This picks up right after Clarisse declines Joseph's proposal as they dance, and he exits.
Chapter OneMia entered the foyer, a box of party favors under her arm, just after Clarisse despairingly turned off the CD player. She was no longer in the mood to select music for her granddaughter's reception.
"Hey, Grandma, what do you think of these? They just got here."
"They're lovely, Mia." Clarisse answered absently. Mia shot Clarisse a questioning look.
"Grandma, what's wrong?"
"Wha? Oh nothing, darling. Just a bit worked up from everything that's been happening around here, I suppose."
"Are you sure?" Mia gave her grandmother a worried look.
Clarisse forced a smile. "Absolutely. How are things going with you and that young friend of yours," she inquired, trying hard to steer their conversation.
"Oh, Andrew? Everything's great! If only we can get everything ready for this wedding... Grandma, you don't look so great. Maybe you should go get some rest." Mia suggested thoughtfully, gently touching her Grandmother's arm.
"Oh no, my love, I feel perfectly fine..." Clarisse lied before Joseph suddenly passed through the foyer, accompanied by Shades and their new young sidekick, Lionel. Joseph avoided looking to Clarisse and Clarisse stared at him as he passed the pair. Tears immediately filled her eyes as Mia turned to her grandmother, now even more concerned than before.
"Grandma? Please, tell me." Mia pleaded desperately.
Clarisse looked to Mia as Joe, still acting oblivious, exited the room. "Darling, if you'll excuse me, I think I am going to go lie down. I believe you're right, I am suddenly feeling very ill..."
"Alright." Mia said, still unsure of what was going on. She gave Clarisse a light kiss on the cheek. Mia left her arm to linger a moment longer than she had to, and watched her ascend the stairs. Wanting to be certain that her grandmother was all right, she followed.
As Clarisse approached the hall leading to her bedroom-suite she put her right hand on the wall to hold herself up, no longer able to control her tears. She clutched a bench arm aligning the length of the hall and began to uncontrollably sob. Mia rushed to her side. Gently taking Clarisse's arm, she helped her sit down.
"Shhh, shhh Grandma, it's alright. I'm right here." Mia soothed, as she gently wiped the tears from Clarisse's face, kneeling before her.
Clarisse continued to sob, fresh tears streaming down her face. "Grandma, I'm going to walk to your room. I think we need to talk." Clarisse nodded desperately and Mia gently helped her to stand, with her arm around the small of her back guiding her to the bedroom.
As they reached the suite, Mia settled Clarisse on the bed and then retrieved a wet washcloth from the bathroom so that Clarisse could wipe her eyes. Olivia soon appeared to see how she could be of service to the queen and princess.
"Olivia, would you mind bringing us some tea?" Mia asked kindly.
"Absolutely, Princess." Olivia curtsied before bowing out. Mia went to her grandmother, who was lying on the bed with her eyes closed, her elbow lifted, holding the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. Mia, with the cool washcloth, began to carefully dab away her grandmother's tears. Clarisse opened her eyes and smiled a discreet but appreciative smile to Mia.
"Grandma...please tell me why you're upset." Mia asked pleadingly.
"Oh, my dear, matters of the heart do not become any less complicated as you grow older."
Mia gave Clarisse a confused look before realizing that seeing Joe had upset her.
"What happened? Did Joe upset you?"
Clarisse paused a moment to collect her thoughts. She moved over on the bed and gestured to Mia to lie beside her. Mia obliged, leaning up on her left elbow to face her grandmother.
"It's what I did, darling. I don't believe Joseph in a million years would ever do anything to upset me this much." She looked at Mia solemnly.
"Tell me," Mia said again before she was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. The two women sat up and Clarisse wiped her eyes, trying her best to look decent, as Mia opened the door to find Charlotte.
"Princess Mia, I didn't expect to see you in here. I was just informing Her Majesty that the new intern has arrived and Joseph is giving her the palace tour before she'll begin accompanying me."
Clarisse rose and walked gracefully to the door, her fingers entwined. She forced a smile as she approached the couple. "Thank you, Charlotte."
