“I didn't mean to intrude Konrad. I just came for a book. I couldn't sleep,” he quickly excused himself.
“What do you have there?” The man asked and pried the book from the boy's hand not waiting for an answer. “”Meissen and Diplomacy.” Interesting subject. We got many presents thanks to this tradition. Our famous Golden Lion Service—kept under seven locks by Friederich—was part of Princess Maria Walescka's dowry in 1765 if I remember correctly. She was an illegitimate child from Augustus den Starken, one of many, but he was gracious enough as to pay for her dowry. Perhaps, Friederich will show it to you one day. He defends it with his life. It was never used or displayed,” he spoke amiably. “Sit with me. I also can't sleep.”
“You look very tired from the meetings.”
“Do you know the German expression “Hundemüde;” “dog tired”? I feel exactly like that.”
“Must be hard to keep all those important people happy.”
“That's a very diplomatic way to express it. Try “to keep the sharks happy in their pond” and you will be closer to the truth.” Konrad smiled tiredly, his eyes softening for the first time. “It's every year the same but with a different topic each time we meet. I hate this voting.”
“Voting?”
“I'm elected as Hochmeister for a year only. I need more than 2/3 of the votes to keep my job. I only control thirty-four percent of the votes. I have to campaign hard to get the rest.”
“Constantin told me that your position is inherited,” Guntram asked perplexed.
“It's but only for the first year. If I prove to be an incompetent, the members can throw me out and the Council rules for a full year till they choose a successor and this one has only one year to prove that he's worthy of the title. My line came to power after 1878, when my cousin's Gertrud ancestor lost his position. He was acting as surrogate Griffin as my great grandfather was too young to take over because the previous Griffin, from Albert's line, had named him but died when he was ten years old. The surrogate Griffin only had daughters at the time and a woman was not allowed to be our leader. He tried to force the succession to one of his daughters and his son-in-law by trying to murder my great grandfather. The plot was discovered and he was deposed. His younger brother tried to recover the power but the Council decided to rule till my grandfather turned eighteen. Gertrud and Georg, her brother, are still sore about it. She's upset with me because I preferred Albert's son as my successor instead of her children. Ferdinand understands my decision and I think he's glad that Karl Otto will not get it. When I'm out, the power should return to the original line, the one who invested us.”
“I didn't know it.”
“It helps to keep the tensions down and reinforce my power during the year. We chose this day as it's the Death of our Lord and it could mean the end of a time for us. Don't look at me; complain to Theodobald von Lintorff for his poor choices.” Konrad chuckled finding terribly amusing the shocked expression in Guntram's face.
“Every year? Would it not better to make it every four years, like most Presidents do?”
“I get a lifetime job which most Presidents don't, unless you're Fidel Castro,” he chortled. “Perhaps I should give you a seat on the Council,” he pondered half seriously.
“I would be fired in less than two minutes. I'm no part of their game. I have nothing that could be valuable to them.”
“You have been readmitted as a member, Guntram, but you get no voting rights or executive positions for the moment. It's the best I can do for you. Maybe in the future, you will be more freely accepted.”
“I thought I was a member! You told me this in St. Petersburg!”
“You were a member, but your line was expelled. With his actions your father won for you the right to be readmitted. Don't waste the many sacrifices he made for you, Guntram.”
“I don't want to be a part of this!”
“You're my ward and a member now. You're virtually untouchable for Repin. Any of us has to shelter you in case of troubles and you have to do the same for your brothers. Betray us and the punishment will be exemplary. If you want to stay with us after one year, you can do it, and Repin has to accept it or fight with us as a whole.”
“Why did you do it?”
“Because I promised your father to look after you, and I don't want that you go back to him. As I told you, you remind me of someone I loved very much and I don't want to repeat the same mistakes with you. You blend perfectly with our lifestyle and beliefs and I dare say that you like it. I don't plan that you're part of our business and I don't think you could ever be one of us. You're an artist, an idealist and a selfless person. You can live by my side, giving me your companionship and friendship. That's all I ask from you. Finish your schooling, work hard to get a career and a name.”
“Konrad, I don't know what to say…”
“Say nothing at all. Do you like to be here with me?”
“Yes, very much,” Guntram blurted out and blushed under the man's piercing look.
“I see that you have made a huge progress since you're here. I'm proud of your achievements and I like to have you around, when you're not pouting or depressing up to the stones. Even if nobody believes it, I live in the deepest loneliness and I would like to have someone I could trust in, someone who will not use me or my power and someone generous, honest and kind hearted that would support me when everything is too much for me. I carry a heavy weight on my shoulders and it's suffocating for me.”
“Yours is position I would have never taken,” Guntram whispered.
“I know and I like you for that,” Konrad pressed.
“Although I harshly judged you and you're not the person I thought you were, I don't think I can do what you want. We could never be friends because of our history and because I consider myself Constantin's friend. I don't love him any more but I will not betray him for you. You're his enemy.”
“We are speaking of different things here. I'm not asking you to tell me about Repin's activities. I suffice myself to gather that intelligence. How can you betray a man that you don't love any more? Didn't you tell him?”
