The Twelve Tables Ch. 19

The flogger moved before again but rather than focusing on her breasts his hand looped down, and it crisscrossed over her belly and cunt as well now. She arched in the chair and cried out as the wrongness of the whole situation added to the painful flogging she endured. He closed the distance again his hand cupping her cunt and delving his fingers into her. His thumb rubbed over her clit as his fingers moved within her hot wetness and she gasped feeling her legs tremble.

"I know what you need Peri. I know what you and Josh need you just have to let me in, and we can all be happy," he crooned his face so close to hers she could feel his hot breath on her lips. Her body shook within the restraints as he approached the point of no return. She arched up straining against the bonds and the hand that manipulated her so well in the beginnings of what promised to be an intense orgasm.

"I thought I'd find you here," Josh's voice sounded from inside the room, and Peri froze her eyes widening. She felt his hands slide over her shoulders to her breasts and his voice murmur in her ear, "Having fun, Mine?"

Peri woke with a small cry and looked around the hospital room. "It was just a dream," Bridgette crooned from beside her stroking her hair from her forehead. "Shh, sleep now, you need your rest."

"It was just a dream," Peri said drowsily taking a slow breath. "Just a dream," she repeated as her heavy eyelids closed. Her mind though whirled with images from the dream. "I just gave birth, I shouldn't be having a sex dream," she berated herself silently, but her thoughts continued to jumble with images of the two men and she realised she loved them both. With Dante, she felt the closeness and warmth of their partnership. He shared everything with her over the last six months, possibly more than Josh in their everyday lives. Everything that was except, intimacy. She considered the dream and why it might have manifested that way as she dozed lightly, too scared to fall truly asleep.

*****

"The new table begins," Joseph said handing pictures of his newest grandchildren to his brother. Smiling he turned to Andreas and clapped him on the back, "The Gods have not always been kind to us this year but look at what riches are coming to us now."

"It is good to welcome new life into the family," Andreas nodded. "How is the girl?"

"She is a strong girl, Joshua chose well, and now the babies are here we will start to prepare them for the future. She will grow to understand the burden she must bear, as will my sons."

"In time perhaps, Joshua may find some of the necessary arrangements unpleasant at first," Andreas said cautiously. "The new generation have a different view of such things, but I don't doubt his commitment to the family."

"We were not so different. We thought we knew it all. It is a shame that Christo died before Joshua got to know him better. It perhaps would have made the transition smoother for him," He said in a considered tone. "You have done well stepping into the role, but you could not provide all that Christo did for the family, it would not have been fair to anyone."

"I think you underestimate them, the Donati family has always thrived and ruled the twelve tables. All tables may be seen as equal to those that know no better, once they know and accept our role in the grand scheme of things I believe they will be more than willing to step up and become the next leaders to take our family into the future." Andreas had given up a lot when Christo died and had come into the real family knowledge later in life. He had a different way of looking at things to his brother who had been born to lead.

"Jules and Romey believe they are now the ones most likely to succeed. They have had a keen insight into the family workings from a young age and were favoured by Christo. It's why they never rebelled as the others did. They understood there were watchers. They chose their wives carefully from the opposite ends of the spectrum and attaining a legal background gives knowledge that others can't grasp. Christo told them much, possibly too much, and they will need their places to be respected in the order of things," Andreas continued.

"Yes, they will be an asset to the family, but they are not leaders, they are soldiers, as you once were. Their knowledge and expertise will make their roles easier in this modern world. Now the time has come for us to manipulate the final pieces into place. We waited long enough for the right elements to present themselves and have taken care of the major risk to our plan. There can be no going back now," Joseph said sadly.

"We lost far more loved ones from our generation," Andreas said without emotion. "And whether Nik was compromised or whether she was a monster of her own making is still debatable. She is heavily monitored and if something occurs before the enigma is solved, then we will take steps as we did with the other breech."

Joseph checked his watch, to hide the pain he felt. "It's time," he stood and they went down to the dock where a ship was moored. It was an unimpressive vessel that looked like it had been sailed through many rough seas and storms during its time as a trawler and fishing boat. The exterior was old and needed a facelift, not unlike himself he mused.

