Makarovia? Where The Hell Is That? Freshman Year - 20. Chapter 20

King Olek smiled at me. “I know the song you meant. It is very nice.”

“Isn't it?” I nodded, smiling. “It makes you feel…” I shrugged, “…all warm and fuzzy inside. Everyone wants that kind of love. Someone you meet as children…grow up, marry and face life’s challenges together.” I looked over at Peter who was looking still not certain. “It only took ten months and we knew.” I gave a shrug. “Well, really, two and a half months, he said he was marrying me.”

“You know why I said that.” Peter smiled and was beginning to blush.

“We both knew it was right.” I saw Peter’s face who was again going to be honest about that. “I know, you have to ask me officially, which is why we’re here.”

Peter grinned and looked away a little. “Well, you didn’t pick up on my signals…”

“Signals I didn’t even know about!”

“I never dated before!” Peter defended.

“Wait.” Drew eyes grew, leaning forward he asked. “You never dated? Not anyone?”

Now, Peter was now uneasy. “I…never…”

“Peter had some things in his past...that made it...” It wasn’t my place to say what the problem was, I looked at Peter as I took his hand.

Then Peter looked up and looked directly at Drew. “I had acne.” He sighed. “I don’t mean the occasional…” he switched, using Makarovian about a word, “how do you say прищик, again? Not those things with the white on them, but it was the worst case the doctor had seen.”

“Zits.”

Peter smiled, but the memory was painful. “Yes, zits. Simple words….” He shook his head and shrugged. “It was more than just a zit or even a few zits.” He looked away from Drew and motioned over his face. “They were all over; my head, neck, and body…my ass.” He admitted hesitantly. “It sort of…affected my…socialization.”

“Damn, how old were you?” Drew asked.

“I had just hit thirteen.”

Queen Alla shook her head. “Really, he was twelve. I noticed the first ones.” She was the one that didn’t look up at anyone. Now, I saw she felt guilty about it. “I thought they’d go away or he’d grow out of it, or if he cleaned more…” She sighed picking up the coffee cup to hide her discomfort. “Then they just spread. He retreated so much. I had places to be, but by the time I got back…they were everywhere.”

Peter looked at her. “It’s okay, Mom. You didn’t do it. You did the best you could.”

“Did I?” She shook her head. “I should have helped more.” Queen Alla said sadly. “I should have been here.”

“I’m fine now and with treatment, they won’t come back,” Peter said.

“Look at him now! He’s beautiful!” Olek smiled. “But then!! He decides to go to America for school and meets Eric.” He said happily. “Eric takes him to be treated and his acne is gone.” He chuckled as he looked at his brother. “Prince Petro leaves for school, but returns Peter with someone he loves.”

“I am so sorry about hearing this, Peter. That age is very difficult without adding that wrinkle.” Drew nodded understanding now. He nodded as he smiled at me. “I will make a promise to both of you. Right now, there are millions of people rooting for you two. Millions! More than all the people in Makarovia.” He sat back and took Wayne’s hand. “We are two of them.” He looked at my grandmother. “So, you’re saying male ballet dancers are gay?”

Grandmother shook her head. “No, they aren’t. I think those in charge when we would go on these trips preferred them to be. You have young people…close in age, very healthy with beautiful bodies…naturally, they will…do what young healthy beautiful people do. They have sex.” She shrugged.

“They allowed that!?” Wayne balked.

“Of course not, but we found ways. The problem is a ballerina that becomes pregnant at that time…” she shook her head. “Pretty much kisses her career away.” She gave a shrugging nod. “I had my scare once.”

My eyes widened. “Grandma!?”

Grandmother laughed. “You don’t think I was a virgin when I met your grandfather? He wasn’t either.”

Yes, my grandmother did have a wild streak. She also didn’t hold anything back. She sighed as she thought. “I wonder what happened to Sergi.” She sighed as she thought about this…man from her past.

I grinned at her. “You can find out,” I said. “Russia is practically next door.” I pointed north.

She huffed. “If he’s still alive.” She groused. “He’d be…eighty now.” She shook her head. “Besides, my memories are better as I grow 0lder. I don’t want reality to burst the bubble I created after all these years.”

“Can I redirect us to this event?” Drew nodded with conviction. “This is a very important year. You’re doing what has never been done.”

“We know,” Peter said.

“I am going to make you the featured couple in my reports. This is bigger than Princess Diana and Prince Charles, Prince William, and Princess Kate!” He swore. “Sure, the wedding is important, but you’re marrying for love. Princess Diana got that idea through to William and Harry, though I’m not sure how the monarchy would have handled it if William or Harry chose a man to share his life.”

“Sure, you do,” Wayne said. “See what they did with Charles and Camilla. What a disaster that was.”

