Into the Lion's Den (49 page)

It was a cold, no better freezing water bucket poured over my head. When had Konrad got their votes? I
was speechless and I tried to keep a straight face.

“I oppose,” Fortingeray said and several agreed with him. No more than fifteen, I guess.

“May I know your reasons?” Mladic Pavicevic croaked from his corner. The old man might be retired,
but I wouldn't like to be alone with him in a room.

“Were the de Lisle not part of that traitorous uprising against our Hochmeister in 1989? Were they not
banished from our Order?”

“Yes, the main line was erased from our records. Nevertheless, his father, Jerôme de Lisle Guttenberg
Sachsen was the one who put us in the track to find the real culprits. He offered his own life to atone for his sins
against us in exchange for a full pardon for his son. I accepted it and took the child as my ward as it was informed to
this Honourable Council in 1990,” Konrad said. “I understand Fortingeray that you were no part of this body at the
time, so you have no recollection of this.”

“Jerôme de Lisle hid the most sensitive documents that were in the hands of the traitors in Geneva. Had
it no been for him, we would not be speaking today, gentlemen,” Mladic supported Konrad.

“I support this young man, Fortingeray,” Löwenstein added.

“We heard the rumour that this person is the lover of Constantin Repin. Do you want to let our greatest
enemy's bed warmer in the midst of our entourage?” Hulsroj asked shocked.

“He was in a relationship with Constantin Ivanovich Repin, but he was not aware of the nature of his
business or knew about the Order. He lived all his life away from us. This relationship is over since eight months ago
and he does not wish to return to Russia,” Konrad explained.

“I will not risk my assets because a nameless brat does not want to go back to his sugar daddy!”

Fortingeray roared. “Your last fight with that Russian costed us more than four billion directly plus the loss of many
of our contacts and business within the Russian Federation. I don't care if he does not want! Put him on the first plane
back!”

“Are you giving me an order?” Konrad growled and we all felt our hearts stop.

“I'm only expressing my concern. He can't be one of us. What do we get out of all this? Nothing. Can he
even pay the dowry? Does he have five million euros?”

When Konrad was going to open his mouth, Goran spoke for the first time in seven hours, “I'll cover
those expenses, Fortingeray. The Summus Marescalus and the Hochmeister back him up. I have personally checked
Guntram de Lisle and he has been always forthcoming to us. He has no links with the Russian Mafia. We are the ones
who evaluate the military aspects of the game, not you and I resent your lack of trust to our abilities.”

That was scarier than any tantrum Konrad could have thrown.

“My people answer for him,” Mladic spoke.

“We are indebted to his father. He saved us because he believed in our ideals and shared his own line's
fate. A true knight,” the old Wallenberg finished. “I trust my brothers and my Griffin's judgement.” I better keep my
opinion to myself. Jerôme hated us and if he, and I have no doubts, put us in the track of the traitors it was because he
had a hidden agenda we haven't discovered yet. I'm sure he wanted us to kill each other in a full scaled war.

Guntram got forty-eight votes in favour and twenty-three against. He's in, but he will not participate in
our meetings nor hold any “executive position.” That's what gives me the creeps. I checked our Code and the bloody
Consort is not an “executive position,” unless the Hochmeister grants him/her such prerogative. I have nothing
against the boy; he's nice in fact. Quiet, polite and shy. Friederich likes him a lot and protects him too. Antonov told
me that he lives in another galaxy and only cares about painting. He never mentions Repin or his past life. He studies
hard and never tried to escape or contact him and he's sure the boy saw one of the Russian's hounds lurking around
whenever he goes to that painting studio. Guntram simply ignored the man.

I'm concerned about Konrad. Does he want to repeat Roger's story? Does he want to take revenge on the
boy? Guntram is nothing like Roger; he's a frightened kitten when the other was a panther—exactly what Konrad
likes, hard, unforgiving and dangerous. Even that bitch he favours so much, Stefania di Barberini, is a bloody cobra.

He likes to bed an opponent not a lover. According to him, “sex is like a good fight, the better the opponent, the better
the outcome.”

I'm bewildered.

Guntram can't play in bed per his doctor's orders and even if he were able to do a thing there, I bet he
would be “a little lamb or a kitten,” exactly as Konrad described. He's good looking, no doubt, but he's not the super
adventure guy. One relationship in twenty-one years and with Repin! He was not even looking at other people.

Oblomov told me that Repin had nearly to shake him so he would notice he was standing there. He was a virgin when
he went to bed with the man!

I don't know what he's after this time. Konrad has already spoken with all the Council members about
taking the boy as Consort and having his children by artificial insemination. I remember Jerôme told us that night
something like “you need someone to gently counterbalance your domineering ways. Guntram has his mother's
peaceful temper and a lot of patience. He's unable to hurt a fly.” All true.

Could it be that Konrad finally got his middle age crisis? Could it be that he really wants “something
fixed at home”? Guntram would certainly be easy to keep happy and obedient. One pat to the head and he does
whatever you want. Repin's world truly broke him.

On Tuesday Konrad will hear me. I don't want that he abuses that poor lad.

Unable to sleep, Guntram tossed in bed. Sleep was elusive and the only way to achieve it was to read something. He took his robe and went to the library to look for a book as his school reading material was unappealing.

He went the stairs down in darkness, glad that all the people had vanished at 11 p.m. and he could finally go to bed in peace. The library door was half open and he entered quiet as a mouse, going directly for the Art Section where was that book about Meissen Porcelain he had seen a few days ago. He opened the crystal door and removed it from the shelf.

“Should you not be in bed? It's 1 a.m., boy,” Konrad's deep voice scared him. Guntram looked toward the desk but the man wasn't there. “On the couch, boy. Come over here. There's a draft where you're standing.”

Guntram walked toward the big couch placed in front of the half extinguished fire, only some hot coals warming the nearby zone. He noticed that the Duke was still dressed from the morning and had a cognac glass in his hand and the bottle on the side table.

“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.”