Sequel to Newlyweds- I don't know whether this is going to work, but I've had a few ideas that I can make into chapters, so let's see where this goes!
The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!
It was a very quiet weekend at the palace after the wedding- all of the guests (or, mainly the men) tried to get a glimpse of the newlyweds, but gave up when it was clear that Joseph and Clarisse weren't going to let anyone see them.
"Do you really blame them for keeping out of sight?" Mia asked when Scott complained to her on Saturday afternoon, 24 hours after the wedding.
"Think about it- we've been in their faces about their wedding plans for the past six months, and then we keep them apart for 24 hours before the wedding! I actually think they're quite smart about this, so we're going to leave them alone… and that includes stopping going past that door every hour of the day," she finished, looking sternly at Scott, Nick, James and Charlie, all of whom had the grace to look slightly ashamed of themselves.
"So… this time is for them now, and no one else."
Meanwhile, the newlyweds themselves were enjoying their honeymoon, spending the entire weekend behind closed doors, away from the prying but well meaning eyes of the palace staff and guests.
"It has been wonderful being alone, but… maybe we should really spend some time with our guests…" Clarisse said as they wandered through the garden late Saturday night.
During the day, they spent inside, but when it was night-time, they emerged, visiting the gardens, even going for a swim down in the lake. It was late when they did that, but they wanted to make sure that everyone else was asleep before emerging, and it was well worth the wait- it was a gorgeous, warm star filled evening, and the garden seemed even more romantic in the moonlight. They had snuck out via some of Clarisse's passageways, and Joseph reminded her of her promise.
"I might show you them… then again, I might not!" she had said coyly when they emerged into the dark garden.
Joseph laughed ruefully at her comment, but he knew that most of the men had spent most of Saturday walking past their room, talking loudly, enticing them to emerge… without any success.
"I suppose we should… but I don't want to," he said with a laugh. "This is payback for them keeping us apart for 24 hours!"
"They meant well, and they were trying to let us enjoy the entire pre wedding experiences… and I'm sure we would have made it…"
"With another phone call or two," Joe cut in with a grin.
"Yes, but we might have made it without seeing each other if I hadn't got scared and emotional…"
"Which I found sweet and endearing," Joseph said as he pulled her close and let his lips brush the top of her hair. "Maybe I'll do it next time we decide to renew our vows!"
"James suggested that we should have another wedding- maybe even one a year- but there isn't going to be a next time!" Clarisse said quickly.
"This time was lovely, but that's it… besides, we're going to have a lot of trouble topping it on our future wedding anniversaries!"
"I'm sure we'll be able to think of something else," Joe said lightly before stopping to kiss her.
"So…. Should we sneak into the kitchen for a snack? I'm sure that everyone has gone to bed by now!"
"You want to sneak into the kitchen for a snack, hoping that everyone is gone, yet these people that you want to avoid manage to leave trays outside our door every day… Joseph, I'm disgusted with you!" she chortled.
"No… I'm quite happy not having a snack… but I don't want to go back in yet… it's just so beautiful out here," she sighed happily as he wrapped his arms around her.
They stood there for a moment, looking up at the stars, before she shivered as a slight cool breeze brushed past her.
"I've changed my mind… let's go in!"
Clarisse smiled at the sign on the door as they stepped out of the passage opposite his room- some cheeky person had stuck 'honeymoon suite' on the door sometime that day, but she liked it.
"This is beginning to feel like home," she sighed contentedly as she disappeared into the bathroom to get changed. "But I don't think I could live here permanently."
"I don't think so, not after living upstairs for 12 months, and I don't think we'd always get this amount of privacy… I'd say your granddaughter probably had some words with certain people," Joe agreed as he changed into his pyjamas and climbed into bed.
"Besides, comfortable as this bed is, the bed upstairs is far better- and more comfortable!"
"That's because it was made to my specifications, dear!" Clarisse called teasingly before emerging, a little shyly, in the nightgown she had been given the previous day, and blushed a little at the passionate look Joseph was giving her.
"That's a dangerous garment to be wearing, my darling," Joseph growled playfully as she climbed into her side of the bed, and she giggled as he moved closer to her as soon as she was comfortable.
"I do love you in that nightgown, but you look so stunning and sexy that it drives me crazy," he murmured before he wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close.
