get to Ox Witz Ha. Now, we set up the guards.” Again, Zyanya had chastised me by his knowledge.
“Teyacapan!
“Yes, Taat … Kaloonte’.”
“Go to Yochi and help look after the wounded and the children. Get the q’akoj355 one to help you.” Teyacapan nodded and left.
The grass on the summit was golden in color, reflecting the still blazing Kinich. There were many rocky projections of quartz, and some of the loose boulders formed an interrupted circular ridge below the summit providing good defensive cover. The Warriors were all busy, looking after the wounded, keeping the children calm, preparing the camp for the night while Zyanya, Yochi, and I were each accessing our situation. Kinich Ahau was beginning to disappear behind the mountains when Zyanya advised, “We need to have a briefing.” I nodded.
“I will get the Warriors together,” said Yochi. Within a few minutes, the Warriors surrounded me as I sat on a rock at the very summit, Zyanya and Yochi beside me.
As I was about to speak, the bizarre cry, Wah-co!-Wah-co!-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, came from the jungle below. Clarke, who was standing directly in front of me, raised his eyebrows. I ignored the koal seed rising over my skin and began the briefing.
“We will prepare for an attack from the Warriors of Ahau Naj Tunich tonight. Zyanya and I do not think there will be one, but we will prepare. Nacons, meet with your sections and set up a perimeter guard in the jungle beyond the tree line; set up a second defence line behind the rocks that encircle the summit. Picquets will be posted in pairs so that one of them can give us warning, if necessary. Yochi! You will coordinate and report to Zyanya and I.” He hit his chest. “All Warriors not on guard, the wounded, and the women and children will sleep on the summit above the two defence lines. There will be no fires lit and there is no food and water. When Kinich Ahau returns to U Wach Ulew, we leave for Ox Witz Ha. There will be a briefing before we leave. Nacons. I want to know how many of your fireteam remain on U Wach Ulew and who is on their journey to the Underworld. I want a report on the wounded who will need help on the march. I want to know if there are any wounded Warriors who need to begin their journey to the Underworld. The rest of you, take care of your wounds. I don’t think there is a Warrior here who has not received a wound as we battled in the Ch’ajch’oj Jul.” I raised my voice. “Their artisans will now decorate the Ch’ajch’oj Jul with pictures of our great victory there.”
“Kaloonte’!” they roared, hitting their chests three times.
“Eztli! You will look after my section. Now Warriors, go about your duties. Nacons, report back to me.”
Kaloonte’,” they shouted, hitting their chests again.
“One moment,” said Zyanya. “My wife, Chalchiuitl,356 and Ukab K’ojol Namacuix, will be approaching this summit under cover of darkness. Guards! Do not mistake them for enemy Warriors.”
“Kaloonte’!” they replied, hitting their chests, giving Zyanya the same salute they had given me.
As Yochi left with the Warriors, Zyanya and I walked up to a rock at the summit. We sat, discussing plans for the next day and, soon after, the Nacons brought in their reports. Yochi joined Zyanya and me on the rock, and all the Warriors, even those with the more serious wounds and who had to be helped, the women and children, then all came and sat just below us.
“Iztali,” I began. “Your brief.”
“Anderson has deep wounds across his chest and he has lost a lot of blood. He is unable to fight. Coszcatl, the Warrior, is no longer on U Wach Ulew. She fought bravely to protect the children.”
“Huehue.”
“Ollin is no longer with us.”
“Ichik.”
“Zeltzin is no longer with us. My other Warriors have no major injuries.”
“Bas.”
“Manauia took a maquahuitl to the left hip. He will heal, but is unable to fight. All my other Warriors are with us and do not need assistance.”
“Ikan.”
“Parham has a bate’ wound to the right shoulder. He will live, does not need assistance, but will not be able to fight. Necahual and Ahuiliztli are no longer with us.”
“Chicahua.”
“Choc took a bate’ to the left thigh and Taylor a maquahuitl to the left arm. Choc will heal quickly and is able to fight, but Taylor’s arm is broken in two places. He is unable to fight. Choc may need assistance and Taylor, definitely. Eleuia and Mecatl are no longer with us.”