"Been waiting long?" Andreas asked conversationally.

"Not as long as I will for the last person to arrive," the burly young man answered with a dry laugh.

"If they are not here in ten minutes we leave without them," Joseph muttered and continued below deck. Unlike the exterior of the big old ship the interior was state of the art with all of the modern comforts available to the seafaring community.

"Vincenzo," Joseph embraced his brother relishing the feel of the man he spoke to most days but rarely saw. "It's so good to see you."

"You old fool, you see me every day," the man said gruffly.

"We are all getting old," Joseph said releasing him the embrace. "Manny's the only one who wears it like a badge, though," he turned to greet his grumbling brother.

"Shut up," Manuel grouched at him. "Sit down and have a drink, we've got a long night ahead of us."

"Have you heard from Charles?" Andreas asked Vincenzo.

"Con's plane was delayed, they're on their way," he said as Andreas walked to where Joseph had taken a seat near Manuel.

"So Josh's chubby bubby had a litter of pups I hear," Manuel said goading his brother into defending the young woman.

"Do you want to see the photos?" Joseph said proudly not taking the bait of his taciturn brother.

"Fuck, do I have a choice? That'll teach me to keep my big trap shut," he grumbled but took the pictures Joseph had pulled from his pocket.

"There's more on my phone when you're done with those," he offered with a perfectly straight face.

"Each of the men congratulated Joseph on the new additions to his family and spoke of their grandchildren proudly until fifteen minutes later Charles walked in with Constantine beside him. Even as they had aged and with a great distance between them the identical twins remained almost impossible to tell apart.

"Con," Joseph stood and embraced his brother kissing both his cheeks. "It's so good to have you home. How are things on the continent?"

"I'll give you a complete report once we've dealt with the business at hand. Triplets in the family hey? That deserves a toast," he embraced Joseph a second time. "Pour us some drinks you grumpy old bastard," he grinned at Manuel, who grumbled but filled the glasses.

The engines whirred quietly to life, and the ship began to move away from the dock as the men toasted each other and enjoyed the friendships born of brotherhood and a lifetime of experiences together.

"Let's get on with this then," Manuel grouched and stood leading the men forward into the prow of the ship "We're not here for a cruise, we all know decisions must be made and soon." He stomped over to the table and took his chair. As the men took their seats, they took a moment's silence for the four empty chairs at their table. Of the ten Donati brothers of their generation only six remained.

"I'll begin," Constantine cleared his throat. "I've been kept abreast of family business, and Emilio was the likely candidate to assume my mantle as Ambassador. He had a gift for languages and a charm that put people at ease, I expect that's why he was compromised." He paused and looked at his brothers, "His loss to the family was a necessary evil, and I suggest they will not be expecting or even suspect a married man. Jules and Bianca could make an impact with the representatives, but they would need to return with me and start acclimating not only to the country but the people they would need to make their friends."

"Jules and Romeo may as well be Siamese twins," Vincenzo scoffed. "They act as if with one thought, never alone."

"Romey holds Jules back," Andreas interjected. "I believe that they are following his plan for ultimate leadership. He is cold and calculating. He's happiest when his siblings fail, or he can point out their mistakes in his effort to show himself as the front runner for leadership. It was he that gleefully went to confront Nik when she was arrested."

"He made a very moving speech at the funeral, though I wouldn't be surprised if Jules wrote it for him, or at least co- wrote it. He was always better with those sorts of things," Vincenzo defended his nephew who never seemed to put a foot wrong

"Jules was always better with languages in general. He's my first choice, but I would take Ben even though Emily does not have the same style Bianca possesses," Constantine laid his cards on the table. "Angelo and Carlo are too uncouth though given a month in charm school Carlo could look the part, but he has no aptitude for language. Dante lets his emotions get the better of him. He's dark and moody which is a deficit in my role. Carmen is not even close to being in the same league as these women so no to Romey. Josh would be too big of a loss for the family here, he is loved and respected by each of his brothers, and now he has started his family, I'll vote him up as the new Chair if he is one of the chosen."

