Into the Lion's Den (73 page)

“You're perfectly aware of my terms.”

“Terms? Yes, the lawyers finished the papers this morning. They have been working non stop since Oblomov visited us, but everything is ready,” Konrad said and pressed a button only once.

Before Repin could explode, three young secretaries entered the room carrying several folders and silently left them over the table. “Thank you, Louisa.” The Duke waited for the women to leave the room before he spoke again. “Everything is there, Constantin, it was really unnecessary to come all the way from St. Petersburg.”

Constantin only looked once to the folders in front of him. “Do you take me for a fool, Lintorff?”

“Those are all the guarantees you provided for the loans. Nothing else. We have not charged you a penalty for returning the capital in advance.”

Constantin lost his patience for the first time in a long time, hitting the table with his fist. “Give me Guntram back!”

“Ferdinand, do you remember if we have any papers establishing that we took a person as guarantee?”

“No, my Duke. It's against all regulations, Sire. Slavery was totally abolished in 1895. I believe Russia was the last country to finish serfdom in an attempt to look just a bit modern,” Ferdinand answered.

“Therefore, our business is concluded, Mr. Repin, unless you would prefer to discuss some more investments in your region.”

“You have no idea what you have unleashed upon your head, Lintorff!”

“Guntram has expressed his desire to remain with his own people and he has been granted a position in the Order. He's one of us, now,” Goran growled. “Get yourself another boy because this one is no longer available.”

“Remember your words, Pavicevic.”

“It goes in both directions, Russian. I already visited your family once.”

Oblomov looked at von Kleist, hopeful that he would stop the confrontation as always, but the German remained unmoved. “There's no need to go to these extremes, gentlemen. I'm sure we could find a suitable solution for all of us.”

“I'm willing to negotiate with you, Ivan Ivanovich,” the Duke said. “I understand this is a hard blow for you, Constantin, but these things happen and we have to learn to live with them. I was in your place once and I would have given anything to have someone as honest as to tell me the truth in my face since the first day.”

“You messed with his mind! You drove him mad!” Constantin shouted.

“I? Who deprived him of the most basic medications for his condition? His doctor or you? Why did he try to kill himself? Because he loved you so much that he couldn't live without you?”

“Guntram was perfectly fine till you took him away! He was only shocked by the experience. He didn't realise what he was doing!”

“No, of course not. He broke a mirror with his fists and cut his wrists in the middle of the night, doing his best not to be heard by your man,” Konrad sneered. “Since he's living in Zurich his health has improved dramatically. My own doctor told me that he was not giving him more than a year! He had panic attacks, arrhythmia, fluid retention and something incredible for his illness; high blood pressure! If you take him with you, he will die within months! Is that what you want? To buy him a nice grave and visit him there?”

“Guntram suffered an ordeal and was slowly recovering! He was in coma for two weeks and the doctors were not giving him much hope! I stood by him during the worst and he returned to me! He was happy with my children!”

“With your children, not with you! He hated your business and your lies! What were you thinking? That you could hide a serpent like Olga Fedorovna? I've been forthcoming with him, even if it was against my interests and he loves me for that.”

“You? Forthcoming? Are you delusional or just the greatest liar I've ever met? You're warned, Lintorff.

Give me Guntram back and I will look after him much better than you! You have till January 7 th!” Constantin roared and left the room in a whirlwind.

Oblomov sighed and gathered the folders with resignation. 'After all, Troy started because of a similar mess.' “Ferdinand, speak with the Duke and I'll do the same with Constantin. Perhaps we can stop this bloodbath.”

“Ivan Ivanovich, giving Guntram to your boss is not an option. The minute we betray one of our own, our reason to exist, dies,” Ferdinand answered slowly. “It has been like this in the past and it's our way. Honour and Duty above all.”

December 16th (cont.)

I finished my tea and Friederich took the things away, ordering me to sleep a little, till the Duke's return.

I fell asleep almost on the spot because now, without the tension. I felt very bad and tired. I guess it was more than
eight when Konrad woke me up with a kiss and asked me how I was feeling. I was totally taken aback. He should have
been shouting at me for attacking his precious nephew!”

“I'm fine, Konrad. About this afternoon, I can explain it and I'm sorry I was so brutal.”

“It's all right Guntram. I'm just surprised you can do it so well, but you owe me a bulb for the garden.

You can pay for it now,” he smiled while he spoke. “Heindrik is very impressed and no one ever has stolen his
weapon. Goran wants to know how you did it.”

“If you can steal a wallet, you can do with a weapon. Yuri, my former bodyguard, the one who saved my
life, taught me some Krav Mag. Armin should have not drawn a knife on me.”

“I should be very careful with you. Who knows what you can do to me.”

“Nothing, you really know how to hit. I've seen you training with Goran. I'm not match for either of
you.”

“Four years regional champion in your category?”

“I was lucky.”

“Tell me something, why are you still afraid of Repin?”

“Because he's unpredictable. The one who used to take care of me could hit me without a warning and
he knew how to do it without leaving marks. Constantin was also brutal, he never hit me but in his own way, he
terrified me because he could hurt anyone just to get his way. He always knew what to tell when he wanted to bend me
to his will. He turned me into a child and you can't compare his men to yours; they're criminals. They enjoy to cause
pain or humiliate people.”

“Do you think you could come downstairs and speak with Ferdinand and me?” He asked very softly.

“We'll have dinner later. Being in the cold for so long, all this excitement and walking so much is bad for your
health.”

“You should be furious with me. I risked Armin's life.”

