Into the Lion's Den

by Tionne Rogers

  Third the boy didn't complain or pout when he was informed that tomorrow he had a date with his doctor. In fact, he had been glad.

  Fourth, Monika van der Leyden had phoned him two days ago to joyfully inform him that “finally the Duke saw reason and dismissed that vulgar woman. I was never so happy in my life to call a real estate agent to take care of the papers for her flat in Via Condotti, where else?” The rest of the compensation fee was too generous, considering she had been getting several presents over the years and a €10,000 monthly allowance. No, Konrad had done something bad and wanted to shut her up or he had found something much better.

  Fifth, Ostermann had told him to arrange with the insurance company the lending of three pieces to the Vatican when Konrad had refused to do it for a long time.

  Sixth, he had taken the rest of the day free when normally he was running to his office the minute he was setting a foot in Zurich. No, after lunch he had sent Ferdinand back and decided to go for a walk in the forest, taking Guntram with him.

  Seventh, Guntram was in an excellent mood, almost shinning, nothing like the terrified, sick boy that he had received in February.

  'I can still put two and two together, Konrad. You are after the child. Over my dead body, boy.'

  He took out his mobile phone of his pocket and quickly dialled from memory. “Good afternoon, Mr.

  Pavicevic. It's Friederich. (…) I wondered if she was ready. The Duke has returned with Guntram. (…) He's very fine.

  Tomorrow I'll take him to the doctor, just for a check, but he seems to be in good health. He was working a lot in Rome. (…) Could you bring her today in the evening? That would perfect. He will be very happy. Thank you.”

  'From the age of nine to thirteen, Konrad tried every night to smuggle a Rottweiller in his bed and never succeeded. Now, at forty-six he tries to smuggle himself in a young man's bed. Forget it boy, I won't let you have your fun with that child. He deserves much better than becoming your whore. He's nothing like his uncle!'

  Walking with Konrad was a source of happiness for Guntram. The tall trees and the peace, only broken by some singing birds or the sound of the wind through the leaves, relaxed his nerves and he let Konrad hold his hand as they were walking. Since they had spoken that night, they had been together practically the whole time, speaking, reading and kissing each other when there was no one around. Konrad was coming to his bed twice only to hold Guntram and sleep, disappearing very early in the morning.

  Konrad halted his walk and embraced his kitten to kiss him has he has been dying to do since breakfast in Rome. He was so happy to have his kisses returned with a matching passion.

  “Let's do something, please,” Guntram whispered in his ear.

  “No, kitten. Tomorrow after we have spoken with your doctor. I don't want to risk you. Once he gives you clearance, you will move to my rooms and stay there.”

  “Are you really sure?”

  “Why not? I'm old enough as to know what I want and you make me very happy; like no one else before.”

  “I don't think this is a good idea. If you come to my room, no one will notice and we can also be happy like that.”

  “I will not have a clandestine relationship with you Guntram. Period. Don't you love me enough that you need to hide yourself from the others?”

  “No! I do love you! I would do anything for you, but think about your position! What if Constantin finds it out? What if he hurts you?”

  “He will not hurt me or you. I will protect you with my life, but hear me well, my love, I will not hide my feelings for you. You're my chosen companion, my lifemate, my beloved. I have already announced my decision to the Council and most of them agreed to it.”

  “When? Who? Why did you do it?” Guntram blurted, unable to believe that his sex life was discussed at a table, even before he knew he was going to love Konrad.

  “Because I wanted to leave everything clear for the others. Goran, Michael, Gustav Löwnestein, Mladic, Albert and Wallenberg support you. In fact, the Swedish likes you more since you were under his grandchild care, Heindrik Holgersen. He also likes you and says that you're “not troublesome”. Ferdinand is reluctant, but abides with my decision.”

  “When did you do it?” Guntram asked in shock. His whole private life was being discussed as if it were a business deal!

  “Last Easter, when they all came. I'm very sure of my feelings for you, Guntram and I hope likewise from you.”