"Could be good for Ben, he is the second son," Charles advised, "And he believes it is his right to inherit the seat. He oversees the family in the city as if he already has an ass cheek on the cushion of the Chair," Charles snorted. "The reality is, however, that he is perfectly poised to take over for Vincenzo. Emily will die if she tries to have any more children and for better or worse the man loves her deeply."

"He would be my first choice as Watchman, he knows more about each of the family members than anyone else and he has compassion enough to try and understand the reasons behind decisions being made. He also lives his life with the good of the family in mind," Vincenzo began to lay his cards on the table. "Dante maybe if he mellows after the death of his brother. He's been almost happy in the months before his brother's death and hasn't bottomed out as we feared he might. Jules, Carlo and Ang are maybe's each have the ability and temperament in some form. I think it would be too much of a conscience wrestle for Josh, and Romey would use the information at his fingertips for his own benefit at times, so no to both of them." He turned the last two cards bearing those names face down.

"Dante or Carlo, with CJ remaining with whoever takes over," Manuel announced into the silence. "Maybe Ang, maybe Josh, the others are useless to me." He didn't beat around the bush as he put his votes on the table. "I'll go with Con on the vote for Josh as Chair," he pushed the one card further up from the others in front of him. The role of engineer has to go hand in hand with the tech role these days, so it may as well stay combined," he grumbled.

"Romey or Dante," Charles moved his cards into place. "None of the others has the ruthlessness for Human Resourcing." He looked at his brothers, "I'll put up a card for Josh too."

"In light of how this is proceeding," Joseph said with a sly smile and turned over a single card in front of him showing Josh and sat back looking at Andreas, the last to speak.

"I have held these two burdens long enough, and I am glad to be divesting myself of the burden Christo's death put on my shoulders," Andreas spoke carefully. "I don't mind admitting I have helped to groom Josh for leadership. I had hoped he would succeed me in my role as Chamberlain, but as he grew to manhood, there was much of his father about him. He became an exacting man demanding the best from those who surrounded him and took nothing less, but it has always been tempered with honesty and fairness. While he would make an extraordinary Chamberlain I too will vote him to lead the future of our family and take the Chair of the new Donati table."

This announcement was followed by each of the men tossing their cards showing Josh's name to Joseph, who set them out before him in a row of six identical cards.

"I agree that whoever succeeds Manuel should work closely with CJ, who has already taken up Zino's role as Tech," Andreas began to deal with the business of the brothers who had succumbed to untimely deaths. "Pete is like a brother to these men, and it is only right he take his place at the table as Physician in Bruno's place." He paused while they all nodded their agreement. All assumed it but it was necessary to have it formalised.

Charles had sent his children to the farm to be raised with their cousins after his wife had died. Each of them had strived to prove they were as deserving of places within the family as the children of Joseph and Antonia. They deserved their places on the new table alongside their cousins and with Josh leading the table these men knew they would be welcomed as equals.

There are seven brothers however, and I hold two roles. Firstly, that of Chamberlain," he spread out one set of the cards he held before him. "Ben has already taken on much of the lighter responsibilities of this role. To retrain someone else would be a waste of valuable time that will be needed elsewhere as we prepare the new Oracle and leader for their twin roles." He turned over a single card and looked at his brothers as if daring them to argue with him.

"He was one of my first choices," Constantine spoke first looking serious, but then grinned, "Seeing as no one else asked for Jules, who was the best of my choices, I'll take him." He tossed his card of Ben and signalled to his brothers. "Gimme me your Jules, you know you want to," he chuckled. Then once they were arranged in a neat line, he sat back from the table as Joseph had.

"Ang could do it," Vincenzo argued, "He has a business degree and honestly Ben doesn't do that much other than give his siblings their pocket-money. He has to go to you for finances for business purposes. Ben is best suited to Watchmen. Dante as a second choice if you feel Ang isn't up to it. He could do it but not as well as Ang in my opinion."

