Makarovia! Yes, I Know Where That is! Sophomore Year - 52. Chapter 52

Athens

Getting back to the Duchess was simple. I asked Mikell if we could have the same arrangement tomorrow, or rather, later tonight. It was almost three in the morning when we got back. We left word for Henri when we went to bed.

Peter was quiet and I knew something was working on his mind. It was on my mind now, so I just said it. “You aren’t competing with a ghost, Peter.” I said quietly coming up behind him as we undressed.

Peter shrugged, but didn’t look at me. That meant he was thinking about it. “I wouldn’t know how to.”

I turned him around to look at me. “The what ifs.” I nodded. “I had a lot of those.”

“Your Dad, Grandpa, your mother…” Peter nodded and asked. “How’d you stay sane?”

“Katrina Sams.” I answered simply. “I’d probably be in a dark pit of depression if not for her. She allowed me and herself time to grieve, but only so long. Reminders would come up and she left herself and me that time again, but not all the time. She’d tell me, Their life is over, yours is not. The real question is, if Tony hadn’t died, would you and I be married now?” I threw my hands up in futility. “No one can answer that question. Well, he did die and I did marry you. Don’t worry about the could-have beens that didn’t happen. They didn’t and can’t.” I looked him in the eyes. He couldn’t hide anything from me there. I saw him get a little “uncomfortable” when I did that. “So, what else?” I pointed at his face. “There’s something else. I can see it.”

Peter grinned. “It’s stupid.” Peter whined a little.

“What’s stupid?” I asked pulling him to me.

“Was he good looking?” Peter asked and he saw my surprised expression. “Just comparing us…you’ve never seen either of us before. Who would you pick first?”

“You, of course!” I said throwing my hands out again. “Tony and I were fifteen when Tony and I met that freshman year. Sixteen when when we became lovers. We were no longer little boys, but not men yet. We had a desire with each other about what we wanted and agreed to find out what it was about. We knew where things went,” I tapped my head, “in here.” I pushed him back to the bed. “If he and I were that age again and met now. He would win. You’re an old man. We’re starting on uneven footing here.” I lowered over him looking in the face. “You have the most beautiful eyes.” I said quietly looking at him more intensely. My eyes were boring in to see his soul. “This light gray color washed over by a light, light green. I don’t know anyone else that has eyes that color.”

“Must be from those Russians on Mom’s side.” Peter said.

“Hear me,” I said seriously. “But see my eyes when I say this, I didn’t know a human being could love another human being as much as I do you. I adore you, Peter.”

Peter smiled at me. “I know. I adore you. I’m incomplete when you aren’t there.”

“I know.”

No wham, whir thank you, sir that night. It was all love.

I woke and barely saw the darkened quarters. I didn’t get drunk last night. Why was I feeling like I had been? I have before, but not last night. Pano insisted we try Metaxa, a sweet almost brandy-like liquid. That wasn’t strong at all.

“What is this?” Peter asked from still under the covers. He moved slowly. “Is this a hangover?”

“I get a hangover from a single shot of tequila.” I moaned. “It has to be the ouzo.” I looked to see the sun. There was an elegant wall clock that said it was almost nine.

“We need to let Henri know we’re up.” Peter moaned rubbing his head of hair messed up from sleeping. He chuckled. “I really did like Big’s last night. That was fun.”

I nodded. “I did, too. I really like Pano and Barry.” I chuckled. “Put Pano in plaid flannel shirt, give him an axe…he could be Paul Bunyon!”

Peter’s face scrunched confused. “Who?”

“He’s a North American Folk Tale. Paul Bunyon. This giant lumberjack who was so big and strong he cleared a lot of forests in the Northwest.” I nodded. “He and his big blue ox. Babe was the ox’s name. I forgot what the ox did…” I shrugged. “Pano could be one of those lumber guys.”

Peter nodded chuckling. “Easily. I can see that.”

I went in the bathroom to start the shower, the towel warmer and the floor to warm up. It was here! I used it!

“Is Paul Bunyon North American and Canadian?” Peter asked coming in the bathroom. He held his hand up. “I know, they both on the North American Continent, but is it up there, too?”

