Makarovia? Where The Hell Is That? Freshman Year - 5. Chapter 5

Peter and I did return to our apartment. It had been a nice evening the night at Jocks. Peter had issues in this unknown world, but given a little nudge, he did fine. We had a nice evening at the apartment, too. Getting up, we both showered and changed to go to class. As we were ready to head to class, there was a knock on our apartment door.

I looked at my clock. It wasn’t even seven thirty. Opening the door, I saw Yuri who had four large men behind him. Looking at these men, what they were, wasn’t even hidden or disguised. Dark suits and even had those damned dark sunglasses, with this blank look, but even now they were paying attention to what was happening around them.

Of course, I didn’t just let that slide without comment. I nodded. “Yes, I sort of guessed this,” I said in English to the men with a sigh. “Do you guys go to class to have this look? Everything about you says security.”

Yuri looked behind him at these large men. Turning back to me Yuri spoke to me in Makarovian. “They were assigned to guard Peter. They are more of them at the other residence, as well. They are private securities service.”

It was a small apartment, Peter came out of the closet area after brushing his teeth as we were heading out. He looked at the men at the door and his eyebrows rose. He thought only a second and nodded. “Olek.”

I looked back at Peter. “We knew your days as just Peter was coming to a close.”

Peter nodded a bit reluctantly. “You’re right.” He looked at me. “Are you okay with this?” He was again looking a little uncertain about how I would react.

“It just is,” I said simply. I looked at Yuri and the other security. “I have a tiny apartment, so you’ll understand if I don’t let you in. It is big for just me. It’s cozy with two, it will be wall to wall if I add five.” I looked at the security. “Five very large men.” I turned to get my books and pulled the laptop from its docking station. “We’re ready.” Before we went into the hall, I smiled at them. “Just a second.” I didn’t shut the door, but almost. I looked at Peter. “I’m fine with this,” I said softly to him. “Are you going to be okay?”

Peter shrugged. “I’m sort of used to it.”

“I’m not scared off, Peter,” I said again kissing him gently. “I’m not leaving you.” I looked at his small smile come to his face. “Okay?”

Peter nodded. “Okay.” He got his books.

We were used to walking to campus, but no, we were escorted to a limousine with an SUV behind it. The typical black. It wasn’t a super-stretch, but a limousine.

“So much for keeping a low profile,” I said to no one as I got in the car. I looked at the apartment building. I knew Carla didn’t like noise, but I’m sure she won’t like these men hanging around. Our days here were also coming to close.

What Makavoria had was very valuable. Keeping Peter safe was important to not only Makarovia, but for the United States, thus the security. Yuri sat in the back with us.

“King Olek called last night,” Yuri said. “He said the news was breaking today.”

Peter nodded. “It was going to come out.” He said sadly and looked at me. “When what we have comes out…there will be other concerns about our safety, it will be harder to go to Northeastern.”

“Others have done it,” I said simply. “Hard, but not impossible.”

Arriving at the campus, we got out of the car and began to walk to class. Peter was withdrawing again when we saw a number of people looking our way. The whole campus knew we were a couple. Soon, everybody was going to know everything. I got closer to him taking his hand, making him look at me and smiled.

“Stay with me, Peter,” I told him softly. “It will be fine.”

Ted came walking up. He was directly approaching us. Two of the security came in front of us in case there would be trouble. The big blonde man stopped holding his hands up saying with a gesture he meant no harm but held some papers. The article was in it, I knew.

I touched the security guard in front of us. “That Ted. He’s okay. We know him.” The security nodded to me and backed away.

Ted smiled and walked toward us, handing us the copy of NSUNews. “Here it is.” He looked at Peter. “I hope this goes well.” He looked at some other students that clearly had read the article and now was looking at Peter to confirm for themselves that what they read was true.

I took the paper and looked at the headline. “A Real Prince of a Guy.” That was the title. I nodded to Ted. “It will be fine, Ted. Thank you.” I took the paper and read it. The article said who Peter was and what he hoped would happen while here.

