by Burt Candy
At that moment their conversation was interrupted by a loud blast from a bugle.
They looked out to see a rider moving away from the troops towards the city. He was holding a white flag aloft on a spear.
Chapter 26
Ocelotl's Surprise
Acalan immediately called for chariots to carry them all to the city gates. They arrived in time to see Ocelotl's messenger gallop to the edge of the moat.
He read from a scroll.
“Our great leader, Ocelotl The Jaguar, sends his greetings and requests a meeting with Acalan, leader of the Chuquans, outside the city gates, in the hope of avoiding a wasteful war.”
Acalan looked at Matilda who nodded.
“Very well,” he answered, “we shall await Ocelotl's arrival.”
With that the messenger wheeled his horse and returned to his leader. Acalan had the ramp put out over the moat.
Shortly afterwards the messenger returned, still carrying the white flag. Behind him came two riders. As they moved closer, Matilda saw that the riders were Ocelotl and, surprise, surprise - Itzli. The strange thing was that Ocelotl was riding a magnificent black stallion while Itzli rode a little donkey. He looked ridiculous and certainly felt that way from the expression on his face. The trio dismounted and walked across the ramp, the messenger leading the way with his spear and white flag.
“Hail, Acalan,” said Ocelotl, raising his hand in greeting.
“Hail,” repeated Acalan. “You have arrived early, Jaguar. I find it very strange that you would disregard the gods of war.”
“A change in plans was required,” replied Ocelotl, looking directly at Matilda and
Zinzabad, “due to some unexpected interference.”
“Yes, we have been told about that,” said Acalan, “and I see that you have our traitor with you.”
“We'll come to that later,” stated Ocelotl. “For now we have to put an end to our problem without anybody being hurt. You've seen my army on the plain and we know that you have only meagre defences so might I suggest that we dispense with a battle and that you surrender immediately.”
Acalan turned to Matilda and they talked in whispers for several seconds.
“I don't think . . .” began Acalan, but was interrupted.
“I'll even give you back your traitor,” laughed Ocelotl, grabbing Itzli by the scruff of the neck and throwing him towards Acalan.
“No!” screamed Itzli as he landed on the ground. “We had a deal. You said I could be the Chuquan leader if I helped you. You used me!”
Ocelotl roared with laughter.
“Fool!” he shouted. “You could never have led the Chuquans. You are too weak and untrustworthy. Why do you think I disrespected you by having you ride a donkey?”
Acalan signalled to his guards and two of them ran forward to grab Itzli. They dragged him, howling, back through the city gates.
“It seems that your deals can be changed when it suits you,” observed Acalan, “so I think we'll reject your offer.”
“You should not be so hasty,” advised Ocelotl. “The bloodshed will be on your head and you will no longer be the leader of the Chuquans by tomorrow. I will install my own chief.”
“And who might that be?” enquired Acalan.
“Come,” said Ocelotl signalling with his hand, and Erendira ran to his side. “Here is the next great leader of the City of Diamonds and the Chuquan people.”
“ERENDIRA!” screamed Acalan. “You too? What have I done to deserve this?”
Erendira ignored Acalan. “That girl,” she informed Ocelot, pointing at Matilda. “She has some sort of magic medallion that she says can stop us.”
“Medallion?” said a surprised Ocelotl. “But I thought . . . I took it from her and gave it to Tiacotl as a gift. How did she get it back?”
“Perhaps you have your own traitor,” suggested Erendira with a wicked look. She had never liked Ocelotl's daughter and saw her as a rival for his affections.
“No mind,” stated Ocelotl. He could not believe that Tiacotl would be disloyal. “It is only a trinket and the girl is bluffing. It has no special powers.”
Erendira raced forward. “Let's make sure,” she shouted, grabbing Matilda around the neck and breaking the necklace that held the medallion. Everybody was too shocked by the suddenness of Erendira's move to react. Matilda fell to the ground as Erendira ran back to Ocelotol, holding the medallion aloft.
