The Highlander

by Zoe Saadia

  The head of the delegation swallowed. “We reached the Highlands safely, entering Tlaxcala, their second main town, at noon, about a market interval ago,” he began, still unsure of himself. “The Highlanders received us cordially, with all the hospitality our Revered Emperor’s delegation should receive.”

  “How does their main town look?”

  The man took a deep breath, once again thrown out of balance, this time most likely by the digression. “It’s just a town, sprawling upon the lowest ridge of the Blue Mountain.”

  “What sorts of buildings? Do they have a pyramid, temples?”

  “No, no, Revered First Son. We saw no pyramids and only a few temples. Just plenty of wooden and stone houses.”

  “All right, go on.” Coyotl stood the glare of the Chief Warlord, cursing his own impatience. He should have waited for the audience to end, before trying to satisfy his private curiosity. No pyramid? No wonder Kuini was so fascinated with the view of Texcoco from their favorite hill. He should find a way to bring his friend into the city.

  “Their war leader took his time to arrive, but after a few dawns we were granted an audience with the man.” The trader paused. “At first we were not impressed with this infamous leader. He is short and lean, just a man of two times twenty of summers or more.” The trader glanced at his companions. “We had expected to meet one of their impressive, fierce warriors - tall and wide-shouldered, with scars and tattoos.”

  “The ones you see occasionally sacrificed at the Great Temple,” muttered the Chief Warlord, grinning mirthlessly.

  The trader blushed. “Yes, I suppose so.”

  “So what was your impression of this man?” pressed the stern warrior, his own curiosity now aroused.

  “He is an impressive man, regardless of his appearance. Clearly a dangerous warrior with great willpower. Surprisingly, he speaks perfect Nahuatl, accented like those of the Tepanecs, and his grasp on the activity occurring around the Great Lake is more than impressive. Apparently, he knows the history of the Lowlands and the other side of our Great Lake surprisingly well. He asked the right questions and made many apt comments as though seeing through our intentions.”

  The Chief Warlord frowned. “What was his answer?”

  “He told us to come back in a moon.”

  The warrior gasped. “That’s an insult!”

  The head of the delegation shivered. “He was careful to explain that the delay is not intended to be an insult,” said the man, voice trembling. “He told us they have to call the council of the nations to decide on such matters. His manner was cold and arrogant, but polite.”

  “As soon as we are through with the Tepanecs, we will launch so many raids against those Highlanders, they will rue the day they refused to come to our aid!” hissed the Chief Warlord through his clenched teeth.

  Not if I am the Emperor by then, thought Coyotl, controlling his facial expression. But what are the chances of that? He glanced at the climbing sun, remembering that the Emperor had requested his presence after the midday meal. Oh Gods, please slow the sun’s progress, just a little bit, he thought. He needed to go out and find Kuini.

  “Is that all?” he asked, trying to sound matter of fact.

  “Yes, Revered Master. Our journey back was uneventful. The Highlanders had clearly taken to heart our peaceful intentions and did not try to bother us on our way back.”

  “Then go and take a rest. Be ready to be summoned back to the Palace.”

  Once out, he almost ran toward the stairs and the blazing sun outside the small side entrance. Bursting into the unmerciful heat, he hardly managed to stop himself from bumping into a girl. Catching her shoulders, he stopped her from falling, but her bowl went flying off, clattering as it rolled down the stairs, splashing the muddy water.

  “Careful!” she cried out, her imperious tone not sitting well with the plainness of her muddied blouse and skirt. She looked up. “Oh, it’s you!” she added, eyes dancing.

  “Yes! And you are just the person I needed to see.” He pulled her toward the stairs. “I’m on my way out, but we will have a little chat down there on the patio.”

  “Later,” she said, resisting his pull. “I need to take a good bath and rest. My maid will tell on me if I don’t get back in time for the midday rest.”

  “I will be the one to tell you, if you don’t stop acting crazy.” He pulled at her elbow firmly. “Come.”

  As they ran down the stairs, he released his grip, her wet, mud-and-sweat covered sleeve unpleasant to touch.

