Chapter 16: The Gilded Cage

“The city was named after our founder, Det’em”, Olivia said as she led them through the cornered-off streets of the white stone city. “Two thousand years ago, it was formed as a haven planet for refugees during the Endless War. Eventually, the people here recognised the need to feed the people in the region and with a high concentration of farmers, as the military forces were drawn into the war, Yeley became an agricultural world,” she said, flashing smiles back at them as they walked. Harold trotted near her, with Efreet, Liv’s personal guard, following them both closely behind.

Meno found the story quite amazing. He kept looking up at the enormous statue that now stood behind them as they walked through the streets. He could see that Angie was not listening at all, but rather was continually scanning everything around her. They were surrounded by guards, five walking with them, all in full exosuits, rifles, and helmets, and lining the roofs of the buildings, watching their every move. Behind all of them was Harold’s personal guard, a woman named Shilu Salfor, who had been with them on the glider when they were brought to the temple.

Meno could see how uncomfortable Angie was, which wasn't helped by the burnt orange flowing robes that she was wearing. She hadn't been happy about the apparel since Paba had held it up for her that morning.

Paba was walking next to Angie and wore a thick pair of sunglasses in response to her hangover, with a large water canister held closely in her arms. She didn't appear to mind the shocking pink robes that she was given, and she wore the black angular pendant out for the first time. Much like Angie, she continued to look up at the guards who followed them.

Meno didn't mind it as much, understanding the reasoning for it. Clearly, Olivia was a very important person on the planet. It made sense that she would need protection. He also felt that he may have been more used to being watched like this, as it had been his life on Gol, when even Angie would hug tightly to the outskirts of the town and watch them. Strangely, he didn't find himself holding that against her at all.

“Since then, Yeley has provided agricultural services to the regions around us. In fact, the entire planet is dedicated to the pursuit. We have oceans which are cultivated, and a decade ago, we even started farming Hurpen, which provided its own challenge. Hurpen are extremely large fish,” she said in response to Meno’s quizzical expression, “They can grow to some eight hundred meters long. They provide quite a challenge. We grow everything from truim to more exotic vegetables like Ascal. The Autarch even employs us to grow some produce from his own planet. Apparently, he is quite partial to blueberries, which we needed to revive as they no longer grow on Aesetias. They say that he had them as a child,” she said brightly.

“That’s amazing. Have you met him?” asked Meno, half looking back at Angie, who again looked up to the rooftops at the guards that looked down on them.

“The Autarch? No, of course not,” she said with a giggle. “I don’t even think that most members of the Houses ever meet him”

“Oh,” said Meno, not really paying attention. He had just seen something quite extraordinary in the street, walking towards them. It was hairy, four-legged, with a giant head and protruding horns. It must have stood around eight feet at the shoulder. “What is that?”

Liv looked back at him with some confusion, ensuring that she was looking at the same thing that he was. “The cow?”

“A cow”, he said, looking at the magnificent beast.

“Apologies, my lady, Meno had a somewhat…sheltered upbringing. Gol was limited in its animal life. Chickens mainly,” said Angie, stepping forward and bumping Meno in the back much like Mr. Dimitri did when he had said something he shouldn’t have.

“Yes, chickens”, he said uncomfortably, now realising that the enormous cow must have been a relatively common animal. “Dignified animals, chickens”, he said, trying to pull himself back. He heard a snort from Paba, but she quickly drank from the straw of her water canister.

“Yes,” said Olivia slowly. “That breed is a cormen”, she explained to Meno, a half smile across her face, “A very old breed. They tend to enjoy the warmer climate, which is why they are the most common around Det’em. Apparently, they used to be quite a bit smaller in ancient times, but our farmers endeavour to create the best breeds they can. In the far south, we have the Elaki cows, which are nearly twice the size,” she added enthusiastically. “They have a wonderful marbling and are quite prized for their flavour”

“Hmm,” said Meno, trying to limit how much he was saying. They walked into a wide street that was lined by low-hanging trees that broke the road from the tall white buildings with their fading, brightly coloured paint. Meno could tell that it had been some time since they had been painted, and now they only held a hint of the colour they must have had before. “Harold mentioned that there is a festival coming up in the next few months?”

“Yes!” She sprang as she said it, twisting and looking at all of them, “It’s the best festival that we have on Yeley. The Sun’s Rising Festival. We paint the entire city in new colours, wear the brightest colours and even dye some of the rivers in celebration of the new season coming in”

“It’s already too hot”, muttered Paba from behind her glasses.

“Oh the temperature in each region is regulated, so it never gets much colder here” Olivia explained to Paba who looked mortified that she had been heard, “It’s more like ushering in a new year nowadays, but back before we had climate regulation, yes, we would be celebrating the summer months coming in” she added brightly.

“The whole area has a regulated climate?” asked Paba with genuine interest.