“Teul.”
“Mahuizoh is no longer with us. The remainder of my fireteam has injuries, but they will not need assistance.”
“Yaotl.”
“Matlal is no longer with us. My fireteam does not need assistance.”
“Eztli.”
“All my Warriors are with us and able to fight.”
Zyanya, Yochi, and I stood. “For those Warriors who are no longer with us, we wish them a hurried march to the Underworld. Let us salute them.” We all hit our chests three times in unison. “Now, let’s whoop the war-cry. Let it resound, I shouted.
Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa -Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr!
The war-cry exploded through the valleys and over the mountains, echoing over and over until they fell silent, but not before bringing fear into the hearts of Izel and the Warriors of Naj Tunich.
I worried momentarily that the war-whoops would let Izel know where we were, but Zyanya and Yochi didn’t say anything so I put that worry away. It was not until the echoes had died that my Warriors rose and went back to their duties.
Zyanya, Yochi, and I sat again, not talking, each to his own thoughts. I pushed all the sadness I felt from my mind as there was no place for sadness in our lives. We were Warriors. Yet, I could not help to think how much easier it was becoming to do that. That was not good and I recalled Robertson’s words, “Just making sure you’re still one of us.” I put that aside too.
I glanced at Yochi and, as I looked at him, I saw a fleeting trace of sadness cross his face. “Yochi.” He looked at me, the trace immediately gone.
“Yes, Chiac.”
“What is it?” He furrowed his forehead. “Don’t tell me ‘Mix-ba’al’,” I added.
He stretched back on his arms. “Fuck!” He grinned, nonchalantly. “Before I went to Xibalba, I had a woman and two paals. She was a good woman. She made the nicest tiáálinbil you could eat.” He smiled. “She went with me to my mat whenever I wanted, day or night. She never hesitated when I wanted to chakuj tutuchci. One day she asked me if I liked her on the mat as much as I liked her tiáálinbil.” He sighed.
“Well, you can go back to her now,” I said cheerfully. “And I will go with you for some of the tiáálinbil.”
Yochi furrowed his forehead again and looked at me. “You are indeed from a distant land, Chiac. She will have another Warrior by now. My paals will call him Taat. I do not go back. I will get another woman, take her to my mat whenever I want, and I will have other paals, and mials too.” He chuckled. “Yet, I will never forget them.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Keeping them too long in my memory is not the Way of the Warrior. I try, but I cannot forget them.” He got up and walked away and I was very fokin upset though I really couldn’t think why.
Later, I sat on the highest rock looking at the beautiful night, still thinking of Yochi’s story, lost in thoughts about great cities and dead Warriors, dead because of my mission. I heard footsteps and turned. A Warrior approached and by the way he walked I knew it was Teul. “What the fok is it now, Teul? I’m really am not up to it right now.”
He did not seem taken aback. “Well, I saw you sitting alone on this piece of rock for quite a while. It must be hard on your ass. And I am your
friend. I just saw how lonely you look, alone with your thoughts. A soldier alone with his thoughts.”
“And? There’s nothing strange about that.”
“Well, I remembered a song I used to play on the jute box when I was on ‘stand-down’ drinking. I used to sing along.”
“Sing?”
“Yes. Sing. Actually, I’m a good madafok singer. I can carry a good melody, even when I’m sober.”
I sighed. “Okay! I believe you, Teul. Now, no hard feelings, just leave me alone.”
“I’ll sing that song for you.”
“What?”
“I’ll sing that song for you, my friend. It’s the least I can do.”
“Stop fokin around, Teul. No offense, but it’s as I told you. I’m really am not up to it right now. And you singing for me? No thanks. Besides, you’ll make too much noise and it’s a great, beautiful, and peaceful night. You’ll only upset the jungle.”
“Zyanya said we don’t need to fear an attack tonight. I checked with him and since we’re still in the Kingdom of Naj Tunich, he outranks you. He told me I could sing if I wanted to, sing as long as I wanted, so I’ll sing that song for you,” he insisted.