Ted smiled, not sad, but he knew it would be a shock to many. “This is just the hard copy,” Ted said. “Copies go out by internet to all alumni and…” he shrugged, “others that subscribe. Just to let you know. It is on the wire now; all the newspapers and media will see this. Just be prepared.” He smiled and patted my shoulder and did the same with Peter and walked away.

Peter looked over the paper with me. “Not a lot about Makarovia.” He grinned. “Makarovia? Where the hell is that?” He read and chuckled and read more, “…but in the first time in recorded history…” Peter read on out loud. “Prince Petro of Makarovia, who is openly gay is marrying his fiancé, Eric Richards from Charleston, South Carolina. Open and not hiding anything from the world, they will marry publicly with the support of Makarovia and the royal families’ acceptance and approval. Eric Richards will become the newest royal member of that family in Makarovia as he will become Prince Eric of Makarovia.”

I smiled and bumped Peter lightly. “I guess it’s now official. We’re engaged.” I pointed to the written word telling everyone we were getting married.

Peter smiled but gave a shrug. “Well, I still want to ask you in a more romantic and official way.” He grinned. “I’ve asked and you said yes, so I guess it doesn’t matter. There is something I'm obligated to do…”

I looked at him waiting, but he said nothing. “…but you won’t tell me.”

Peter looked away a little. “Well, it’s important.” He put his arm around me. “You’ll find out what it is.” He smiled bigger. “Later.”

Our first class was together. The second semester of our Economics course and the same professor that put us together in the first place was teaching this part of the course. He did look at the new people in his class…the men with us. Yuri and the other security service guys stood behind us as we sat along the back wall. The professor’s teaching began again with no real sign he’d changed. I don’t think the heads of the departments were told about Peter; other than he was from this little country no one really knew of. The other students tried to remain unaffected, but there were the looks…in passing, of course, glances to see the extra men in the class and knew why.

Peter and I didn’t have all our courses together. His course of study was more…economically driven. Mine was industrial and management. As our paths parted for some classes, I pulled Yuri over.

“I know this is your job; securing Peter,” I said quietly to Yuri. “I also know that you care for him.”

Yuri nodded. “I have for ten years.”

“He’s never been outside Makarovia like this,” I said. “I know you’ll keep him safe, but…” I looked as Peter was reading for his next class, “he may retreat back into himself.” I looked again at Yuri. “Perhaps you could be…closer to Peter when in class, keep him from doing it as much.”

Yuri nodded. “I can do that.” He smiled.

Then I grinned at Yuri. “The same threat goes here as when I took him to my grandmother’s house for Christmas. You told me this, now I’m saying it to you; do not let anything happen to him, or you will lose your head.” I was joking a little, but I might if Peter got into trouble.

Yuri chuckled. “Got it.”

I was escorted to my next class. Yuri and two of the other servicemen went with Peter and two came with me. What did give me a little evil pleasure, was I shared my next class with Brad. I was sitting toward the back when Brad came in. I didn’t really look too much at Brad, more of a glance, but Brad looked at me and the two large service men beside me. Brad had begun to bruise where I’d hit him the night before. He didn’t dare come over to me.

Knowing what would happen and having it happen was different. We progressed through the day, but coming out of class there were news trucks waiting; with reporters and cameras. They all were beginning to come at me. My servicemen, who really didn’t talk much to me, took my arm and were now very close as they spoke to whoever was on the other end of their earpieces I didn’t see. The reporters began their questions all at once as microphones pointed at me. I wasn’t answering them. My servicemen held them off and divided them as we went to have lunch, but arriving at the cafeteria…a lot of others were waiting to try to talk to us. Peter, Yuri, and the other servicemen joined me.

“Perhaps we should reconsider dining here at this…charming establishment,” Yuri said quietly to Peter and me. I grinned, yes, he was gay.

“We need to eat, Yuri,” Peter said logically. “Getting in the car and going somewhere else won’t help.”

Yuri nodded. “Okay.”

