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Just the idea of going to Odin for the week filled Yang with dread. He had to leave Julian and Admiral alone to attend a series of peace conferences and parties. Finally, peace had been established and the FPA and the Galactic Empire would cease fire.
The death of the Kaiser had been a surprise for both the citizens of the empire and those of the republic. Kaiser Phillip, who was Kaiser’s Friedrich’s nephew, ascended to the throne soon after. The young man, who was barely thirty, started making preparations to contact the FPA and seek common ground regarding, what now was known as, Galactic Peace. Six months had gone by, and now, it was the duty of both politicians and high ranking officials to attend official ceremonies.
Yang, who understood this was the best outcome possible between the two factions, was still quite sceptical about the whole affair. Even so, he understood the need for compliance. He dutifully attended the meetings, conferences, and even provided feedback where there was a need for it. He had hoped that Trünich’s party would take care of the FPA continuing forward with negotiations with the empire, but as it had turned out, they had no clue what they were doing. The Galactic Empire, with its archaic institutions, did not really separate the political power from the military one, and that was why they took no offence on the FPA bringing generals and admirals to negotiate with them. After all, half of them were high ranking officials in the military too.
That night, in a beautifully rococo mansion in Odin, Yang was surrounded by many of the men and women - though in the case of the empire, they had only been men - who had signed the peace treaty, along with nobles from the empire’s capital and important dignitaries from the alliance.
He was finishing his first glass of wine in the corner of the ballroom when Yang heard a deep voice addressing him.
“I’ve been told you are Admiral Yang Wen-li. The magician himself,” the voice announced.
Yang turned around sheepishly. He really had no clue what to say to nobles from the empire.
The man before him was unlike anyone he had seen before. He was taller than him, with pale almost marble-like skin, and a sharp gaze that he could almost feel cutting into him. His beautiful long blond hair was spilling over his shoulders, and he was dressed like a civilian. To Yang his clothing was very outdated, but he assumed that in the empire’s fashion, this man was probably quite stylish.
“Eh… Well, yes. I guess so,” Yang shrugged his shoulders. He had never liked how people complimented him on his military career.
“Count Reinhard von Lohengramm,” the man said, extending his hand to Yang.
Yang reciprocated the gesture, not wanting to appear rude.
“I wanted to meet you personally at some point. I have to say that I am one of your admirers. It doesn’t come as a surprise to me the fact that you are a celebrity both here and in the revel faction, Admiral,” the young man continued.
Yang could not stand the praise he received for killing people in battle. It had all been for nothing.
“Well, people have a lot of free time, you see. And bad taste, for all I care,” he scratched his head with the hand that was not holding the glass.
“You are a great tactician. There was a time when I used to dream of meeting you in battle,” von Lohengramm added. “After all, it was not that far ago that left my military career.”
“Well, I’m only glad that never happened. And that we are both safe,” Yang smiled curtly, trying to end the conversation as soon as possible.
If von Lohengramm understood that cue, he chose to ignore it. Instead, the man stared at him with his intense blue eyes. They were so clear, that for a moment, Yang thought they were almost white. His gaze was intense, and the Admiral knew, within a second, that he was at the mercy of the younger man.
“One would say you are not proud of your military achievements,” von Lohengramm commented, conversationally.
“Uhmm… That’s because I’m not. I’m only proud of two things. I’m proud of Julian and Admiral,” he deadpanned.
“Julian and Admiral?” For a brief moment, the cool façade evaporated, and the blond man looked almost human. He was humoured by his response.
“My kid and my cat,” he clarified.
“Oh, I had no clue you were married,” even though his voice sounded like before, Yang could distinguish disappointment in his tone. Had he been expecting Yang to be single?
“That’s because I’m not. Julian was my foster child. When he was twelve, he was part of a program to reassign orphan children to families without kids. One of the few things that actually work in the FPA,” Yang said as a justification, but just after offering his response, he felt he had talked too much.