"I gotta go with Vinnie on this one," Joseph leant forward and threw his Ben card to Vincenzo. Andreas saw Charles and Constantine side with Joseph as they always did and Andreas smiled. This was going to be easier than he had thought when Joseph had come to him with a plan to stack the votes in their favour for the optimum outcome.

"Ang, it is then," Andreas admitted defeat on the vote and tossed his two Ben cards over and replaced it with Angelo's. "Now as I see it regarding preference, only Charles has put up Romey, and Manuel has Carlo neither of who are suitable for Oracle, which leaves me with Dante, who I believe is the best man for the role."

"With Josh as leader, he is the obvious choice," Vincenzo agreed. "Given recent events I suspect they will make a formidable team."

"Alright done," Manuel said gruffly keeping only the one card in front of him.

Charles nodded but said nothing also choosing the one card to sit before him. The role of Oracle was the true power in the family and one that left the holder vulnerable to opposing shadow organisations. Dante could never be like Christo. He was strong and opinionated. Perhaps as Vincenzo suggested, recent events would mellow him, and he could find a way to make it work.

"That's nine of our own if we include Lucia's husband Dino as the warrior we have ten," Andreas spoke of the obvious choice of Lucia's husband who belonged to the Battaglia family and had strong ties to the ruling family there.

"He's a good choice," Vincenzo added weight to the conversation. "I'll veto Giovanni right now as well. The man has no spine, and we may as well put Izzy on the table." There was a murmur of agreement.

"That leaves two chairs. Anyone want to duke it out for their kid? This quorum has been altogether too nice," Constantine chuckled.

"I'm too old for this shit," Manuel grumbled. "My boys will continue working for Carlo as they did for me. They know enough to be an asset if ya want 'em, but I won't be fucking fighting to make this shit their life, they like their freedoms."

"Charles has two in already, Constantine is still living like a playboy and Andreas shoots blanks, so why don't you and I split the difference and throw in one each," Vincenzo said in response to Manuel's outburst. "Dominic will make a good second to Ben," he gave up the name of his second son.

"Lorenzo knows his place and will be loyal," Manuel said with some pride rather than the grumbling words that usually fell from his mouth.

"That's twelve," Joseph said with an air of finality before anyone could say anything more. The whole business of selecting the new table had been smooth and devoid of argument, thanks to a little creative manipulation on his and Andreas's parts.

"We will gather on the day of the epiphany at the House of Lorraine," Andreas said then. While Joseph was the public face and official leader of the Donati family, there was no doubt in anyone's mind who held the real power in this room and once again Charles worried whether his dark and brooding nephew was up to the responsibility of it. Joseph could and would use his power over the family to countermand Andreas, but the leader was reliant on the Oracle, who saw all and heard all within the family. It was a delicate balance, and he hoped that the two young men could find that fragile balance.

"Why can't he just say, January sixth," Manuel grumbled scratching at his cheek. "Fuck I need a drink." He stood and opened the door back into the entertainment lounge and came back with a bottle to pour shots for them all. "I told them to head back to the mainland, no use hanging around in this leaky old tub."

"Funny that's how I usually describe you," Vincenzo said dryly in response to his home being insulted. The conversation relaxed, and the older men seemed subdued as they talked of plans they each had for their replacements on the table and their eventual retirement.

"I remember when we were twelve taking up the mantle of geopolitical affairs," Constantine mused. "Even if they know twice as much as we did at the time, I wouldn't be planning those retirements yet." He chuckled. "With half of our table gone we will all be pulling double duty to get the ready for what must be done." There were murmurs of assent around the table. Then Manuel started to laugh, a dry, hoarse sound that made them all look at him.

"I just remembered when Zino created that computer game back in the '80's for his personal enjoyment and then forgot about it," he continued to laugh. "His kid Frankie found it a decade or so later and sent it to all his cousins."

"Heh, Pete tried to tell me it was one of Bruno's interactive anatomy computer models," Charles shook his head. "Frankie hasn't changed any. He's one of the best trainers we have now." The men continued to reminisce about the early days of their table and the mistakes made as they grew into their roles.