Papan shook his head. “Nothing specific, Nabe Nacon. But Ichtaca has informed Nim-q’ij Nabe Kaloonte’ Xico that Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ is coming, and of the situation. He has ordered that a room be prepared for her, one that can accommodate Healers and priests.”
“Please go on, Papan.”
“It was early aq’abil and the first light of Kinich Ahau was beginning to fall on Ox Witz Ha when our scouts informed us that Izel was sending a sole Runner along the Southwest Sacbeob towards the city. Xico gave orders to have him enter the city and to be escorted to the Caana where he would meet him. When the Runner arrived, he informed Xico that Izel wanted to have a komon-winaq.532 Xico agreed and advised the Runner that Izel was welcome to enter the city of Ox Witz Ha. He and up to a dozen Warriors could approach the city just before nik’aj-q’ij and Kinich Ahau is directly overhead. They would then be escorted to the steps of the Caana for the komon-winaq. Izel and his Warriors would not be harmed.”
I looked at Yochi. “Do you think my plan worked?” Yochi opened his hands, raised his eyebrows, then shrugged his shoulders. That was his answer. I turned back to Papan. “Any instructions for me?”
“Yes! Xico wants you and Ukab Nacon to be there. And he wants you as q’eq as you can get.”
I smiled and glanced at Yochi. He had a smug look on his face. Teul, of course, was grinning. “Tell Xico we’ll be there in one k’ab.” Papan nodded and was gone. “Well, Yochi, at least we’ll have breakfast.” I looked at Teul. “Why are you grinning, Teul? You fokas better find some berries and grubs. You all aren’t going anywhere.”
“Thought as madafok much,” Teul replied, losing his grin.
I laughed. It felt very good. “Patli. Get the Warriors together.” As soon as they had been awakened and gathered, I briefed them.
“Ukab Nacon and I will be going into Ox Witz Ha at the request of Nim-q’ij Nabe Kaloonte’ Xico. Kaloonte’ Izel has requested a komon-winaq. While we are gone, Ichik is Nabe and Ikan his Ukab. Rest, but post guards. Depending on what happens, we may or may not have a long night tonight.” They raised their fists and Yochi, Patli, and I started towards the Northwest Sacbeob and the city. We soon approached the buildings that made up the astronomical observatory, the first being a temple about eighty feet high, where K’an II had dedicated a stela with a lot of glyphs on it. Next was a smaller temple, covered with red stucco. Bo had told me that it contained a tomb. We then passed the Temple of the Wooden Lintel where Bo had also informed me that a pool of liquid mercury was kept.
We did not go elsewhere into the city, but kept on the sacbeob going directly to the Caana, bypassing the ballcourt where Choj, Bo, and I had practiced. Sitting on the lower stairs of the Caana was Xico, one dozen Warriors standing in a semicircle behind him. Beside him was Ehecatl and nearby their two achi’ls, Ollin and Ueman. The Warriors wore no armaments and no lej-xajäbs. Each wore just a loincloth with the jaguar pattern, and a Raax Ch’ayom Puag around his neck. They all carried long bate’s, but no to’bal-ribs. Xico and Ehecatl were dressed just like their Warriors. They stood as we approached; we hit our chests and nodded.
“Is Izel still arriving when Kinich Ahau is directly overhead?” I asked.
“Yes, Chiac. It is as Papan has briefed you. Nothing has changed.”
I nodded. “Then Yochi and I will go to the Barracks, get something to eat, and make ourselves as q’eq as Ix Balanque. We will be back for a briefing half k’ab before Izel arrives.”
Xico smiled. “Yes. And bathe. You, your Ukab, and your achi’l, Patli!”
“Of course, Nabe Kaloonte’,” I complied.
“Ollin! Go to the Barracks and have them prepare baths, food, and drink for Nabe Nacon and Ukab Nacon. Have them also bring out lots of the q’eq dye. Where are your Warriors, Chiac?”
“They are in the jungle, off the Northwest Sacbeob.”
“Also, Ollin, get Papan. Have him take Runners, not servants, with food and drink for Nabe Nacon’s Q’eq Warriors. Patli. Go with Papan.” Ollin and Patli hit their chest and sprinted away.” Xico looked back at me. “Yes, Chiac. Bathe. As is usual, you not only carry the smell of battle, but, again, also the ch’ich’-rech-par. If you do not bathe, your enemies will not hear or see you in the chaq’ab, but they will smell you.” I smiled, weakly, nodded, hit my chest and walked away. I had heard something like that before.
Yochi sniffed at his armpits. He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t have the ch’ich’-rech-par. Actually, I don’t smell anything.”