“And here I was thinking that you were a man who loved being in the so-called Free Planets Alliance,” a mischievous grin illuminated von Lohengramm’s angelical face.
“Well, criticising our own government is a sort of hobby for us,” he shrugged again. At least we can do so without facing a death sentence, he thought, but did not dare to add.
“So you are not fond of Job Trünicht?” The young man faked surprise. He was joking.
“By heavens, no. He’s a populist only capable of spitting the most boring, generic, and vague speeches. Trünicht is as bland and uninteresting as a leaf of lettuce,” Yang went on, if only to amuse the man before him.
Von Lohengramm covered his mouth with a perfectly manicured hand to hide the most beautiful grin Yang had ever seen. He looked younger when the man left the formalities.
“Look, there goes your friend,” von Lohengramm subtly pointed at something behind Yang.
When the Admiral turned around, he saw Trünicht talk with a few members of the Kaiser’s inner circle. He was about to give a speech, and was on his way to a modestly decorated platform in the middle of the stance.
“Uf, I’m not nearly as drunk as I’d have to be in order to listen to this man,” Yang said, leaving his empty glass of wine on a table. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a garden to run away to for the next hour or so,” he added, pointing at the exterior of the palace.
Yang would rather spend the time there than listen to a word of what Trünicht had to say regarding anything, really.
“If you don’t mind me asking so, would you care if I join? I promise I know a few hidden spots out there that are quite beautiful,” Von Lohengramm offered. He looked like the perfect prince from a romance novel.
“I can’t see why not,” Yang shrugged as he scratched the back of his neck. “Please, lead the way.”
Von Lohengramm only stopped once in the middle of the ball, picking two glasses of wine from a servant, and handing one to him.
“Sir,” a voice made them stop when they were descending the steps to the garden. A man with brown and gray hair, and an unsettling gaze, was trailing behind them. “The president will say a few words, and he wants to talk to you after he gives the speech.”
“Oberstein, tell him I’m indisposed,” Von Lohengramm proclaimed in a serious tone.
“But the man wants to thank-” the man went on.
“Tell him I’m not available. You’ll come up with something,” von Lohengramm’s tone was final. He turned around and guided Yang towards a beautiful fountain with a statue of Neptune on the centre of it. “This way, please.”
“So, I assume you are not particularly fond of the empire either, Count von Lohengramm” Yang deduced.
Von Lohengramm looked at him, raising an eyebrow. Apparently, he was surprised by his comment.
“You assume correctly,” von Lohengramm’s tone was soft now. “What gave you that impression?”
“I don’t know, just intuition I guess. You strike me as an intelligent individual,” Yang said. Truth was, Yang had the suspicion that the young man liked men in a way that was frowned upon in the empire.
“This is a quite dangerous topic to speak so openly about,” the blond man commented.
“Mmm… Even with a peace treaty on the way?” Yang asked, already knowing the answer.
“Even with a peace treaty on the way,” he confirmed, repeating Yang’s words.
“Well, I can’t really say it’s fully safe to criticise the FPA openly either, though we have to keep the pretence of freedom of speech. Have you ever heard of the Patriotic Knight Corps?” Yang remembered all too well the visit they paid him some years ago.
“I can’t really say that I have,” von Lohengramm said with elegance, sipping from his glass of red wine.
“They are a terrorist group that, I’m pretty sure, are controlled by either Trünicht or his sympathizers. They attacked me and Julian in our home in Heinessen. Thankfully, we weren’t hurt,” Yang’s tone was suddenly sombre. It had not been a pleasant memory to bring up.
“Well, I’m glad you two are safe, then,” the young man frowned. The topic did not amuse him one bit, either.
“Uhm- Let’s change topics, I don’t really feel like discussing the FPA’s most wanted criminals,” Yang grimaced and drank the wine. “Are you originally from Odin, Count von Lohengramm?”
“Please, call me Reinhard,” he smiled. “And yes, I am. I lived with my family until I went to military school, but I have mostly stayed on this planet,” when he said that, the young man brought his hand to a pendant he had hanging on his chest.
