Gilded Cage

Sent: Sat, September 15, 2007 2:03 am

THE GILDED CAGE by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2007 written on November 8, 1993 translated by the author English text kindly revised by John

USUAL DISCLAIMER

"THE GILDED CAGE" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family, opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, or because you think you really want to read it, please be my welcomed guest.

CHAPTER 11 - A dramatic moment and the final freedom

"My love, you are more and more tense, tired. I feel bad seeing you so down. Also when we make love, it seems that I am no longer able to help you forget your worries..." Reinhardt said tightly embracing Jakobus against his chest.

Jakobus caressed his sides, his legs, "My poor love! You feel bad because of me... And I wanted to make you happy... and wanted to be happy with you. It is true, this unending struggle is wearing me out. You, at the court, besides the few true friends, are more and more isolated. I continue being subject to increasing pressures. The Archbishop had dared to request from the pulpit laws punishing sodomy. The newspapers act as resonance box and support his request... The queen mother is practically creating a counter-court, with her parties, her meetings... My twenty-fifth birthday passed almost unnoticed, they are isolating me too... And you are suffering because of all this..."

"Only because you are suffering, my love. What can I do for you?"

"Take me..."

"Yes, love... but for some time to now it is only me to take you... I too love when you take me, you know that. I too need it..."

"Yes, I know... but I just don't feel up to it. I need to feel you in me... To just stay here quietly and receive you..."

"Yes, you stay there quietly... and it seems almost as you were suffering it. You participate less and less. You make me feel like the one who relieves himself and that's it... Where has all your beautiful strength gone, your impetuosity, your youthful male vigour? I need it all, don't you know that?"

"Oh, my love! I am so very tired. But I am not at all suffering it, I like so very much feeling you in me, having you inside me. Be patient, my love? It is just a period, it will pass..."

"Yes, I hope so. But I fear that all this tension could endanger our love."

"But I love you so very much... You have to believe me!"

"I believe you, of course. I believe and love you. And I want you..."

Reinhardt started to make love with Jakobus, trying not to think of his own desires, but only of what his beloved one asked of him, of what he needed from him. He recalled the expression - together for better or for worse... and adapted to the worse part of it.

But that short conversation had left a deep mark in Jakobus. He turned it over in his mind, reflected on it. And one day talked about it in private with Friedrich.

"I am afraid I am spoiling my relationship with Reinhardt..."

"Spoiling? Why? It seems to me that you are still in love with each other, aren't you?"

"Yes, in love yes. But on the physical level things are not going as well as before. All this tension, all this struggle is wearing me out. I am feeling increasingly tense, tired... and in bed I am no more able to be lively and full of passion as I was. We are still making love, but after all it is only Reinhardt making love to me, not me to him..."

"Do you mean you don't feel attracted to him any more? You don't like him as before?"

"Oh no, I like him very much, he attracts me terribly. But I cannot feel in me the strength to demonstrate it. Therefore I lie down and let him do everything... But he needs me to be alive and hot like before. He feels I am now passive and is afraid my desire for him is waning. He feels I am suffering his attentions... It is not so, but he feels as if it is, because of my behaviour."

"Have you not explained to him?"

"Yes, of course, and he understands, and he is patient. But until when? The situation, instead of becoming better, seems to worsen... I love him, and love him physically too, just as before, and feel attracted to him... but I am no longer able to show it to him, to make him feel it..."

"My poor brother. And this adds another worry to your other burdens, doesn't it?"

"Yes. I want to make him happy and on the contrary, I see him more and more disturbed, more and more taciturn and sad, and it's my fault."

"No, it is not your fault, but all that they are making you undergo. Listen, why don't you take one month, alone, you and he, in one of our castles or villas?"

"Leaving for a month, with all that is happening on the political plane, both internal than international? I can't afford it. Moreover, he and I alone, it would just add darts to their bows... No, unhappily is not possible. I will try to resist, Friedrich, even though I am really scared..."

"Scared, Jakobus? What of?"

"That he... that Reinhardt will become tired of me." Jakobus said in a low voice and a tear shone in the corner of his eye.