I was about to order him away then I realized how emotional he sounded. I looked at him and sighed.
“I can’t give you much, Chiac. At least let me sing for you. And I just need to do something other than fight … and kill. And I can’t even fuck because you intentionally put my woman in my section.”
I said nothing and he started to sing. Koal seed rose on my skin. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. His voice was absolutely beautiful and the song he chose I knew and it overwhelmed me as he sang it in English, bringing me to tears:
Lonely, I’m Mr. Lonely,
I have nobody for my own,
I am so lonely, I’m Mr. Lonely,
Wish I had someone to call on the phone.
Now I’m a soldier, a lonely soldier,
Away from home through no wish of my own,
That’s why I’m lonely, I’m Mr. Lonely,
I wish that I could go back home.
Letters, never a letter,
I get no letters, in the mail,
I’ve been forgotten, yes, forgotten,
Oh, how I wonder, how is it I failed.
Now I’m a soldier, a lonely soldier,
Away from home through no wish of my own,
That’s why I’m lonely, I’m Mr. Lonely,
I wish that I could go back home.357
As Teul sang, and he repeated the song several times, Huehue brought a ch’aw-baq, the one he used at Chay Abaj, and he began to blow, picking up the melody easily. Some of the Warriors gathered around, picked up broken branches and started keeping rhythm by beating on the rocks. Others were beating their bate’ on their to’bal-rib. The children brought their incense burners, which they had somehow relit, and swung them with the rhythm, filling the air with the sweet incense of the Sacred Pom, chanting the melody softly in the background.
I sat on my rock, the most beautiful night sky above me, a gentle breeze on my face, surrounded by Warriors, women, and children, people I had begun to love as my own, surrounded by my jungle that I so loved, in a land I was beginning to think of as my home, a beautiful and violent land, listening to the most beautiful voice I had ever heard coming from the mouth of one of the most troublesome fokin piece of shit I had even known, and as he sang for me, even though the true words saddened my heart ,my emotions took me to a plane of peace I rarely ever dwelled in. I had never really thought about angels and whether I believed in them or not, but as I watched Teul singing, if there ever was a Mopan Angel, he was singing for me that night.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS
K’iin 23 - The Uinal of Mol
Tuesday, May 22, 1973
Kinich Ahau had not yet risen above the eastern horizon when Teul kicked me on the rump. “We’re about to leave,” he said. I stood up, faced Kinich and pissed, wondering why I had so much piss and I had not drunk any water for over twelve hours. My stomach growled.
“Where’re Yochi and Zyanya?”
“Yochi’s coming towards us right now. Also, Zyanya.”
I turned and saw that everyone was up and apparently ready to go.
Yochi smiled, something I did not see him do often, looking quite roguish as if he knew that I was wondering why I had not been awakened earlier. “The Kaloonte’ does not need to prepare us to march. He only needs to plan and command us … and fight with us … and journey to the great city of Xibalba with us.”
“I just don’t like to be sleeping when everyone else is working.”
“It’s an opportunity you don’t get often,” commented Teul. “Take it when you get it.” He grinned. “If you don’t, we may think you question our competence.”
I chuckled. “That I do not do.” I looked around me and frowned. “Teul!”
“Kaloonte’.”
“This area looks very familiar.” I climbed up on one of the rocks. “I’ve been here before.”
“Have you journeyed this way before?” asked Yochi and Zyanya, simultaneously.
“We have never been this way, Kaloonte’,” interjected Teul. “The summits of the mountains often look alike.”
I looked at Teul and his eyes spoke to me saying, Don’t go there. We can talk about that later. I nodded then scratched my forehead realizing that Teul was telling me to shut the fok up. We may have been here, but that was in a different world. I have to get better control of myself. I’m no fokin chicken.358
Zyanya walked up to me, a woman, a girl, and a boy beside him. “Kaloonte’. This is my wife, Chalchiuitl. Ukab K’ojol Namacuix, you have met before. They came in the night.” He looked with deep emotions at a young girl of about fourteen or fifteen that stood beside Chalchiuitl. “And this is Coszcatl, whom we rescued. She carries the same name of the Warrior that died in the Ch’ajch’oj Jul.” He looked at me deeply. “She has flowered and is ready for marriage.”