Yang had not noticed the piece of jewellery at first, but by the way Reinhard had reached to touch it, it had probably been on full display since they were at the palace. Now that the young man was so close to him, he could discern from up close his fine features, illuminated by the lights of the garden. He was truly beautiful.
“This is my favourite spot. This is the statue of Castor and Pollux,” Reinhard pointed at the centre of a fountain. Two equally beautiful men, sculpted in marble, seemed to emerge from the water. Unlike the statue of Neptune that they had first seen, this one was surrounded by immense trees that covered the sky partially, making the place much more intimate and romantic. It had probably been a spot for lovers to meet.
“It’s a very- uhm- nice place. It reminds me of the antiquities my father used to sell,” Yang knew not what to say. “You seem quite familiar with this palace,” he noted.
“Yes, I’m quite familiar with it,” he muted, cryptically.
“I’ve talked about my family. What about yours?” The Admiral said, if only to fill in the silence.
“I only have one living relative, my sister Annerose, but I don’t really speak to her any more,” Reinhard made a gesture to his right and sat on the floor in front of the fountain, waiting for Yang to do the same.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how’s that so?” Yang asked, conversationally. He sat next to the other man, carefully leaving a sensible distance.
“Our childhood friend died some years ago. And well, after that, I didn’t have it in me to see her as often. She didn’t seem particularly pleased with my mood swings either, and we started avoiding each other. It’s quite sad; regardless, I don’t have it in me to contact her and apologise either. She’s been practically living as a recluse since she was fifteen,” Reinhard concluded.
“I’m very sorry to hear that. And I’m sorry for your loss. I, too, lost close friends. Every time it felt like some part of me died with them,” Yang sighed, looking at the glistening light reflected on the fountain.
“Kircheis was also an admirer of yours,” he smiled, but it did not really reach his eyes. Yang could discern his pain under the carefully crafted façade. “He said that your defensive manoeuvres were braver than those of the generals who charged without any strategy. He said that implied you had something they lacked. Empathy,” Reinhard paused for a brief moment. “And I told him that empathy was a dangerous thing to have on the battlefield.”
“Your friend sounds like someone who was very clever,” Yang said. “I think empathy is essential, especially so if you have the lives of hundreds of men under your command.”
Yang finished his glass of wine and left it on the grass. He looked around, realising that the silence was not uncomfortable around the Count. After a few moments of peace, the two of them heard a voice shout from a distance.
“Count Von Lohengramm!” The manly voice said. “Count Von Lohengramm!”
“Oh, no, we should hide,” Reinhard whispered, pointing at the trees behind the fountain.
“Maybe we should return. They seem preoccupied,” Yang was confused at the scene, but allowed the younger man to guide him into the vegetation.
“Nonsense, they can do perfectly without me. I know this man,” Reinhard hid behind a bush, and Yang did the same.
They crouched in silence on the floor for a few minutes until a tall man with short hair appeared in the path they had walked on minutes before. By the looks of his clothing, he was a high ranking officer of the Galactic Empire. He looked very pale, but he had a strong appearance.
He scanned the place with his gaze, until he found something on the floor. The man crouched down and picked one of the two glasses that were on the floor, examining it with care.
“Oskar, I think he may still be in the palace,” the voice of another man was heard moments before a blond man appeared on the path.
“No, Wolfgang. Look at this,” the man named Oskar raised the empty glass of wine.
“It could be from anyone attending the party. Maybe you should leave him alone for the time being,” said the man who had been addressed as Wolfgang.
“I have a feeling that he is hiding around here,” the first man said, looking around.
“Let’s go, I think you had too many glasses of wine today,” Wolfgang placed a hand on his arm and gently guided him towards the palace.
They waited patiently until the two men disappeared in the distance. Reinhard stood first, and then Yang did the same.
“Uf, that was quite close,” Reinhard said. “We should take a stroll in another direction.”
“Who was that man? Are you going to get in trouble for not going to the palace?” Yang was rather confused.