"Really? I hadn't noticed," Clarisse replied light-heartedly before he kissed her, as, soon enough, the nightgown was on the floor, long forgotten…
"But I'm glad that you like it," she murmured sleepily, much later, before they both drifted off to sleep…
0000
It was late Sunday morning when they finally woke up, causing Joseph to quip cheekily "All these midnight strolls aren't good for us retired newlyweds!"… And when they finally got up and dressed, they didn't move far- just to the couch.
"But I am enjoying all these lie ins," Clarisse admitted with a smile. "I thought that I would be bored with it after a month, after getting up so early for so many years, but I'm still surprised that I enjoy it…"
"Must be the company," Joseph said smartly, before thinking of something else. "By the way, I think I'm going to have to thank Mia and the girls when I see them," Joseph said thoughtfully later in the afternoon, after they watched a movie.
"What for?" Clarisse sounded confused as she poured two cups of tea in the tiny kitchen, and brought them over.
Her expression changed to horror when he gave her a significant look and she realised what he meant. "Don't you dare!"
"I'm just kidding," he said as he set his cup down on the table in front of them, catching sight of his wedding band as he did. He really did love wearing it, and he was looking forward to showing the world (when they emerged) that he really was taken… although he had been 'taken' almost from the moment he met her, he thought coyly to himself. He loved being a husband, being introduced as 'Clarisse's husband' and he especially loved (and felt proud) when Clarisse introduced him as 'my husband'.
He looked over at Clarisse sipping her tea, and spied his mother's ring sitting alongside her wedding band on her finger. He knew that his mother would loved knowing that Clarisse was wearing it- he sometimes had suspected that she had known his secret, and who he had really loved, as she had never really pressed him about getting married….
"Penny for your thoughts?" she teased, bringing him back from his thoughts, and he grinned at her.
"Nothing… actually," he began, realising that he could tell her about the engraving on the ring now. "There was something I had to tell you…"
"What is it, darling?" Clarisse put down her cup and saucer, and looked at him with concern.
"It's nothing serious," he said reassuringly. "I had something engraved on the inside of your ring… That's why it disappeared two days before the wedding, and I felt so bad when you were so upset when you discovered that it was missing, that I was going to give it back to you… I'm sorry if I misled you, but I wanted it to be a surprise."
"You didn't mislead me, and I loved the surprise you had for me," Clarisse said as she removed both rings, not wanting to but curious about what had been engraved, and squinted slightly at the inner part of the ring.
Her eyes then filled with tears when she saw the 'Joseph and Clarisse' engraved there.
"Beautiful," was all she said before she leant over and kissed him gently, then slipped her rings back on her finger. "By the way, I should mention that I had something engraved on your ring…"
Like Clarisse, Joe hated taking the ring off after she had put it there, but he wanted to see… he smiled contentedly when he saw 'Clarisse and Joseph' engraved there, and he leaned over to tenderly kiss her forehead.
"I guess great minds think alike, hey?" he teased, and she nodded, chuckling along with him.
After a pause, she looked over at him with an amused smile.
"So… as a former lifelong bachelor, how do you like being taken, and wearing that ring?"
"I've always been taken- almost from the moment I met you- so you can't call me a bachelor… but I do like this ring- it tells everyone that I belong only to you… Like I've said before, marriage has a special significance for me- I never thought I would be married, but I've always loved every moment with you… even when you were sick, you introducing to your crazy friends, and even our first fight!"
"You really like to hit the high points, don't you?" she teased as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "But I'm glad you like wearing it… I wish I had done it last year…"
"We were both in shock last year… no, my dear, this was the perfect time…"
"We'll have to confirm the wedding to the press after this weekend," Clarisse said with a sigh. "I hope that all the interest in us will end after this, and everyone will FINALLY leave us alone!"
"Hmm…." Joe sounded doubtful, and then sighed as Clarisse looked at him quizzically.
"What was that sigh for?" she inquired, and Joe thought quickly- he had been mulling over an idea for a few days, but he didn't know whether she would agree to it, but he decided to leap in and tell her. She was usually open minded about his ideas, and he hoped that she would be about this one.
"I was just thinking… it's not that I don't love living here with Mia and the gang, in the lap of luxury, but… I was thinking that maybe we could have some time away from the palace… just you and me on our own…"
He trailed off, unsure, but Clarisse was listening, looking intrigued, and he decided to continue.
"You said you wanted to have a normal life, and maybe this could be a way of doing that… or, as close to normal as possible…"
"That's an interesting idea… I've never lived or been on my own… I lived with my parents until I was eighteen, and then I was married, and living in the palace…"
"That's partly to do with that, but also because I would like to have some space from everyone here, and the cameras…"
"Even from me?" she teased, and he hugged her.