I gave a grudging nod. “Mostly in the United States, but all over the Northwest. Only a few miles difference, why quibble?” I pointed at Peter coming up to him. “Pano and Barry said Calgary. That means rodeos and cowboys. Can you see Pano roping a steer? I can. We’re the same.”

I loved how easy it was us now. Peter nor I had out a thing on a gave no thought to our being naked. He just turned me around and gave me a light shove through the shower door and followed me in.

, It was almost eleven when we came into the galley. It was things like his reaction to seeing us me think…maybe.

He grabbed his chest dramatically. Making Peter and me jump. He startled us. Then bowed with his hands in a position of prayer. “Merci, Oh merciful God in Heaven for answering my plea.” He said solemnly looking the ceiling.

“Your plea?” I asked.

Peter grimaced. “What plea? We’d get up?”

Henri shook his head as he propped himself on the counter’s cutting board. “That you survived the night.” He grinned. “Your security agents were discussing some events last night they witnessed. It was in Makarovian, so I don’t know what it was. Mikell told me to ask you. So, I’m asking.”

We told him about the Big Bar, about Pano and Barry and the ouzo.

Henri’s eyes widened. “You survived!?” He nodded. “I was right to be concerned. That’s strong stuff. I’ve just smelled it.”

“Very strong.” I agreed. “I’ve had White Lightening. Ouzo’s way stronger than that.” I saw Peter’s blank look and Henri’s sort of nod as he tried to understand. “You know, moonshine? Hillbilillies?” I said further. “Dad descended from the ones in North Carolina?” I saw no real change. “Oh, come on! You never saw the Beverly Hillbillies!? The Clampets? Granny and her rheubmatism medicine she made?”

Peter shook his head. “I remember seeing it come up, but this family strikes it rich and doesn’t change!? I found that hard to believe.”

“It was entertainment!” I said. “They changed Beverly Hills, not the other way around.”

“So, your Dad’s family were bootleggers?” Henri grinned.

“Just for family and friends,” I qualified. “They were more like the Baldwin Sisters on the Waltons.” I saw blanks again. “The Recipe?” I rolled my eyes. “You weren’t raised in the USA, so I’ll let it go now. You couldn’t know.” I reached over to Henri. “We’re up. No hurry.”

“It will be ready in exactly half an hour.” Henri said.

“How can you do it so quickly?” Peter asked.

“Everything is ready to cook.” Henri shrugged. “With a little planning ahead, you can do miracles.” He did his fingers coming down like there were magical sparkles coming down. His eyebrows danced and he shooed us out. “Half an hour.” He reminded us.

Peter and I walked through the ship.

“How’s your hangover?” Peter asked. “Mine sort of went away.”

“After we got up and moved around, it faded.” I shrugged. I started to descend to the lower decks to check “the guys.” I looked at Peter’s surprised expression. I took Peter’s hand. “Humor me. I will be concerned about the wellbeing of friends. They are friends now.”

Peter grinned nodding. “Sure.”

In the gathering room our security agents were lounging around, shirts on, but not buttoned. A tie nearby within arm’s reach. Rolph was the first to see Peter and me, jumping up to a ramrod straight stance of attention. “Your Highness!” The others jumped up, too. There were five of them here. Only Cosmo was missing.

“You’ll hurt something doing that.” Peter grinned, shaking his head with a chuckle. “Didn’t last night mean anything to you?” He waved everybody to sit down. “I never questioned it before because that just always has been. What began last night should go forward. We had a good chemistry going and I want to see it become the normal.” He put his hand on his chest. “We know who we are.”

I nodded. “You’re asking that we trust you with our lives, we need to know you to trust you.” I nodded. “I don’t know anything about being a royal or guarding a royal. So, how can I be making these changes?”

“You’re looking with fresh eyes.” Peter smiled. “You see things we don’t.”

I nodded. “Have any of you had a day off since being assigned to us?” I waved outside the ship. “We’re in Athens! The cradle of civilization!” I waved at Rolph. “Alina and Darla would love a present from daddy, gotten frome here. I saw dolls in shop. Andreea will work even harder to win you back on number four if you think of her while working.”

