The Michael Arram stories are now beginning to appear together at: http://www.iomfats.org/storyshelf/hosted/arram
This story contains graphic depictions of sex between young males. If the reading or possessing of such material as this is illegal in your place of residence please leave this site immediately and do not proceed further. If you are under the legal age to read this, please do not do so.
XIII
`So does this mean I'm like, Sir Justin Peacher-White?'
`Nope, but it is a pretty little ornament, isn't it?' replied Nathan.
`When can I wear it?' David wondered.
Dunno ... formal occasions, I suppose,' Nathan said. It came with a citation in the box, but it's in Rothenian ... read it out, Henry.'
`OK ... uh, "We Rudolf by the grace of God king ... bladdy bladdy blah ... in recognition of signal services to the crown of Ruritania by our beloved Nathan Underwood of Suffolk in the kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, do hereby confer on the said Nathan Underwood, the order of Henry the Lion in the second class. RUDOLFUS REX." Hmm. I wonder what you have to do to get the first class?'
`Get shot instead of just shot at?' Ed hazarded.
`You think?'
`No idea.'
So what's up tomorrow?' David wondered. Wanna take us down the Wejg, Justy?'
`No chance mate ... the mood he's in, Terry might kneecap me. Anyways, I got an appointment I gotta get ready for.'
`OK Justy. Confess. What's the mystery?' Henry demanded.
`Not saying. Iss private.'
Henry turned to Nathan, `You know don't you?'
Nathan gave a cold look, `Yeah, I know. But Justy's right. It's not to be talked about. Maybe later, but not now.'
`OK, I'm off to bed'
The boys were at a loose end, but Ed had remembered to get Bolslaw's picture signed by the king, who wrote a personal message to the old man on the back, so he and Henry took it to the Rodolferplaz, and found him in. David went off shopping for presents for his parents and sisters. Bolslaw was delighted that they had done him this favour, and insisted on taking them to the old inn a few doors up the square for an early lunch. He charmed them with his stories of gay life in Strelzen under the communist regime, when he had worked for the state film corporation making propaganda films: `All those tractors, but the farm workers were hunky and so obliging. I had hair in those days of course.' They told him their story and he laughed uproariously.
Finally, he leaned over and said, `Boys, you are very special. Now, don't take this the wrong way, but I would really like to take some photos of you together. No. Not sexy stuff, but there's something between you I'd like to capture. Will you do it?'
Henry looked into his watery eyes and saw nothing but good humour there, so he nodded and said it was OK by him. Ed also agreed.
Bolslaw had his studio set up for a shoot, so he looked them over, told them to get barefoot and barechested, and change into identical loose black trousers. Then he posed them in various ways, but it never got more erotic than kissing each other. Bolslaw took them to the computer and showed them the shots.
My God!' said Henry. He had never thought of himself as in any way a good looking boy, though he did think he had character. But Bolslaw's skilled lens had found that character and the love between him and Ed and apotheosised them. Damn I look so good!' His thin chest and slender limbs just pointed up his vulnerable charm and Ed's protective love for him. `And you, Ed ... what a golden god!'
Ed fondled his bare shoulder as they stood together looking at the screen, `But aren't you the pretty one, little babe? He's brought out all I see and love in you. Bolslaw, you are a genius.'
The old man smiled fondly at them, `I think so, too,' and he laughed. They gave their consent for him to show them publicly and signed an agreement about royalties, if any. Then he took Henry's address and said he would send them the full set. What he thought was the best one, he would frame and send on to Matt and Andy, Ed's fosterparents, in London. They kissed and parted.
This city just gets better and better for me, little babe,' sighed Ed. Let's come and live here when we've finished uni, hey?'
`Tempting, very tempting. And we do after all possess the order of Henry the Lion in the second class. Maybe Will would give us a job, but you'll have to learn the language.'
`Oh yeah, I forgot.'
As they crossed the square, Henry cried out. Hey, it's Justy! Justy!' he yelled loud enough for people to turn and look. It was Justin and he desperately motioned Henry to cool it. What's going on?' Henry asked Ed.
`Dunno, but keep it down Henry. I think Justin's up to something. This has the stamp of Terry O'Brien all over it.' So they walked past Justin, dodged down a side lane and were followed into it by the lad himself.
`What's going on, Justy?' Ed demanded.
`Stuff. Like I told you. Now will you fuck off and let me get on wiv it?'
`This is Terry isn't it?'
`Yeah ... it's security stuff. I dun work for him before. We makes a good team, so will you please bugger off before you screw up the operation.'