Friedrich put his arm round his brother's shoulder, "I love you, Jakobus. I know that it does not solve your problems. But I really love you very much. You are now feeling down and see everything dark, but this is just a difficult moment. You will come out of it, I am sure. Or rather, you two will come out of it. You both struggled to save your love, and your love will save you..."

"Let's hope, Friedrich, let's hope... Is everything good between you and Theresa, at least?"

"Yes, wonderfully. And... you know... we are probably waiting for a child."

"Really?"

"We are not yet certain, it could just be a delay in her period, but... we rather hope it will be our first child."

"It would be really beautiful!"

"We both desire it very much."

Jakobus thought - if he is a son, he will be my heir... and suddenly his mind lightened. Right, that could be the solution... Why had he not thought of it before? He felt the impulse to tell it to his brother at once, but then he thought he could make him embarrassed... and anyway he had before to consider it carefully, not to make rash decisions... Therefore he said nothing to Friedrich and decided to first talk about it with Franz Julius, whose friendship and balance supported him.

So, as soon as he could meet Franz Julius in private, he told him of his idea.

"I've always said that what I have most to heart in my life is the love that binds me to Reinhardt."

"Yes, I know."

"But at the same time my first duty as king is the good of the nation."

"That's right."

"Well, it seems that these to things are incompatible."

"Incompatible? Why?"

"Because to shelter my love I have against me the Court, the Cabinet and the Church... but to defend me from them all, I am putting my love in a crisis."

"How in a crisis? Are there problems between you and Reinhardt?"

"Yes, problems are arising. In fact the tension and the tiredness that the fight are putting on me, are creating problems in my physical relation with my lover. I am aware that I am giving him less and less and I am asking from him more and more... He loves me, certainly, and I also love him, but I feel that something is deteriorating, and it is my fault. Certainly not for my will. But in our relationship I am becoming more and more passive, indecisive. He, instead, needs to feel my desire, my strength and passion, He continues to give them to me, but not I to him."

"But it is possibly only a difficult moment, Jakobus."

"No, it is a situation that, with the passing of time, will become increasingly more difficult and that therefore sooner or later will come to the point of breaking our relationship and nullifying our love. And I do not want that, I absolutely do not want that!"

"And so..."

"Therefore, as my being king and my love for Reinhardt are incompatible, I have to make a choice. Either the throne or Reinhardt."

"A hard choice, a very difficult choice..."

"Oh no, very easy! I renounce the throne and choose Reinhardt!"

"Do you mean that..."

"I shall abdicate and Friedrich will become king."

"But is it not burdensome to renounce the throne?"

"On the contrary. Since I decided to do so, I am feeling freed, revived. But before telling Friedrich and Reinhardt or anybody else, to, I need to talk about it with you to have your advice. Or rather, more simply, because talking with you, I have to make the arguments clear to you and myself . So, what do you think, anyway, about my decision?"

"My god... renouncing a kingdom... is a huge demonstration of love. But do you think that Friedrich..."

"He will be king at twenty-two, the same age I was three years ago when my father died. But he is already married and quite probably they are waiting for their first child. My brother will be a very good king and he possibly will soon give an heir to the nation. I have a total trust in him."

"When do you think to announce your decision?"

"After I have talked with Friedrich and Reinhardt, assuming both of them agree with me."

"Which of them will you tell first?"

"Friedrich, because if by chance he doesn't feel able to agree, I can do nothing about it... But then Reinhardt too, because only if he also agrees will I abdicate."

"Who knows... you have perhaps made the right choice, even though I shall be sad that you will no longer be my sovereign."

"Friedrich will be a very good king, I feel it. With a better balanced temperament than mine..."

"Will he be strong enough?"

"Yes, he is gentle and tender, but when necessary he is also able to be very strong. And anyway, he will have far fewer enemies than I have."

Jakobus, feeling increasingly stronger and more self-confident, then went to talk with Friedrich.

"Oh, you've come here? Why you didn't send for me, Jakobus..."

"No, I wanted to come... Do you have some time to talk with me?"

"Of course, for you, always."