I was puzzled by his remark about Coszcatl, but chose to ignore it. “I am glad that Bahlam and the young Warrior, Ukab K’ojol Namacuix, protected you on your journey, Chalchiuitl.”
“Kaloonte’!” she answered and nodded, while Namacuix hit his chest.
I looked at Zyanya and smiled. “I see your military training has spilled over to your family.”
Zyanya chuckled, beholding his son with pride. “I too give thanks to Bahlam … and to Namacuix … for bringing my woman safely to me.” He looked at them, nodded, and Coszcatl, Chalchiuitl and Namacuix left. “Shall we discuss the rest of our journey to Ox Witz Ha?”
“And Teyacapan?”
“He tends the children and the wounded. As a priest, he learned many things.”
“Did you speak with him?”
“No, Kaloonte’. There is no need to. He is now one of us.”
I smiled. “Does he still wear his priestly gown? That may frighten the children.”
“He wears only loincloth and lej-xajäbs just like us. The robe has been used for bandages.”
“Good.”
“One day soon, Kaloonte’, Teyacapan will carry a short bate’ and to’bal-rib just as I do; and he will have a woman and children just as I do. I thank you for that.” I smiled, not sure what to say. “But Kinich Ahau rises. Let’s discuss our journey.”
“What do you plan, Zyanya.”
“We travel northwest until we reach the sacbeob to Ox Witz Ha. From there we continue to Ox Witz Ha.”
“What about Izel’s Warriors?”
“Today, they do not fight. We have ensured that.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Today will be a day of great ceremonies in Naj Tunich. The Chuchqajaw Rech Tinimit of Naj Tunich, the Ahau Can Mai of Ox Witz Ha, the dead Guards Sworn to Manik, and the dead Warriors of Naj Tunich will be prepared to be sent on their journey to the Underworld and the great city of Xibalba.” He looked at me. “Ahau Naj Tunich will not send Warriors immediately. He will consult with his allies and will send envoys to Ox Witz Ha demanding overwhelming tribute for what we … you have done.”
“Ajawinel K’an II will deny the request.”
I trembled as koal seed covered my body once again. This koal seed is happening too fokin much. My mission to rescue Molly had been pushed aside by all the circumstances that had overtaken me. I looked at Zyanya. “What have I done?”
“You have walked the path of a great Warrior and you must accept where that path has led and will lead you. When you attacked the Ch’ajch’oj Jul, slayed the Guards of Malik and Warriors of Naj Tunich, you were T’oit’ik-jolom. Ahau Naj Tunich will look to Izel, his Kaloonte’, to explain why that could have happened. Even though Izel is a good Warrior and Kaloonte’, he will answer for what occurred.” Zyanya hit his chest. “And you, Kaloonte’, the artisans will chant your praise as a great Warrior, and they will fill the walls with your image and your story for the battle of the Ch’ajch’oj Jul has to be remembered. When you rescued the children, you did what you knew Ajawinel K’an II would have commanded you to do, but in doing so you brought the curse of Malik and his anointed priests upon you. When you burned the altars of the Ch’ajch’oj Jul, that was a declaration of war.”
“So, they will paint your image on the walls of the Ch’ajch’oj Jul again,” grinned Teul.
“Why are you grinning and what do you mean by again, Teul?”
“Well, even though I was fighting to save my ass … and your ass, by the way … I did see some of the paintings. There’s one there of you, already.” I frowned and he grinned some more. “There’s a painting of a Warrior with a big cock. At first, I thought it could have been me, but that madafok was ugly. It has to be you.”
Zyanya started laughing. Yochi looked perplexed. Teul continued grinning’
“And you were fighting?” I said.
“Yes,” answered Teul. “That didn’t mean I couldn’t look around.”
“You were seeing the painting of the Ix Chel and her consort as they chakuj tutuchci. It is a famous painting. Our artisans are not usually so explicit,” Yochi informed Teul.
Sisimito III--Topoxte Page 31