“But gay marriage is legal in England.” Drew pointed out. “They wouldn’t dare do that meddling thing again.”

Wayne rolled his eyes. “Of course, they would! We’re talking about the monarchy! Centuries of tradition gone?” He looked at us. “For the same reasons people will ask you…who’s next in line?” He pointed at Peter. “You are!” He looked at Olek. “I pray nothing happens to you, King Olek. Sincerely, I do. From all I’ve read and seen about you, you’re a healthy man…and forgive me, but you are an attractive man. There could be problems if there is no heir.”

“I know.” Olek nodded with a sad sigh. “I know, but I’ve been so busy with Makarovia.”

“Yes.” Wayne nodded. “Makarovia is important, but…I’m talking about the future of Makarovia and this monarchy.”

“Should we even be talking about this at the dinner table?” My grandmother asked.

“Well, to better understand what we’re dealing with…” Olek nodded. “Sure. We can discuss it now. I’ve not had the opportunity to really look recently. Peter, Eric and I discussed what we can do.”

“There’s always a surrogate.” Queen Alla suggested.

“So, we find a young woman for the sole reason to give birth to a human being to be the next heir?” Peter asked doubtfully.

Olek chuckled. “Personally, I like the suggestion of all three of us, Peter, me and Eric, make a contribution, put it all together and put it all in and just wait and see.”

I grinned at Olek. “That was a joke, Olek.”

Olek smiled at me. “Was it?”

I shook my head. “What’s wrong with that idea is…it’s always a game of chance when a baby is conceived. Will she be able to carry it to term? Will there be genetic abnormalities? Deformities? With any of our contributions, there could be something wrong. And why am I being included? The child wouldn’t be in the family line. We might adopt one!”

Drew frowned as he jabbed Wayne. “And you were worried about my questions!?”

“The future of Makarovia is not going to be decided here. We’re looking at options.” Olek chuckled as he stood at the head of the table. “There’s time for that at another time.” He looked at his brother. “In a year’s time, my brother is marrying someone he loves. The day after tomorrow, he will officially present Eric to Makarovia and propose.” He smiled at me. “Then he will become Граф.”

Okay, I knew most Ukrainian and I knew Makarovian and a good bit of Russian, but I had no idea what Olek had said. “A what?”

Olek chuckled as he thought. “Well…it’s…like you will be a prince…in a year. Once you marry Peter, you will become officially Prince Eric. On Saturday, after Peter proposes and you get the ring, you will become…a viscount?” He looked at Peter. “Just one step below you. It literally translates to an Earl.”

I groaned a little. “All these titles.” I smiled at Peter. “I just want one. Your husband.”

Peter smiled back. “I want to be yours.” He used his free hand as he emphasized each word. “Mr. Peter Richards.” He grinned.

“No, first there was your highness, thrown at me from Pavel in the admin office. Now I have that Граф or this Earl thing, then I’ll be a prince.” I shook my head.

Olek shrugged. “It’s just always been.”

I nodded. “I know, Olek. I understand that, but…just give me a day or so…can you? I’m just surprised I’d get a title so quickly.” I looked at Queen Alla. “So, I’m the Earl of…who?”

“The Earl of Stryia.” Queen Alla said and then thought. “You’ll be the only Earl in Makarovia now.”

It was on our way back to our rooms when my grandmother pulled me back a little to speak with me privately.

“I should watch my tongue.” She said sadly.

“You never have, Grandma, that’s part of your charm.” I smiled and had no idea what she was regretting saying, I frowned. “Why?”

“Well, you’ve got these people in your life now…a king, queen, and a future husband…I shouldn’t have spoken about Sergi.”

“Why not?” I asked. “He obviously meant something to you to remember his so well.”

She nodded. “But I shouldn’t have mentioned the pregnancy issue…which there wasn’t, thank god, but…”

I stopped taking her hand. “You had a life before Grandpa, I know that. You’re beautiful.” I smiled. “Now, and I saw pictures of you back then. You were and are gorgeous!” I watched her smile as I said that. “He must have been someone to you. Did you love him?”

She gave a grudging nod. “I thought I was in love with him…he was handsome, but wasn’t stuck on himself about it like some of the other men. He was kind and funny.” Then her face took on a new look of absolute love. “Then I met your grandfather.” She sighed contently as she remembered grandpa and looked as if she could see him.

“Love at first sight?” I grinned.

She shook her head quickly. “He was handsome enough, but…love? Not even close! I hated him when we first met.” She chuckled.

“What!?” I asked shocked. I had not heard that before.

“That man could crawl under my skin so…easily! It took me a few weeks before I realized why.”

“Why?”

“Because he could!” She chuckled and shrugged simply. “He knew he could irritate me so much…he worked backstage then, bringing me things and cleaning up. This poor…country bumpkin, nothing of a man. Who was he? He was nobody. I was a star!”