"Not from you- never!"
"No," Clarisse continued. "I understand what you're saying, and I think it could be interesting… since our wedding, you've introduced me to a whole lot of new experiences, and I think…no, I know that I'm enjoying the ride… So, what would we do?"
This was all new to her, but she could understand and sympathise with Joseph's feelings- it was a major transition from bodyguard to husband, and while he was used to it after a year of marriage to her, it was still a big change for him.
It had taken her a long time to get used to all the servants, bodyguards and protocols, but now… maybe now it was time to do something different for a while… she was no longer Queen, no longer had so many responsibilities, and she had to admit that she had been protected for most of her adult life, which didn't allow her to experience things she now could as a private citizen… this could be fun!
"We would do everything ourselves- cooking, cleaning, shopping, and the washing… I know neither of us have done that in a long, long time…"
"Let's do it," Clarisse said suddenly with a broad smile, excitement beginning to bubble inside her. "I know where you're coming from- you are still a very independent man, and I know it must irk you sometimes to try to do something yourself, and find that it's already been done…"
"Not always," he cut in for a moment, ready to explain, but she stopped him with a smile.
"You don't need to explain anything to me, Joseph," she said, resting a gentle hand on his arm. "I think it's something we should do… I was always such a pampered princess…"
"You were never a pampered princess or Queen to me, or to some of the others… in fact, I think some of the older members on the staff were very disappointed at how undemanding you were, and still are!"
"Really?" Clarisse looked amused. "I know I didn't like asking for anything when I was younger, but I always thought that I got more demanding as I got older!"
"Maybe you did, but I only heard 'she's far too independent for a Queen!" as he imitated one of the women's high voices. "Luckily, most of them have retired now!"
"Just as well, otherwise I might prove them otherwise," she mused thoughtfully, before looking at him. "You didn't think I was pampered?"
"Not in the slightest… but we both know that I'm heavily biased in your favour, not matter what you do or say."
There was another pause before Clarisse thought of something else.
"Where would we go?" and, for a moment, they both thought hard, before her face lit up. "I know- the beach house! It's fairly quiet and isolated… and there are no cameras or bodyguards!" she finished gleefully.
"Thank you very much!" Joe chuckled, pretending to be insulted. "But the beach house…it sounds perfect, but… are you sure?"
He trailed off awkwardly, as she realised what he was trying to say- the beach house had been Phillipe's his retreat from being a prince and what he had to do, but he had only used it a few times…
"I know, but I'm fine- really I am. It hasn't been used in a long time, but I know Phillipe would approve, and want us to use it… Do you know," she said with a smile, remembering the first time she had seen it. "I was the first person he took out there when he had bought it?"
"Yes, I can definitely remember that- he may have been trying to be smart, leaving the palace without letting anyone know where you were going, but we knew…"
"You knew?" Clarisse repeated. "Why didn't you yell at me then, like you did in San Francisco?"
"While San Francisco was your idea- and don't you deny that- I know that this trip hadn't been your idea! Anyway, we had a car load of people following you… or at least we tried to follow you…"
"But that trip with Phillipe… that was a ride I didn't care to repeat!" Clarisse said, rolling her eyes in remembrance.
000
"Fancy going for a drive?" Phillipe asked as he strode into Clarisse's study, and she looked up from her mountain of paperwork with a smile.
"I would love to, darling but, as you can see, I've got so much work here to do… I'll be here until midnight if I'm not careful!"
"Nonsense, Mother," Phillipe said briskly, sitting down in a chair opposite hers and stretching his legs out in front of him. "You need a break… besides, you're going to LOVE where we're going!" "Where are we going?" Clarisse put down her pen and sat back in her chair, looking at her son keenly. "If it's going into Pyrus, I can't…" "No, it's not there, but I'm not going to say anymore- it's a surprise," he grinned impishly at her, and she couldn't help but smile. "So… are you going to come or not?" Clarisse looked thoughtful- she
"Alright, I'll come," she smiled at him. "Have you told Joseph of your plans and where we're going, so that he's prepared?"
"He's fine about the whole thing, and I said I'd have you back in an hour or so, so he didn't need to come with us, and he agreed." "He agreed?" Clarisse asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously- Joseph was usually so protective (much more so than her own husband), and very rarely let her out of his sight when she went outside the palace… So… had Phillipe really charmed his way around Joseph?