“I don’t smell anything either. I think that’s the problem. But we’ve been ordered to bathe, so we bathe.” We both laughed and started sprinting towards the Barracks which was in the south of the city, between the two southern sacbeobs.
When we arrived at the bath house the baths were already prepared, the water warm with oils and herbs, several pieces of cloth nearby to clean with. “I suppose Ollin told them that we really stunk,” I told Yochi. He chuckled as we took off our loincloths and lej-xajäbs after laying down our weapons. He kept on his Raax Ch’ayom Puag and I my Green Scapular.
Sinking into the water was pleasurable beyond belief and I decided to relax and enjoy it. I saw Yochi also enjoying the unexpected comfort. Four servants awaited us, two males and two females. My eyes lingered momentarily on the breasts of the young female servants and I felt Tóolok beginning to stir. I looked away. Molly was my woman and regardless of what we were going through, what she had gone through, I had to keep that solid in my mind. I not only owed that to her, but I wanted to do that for her.
The water started to lose its warmth. The servants wanted to add more hot water, but it was almost time to return to Xico for the briefing before the komon-winaq with Izel. I got out of the bath and was happy that it was one of the male servants that brought me a cloth to dry. I handed him back the cloth when I was finished. I bent down, picked up my loincloth and very hurriedly dropped it again. I didn’t have to put it to my nose to smell it. I looked at Yochi who was standing beside me and drying. “Ch’ich’-rech-par, indeed,” I said, making up my face.
He laughed out loudly. “We better get new ones.” He handed back the drying cloth to the servant and sent him to get two new loincloths. “We’ll have to dye them.”
“Yes,” I answered. I looked at our skins. “We need to redo ourselves. We have lost some of the q’eq color.”
“Well, let’s eat,” he said, and we moved over to the table and sat. We ate and drank voraciously.
When we were finished we got up and the servant handed us our new and clean loincloths that would soon have to be blackened. I threw mine across my shoulders, picked up my maquahuitl and knife, started to walk towards the doorway, but noticed that Yochi was headed towards another nearby room. “Yochi.” He turned. “Let’s go and dye ourselves.”
Yochi frowned and pointed to the room he was entering. “We go there first, Chiac. They’re waiting on us. It is time to chakuj tutuchci.”
I was suddenly caught between my physical desire to chakuj tutuchci and my desire to be faithful to Molly. “You go ahead, Yochi. Meet me when you’re done.” I tried to smile, but failed.
“It’s the Way of the Warrior, Chiac. I told you before.”
Chakuj-tutuchci was just part of being a Warrior. It was traditional, almost like a ceremony, and it was expected not only of the Warriors but of the Nacons. It was anticipated that I play out that ritual. I did not know how long I would be able to avoid it, but for then I had already made up my mind that I would wait on Molly. I walked towards the doorway leading into the square. “Meet me when you’re done, Yochi. Do a few strokes for me.”
It was just a short walk across to the room we used for dyeing. There were no Warriors nearby, as all were at their stations. A few servants and slaves moved hurriedly about, but they ignored me completely. One of the male servants from the bath had followed me, bringing my lej-xajäbs.
I started with my loincloth, using the prepared d
ye to blacken it, but the servant patiently insisted that he should do it and after a while I handed it to him. It would not be dry before I had to put it on and I did not look forward to having a wet cloth between my legs and over Tóolok, but I had no choice. Tóolok would have to put up with it. I was just starting on my body when Yochi and his servant walked in. He nodded, placed his bate’ and knife against the column at the doorway, took his loincloth from off his shoulder and handed it to his servant.
“It’s Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ isn’t it?” he asked.
I looked up. “Yes, Yochi. In the kingdom I come from, we are, or at least try to be, one woman for one man, one man for one woman.”
“You are not in your Belikin now, Chiac. You are a T’oit’ik-jolom of Ajawinel K’an II of Ox Witz Ha. A Nabe Nacon. A Warrior is like a tree with two branches. One branch is the Warrior. The other is the husband. One goes east, one goes west. Perhaps, one goes north, one goes south. The branches do not touch each other. They are different, but both chakuj tutuchci; yet, chakuj tutuchci as the Warrior is different from chakuj tutuchci as the husband. It is the Way of the Warrior, Chiac. It is our way. It has to be your way.”
I could not answer Yochi. I knew that he was just trying to tell me that the Warriors must know me as one who follows and respects all their traditions. That important bond was demanded by their loyalty and I had their complete loyalty. But Molly had my loyalty too.
When the servants finished blackening our loincloths, they took over blackening us after which they put on our loincloths. We picked up our weapons, but left our lej-xajäbs, and started walking back to the Caana. I noticed Yochi’s Raax Ch’ayom Puag glistening in the midday sun against his blackened skin. I looked at mine. It was a blood-stained piece of cloth, but I would never change it.