  “Konrad, this is going to be the greatest mess of our lives,” Guntram sighed, but kissed his lover tenderly.

  “Let's go home, my love.” Konrad said when he finally broke the kiss. “I'm hungry and perhaps Jean Jacques understood your handwriting.”

  “Don't worry, he made me read it to him,” Guntram chuckled. 'He's like a big child who needs to be hugged and loved unconditionally. He's adorable.'

  The black sleek Mercedes at the entrance rose all Konrad's internal alarms. 'Why is Goran here if we had agreed to meet tomorrow?' The Duke quickened his pace to enter cross the empty courtyard and the main entrance with one of the butlers already opening it. He could hear Guntram walking behind him. Friederich was waiting for him in the foyer and only said. “Mr. Pavicevic is in the living room with the bitch.” “I told Monika to get rid of her! This is impossible!” he barked in German while Guntram was looking with big eyes at the stiff butler pronouncing “that word”.

  “It is a present for Guntram, your Excellency and she will be very good to him,” Friederich replied in German too.

  “And?”

  “Mr. Pavicevic himself chose her. She's a very polite companion, Sire,” Friederich sauntered in the way Konrad hated so much, exactly as he was doing when he was ten years old.

  'I'll kill Goran for this!' Konrad thought and went in a straight line to the living room to get rid of the floozy the Serb had dared to bring to his home.

  'Exactly as I thought, well boy, you have serious competition now.' Friederich smirked and caught Guntram before the lad could escape to his room. “You can go in, Guntram. It's something for you. It's very cute. You two will like each other,” he said with a real kind smile, unlike the sneer he had shown his former pupil.

  The well known silhouette of a pug, sitting on top of his Belgian carpet was a great shock for Konrad. “The red ribbon was not my idea. The trainers put it,” Goran growled from his sofa, rising the moment his Duke entered the room. “She does not give it up. I think she likes it.”

  “What is this animal doing here?”

  “You asked for it, my Duke. In March, so here it is. Friederich told me to bring it today.”

  “Make a sausage out of it!” Konrad started to tell, but the cry of happiness he heard from Guntram at seeing the dog, made him stop and change his mind when the boy dashed to the animal and knelt next to her. “Do you like it?” he grunted as the animal crouched in the way all of them do before jumping for playing.

  “It's a very nice dog. Is it a female?” Guntram said grabbing her by her jaws like all dogs love.

  “Yes, it's a she and eight months old. She's fully trained to be inside a house. It's a Mops, ” Goran said softly. “His Excellency ordered a dog for you in March, but she had to be trained before giving it to you. Mr. Elsässer has already a bed for her.”

  “Are you really giving it to me, Konrad?” Guntram asked very happy, while he was scratching the animal's belly, also happy to be with the boy.

  “If you like it…” Konrad said, irked with the look of triumph dangling from Friederich's eyes.

  “Like her? I simply love it! Thank you so much,” Guntram said, picking up the dog.

  “Ah, ah. Don't pick her up, Guntram. She's heavy for you. Almost six kilos. Remember what your doctor said,” Goran interfered.

  “Thank you very much, Goran for bringing her.” The boy immediately returned the dog to the floor, jumping like a ball around him. “Can I take her out now?”

  “Yes, go with Alexei. He should be somewhere,” Goran said
.

  “Return in thirty minutes for tea.” Konrad barked, upset at the set up his Tutor and Summus Marescalus had prepared for him, not liking a bit their new way of cooperating with each other. True, he had given the order, but he had not repeated it and Friederich hated dogs inside the house and here was this one, sleeping on top of his carpet!

  “What is her name?” Guntram asked.

  “I should look in her papers,” Goran replied.

  “How did you call her, in German?

  “It's a Mops, I don't know the word in English.”

  “Can you call a dog Mopsi?”

  “If she comes, when you call her, I guess so,” Konrad said miserably as obviously the dog was here to stay. “Take her outside. I have to speak with Goran and Friederich.”