“Of course not. This man is very annoying. From now and then he sends me letters and asks for interviews with me. I’m quite tired of refusing his advances,” Reinhard sounded tired.
“So he wants to be your friend, I’m guessing. Why not indulge him from now and then?” Yang said, taking care not to laugh at the joke. From the looks of it, this Oskar was a very troubled individual.
“I wish it was the case, but it’s not quite it. He wants me to be his lover, and will not take no for an answer,” Reinhard clarified, as if he had been talking about a mundane topic.
“I thought homosexuality was frowned upon in the empire,” Yang was confused at the young man’s statement. He had not expected them to be open-minded in any aspect.
“Well, it is, but as of now it’s not illegal. And if two people from high society are careful about it, people tend to turn a blind eye to it. How about the FPA?”
Yang noticed how Reinhard had used the alliance’s name, instead of referring to them as the revels like he had done before. This time, the glint in the young man’s eyes was curious rather than analysing. He was enjoying the conversation with Yang.
“Let’s see,” he paused for a moment. “There are laws to avoid discrimination of any kind, but there are biases in how people perceive others. For example, if a man and a woman with the same qualifications were to apply for the same job, the man would probably be the one selected. The same goes for people who are not straight, or don’t fit in the mould of the average citizen, at least publicly. So yes, there is discrimination, but there’s a general understanding that it has to be combated against,” he concluded.
“So it would be legal for two men to marry?” Reinhard sounded almost surprised.
“Yes, in all the territories under the FPA,” Yang answered.
“This way,” Reinhard pointed at a small path to their right. “It seems like I was born on the incorrect planet, then,” he said almost in a whisper, and Yang felt it was not his place to inquire further. “This here, is my friend Apollo,” Reinhard pointed at another statue.
This one was not surrounded by water like the two others, but by a small space full of hyacinths. The statue’s face had a peaceful grin plastered on his face, and he was holding a lyre with his left hand. His beautiful curls were short, unlike those of Reinhard, but they shared the same boyish features. They were both gorgeous.
“I hope I’m not boring you with this tour of the gardens. I’ve been told I can be quite tiresome when I’m showing people around,” he looked regretful for a moment.
“Not at all,” Yang shook his head. “This garden is marvellous. My father would have been very happy to see it. Even if the statues were copies and not the authentic ones.”
“How are you so sure of their authenticity?” Reinhard asked, curious.
“I sincerely doubt they would be this well-preserved. Or, if they were truly authentic from Terra, then they would be better kept in showcases.”
“Did your father collect antiquities?” The younger man deduced correctly.
“He at least tried. He spent a fortune on copies that he was sure were the real deal. When he died, we found out that nothing was worth a dime,” he shrugged, remembering all too well the years he had lived in the spaceship with his father. “He mostly collected pottery and small statues.”
“He sounds quite different from yourself,” Reinhard commented, going to sit on a wooden bench. Yang sat by his side, this time a bit closer than before.
“Not at all. He wanted to live a quiet life and drink tea, much like myself. I can’t wait to return to Heinessen, retire, and leave all this talk of war and treaties behind. I think I at least deserve that,” he said, scratching his head.
This close, he noticed the glint in Reinhard’s eyes. That sharp gaze that was so piercing had briefly remained on his lips. The young man was quite attractive. He looked like one of the statues in the garden: perfect, noble, cold, and unreachable.
They briefly looked at each other before closing the distance between their lips. Yang was quite flattered by the younger man. Reinhard was painfully beautiful, and his lips were soft, like the skin on his cheeks. Yang could not get enough of the softness and reached to caress his cheek. Reinhard covered the hand with his own. The Admiral noticed how cold the younger man was.
“Am I going to get in trouble with the gentleman from before for kissing you?” He asked when they broke their kiss.
“With Reuenthal? Gods, no. He’s more sensible than he appears when he’s drunk. He’ll be quite jealous, though,” he laughed.
They both laughed, but remained close to each other.