We arrived at the stairs of the Nim-q’ij Palace, the Caana. The Warriors were still there, as were Ollin and Ueman. We walked over to Ueman and gave him the maquahuitl and bate’, asking him to lay them aside, but within reach. As Q’eq Warriors used only knives and sk’ops, we kept our knives.
“You are indeed as q’eq as Ix Balanque,” said Ehecatl, pleasantly, as he and Xico joined us.
I looked at my skin. “Actually, I’m getting used to it.” We all chuckled.
“You, Yochi, and your Warriors served us well last night,” said Xico. “The Q’eq Warriors have projected fear into the heart of Izel’s army. K’an II is pleased at the apparent result … not necessarily how it was achieved. “Did you hope to avert war, Fuck? Was that your plan why you took the heads of Izel’s Warriors into the heart of his camp?”
“That was my plan, Xico. I hope it worked and that’s why Izel has requested the komon-winaq.”
“I hope so, too. K’an II does not want war.” Xico looked up at Kaán. “Izel should be here soon.”
“And so should Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’,” I said, with hope and relief. For a moment, I saw a flicker of anguish in both Xico’s and Ehecatl’s eyes.
“We remember only the Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ we knew,” said Xico. “The one who turned the Ch’ajch’oj Tz’ono’ot to the color of ya’ax-chich with the Raax Ch’ayom Puag. The one who dove into its depths, saw its secrets, and returned to us unharmed. That is the Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’ we know.” He raised his hand and held onto his Raax Ch’ayom Puag. “Lady Batz’ Ek’ has ordered that everything be in place for her. She will have the best physicians and Healers in the kingdoms. Already, Runners have been sent to all major cities, in alliance or not. Ehecatl is personally responsible for her security. K’an II commands that your concern be the defence and safety of Ox Witz Ha, and not with Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’.” I stared at Xico then nodded. His head suddenly went up as he stared across the courtyard. “Papan comes.” Yochi and I turned around. Papan was sprinting towards us.
“Kaloonte Izel, his achi’l, and twelve Warriors are being escorted by our Nim-q’ij Guards into the city,” briefed Papan.
“Then, let’s await them,” responded Xico, in a casual tone. He looked to his Warriors and they immediately straightened their stance, each holding his bate’ at full extension on his right side. Xico, Ehecatl, Yochi, and I stood within their semicircle, Xico and Ehecatl carried no weapons, Yochi and I carried knives in our loincloths.
Izel entered the courtyard and walked directly towards us. When he got about six feet in front of us, he stopped. His achi’l stood off to his right and his Warriors, all carrying long bate’s and to’bal-ribs, formed a semicircle behind him, the same formation used by us.
Izel was dressed in formal military uniform. On his head, he had an elaborate kohaw decorated with an assortment of colorful feathers hanging across his back, a jade figurine depicting Ek Chuah at the front. He wore large earlobes and a ring through his nose, a short vest decorated with various gems, and tight bindings of leather on his forearms and legs. His loincloth was decorated with feather-work at the lower end, his lej-xajäbs with small feathers and pieces of animal pelt. His visible skin was marked with black spots and curved lines. He brought no weapons. He looked at us, smiled, then raised his hand and his achi’l came over to him.
Izel took off his kohaw and handed it to the Achi’l. He removed earlobes and nose ring, his short vest and bindings. He removed his lej-xajäbs and I could not help wondering if he was also going to remove his loincloth. He didn’t. He stood dressed exactly as we were, except that Yochi and I carried our knives visibly showing above our loincloths.
“Nim-q’ij Nabe Kaloonte’,” he said, looking at Xico. He looked at Ehecatl. “Nim-q’ij Ukab Kaloonte’.” Ehecatl hit his chest.
“Nabe Kaloonte’ of Ahau Naj Tunich,” responded Xico.
Izel then looked towards Yochi and me. “Nabe Nacon, Ukab Nacon of the Q’eq Warriors of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag.”
I was taken aback for although I knew that my Q’eq Warriors were sometimes referred to as the Q’eq Warriors of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag, I just found it hard to accept that the name was known by Izel and, possibly, by other Warriors and kingdoms. I felt Yochi’s elbow urgently in my side and we hit our chests and nodded. He turned back to Xico.
“Ahau Naj Tunich does not want war with Ox Witz Ha and will refrain from destroying the city if Ajawinel K’an II returns Nacon Zyanya and his family to Naj Tunich,” he informed us, pointedly. “He also wants the Holy Children of the Ch’ajch’oj Jul returned.”
