Fanfic: Mending Fences
Here's story #2 for the 10_quotes challenge...
Title:Mending Fences
Rating: G
Fandom: Princess Diaries
Movie/Quote: The Philadelphia Story (#44)
“It can't be anything like love, can it?”
“No, no, it can't be.”
“Would it be inconvenient?
“Terribly.”
Summary: After Clarisse angers everyone around her, she tries to begin the process of mending fences.
Disclaimer: Princess Diaries belongs to Meg Cabot & Disney. No infringement is intended.
~*~*~*~
The tapping, scratching noise of Maurice's nails along the hardwood floor alerted her to her dog's return to her suite. She had no hope of getting back into her granddaughter's good graces after their earlier argument, but she was willing to attempt the task with her beloved pet. She set down the stack of documents on her bedside table and dropped her reading glasses on top of them before climbing out of her bed and walking into her sitting room.
“Vien ici, Maurice,” she called, before realizing that they weren't alone. Joseph stood, tall and proud, just inside the door to her suite, holding Maurice's leash in his hand. He looked hard, every inch her no-nonsense head of security. The softening in his eyes and around his mouth when he was in her presences was noticeably absent.
“Your majesty, I believe you lost something,” he said, coldly.
Clearly, Clarisse's disappointment with the public relations nightmare of the day had filtered down the ranks of her staff. There had been a few uneasy moments after Clarisse had deferred her answer to his proposal of marriage, but this went beyond their current disagreement. Since their personal relationship was teetering precariously on the edge of disaster, she didn't want to add to the problem by creating further distance within their professional relationship. She retrieved Maurice's leash from him and turned away to get the dog settled in his bed, hoping to create a moment for Joseph's graceful departure. However, when Joseph continued to stand, unmoving in front of her as she turned back around, it was obvious that he had taken the decision out of her hands.
“What can I help you with this evening, Joseph?”
“You can start with an apology.”
“Why do I owe you an apology?” she demanded.
“Because I refuse to allow you to blame my staff for your inability to control your granddaughter.”
Clarisse stared at him, affronted. “My inability? Mia was found hiding in a closet with a man who is not her betrothed. She was found coming out of a fountain dripping wet with the same man, who is not her betrothed. In both instances, she was supposed to be protected by palace security, and yet... no one stopped her. What were you thinking?”
“Since I wasn't personally providing security for Mia in either instance, I wasn't thinking anything,” he retorted. “However, I would say with absolute certainty that my staff was thinking that tackling her to the ground or dragging her off in handcuffs would cause an even greater publicity problem than you already have. Mia is a grown woman and she needs to start taking some responsibility for her actions!”
His tirade drained her of the righteous anger that had been fueling her. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right.
Purposefully softening her voice, she reached for him, trying to mend the breach between them. “As I told her earlier tonight. Whether we like it or not, we are held to higher standards of behavior. Something that reflects poorly on one member of the royal family reflects poorly on us all.”
He grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. “I didn't mean what I said, Clarisse. This doesn't reflect poorly on you. You have to believe that.”
“It doesn't?” She shook her head sadly. “You're not the only person wondering how I can rule the country if I can't control my granddaughter. But it wasn't fair for me to take my frustration out on you, or your staff. For that, I am sorry.”
Her heart lightened to see the smile ghost across his features, softening them.
“Apology accepted.” He guided her gently to the settee and sat down beside her. “Now tell me all about it. What can be bothering you so much it would cause you to lose your sense of perspective?”
“The intersection of past, present and future, I guess you would call it. I see so much of myself in her, especially now. She's agreed to marry Andrew, and yet it's clear she's desperately unhappy with the idea of an arranged marriage. I remember how terrifying it was to be engaged to someone who was a virtual stranger to me. She's still a young girl who dreams of love, and the only thing I have to reassure her with is that she might grow fond of him over the course of their marriage. Now, with Nicholas going out of his way to put himself between them, eliciting feelings within her...”
“It can't be anything like love, can it?”
“No,” she said, her voice getting stronger as she denied it again. “No, it can't be.”
“Would it be inconvenient?”
“Terribly. For one thing, she'd be giving up her chance to rule. For another, that would make that venomous snake Mabrey part of the family.”
He chuckled at her uncharacteristic rancor, even as he silently agreed with her. He squeezed her hand once more as he said, “You must have faith, Clarisse. Faith that everything will work out as it should.”
“Why do I get the feeling you're not just talking about Mia and Andrew?”
“Because you are wise beyond your years.” He leaned over, and for a moment she was sure he was going to kiss her, before he pulled back and stood before her. “I must return to my duties,” he said, bowing his head and shoulders slightly. “Goodnight, your majesty.”
She waited for the door to click shut behind him before whispering, “Goodnight, my love. Don't give up on me. I'll try to have faith. I promise.”
