Hello averyone!

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I love you all.

xoxo

Maria

Clarisse knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Although the second conversation with Amelia was significantly better, the changes that the child would need to become 'presentable' to the press and society were enormous. And besides, Amelia was scared and nervous... There was no guarantee to Clarisse that she would accept being the next Queen of Genovia . What would become of her country if she failed to convince her granddaughter to accept what she was born to do? What would become of Genovia if Clarisse returned home without an heir to the throne? Clarisse felt exhausted and emotional. How did her life take such a huge turnaround? Losing Rupert had been a huge blow to her. Despite him being seriously ill, Clarisse remained hopeful that her husband would recover. For years, Clarisse was the power behind the crown. She replaced her husband in his commitments and proved that being Queen is not a question of blood or heirs. Being Queen is, above all, dedication, devotion, commitment, love for all the subjects. And everyone noticed that, loving her more and more. But losing Philippe almost killed Clarisse. For days, she was locked in her suite, not allowing anyone to visit. Only Joseph spent some time every day with her. When she started to resume some of her official duties, Pamela tells her that she is not her mother... Months later, she meets her twin sister and then... The woman who would most likely be her biological mother! And Joseph... Ah Joseph... The man she had fallen in love with without knowing how or why. The man she longed to always have with her and that she couldn't! Clarisse got up from the bed and went to the balcony. She needed to breathe. She needed the cool night air. For a moment, she felt unable to calm her thoughts, to focus on her priorities. The sound of the phone made her shudder. She returned to the living room, sat on the sofa and answered the phone.

" Hello ?"

"Good evening, Your Majesty ."

"Good evening, Joseph. Is something wrong?"

"I need to have a word with you…"

"Now?" Clarisse looked at her watch. 11.30pm.

"Yes, it is important."

"Well, of course."

Two minutes later Joseph was knocking on her suite door. Clarisse got up and open the door. Joseph had a worried expression that left Clarisse with a tightness in her chest. Something was definitely going on, and for him to have that expression, it was certainly something important or serious.

"Please come in."

Joseph nodded and entered the room, standing next to the sofa. Clarisse closed the door slowly. Something was wrong, she thought. Normally, Joseph always took advantage of the few moments when they were alone to kiss her and today he hadn't even done that. Clarisse chose not to bring up the subject and joined him, indicating the sofa to sit on.

"You're making me worry, Joseph."

"Nothing serious is happening but the matter is serious." Clarisse sat down and so did he. "This afternoon, Frederica had to be taken to the hospital."

"What? Why? What happened?" Clarisse asked, genuinely worried.

"When she and your mother…" Clarisse furrowed her eyebrows. "were returning to the hotel, there was a group of four people waiting for them, holding signs saying that Genovia should not have an American heiress. Pamela was outraged by this and vehemently defended your granddaughter. One of the men wielded a knife against your mother but your sister stepped forward and received a blow to the arm. Hotel security immediately intervened and detained the man, who is currently in prison for attempted murder. "

Clarisse looked at him for a few seconds in silence. Joseph was dismayed and worried.

"And is she okay? And Pamela?"

"Pamela is fine and the wound on Frederica's arm is superficial, fortunately."

"And how did you know about this?"

"Pamela called me right after the man was arrested. She was completely hysterical."

"Did you go there?"

"Yes, I went. Frederica was terrified, poor thing. The doctor recently discharged her and she is already at the hotel. Now she just need to rest and calm down. She fears that more similar situations could arise."

"I see… But for you to come and talk to me at this hours, it means something else is going on…"

"Actually, I'm worried. Pamela says she feels unprotected. She saw that there are people who don't want the Princess as heir to the throne…"

"Do you think it was an isolated act?"

"I think so. From what the police chief told me, none of them offered resistance, they were even surprised by the attack. It was supposed to be a peaceful protest."

"And what do you suggest they do?"

" Well , they can't do much but I think you could help them, protect them…"

"Telling them to come here?"

"Yes and also providing them with bodyguards."

Joseph settled on the sofa and took the opportunity to get closer to Clarisse but she leaned back, considering Joseph's proposal. The feeling that plagued her most was jealousy. Joseph had run to Frederica and Clarisse was having some difficulty dealing with it. But she knew that the situation was the result of Pamela's defense of Amelia and that left her confused. Would Pamela really want to meet Amelia and bond with Clarisse?

"I guess you're thinking about being their bodyguard for a while…"

"No! Not at all. I'm guarding your granddaughter because you asked me to, but the minute I can, I'll return to my post, which is with you. I think you have no idea how difficult it is to me not to be responsible for your safety."