"Thank you. I took a decision, Friedrich. But to make it feasible I need two people to agree with me, and one of them is you."

"Tell me..."

"Are you ready to make me a favour?"

"Yes, certainly."

"A favour that... will remarkably change your whole life?"

"Really! If you ask me... yes, I think yes."

"I decided to abdicate, and that you will be the next king."

"Oh my god! Are you serious?"

"Of course I am. This is the only way I have to save my relationship with Reinhardt, that is what I have most to heart. Also you will be welcomed where I most definitely am not. Do you agree?"

"I... my god... if this can... can make you happy, Jakobus... If you are really certain... I... I agree, yes."

"Thank you! You don't know how grateful I am. I knew I could count on my little brother..."

"You mentioned two people just now. One is me... the other is Reinhardt, am I right?"

"Do you think I'm not right?"

"No, not at all. Go and talk with him and listen to his advice. Then let me know if you change your mind. For the moment, I will tell nobody."

Jakobus went back to his rooms and looked for Reinhardt. He found him putting some papers in order in his private study.

"Love..." Jakobus said, as he entered.

Reinhardt noticed the light shining in his beloved's eyes, caught the tone that vibrated in his voice and, instinctively, opened in a wide smile, "Oh, Jakobus..." greeted him, standing up.

"Come and sit here, near me. I have to talk with you." The king said, sitting on a little sofa.

"You seem... happier." Reinhardt said, sitting at his side.

"Yes, listen. Lately you have complained because you weren't feeling all my love..."

"No, I didn't complain. For me it was just a moment of selfishness. I know very well you love me and that nowadays you are really overwrought..."

"No, Reinhardt. You were right, my strength was fading away and with it was fading away also my ability to love... You were right and you made me aware of it in good time. Therefore I decided that, as our love is the most precious thing I have, if I want really save it, I have to give up fighting."

"You decided to marry? Well... I can understand... and... I accept it..."

"No, no no! I abandon the fight, but certainly not you! I've decided I shall abdicate in favour of Friedrich."

Reinhardt widened his eyes and looked at him agape, then, almost unbelieving, said, "You... you would renounce the throne... for me?"

"Certainly. Between you and the throne, I have no doubts - you come first. Well... only if you also agree with my decision, of course."

"I... I am confused... You'll renounce the crown for your love for me!"

"Do you remember when I said to you that to me you are the crown, the throne and the sceptre? I was not joking. Will you still want me if I'm not a king any more?"

"Oh, Jakobus, you ask me that? I am not in love with the king, but with Jakobus, a beautiful boy of twenty-five, whose hair has the colour of the ripe wheat, whose eyes are clear like mountain lakes, whose lips are sweet like pomegranates... I love that boy who had the impudence to come and caress between my legs while I was on duty, that boy I met in secret in the gloom of a sacristy in the dead of the night, that boy I reached in secret, with a throbbing heart, through forgotten passages. And now this boy who is ready to renounce everything for me... I love you, my sweet, unique, great love!"

"Can I, then, abdicate?"

"And we will live together?"

"Day and night."

"And make love?"

"Each time we desire."

"And we'll call each other by name, and hold hands in front of everybody?"

"Yes, of course, my love. Do you accept?"

"I would be crazy not to accept. Oh my god, I am the most happy and luckiest man in the world! What did I do to deserve such love?"

"You simply exist."

So Jakobus gathered all his friends once more and communicated his decision to them.

First of all in a sumptuous ceremony he invested Friedrich as his Crown Prince, so that he could be certain that, when he abdicated, his brother would necessarily be crowned king.

A few days later he summoned the entire court to the throne hall, together with the Cabinet and the Council and read his abdication proclamation, naming as pro tempore regent his cousin the duke Johann. The news took everybody by surprise, because in fact, the court had believed that Friedrich's investiture as Crown Prince was just a move by the king to strengthen his hold on the throne.

The preparations for the new coronation were started at once. For the ceremony the sovereigns and representatives of the various nations came once again, and also the Papal Legate, with whom Friedrich had a long private conversation. All this time long, Jakobus and Reinhardt remained in their apartment, refusing to receive anybody except their friends. Jakobus refused to receive the queen mother no fewer than three times.