“Who did he think he was!?” I laughed.

“Right!” Grandmother nodded. “He knew who he was. On that last night…he proposed.”

“He irritated you!”

“He irritated me…because I wanted him, but I knew I couldn’t have him.” She shrugged. “I was…” she did air quotes and said, “the enemy.” She chuckled. “When he asked me to marry him, I realized I did love him. I had no one left back in Ukraine or Russia. There was Sergi, but…”

“And turned your back on Sergi because you loved Grandpa.”

“Oh, yes.” She nodded. “And I never looked back.” She smiled again at me as we stopped in front of her door. “I love your grandfather so much. I never met…a more beautiful man.” She looked as Wayne and Drew parted to go to their room as Peter waited for me. She smiled looking at Peter. “I see you love Peter. I saw it that day you brought him to the house.”

“Did you?”

She nodded. “Those little signs you two gave…the touches, the looks…hands resting on each other…the simple touches that told me you were the most precious thing to him. I also saw he was the most precious thing to you.” She smiled. “That simple contact is so important. Just as important as passion. Your grandfather treated me that way. He made me feel…important to him. I’ve never loved anyone as I do him. That keeps the love alive and it keeps your grandfather alive for me.” She tapped her chest with her heart just below. “In here.” She looked as Peter waited for me to say good-night to grandmother. “I think you two are doing just fine.” She held her hand out for Peter who walked over. “I’ll see you in the morning. Good night, dears.” She said kissing our cheeks and went in her room.

Peter took my hand, with no real thought anymore. I looked and gave his hand a squeeze. “I love it when we do this,” I said holding our hands up. “Those little…intimate touches…lets me know how you think of me.”

Peter grinned. “I love you.” He said simply. “It just…happens.”

I shook my head. “No, it doesn’t.” I turned him to face me. “I see couples all the time…married for years who never express anything like you do. You don’t care what anyone thinks. You weren’t worried about it before we left Northeastern! I’m never letting you go, Peter.”

Peter smiled, leaning in to kiss me tenderly. “Don’t. I’m not letting go of you.” He leaned closer to my ear. “You can indulge your fetish.” He raised his arm.

“What are we waiting on?” I asked pulling him toward our room. We got in the door as Peter used his foot to shut the door as he began pulling on my belt as I was pulling on his shirt. We’d done this so many times, there was nothing better than two human bodies touching in love, desire and the need to touch so great, you become dizzy. One knew what the other was going to do. Burning with desire and renewed strength we pulled each other tighter as arms brought the other closer. Nothing was more perfect. He backed us as I pulled his shirt off, his warm velvety skin begging me to touch him, my hands moving over his skin which was heating up even more as he kissed me in a consuming kiss that he wouldn’t stop, but I was pushing back just as hard. He got my pants down, kicked those aside and threw me back on the bed and devoured me, I mean, one shot, he took my whole cock, his nose in my pubes and my cock reacted in warm, moist heat sending volts of lightning through me, grasping the sides of his head, I thrust upwards for him to get more of me.

“I want you, Eric,” Peter said coming up briefly. “I want you so badly.”

“Stop talking! Do it!!”

He chuckled and did it again!! I did get my indulgence, but not before he did the same thing I did to him, on me. It was ticklish, but not bad. I loved this man! Yes, he made me important and I made sure he knew he was important to me.

The palace was taking on a new feel for me. I had begun to get used to it and even began thinking it was…feeling like it could be my home, even comfortable with the surroundings, but…there were people here now. I mean a lot of people. Strange people speaking many languages, and as we were heading down the main stairs for breakfast, we could see these new people from above as we got closer, Peter suddenly grabbed me and hurried us both away, pressing me against a stone column out of sight. I grinned at him as he held me there, shielding me. Literally pressing his body against mine to hide us.

“Okay,” I said. “This is very nice, Peter, but what are we going to do now?”

Peter caught himself pressing against me and smiled. “It didn’t bother you last night when we were even closer, or this morning.”

“And it’s not bothering me now.” I corrected putting my arms around his shoulder and neck. “It’s the reporters, isn’t it?”

He nodded but didn’t move. “Yep.”

“We can’t avoid them,” I said logically.

“Yes, we can.” He smiled and leaned in pressing his lips gently to mine. Then his voice dropped almost a whole octave. “I love you, Eric.” Quietly, softly, but his grey-green eyes fixed on mine. Now he wasn’t concerned about the reporters. Neither was I. “You are one sexy man.”

I kissed him back the same way. “I love you, Peter. Feel free to tell me that over and over again.”

He chuckled. “I’m going to.” He said. “I love you.”

“I know.”

Then we heard something growl. He turned a little pink as he rubbed his stomach. “A prince never lets his stomach growl.”

