Feelings by ilongtobelostinyou
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I only use them to write stories with.
She rested her head gently on his shoulder as they continued their impromptu dance. She felt whole in this very moment, forgetting the pressures of the wedding around her.
"Have you been thinking about us?"
"Yes, I have..." Her heart broke into a million pieces as she saw his do the same.
"Oh, I see. If you'll excuse me..." He couldn't let her see how broken he was, he had to leave, and quickly.
"No, Joseph! You had to know what I was going to say, I – Mia needs me now more than ever before and it's the monarchy," she was babbling, "I mean as Queen it's my responsibility, you know how it is." She took a deep breath, hoping he would understand her decision.
"You were never just my Queen, Clarisse, you were the someone that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. But, if you prefer that I see you first and foremost as my Queen, I shall oblige."
"No, Joseph!"
"Your majesty." He turned and left, knowing that his chance at pure happiness had been destroyed.
Queen Clarisse Renaldi watched as the love of her life walked away from her. She'd just denied him her hand in marriage, and immediately regretted her decision.
She wanted nothing more at that moment than to take every last tiara she owned and shatter it, but thought better of it. No, she didn't need to break something to make her feel better, she needed to cry. She stepped over to the CD player and turned the music off, then turned and walked up the steps back to her suite, where she could finally let go of her tears.
Joseph sat at the keys of his baby grand piano, the most important thing in his suite. He had been playing for hours, trying to drown out his emotions, but the piano was only making his emotions more clear to him.
He frowned and closed his eyes.
"Your Majesty, I've come to ask you something. I..." he began nervously, afraid of her answer.
"Yes, Joseph?" she asked coolly, seeing that he was obviously nervous about her answer.
"Would you mind if I put a piano in my room? I'll pay for it, and for the moving, but I desperately want to be able to play somewhere where I can be alone."
"Joseph! Don't be silly..." she began, and she saw his desperate look change to a look of defeat. "Joseph, what I meant was you don't have to buy your own piano. We'll pay for it, of course. And we'll pay for the moving."
He sighed, and felt like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Thank you, your majesty."
He kissed her hand before he'd left the room.
That was twenty years ago, but the memory was still fresh in his mind. She smelled of roses that day, and her skin was so soft.
He finally let his emotions overtake him, and crying, his head fell down onto the keys of the piano, hitting middle C and a few other assorted notes.
I can't marry you, not right now. I'm so sorry, Joseph.
In one moment, his dreams had been shattered by the one woman he'd loved most.
He wiped his eyes and rose, deciding to go to the security room to get his mind off his love.
She had been trying to sleep for hours, but found that her nightmares weren't worth the trouble. She rose from her bed and put on her favorite blue robe, then made her way to her door. She sighed, turned the knob, and stepped into the hallway.
She was making her way to the kitchen when she bumped into him.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty."
"Joseph, I think we need to talk." She desperately wanted him to understand she loved him.
"I don't think we do." He began to walk away.
"I want you to know, that I do want to marry you, I just can't right now."
"I don't want to hear it, Clarisse."
"But you've got to!" she said angrily.
"No, I don't." He began to walk away again.
"Joseph, I am Queen, I can make you do as I say."
"Do you really feel that way, Clarisse?"
"No," she admitted, calming. It was then she noticed that they had an audience of maids sticking their heads out of their doors. "Go back to your room!" she yelled angrily at them. "Not you!"
Joseph turned back around to her.
She grabbed his arm and pulled him to her. She surprised even herself when she pushed her lips to his, wanting him to see exactly how she felt about him. He didn't respond. She pulled away slowly and looked into his eyes, but he turned and walked away.
"Joseph, I love you," she whispered, so softly he barely heard it as he left.
A/N: Like it? Should I continue? I know this first chapter is short, but that was the only good place to leave off if I write the second chapter I'm thinking about writing. I do write chapters that are a little bit longer.
R&R if you'd like, please.