Ocelotl mounted his horse and leant down to lift Erendira up behind him. He looked back at Acalan and his party. Matilda still lay on the ground, stunned.
“You have until tomorrow morning,” he said to Acalan. “If a white flag is not flying from the walls by sunrise we will attack and you and your people will pay a heavy price for your stupidity.” He turned his horse and galloped off.
Ati helped Matilda to her feet. She was still groggy from the attack but managed to say to Acalan, “Without the medallion all is lost. I'm so sorry.”
Chapter 27
Tiacotl
When Ocelotl and Erendira returned to camp they hurried to Tiacotl's tent. They found her lying on a couch listening to a musician playing a clay flute.
“Out!” Ocelot ordered the musician who quickly scurried out of the tent. The Jaguar then turned to Tiacotl. “How did this get back into the hands of that girl?” he asked with a scowl, holding up the Zeus medallion.
Tiacotl couldn't lie. “I gave it to her,” she answered.
“Why?” Ocelotl was shocked, but worse was to come.
“Because of the cruel way you treated her,” replied TiaCotl, with tears in her eyes. “I love you so much but I can't stand the way you have changed since mother died. You would never have behaved this way if she was still alive.”
The truth of her words wounded Ocelotl deeply and even Erendira cringed when he screamed, “You have no right to speak to me like that. I have loved you and cared for you and this is the way you repay me? You are an ungrateful child, a traitor to your father . . . and you will be treated as such. Guards!”
Two guards rushed into the tent.
“Tie her up and make sure she doesn't leave this tent until I've decided what to do with her.”
Erendira smiled to herself. Ocelotl would now be hers alone. She reached out and took the medallion from his hand as they left the tent.
Chapter 28
A Solution Is Offered
Acalan was shattered as they made their way back to the palace. Matilda had explained the power of the Zeus medallion to him. It was clear that any chance of outwitting Ocelotl and preventing war had disappeared with the medallion and the only course that appeared open to him in order to avoid bloodshed was to surrender.
“I will let the people know of my decision this evening and tomorrow I will fly the white flag,” he stated when they were in his sitting room.
Zinzabad was sitting on the arm of the chair beside Matilda and he leaned over to whisper in her ear while nobody was watching.
“Don't do anything just yet,” Matilda stated. “We may be able to turn the tables on Ocelotl even now.”
“How?” asked Ati. “You said yourself that without your medallion we are helpless against the Manyan army.”
“There may just be a way,” said Matilda. “Please be patient.”
She stood, picked up Zinzabad and left the room. Everybody followed her exit with mouths open in surprise.
Chapter 29
Zinzabad To The Rescue – Again
“Are you sure you can do this?” Matilda asked Zanzibad when they had reached the privacy of their room.
“Of course,” said Zinzabad. “A piece of cake.”
“And you're certain you want to go alone?” said Matilda with a frown.
“It's the only way,” Zinzabad assured her. “I can move much faster and quieter on my own. I'm sorry to say it but you'd only slow me down.”
“Very well,” Matilda agreed. “You'll travel to Ocelot's camp, get the medallion back and check on
Tiacotl to see that she's safe. Is that right?”
Zinzabad nodded.
“Some piece of cake!” Matilda added with a wry smile. “I wish I could help you but I understand what you mean. Just be careful. I'll worry until you get back safely.” She leaned forward and gave Zinzabad a peck on the cheek.
When night fell Matilda accompanied Zinzabad to the city gates. She instructed the watchman to run out the ramp and gave the little monkey a hug before he set off into the darkness. Her heart was heavy as she returned to the palace. Could Zinzabad possibly succeed?
Chapter 30
Freeing Tiacotl
Ocelotl's camp finally came into sight. Hundreds of torches blazed amongst the tents and Zinzabad could hear the laughing and shouting of the troops. He kept to the outer edge of the camp and watched from the shadows to find out where Erendira and Tiacotl were. His patience finally paid off as he saw Erendira come out of a tent and head towards the biggest tent in the camp that had to belong to Ocelotl. He also watched a guard taking a food tray to the tent next to Erendira's. He would take the odds that it was Tiacotl's tent. The unfortunate fact was that several guards stood at its entrance.