Olivia entered with the tea and Mia directed her to the nearby coffee table. "Please set it right over there, Olivia." Mia requested kindly. "Thank you!"
"Charlotte, when you see Joseph would you mind asking him to find me? I need to have a word with him."
"Um, actually Your Majesty, Joseph already spoke with me and requested that if you happen to ask for him," she paused. "That I inform you that he will be preoccupied all evening and is afraid he won't be able to find the time."
Clarisse breathed in sharply, refusing to let her emotions consume her. "Very well, thank you anyway, Charlotte."
"Absolutely. If you don't need anything else, I should relieve Joseph and tend to Claire."
"Uh, Claire?" Clarisse inquired, her eyes shooting to Charlotte.
"Oh yes, that's the name of the new intern."
"Ah, I see. Well, thank you, Charlotte. You're free to go."
Charlotte nodded and excused herself. Clarisse let out a sigh and made her way to the coffee table to pour herself a nice cup of tea. Mia quietly followed, unsure of what to say. She couldn't imagine why Joe would ignore her grandmother. And she couldn't very well imagine why her grandmother would care so much...
After she had given Clarisse a few moments to get settled, Mia turned expectant eyes toward her grandmother. Feeling Mia watching her, Clarisse slowly lifted her head.
"If you don't already know," Clarisse began slowly, "I am madly and deeply in love with my head of security."
Mia's momentary look of shock soon gave way to a small smile. Presently remembering her grandmother's sadness, she softly asked, "So, what happened?"
"He proposed." She stated, staring straight in front of her.
"And?" Mia prodded.
Clarisse sadly looked down at her tea and nervously played with the teacup.
"And...I declined."
"But, Grandma...why?"
"Darling, being royal is a way of life. You must always think of others before worrying about yourself. It's all I've ever known."
"But that doesn't mean you have to make yourself miserable. Everyone deserves a little happiness, even the queen. No, especially the queen." She paused, taking note of her grandmother's reaction. "Grandma, do you really love Joe that much?"
Clarisse looked up from swiveling the tea in her cup, to meet Mia's gaze.
"Very much so."
"And I'm assuming he knows all of how you feel?"
Clarisse nodded sadly. "So it seems." She said, before slowly placing her teacup on the coffee table in front of her. She turned to face Mia, taking her hands in hers.
"Mia, darling. If it were that simple I would marry him in a heartbeat, so help me God, and spend every waking moment with him." She breathed deeply before continuing. "But the mere fact is, that it just isn't done. I am the current Queen of this country and shall be until you take the throne. And unfortunately until then, there isn't anything I can do... especially if he isn't speaking to me." she concluded, looking sadly at their entwined hands.
"Grandma, Joe is a sensible and compassionate man. You know that as well, if not better, than I do. I'm sure once you get him to hear you out, he'll understand! But you can't sit up here crying and do nothing about it. If you want him, you need to fight for him!"
Clarisse deplorably descended the stairway still very upset that she hadn't been able to speak to Joseph. As she made her way down the massive staircase no other than Joseph came from the other side of the room not watching where he was going, he was smiling and talking with someone from across the room and plunged himself right into Clarisse.
His head reflexively spun around to see what he had run into. Before Clarisse toppled over Joseph threw his arm around her waist, steadying her balance, which brought her closer to him than one would expect.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I wasn't looking where I was going." Joseph stated in monotone, not yet ready to let her go.
Clarisse held on to him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders to keep her balance.
"Ah, yes, Joseph." She cleared her throat, "It's... no trouble at all." Clarisse lingered on her words, not breaking eye contact.
While the couple stood there, dumbfounded and heart-ached, Olivia, Charlotte, and Claire watched the pair closely- curious as to what the Queen would say.
Claire, who had never before met the Queen, cleared her throat in order to turn the attention to her. Clarisse and Joseph regretfully broke their eye contact, looking in the direction of the three women, still holding one another very closely.
Clarisse was the first to regretfully retract, not removing her gaped expression from the three women. Joseph cleared his throat before speaking.