I looked at the servicemen. “Do they have to just stand there?” I asked Yuri. “Is it possible that they can just sit with us?” Of course, I had been speaking in Makarovian.

“They have to stand.” Yuri shrugged. “They can see better and are ready for…anything.”

Campus security was also there, to keep students away from us and the press away outside the cafeteria.

Peter just didn’t really understand all this attention. He was raised in a country where men and women like us were not…so rare and not treated like we were in many parts of the world. He kept looking at the reporters that were being kept out of the dining area.

“They don’t even know what’s happening in Makarovia. Why are they so interested in us?” Peter asked me.

“Because you and I are doing what has never been done,” I said simply. “I know you were raised in a country where those gay and lesbian are not thought of as unnatural. You are a member of a royal family. That’s an impressive position, Peter, and we are marrying. That’s never been done before.”

He shrugged a nod. “I guess.”

“When you were in Makarovia, you had to see movies and television,” I said. “You had to know gays weren’t really thought of well in the past. They had to fight for even a partial acceptance; still not by some.”

“What should we do?” Peter asked.

“You’re asking me?” I asked a little surprised, but he needed help with this.

Peter sunk a little. “When Ted came to us with what he found out, we told him.”

I tried to think of the next logical step to stop what was happening outside. “Are you willing to tell more to other people?” I asked.

“Who?”

“There will no doubt be invitations by other major networks,” I said. “CBS, NBC, and others. Perhaps, if we appeared in a broadcast and told them the answers most have questions about; that would cool things down.”

“I guess.”

Peter and I kept things as they always were. We didn’t hide affection from each other before and we didn’t now. When we parted again for our separate classes, we parted with our usual kiss, only now there were the sounds of camera’s clicking near us for the photos and we were being watched by other students as we parted.

Northeastern told the reporters they were not allowed on campus anymore; not without an okay from them. How that was going to be enforced I couldn’t figure out. Now security in the campus patrol cars were posted at most of the entrance ways had security cars with an officer there at each entrance. Cars weren’t stopped but watched as they came through.

When we got in the car that afternoon as classes for us were over for the day, I looked over at Peter who was retreating again.

“Are you okay?”

Peter’s eyes widened. “You’re asking me if I’m okay!? Are you okay with all this?” He waved as we headed back to our apartment.

I smiled. “I was fine.”

Peter’s face still held doubt but nodded. “Okay.”

“But I think…we may spend the night at our apartment, but we shouldn’t stay there afterward,” I said.

Peter nodded. “Because of all this attention.”

“Carla was fine with having you stay with me when you were just my boyfriend,” I said. “Ms. No Noise will not like armed security at her entrances.”

Peter was now more distressed. “I am so sorry.”

I turned to him, pulling his face to me. “Stop that, Peter,” I said firmly. “This isn’t your doing.”

He shook his head and let a moan out. “Yes, it is. I should never have come here and involved you in this.”

Even Yuri was surprised by Peter’s lament.

“Peter!” I said making his eyes look at me. “You don’t regret meeting me, do you?”

Peter looked away, clearly upset. “I’ve turned your life upside down…”

I pulled him back to me and kissed him. It didn’t take too long before he was kissing back and I got the Peter I loved back. “Listen. You stepped out of your comfort zone to help bring Makarovia into this century; to make things better. You were scared and unsure, but you’re doing it. Meeting you was not even on my to-do list, but I don’t regret one moment since we met.” I pressed my forehead to his. “You are who you are and what you are. The most amazing man I’ve ever met. I haven’t regretted a moment. Do you?”

“I regret what is being done to your life.”

“Do you regret meeting me?” I asked again.

He smiled shaking his head. “No.”

We got to our apartment and Carla’s apartment door opened.

“Eric?” She asked, but didn’t really approach seeing the large men with us. “Can I talk to you?”

“Sure.” I walked over but brought Peter with me. “This is about what’s happening.”

Carla nodded. “I get the NSUNews online…” she looked at Peter. “You’re a prince?”

Peter nodded. “I am.”