Clarisse couldn't help but smile slightly. Of course she was relieved to know that Joseph had no intention of guarding her sister but she didn't want him to realize that. It doesn't look good for a Queen to act like a teenager in love.

"I have confidence in the men trained by you. I'm not going to change my decision about them staying here, however I agree with you about having a bodyguard. And I believe it will be wise to increase security around Amélia."

Joseph looked at her perplexed. "Don't you trust my work?"

"Oh but I trust. I fully trust your ability to protect my granddaughter! You see... The thing is that right now, the two people who are closest to my heart are always together. I don't want anything to happen to her... but I certainly don't want anything to happen to you either! I don't know what I would do without any of you!"

Joseph felt his chest almost burst with happiness. Clarisse had always been an extremely reserved person and fiercely guarded her emotions. Hearing her admit her feelings, out of nowhere, filled him with a happiness that amazed him. Unable to resist, he reached out and caressed her face and let his hand slide to the back of her neck, pulling her towards him. His lips touched hers almost out of fear, afraid that he was putting pressure on her, but when he felt her respond to the kiss, he let the passion take its course, in a breathtaking, consuming kiss. Clarisse was unable to resist him. Not that she made any tension of doing so, on the contrary. And she decided to put into the kiss the immense love he felt for her. Still jealous of the concern that Joseph showed towards his sister, Clarisse showed him well what he would lose if he got closer to Frederica again.

C/J

"I want to show you my baby!"

Clarisse felt her soul leave her body. A baby? Charlotte was in shock. Did the Princess have a son? Mia looked at the two women and burst out laughing.

"My car! My baby is my car! Geezzzz . What were you two thinking?"

The tour of San Francisco, with her granddaughter, was much more than Clarisse expected. In all senses! For starters, there wasn't a single security guard trailing her (Charlotte suggested telling Joseph but, as he had gone to meet with Pamela and Frederica to talk about the bodyguards assigned to them, Clarisse didn't allow her to do so), they spent four hours alone and that allowed them to talk about everything. Amélia felt comfortable to ask Clarisse all the questions she wanted about her family and Genovia . Clarisse was delighted to be able to speak so openly with her granddaughter. Of course, the end of the trip didn't go as smoothly... But, if the car had just left the garage, who would have thought it had no brakes? On the way to the Consulate, inside a police car, Clarisse began to imagine the commotion this situation would cause. Joseph must have been beyond furious. And she couldn't help but, in a way, agree with him, but the truth is that the absolutely magnificent afternoon she spent with her granddaughter was worth the scolding Joseph had given them both... And she wasn't wrong. Joseph looked like a caged animal. But what was going through both of their minds, to go for a walk around San Francisco without at least one bodyguard? But were these women crazy? And when the security guard at the gate told him that the Queen and Princess were arriving… in a police car, Joseph almost exploded! As soon as they both entered the Consulate, Joseph was in front of them.

" Your Majesty , Princess… I want to have a word with both of you! Now!"

"Good afternoon, Joseph. Amelia has a test tomorrow and needs to go home. You'll just have to talk to me, I'm afraid." Clarisse said with a smile but with a tone that brooked no arguments. Amelia looked at Clarisse and Joseph. And if her grandmother was lying to Joseph, it's because the conversation wouldn't be very peaceful.

"A few minutes of the Princess's time certainly won't do much harm to her study." Joseph's look clearly showed that he wouldn't accept just any excuse, but Clarisse would always be Clarisse. And she wasn't easily intimidated.

"Like I said, Amelia HAS to go home. The conversation is between the two of us. Please ask one of the drivers to take her home, would you ? I'll wait for you in my office." Then she turned to her granddaughter and hugged her. "Thank you, Amelia . It was an extraordinary afternoon, my dear. I will see you tomorrow, my love ." Amelia hugged Clarisse again and said softly, in her ear: "Is everything going to be okay with Joseph?" Clarisse nodded and responded in the same tone, in her granddaughter's ear. "Of course darling. He's very protective and just worried. Do not worry."

Joseph was standing by the door to Clarisse's office. She could have saved her granddaughter from hearing some things BUT she wouldn't be able to escape. Clarisse had been careless and irresponsible and Joseph was going to tell her so. When Amélia left the Consulate, Clarisse took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself for the upcoming discussion. As soon as she approached the office, Joseph opened the door for her and demobilized the guards. She entered, he entered after her and closed the door.