“Yang, I have to confess something selfish,” he paused, looking away. “When I heard The magician was coming to Odin to appear in some public events, I offered my palace to host some of them in hopes of meeting you. This meeting, talking to you…” He paused, searching for the right words. “It felt like talking to some old friend. And I’m glad that I did so.”
Reinhard seemed so lonely. Hidden in what Yang deduced were his private gardens, and surrounded by riches, Reinhard was terribly alone. It had probably something to do with the estrangement from his sister and the death of his friend.
“Thank you for indulging me with some conversation,” Reinhard smiled sadly. His expression was of sorrow rather than happiness. “If you are tired of the walk, we can return to the palace.”
“Well,” Yang checked his watch. “It’s only been an hour since we escaped. I think Trünicht is still probably giving his speech. We don’t have to rush back yet,” he said, in order to lighten the mood.
“You are right,” Reinhard seemed to relax.
“We can continue what we were doing, if you are not opposed to it,” he proposed.
Reinhard’s response to that was to smile and reach for his lips again. This time, the sweet kiss evolved rapidly into something more heated than before. The young man reached for his neck and pressed forward, while Yang reciprocated eagerly, exploring his mouth and caressing his golden hair. It was soft and well cared for. Delicate but strong, like the Count himself, thought Yang.
“Do you want to see my room?” Reinhard asked, his face covered in a beautiful shade of red. The innuendo was not hard to understand.
“Sure,” Yang tried to catch his breath. He was most sure there was a tent on his pants at that moment.
Reinhard smiled and guided him towards the palace, but this time, rather than walking towards the big illuminated path, he guided Yang towards a more narrow and unkept one. It probably had been one destined for staff only.
He was led to a door on the back of the castle. In contrast to the principal entry, this door was grey and with few decorations. Reinhard grabbed his hand and guided him towards a series of halls, until coming to a blue door.
The stance was more modest than what Yang imagined. Even though the palace was immense, the host’s bedroom seemed the most simple part. There were decorative mouldings on the ceiling and on the walls, but they were rather austere compared to those in the entry. On the opposite side of the bed, there were four bookcases fully stacked, a map of the galaxy, and some of Piranesi’s engravings. Yang briefly wondered if Reinhard was an admirer of the classics, or if he simply liked them as decoration.
With a quick gesture, the young man opened the lights of the place, and with a second, the dimly lit bedroom became filled with light and colour. He had good taste.
Reinhard softly pushed him towards the bed, taking care not to crush him under his weight, and they started kissing again. He took his cravat and his jacket and shredded them on the floor. Yang helped him unbutton the chemise, until Reinhard was half naked on top of him. Then, the Admiral noticed something.
“I didn’t know it was in fashion for men in the empire to pierce their nipples,” he said, rather surprised.
Reinhard had one single nipple perforated by the metallic ornament. It was discreet and Yang decided it quite suited him, before reaching to place it in his mouth. The younger man seemed to enjoy the attention his chest was receiving, and encouraged Yang to continue as he was doing.
The two of them remained in that room for some time, and when they had finished, they laid panting on the bed, catching their breaths. Yang had almost forgotten what something like that could feel, and Reinhard seemed very happy by the outcome of their evening. The younger man placed his head on Yang’s chest, hugging his torso in an embrace similar to one he would have given to a lover.
“That was incredible,” Yang said. He was quite sleepy.
Reinhard did not say anything. Instead, he reached to kiss his lips again, tasting himself on the other man’s mouth. There had not been any sort of penetration, for Reinhard had confessed he was not quite prepared, but Yang had made the most of it, bringing the young man to climax twice.
“Mhmm…” A few moments later, Yang was slowly falling asleep.
Reinhard was still on his chest, probably dozing off too, when the door of the room slammed open.
“There you are, mein lieber!” The tall man from before was stepping in the room towards them. “Is this man troubling you?”
Yang rapidly opened his eyes and assessed the situation. The man was directing him a murderous gaze, ready to attack him at Reinhard’s command. The young man, who was half-covered by the sheet, raised an arm towards the man named Oskar.