“Before you say anything,” I said to Carla. “It wasn’t planned, but this is what happened. I know how you feel about noise, we won’t be here but tonight. We can go tonight if you want…you’ll be paid for the rest of the year.”

Carla nodded and upset to say what she did next. “Understand, I’ve loved having you here. You have been very good as tenants, but you’re going to have security here?” She asked.

Peter nodded. “We can keep them at our door.”

“They will be posted at the entrances, too, Peter,” I said.

“My other tenants shouldn’t have to show their ID’s to come home,” Carla said. “Or their guests ID’s.”

I nodded. “I’ll get some things from the apartment. We’ll go tonight.”

Carla stopped me. “I meant what I said. You and…then later when Peter arrived…you were good tenants. I hate to see you go, but…”

“I do understand,” I said to her and hugged her. “Thanks for renting to me in the first place.”

“I was glad to do it.” She smiled. “There have been a lot of calls here about Peter, and you.” She warned us. Then she smiled. “Losing a prince and one about to become a prince…that’s just a shame.” She hugged Peter. “Good luck.”

We got…really almost nothing. I was told by Yuri that someone would come and empty the apartment of our belongs.

We went to the house that Peter lived in. There were again the news trucks and people standing outside to speak to Peter…and me. They were kept at bay by other security men at the front door. We were driven around back and pulled directly into a garage I didn’t even know was there having always come in the front. Unlike other times when we came in, there used to be just Boris and Yuri, now with the extra security, men at the front and a man posted at the back entrance…and additional persons doing…house things like dusting and other things…but there were more.

Boris looked up as we came up from the garage by the stairway up to the living level. He smiled at us, but his smile had sympathy in it. “Greetings, Peter,” he said. “Hello, Eric. Dinner at the same time?”

Peter nodded as he looked at the new people in the house. “Why do we need them?”

“Olek thought I needed more help,” Boris said with a shrug.

Then I saw Yuri greet his husband by saying just a hello. “Oh, come on, Yuri.” I grinned. “I know you’re married. I never greet Peter without a kiss. You’ve seen us do it!”

Boris chuckled waving at Yuri. “He’s a stickler to standing on protocol.”

Peter grinned. “He’s your husband, Yuri.” He pulled me to him and kissed me. “Now, greet your husband properly. We know you love him.”

However Yuri had been trained or taught, he still didn’t give Boris that good a kiss.

“Work on that,” Peter said lightly. “It’s protocol to try to do as I say, right?”

“Well, yes…” Yuri began and he was already turning pink. “We just didn’t. I’m on duty.”

“When are you not on duty?” I chuckled.

Peter walked over to Yuri. “Your very loyal, Yuri. I love that about you. A good man to have in Makarovia’s service, but you are my friend, too. You and Boris are family! Relax.”

Yuri nodded as he was still blushing. “I’ll try.”

“We’ll be down at the right time, Boris,” I said taking Peter’s hand.

Boris nodded. “Very good.”

In the room Peter and I shared, I shut the door and yes, I locked it. Peter’s eyes got a little humor as he saw that.

“No one will just come in,” Peter said smiling.

I nodded. “I’m not taking chances,” I said backing him toward the bed. “I’m very protective…of us and mostly you.”

Peter nodded. “I saw that last night,” he grinned, “when you gave Brad a bloody nose.”

I nodded backing Peter up until he had to sit before falling. “If he’d tried to touch you again, I would have broken his nose.” I stretched out next to him. “You are the most precious anything to me. I am going to be protective of you.” I said making him smile at that. “You are a grown man. We’re only two months apart in age, but please…don’t regret asking me to marry you.”

Peter did look at little sad when I said that. “This is just going to be hard.”

I nodded. “It will be. I knew that.” I agreed. “I’d be lying if I said I knew what was going to happen. This will be a hard and sometimes difficult life ahead of us. We’ll get through this. Together.” I said running my hand up his chest. “I love you, baby.”

His eyes softened. “I am your baby?”

I nodded. “The most precious person or thing in my life.” I kissed him gently. “Never doubt that.”