“Countless times, but he didn't listen to me. He said I was in shock and only willing to run to where I felt comfortable.”
“Where is the betrayal then?”
“He's still in love with me and he has risked his position for me.”
“Risked his position for you? How?”
“His marriage; his wife wants to get rid of him now. If she uses what you have given her and goes to the authorities, Constantin will go to jail and lose his children. He loves them very much. I've seen him with them and he's a very good and tender father.”
“Guntram, we exchanged information. She came to me the same day you were nearly killed because she needed my protection to survive Repin's wrath. I wasn't aware of the facts or that she had laid a hand on one of us, but I didn't want to save her either. I imagine that her gamble was to kill you and escape while her accomplices attacked Repin. She thought that I was so furious with Repin because of Morozov's actions against me that I would protect her, but I didn't break the agreement I had with him.”
“Constantin never wanted to go against you. He's afraid of you! Can you not understand it? This man wanted to cause a war between you and him!”
“That's what your death's was for. So they could place the blame on me because of my representative's death in Georgia. They tortured you so it would look like a punishment from us. It wasn't that she hated you so much that she needed to vent her rage. For some reason, it went wrong and she had to give me something in exchange for my help. What she offered me was interesting and as I didn't want to lose it, I offered her some information about his accounts in Luxembourg and his creative tax declarations.”
“Constantin is an honourable man. He never went against you! There are so many stories about your brutality that no one would be as crazy as to clash with you!”
“People are more lunatic than you think Guntram an
d I have to prove them wrong. You're mistaken if you think this is not his fault. Morozov was under him and he should have controlled him better. No, he let this man advance against me to check if I could be defeated. He was testing my defences and paid a price for it. I don't take betrayal lightly.”
“Massaiev told me that you're a bloodthirsty monster, that once you're unleashed nothing stops you. My whole family was murdered. Those people in Chechnya were murdered because of you. He says you have killed with your own hands.”
“I only passed the information to the Russian Authorities. They decided to raid the village, a village harbouring terrorists and gangsters. As for your family, don't be unfair to me because you perfectly know that I was in a hospital because of a shooting organized by your own grandfather. Goran's father died saving my life. I'm merciless, that is true but I'm not bloodthirsty. I do what I have to do and use violence as the last resource, something that Repin can't say. My punishments are legendary because I want to set a good example so this is never repeated. It works most of the times and we are feared and respected.”
“You beheaded three men; with your own hands. You have a sword,” Guntram whispered.
“Who told you this? It's ridiculous!” Konrad protested, almost laughing.
“Did you?”
“Never! Do you think I carry an axe around, beheading enemies?” Konrad laughed. 'Down from five to three, the Russians are losing their respect for me. Time to show them something more.'
“Is it not true?”
“Sure it is. Did they also tell you that I nailed the heads on pikes and put them at the entrance? Very classical. Next time, I'll try impalement as I'm dealing with Russians,” he chortled.
“No,” Guntram whispered feeling very stupid for believing such a crazy story.
“Have they not told you about the time I hanged five men from their feet and let them there till they died? Took quite some time and finally the men gutted them alive to end the screaming.”
“No.”
“Russians must be losing their imagination. They used to tell better stories about me. Eating so much fast food can't be good for their brains,” Konrad smirked. “Now, you won't be able to sleep at all,” he laughed. “Let's go to bed, Guntram. Tomorrow we have to endure my cousin for the day. In the afternoon, his wife and children will arrive for the Easter Sunday Lunch with the employees from the bank.”
“Excuse me for believing these slanders, Konrad,” Guntram said very ashamed and offered his hand.
“It's all right. It's good to be feared when your opponent is a 6 feet long ugly black bear. I wouldn't like to be loved by one of them.” He laughed as he quickly took the small hand between his two much larger hands.
“Friends?”
“Friends.”
Guntram de Lisle's Diary Easter Sunday
I'm dead on my feet. The party started early in the morning with a Mass at 11—big surprise—lunch in the courtyard as it was sunny for 200 people (employees and their families about fifty children running around) and some noble members from the Lintorff family. I was hoping to escape during the Mass but Konrad caught me the minute I was scurrying myself toward the background and forced me to sit next to him, near Carolina von Lintorff, Albert's wife and a very kind and elegant Italian woman. Elisabetta smiled at me and patted me on the shoulder as she sat next to her son, doing his best to keep his two youngest children quiet; they're nine and eleven. Across the nave, I saw Ferdinand von Kleist and his wife, Gertrud and his three children, Karl Otto, Johannes and Marie Amélie a really good looking blonde girl. I'm not surprised that Albert's eldest son, Armin, follows her like a puppy. Goran was also there and he briefly smiled me from the distance. He was again with the funny German, Michael Dähler.
After the service the children started to run like crazy all over the garden as the people were looking for their assigned places at the tables. The young ones got a special area with people to look after them, toy's and brown rabbits. Strangely, Konrad was nice to the many who came to greet him. I saw him standing with Ferdinand and Albert, greeting most of the people after the Mass. I thought that it could be a good moment to escape but Goran caught me and started to speak about the weather and that he had seen some of my pieces in London at Robertson's before the exhibition ended two weeks ago.