  Konrad waited for the pug and kitten to be gone before he would start to shout with his people. “I never imagined you were in the dog training business, Goran.”

  “She was trained in Bern. Her parents won several prizes. It's a fine exemplar and Guntram likes her very much,” the Serb said, impassable as always.

  “I don't remember when I asked for it.”

  “In March you said the doctor had recommended that Guntram should find a way to release the stress as it was very harmful for his health. I spoke about dogs and you answered me “would be good one as pet. A small one, but not in a flea size.” It looks like a clear order to me. I chose a Mops and female as they don't mark the territory so much as men… I mean, males, my Duke.”

  “The dog can sleep in Guntram's bedroom. I have purchased a bed for the animal,” Friederich announced. “It will be good for him to have something to look after and play with.”

  “He's almost twenty-two years old, not ten!”

  “Animals have incredible therapeutic uses. Doesn't his Excellency want the best for Guntram? He needs to relax more,” Friederich charged.

  “Indeed, Guntram looks much better after that week in Rome,” Goran supported the butler.

  Konrad hated the idea that both men were in tandem. 'Learn to lose, Konrad. That's the most important lesson. You can win another day,' his father used to tell him. 'Yes, I can win much more with the dog here than if I throw it out. I can see if he's able to look after the dog before I give him the children.'

  “Do you want to stay for tea, Goran?”

  “It will be my pleasure, Sire. We should discuss the matter in Hungary. We have the location.”

  “After dinner, when Guntram is in bed. He told me what happened that night in London and I intend to match every second of what he suffered.”

  “It will be my pleasure, my Griffin. Antonov wants to join us.”

  “Let him come with you. He has his own interests there. Tell Holgersen to look after Guntram during the last week of July. I'm taking him with me to Sylt in August and then I will travel to New York for two weeks to arrange the other matter. I'm confident to have it solved by May.”

  Guntram de Lisle Diary. July 21st

  I'm so happy with Konrad. He's very tender to me and drives me mad with his kisses. Once he lets you know him, he's very funny, intelligent and wonderful. Have I said that he's a hell of a kisser? Incredible. If he continues like this I will be the one pushing him over the desk and jumping on him!

  Today he gave me a dog, Mopsi, to keep me company. She's a pug in beige colour with dark ears. Goran was very nice to bring her in and Friederich allowed her to sleep in a basket in my room so she doesn't feel bad. She snores and it's very funny!

  Finding the dog in my room wasn't funny for Konrad. He was truly cross when Mopsi barked like crazy when he passed to kiss me good night. “The minute the doctor allows it, you come to my bed and this animal goes to the kitchen or to a guest room if you want!” he threatened her and I laughed that he was jealous of a poor dog.

  He tells me we are going for ten days to Sylt. It's an island in the north of Germany.

  July 22nd

  As promised, Konrad accompanied me to the doctor. Not in the morning when they made all the tests, but in the afternoon when I had the consultation. Van Horn says that I'm much better and will reduce my pills to three, but I have to be careful. I feel much better so I asked the big question.

  “Do you think I'm able to…. do that?”

  “Do exactly what?” Bloody German precision! THAT!

  “That thing.” Can you believe that he looked at me perplexed? He's not that old not to ignore what is that! Fortunately, Konrad said something very fast (and amused) in German.

  “Ah, that thing called sex, young man. Well, if you're interested, it means that you're definitively on the road of recovery. Yes, twice per week, only once per night and you should leave three days between to rest and recover. A climax increases the heart activity very much and is a considerable stress for your heart. Try it if you want, but you should stop the minute you feel bad.”

  Thank you so much! Twice per week? Three days for resting? I'm not a bloody monk! I was furious with the bastard when I left his office.

  Konrad was barely containing his fun. “If looks could kill, Guntram. Poor man! He only wants the best for you!”

  “Did you hear him? Twice per week. It's more wicked that saying nothing at all. It's like showing candies and placing them on the highest shelf!”