“I love you,” Peter said softly.

The next day didn’t let up. Instead, it got worse. Only now, security had increased on the campus of Northeastern. Our own security with Yuri, the servicemen that went with us to class, campus security and now the police department was also there.

“We need to be on one of those shows for that interview,” Peter said. “Do they act like this when Great Brittan’s Royal family come here?”

“If Prince George came to school here, maybe…I don’t know.” I said.

Then we discovered the joys of the Paparazzi. Those guys clamoring for those photos. We were standing on the walk when a motorcycle drove across the grass; the man had a camera and snapped a shot of us. Yes, we were holding hands. Nothing new about that here!

Peter still was having a hard time understanding what the fuss was about. “We’re not doing anything!”

I chuckled. “Sure we are. We’re getting married!” I was walking with him on to class. “We’re…breaking the rules on what’s done.” I nodded. “Remember when Queen Kate first dated King William? That made all the headlines.”

Peter’s head wavered as he tried to remember. “Vaguely.”

“Actually, this is a very good thing,” I said.

Peter looked at me surprised. “How can you say that?”

“Because, the focus is on Makarovia, but not because of that other thing, but about you!”

“And you!” Peter reminded. “I’m not marrying alone.”

I shook my head. “I’ve only known one story about a person who married themselves.”

“Married themselves?”

“Had a wedding, wedding dress, the wedding ring, and reception,” I said. “All of it to marry themselves.”

“Why?”

“Everyone was pressuring her to marry, so she did!”

Peter shrugged. “Well, I was pretty intimate with myself for a long time, I’m sure she was too.”

Then when we got home that evening, we met Penelope. Both Peter and I were surprised when she suddenly walked directly up to greet us.

“Penelope Baldwin.” She said holding her hand out to Peter. “I was hired by King Olek as your Press and Social Secretary.”

Even I stepped back as she came toward us. She was…well, there’s one word to describe her. Crisp. She wasn’t unattractive. She was in her late thirties; her brown hair was done above her shoulders in a pretty nice hairstyle and she wore this dark blue business suit/dress that just said…crisp. She was also British.

“I didn’t know we needed one,” Peter said cautiously shaking her hand. “This is Eric…”

She nodded. “Oh, yes. I certainly know who you two are.” She smiled. “And you will definitely need a secretary.” She waved us to come to a room that…she had taken over? I had never been in it before, but whatever it had been before; now there was a desk on which a computer sat and telephone. “I will handle all calls that come in.” She said. “And the phone has rung quite a bit. Requests for interviews and appearances...”

I nodded. “We knew there would be.”

She never stopped smiling, which was a good thing. “I will give the requests to you and of course, it will be your decision to do as you deem necessary.”

“My brother hired you?” Peter said to be clear. “He knows you.”

She nodded. “I’ve worked with him several times on his trips throughout Europe. I think I have his confidence.”

“I’d say you do if he hired you to do this,” I said. “I’ve never dealt with someone that…” I waved at her computer and office, “did this stuff.”

Peter shook his head. “Neither have I. Olek could have told us.”

“We’ve been gone all day, baby.” I reminded Peter. “How was he going to tell us? We have email on our phones…”

“That is also being handled by me.” Penelope Baldwin said. “To assure you, your private emails I won’t touch, but general emails and solicitations, I go through as with calls or texts on your phones. You’ll see there aren’t many on them now. They have been routed here.” She walked to her computer and waved at her set up. “I got a list of your contacts. All emails sent to you by those contacts were left alone. The others, I’ve gleaned out and will go through like junk email and that sort of thing.” She brought out a folder. “In here are requests by several networks for interviews; the web addresses and contacts are included. You can go through them, contact them and make whatever arrangements you think you need to. Just let me know.” Then the phone rang. “Excuse me.” She said and took the call.

I saw him doing it again. He was just…looking lost. “Peter,” I said pulling him out the door of Penelope’s office. “Stop it, baby,” I said softly. “This is a good thing.” I looked in his eyes that weren’t looking at me and made him look. “Talk to me. Remember that rule.”

