“No”, I said. “Gave it to the other Warriors.”
“All of it?” he asked, incredulously. “You could have saved a little for me. Help me face the day.”
I chuckled. “No more k’uutz right now. How was the fucking?”
“No juk, man. Not a madafok,” he sighed. He shrugged his shoulders. “I needed the sleep and rest. The juking had to wait. But I feel sorry for poor Sacnite and Xochitl. They really missed out.”
I shook my head. That time it was I grinning. “Maybe Xipilli took care of them.”
Teul raised his eyebrow at me, then smiled, languidly. “Don’t rub it in, Chiac.”
We walked onto the sacbeob and I looked for Patli. He was always up before me, ready to attend to me. I saw him, still sleeping, not far off from us. “Give Patli a kick for me, Teul, then both of you can wake up the Warriors. Tell them to look for berries and fruit. We’ll have a briefing in half k’ab for everyone, including the injured and the priests.”
I walked over to Molly. She was sleeping so I moved away and went over to Yochi, who I gave the ritual kick to awaken him. In about half k’ab, we were all gathered on the sacbeob and I had gotten updates on the injured men. Teyacapan and his Healers had worked on them, on and off, throughout the night. Taat had reduced Ilhicamina’s dislocated shoulder, but there hadn’t been much improvement. Choj was still semi-conscious and with a severe fokin headache. Yaotl was fully conscious, also with a severe fokin headache. Tezcacoatl’s leg had improved remarkably. The others were progressing. All wounds needing it had been sewed and herbs applied to prevent infection. There were many cracked ribs, but none of the long bones were broken, traumatized by blows but not broken. So, although we would still be slowed down by the injured Warriors, we were in a better shape than when we arrived the previous night.
I began the briefing. “Most of us have had a good rest. Only the Healers and the priests worked most of the night.” The Warriors raised their fists in salute to them. “We must finish our march to Ox Witz Ha by tonight as Ahau Naj Tunich is already at Ox Witz Ha. We do not know if they have attacked or simply continue to lay siege. Our allies, the Warriors from Ox Te’ Tuun, will not arrive for two k’iins. I want to reach Midway Camp, where we bivouacked coming here, in six to seven k’abs. We take rests for the injured when the Healers request them. When we reach Midway Camp, we rest for two k’abs then we continue. I want to reach Ox Witz Ha in another six to seven k’abs after that. That will be several k’abs after moimatik, after Kinich has gone to the Underworld. If the Warriors of Naj Tunich are encamped and have not surrounded Ox Witz Ha, the injured including Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’, the Healers, the Warrior Ah’-cuabs, and the Priests will go into the city. The rest of us will harass the enemy. We will do the battle of the Q’eq Warriors. Izel will have picquets522 around the city. We will take all of them out. No quarter given. We must prevent, stop, any intelligence getting to Izel.
“You fought as the great Warriors you are. None of you went to Xibalba. That is because you fight the fight of the Q’eq Warrior, fighting hard, keeping the enemy’s weapon away from your body, waiting for the opportunity to strike. Then you strike and kill. Tonight, if there is no close combat, you will fight again as the Q’eq Warrior, but differently. You will move silently in the night, armed only with your knife. No one will hear when you slit the throat of the enemy scout. At the moment, we have twenty-seven Warriors not on the injured list. Of those, two are archers, but we do not need their sk’ops, at this time, so they will also use their knives. We have twenty-two listed as injured. Some may be able to fight if they have to. We also have the Healers, the Priests, the Warrior Ah’-cuabs, and Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’. They make an additional twelve, bringing our total to sixty-one. When we get to the outskirts of Ox Witz Ha, we will know what is happening. We will then decide on our strategy. I am sure Papan will meet and brief us if he sees it necessary. We leave in quarter k’ab.” They raised their fists and began to move away, most headed to the injured Warriors they were helping.
“Ah-k’inob. Walk with me.” We walked a bit along the sacbeob. “And Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’. How is she?”
“She has become quiet.”
“Is that just because of the herbs?”
“That is because of the herbs and invocations to our gods, Nabe Nacon.” I nodded. As long as Molly was getting rid of Mahanamtz hold over her, I didn’t give a fok how it was done. Yet, unconsciously, I reached up and held my Green Scapular, not being aware of what I had done until I saw Coatl looking at my chest.
“When can we remove the bounds? I don’t like having her like that.”
“She will walk. As we go along, I will decide if we can lose the bonds on her hands.”
I turned to him. “What will make you decide?”
“By the look in her eyes, Nabe Nacon.” He stopped. “Let my priests and I look after Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’, Nabe Nacon. You look after us.”
