A/N: I know, long time no see...I had all but forgotten about this chapter 'deep, embarrassed blush'. Anyways, here it is...the final chapter of our walk through our couple's life. Last chapter we saw a lovely and meaningful surprise, which I have not extended, Fran - sorry. And this chapter? How does it all end?
Enjoy reading...
And THANK YOU to all you wonderful people who reviewed. You made my heart swell and feel warm and loved. Kisses to all of you.
Part 6
It was incredible, how so few words could open up a whole new world, a whole new meaning. Through those few words years of distance, of adversity had been put to rest.
It had been another chink in the wall, Clarisse had built up around herself. Another small step to draw the dead princess out of her tomb. That night, more than ever before, Clarisse had fought herself free of the duties and the constrictions and restrictions that kept her caged.
They had danced for hours, not caring for the music that played, not caring that the candles burned lower and lower, completely forgetting that others might be looking for them.
When she closed her eyes Clarisse could still feel his hands on her back, on her waist, on her hands. They had guided her in dancing, guided her into a world of feelings and sensuality and she had gladly lost herself in it.
If Joseph had asked her that night to sleep with him, Clarisse would have been perfectly willing. Actually, she remembered with a blush, she had almost asked him to follow her into her bed. Who would have known? Who would have been hurt, if they had given in to their desires? She wanted him and he wanted her. It was as easy as that.
And yet…
"You know," came an amused voice seemingly out of nowhere, "I always thought you had something divine about you, but now I am sure you must have come from the heavens above."
Clarisse jumped at the words, not being used to have another person in her bedroom at this time of the day.
Seeing his wife…his…his wife, the thought almost made him choke, seeing his wife so startled, Joseph quickly got out of the bed. "Darling?" he asked concernedly. "Darling?" He tenderly cupped Clarisse's cheek, but she seemed to have fallen into a completely different world.
"Darling?"
Finally, the glazed over expression in her eyes disappeared and was replaced with something entirely different. Joseph knew that feeling well, had suppressed it, fought it, denied it for years, but seeing this feeling so completely taking over his wife's features he could not help but be aware of the response it drew from him.
It was desire.
It was lust.
It enveloped the couple in an irresistible web.
"My, you are so magnificent." She breathed, not able to force her voice to a stronger tone. Not able to tear her gaze away from his body.
Her hands found his shoulders without thought and she ran them over his arms and shoulders as if in slow motion.
Joseph felt himself respond to Clarisse's caress, circled her waist and drew her body to come resting flush against his. Nuzzling her neck, his hands wandered and opened Clarisse's dressing gown.
"So are you, my love." He growled, "Magnificent and perfect and divine."
The expensive silk fluttered down onto the floor, leaving the couple standing naked in front of the windows. They did not feel the chill from the cool morning anymore, for the sun had finally completely risen up bathing them in its golden lights and warmth. But more than that it was their love and the heat of their embrace that warmed them.
As their lips met, it was as if a current of passion had been opened.
The last coherent thing Clarisse could utter for a long time was "You were also right."
It was a long time later that her words finally registered. They lay among the rumpled sheets, their bodies still entwined, their hands lazily stroking the other's skin.
"Why was I right, my darling?"
Clarisse smiled broadly. There was nothing to curb this expression. Try as she might, she knew she'd probably light up every room today.
So happy. So gloriously happy.
"It is a fairytale I have heard of."
Joseph raised an eyebrow.
"Tell me." He was in the mood for a fairytale. Heck he was in the mood to hear her reading Genovia's telephone book to him today. Gently cupping his wife's cheek he felt himself drowning in her eyes, in her glorious smile. "Tell me…"
Struggling upwards, Clarisse placed a tender kiss against his chin, then laid her head back against his chest. Feeling Joseph's arms tighten around her, she began to speak.
"Once upon a time, in a small village by the sea, there was a princess. She was young and naïve, but happy for she had everything: a happy family, friends and her prince. She always felt secure, because she knew that her prince would always protect her. He even promised to marry her one day."
Joseph felt a grin spread over his face. It was silly really, but too beautiful.
She paused for a moment and he knew that this was hard for her. Therefore, he tenderly kissed her hair and stroked her back soothingly.
"But then one day, things began to change for the princess. Her mother died and she was sent away from her friends, but mostly from her prince. The only thing to keep her going for years was the thought of her prince and his promise to marry her in a few years. But one day, when she came home, eager and excited to see her prince, she saw him kissing another girl and her heart broke."