The coronation ritual took place, but Jakobus did not attend. During the entire ceremony Friedrich was looking at the satisfied expressions of the Archbishop, of the Queen Mother, of the Prime Minister, and was secretly sniggering.

After the ritual he returned to the Palace for the accession to the throne. The first to bow in front of the throne to swear their allegiance to the new king, were Jakobus and Reinhardt, side by side, in ordinary clothes.

"Brother Jakobus, and you, dear friend Reinhardt! As my first act as the sovereign of this kingdom, I order that you both will be the only persons in the kingdom who are dispensed from bowing before the king. Therefore arise!"

A light murmur ran through the throne hall. Then the Prime Minister, the Head of the Crown Council, the head of the Royal House College presented the resignations of the respective organisms, that king Friedrich II accepted following the tradition. Then there was the allegiance rite of all the court.

Three days of parties followed the ceremony, during which the new sovereign formed the new Ministers Cabinet, choosing as Prime minister the cousin Johann and changing all the ministers who had not supported his brother. He also renewed the Crown Council, naming as its head Franz Julius, and named Anthon head of the Royal House College, changing all its members.

On the fourth day, following the custom, the investiture ceremony of the nobility took place. Friedrich bestowed on his brother Jakobus, who in renouncing title of king was no longer even a prince, the title of archduke and to Reinhardt the title of duke and gave them, besides the Silver Forest and the castle of Otto III that already belonged to Reinhardt as a count, all the adjacent lake with the surrounding land and the villages that were on its shores as well. And he also granted them a generous appanage.

Jakobus and Reinhardt asked for and obtained permission to go and live in the castle of Otto the Solitary and the king told them to restore the castle at the treasury's expense. The king also conceded to Jakobus permission to take with him from the court to the castle all the servants and guards who had served Jakobus in the royal apartments. As all of them were "men loving men" the two lovers could then live their relationship without worrying about the "for the sake of appearances" attitude. Jakobus had more modern liveries and uniforms drawn for them.

On the fifth day Friedrich summoned the queen mother and ordered her to choose from three alternatives - to withdraw to Belvedere Castle, which was far from the capital and from any city and the Silver Forest; to enter a Benedictine nuns' cloister; or as a third possibility, to go into exile. The queen mother chose the nunnery.

When five months later Friedrich's first-son was born, who was christened as Heinrich Jakobus Reinhardt Stefan Otto, the king wanted the duke Reinhardt as his godfather, to the great humiliation of the Archbishop. And right at the end of the christening ceremony, the Papal Legate who came from Rome and who had been guest of the king at the Palace until that day, gave to the Archbishop a papal bull in which he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Chile, so removing him, and in his place a new Bishop was named, who was liked by the king.

Reinhardt and Jakobus, with the help of the cousin Johann, populated the castle park with deer. The two lovers were finally happy - they could live together, in complete freedom. They were taking care of the castle park, made long tours of the lake by boat, or rode in the forest, administering their lands.

And they finally had their bedroom furnished, just one room for both of them, and as soon as it was ready, they "inaugurated" it.

When they came back from the park, they took off their working clothes and went into the great bath to wash each other, and this was already an agreeable erotic game. Then, naked, they went in their bedroom, flooded by the sun. Jakobus almost ran to the wide bed and flung himself in its centre, his legs slightly parted, his member hard and fiercely erect.

Smiling in an inviting way, he said to his lover, "Are you coming?"

Reinhardt went near the bed, standing in a languid posture, and caressed his chest looking at his lover's body in a mischievous way, "Do you want me?"

"Turn around... let me see also your beautiful little ass... Oh yes, I definitely want you! Come here, my beautiful male!"

"What are you thinking of doing?"

"Slipping my sword into your sheath..."

"Ha! All inside?" Reinhardt asked without moving from near the bed, voluptuously caressing his own belly and sides.

"Yes... but you know... I don't know if that sheath is the right one... I would have to try it, and try it again, and push my sword inside and pull it out..."

"Oh, yes, my sheath is the right one..."