  “I should organise my agenda to travel during those three days you're “resting”, kitten. Tomorrow you move to my room.”

  The funny thing is that he was informing Friederich with a very serious voice that he's supposed tomorrow to move all my clothes to his bedroom and leave my drawing utensils in the small bedroom that's next to his private studio. He should also think about changing it so I can use it as a studio. The poor man was looking at Konrad in shock and I thought he would have a heart attack right there.

  “Is that understood, Friederich? Guntram is my chosen Consort.”

  July 24th Yesterday was one of the happiest days in my life. In the morning of the 23rd Friederich and Dieter, moved all my clothes and papers to Konrad's rooms. I think I never blushed so much in my whole life as first Dieter, then Annette and finally Katherine helped him to sort the things out under Friederich watchful eye, looking partially pissed off or surprised. The servants said nothing to me, but I caught them, gaping at me several times. Alexei only winked barely controlling his laughter. I had lunch with him and Friederich, looking more sombre than in the morning. I swear I never wanted troubles with him! It was not my idea to do it so openly!

  I escaped with Mopsi and Alexei for a walk in the forest. He was almost giggling at my face!

  “Come on, Guntram, don't look at me so upset! I'm very glad the Duke starts something with you. Jean Jacques thinks you're perfect for each other… and I should say that the boy who went to Rome is not the one I got back.” He sneered at me. “Already being naughty?”

  “No! I mean, it's none of your business!” Do Russians always check and discuss what their bosses do in bed? Or is it something from his KGB times? He smiled knowingly.

  Konrad returned from work at seven and we stayed in the library, sitting together, but closer than normal. At eight, a very serious Friederich announced dinner as you would tell someone is dead.

  “Today was black truffle soup on the menu,” Konrad growled the minute Friederich poured the soup on his dish.

  “The chef changed his mind in the afternoon, Sire. Also, the main dish and dessert are changed. Artists are very temperamental.”

  The second was also very good… and I got red meat and it's not Sunday! The dessert was baffling because it was an apple ice cream with a lot of cinnamon and candied walnuts with chocolate and strawberries, but it was great.

  “What is this?” Konrad grunted once more. He had been so charming during dinner and he changed in less than a second when he saw it! He hates that someone changes the slightest thing around him. “This is the first time Jean Jacques prepares this!”

  “Perhaps we didn't need this at home before,” Friederich said and disappeared from
the room, while Konrad mumbled something in German and ate the ice cream.

  I was truly nervous when Konrad casually told me that it was time to go to bed. Heck! I was terrified to behave like an idiot there or do something he wouldn't like or not being good enough for him! I was on the brink of the next heart attack. I only gulped at his words. Way to go Guntram!

  When we passed by the stairs by my old room, he kissed me holding me for some minutes.

  “Are you sure Guntram? From tonight onwards you stop being a child and become a young man. You will acquire all my enemies and they will do anything to undermine my love for you, therefore there can be no mistakes or lies between us,” Konrad told me very seriously. “Are you sure that you want to spend the rest of your life with me? Once we do it, there will be no turning back for any of us, my love.”

  “Yes, I love you.”

  He took me by the hand and we climbed the stairs in silence because my heart was hammering. We entered in his private living room and it was eerie to be there. I mean, I was here not a few hours ago, but now the place seemed to be impressive and solemn. He told me to change into my pyjamas because he had to look for something in his studio. I did it in the bathroom, becoming more and more nervous. I think I was more jittery than my first time with Constantin. I must have poured half of the toothpaste tube when I squeezed it!

  When I finally took the courage to go out (yes, I'm a real chicken!), Konrad was already in his bedroom, dressed in his pyjamas, standing next to the desk in front of the bed. There was a tray with one glass and a bottle of red wine and I thought 'this is not the moment to follow the doctor's advises! I need a drink! Urgently!' but said nothing so nervous I was. He came to me and put his arms around my waist, kissing me on the forehead, reverently, like a brother, not like a lover.