"Yes, or something like that… so, can we go?" Phillipe asked, looking pleadingly at her and sounding like a teenager, and she laughed.
"Alright, yes!" she said, standing up. "I hope this surprise is worth it!"
"It is," he beamed mysteriously at her and Clarisse had to admit, as she followed him out of the room, her interest was piqued.
0
An hour later, the car came to a screeching halt in front of a set of closed metal gates, and Phillipe bounded out of the car with a grin. Clarisse, on the other hand, shakily wrenched her fingers away from the sides of the seat, which she had been clutching almost since they had left the palace, and took a deep, calming breath in.
It had been the worst ride of her life- Phillipe's driving had obviously not improved since college, which made the fact that he was driven around a more sensible idea-and she wasn't entirely sure whether or not she was going to be sick. All she knew was, as Phillipe got back in the car after opening the gates that she was never going to go driving with Phillipe again!
"Are you alright?" he asked, looking over at her with a grin, and Clarisse managed to give him a weak smile.
"I'm fine… but could you drive a little slower when we go back?"
"Sure," he grinned, not at all remorseful, before speeding up the driveway, much to Clarisse's horror.
"Phillipe!" she gasped when the car stopped, before hastily getting out of the car into the fresh air. The nausea was forgotten, however, when she realised that they were at the beach, and she was standing on a gravel driveway, in front of a two story house/mansion.
"Surprise!" she heard Phillipe say from behind her, before walking over to join her. "I bought this a couple of weeks ago, and I'm going to use it as a holiday house… do you want to look inside?"
"After that nightmare of a ride, of course!" she said mock sternly, but she was smiling.
Like the outside of the house, the inside was gorgeous as well- it was light and airy, with plenty of space, and most of the floor was made of polished wood.
"What a sensible idea, so that you don't drag sand in everywhere," Clarisse commented before Phillipe lead her upstairs.
Upstairs, there were three bedrooms, but the main bedroom took most of the floor, and it had it's own ensuite as well as it's own balcony, double glass doors opening out onto it and a spectacular view of the ocean only a few metres away.
There was also a large living room, and the large kitchen joined onto the dining room, which opened out onto another balcony, the sand only a few footsteps away.
"This is absolutely gorgeous, darling," Clarisse said enthusiastically when Phillipe finished the tour out on the balcony leading down to the beach. "When are you going to use it?"
"Whenever I can- and at least a fortnight in the summer- but I also want you to feel free to use it whenever you want… even as a romantic getaway," he added slyly, and she looked up at him sharply, but he was only looking innocently at her.
"Cheeky boy," she chuckled, trying to tell him off, but she couldn't- he knew the truth, she suspected. "Now, I think we'd better get back before Joseph and your father realise that we're gone!"
000
"As we've both realised, he always knew about us," she said reflectively, before turning to look at Joseph eagerly. "So… does the beach house sound like a good location?"
"Sounds terrific," he replied, just as enthusiastically, pleased that Clarisse was getting into the spirit of it. "But now I have a question- when should we do this?"
"This week, next week… I'm happy to go whenever you want," Clarisse said happily.
"Funny, I was just about to say that same thing… "
"We'll have to tell Mia as well… I'm sure she'll understand…"
"Understand that she can have a few parties while we're away," Joseph chuckled, but Clarisse knew that he was very fond of Mia, and considered her his granddaughter.
"Yes, she'll like the thought of that," she laughed quietly as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"You don't mind leaving the palace for a week or so?" he asked quietly, just wanting to make sure, and she looked up, smiling.
"Of course not… I think it's going to be fun, and all I really care about is being with you… Most of this is nonsense, and I always knew it… Rupert hated that I never took it seriously, but Phillipe didn't like it either, and I'm glad that Mia's not into it much either… but I know it's nonsense, even more now… there are a lot more important things in life other than jewellery, balls, dresses and travelling around the world…"
"I think a lot of your staff would have been disappointed to hear that… but, even though it is nonsense, it's also fun as well!"
They spent the rest of the evening planning what they were going to do, and Clarisse really was excited about the whole trip.
"You know, I haven't done most of this before," she said quietly as they climbed into bed, and Joe chuckled.
"I know that, my love, and I'm actually looking forward to showing you all that… imagine what Mia is going to say about this," he chuckled quietly after a moment. "I know what Scott's going to say!"
"They are all going to say we're crazy, but I don't care… this is going to be fun!"