"I am not so sure... let me have a try, handsome soldier!"

"But that beautiful sword... is it not better to lubricate it so that it can slide easily into the sheath?"

"You are the arms expert, my little soldier..."

Reinhardt went on all fours on the bed and started to lick all around the shaft of his lover.

"And the tip..." Jakobus moaned.

"Yes, all of it..." the young man said, taking it in his mouth with gusto.

Jakobus sat up to caress his lover's body, and his hands touched him all over to communicate to him the intensity of his desire, the strength of his love. Reinhardt sucked it with an increasing greediness and his lips were gliding up and down the shaft, carefully wetting it with his saliva and enjoying its increasing hardness. Jakobus turned under him so slipping between his legs and raised his head to reach the beautiful taut ass. He parted the furrow between his small buttocks until with his tongue he could reach the entrance of the coveted channel where he wanted to sheath his sword. Reinhardt shuddered all over with increasing intensity, until he left his lover's member.

He begged, "Take me, now..."

Jakobus knelt between his parted knees, gently seized him by the hips, and finally sank into him. The two bodies harmoniously waved, giving and receiving joy and pleasure at the same time. The sun was setting behind the windows and its orange light was drawing mysterious illumination from the gilded stucco of the ceiling. The two lovers, tightly intertwined, were continuing to give and take each other on the pure white, wide bed, in a symphony of movements that culminated in the sweet paroxysm of their simultaneous release. They then laid down, still melded in one flesh, panting and satisfied.

"Jakobus, I am so happy! Are you too?"

"Totally."

"No regrets, my love?"

"Absolutely not. I finally have all that I can desire."

"Really all?"

"Yes, I have you. All the rest is excess."

"Listen... they are already ringing for supper..."

"Let's go, then... We'll resume this beautiful dialog afterwards..."

They wore their beautiful white silk pyjamas, and over them wide light blue dressing gowns. They were now always wearing identical clothes, almost as if to underline the total union of their lives.

They went down to the castle's great dining hall. When they had finished their supper they went to sit near the fireplace. That was the time when, before going to bed, they received the castle personnel. They discussed the programmes for the next day with them, heard the reports about the restoration work that was going on inside the castle, or about the restoration of the park. At times they also talked about the personal problems of the men living with them at the castle. They gave advice, took decisions. They authorized two who had become a couple to share the same room, helped another couple in crisis to overcome it... Then they went to bed, serene and fulfilled.

They both had decided to start studying botany and at times made journeys to acquire new kinds of plants to enrich the park.

A little before the restoration work, they found in the library, behind an old shelf that needed to be replaced, a small room that had been walled up some centuries before. In it they found secret documents, letters, manuscripts... They started to read them, to decipher them, and gradually there emerged the story of Otto III the Solitary, the duke who had had that castle built.

Thus they discovered that Otto, after having married and his son Ronald was born, and after being left a widower when his wife died while Otto was still very young, as history and the chronicles narrated, he had met a young Magyar count who had stopped at the ducal court for some months, The count, whose name was Sandor Johanes, was a relative of the Magyar king Matthias Corvinus. After he left Otto's court, the young Magyar count had travelled for almost a year visiting the European courts. The letters that the count and the duke had exchanged showed how a strong friendship was born between them.

On his way back, Sandor stopped again at Otto's castle and this time love bloomed between the two youths. But Sandor had to go back to Hungary. From his letters it clearly emerged that it had been Sandor who disclosed to Otto the ways of love between men and that they had passionately loved each other. The letters that Otto had written to Sandor were not there, but from the Magyar's replies it turned out that Otto, to have him at his side again, had offered him the charge of Great Chancellor of the duchy. After he finally obtained king Mathias' leave, Sandor came back and settled in Otto's castle.

There were also some love lyrics written by Otto for Sandor - they were not high literature but were beautiful and filled with passion. And at times they were also rather explicit about what Otto had done or had dreamed of doing in bed with his lover.

