A Prince of the Nobillo
Chapter 16: System Violation
***Author's note: Due to some content issues, lines from this chapter have been omitted to better comply with site guidelines. In book form, they will be there. The missing lines do not greatly affect the content as they are mostly in the body horror vein and one slightly more filled in description of the activities of the first chamber. However, this chapter still has difficult content dealing with the worst crimes of slavery, eugenics, and vivisection, and contains a case of infanticide as well as fetal corpses. This is a worldbuilding chapter and does not contain sexy scenes. While this chapter is important to the plot, skipping it would not render the rest of the story unreadable. If these things are triggers for you, the author encourages you to use your best judgement as to whether to skip this chapter. ***
Lindsay and Rivuk left the palace accompanied by two of Lindsay's Birds of Paradise, Sivi and Nerisa, as well as Carak, her legally mandated shadow. Not that she wasn't glad of his presence, but three guards seemed like overkill. It was only because they were Nobillo and Carak wasn't and for some stupid reason, that mattered. Only Nobillo guards were allowed in the temple.
"I still don't think it's fair Carak can't just accompany us into the Temple," she whispered to her husband.
"I know, but Children of the Immortal aren't allowed past the courtyard without invitation, and, even then, that is only reserved for those selected to be breeders," Rivuk said.
Lindsay shuddered. "Breeders. That's such a disturbing way to put it."
"Then the tone is properly set, though it is probably even worse than you are imagining."
"I doubt it." Lindsay wasn't sure how it could be worse. She was torn between two images, in one male and female Children were paired off in curtained rooms to have sex, the other was something similar to a factory farm where the "breeders" roamed in a large pen until they mated. She didn't imagine there was much love to it, or even attraction. "I hope Nerisa and Sivi are up to it. It's only the second time I've taken them out," she said, looking at her two guards.
Sivi had pale skin of a light copper sheen, long tawny hair, and dark purple eyes. She'd been one of the girls whose wings had been mutilated so badly by Boz, she would never fly again. Fortunately, since Carak also walked, having her accompany them seemed a fitting addition. Even though she'd only been in training a few iuna, she showed great talent with a spear. Lindsay had high hopes for her despite her fear of enclosed spaces.
Above them flew Nerisa, watching the crowds for danger. Nerisa had white hair and a silvery sheen to her skin, giving her the appearance of being perpetually covered in snowflakes that refused to melt. Nerisa was the resilient type. She wore her lip scars like a badge of honor and spoke openly of what happened to them. She wasn't without her dark moments, but neither did she feel Boz should be spared because of her shame. She reminded Lindsay a bit of Nol. She secretly shipped them as a future couple... when the war was over.
Lindsay stared at the silvery dove above her. "Rivuk, why does Nerisa have white hair and silver skin? Is she like an albino or something?"
Rivuk shook his head. "No. Those traits are just more common in the southern cities than here. There's even the occasional gold or amethyst coloration in the west."
"Is that where Elihim got his blond hair?" She had always wondered. She hadn't seen any other blonds except for him since she'd arrived.
Rivuk laughed. "No. That's quite a different story. You see, all Nobillo babies are born with blond or black hair, since our hair is actually a form of fine afterfeather, which probably seems strange to you. I admit your hair was quite odd to me, as well. Anyway. After their newborn stage the yellow down falls out, but in Elihim's case, being severely inbred, it didn't. His wings are the same and, because of that, he powders them white and can't fly especially well."
"I never even noticed," Lindsay said. She ran her fingers through his hair, paying close attention to the sensations at the scalp. Yes, those were definitely feathers. "That is so weird!" She kept running her hand through his hair. "I can't believe it. How did I not notice this?"
Rivuk caught Lindsay's hand, pulled it to his lips and kissed it. "You had best stop before you force me to stop you."
"Does it feel good?"
"Very."
Lindsay's eyes shined as an evil grin spread across her lips. "I'll have to remember that for tonight."
"I hope you do," he said, then looked up at the colossal white columns; even from a mile off, they seemed to loom over the little group. "Though I doubt either of us will be in the mood tonight."
Lindsay felt a bit queasy. He'd been warning her about the place for days now, but it never felt real to her, until now, that she was almost there. She fought her nerves back. They were going and whatever she was going to see would be what she saw. It couldn't be worse than Corlan's camp after the Nobillo attack. Nothing she would ever see could be worse than that.
They stood at the foot of the steps of what looked like a recreation of one of those Greek or Roman temples teachers always showed videos about in fifth grade. She stared straight up, her mouth agape. She had severely underestimated the size of the building. It had to be at least eight city blocks long and four blocks wide. She couldn't even guess how tall it was - at least seven stories. It just seemed to go on forever in every direction now that she was standing in front of it. All around, people bustled in and out of it. Mostly Korsuch and Nobillo, but there were a significant number of Children of the Immortal, as well. The Korsuch paid their party little heed, but she noticed a number of glances and whispers from the Nobillo and Children.
"Ah, welcome Prince Rivuk and our dear Princess Lindsay," a man said, stepping down from the top of the staircase to greet them.
He was squat and blond, hardly the impossibly perfect human-like creatures she was used to seeing in his race. He seemed to try to smile, but his skin was a bit too tight to make it convincing. His head was oddly squared in shape and his eyes appeared slightly longer than normal human eyes with a light line on either side of the eye, that, with the sudden depth of the sides of the eye, gave the impression the sides had been pinched in and surgically made smaller.
"Dr. Lucian, to what do we owe the honor of your company?" Rivuk's face and tone were all charm, but Lindsay could tell he was uneasy.
"There are some delicate matters I wished to discuss with you both. It is only fitting that I, as the head of the Temple of the Immortal, be the one to speak with you, rather than one of my subordinates - given your positions. Though, after the tour, of course."
"Of course," Lindsay said with a fake smile.
"Follow me." He turned and walked toward the entrance without so much as a wave or glance back to make sure they were following. They quickly fell in behind him as they stepped through the pillars into a courtyard more beautiful than any Lindsay had ever seen.
Sun streamed through the open roof onto the lush green grass of the lawn. All along the walls, vines grew above flower gardens tended by older female Children of the Immortal. Shining stone tile paths led the eye to a sizable rectangular reflecting pool with a fountain in the middle topped by a large statue of a man with a golden crown.
It was a Roman statue! She was sure of it! She'd seen enough of those to be able to have a pretty good idea when she was looking at one, especially when the stone of the statue didn't match the rest of the fountain or anything she'd seen on this planet.
"This is the Garden of the Immortal. You can leave your servant here." Dr. Lucian waved a hand dismissively, a note of disgust in his voice when he said the word servant, as though he wanted to say something worse but knew it might offend, given the reputation of his audience. "The others too, you won't be needing guards in the Temple."