`OK, we're out of here, but you'd better fill us in later.'
Henry and Ed went out the back of the lane, avoiding coming out on the Rodolferplaz, and found their way back to the hotel by a circuitous route. David was already back and they spent the rest of the afternoon watching satellite TV in Ed and Henry's suite and discussing Terry, which was David's favourite subject in any case. Henry could see that David was very much in love, although maybe his friend didn't know it yet. David was also depressed. At the end of the week it was back to Britain and that would be it for his fantasies.
At five they were called down to reception and found Oskar there, looking frankly gorgeous in a heavily braided blue uniform jacket, his boyish blonde fringe completely at odds with the military message of the frogged coat, knee boots and laced red hussar trousers. His plumed shako was under his arm. Tourists were craning round corners to catch a glimpse of this vision. Ruritania was come again.
`What's this, Oskar? You look amazing, if a little operatic.' Ed asked.
`The first time I have been in uniform since my conscript days. What do you think? It's what aides-de-camp to the king wear. I'm a colonel ... well, technically, though I have no troops to command ...'
`... and you're count of Modenehem,' grinned Henry.
It's been a good year for the house of Tarlenheim, that's true. But Pete isn't talking to me.' Oskar looked mock comical. I told him he has to be the countess. He was not amused.'
`When's he coming over?' asked Ed, looking interested. He deeply admired the powerful personality and friendly openness of Peter Peacher, Oskar's long term partner, and younger brother of Andy, his fosterfather.
`He's staying the rest of the summer, we're looking at palaces.'
`Tourism?' David asked.
`No, to buy. He's moving here and quitting Yale. PeacherCorp is transferring its European headquarters from Dusseldorf to Strelzen. Pete's taking over as CEO of European operations. Ever since he broke up with Tim Caird he couldn't settle back into university life, and of course our mid atlantic affair has not made either of us happy, so his father told him that he might as well get stuck into the family business and move here.'
`And to what do we owe the honour of this visit?' Henry asked.
`Right ... the king's bored and wants to hang -- if I got the message right.'
`No chance,' said David.
`What! It's a royal command!'
`Not unless we get the order of Henry the Lion, first class.'
`Oh I see, the dry English humour. The car's outside. Get in it. Muscular Rothenian humour.'
They went chattering to the car, and were driven to the palace through the rear stableyard entrance. They found Rudi on the terrace of the gardens, sitting in casuals on the back of a bench looking indeed bored. He seemed to be in reaction to the euphoria of the past few days. But he brightened up when they arrived, and he even put up with Henry's gay hug. They went wandering down to the small lake in the centre of the gardens and sat on the grass in the sun.
`You looked so cool on that horse on Monday,' said Ed, a city boy, always awed by skill with animals.
`Oh that was no problem, I've been on horses since I was a toddler, and they selected a pretty even-tempered mount.'
`So has everything worked out as you'd wanted?'
`Pretty much. Trachtenberg's a good man and an imaginative politician. He knows what to do, it'll be a pleasure working with him. Will did a fantastic job with the media, and his channels are giving us an easy ride, and of course Rothenia's fallen in love with its monarchy all over again.'
`And that bothers you, doesn't it?' said Henry.
`Always perceptive, little Henry. Yes, it does a bit. Getting to be king was relatively easy ...'
`No shit!'
`... that's no shit, Your Majesty ... but staying king, Henry, that's tough. I'm the new toy. They'll soon get bored, and find I wasn't quite what they wanted anyway. Then there's the press. That man Wilemmin worries me. He was playing us off against the RSDP. Once the demonstrations began he backed off, but he can't be trusted and he knows too much, far too much, about Will and Oskar's past. Will and Oskar are close to me, and they make me vulnerable. Wilemmin'll be a problem and sooner rather than later.'
`So what are you going to do about it? I assume there is a plan?' David observed.
`Oh yes, there is a plan.'
`Which is ...?'
`... a state secret.'
`But we're your mates.'
Rudi gave David a lopsided look, which said more than anything about what being a king was.
`Lonely, isn't it, sir?' Henry smiled.
`Bless you, Henry,' said the king, and ruffled his hair.
They had dinner at the palace, sitting round the TV in the private apartment overlooking the gardens. It was pretty cheerful being all boys together again, and they went over all the old Medwardine gossip.
`And you're really coming back?'