"My God Clarisse…"
"No, love." She tenderly ran her palm over his face, smoothing out the shocked expression on his face. "It is alright." Clarisse smiled "It is a fairytale, remember."
Joseph settled down on the pillow again, the knot of tension only slowly easing off. She had seen and been…
"A few years later, the princess found out that all her dreams and hopes of being with her prince had always been in vain. Plans had been made for her years ago that were to be put into reality now. She was afraid and angry, but she was a coward as well, for her prince asked her to run away with him, yet she didn't.
Instead, she went on with the plans made for her and married a king. She became a queen and a mother and she was content, but she never forgot her prince and it was killing her inside to know that nobody wanted the princess anymore.
Then one day, she was to meet her prince again. The princess was very nervous about this meeting, afraid yes, unsure yes, but at the same time she was excited and hopeful. But the meeting didn't go well…"
"Because her prince treated her cruelly and heartlessly."
Clarisse smiled tremulously, seeing the pain in Joseph's face, hearing it in his voice.
"He was so overwhelmed by their meeting, having told himself that she would have simply grown older and stuck up. But when he saw her, he felt his heart stopping, felt desire for her overwhelming him, felt his love for her swelling in his heart. And when her son made this childish comment, jealousy coursed through him stronger and hotter than anything ever felt before. And…"
"And again the princess took the coward's way out and ran away and buried herself alive. To be the queen she was expected to be. The years passed by and the queen learned to cope with her life and be content for she had finally friends again. Still, at the back of her mind there always was a prince and one very dark day she had to face the fact that her prince was in her heart as well.
One day, she stepped into a room and saw him. He was no longer her prince, not even a friend, but he was there and from that day on the princess' world started to return to normal. Years later, on another very dark day, this same man promised her to be her knight. To protect her and to love her until the moment they would finally be prince and princess again."
Joseph brushed his lips over her temple. "Did he keep his promise?"
She threw her head back and laughed in delight. "Oh yes, yes he did. He was the princess' knight until the day she came alive again and made good on the promise her prince had made her."
His forehead crinkled in thought. "What promise was that, my love?"
"One day, I'll marry you, because I am your prince and you are my princess. And princes always get to marry their princesses."
Joseph couldn't help it, he laughed. And laughed. After minutes of mirth, he calmed down a little, but seeing the tears of mirth in his wife's eyes set him off again.
Their laughter filled the room, resonating from the walls, sounding into the morning air through the open windows. Outside, the gardeners doing the early morning chores exchanged glances unable to suppress their amused grins.
"Does this fairytale have a happy ending?"
"One glorious day in summer, the princess received a nudge from a most unlikely source and married her prince. It was all she had ever wanted. Finally, her prince was hers indeed. And the morning after, the princess woke up in the prince's arms, they kissed each other tenderly and lived happily ever after."
Pushing herself up and peering into her husband's face, Clarisse grinned. "So, how do you like my fairytale?"
He grinned and was about to answer, when the phone ringing saved him from giving a outrageously sweet answer.
Muttering a few surprising choice words, Clarisse answered the phone. Joseph was annoyed at the interruption, wondering what idiot had not understood the clearly stated "Do not disturb!" but then he saw Clarisse grinning at the words of the caller.
"Uhm…let me ask him," she said into the receiver, then covered it with her hand and turned to Joseph. "Are we up for dinner in Mertz tomorrow night?"
Joseph frowned. "Must we?"
Clarisse nodded with a grin. "We'll be there, Lisha, though I can't guarantee that my darling husband will be in any sort of a companionable mood by then. Right now, he is sporting the biggest scowl." She grinned again, then blushed at the advice she was obviously given. "I'll try my very best, Lisha. Thanks. Say hi to that husband of yours from us."
Replacing the receiver back on the phone, Clarisse propped herself up on Joseph's chest.
"Nicolo and Elisha expecting us to show our faces for dinner tomorrow? And apologize for not having them at our wedding?"
"Yes, my prince."
"We go then?"
"Yes."
"Tomorrow night?"
"Indeed."
"But until then?"
"Just you, my prince, and I."
Joseph grinned again at the utter perfection of this agenda for the day. Leaning forward, he drew her face closer to his until their lips were scant inches apart.
"Rissie…"
"Joey…"
Well...that was it...i hope you enjoyed the story...this part especially...please leave a review and let me know. Thank you.