I stopped walking too and was silent for a short while, my mind racing with thoughts about Molly and Mahanamtz. I wanted to put my hands over my face and cry out in anger, but I couldn’t. It would be a sign of weakness and that was not the Way of the Warrior. “Let’s return, Coatl. It’s time to go.” He nodded. “And, thank you.” he stared at me, momentarily, then nodded again.
We left the krus-be, continued south, stopping only when the Healers requested it or when we stopped to drink water at the creeks we passed. We were not moving at the pace I wanted and it was becoming more and more difficult for me to ignore that. I wanted to be at Ox Witz Ha before midnight, if at all possible. I checked on Molly often and was glad when Coatl removed the bounds at her wrist. She moved along at our pace, quiet, staring directly ahead, still half dressed in rags, her small firm breasts completely exposed. At least, that was an improvement as she was not traumatizing herself, but I did not know what was going through her mind, even if anything was. We stopped at the next creek and I called the Warriors together.
“We are marching too slowly. Three k’abs have passed and at that pace, it will take us another five or six k’abs, maybe more, just to reach Midway Camp. I am going ahead with two sections. Teyacapan. Who are the injured Warriors that must go on to Ox Witz Ha?”
Teyacapan frowned, thinking. “The most severe are Choj, Rhys, Iccauhtli, Iuitl, and Mazatl. Those that are less severe but must remain with us are Cualli, Itztli, Ihuicatl, Ilhicamina, Cipactli, Necalli, and Cuauhtémoc. The others are able to fight, but they will not be the Warriors they were until they have recovered.”
I nodded. “I want you, the Priests, Healers, Warrior Ah’-cuabs, all the casualties you listed, Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’, and the Warriors that will not be marching with me, to go on to Ox Witz Ha as a troop. If you wish to remain at Midway Camp tonight and continue to Ox Witz Ha tomorrow, do that.” I then addressed the Warriors in general. “Those of you not marching with me, your duty is to see that all arrive safely at Ox Witz Ha. That is my command. Once you arrive, I will know and, if necessary, those of you who are not injured will join me again.” They all raised their fists.
“For those who will march with me, there will be two sections. For my section, as I call you, come to me. I will have Bo, Ichik, Bas, Hulse, Xipilli. I may need archers as plans have changed. I’ll take Huehue and Iztali. Patli, you are with me also.” I looked to Yochi. “Pick your Section, Ukab Nacon.”
“I will have Eztli, Chino, Ikan, Teul, Clarke, Parham, and my archers will be Chicahua and Yaotl.”
“I am well enough to fight,” blurted out Choj, stumbling a little as he stepped away from the remaining Warriors. “Nabe Nacon. Ukab Nacon.”
“That’s why I need you here, Alaxel Chaahk.” He stared at me and I knew he was very angry, but Teyacapan had said that he was not completely healed as yet. He relented, indignantly, raised his fist, and stepped back among the Warriors that were remaining. I looked to all the Warriors. “Nabe Nimal Nacon Namacuix. You and your Ukab,
Xiuhcoatl, are in charge.” They nodded. “See that Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ is well guarded. She is to arrive safely in Ox Witz Ha. If she does not, you will die the Way of the Warrior.” They all raised their fists. I walked over to Molly and, for the first time, she looked at me. For a second there seemed to be some lucidity in her eyes then it disappeared, just a blank lifeless stare remaining.” I turned. “Ko’one’ex,” I shouted and as we rushed down the sacbeob. I was surprised at how good Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! sounded to me as the Warriors we were leaving behind gave us their tribute.
We kept rushing, rarely resting, and reached Midway Camp two k’abs after nik’aj-q’ij, midday. We had a short break, ate berries then resumed our hurried march arriving about a mile outside Ox Witz Ha just after moimatik, dusk. We withdrew from the Northwest Sacbeob and moved into the jungle to the west. There was no glow in the sky above the city and no sounds of battle. Naj Tunich’s army had arrived and was somewhere along the Southwest Sacbeob for we heard their continuous beating of nim-tums and their battle cries aimed at intimidating Ox Witz Ha. I called the Warriors together and we stood in the absolute darkness. We totaled eighteen.
“Do you think we should go into Ox Witz Ha?” asked Yochi.
“I’ve thought about that, but no. If we go into Ox Witz Ha, K’an II will keep us there. We’ll be stuck waiting for Izel’s attack. If we stay here, incog, Izel won’t know we’re here. We can harass them as we wish.”
Yochi nodded then chuckled. “He is Ajawinel. But what kind of harassment, Chiac?”
I chuckled in return. “Thinking about it, Yochi. I’m thinking about it. We need to stop another disastrous battle. Ox Witz Ha and Naj Tunich must not go to war. I may lose some Warriors, should there be war, and I will not like that. It would also leave Ox Witz Ha weakened.”