  “So you were afraid I’d get caught,” she said, breathing heavily, her paces light upon the polished stone. “But I didn’t. So you can save your lecturing for another time, oh Future Emperor.”

  “When you do get caught, it’ll be too late, oh crazy princess. The Emperor will lock you up, and then give you away to the most insignificant ruler of the smallest of his subjected provinces.”

  “He didn’t promise to give me away to any of his most important subjects either,” she protested. “And in the meanwhile, you are having so much fun, participating in all those councils, allowed to go where you please. While I'm supposed to spin, and read, and paint pictures all day long.” She turned to him, angrily. “It’s not fair!”

  “That’s how it works,” he said. “You are a girl.”

  “No, it’s not. Chief wives have plenty of freedom to go wherever they like and to order everyone about. If I was the first daughter of the Chief Wife, I would have more freedom, I’m sure.” She shrugged, looked at him teasingly. “But the Emperor preferred your mother to mine, so here I am, spending my time doing nothing.”

  He shifted uneasily. “I don’t think it would have been any different had he still preferred his Tepanec wife.” He grinned. “Well, we would not have all this war on our hands, granted. But for you, it would not change a thing. Girls don’t get to go to councils or run around the city.”

  “The commoners run around aplenty.”

  “Oh, so now you want to be a commoner.”

  She pulled a face. “Maybe.” Balancing on her toes to reach his ear, she whispered. “I sneaked into the city two dawns ago. In those clothes and all. It was amazing. I didn’t make it as far as the marketplace, but I will next time.”

  He grabbed her shoulders, appalled. “Iztac-Ayotl, tell me you are joking!”

  Her eyes sparked, large and dark, two precious jewels of polished obsidian. “I did, I swear I did.”

  “I can’t believe it. You could get hurt, killed. Or worse!”

  “But I didn’t.” She broke free from his grip. “Stop grabbing me. I’m your sister, not your lover.” She lifted her shoulders. “You are always afraid I’ll get caught, but I never do, so there is no need to worry so much. When I get caught, I’ll deal with it.” She laughed. “And in the meanwhile, I know what the delegation from Xicotepec wanted, or what our father wanted from them. I like to know those things.”

  “You should be doing your time in one of the temples, you know. You are fifteen. It’s about time. And maybe it would keep you busy.”

  “I should have been there a summer ago, but they never got around to doing it. Mother is always busy being angry at everyone and other emperor’s wives don’t care.” She beamed at him, her smile innocent. “I told you, I’m not important enough. I’m not the first daughter of the first wife. So, no one would mind me sneaking around.”

  “I mind,” he said, off balance again. The Emperor’s switching wives worked out well for him, but not for her. “I’ll talk to my mother tonight. She’ll make sure you get sent to the best temple in the city. The mighty Tlaloc or the Feathered Serpent?”

  She pondered for a heartbeat. “Which one would you choose?”

  “Tlaloc.”

  “All right, then Tlaloc it is.” It twisted his heart, the way she looked at him, so trusting, so innocent.

  He shook his head. “Listen, I have to hurry now. I’ll see you this evening, all right? Just go get that bath and act like a princ
ess for one single afternoon.”

  She pulled a face. “Very prince-like of you to run out in this heat. I’m sure your destination is as dubious.”

  Laughing, he pushed her toward the stairs. “Go away, you wild thing.” He measured the sun and cursed. “I’m to wait for the Emperor to finish his midday meal, if you want to know. Some dubious activity, eh?”

  ***

  It was already well into the afternoon when he reached the top of the hill, diving into the merciful shadow of the small grove. He stopped and listened, then smiled as the swish of a knife brushing against the wood interrupted the silence.

  Kuini sat on the stump of an old tree, working on a small figurine, his knife moving methodically, dreamlike, monotonous.

  “It took you ages to arrive,” said the Highlander, not raising his head, but obviously grinning. “You really should build a Palace here. To accommodate the guests who might be forced to wait the whole day. Those pools and pretty animals. I could use all of these today.”