“Reuenthal! Enough!” He shouted. “Get out of here right this moment!”
Reinhard was even more ravishingly-good looking when he was angry. His eyes narrowed in the man’s direction, and his body had a commanding pose. Even though he was naked and sitting down on the bed, his no-nonsense voice and his face were enough to understand he was truly irritated. He was the authority in that room.
“But, mein lieber, are you sure you are fine with-” He was cut off before he could continue.
“Have I not made myself clear?” The young man asked in a murderous tone.
At that moment, the blond man named Wolfgang came into the hall.
“Oskar! What do you think you are doing? Leave the Count alone in his room!” He sounded like an embarrassed mother. “By Thor!” He suddenly realised Yang was on the bed with Reinhard. He scanned the room with his eyes and saw the shredded clothes on the bed, the state of the sheets, and the lack of clothing on the two men’s bodies.
“Oskar, this cannot be. Come on! It serves you right! You are too drunk,” he pushed Reuenthal towards the hallway. “My apologies, Count von Lohengramm. I will personally make sure my friend does not interfere with you any more,” he said to Reinhard, pointedly not looking at him.
“Good. Go away now,” he dismissed them with a shake of his hand.
Wolfgang took his friend out and closed the door after them. Yang let go of a breath he had not realised he was holding. Reinhard scoffed.
“I’m sorry. I froze back there for a moment,” Yang had no clue what to say.
“No, I should be the one to apologise. I should have locked the room,” Reinhard got up to get dressed again. “Not that I want to, but we should really get going. We’ve been away for more than an hour and a half.”
“Oh, right,” Yang said before starting to get dressed. He would have appreciated a long hot shower shared with Reinhard, but he guessed Oskar had quite soured the mood between them.
When he was rearranging his cravat again, he had a look at a picture that was on the young man’s night stand. In the portrait, there were three people: two teenagers and a young woman. His gaze might have lingered more than he intended, because Reinhard made a comment on it.
“My sister Annerose, my friend Kircheis, and me. This was taken fourteen years ago,” he smiled fondly. “I have a similar photo in my locket.”
“You three look quite handsome,” Yang said, before reaching for his wallet in his pocket. There he had a photo of Julian with Admiral sitting on his lap. “This is Julian. Oh, and this one is Admiral,” he added, pointing at the overweight cat.
“He looks very happy,” Reinhard commented, rearranging his clothing to the state they had been. The young man had spent double the amount of time dressing, for his clothing had many layers and undergarments.
“Will I have the pleasure of meeting you again?” Yang asked, not quite sure where they stood now. It may have been a one-night stand for Reinhard, but Yang had felt a connection that he had rarely experienced before. Reinhard had been pleasant to speak to, and he was the most handsome man Yang had seen. He only hoped they could see each other on many occasions.
“Of course,” Reinhard turned to him when they were already in the hallway. His gaze softened as he scanned Yang’s face for reassurance. “I’ve enjoyed my time greatly. I hope we can meet again soon. You are welcome at my palace for a coffee whenever you want to.”
Yang scratched his head.
“Well, in that case, I’d rather have black tea,” he smiled fondly.
The young man smiled and guided them to the ballroom where the guests were at. Trünicht was speaking to three admirals from the empire in a corner. A few metres away, Wolfgang and Oskar were speaking with one of the alliance’s diplomats. For a brief second, Oskar looked at him with a murderous expression that instantly softened when Reinhard blocked the way.
“I think he’s still angry from before,” Yang said.
“I doubt he knows any other emotion other than anger,” Reinhard said in a soft tone. It seemed to Yang that he almost pitied the man. “Look, after the party is over, if you want to, you can stay the night,” he added, as if only now the thought had occurred to him.
“It would be my pleasure,” Yang smiled.
In the ballroom, surrounded by members of Trünicht’s party, faithful soldiers from the Galactic Empire, alliance members, and aristocrats, Yang had something to look forward to. After all, the week in Odin would prove to be far more amusing than he could have ever predicted.