`I'm really coming back. They're appointing a council of regency when I'm in England. The British press are dead excited. Go and have a look at the papers on the table over there. They even did colour supplements about the accession. The tabloid end is like a dog with two tails. Not just the Windsors to hound now, they've got the Elphbergs too. I know, what if I have a gay affair with Prince Harry? You'd like that wouldn't you? The Eton story's already surfacing in the redtops. "The Thug King": nice headline, heh?'
Sounds like Michaelmas term will be fun,' said David, think of the cash I can make selling you down the river, mate. I can be a "source close to King Rudi" or one of those "close friends" who seem very keen to discuss your dirty laundry, as close friends do.'
Henry caught light, What about the unofficial biographer? ... you've gotta have one. Hell, it could be me! Rudolf of Ruritania, the best selling book by Henry Atwood. The talk shows. The celebrity magazine interviews. The literary parties. The house in Hampstead. The unfortunate incident on the Heath. The relaunch of the career. The Booker Prize nomination ...' Henry came down from his flight of fancy to see the rest of the boys staring at him, ... so, I can dream.'
Terry was waiting for them in the lobby of the hotel. He seemed pleased about something. `Fancy clubbing tonight?'
`What us ... being scene gays, oh man!' said Edward.
Terry gave a tight smile, `It's not New York or London, but such as it is you can sample the Strelzen scene. Club Liberation's having a special Ruritanian night in honour of the new king. I arranged some special costumes for you, with the help of Oskar and Will. They're on your beds. See you in an hour.'
Henry and Ed found beautifully tailored nineteenth-century dragoon uniforms in their rooms, complete with real swords and plumed silver helmets. They even fitted, though matching Henry's small size can't have been easy.
Sir Elton would be proud of us,' Ed said, as he preened himself in the mirror. Hey, let's put our second class orders on too!' They looked like the cast of a comic opera when they were in the lobby waiting for the car. Terry was dashing in a hussar officer's pelisse, curved sabre and tight pants. Nathan was an imposingly tall grenadier and Justin a monocled and braided general. But David was frankly superb as a breastplated guard cavalryman, his long legs encased in boots and spurs and a tall helmet on his head. He jingled as he walked. They practised saluting and heel-clicking and fell about. They drew quite a crowd in the hotel, but they were cheered as they emerged into Rodolferplaz and joined the colourful queue for the famous gay club. The small gay transvestite population of Strelzen had gone to town in ball gowns, bussles and ostrich feathers, and most people had made an effort to look nineteenth century. Cameras were flashing in every direction, and Henry was trying to get shots of everyone on his mobile.
`My first gay night club! This is so un-Trewern.' Henry crowed.
`Not even Shrewsbury could match this, little babe,' Ed replied, a little ironically Henry thought.
Terry paid the entrance fees and they more or less strutted into the club, which was an amazingly colourful sight that night. Terry secured a booth in the tabled area, and they stared round at the mass of people. There were rather juicy young Rothenian waiters, that night done up in the long aprons and waxed moustaches of the Cafe Royale. `This ain't like many clubs, little babes. Bit old fashioned, but mercifully not many drugs circulating here, which is why I'm reasonably happy to bring you younger boys. There's a dark room if you really must ...'
`Dark room?' asked Henry.
Place to shag,' said Terry, they keep the lights down.'
`Oh ... right,' Henry blushed under his helmet, though he couldn't have said why.
David had taken his tall, crested helmet off, and he was getting a lot of attention; a lot more than the rest of them. Henry had got used to David's looks and body, and had forgotten that he was rather better looking than the ordinary boy. Now a very pretty blond Rothenian leaned over their booth and asked David if he would dance with him. David hesitated and looked at Terry, who shrugged, so David nodded, climbed out of the booth with a little difficulty in his top boots. He swore and unbuckled the spurs, then he disappeared into the crowd. It was a while till they saw him again, which was when Ed talked Henry on to the floor, and they had another go at dancing.
David was in passionate liplock with the Rothenian, dancing close, and had a massive erection visible in his tight white breeches. He had a look of total bliss on his face. The pair disappeared, and when he finally turned up again, David had a very smug look on his face.
`OK. What happened?' Ed hissed.
`Fucked him,' David grinned.
`What here? How?'
`In the toilets. I got my boots off and breeches down and he took all his clothes off and bent over the loo and I fucked him up the arse! I don't believe it. I've fucking done it! I've fucked a guy, and what a looker! What a fucking, hot tight arse! His name's Anton, and I got his number. We're gonna do it tomorrow too! All fucking day! Oh bugger, bugger! Why do we have to go back home on Saturday!'