“It will if you’re hungry!” I took his hand. “Let’s go fill it up. We can come back and start again from there if you’re still interested.”

We took the back stairs down to the main hallway to the dining area. Now, I understood why we always took the main staircase down, it was shorter. The other staircase was to the back of the palace.

Olek looked up from his breakfast at the direction we’d come in and then nodded. “Yes, the reporters are arriving. I should have warned you.”

Then Wayne and Drew came in as Drew was laughing as he said. “…you saw the look on his face!”

“You only say that because you hate Louis that is giving you this much pleasure.” Wayne chuckled throwing his arm around Drew’s shoulder. “He just got the evil eye from one of the BBC’s top reporters, Louis Garner.” He told us, not that we asked.

“Good morning everyone!” Drew smiled sitting down. “I hope you all slept well.” He clapped his hands and reached for his napkin.

“Louis Garner?” I asked. “He looked like a nice guy, from what I saw of him”

“But the biggest, pompous ass.” Drew looked up delighted. “Yep, Louis Garner told me my pursuits should be about real news. Not all this…fay, fag and fairy shit.” He looked up suddenly at Queen Alla. “Sorry, Your Majesty.”

Queen Alla grinned as she shook her head. “That’s quite alright, Drew.”

“Anyway, he…not even six months ago…told me this,” Drew said.

“But Louis doesn’t go in the field,” Wayne added. “He’s a more…in front of the camera guy. He reports the news.” He looked at his husband. “You go out and get yours.”

“Personally, I think he’s some pent-up little faggot that’s hiding in the closet and jealous that I’m not.” Then Wayne jabbed him in the gut lightly and jutted his thumb at Queen Alla again.

Queen Alla shook her head and was laughing out loud. “Eric said you were very outspoken.”

“No, Wayne.” I chuckled. “I heard much worse from the recording of that…what was he? Minister? The one that didn’t want the gay marriage issue to go through.”

Drew bowed a little. “Well, I’ll try to keep it under control, I promise. I didn’t make any friends while I was out. Oh, wait, I wasn’t trying to make friends, but get to the truth!” He said triumphantly. “I didn’t tell Louis I was coming here.”

Wayne nodded. “He told his editor not to say anything and said nothing to anyone!”

“Wayne and I come down the stairs and there’s Louis!” Drew nodded. “He’s looking and his look…” he shook his head. “What are you doing here!? He asks me. I tell him, you know me; I cover all the fay, fag and fairy shit. Here I am. And I asked him to excuse me as I was coming down to have breakfast with Prince Petro, King Olek, Queen Alla, and the future Prince Eric! I’m stay here!” He chuckled. “His face was priceless!”

Wayne laughed with him. “And that made your day.”

Wayne nodded. “It really did!” He waved at the palace. “So, while he’s talking about this great palace…” he looked over at Olek, “and it really is a great palace, he’ll be making what recordings about it leading up to this proposal. I hope to get some real…personal things.” He looked at me. “Please, can I do that?”

Peter nodded. “That’s why you’re here.”

I sighed. “I know this is an event. It will be watched by millions. I’m sure there will be countless countries that don’t approve that see it, but people need to know why we’re doing this.”

Drew looked confused. “You love him.”

“Sure.” I agreed. “But, more important is why we’re allowed to.” I smiled. “I meet Peter not even a year ago. I was assigned as his partner for a project because I spoke the language. I meet this guy…” I touched Peter’s hand, “who was more than I imagined. I fell in love with him, but he had only the slightest concept of prejudice about gay, straight, Russian, Ukrainian, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox…Ideology. He saw people as people.” I waved at Olek and Queen Alla. “I meet these two, lovely people who I’ve come to love dearly. They had no problem accepting me or Peter. In fact, I was welcomed so fast into a family…who came from a country that at this time last year, I had no idea where it was! These people have welcomed all the unwanted, tortured people of the world! Welcomed them to make it their home! The United States is supposed to be about freedom, but these people live that idea all the time!” I started something. “Bring your tired masses yearning to be free and stuff like that, but they do it! Inalienable rights all humans have!? All the time they had slaves in the South and the North. These people live it every day! The past one hundred years they hid people to help them escape death. Believe me, I’m proud to have been asked to marry Peter. I want Makarovia to be my home.” I looked at Drew. “The life here is hard I’ve been told that and I believe it is, but the tradeoff is so much better. This isn’t just about a man marrying a man, but acceptance. If anything, this country should be a model for everyone else that thinks their way is the only way.” I looked at Drew. “Yes, cover the proposal and cover the wedding. Tell everyone we’re getting married…” I pointed at Olek and Queen Alla, “because of them! Because of this wonderful country. Makarovia.”

Olek nodded with a huge smile. “I knew it. You are a true Makarovian. I also think you should include that in your speech on Saturday to the people of Makarovia.”