Zinzabad crept around the edge of the camp until he was behind Erendira's tent. He quietly moved forward, keeping to the shadows, until he could lift the bottom of the tent and squeeze underneath. Once he was inside the tent he began a search of the most likely places that Erendira would keep the Zeus medallion, that is if she had possession of the medallion, or if she hadn't taken it with her when she left the tent, or if it was locked away somewhere else . . . if, if, if.
The tent was furnished beautifully, fit for a queen, There were magnificent carpets to cover the earthen floor, silken divans, plump, multi-coloured pillows and copper torches on poles. The thing that caught Zinzabad's eye, however, was the elegant dresser with its mirror, set against the wall of the tent. On its surface he saw tortoise-shell combs and brushes, make-up and jars of various creams – as well as a golden jewellery box!
He scampered across to the dresser and picked up the jewellery box. When he tried to open it he found that it was locked. He quickly searched through the dresser drawer until he found a hairpin. Twisting it around in the box's keyhole he finally prised it open - and there it was, the Zeus medallion, glowing in the torchlight. He had just taken it out of the box when he looked up into the mirror and saw Erendira entering the tent.
At first she didn't notice the monkey in front of her dresser but, as she threw her scarf onto a divan, she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye.
“What the . . . ,” she mumbled then shouted, “Guards!”
Zinzabad responded quickly. Holding the medallion tightly, he raced to the back of the tent just as the guards rushed in, and swiftly disappeared under the flap. Fortunately the guards had been called to the front of the tent so, once he was outside, he headed straight for Tiacotl's tent and crawled inside. What he saw there upset him greatly. Tiacotl was tied by the wrists to the tent's centre pole the same way that Matilda had been bound.
Zinzabad could hear the guards rushing around outside. He didn't think that this was the time to let Tiacotl know that he could speak so he simply held his finger up to his lips to ask her to be quiet. He hid behind a curtain in the nick of time. A guard ran into the tent, looked at Tiacotl and asked her if a monkey had come into her tent. When she shook her head, the guard left and Zinzabad crept out from hiding.
Silently, the monkey untied Tiacotl's wrists, signalled for her to follow him and left the way he had come. They crept back into the shadows at the edge of the camp and watched the commotion and confusion as everybody raced around looking for the intruder. Tiacotl tapped Zinzabad on the shoulder and pointed to farther away from the camp. As she melted into the darkness Zinzabad followed.
They arrived at the corral where the horses were kept. A lonely guard stood by the rope fence at the entrance. While Zinzabad remained under cover Tiacotl approached the guard, hoping against hope that he was unaware that she had been taken prisoner by her father.
“I have a message from the commander for you,” she said in a firm voice even though she was quivering inside.When the guard replied she let out a sigh of relief.
“What message, my lady?” he said.
Obviously the guard of the corral was not kept informed of happenings in the camp.
“There is an intruder in the camp. You are to go to the commander's tent for further instructions,” Tiacotl told him.
“Yes, ma'am,” answered the guard and he ran off towards the camp.
When he had vanished into the night, Zinzabad joined Tiacotl as she undid the rope gate to the corral.
Ocelotl's black stallion was tied up at the front of the corral. Tiacotl didn't bother with a saddle, she simply put on a bridle, lifted Zinzabad onto the front of the horse and then jumped on board herself. Digging her heels into the horse's girth she headed towards the camp.
Tiacotl had been told that the smallest distance between two points is a straight line so that meant the quickest way to reach the City of Diamonds was through Ocelotl's camp. As she approached the outskirts, she spurred the black stallion on and it took off like a shot. The first any of the soldiers knew was the thunder of hooves as the magnificent stallion raced through the camp, knocking anything in its path to the side so that people had to dive for cover as it passed.