"Do you mind telling me how irresponsible this was? But are you out of your mind? What were you thinking?" Joseph was so upset that he didn't even realize he was shouting at the Queen. Clarisse still tried to ignore it but he was crossing a line. Clarisse raised her hand to try to silence him but Joseph was too out of control.

"Don't tell me to shut up! You were irresponsible!"

Clarisse slammed her hands on the desk and raised her voice.

" Enough ! I don't allow you to call me irresponsible, much less that you are shouting! Did you hear me?" Clarisse was almost screaming too. She was really starting to get really angry with Joseph. He clenched his fists and tried to control himself but it was proving very difficult.

"Weren't you irresponsible? You put your life and the life of the heir to the Throne at risk! What do you call that?"

"We are in San Francisco. Nobody knows me! Yes, I was careless, but after yesterday's dinner fiasco, it was the best way to prove to my granddaughter that, above all, the Queen is first and foremost her GRANDMOTHER!"

"Nobody knows you? Your photo is in every newspaper in the United States! And a photo of your granddaughter too! If you had told me in advance that you wanted to do this stupid thing, I would have asked Charlotte to print out a target and stick it on your back."

"Joseph, either you stop immediately or…"

"Or what? Will you fire me?"

"Joseph…"

Charlotte, as well as almost the entire Consulate staff, was listening to their discussion and decided to take a risk and enter the room, before the Queen was forced to fire Joseph for insubordination. She knocked on the door and without waiting for an answer, she entered. Joseph turned immediately.

"Get out."

"I'm sorry but I'm not leaving." Charlotte was visibly shaking but she had to stop this argument.

"Get out of here immediately or you'll be fired!" Shouted Joseph. Clarisse was about to speak but Charlotte spoke first.

"If I have to be fired to stop you from being fired, then so be it. But what you're doing is called insubordination. Everyone at the Consulate is listening to what has been going on here and if you don't lower your voice and pay attention to what you say, Her Majesty will be forced to fire you. Yes, you are being irresponsible and selfish."

"I beg your pardon ?" Joseph said, amazed at Charlotte's audacity and courage. Clarisse smiled.

"Yes, you are being selfish. Are you legitimately angry because Her Majesty decided to take a huge risk, but that doesn't give you the right to talk like that. Her Majesty has never been anything but correct, polite and attentive to everyone who works for her and you are being rude and stupid. That is wrong!"

Joseph stared at Charlotte, unable to utter a word. She was right… She was absolutely right! Clarisse approached Charlotte, grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"Thank you, Charlotte. It took enormous courage to intervene in the middle of an argument like this. It was almost like breaking up a fight between two lions with a small stick. I thank you for that and I admire your courage. Thank you, dear . But you can leave us now. I promise there will be no more altered voices."

Charlotte blushed. She looked at Joseph and then at Clarisse and left. Joseph sat on a chair in front of the desk, put his elbows on his knees and hid his face with his hands.

" I'm sorry . I lost my mind! I'm sorry !" Clarisse walked around the desk and sat in the chair next to him.

"It was not wise to leave without informing security and I apologize for that. As for your outburst, I ask you from the bottom of my heart to learn to contain yourself. Surely you are aware that if Charlotte hasn't come in here, you would leave me in a position where the only thing I could do was fire you. Is this what you want?"

Joseph uncovered his face and looked at her.

"You know perfectly well that I don't. How could I live far away from you? When I arrived at the Consulate and no one knew about you, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. It gave me such a knot in my stomach, a frightening fear that something bad would happen to you… I lost my temper and I ask you to forgive me." Clarisse almost hugged him but the Queen was too angry with her Head of Security … Clarisse got up and went to sit behind the desk.

"I think we both made a mistake. Let's try to put this matter behind us. The Independence Ball is just a few days away and we still have a lot of work to do. And I understand your concern. I just don't understand your lack of control."

"You know perfectly well why…"

"A few months ago, you assured me that our professional relationship would not change. But it's happening, Joseph. And it shouldn't be…"

"I know, Clarisse. And I apologize, once again. I surpassed the marks."

"Let's get some rest, Joseph. But I ask you… this situation can't happen again. Please." Joseph looked at her, embarrassed. If the situation were the other way around, he probably would have fired her immediately. Joseph took a deep breath. Clarisse stood up and smiled.

"I'm really going to get some rest. I'm not used to this type of activity." Joseph got up too, kissed the back of her hand, and looked at her, in silence, as she left.

Soooooo?

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xoxo

Maria