“Are you able to chit chat? Goran, I'm shocked,” Michael interrupted us, almost laughing.
“Are you able to be quiet?” He growled back but the other was not impressed at all.
“No, only Monika van der Leyden has the ability to shut me up. You lack her charm. Monika is that tall brunette standing over there, next to Cecilia Riganti. She's the Duke's secretary and our worst nightmare when we screw up something or don't clean the shoes before entering the bank.” He explained to me, showing me a very aristocratic woman with a stare that could freeze the sun.
“She looks impressive,” I mumbled.
“Hey, I saw her first. Besides, you're not her type. She likes them tall, intelligent, good looking, with a doctor's degree, rich and funny.”
“Exactly like Albert von Lintorff, Guntram,” Goran clarified for me.
“Drop dead!” Michael shouted at him.
“You have just described him. Monika would never waste her time with a man like you Michael. She's a woman of taste.”
“I prefer you mute.”
“I also.”
“Goran, do you know when Alexei Antonov would be back?” I decided to switch the topic because the last part wasn't sounding like playing any longer.
“Holgersen has been nasty to you?”
“No, no. He's fine. A bit bossy but he's polite. I was only wondering about him.”
“Holgersen will stay with you for a month and then, we will see. He's good, unless you prefer some of my own team's men. I thought you would prefer someone younger, more of your age.”
“He's all right, Goran. I think I should go now.”
“Why? You will sit at the Duke's table, next to Carolina von Lintorff and Armin, the Strolch,” Michael told me. “It's a good place to be. I have to suffer Ferdinand and his uptight wife just to be near Monika.”
“Ten to one she will mop the floor with you, my friend,” Goran said very seriously.
“We'll see. Make it twenty to one if you're so sure.”
“Done.”
Lunch was very good and Jean Jacques is an incredible cook. He wasn't bragging about his titles and stars. I've never eaten so well since I'm here and I'm going to miss him a lot when I'm gone. Carolina didn't pay much attention to me as she was busy speaking with Konrad and the Head of Foreign Investments. Armin, on the other hand was a funny guy, expansive as his father but with the air of superiority of someone who knows that he has been born in the midst of real money.
“We are going to be room mates very soon,” Armin told me during the second dish.
“Excuse me?”
“The Duke wants that I move with him from September onwards. I'll be going to the University of Zurich to study Economics and work at the bank. It's boot camp time for me. Too many parties for his taste and he wants ‘to straighten me out.’”
“That sounds bad for you,” I sympathized with him.
“How's for you? Is he too stern? When is curfew time?”
“It's not that bad. He always has people around for diner, well two or three times per week and I'm excused after eating. On normal days, we dine at eight and stay in the library till eleven, he working or reading and I painting or studying. You'll eat very well here. The cook is great.”
“When do you go out?”
“I don't. I have a heart condition and the doctor forbade me to be under stress. I stay at home studying for my finals in June or go to a teacher's study to paint. I'm mostly busy with my drawings. I have to start to work again because my bank account is starving.”
“You don't get an allowance?”
“No, why would I get one?” I was shocked. “I'm glad for his support and hospitality.�
�
“Don't you go out? Discos, bars, cinemas? Do you know anyone?”
“Only CEO's or bodyguards. No one else. I help Pater Bruno on Saturdays. As I said, I can't run around much,” I said, hoping that he would drop the subject as I didn't want to give him a long lecture about former jealous mobster lovers, German secret societies' knights, high finance and loans. Obviously, the guy knew nothing about me and that was fine for me.
“Well, time to shake this house a bit,” Armin shrugged. Sure, when your “uncle” is fighting in the early morning with his sword, knives or hand style with the other boys. And they can hurt each other a lot. Nothing comparable to what I've seen at Constantin's.
“The Duke dislikes any interruptions to his normal schedule, Armin.”
“Lord, this sounds like a real punishment for me. Do you know that I will have to cope with Dr. Dähler too?”
“He's quite funny.”
“Funny? He's a bloody Navy captain with an elephant's sense of humour. Everybody knows he has a short temper. He fired a whole traders team for not understanding his orders and my uncle supported his decision.
He's the one who plans all the strategy. Not even Marie Amélie is worth of this. Does she come here much?”
“This is the first time I see her,” I replied and he groaned. It seems that uncle Konrad is not the younger generation's favourite. Armin really looked gloomy.
After lunch, there was a sort of commotion as all the children ran in stampede back to the garden for the big Egg Hunt. I believe the flowers will have to be replaced on Monday. I saw many rabbits also running free, chased by children. I tried to stay in a corner watching everything as I knew no one and so much people were making me very nervous.
“There you are. I got you a customer.” Konrad found me and I was surprised that he was holding a young girl, looking very sad in his arms. “Meet Gretel Morgenthau, she couldn't catch a rabbit and they're all already taken. Could you draw one for her?”
“Yes, of course,” I said and he placed the blonde girl next to me. “I need some paper and pencils.”
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