Title:Mending Fences
Rating: G
Fandom: Princess Diaries
Movie/Quote: The Philadelphia Story (#44)
“It can't be anything like love, can it?”
“No, no, it can't be.”
“Would it be inconvenient?
“Terribly.”
Summary: After Clarisse angers everyone around her, she tries to begin the process of mending fences.
Disclaimer: Princess Diaries belongs to Meg Cabot & Disney. No infringement is intended.
~*~*~*~
The tapping, scratching noise of Maurice's nails along the hardwood floor alerted her to her dog's return to her suite. She had no hope of getting back into her granddaughter's good graces after their earlier argument, but she was willing to attempt the task with her beloved pet. She set down the stack of documents on her bedside table and dropped her reading glasses on top of them before climbing out of her bed and walking into her sitting room.
“Vien ici, Maurice,” she called, before realizing that they weren't alone. Joseph stood, tall and proud, just inside the door to her suite, holding Maurice's leash in his hand. He looked hard, every inch her no-nonsense head of security. The softening in his eyes and around his mouth when he was in her presences was noticeably absent.
“Your majesty, I believe you lost something,” he said, coldly.
Clearly, Clarisse's disappointment with the public relations nightmare of the day had filtered down the ranks of her staff. There had been a few uneasy moments after Clarisse had deferred her answer to his proposal of marriage, but this went beyond their current disagreement. Since their personal relationship was teetering precariously on the edge of disaster, she didn't want to add to the problem by creating further distance within their professional relationship. She retrieved Maurice's leash from him and turned away to get the dog settled in his bed, hoping to create a moment for Joseph's graceful departure. However, when Joseph continued to stand, unmoving in front of her as she turned back around, it was obvious that he had taken the decision out of her hands.
“What can I help you with this evening, Joseph?”
“You can start with an apology.”
“Why do I owe you an apology?” she demanded.
“Because I refuse to allow you to blame my staff for your inability to control your granddaughter.”
Clarisse stared at him, affronted. “My inability? Mia was found hiding in a closet with a man who is not her betrothed. She was found coming out of a fountain dripping wet with the same man, who is not her betrothed. In both instances, she was supposed to be protected by palace security, and yet... no one stopped her. What were you thinking?”
“Since I wasn't personally providing security for Mia in either instance, I wasn't thinking anything,” he retorted. “However, I would say with absolute certainty that my staff was thinking that tackling her to the ground or dragging her off in handcuffs would cause an even greater publicity problem than you already have. Mia is a grown woman and she needs to start taking some responsibility for her actions!”
His tirade drained her of the righteous anger that had been fueling her. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right.
Purposefully softening her voice, she reached for him, trying to mend the breach between them. “As I told her earlier tonight. Whether we like it or not, we are held to higher standards of behavior. Something that reflects poorly on one member of the royal family reflects poorly on us all.”
He grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. “I didn't mean what I said, Clarisse. This doesn't reflect poorly on you. You have to believe that.”
“It doesn't?” She shook her head sadly. “You're not the only person wondering how I can rule the country if I can't control my granddaughter. But it wasn't fair for me to take my frustration out on you, or your staff. For that, I am sorry.”
Her heart lightened to see the smile ghost across his features, softening them.
“Apology accepted.” He guided her gently to the settee and sat down beside her. “Now tell me all about it. What can be bothering you so much it would cause you to lose your sense of perspective?”
“The intersection of past, present and future, I guess you would call it. I see so much of myself in her, especially now. She's agreed to marry Andrew, and yet it's clear she's desperately unhappy with the idea of an arranged marriage. I remember how terrifying it was to be engaged to someone who was a virtual stranger to me. She's still a young girl who dreams of love, and the only thing I have to reassure her with is that she might grow fond of him over the course of their marriage. Now, with Nicholas going out of his way to put himself between them, eliciting feelings within her...”
“It can't be anything like love, can it?”
“No,” she said, her voice getting stronger as she denied it again. “No, it can't be.”
“Would it be inconvenient?”
“Terribly. For one thing, she'd be giving up her chance to rule. For another, that would make that venomous snake Mabrey part of the family.”
He chuckled at her uncharacteristic rancor, even as he silently agreed with her. He squeezed her hand once more as he said, “You must have faith, Clarisse. Faith that everything will work out as it should.”
“Why do I get the feeling you're not just talking about Mia and Andrew?”
“Because you are wise beyond your years.” He leaned over, and for a moment she was sure he was going to kiss her, before he pulled back and stood before her. “I must return to my duties,” he said, bowing his head and shoulders slightly. “Goodnight, your majesty.”
She waited for the door to click shut behind him before whispering, “Goodnight, my love. Don't give up on me. I'll try to have faith. I promise.”