“That is the Way of the Warrior, Chiac. We fight. We live. We die. We go to Xibalba. That’s the Way of the Warrior of U Wach Ulew. You may want change, but that change has not occurred as yet. Also, that change must not come too quickly.”
“With respect to my Warriors, Yochi, I have changed that. The Q’eq Warrior will not accept death, only life.” I shook my head. “We discussed this and you seemed to agree,”
Yochi kicked dust from the ground, but did not answer. Instead, he asked an unrelated question. “Are we the Q’eq Warriors, the Q’eq Warriors of the Chaq’ab, or are we the Q’eq Warriors of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag?”
“I prefer Q’eq Warriors or Q’eq Warriors of the Chaq’ab “
Yochi shrugged his shoulders. “It may be too late for that, but we will see.” He paused. “Which do you think it is, Chiac? Is it the strategy of the Q’eq Warriors or is it the Raax Ch’ayom Puag we wear that will keep us alive? That puzzles me.”
Both,” I answered. Yochi furrowed his brow as if in deep thought. “What,” I asked.
“It is as if the Raax Ch’ayom Puag knows what to do. We are in the dark and it does not glow to give away our presence.”
“I don’t know, Yochi. I just don’t fokin know. There’re many things I just don’t understand. Everything is mixed up; yet, in the long run, it seems that whatever happens ends to our advantage. All I want is that Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ comes back to me and none of my Warriors die. I don’t want my Warriors to die.”
“Both will be difficult, Chiac. Leave Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ in the charge of the priests. That is all you can do for her. Nothing else. For our Warriors, Death is the essence of war. Victory or defeat is a consequence of those who die.”
I didn’t answer. I suppose I didn’t know what to say. All I did know was that I was tired of death and wanted to avoid a useless war with Naj Tunich.
Illustration 23: Chiac’s City of Ox Witz Ha
superimposed on
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA CARACOL ARCHEOLOGICAL PROJECT
LIDAR SURVEY LASER MAP
“Chiac?”
“One moment, Yochi.” There was also the possibility that Yax Mutul would continue its march from Yaxha and Topoxte towards Ox Witz Ha especially if Ox Witz Ha had been weakened by war with Naj Tunich, irrespective of how friendly Yolotli had behaved. After all, Yolotli received his orders from Yax Mutul and Yax Mutul could reinforce it’s Warriors from it’s allies. I turned to my Warriors.
“Eztli and Bas. Do a recce south. I want to know what size army Izel has here. Carry only knives. Look out for picquets and scouts. Even though Ix Chel gives no light, the stars are plentiful. They will see you just as I see you now. Do not engage unless you have to. Also, there may be scouts out there that Xico has sent . . . Nim-q’ij Nabe Kaloonte’. I just hated those fokin formalities. We don’t want them taken out by friendly . . . knives. When you’re done with the recce, come back here.” Eztli stuck his long bate’ into the ground near a tree and Bas place his maquahuitl beside it.
“Ichik, Chino, Xipilli. Ichik, you are Nabe Nimal Nacon. You will go east on the outskirts of the city until you come to the Temple of the Two Stelae. It is just north of the cho. Spread out, but not too far apart. Any picquet you see, any scout you meet, take him out. Silently. Remember to walk on the ball of your feet. Don’t brush aside tree branches with your body. Hold the branch, pass it, then replace it slowly. You will not be able to see much. Use your ears. Any changes in the sounds of the night is a warning that someone or something is near. If there is sudden silence, beware. Don’t hold on to hanging vines. It may be a sachoj. I don’t think Xico will have scouts in that area. Most likely, he will have them where Izel is so that he can monitor their movements, but I can’t be certain. Izel will have scouts all around the city as he needs to know everything that is happening in the city and if any allied Warriors are trying to enter the city covertly. Once you have reached the Temple of the Two Stelae, you will return here, our base camp, the same way you went. I want a double recce of that area.”
“Ikan, Teul, and Huehue. Ikan is Nabe Nimal Nacon. You will cross the Northwest Sacbeob and enter the city. Unobserved. You will walk through the city to the Temple of the Two Stelae and then into the jungle. You will spread out and make your way south, pass the cho, then turn west, walk across the Southeast Sacbeob, continue west to the Southwest Sacbeob, then turn north, moving more quickly, and meet us back here. I will have already reconned the sphere west of the cho and taken out any hostiles there.
“As I said to Ichik’s fireteam, any scout or picquet that you meet, you take out, silently.” I looked to Yochi, anticipating an adverse reaction to what I was about to say. “After you have taken out a hostile, you will cut off his head and bring it here.” It seemed that even the regular noises of the night jungle disappeared after I said that.