“If you draw a weapon, Guntram, you have to be prepared that your opponent does the same. He should
be glad you were so calm about it. If he would do something so stupid to any of Repin's men…”

“He would have been dead in less than a second,” I whispered. “I know. I saw it happen once in St.

Petersburg. A new boy answered back Ulianov and he just stabbed him in the neck. Massaiev took me away
immediately, but I will remember it for the rest of my life. We were just going to the winter garden and they were there,
arguing and in a second Ulianov killed him,” I told him.

“He has been disrespectful to you on many occasions. I always wondered why you never complained to
me, but I see you can defend yourself very well.”

“I'm not a lady!”

“Never thought you were one, but you're sick and should not be under stress. Armin knows it and he
deliberately provoked you and forced you to go outside. I'm most furious with him and with Marie Amélie!”

“They're just two teenagers with more hormones than brains, Konrad. Let them be,” I shrugged.

“No, you're wrong. I know them better than you and she had no right to tell the things she said to you.

Get dressed and meet us in the library.”

I did as I was told and went there. Ferdinand was already sitting there and Konrad looked like a volcano
one second before it explodes. Not good at all. They asked me to sit next to Konrad.

“I would like to apologise for my rudeness to your daughter, Mr. von Kleist.”

“No, Guntram. I've seen the tapes along with our Hochmeister and I have formed an opinion of her
behaviour. She knowingly insulted the Consort several times during the day and in the past, according the reports and
endangered your health twice today. I support our Hochmeister's decision. She has proven to be unworthy of us.”

“Mr. von Kleist we all said stupid things today and I was the worst of all. I will apologise to your
daughter tomorrow if you let me.”

“There's no need for that, Consort. Insulting a council member is a serious offence, even if you don't
participate of our meetings. She's well aware of this. I thank you that you have never complained about her behaviour
to our Hochmeister.”

“I don't understand,” I mumbled.

“She has insulted me with her vulgar remarks,” Konrad said, “and this, I don't consent. She has been
expelled from our Order. She might remain under her family's care, but she will be no part of our companies. I have
removed her name from my will and cancelled all the funds I established in her name.”

“But Konrad, you…”

“I would like to offer my deepest apologies to the Consort and beg for his mercy,” Ferdinand said
gravely and I gaped at him.

“Mr. von Kleist, you and your sons have always been very kind to me. I would not like that today's
incident would hurt your family in any way.” Perhaps this would soften the Basilisk.

“Very well, the Consort has granted his forgiveness to your line and renounces to any claim against you.

You should be thankful, von Kleist,” Konrad said. “You may keep your honours, but Marie Amélie von Kleist is
shunned from our records.”

I wanted to complain about his decision and tell him that this was out of scale for some idiotic remarks
and sending me out, but one sharp look from him, told me that this was not the moment to cross the Hochmeister or
Griffin.

“Thank you my Griffin,” Ferdinand said and knelt in front of Konrad to kiss his hand in servitude. I was
speechless. “My life is devoted to yours, Consort. You have granted my sons the opportunity to grow in the Order,” he
intoned and kissed the ring I wear.

“Ferdinand, do not make Guntram weary.”

“Yes, Konrad.”

“May I retire, sir?” I asked, feeling very small.

“If you still feel all right, I would like to discuss the situation with Armin von Lintorff, Guntram.”

Konrad said. “His father will arrive in three hours and although I have an opinion, we would like to hear your side.”

“Konrad, we both behaved like stupid children. This should be left as a teenagers' school fight. We will
speak and fix it by ourselves. It's nothing else or related to the Order.”

“The minute the next Griffin attacks the Consort with a knife, without mentioning his insults to your
persona, it's a matter for the Council, Guntram,” Ferdinand spoke.

“There's a cut in your jersey,” Konrad pointed out.

“I threw a knife at him! I was not thinking at all! What if I would have missed? What if I would have
hurt him? I'm as guilty as him!”

“He started the fight encouraged by my own daughter. It's very clear. We have seen the whole footage.

You did nothing wrong, were sent to the cold in the middle of a storm—when your heart condition is well known—and
threatened with a weapon. You only defended yourself,” Ferdinand said very calmly.

“After I broke his nose!”

“After he physically assaulted you!” Konrad roared and I knew that we were treading on a very thin ice
for Armin.

“Please, Konrad, don't become enraged. It will not help us to solve this problem. As Ferdinand said, I
have not complained at all to the Council, therefore you have no right to interfere in our affairs. We both should be
punished. He for not calculating the consequences of his acts and I for not evaluating the risks of mine.”

“Are we sure we don't want him in the Council in a few years, Konrad?” Ferdinand asked and I looked
at him very surprised.

“No! There's nothing there for Guntram! He will run the Foundation if his health allows him to do it!”

“Please, Konrad. I don't justify Armin, but let us speak with each other and give us both a second
chance. We will sort out our differences in a civilized way.”

“His father can take him home! I have no use for a spoiled baby in my house!”

“But whose fault is it? His or yours?” I counter attacked him. Ferdinand looked at me surprised but I
continued. “He's a spoiled brat, I agree with you, but did you or any of your relatives do something to correct it?

Were you expecting that he would magically change his ways if you provided him with everything? If he shows not
compassion or empathy for his brothers is it his fault or yours? Did you ever make him really work? I was raised in
an environment very similar to his, but I had to fight for each little thing. Take care of my pencil's box because I
would only get one per year. Get in time to work or they would fire me and I needed to pay rent or buy food. Going to
help father Patricio because none of the rich people like all of you would dirty your Italian designer shoes in the mud.

You asked me why I was not furious with my father for not giving me all the money that was in that safe box and made
me work since I was eighteen. In a way, I'm grateful to him because hardship taught me to be a better person.”