  Coyotl dropped onto another fallen trunk. “I tried to get away earlier.” He peered at the wooden figurine. “Let me see.”

  The tiny figure of a man-like creature with a large head, small limbs and protruding eyes felt pleasantly smooth in his palms.

  “It’s beautiful!” he exclaimed, turning the figure in his hands. “What deity?”

  “Camaxtli.” Kuini shrugged. “It’s not finished. It should be painted in red and white, with the black mask of a warrior.” He took the figurine back. “It should also hold a bow and many arrows, but it’s too much of a pain to carve all these. I was just bored.”

  “A war god?”

  “Oh, yes. And a mighty one at that. But he also watches over the hunters.”

  “It’s beautifully made. Can I have this one?”

  “Of course.” Kuini grinned, but there were still shadows in the dark, widely-spaced eyes. “It should be painted, though.”

  Coyotl took out the paper. “The colors you used on your drawing. Could those be applied to wood?”

  “Yes, of course. They are used for the wooden figurines mostly. I tried them on this strange paper of yours. Wasn’t sure if it’d work.”

  “It’s a good painting. I’ll keep this one too.”

  “What do you do with all those things? Why keep them?”

  “I store them for now, but when I’m an Emperor, I’ll put them on display, so people could see how beautiful they are. I’ll bring to Texcoco all the best painters. And poets and engineers, of course. And the ones who do the music. And I’ll store all the scrolls and bark-sheets, so everyone can use them if needed. Or just read them for pleasure.”

  “A nice vision.”

  Coyotl glanced at his friend’s troubled face. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know.” The broad palms lifted, running through the carelessly tied hair. “Everything is wrong. Didn’t you notice?”

  “No. Of course not. Everything is great, actually.” He jumped onto his feet. “Just think about it. The Tepanecs will come, but we will squash them in no time. And thanks to them our people are not at war at the moment. If your people decide to join, we’ll be squashing them together, and so, both of us would be able to fight side by side. Would it not be great?” He smiled. “And when I’m the Emperor, my people won’t war on yours, I promise you that.”

  Kuini’s grin lacked its usual twinkle. “Sounds great, but I don’t think it’ll work.” He shrugged, dropped his gaze. “I don’t think my people will join this war.”

  Coyotl tensed. “Why? What do you know?”

  “Me? I don’t know anything. It’s not like I’m invited to the leaders’ councils. I just think so. The insults of the past are too fresh to brush them aside.”

  Coyotl frowned, remembering the Chief Warlord flaring the moment he heard about the Highlanders’ leader asking their messengers to come back later. Oh, the stern warrior looked like he wanted to order another raid against those people in the same breath.

  “Talk to your father,” he said quietly. “Try to convince him.”

  Kuini’s eyebrows flew so high, they almost met his unshaven hairline. “Me? Talk to him? You must be joking!” The dark gaze met Coyotl’s, sparkling with indignation. “Why would a leader like my father listen to a boy of fifteen summers? There could not be a single aspect that he didn’t take into account long before I even began thinking about any of it. He is the Leader of the United Clans for a reason. He is the wisest man you could possibly meet! He doesn’t need my advice.” The eyes narrowed. “And neither does he need yours.”

  Coyotl suppressed his irritation. “You have something he hasn’t. You’ve been in touch with my people. Through me, I mean. But still. You can tell him what’s been said in the Palace, by the Emperor himself. You can relate to him that we are sincere in our offer.”

  Kuini’s face twisted as if he had eaten something bitter. Pressing his palms against his forehead, he looked up. “You know? The funny thing is I don’t think my father would actually oppose. He seems to hate those Tepanecs so much! He thinks we’ll have a harder time if they take your lands. So he may consider an alliance with your people.” He shrugged. “But he could not tell his people to join yours on his say-so. To do something so unusual, he would have to convince the other leaders, and then the rest of the people.” He shook his head. “I don’t think it’ll happen anytime soon.”

  Coyotl studied the figurine, trying to hide his disappointment. It felt sleek in his sweaty palms. “Well,” he said finally. “Then we will just have to squash those Tepanecs all by ourselves.” He looked up. “And we’ll do it too. Never think we won’t.”