Jakobus and Reinhardt decided that more research should be carried out in the court archives, and asked Anthon to do it for them. They were lucky - in the Book of Hours of Ranald IV a beautiful miniature representing his father Otto III was found, together with his Chancellor Sandor. Then Jakobus called a famous English portrait painter and commissioned him to paint a fresco in the ducal throne hall representing Otto III and his Chancellor, on the wall behind the throne, representing a scene where Sandor received a sheet of paper from Otto where the first lines of one of his love lyrics were written. The two youths were looking into each other eyes with a loving gaze.

"They could be us..." Reinhardt said, admiring the great fresco, when it was completed.

"Yes, love. You see, it was destiny that we came to live here. Who knows that I am the reincarnation of Sandor and you of Otto?"

"Why not vice versa? You are the descendant of Otto."

"Because Sandor was a blond like me, and Otto dark haired like you... And Otto was a little older than his Sandor..."

"They must have loved each other very much. They remained together all their life long."

"As we shall do..."

King Friedrich had a second son, and this time wanted Jakobus as his godfather. This was the first occasion for Jakobus to go back to the court, three years after he had abdicated, So Jakobus met the fiancé of his sister Stefanie, who came for the occasion, an Austrian archduke of a lateral branch of the imperial family of the Hapsburgs.

Franz Julius and Anthon had parted, even though they remained close friends. Franz was now with a marquis, a cavalry captain two years older than him. Anthon instead was now with a twenty years old middle-class boy, of a rare beauty, the son of the wealthiest banker of the kingdom. Jakobus invited all of them to his castle.

His cousin Johann, besides having already three children and a fourth on the way, was carrying on amusing himself with various boys, without looking for a steady relationship. Jakobus invited him to his castle too.

Friedrich was in good health and mood. He wanted to discuss some state matters and problems of his reign with Jakobus.

"I would like having you here more often to have your advice, dear brother, If they didn't poison your life, you would have been a very good king. But I see that at last you are happy, and this makes my heart happy as well."

"Yes, my dear Friedrich, and it is thanks to you that I can now be happy. Reinhardt and I will forever be grateful to you."

"And I would like to see Reinhardt again."

"Why don't you come and visit us? We would be glad having you with us, and every now and then some rest would be good for you. The castle is now totally restored and the park is becoming increasingly more beautiful, especially now in autumn."

"And how is your... countrymen life going?"

"Well. You see? I got calluses at my hands!" Jakobus said proudly, "We are free. We spend our time studying, farming and travelling, besides making love... What more can one demand from life?"

"Did you find the court has changed?"

"Oh yes, and for the better."

"A great part of the merit is yours. You started to change and modernize the old and silly rules."

"Yes, but you shoved you have a remarkable force and energy, united with an extraordinary savoir-faire. You will pass into history as a good king - they will call you Friedrich the Reformer..."

Friedrich smiled, "I am surrounded by good friends, including the ones you left me. But at times I ask myself if you don't feel too lonely, there at the Castle..."

"No, not at all. Our pages, servants and guards are gradually becoming more fiends than servants, almost the members of a wide family. At the castle there is a really easygoing atmosphere. But... do you have news about maman?"

"She is always in the nunnery. It seems she is in good health."

"Couldn't you let her come back to the court? After all it was I who was the hindrance to her..."

"No. Quite apart from the fact that I cannot yet forgive her what she did to you... If she stayed here she would resume her role of queen mother and she would surely give my dear Theresa plenty of trouble."

"I find Theresa every time more beautiful. Maternity seems to be good to her. Or is it possibly your love?"

"Both of them, I believe. I love her deeply. The population adores her. And she is also my best councillor for state affairs."

"Then they were right to tell me that a kingdom needs both a king and a queen..."

"No, that is not a real problem. A kingdom simply needs a serene and well-balanced king, and you would have been a very good king, if they would only have let you live in peace. Everybody was really unfair to you, you had no luck at all."

"But on the contrary, I had plenty of luck! I had dear friends who supported me, and more than that, you and Stefanie and Theresa, and above all the unconditional love of my Reinhardt. I feel I have been lucky, as lucky as any man who can, wants and is able to live in love. Love is the driving power of the world, it is the key that opens all cages, gilded as they could be, and that gives life."

THE END

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