Clarisse turn around and looked at the gardens.

"Clarisse… You're hurting me..."

"Joseph, leave. I'm sure Ruth is perfectly able to cheer you up. Have a GOOD night!"

"Well Joseph, that did not go well … What's the matter with you? You can't not tell your girlfriend 'my ex is very good in the bed!'… Tell me the true, do you have feelings for Ruth?"

"Hell NO, Charlotte! I love Clarisse. And I really don't know why did I say such a stupid thing…"

"You should try to fix this tomorrow… I'm sure she's devastated."

"Really? Than why didn't she let me explain? Why did she kicked me through the door?"

"You're kidding right? Put your feet in the other shoe, Joseph..."

"You're right, Charlotte. I will let you sleep now. I'm sorry to come to your room at this time of night."

"That's alright, Joe. See you tomorrow."

Neither Joseph nor Clarice managed to sleep .… What a mess! It's almost five o'clock when Joseph entered Clarisse bedroom. Whit an extra careful to not wake her, he sat at the end of the bed and wait… He might say, by the way the blankets were wrapped, she also had a very bad night. He did not want to wait any longer... Carefully sat closer to her... gently stroked her arm… Then he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"My queen…!" Clarice lay on his back and opened his eyes.

"Joseph! What are you doing here? What time is it?" She sat on the bed.

"It's five o'clock, love. I could not sleep, Clarisse. I love you and I need you to understand me" Joseph ran her hands through her hair.

"Joseph, I'm so tired. I do not want to discuss more. You're right ... you can do whatever you want in your life."

"Stop it, please! Do not do this to me, Clarisse. YOU ARE MY LIFE! Do not turn me away from you, my queen. I need you so much. I work at the palace at twenty-two years, four months and seven days. I knew from the first day I was hopelessly in love with you ... So, no woman shares my bed will at least twenty-two years, four months and seven days! Please, believe me!"

Clarisse looked at him, fighting back the tears and her hand caressed his cheek…

"Hold me, Joseph. Please. Hold me tight, make feel the most precious think to you… I need you..." A second later, Joseph hugged her with so much love, so much tenderness, care, devotion, need ...

"My queen! My love. My life! Never leave me. I desperately need you! We belong together!"

"Come, my love. I need a little sleep. I wanna nestle in your arms." Joseph immediately went to bed, next to her, he wrapped his arms on her and she laid her head on his chest. Minutes later both fell asleep.