"Ah yes, Your Majesty, I would like you to meet Claire, Charlotte's new intern. Claire: I present to you Her Majesty, Clarisse Gerard Renaldi, Queen of Genovia." Clarisse, before greeting the new intern, shot a glance to Joseph whose eyes undeniably saddened at the last bit he spoke.
Clarisse stepped down from the final two stairs, forcing a bright and welcoming smile to the ladies.
"Claire, so nice to finally meet you. Welcome to the Palace," Clarisse greeted her warmly.
Claire flashed Clarisse a mischievous smirk before accepting her extended hand.
"Your Majesty, it's such an honor." The smirk went unnoticed to all except Clarisse, who then smiled uncomfortably, retracting her hand.
"Your Highness, if you don't need anything, we were on our way to fetch Princess Mia with her revised schedule and lunch announcement," Charlotte said politely.
"Yes, of course, Charlotte. Do what you must. Oh, and would you mind letting Mia know that I'd like to dine alone with her this evening?"
"Absolutely, your Highness." Charlotte smiled sweetly.
The Queen flashed a kind smile at Charlotte and Olivia, but it couldn't help but fade as her eyes fell upon Claire.
As the three women ascended the stairs and seemed out of hearing range, Clarisse approached Joseph.
"Joseph, do you have a moment?" The Queen inquired hopefully.
What Joseph and the Queen did not notice was that Claire was stopped at the top of the stairs, as Charlotte and Olivia turned the corner of the hall, listening intently.
"Your Majesty, I really don't have time for this." He said, trying to walk past her.
"I beg your pardon?" Clarisse's expression turned from hopeful to hurt.
Joseph stopped in his tracks, "Clarisse, please. You know very well how hard this is for me, but it was your decision," he turned to face her, "not mine. If you don't remember correctly, you were the one who gracefully declined my proposal. If you'll excuse me, your High-"
"Joseph, you cannot keep avoiding me. Don't you think this needs to be discussed?" She breathed in deeply. "Joseph, please don't shut me out," Clarisse concluded weakly as unwilled tears found their way to her eyes.
"Oh, darling, please don't cry," Joseph said regretfully as he pulled Clarisse into a warm embrace, stroking her hair soothingly.
Clarisse clung to Joseph, laying her head upon the area between his chest and shoulder.
"I hate this so much." She lifted her head and raised her eyes to meet his. "I thought we were meant to be together..." she told him sadly as she lowered her gaze to his chest.
Joseph cupped her face asking her eyes to meet his. "I still love you Clarisse, I can't stop loving you," he reassured her. "I dream every night of holding you in my arms from dusk until dawn, of holding and kissing you anytime I feel like it. I yearn to make love to you like no man has ever before." He paused. "But more recently, I hurt for you. I cry for you, Clarisse..."
"Oh Joseph, please don't cry!" Clarisse pleaded, her tears threatening to fall, "Not for me."
"Shh, darling." He pulled her into a tight embrace, resting his jaw against the side of her face. "It's just the way it is."
"Oh darling, I want to marry you so desperately. But I can't it...it wouldn't be fair."
Joseph pulled back slightly. "My love, whom, may I ask, wouldn't it be fair to?"
"Genovia...not until Mia is officially Queen," she told him.
"And after Mia is Queen?"
Clarisse gave him a confused look.
"If I were to propose once more, after you've abdicated...what would your answer be then?"
"Well, yes. It would undoubtedly be yes." Clarisse smiled elatedly, feeling the first sign of hope since she'd turned down Joseph's earlier proposal.
"If that's the only way I can convince you, so be it." His smile matched her elated one; he cupped her cheek gently and slowly and sweetly kissed her lips. He let his mouth linger on hers for a moment longer than he should have but simply couldn't help himself.
Clarisse remorsefully pulled from the kiss and rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes, "My love, we shouldn't be doing this here..."
Meanwhile Claire was still standing at the top of the stairs, a wicked grin on her face. Formulating a plan in her mind, she quickly followed Charlotte and Olivia to Princess Mia's quarters, not wanting to be missed.