Rolph nodded with a chuckle, scratching his ear self-consciously. Everyone knew, so confidences were broken.

“We were going back to the Big Bar tonight.” I pulled Peter closer. “We promise not the leave the ship today.” I rubbed a soar muscle in my leg. “We walked miles…” I held my hand up, “I mean, kilometers yesterday. We can take the afternoon off.” Pointing at them. “Remember what I asked you to do last night? Keep that emotion. Bring it back. That is a royal order!”

We returned thirty-five minutes. Henri let us know we were late by his near glare when we came in. It was a few extra minutes. It was still steaming hot, so what was the crime? It loses something in those few minutes? Would I notice? Would Henri? There was a sweet smell I recognized as pineapple.

“Sorry,” I said to him.

“Viola!” Henri pulled the cover off. Raised on the Southern Coast, you can’t surprise me with seafood. I recognized shrimp instantly. I handled enough of them. “I had premade much of it. The shrimp cook quickly. There are millions of recipes out there for this from many. Sweet and Sour Shrimp. My version has nothing frozen, only fresh.”

I nodded. “I’m sure we’ll love it, but why are you such a stickler for time?”

Henri reluctantly nodded with a chuckle. “It’s me. Remember I tell you my…” he thought. “What’s the word?” He looked at us. “You know névrose?“ He asked. My one year of French paid off a little. “Neurosis?”

“Oui!” He raised his hands to his head. “In my mind, I know food and ingredients. When to add what to get the maximum flavor marriage going. When to add cooking sherry and when to add certain things for that taste I seek.” He put his fist on his hip. “And thirty minutes would have the peak time for this. The flavor would be perfect.” He waved at the steaming bowl he no longer cared about.

I ate some and I will say I never had a better dish of Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Chicken or Pork, even by authentic Asian Chefs.

“Oh, my god,” Peter let out. “This is…”

“Like Ambrosia!” I said urgently. I looked as Peter looked curiously at me. “We’re in Athens, the Greek Gods on Mount Olympus?”

Henri’s eye narrowed. “I don’t believe you.” He headed back to the galley, but stopped, winked at us and went in.

Peter looked at me. “Do you wonder about him?”

I shook my head. “No. He is definately a drama queen.” I smiled. “He’s a miracle worker in the kitchen and a nice guy. He likes us. He’s only known us a week.”

Peter looked at saying I knew better.

I laughed at Peter. “Yes, I have.” I pointed to the ceiling. “He can see and hear us.”

Peter chuckled again. “We switched to Makarovian when he went in the galley. Didn’t you notice?”

I shook my head. “No. We switch back and forth all day. I guess I don’t have to do it on a more conscious level anymore.” I shrugged. “I’m fluent.” I stopped a second. “I dream, but seldom remember them. I wonder what language I dream in.”

“Well, I was raised in Makarovia.” Peter began. “I don’t notice a lot of nuances. Sometimes I think he would love a date with Mikell and then one of girls at school. Then what happened just a few moments ago, I wonder if he’s simply mentally balanced.”

I nodded as I kept eating. “I agree.”

“With what?”

“All of what you said.” I shrugged. “He’s a sexually mature human that can have a relationship with the others consent and approval. Who he chooses is up to him.” I shook my head. “Mikell’s will be in Makarovia or Boston. Henri will over here. If they wanted it. Fine, but I don’t see them together. No offense to anyone, but Mikell worries about staying in shape, Henri is always cooking. It would be a short first date and just the one date. Trust me.”

“Because of their appearance?” Peter asked. “You said you were attracted to me with those things all over.” He waved his hand over his face. “I looked hideous!”

“You didn’t look…”

“I grotesque!!” Peter interrupted firmly. “Be honest. You had a reaction the first time you saw me.”

“Yes. I did.” I nodded. “You’re right. I felt sorry that no one had helped you. The emotion I had was pity.” Then I smirked. “But then you were pushing everybody away.”