  “Will you? My father seems to think that the Tepanecs are the invincible menace that crawled straight from the Underworld.”

  “They are not that bad.” Coyotl laughed. “We have plenty of them in the city. Not to mention the emperor’s ex-Chief Wife. They are nothing but arrogant bastards.”

  “You have Tepanecs in the city?” Kuini stared at him, wide-eyed.

  “Yes, of course. Plenty. There is a whole district full of them. It’s called Tepanecapan.” He hesitated. “Listen, how about this tour of Texcoco I promised you once, long ago?”

  Kuini’s eyes sparkled, then died away. “I can’t go into your city. They’ll dump me on the nearest altar before you can say ‘Tenochtitlan.’”

  Coyotl frowned. “Wait. Let me think. I think it can be done now that I’m an official heir. I can entertain guests from all kinds of places. You don’t look that outlandish and we can say you are…” He chewed his lower lip. “Maybe from the Aztecs’ island? Your Nahuatl is almost perfect.”

  “The Aztec island? Go on. It can’t get any better.”

  “Don’t laugh. I’m serious! If not for those tattoos, you could be easily taken for an Aztec. Or better still - a Tepanec! Your height, your cheekbones, your face. I swear you look like a Tepanec.”

  “And you look like a piece of dung!”

  When able to breathe again, Coyotl dropped back upon the trunk of a fallen tree. “We have to think if it’s worth the risk,” he said, voice still trembling with laughter. “Stop laughing. I’m serious.”

  “Of course it’s not worth the risk. It’s complete madness.” But Coyotl could see the indecisiveness upon the broad face of his friend, imprinted in the large, expectant eyes.

  Oh, this Highlander did look like a Tepanec, he reflected. The eyes, the cheekbones, the height - it all was there, possessed by the people who were about to invade Texcoco. He frowned. No, they could not pass him for such, not with the tattoos and the piercing, and his complete lack of knowledge about the other side of the Great Lake.

  “You can laugh all you like, but I swear I’m serious. It can be done, and what’s the better time? Before the war is on, whether you join it or not. Think about it.”

  “I don’t know if it’s the heat or maybe you just drank some pulque on your way here,” said Kuini slowly, but his eyes were still tense, still unde
cided.

  “Pulque? That drink is disgusting!”

  “But it makes you do all sorts of strange things. Sometimes it’s nice.”

  “Oh, we drink octli for this. Pulque is for the commoners.” He watched the raised brows. “That’s it. You have to come with me. If for nothing else, then to drink some octli. You’ll never touch pulque again after that.” He sobered. “Stay around for the night. I’ll come here first thing in the morning, and we’ll go into the city. A half a day's tour among the pyramids and the temples, a short raid on the marketplace, and you are back on your way. What do you say?”

  Kuini took a deep breath. “I say, come in the morning, and we’ll decide then.”

  Chapter 3

  The shadow of the Great Pyramid fell upon the plaza, covering a considerable part of the vast square. Bordered by two smaller pyramids and more temples, it seemed to enjoy the protection from the fierce midmorning sun.

  Kuini tried not to gape, finding it difficult to conceal his awe. It was one thing to hear about the pyramids, to see them in the distance, to study the way they were built, detailed upon the bark-paper. However, it was an entirely different thing to stand next to the wide base, touching the cool, slightly damp slabs of stone, each higher than an average man, making one feel tiny and insignificant.

  “Come on! Are going to stand here all day, staring?” Coyotl laughed, but his eyes sparkled proudly, satisfied with the effect.

  “Can we go up the stairs?” asked Kuini, not concerned if he sounded silly, or provincial, anymore.

  “No, of course not. It’s a temple up there. Be sensible, man. Can you enter your temples whenever you want?”

  “No. I didn’t mean to storm your temples. I just want to feel those stairs, that’s all. Just go up for half a twenty of those, eh?”

  “Oh, you are a strange one. All right. Let us mount a few of those, but no more than half a twenty. After all, we don’t want to draw too much attention.”