Ocelotl came out of his tent when he heard the racket to see his daughter and the monkey flash by on his prized stallion. As two of his guards prepared to fire arrows, the Jaguar screamed at them to hold their fire for fear that his precious mount would be hit. By the time troopers had reached the corral and saddled their horses, Tiacotl and Zinzabad had made their escape on the fastest horse in the army and any pursuit was hopeless.
Chapter 31
Questioning Itzli
There were still many questions that needed to be answered so, when Acalan announced that he was going to interrogate the traitor, Itzli, Matilda asked if she could go along. Besides, she had questions of her own that she wanted answered and it would help pass the time while she waited nervously for Zinzabad to return.
Itzli was in a miserable state when they arrived at his cell in the palace dungeon. He was sitting on a stool, his head bowed and, when he looked up, they saw a tear-stained face.
“I'm so sorry,” he whimpered. “When Ocelotl offered me the throne I got carried away. I didn't mean to hurt anybody.”
“It's too late for apologies,” said Acalan coldly, “but you can make up a little for what you did by answering a few questions . . . honestly if that's possible.”
Itzli knew that his life depended on Acalan so he said, “Anything you want to know, cousin.”
“How long have you been contacting Ocelotl?” asked Acalan.
“For a few months,” muttered Itzli. “Ever since Erendira passed on his promise to make me leader once the Manyans had taken the city. Erendira had a secret meeting with him when we first heard what he wanted to do.”
“So you knew that Erendira was a traitor too?”
“Of course. It was her idea to join Ocelotl.”
Matilda had some questions of her own.
“So Tayanna wasn't aware of your plan?” she asked.
“No, she knew nothing about it.”
“Then why did she warn you when I escaped from Ocelotl?”
“Warn me? She only told me that you had come back and asked me not to make a scene like the first time I saw you. She didn't know that I had betrayed you at the waterfall. She only wanted to protect you from me and my tantrums.”
Matilda turned to Acalan. “I feel such a fool. I thought Tayanna was part of the conspiracy and was trying to give Itzli a chance to escape.”
“No, no,” Itzli interrupted. “Tayanna knew nothing of what we planned to do. I realised I had to escape when she told me that you were back.”
“Very well,” said Acalan. “You will remain here until this thing is over one way o
r another. If we are lucky enough to survive, you will be banished from the city for life. I hate to think what will happen to you if Ocelotl takes the city. You'd better pray that we pull through.”
They left a miserable Itzli looking forlorn and desperate about his bleak future.
Chapter 32
Zinzabad Returns
Acalan and Matilda were walking past the entrance on their way back to the sitting room when they heard the sound of horse's hooves coming up the steps outside. They both walked out of the palace to find Tiacotl astride Ocelotl's black stallion and Zinzabad in front of her, holding up the Zeus medallion.
Matilda threw her arms into the air, cried, “I knew you could do it!”, and rushed over to pull Zinzabad down off the horse and hug him.
“What's this all about?” asked a surprised Acalan. Why was Matilda talking to her monkey? Very strange.
“This is a very clever monkey,” said Matilda, carrying Zinzabad on her hip.
“You can say that again,” agreed Tiacotl with a smile. “He just rescued me from my father and Erendira.”
“And this changes everything,” said Matilda, giving the Zeus medallion a kiss.
“You mean we don't have to surrender the city?” asked a stunned Acalan.
“Certainly not,” said Matilda, laughing aloud. “This is our secret weapon and there will be no white flag tomorrow morning or any other morning. Send soldiers out tonight with posters to tell your citizens that they have nothing to fear when they see Ocelotl's army outside the city gates in the morning. All will be well and they should carry on with business as normal.”
“Can this be true?” Acalan had that worried look on his face again.
“Of course,” answered Matilda. “But we'd better look after our guest first.”
Tiacotl had dismounted from the stallion and stood holding the reins with a broad smile on her face. She walked over and gave Zinzabad a pat on the head.
“Yes, yes,” agreed Acalan. “Come, follow me into the palace and tell me what has happened. I can't believe that everything has changed so quickly.” He signalled to a guard to look after the horse. He sent another guard to summon Ati and Tayanna.