“I was not!” Peter was laughing.

“Oh, please,” I rolled my head and eyes. “You were so! If the professor of our first class hadn’t assigned that project it making it nearly impossible for you pass his class if you didn’t talk to me, I don’t know if we’d be married! I could kiss that man.” I thought a second, “I might still.”

Peter was laughing harder. “I was unprepared to function socially.”

“Nooo, really?” I took his hand. “There were other things that attracted me. You’re smart, funny and kind.” I leered at him. “And that great ass in those Wrangler Jeans at Walmart I'll never forget.” I shook my head. “Whoa! You’ve come a full one hundred and eighty degrees around since then. A hot commodity.”

Peter grinned squeezing my hand. “What do you mean?”

“You are a celebrity now.” I chuckled. I waved at his plate. “Eat up. I’ll show you.”

We finished our lunch and went to the computer in the living area. I had asked the IT guy for the Countess. He did a thorough malware and virus scan regularly. I pulled up a general browser. I typed our names in and suddenly headlines to other webpages came up.

“The Real Makarovia?” Peter read. “Prince Petro and Prince Eric cancel honeymoon?” He pointed. “Click this one. For images.”

There were countless images of us at Northeastern. Most pictures of us walking, usually hand in hand or even kissing. Why would we hide that?

“I even know of some…” I typed quickly. “Our friend Anderson has had trouble with this.” I pulled up a webpage of a totally naked Anderson Cooper. I mean naked from head to toe. “He swears he never posed for any of these. He didn’t.” I waved at the pictures. “His are very good, but most you can see where a head has been photo shopped to a body that it doesn’t belong on.” I typed again. “They have a group of people that do just that. Celebrity Fakes. They find people with similar body types and hair and stick a head on it.” I nodded and pointed at the screen. “And here are we.” Several pictures of us about to skinny dip in a river or lake I’d never seen. Several were of us doing something we did, but never posed for. Me giving Peter a blowjob, it was my face, but not Peter’s dick. One where Peter was penetrating me on his lap. At least the guy who was supposed to be me was well endowed.

Peter let out a gasp and stood up. “They can’t do this!”

I pulled Peter back down. “Well, they did.” I sighed. “And there will be the Inquirer others of those yellow journalistic newspapers and People Magazine. We let The Advocate and Out use our images on the covers. OutSmart. Newsweek and Time want us. Other countries want us, too.”

“But they can just put up pictures and say it’s us when it’s not!?”

I nodded. “That’s where Don comes in. He and the government offices of the US and Makarovia will take action if necessary.” I said. “We have to pick our battles.” I waved at our obviously fake images. “These of us aren’t even good.” I smiled at Peter. “We’re safer in Makarovia. Anyone can become a victim.” I shook my head at a kind of sad situation. “Poor King William. The man had to go to the bathroom. Either there no portable facilities or maybe he just didn’t want to leave where he was. He went somewhere he thought was secluded and took a piss. That picture bounced all over the Internet. Surprise! See the King’s dick?” I nodded. “And there could be pictures taken when we unaware. Like Olek said, what will it prove if there were? That we’re human and have and do with those things the same as anyone who has them.”

“How do you know all this?” Peter said back amazed.

I chuckled. “With Katrina’s influence I almost went into Psychology. You know big she is with emotions and verbalizing them.”

Peter grinned. “Yes, I do.” His forehead bumped my forehead. “Her grandson is, too.”

I kissed him. “Isn’t better to get it out and deal with it instead of letting fester?”

“Yeah,” Peter grinned.

“I love human behavior. I watch people.” I waved at the computer.

“Maybe you should pursue it.” Peter said.

“I might later.” I smiled at him. “If I began pursuing Psychology, I would have chosen you a different school and I wouldn’t even know each other. I would one of millions still saying, Makarovia!? Where the Hell is that?”

Peter chuckled. “I think it was fated to happen. Destiny. Somehow our paths would cross and I think we’d get together.” He said as his lips traveled across my jaw to my neck. He knew I liked where. I knew what he liked, too.