Henry laughed. He was very pleased for his friend. Ed leaned over and kissed him, saying, `So can we assume from this, Davey, that you're over Henry?'
David gave a delightful laugh, `I'll never be over Henry, but I've found a distraction at least.'
Terry reappeared at this point with Justin, with whom he had been dancing. He listened to the news and looked at little solemn as he stared at David. `Sorry, Davey babe, but I've got to ask. Did you do it bareback?'
David raised an eyebrow, `Er ... I did it with my trousers round my knees.'
Justin looked amused, `He means did you put a condom on?'
`Er ... didn't have one. Anyway, he was only a young bloke.'
Terry looked even more solemn. `He may have been young, but he was able to take you up the arse with very little preparation, so he must be pretty experienced and he must have been doing it without precautions for quite a while. They have HIV here too, Davey babe.'
David's bliss evaporated, and Henry hated it when he saw the look of sick fear replace it, Wha?' he said feebly, Oh God, no. Oh please ... don't let this be happening.'
`Trip to the clinic for you, little one,' Terry said, and Henry was almost sure that there was a tinge of malice in his expression. That was the end of the night as far as David was concerned.
Ed and Henry spent the next half hour trying to reassure David. `There's HIV here, sure, but a lot less of it than in the west. And anyway, did you tell him you were his first?'
Well sorta,' David nodded, I said I didn't have much experience.'
There you are then, Davey,' concluded Henry, with his fingers crossed. He obviously sticks to other young blokes, maybe virgins, just so's to minimise the risk.'
David began to look a bit happier, it was a straw to keep him afloat.
Ed asked, `So will you still meet him tomorrow?'
David sighed, `If it's gonna be a short life it'd better be a merry one. Fuck it. Yes.'
Ed grinned, `That's our Davey. So what was it like?'
David grinned back, `I thought you knew?'
`I only know what it's like with my Henry.'
David looked confidential. `We started making out and he kept rubbing my dick, and I got my hands down the back of his trousers and felt his bum, and fingered in his crack looking for his ... y'know. He was squirming against me ... oh God, so hot, I'm going hard again. Then he whispered in my ear -- as he was licking it -- that he had to have my English dick in him. So we got in this stall and he just lost his clothes, like one moment they were there and the next they were gone, stuffed down the side of the loo. I struggled out of these fucking boots and he pulled my breeches down and he said he couldn't wait any more. So he just stuck his bum in the air and I felt round with my dick till I found his hole. I pushed. It caught and sort of slid in after a bit. And then ... well, my body just took over. Wham, wham, bang.'
`Did he enjoy it ...?'
He said it was great. Maybe it was just the danger and the moment.' David gave a regretful little laugh, it couldna been my technique. After that, he sat on my lap and we kissed a bit, he dressed and then said to ring him tomorrow morning as he was going home.'
`You can't have been all that bad then.'
It must have been a little past midnight, when they were all sitting together again with drinks, that a tall presence loomed over the table. A big man with a beard doing a very passable impersonation of Edward VII sucked at his cigar and smiled down at them. Good evening Terry,' he said in a mid Atlantic accent, I see you've brought your travelling harem with you.'
Terry grinned back up, `Evening Hendrik. I thought I might see you. How you doing?'
`Fine, thanks for asking. Introduce me.'
`Lads. Say hello to my old mate Hendrik Wilemmin, aka Anton Aramis, founder and proprietor of Falkefilm, owner of this joint -- for which I can forgive him a lot -- and of much else besides in Rothenia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. Hendrik, these are Ed and Henry, Justin, Nathan and David. Visiting Rothenia on a school tennis tour.'
`My, you corrupted them quickly, Terry. Even for you that's fast. Seriously, I was sorry to hear about Ramon. He was a great guy.'
Terry looked affected momentarily, and replied with a quiet thank you. `Come and sit down Hendrik, you should socialise more with your customers. You've never gotten into the mein host thing properly.'
`Terry, I employ people to do that. But you are not any ordinary customer. Come over to my booth. I have a few things to say.' He disappeared over to the other side of the club.
`Now boys, I've got some dealing to do. Justy, await the call.'
Justin grinned and polished his monocle, for which he had developed a strange affection.
Ed looked hard at Justin, `Are we about to find out what you've been up to?'
`Sure Eddie baby. You know when I saw you guys after lunch on Rodolferplaz?'
`Uhuh.'
`I was on my way to an appointment that had been fixed for me in Falkemodel -- Hendrik's gay porn agency.'
`Fixed for you?'
`Hendrik's got only one weakness. He insists on auditioning all the new Falkefilm models, and checking them out.'