“Most of the planet actually. The technology actually comes from Seviv, where you studied, right, Paba?” the First Daughter said, turning on the smaller, very hungover Paba. Meno noticed Angie cock her head at this. He wasn't quite sure he knew why. He had heard of Seviv from Swan. It was one of the more elite planets in the galaxy, hosting the most prestigious universities. He wasn't surprised that Paba had been involved with it from their prior discussions.

“I was more of a research assistant than anything else”, she said, pulling her chin back and glancing at Angie and Meno nervously.

“Still, very impressive”, said Olivia, turning around again and walking with Harold, who had now stopped his easy strolling. “I’ve always wanted to visit Seviv, but…well, we have many duties on Yeley”, she said, looking back with a smile. Meno returned the smile and looked up the street, his eyes caught by a deep green symbol painted onto one of the walls. It was a patch of sprayed dark green paint with a flag being thrust forward in black paint.

“I think I’ve seen that before?” Olivia looked at it and seemed to shrink. Harold turned as Olivia continued to look at it, and then up and down the street.

“That is the symbol of the Yelean front, young Meno”, the old man said, his smile still fixed to his face. “They are a reformist movement who are creating quite a stir on Yeley. You would have seen it yesterday when we were flying into the city. There was a gathering of YF supporters”

“What do they stand for?” asked Angie, stepping forward to inspect the symbol.

“Well, they…” Harold didn't have the chance to explain as Olivia forcibly cut him off.

“Here we are!” declared Olivia as they turned a corner to see a large rectangular building with great ornate pillars reaching up to the slightly angled roof. It had two massive wooden doors that were open, which led down to the streets with steps that wrapped around the entire building.

“Oh for fuck sakes” said Paba,

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Locne give me strength”, said Angie from behind Meno, who stood there slightly stunned.

“I have some duties in the library which I thought you might like to help me with, and then we can grab something to eat”, she said, forcibly ignoring the outbursts. Meno still stood there frozen. Along the steps of the library, littered all over the place, were children.

“Toddlers”, said Paba with a snarl.

“A bit older than that”, said Angie, who stepped up next to him and Paba. “You dont like them either? Kids, I mean?”

“They love me”, said Paba, darkly, “They think I’m one of them”

There was a small chuckle from behind them, and Meno turned to see Shilu Salfor. “You’ll be fine. They are obsessed with Lady Liv, so dont worry,” she said, edging them forward gently. Meno shuffled forward, drawing close to Angie, watching the strange creatures run and fall, and laugh and cry.

“Angie, how old are they?” he said, hearing the nerves in his voice.

“Four, maybe five. You’ll be fine, they are just…You’ve never seen a kid before, have you?” she said, realising his fears.

“I’m the only kid I ever met”, he said, watching the forty-something children evade their herding by the matrons. Meno became lost in fright and frequently swallowed as they came close to the swarm of children, and only pulled his eyes away when Paba shouted out,

“Have some dignity!” to a child who had toppled over in front of her.

He quickly pulled himself back and found that they had encroached on him, with their hands outstretched and their faces gleaming up at him, with high-pitched tones and squeaks. He looked at Angie, who was giving them a pained smile, as Shilu gently shuffled them forward.

The next hour was a haze of faces moving around him as he sat cross-legged in the library. He was being tugged this way and that by the children, but had quickly found that he actually quite liked the little things, regardless of how violent they were with one another.

He had been asked to sit with a very quiet girl, and while the matrons tried to fend the rest off of him, with hushed apologies as Liv read them all a book, the little girl leaned up against him. Her name was Mizek, and she was four, but she didn't know where she lived. He didn't dare move as not to disturb her. Angie had given him a nod of appreciation as she stood in the corner of the high-ceilinged library. Olivia had not been able to convince her to sit. The old soldier's eyes still scanned all of the guards around her, but she seemed more at ease.

The place was amazing. It was clean and lined with walls of datapads for all that could come through. Behind some glass walls stood shelves of paper books, which Angie had found fascinating. Apparently, paper was quite a commodity, and she had told him that although Swan’s books were handwritten, they would have been worth a small fortune for the fact that they were books. Something that did not really exist outside the homes and halls of the elite.

“And so the great maple said to the small seedling: ‘I will provide cover for you to grow big and strong, and then when you are grown, you will do the same for those under your branches” said Liv elaborately as the children giggled as she opened her eyes wide.

Meno had never heard the story before, and found himself smiling, and embarrassingly, occasionally giggling with the children. Paba had been taken to the front near Olivia. This had been done by the matrons. The head matron, a rather severe-looking woman, was now keeping an eye over Paba, who had still not removed her sunglasses and was still sipping from the canister in her violent pink robes. Apparently, she had told a child to ‘get a grip’.

“Bit on the nose, dont you think?” said Angie, who had moved over to him. He looked up quizzically, trying not to move Mizek. “I wonder if all of this was arranged for us”, she continued, scanning the room around her. “To make us feel comfortable”

“I think that’s exactly what it is”, whispered Meno, not understanding what the issue was. She huffed with a smile.

