Rematch. I let him win again.
May 20
Go swimming with Vozzek. Someone pulls my shorts off under water. Great guy.
May 20
Person who pulls my shorts off not Vozzek but I think his assistant from ‘Whistelblower’.
May 29
I’m learning so much here. Could stay forever
June 7
Appalled to hear of violent demonstrations in my country. What do these people want…
June 7
…they have everything
June 8
Vozzek offers to send army to restore order. Classy guy.
June 17
Vozzek Spravchik’s daughter announces she is lesbian. So sad.
Eager to mobilize his forces though Foreign Secretary and Defence Minister Spravchik was, he didn’t again invite Fracassus to pick somewhere on the map for them to invade. Fracassus was disappointed. Had it all been just another tease? Nor did Spravchik send help to Urbs-Ludus where the troubles had apparently subsided as quickly as they’d begun. But he did say his country was constantly monitoring the situation and that Fracassus could rest assured that his parents were safe and calm. Fracassus thanked him for the reassurance but wondered how he came by his information. ‘By hacking into your father’s computer system,’ Spravchik laughed.
Joking aside – supposing he were joking – something seemed to be troubling the Minister. He could not see Fracassus without embracing him and then withdrawing from his company with a sigh.
Not counting Sojjourner – and Fracassus was no longer counting Sojjourner – Fraccassus had never been in love. So he didn’t know the signs. When Nero was in love he showed his feelings by raping the girl’s mother. But that didn’t help Fracassus in his current predicament. Was Spravchik in love with him or not.
Finally, on a horse ride into the Makindo Desert – Fracassus sitting behind the bare-chested Spravchik and clasping him tentatively round the waist – the Minister unburdened himself of what had been on his mind. He wanted a casino. Something memorable and monumental. And he wanted Fracassus to design it.
Was that all? Fracassus was disappointed. He’d hoped… but what had he hoped.
Of course he said yes.
Delighted, Spravchik proposed they toe-wrestled. Cholm was the world capital of toe-wrestling and an invitation to toe-wrestle the Culture Secretary was the highest honour the country could bestow.
Spravchik rode them to a natural amphitheatre, where fallen logs served for seats and two rocks, the distance of two men apart, were positioned like pillows. Spravchik told Fracassus to strip down to his unterhosen. Fracassus was embarrassed: his legs were fine but he rightly feared his pecs were flabby. Spravchik explained the rules. They would stretch their lengths upon the stony ground, lie right foot to right foot, then left foot to left to foot, pillow their heads upon the rocks, interlock big toes, and attempt to force the other’s foot into the flaming torches which Spravchik would now light. Best of seventeen throws. And damned be him that first cries ‘Hold!’ There would be no witnesses – Spravchik dismissed his servants.
They stripped, shook hands, then took up their positions. Fracassus looked up into the sky. Above him eagles soared. The sun beat down. ‘Spravnos!’ Spravchik shouted, and so it began. Their feet locked, their big toes, equally matched despite the difference in their years, clamped like spanners or the claws of eagles. Fracassus felt the strain of effort through his thighs and back. Spravchik hummed quietly to himself. The advantage went this way and that. Doubtful it stood, as two spent swimmers that do cling together.
The light began to dim.
And all day long the noise of battle rolled…
The following day, back in the Ministry, the two men, limping slightly, talked zoning and location.
‘Build it wherever you like,’ Spravchik said.
That was when Fracassus had his brain wave. ‘Let’s build it on Blackbread Mountain,’ he said.
Spravchik leapt from his chair and embraced him. Then he stepped back and tapped his lip.
Was he wondering what to do about the Numa, Fracassus enquired. If so, he had the perfect solution. They could work in the kitchens and thread beads in the foyer.
Spravchik embraced him again. ‘Nice thought,’ he said. ‘But we must respect their ancient culture.’
Fracassus nodded. ‘How do we do that?’
‘We move them on.’
Fracassus was relieved. He’d hoped Spravchik would see it that way.
He stayed on a year to see the project through its developmental stage. He tweeted links to artists’ impressions of the building. Classy partnership: classy building. News of its construction travelled far and wide. The Pleasure Temple of Numa, the pillars of its sacrificial temple stretching high into the clouds.
Yoni Cobalt, in Kolskeggur Probrius’s arms, wondered how long it would be before they’d be throwing babies who showed gay tendencies off its ramparts.
‘Shh,’ Kolskeggur Probrius said.
CHAPTER XX
Fracassus discovers the price of freedom and tweets about it
The party left Cholm by train. Fracassus was sad to leave. He felt that a part of himself would always remain here. He and Spravchik had embraced in private on the morning of the departure. Fracassus liked to think that between men of surpassing power there existed a sort of electric force field and that when they embraced, especially for the final time, sparks like those emitted by the First Creation would fly between them. No such sparks flew between Spravchik and Fracassus, but it was a melancholy farewell notwithstanding.
Though the journey was reputed to be beautiful, Fracassus didn’t notice the meadows or the streams. There was good coverage on the train and he didn’t want to miss it. He was pleased to find his name wherever he looked and to see himself widely talked about. ‘What’s a wunderkind?’ he asked Professor Probrius.
‘A wonder child. Why?’
‘That’s what they’re calling me.’
‘That’s what you are, Your Highness.’
Less satisfying was the news from Urbs-Ludus. More disturbances were reported. Every day another demonstration against something. Every demonstration lasting longer than the one before. He sent an email to his father in the language of Twitter which was now the only language he could think in. He hoped it would convey the seriousness of his concern. Minister Spravchik sad to see me go. Everyone is. Even a wunderkind has to stay focussed.
Probrius hadn’t arranged for a car to meet them this time. He didn’t want another Spravchik situation. Better to get their passports stamped and slip in otherwise unobserved. A little more fuss was made of Fracassus on account of his title than Probrius thought necessary, but sycophancy always put the boy in better temper. ‘Welcome to Plasentza,’ Prince Fracassus.’ When a stranger called him Prince it was as though he had never heard the word before and became a stranger to himself. He would stand around, waiting to collect every rag of accolade, before he could be persuaded to move on. The luggage was being sent on ahead so they could walk through the city. Fracassus rarely walked and had certainly never walked anywhere like this.
‘What have your brought me to?’ he asked as they left the station. He had noticed people sleeping on the floor. He guessed this was because their trains were late. But then he saw people sleeping in shop doorways as well.
‘It’s called an advanced liberal democracy,’ Probrius explained.