`Checking them out?'
`Wanking them off, sometimes more.'
Nathan was glowering in the corner. Ed nodded and looked as though he understood something.
So,' asked Henry, who fixed the appointment?
Justin grinned, `The same Elphberg sympathisers at Falkefilm who told us that Wilemmin was selling us out. I was put on his day's schedule as if I had been one of the boys picked up by their scouts. So I went up to the offices ... just like me and Nate did last year when we got a bit drunk like, only this time I went all the way.'
`And enjoyed it,' muttered Nathan.
Justin looked momentarily annoyed and then gave an odd look at Nathan, as if he were an adult and Nathan were a child, Oh yeah, I enjoyed it, Nate. I'm more alive when I do these things than at any other time. Accept it, Nate. Iss what I am. I know you want to come and protect me, but babe, I'm a pretty mean piece of work meself. S time you grew up and accepted it. We ain't kids in the back gardens of London any more, and me, I was never a kid anyway.'
Nathan still looked rebellious. Ed asked Justin to continue. Justin shook his head and went on, So OK, I goes up to the reception and there's three of us there. Nice looking lads .. actually juicy-looking, super hot lads; all of us wuz eighteen. They wuz nervous, cos I doan fink they'd done gay sex, and I doan fink they knew yet that they'd have to go all the way wiv Falkefilm. So I made em even more nervous by coming on to one of them ... y'know, hand on the inside of his thigh sorta thing. He freaked a bit. But he still sprang a boner. The other guy was more coy and up for it I fink, so I came on even harderer to him and tried to talk him into a shag in the loos when we wuz waiting, and that freaked him. So like when they went in before me they wuz nearly wetting themselves with nerves. They musta done crap interviews and they got bounced straight back on the street ... did `em a favour really, I fink.'
`This was all the plan?' Ed asked, fascinated.
`Terry's plan, yeah. The two nervy virgins had been picked deliberate like. The coy dark haired sexy sort that we know turn Hendrik right on. And so it was my turn, the third of the dark-haired beauties, and a westerner too. We know Hendrik likes westerners.'
Henry was gaping. `This was a seduction scene? Bloody Nora!'
`Oh yeah. By now he was all fired up and frustrated. He must have tried it on wiv the second Rothenian one cos he came out of the room at a run and went straight in the lift. So it's my turn now. I goes in all quiet and looking up at him through me long curlies, and -- be fair, mates -- I'm not unpretty now, am I?'
`Anything but,' confirmed Henry.
`So he gave me the Falkefilm family spiel, sorta drooling at me as he does, and tells me to strip, which I do -- no pants, by the way -- and I spring a stiffie straight up. All the time I'm making love to him wiv me baby blues, and being sorta shy but not hesitant. He can't help himself, he comes over and starts wanking me, and then he does something he's done to no one else, he kisses me and tells me to display me arse, which I do, and he ...' Nathan got up and left with a snarl.
`He what?' David breathed, his interest in the scene very obvious.
`He finger fucks me, and I really get into it, moaning and cooing like. And I even rub meself against his leather sofa till I comes. That sort of spoils the moment, cos it's expensive Italian leather and it'll have to be cleaned, so he gets a bit cross. Otherwise, I think Nathan might have had a lot worse to forgive.'
But I don't get it,' said Ed, you seduce this bloke, but where does it get Terry?'
`Oh, well, guess. Wilemmin's room was secretly wired for video a coupla days ago by dissident technicians in the firm, friends of Will's boyfriend, Felip, who Hendrik fired last year once he got into a head-to-head wiv Will over Rothenia's future.'
`Oh ... wow, so Hendrik is now filmed doing homosexual acts with a lad who might easily have been underage! It's blackmail.' Ed concluded.
`No, Ed, iss insurance. Hendrik is goin to use the fact that the new king's private secretary and the CEO of Strelsenermedia -- Hendrik's main rival -- were gay porn actors, and he has footage to prove it, and some. He's gonna threaten to bring down the king if he doan get the same deal from Trachtenberg as he was going to get from Bermann.'
`Which was?'
`Licence to buy TV stations as well as run newspapers in Rothenia, which is currently illegal. He wants a bigger market share. He wants more money. What he's telling Terry at the moment are his terms for the king's surrender. And what ... woah, looks like I'm needed. Hold this monocle for me Henry. I'm going to introduce meself to Mr Wilemmin properly and give him a copy of the DVD in which we co-starred. It's Hendrik's turn to get fucked, the dirty bastard.'