“Is there any other request, Nabe Kaloonte’?” asked Xico, his face not showing any emotions.
“Yes! Ahau Naj Tunich wants compensation in tapestries,533, ya’ax-chich, jäl534 and q’än-jal, and slaves for the damage that was done as the T’oit’ik-jolom Fuck and his Warriors passed through Naj Tunich, for those
murdered in the Ch’ajch’oj Jul, and that the Holy Children of the Ch’ajch’oj Jul were stolen.”
“Is there any other request?”
“Yes, Nim-q’ij Nabe Kaloonte’! Ahau Naj Tunich wants you to give him the Warrior Fuck, Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’, and the Q’eq Warriors of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag for sacrifice to Cum Hau. The new Chuchqajaw Rech Tinimit, ordained by the gods, has advised that that is the only way to stop horrific vengeance by Cum Hau for the greatest of blasphemies done by the T’oit’ik-jolom Fuck when he murdered pontiffs appointed by the gods themselves to serve them on U Wach Ulew. Those gods consecrated pontiffs, as you know, were the previous Chuchqajaw Rech Tinimit of Naj Tunich, your own Ahau Can Mai, and many priests.”
I kept my face emotionless, but placed my hand on the hilt of my knife. I knew that Izel saw me, but he remained expressionless. I stood there with unusual complacency, feeling safe, almost wanting to smile at Izel’s requests, then Xico spoke.
“Ajawinel K’an II believes that warfare is wasteful. He also does not want war with Naj Tunich. He has indicated to me that if you make the request for the T’oit’ik-jolom Fuck, that I must tell you to inform Ahau Naj Tunich that he may have the T’oit’ik-jolom Fuck and Xch�
��úup Xma’ K’aaba’.” I forgot protocol and swung my head towards Xico, bewilderment bordering anger in my eyes. I felt building pressure on my xut’. Izel looked pleased. “Yes, Nabe Kaloonte’. Please inform Ahau Naj Tunich that Ajawinel says that he may have the T’oit’ik-jolom Fuck and Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’, but only over his dead Nim-q’ij Body.” Izel’s smug disappeared and I was sure I saw a hidden suggestion of a smile on Xico’s face. Izel adjusted back his demeanor, quickly. He nodded.
“The Ajawinel has given me leave to speak further on his behalf. He advises, with all due respect to Ahau Naj Tunich, that any demand for Nacon Zyanya and his family, or anyone else, to be returned to Naj Tunich is to be rejected outright. There will be no compensation in tapestries, copper, ya’ax-chich, jäl and q’än-jal, and slaves for the damage that was done as the T’oit’ik-jolom Fuck and his Warriors passed through Naj Tunich, nor for those who died in battle and who now journey to the Underworld, nor for the removal of the children saved from torture. Also, the Q’eq Warriors of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag will not be handed over to the Ahau so that they may be sacrificed to Cum Hau, or any god, as captives.
“Ajawinel K’an II demands, not requests, that the Warriors of Naj Tunich, and those from Ixkun, return to their cities immediately and threaten Ox Witz Ha no more or they will be made to endure his wrath. They will all be sent to the underworld by the Q’eq Warriors of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag by night, and the Nim-q’ij Warriors of Ox Witz Ha by day.” Xico hit his chest once.
Izel looked deeply at Xico, having anticipated that Xico’s response would be exactly what had been given. “I will forward Ajawinel K’an II’s response by our swiftest Runner.” He hit his chest.
“You have one k’iin. If you and your Warriors are not travelling back to Naj Tunich and Ixkun by nik’aj-q’ij tomorrow, Ox Witz Ha will declare a state of war.” Xico looked at Izel. “As one Kaloonte’ to another, I will inform you that the Warriors of Ox Te’ Tuun are only one k’iin away. The Warriors of Naj Tunich cannot defeat the Warriors of Ox Witz Ha and Ox Te’ Tuun. Once your Warriors are defeated and captured, we will proceed south and attack Naj Tunich, destroying it until not a stela is standing, not a temple, and the entrance to the Ch’ajch’oj Jul will be sealed forever. Even the stones of the sacbeobs will be moved and within five tuns all that will be seen of Naj Tunich is the jungle and the bones of its citizens. And, Kaloonte’, if our Nim-q’ij Scouts do not report your preparations to withdraw, the Q’eq Warriors of the Raax Ch’ayom Puag will return to their way of battle tonight and continue to cut away the heads of your Warriors.” I saw anger built in Izel’s face. He nodded, hit his chest, turned around and he, his achi’l, and his Warriors started their march out of the city.
Sisimito III--Topoxte Page 66