Peter just let out a frustrated sigh. “This is just a lot. You lost your apartment because of me. Going to class is now a prob…”

I quickly kissed him, stopping his worry about what happened. “I’ll tell you as often as I have to. You didn’t do this. It’s the world’s reaction to what we’re doing, but I’m not sorry.” I grinned as we walked back through the house. I waved at the townhouse. “This is much nicer than our little apartment.”

“But it’s not even ours.”

I stopped him. “It will be,” I said. “You know how?”

“How?” Peter asked smiling a little.

“We’re adding things,” I said. “I mean, personal things. Pictures of Queen Alla and King Olek.” I grinned. “But not as queen and king, but as your Mom and brother.” I smiled and almost bounced, “and I’m putting that hockey stick in our room!”

“I haven’t played hockey since I got here,” Peter said grinning.

“We need to change that, too.” I wrapped my arms around him. “We’ll make this a personal space. Yours and mine. Then maybe you’ll feel like you’re home; it won’t be just where we sleep.”

Peter smiled. “Pictures of Mom will be easy, I have tons of her.”

“Oh?”

“When she was about fourteen, she was discovered by this man that thought she’d make a good model,” Peter said proudly. “Come on, I’ll show you.” He took us up to our room and sat at his computer. I watched him type quickly. “This…” he said proudly, “…is my favorite.”

This image, beautifully done, a headshot of her from her neck up, her long thick blonde hair around her shoulders cascaded down and this…coy sort of smile. She would have tempted ME! I said before, she was stunning. That didn’t even come close. Photogenic? Hell yea! She was gorgeous!

“She was eighteen here,” Peter said smiling. “She was becoming one of those international supermodels.” He said proudly and then laughed. “Until she met Dad.” He did another couple of keystrokes and an image of her and a man that looked a lot like Olek…or rather, Olek looked a lot like his father. It looked at the time he was the same age as Olek is now. A very handsome man, also with that close-cut beard of black hair like Olek wore and together with Alla, they were a beautiful couple. I looked at Peter and yes, he had some of his father’s good looks, but Olek looked more like his father. Peter had features that were his father’s, but a lot of his mother was in him, too. His mother and father were at a party, and her gown was nice but tastefully done. He wore one of those tuxes with the white jacket. The thing was they were laughing at someone off to the side in the picture, but it wasn’t posed.

“Oh, yes…” I said to Peter. “You all need to put more out there on the web.” I smiled. “You are every bit as handsome as your brother and father. Your mother is gorgeous! The world will want to see this.” I waved at the computer. “May I?”

Peter looked at me and smiled. “Sure.” He moved over for me to type.

I typed quickly and pulled up what was available for Makarovia. There some pictures of the castle. It was an older structure that was hundreds, maybe a thousand years old. It wasn’t the pretty castles I only saw in pictures from other cultures, but it looked strong. Brown, but strong. There were a few pictures of the towns. I nodded. “This needs to be updated.” I smiled. “A better picture of your mother, brother and you.” I waved at the monitor. “Your family needs a website and so does Makarovia. People don’t know about you because there’s nothing to attract their attention. A few more attractive pictures of Stryia and Makarovia will help. People will be moving there.”

“Because of the Uranium.” Peter nodded.

“Yes. I’m sure Olek has it under control, but the military personnel coming to Makarovia will need housing and they will also need things like…a place to get groceries and have entertainment. What are Olek’s plans for the uranium?” I asked. “It needs processing and all that.”

“Yes.”

“And those that are mining the uranium are going to come from Makarovia, but Olek said it was deep.”

Peter nodded. “That’s right.”

“Deep core mining will require special skills. Someone will have to teach your people those skills. The processor is going to need people with specialties, they will probably come with families. They will want things as well; schools and even for shopping.”

Peter nodded. “That sort of infrastructure isn’t happening right now.”

“Plans need to start,” I said. “I’m sure Olek knows this.” I smiled at Peter. “The population of Makarovia will be growing.”