We were courteous. We were in a public area. We took our affections to our quarters. The bed had been changed and made up, the bathroom straightened (not that we were messy) and the rooms even smelled better! They must have done it while we were with security, breakfast and me showing Peter what could and was on the Internet. I felt a little guilty messing it up again. I got over that quickly.

When we finished, I straightened as best I could. Peter finally blew an impatient breath and dragged me out of our quarters.

“It’s not an imposition.” Peter growled. “It is their job. Let them do their job. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be here.” He threw his arm around me, squeezing me against him and kissed my head. “You understand so much yet miss simple things.”

I put my arms around Peter. “My learning of people and life on the A List of Celebrities didn’t include anything about servants.”

“You know why they’re here?” Peter asked. “Boris does it for us in Boston.”

“And I had a hard time with that at first. Remember?” I sighed. “You and I have busy schedules.” I reasoned. “He does it to free our time to keep that schedule.” I waved at the ship. “Now we have no schedule and time to waste…”

Peter held me back a little. “Being with me is a waste of time!?” He asked in mock horror.

“You know what I mean.” I muttered. “I leave the bed unmade because I can?”

“Yep.”

We went down to see who was left. Mikell was talking on his phone while at a computer. He suddenly stood up.

“Don’t start.” I said to him.

“Sorry, habit.” Mikell grinned with a shrug. He put his phone to his ear. “That will work out fine. I’ll let you know what they decide.” He put his phone down. “That was my contact with local police department.” He smiled. “Big’s Bar is a members only facility.”

Peter looked surprised. “It is?”

“They didn’t stop us.” I said, not understanding. “There wasn’t even a cover charge either.”

Mikell shook his head. “It is for legal reasons, I think. Anyway, when we go tonight two of us will remain outside. The police will be there to see that everyone that goes in is a card carrying member.” He chuckled. “These police helping are all off duty and getting twice what they normally make for their time.”

“The guys last night were known by the others.” Peter pointed out.

Mikell was nodding. “And are known by the owners. They give us a name, we ask Pano or Barry and either let them in or not.” He pointed at Peter and me. “After two drank the ouzo, you two are members.” He crossed his arms as he thought, but tapped his chin as he said. “Getting back will be easy. Load up that big van and get the Hell out. We cast off as soon as you’re aboard. We can do the group approach…”

“Wearing those dark suits and glasses is a dead giveaway who we are.” I said.

Mikell nodded. “We won’t wear them.” He stated simply. “Yuri is going to kill me, but we have other clothes we can wear.”

I pointed at Mikell looking at Peter. “See? I said that! Remember me saying that? Yuri and I,” I turned to Mikell. “You, too. I agreed it was an excellent deterrent.” My eyes widened as a thought occurred to me. “Mom has security agents. I never really see them.”

Mikell laughed lightly. “You aren’t supposed to. She has two male security agents that aren’t really used in Stryia. The other four are women. They aren’t used much in Makarovia or Boston as that house is secure. When she goes somewhere unfamiliar they are used.”

“Sure. Her Ladies in Waiting.” Peter said in my ear.

“Those pretty ladies are security agents!?” I couldn’t believe it. I’d seen these women with Mom before she went somewhere alone including Italy. They were well-dressed ladies like Mom was and…sorry, but I am gay. I don’t really appreciate the female form. None were overweight. I figured they were part of the Queen’s staff. They were, but they weren’t taking dictation.

“And could kick your ass.” Mikell chuckled then added in hurry to show respect, “Your Highness.”

I physically tried to wave what Mikell said way. “And Helga?” I asked.

“Will be assigned agents when the marriage becomes known.” Mikell said smiling. “She has two for now. She works in Makarovia, so no problem.”

Peter looked around. “Where is everybody?”

Mikell looked alarmed. “Do you want to go somewhere?”

“No.” Peter said quickly. “There’s usually a few of you here in the day. Now,” Peter shrugged at the unusual situation. “It’s so quiet.”

“Oh,” Mikell said relieved. “They were given part of the day off. They’re doing what you said, Prince Eric. Seeing Athens.”

“Good!”