Chapter 5: Internal Tsunami

March 6, 2002

Joseph was seated in the kitchen of the winter castle in Libet. Clarisse had been in audience with Prime Minister Motaz since early this morning in the conference room of the castle. He was having coffee, when he heard people enter the room. He recognized one of the maids, accompanied by another woman, but whom he did not know. The unknown woman was a charming blonde with curly hair tied up in a ponytail.

"Oh hello Joe." Camille, the maid, said.

"Hello ladies." Joseph replied.

"This is my sister, Ashley. She is visiting until tomorrow."

"Welcome to Ashley Castle." Joseph said politely.

"Joseph is the head of royal security and Queen Clarisse's personal bodyguard." Camille explained to her sister.

"Hello Mr. Joseph, nice to meet you." Ashley said.

"Please call me Joe. Excuse me ladies, the Queen is about to finish her audience with the Prime Minister." Joseph said as he finished his coffee and left the room.

Later that day, Joseph went into the kitchen to get himself a plate for lunch. He walked in and saw Ashley sitting at the table.

"Oh hello Ashley."

"Hello Joe. My sister is in a meeting with the governess and the other maids."

"Oh so she left you all alone."

"No, you're here." She said.

Joseph laughed a little, but quickly realized she was flirting with him. He decided not to do anything, she was leaving the next day anyway. They chatted while Joseph ate his meal. After eating, he got up and put his dishes in the dishwasher. When he turned around, he came face to face with Ashley. She was much closer to him for his liking.

"What are you doing Ashley?"

"What do you think?" She replied before grabbing him and kissing him.

There were a few shorts seconds of delay before he realized what was happening. She pulled away from him to look at him and smiled at him. As she pulled back, Joseph's field of vision widened and he saw Clarisse, at the entrance of the kitchen, looking at him, anger visible in her eyes.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to disturb you. Joseph, I just wanted to invite you to have tea on my terrace, but, um, don't bother for me." She said as she left the room.

Ashley moved towards him to kiss him again, but he pushed her away.

"Listen Ashley, I think you're imagining things. I'm sorry, but I'm not interested."

"But I thought I detected an interest on your part. I probably misinterpreted. Forgive me."

"It's okay. Now, please excuse me, I have to get back to work." He said as he left the room.

As soon as Joseph left the kitchen, he headed towards the Queen's suite. He suspected he would find her there. When he entered, he was surprised to find the room empty. He went to look on the adjacent terrace, she wasn't there either. He grabbed his small microphone attached to his black leather jacket and spoke.

"Shades, could you tell me where the Queen is?"

"She's in the gardens. She asked not to be disturbed."

"It's not the same for me." He replied.

"I don't know Joe, she's adamant."

"Well, then I'll wait for her return in her office. Please tell me when you see her return."

"Roger, boss."

A little less than an hour later, Joseph received the information that the Queen was on her way to her suite. As soon as Clarisse entered, she saw him. They were alone in the room.

"What are you doing here, I would like to go get a bath, so I'll ask you to leave." She told him in her perfect Queen tone.

Joseph looked into her eyes, but said nothing. He saw the tsunami that was forming inside her. She was fighting internally to not let anything show. He said nothing, he only took the small microphone attached to his jacket and spoke to his security team.

"Shades, could you turn off the cameras in the Queen's office please, I would need a private audience with her for a few minutes."

"Right away boss." Shades replied.

"Clarisse, what happened earlier is so not what you think."

"Hard to believe Joseph. I saw what I saw. Unless you're telling me you were giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but hard to believe."

"Ashley is Camille's sister, and..." Joseph began to explain.

"I don't want to know who she is, Joseph, I understood perfectly. I should have guessed that it was impossible for you to wait for me. It was too much to ask. I naively thought that it was possible. I naively believed everything you told me. Listen, I don't blame you, I know it was a lot to ask of you to wait that long, but I think I'd rather back out. I'm not sure I want to get involved in a story that, obviously, will only cause me unnecessary pain." She cut him off.

"Clarisse, listen to me, please. I've been completely in love with you for years now. I've long hoped to have, even just a tiny chance to finally be with you, to spend the rest of my days with you. I knew that I had very little chance of that happening. And now I know it will happen soon, by the time the Princess is old enough to accede to the throne. We are talking about barely 3 years, at the most. I have been hoping for this chance for almost 10 years now, do you honestly think I would have screwed it all up like that? Clarisse, I have already told you, and take my word for it, it is the truth, you own my heart, you literally reign in my heart. "

"I hear what you are saying Joseph, but I don't know what to think. You were kissing another woman."

"I met Ashley this morning. Camille made the introductions, nothing more. Then, on my lunch break, I went down to the kitchen to eat, and Ashley was there too. She misinterpreted my kindness, I think, but anyway, she kissed me. What you didn't see is that I kindly pushed her away. After you left the kitchen, I explained to her that she was mistaken in thinking that I was attracted to her. So she apologized and I rushed here to join you, but I was told that you were in your gardens, so I waited for you here. That's the truth, please, believe me."

"You know, I don't know if it's because I've known you for several years now, but I can see it in your eyes that it's the truth. Joseph, I'm sorry. I reacted a little strongly, I think."

"Not at all, your Majesty, it was legitimate, and you know that you felt jealous proves one thing to me, that you care about me, and that makes me very happy, and I find that rather attractive."

"I'm not jealous at all, come on. A Queen does not feel jealousy, it is a very bad sin."

"Not when it is legitimate. So if you are not jealous, you will not mind if I go back down to kiss this young woman?" Joseph teased her as he approached her.

"I categorically forbid it." Him, she smiled.

"And is this an order from the Queen or the woman?" Joseph asked slyly as he wrapped his arms around Clarisse's hips.

"Both, so you better obey if you don't want to get into trouble." She added before accepting the kiss Joseph had undertaken.

"I don't want you to doubt me anymore. If only you knew how much of a man in love I am, you would understand." He added.

"Oh Joseph." She said before kissing him.