“We have a very special surprise for you today”, said Olivia from the front of the room, and Meno could feel all of the children holding in anticipation, except Mizek, who was sound asleep. “My friend Paba Rebapa - does everyone want to try and say that name?” The room lit up with all of the children saying the name in a sing-song fashion. Meno heard Angie growl behind him. Once again, he looked up quizzically,

“We are meant to be in hiding. She’s clearly led a very sheltered life, the First Daughter. Doesn't understand danger very well, does she?” Angie’s eyes moved across the room.

Meno could see even through Paba’s sunglasses that her eyes were wide with shock.

“Well, Paba is going to read the next story for us. So, I would like all of you to be very well behaved and pay attention to everything that Paba tells you,” Olivia continued with a wink. She stood and had to nearly pull the water canister from Paba as she sauntered forward and grabbed a book. The First Daughter began walking to Meno and Angie, before taking a cross-legged seat next to Meno and checking on Mizek. Efreet dutifully followed her and stood beside Paba.

“No offence, my lady, but” started Angie, who cautiously looked at Efreet, but spoke softly, “I don’t know if announcing Paba’s name like that was a very good idea”

“Harold has already dealt with that”, she said, smiling at Mizek's sleeping face. “Apparently, he spoke to his people last night, and they have made arrangements which have, for all intents and purposes, expunged your records”, she said, lifting a bright face up to Angie. The old soldier's expression did not change. “We promised you safety, that is what you will get”, the First Daughter added delicately.

Angie’s eyes scanned the room again. “Thank you, my lady”, she gave a small bow and then began to walk around the perimeter of the room again. Meno could tell that Angie would have preferred if that action had been combined with caution.

“I hope I didn't upset her”, Olivia said, watching her walk off. “I ran it past Harold, and he assured me it would be fine”. Meno watched Angie walk off, covering every surface of the room with her gaze.

“She’ll be fine. Old habits and all of that, Lady Olivia”

“Liv, please”, she said brightly. He nodded and watched Paba at the front of the stage, looking at the book with a grimace.

“So, are all of these children orphans?”

“Orphans?” she asked humourously, “No, these are children of farmers. We provide care for them after their schooling. The farmers work tirelessly, even more so now, so we put these day care facilities together a few years ago.”

“Oh,” Meno said, feeling somewhat foolish.

“I take it that you are an orphan, then? I don’t mean to assume, it’s just that’s where your thoughts immediately drifted”

“Ah, yeah, in a way I suppose”, he said, trying to remember the cover story that Angie had run through with them early that morning. Where Meno was the survivor of a moon that was under attack, Angie was the contractor brought in for his protection, and Paba was the pilot brought in when extraction was needed. “I was raised in a small town, but none of them were my parents”

“We have something in common, then. I am also adopted,” and suddenly Meno saw the dark hair and tan skin in contrast to her parents' much fairer complexions. He turned back to Paba for a moment, thinking on that. He wasn't truly adopted, and he didn't truly have parents either, at least not in the traditional sense. He had always just been with the town on Gol. He had seen Hellen as his mother in a sense, but he had always known that she wasn't.

“... and he walks with a giant, a vampire, a ghost and a hag…” he heard Paba saying in front of the group, but he wasn't really listening. He heard Liv chuckle next to him.

Mr. Dimitri had been like a father to him, but that was rather circumstantial, if not misaligned.

“...he is the Jinn, and he will come for your souls!” roared Paba from the front of the room to hysterical laughter from the children and a jumping of the head matron who raised her hands into the air, creating haze of silence, regardless that the children were still gaffawing and Paba was still speaking. Meno tapped his left ear, but still the sounds of the room sounded muffled until the matron's words came through clearly.

“That’s quite enough, thank you”, she admonished Paba, who was testing her own ears by speaking loudly to herself.

It was the most bizarre thing. He could see everyone still speaking and laughing, but the sound was somehow dimmed. He saw Liv chuckling next to him, and after a few moments of the room dying down, he could hear her again.

“She has that effect on people the first time they feel it”

“Was that resonance?” he said, looking into Liv’s emphatic smile.

“Yes, she can suppress sound waves. It’s why she works in the library”

“That’s amazing”, he said, looking back at the matron who was now admonishing a very defiant Paba. He looked back at Liv, who seemed to be making a decision.

“So, you are a primer, right?” Meno’s voice was caught in his throat at the question that she asked so easily. He truly didn't know what to say. Was he? He had hoped that he could become one, but he had never thought of the possibility that he already was one. Now thinking that, he realised how little he actually knew about Resonance.

“My lady”, said Efreet, leaning down now with his helmet off. He leaned down and whispered into her ear. He pulled away, and Liv stared into his eyes with shock before looking back at Meno.

“I’m sorry, Meno, but we are going to need to leave. It seems the Head of the Artelis was just attacked on the Lotus.”