“That is not the Way of the Warrior,” retorted Yochi, quietly inflamed.
“You told me, Yochi, that I can take anything from a dead Warrior that I need. Anything except his weapon as he needs that on his journey to Xibalba. I won’t be taking his weapon. I don’t need that. I need his head. That is what I will take.”
“You mock me, Chiac.”
“No, I don’t. When a war is done, don’t we offer the captive Warrior in sacrifice to Ek Chuah, Manik, Ah Puck, or any god the Ahau Can Mai may wish to honor at that time? Doesn’t the Ah-nakom take out the captive Warrior’s heart on the altar while that Warrior watches, and after he is dead, the Ah-nakom cuts off the dead Warrior’s head and rolls it down the temple steps to the citizens below? Then, isn’t the body of the dead Warrior thrown down the back of the temple? The captive Warrior is not given the death of a Warrior. He is given the death of the defeated.”
“It is not the same. The sacrifice is demanded by the gods and the captive Warrior accepts his fate. That is the Way of the Warrior.”
“We are the Q’eq Warriors, Yochi. We are different. We fight differently.” I looked at him. “We are the Q’eq Warriors of Ajawinel K’an II. K’an II brings change. It is a change many will resist and those changes may bring war. What I am doing may n
ot be the Way of the Warrior, but I hope it will prevent war with Naj Tunich. It would not be good for Ox Witz Ha to go to war now. Wars must be planned and chosen. If Ox Witz Ha is dragged into war with Naj Tunich. the kingdom will be weakened and her other enemies will use the opportunity to attack. Ox Witz Ha did not plan for or chose war with Naj Tunich. I am the cause of this threat of war. I will stop this war and many will not journey to Xibalba. The citizens of Ox Witz Ha will be safe and continue to prosper. We will go back into Ox Witz Ha and drink iztāc-octli, balché, and chukwa’. Eat pooch, chojim-wa, ch’ukcua,523 and tiââlinbil. We will chakuj tutuchci until not only the mat, but also the floor of our room is worn. Then we will see our k’ojols grow and become great Warriors like their taats. That is the way of the Q’eq Warrior. We do not go to war to destroy and to take captives. We go to war for change. I will stop this war, Yochi.”
Yochi was silent then raised his fist. “And what does the Q’eq Warriors of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag do with the severed heads of our enemy Warriors?”
I ignored his saying the Q’eq Warriors of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag. “Once we are back here at the base, we go to Izel camps and place the heads of his scouts and picquets among his Warriors, silently in the dark. That will bring fear to them for they already know of the stories and songs of the Great T’oit’ik-jolom Fuck. They will also remember what we did in the Ch’ajch’oj Jul of Naj Tunich, how we did not fear the god Cum Hau, and that we sent the Ahau Can Mai and the Chuchqajaw Rech Tinimit on their journey to Xibalba.”
“Hm! And the power, the blessings, the stories of Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’, the Raax Ch’ayom Puag, and Ix Na Li Kawa, how do those fit in with the severed heads of our enemies?” asked Bo, his face expressionless as he stood before me.
I hesitated and shook my head. It had to be Bo to ask something like that. I didn’t want to associate the Raax Ch’ayom Puag and Ix Na Li Kawa with the cruelty of war and the beheading of captive Warriors as I had ordered my Warriors to do. K’an II wanted change for he had misgivings about many things: the power and beliefs of the priests, the inequality in the societies, the harmful use of the land, and the warlike ways of the kingdoms. He was greatly troubled by those things, believing that they would eventually bring destruction of all the peoples of the kingdoms. To add the Raax Ch’ayom Puag and Ix Na Li Kawa to that list of great concerns would not do good, at this time. “The Q’eq Warriors fight with our own power and strategies. We depend on no one but ourselves. That is the Way of the Q’eq Warrior. I also think it is best for us to refer to ourselves as Q’eq Warriors only.” They all raised their fists. “Now put down your weapons, except your knives, and go as commanded. We Q’eq Warriors communicate with the soft huff of the ajwoyotz’, not with the whistle of the baläm.” They disappeared into the darkness. “Yochi. You, Yaotl, and I will go south to the Southwest Sacbeob and return. Nabe Nimal Nacon Iztali, Bo, Hulse, Clark, Parham, Chicahua, and Patli, protect and hide our weapons. Shield yourself with the jungle. Be one with the jungle floor. Let not even the ajwoyotz’ see you. If Eztli and Bas return before us, give them the same instructions then you wait for our return.” We placed our weapons on the stock pile. “Ko’one’ex,” I ordered and we moved south, spaced about fifteen feet apart, moving so silently in the dark that we became one with the jungle.
Sisimito III--Topoxte Page 64