Cuauhtemoc nodded to the scribe, who shouted, "Bring forth the petitioned!"
Guards entered from the side entrance, where defendants and complainants came in. They escorted three people—two men and a woman.
Malinali’s breath caught as she watched them approach the dais. The older man dressed in noble robes and a headdress, his long, silvering hair tied in an elaborate knot atop his head. The younger man—no more than twenty years old—held the arm of a severe but frail woman. She clutched his arm as if she might fall if he let her go. Malinali couldn’t take her eyes off her as she limped forward.
"Mother?" she whispered, rediscovering her breath, her heart drumming.
The man—her mother's husband Lord Tilmatzin—bowed low when he reached the steps. The old woman followed suit, aided by the young man—My half-brother, Malinali realized, a spike of resentment rising inside her. She hadn’t seen him since he was a baby, but he had his father’s hawkish nose and her mother’s broad eyes.
When Tilmatzin broke his bow, he kept his eyes respectfully downcast, but his nervousness was unmistakable. "You honor us with your invitation to the palace, Revered Speaker. May I present my wife, Lady Huitzilxochitzin, and my son, Axoquentzin?"
"I’m aware of your family," Cuauhtemoc said, his voice icy. "Perhaps more acutely aware of its nuances than you’d care for."
Tilmatzin hesitated. "I confess confusion about this greeting, My Lord. I was told that you wished to speak with me in a diplomatic capacity and yet my family and I haven’t even been allowed to rest or take a meal since we arrived." He glanced up at Malinali but there was no interest or recognition there.
"That’s because you’re facing serious charges, Lord Tilmatzin. I've brought you before my future Cihuacoatl to answer for them."
This time, Tilmatzin took no care to keep his stance demure. "Paynala is not a Mexica territory and I am not your subject—"
Cuauhtemoc cut him off with a wave of his hand. "The case of who truly inherits the throne in Paynala is at dispute here." He then beckoned to the younger man.
Axoquentzin cast his father a worried glance but stepped forward and bowed.
"Tell us, Lord Axoquentzin, where is your sister?" Cuauhtemoc folded his hands across his belly as he leaned back in his icpalli.
Axoquentzin nearly looked up, but he caught himself before violating protocol. "I beg your pardon, Revered Speaker, but I haven’t any sisters."
"You don’t?" Malinali's voice boiled with anger and sarcasm.
Behind him, Malinali’s mother now stared at her, clutching her chest as if confronted by a specter. Axoquentzin glanced at her before answering, "At one time I did, but she fell into a canal and drowned when I was but a few months into this world."
"Is that what they told you?" The ball of anger unwound like venomous snakes inside her. To Tilmatzin, she cried, "Is that what you meant when you told the slavers that you’d make certain that no one came looking for me?"
Tilmatzin stumbled backwards, eyes wide, as if she were a disgusting, slimy lake monster. When her mother wept out her name, he spat, "Malinali is dead! We all saw the body the farmers pulled from the canal." He turned his hateful glare upon Cuauhtemoc again. "How dare you bring this impersonator forward to torment my wife?"
But Malinali suddenly found herself face to face with him, the fury carrying her like a tidal wave. "Have you no conception of the life you condemned me to, the humiliation and pain I endured?"
Stepping away from her, Tilmatzin cried, "You’re a raving mad witch!"
"What is going on, Father? What is this—?" Axoquentzin stepped towards his father but his mother gripped his arm, stopping him.
"I’ve lived with the lies too long," she moaned, pressing closer to Malinali. She held her hand out to touch her, pleading in her weary eyes.
Malinali recoiled. How dare this woman even think of touching her?
Huitzilxochitzin swallowed, shame on her face. "He wanted you out of the way, so our son would inherit the throne, so we concocted a plan to fake your death and sell you into slavery; the only alternative was for him to kill you, but I couldn't stand the thought of hurting you. Our chance came when a girl your age drowned in the canal. We promised her mother a noble title if she would say it was you." She covered her face with shaking hands, weeping. "I regretted it immediately, and I wanted to get you back, but the slavers had already left, taking you with them."
"Bite your tongue, woman!" Tilmatzin hissed through gritted teeth.
"I never should have let you talk me into this!" she cried back at him. "It was criminal enough that you killed my husband, so we might be together, but I weep for the selfish woman I was back then. What kind of woman turns her back on her own flesh and blood to please a man?"
He murdered my father! The realization slammed Malinali in the chest and she stumbled backwards, stunned. Someone caught her as she tripped on the steps and to her relief she looked up to see Cuauhtemoc holding her on her feet.
"It’s all lies!" Tilmatzin shouted. "I killed no one!"
Huitzilxochitzin fell to her knees, wailing, and Axoquentzin knelt to help her. "I give myself to you for judgment, my daughter! Whatever punishment you deem worthy will be a mercy compared to what I truly deserve!"
Malinali stared blankly at her, but eventually the numbness subsided as she saw the lords watching, their attention ensnared. They were all waiting to see what kind of judgment she would pass down, to see if she was worthy of the title Cuauhtemoc wanted to give her.
She lifted her chin towards Tilmatzin, and the guards grabbed him and forced him to his knees before the dais. She glared down at him. "As the huey tlatoani's chosen candidate for Tenochtitlan's Cihuacoatl, it's my duty to see justice given to all his people. And so now I pass judgment on you, Lord Tilmatzin, for your crimes against myself and my father. If I could, I would sentence you to the life of a slave girl, to live as I had to, so you’d know what I was forced to endure, so you’d know the humiliation and abuse I suffered, but only the gods can grant such justice. Instead, in payment for my father’s life, you will surrender your own." She waved him away.
Tilmatzin hurled curses at her as the guards dragged him from the room.
"What of our mother, Sister?" Axoquentzin clutched Huitzilxochitzin’s shoulders.
As Malinali cast her gaze back at her mother, she knew the law called for her to share her husband's fate, but suddenly she didn't care about the law or what the lords of the Council thought she should do. What she did was terrible, but if not for that same terrible act, would you be here now, in the arms of the love of your life? She glanced at Cuauhtemoc, to reassure herself that this wasn't all just a wonderful dream, but he was there beside her, a calm but encouraging look on his face. This is my personal pain, my personal injustice, and no one is better suited to decide what is right for it than me.
"Mother," she started, trying to keep her voice calm. When Huitzilxochitzin finally looked up at her, she said, "I forgive you."
Her mother stared at her, first in confusion, then disbelief.
"I can’t excuse what you did, but I forgive you for it. And I suspect that I cannot hand down a harsher punishment than the one you’ve already placed upon yourself." Malinali told Axoquentzin, "Take her home to Paynala and care for her for the remainder of her days. I’m sorry for what must be done to your father, but my father deserves justice, and as an honorable man, I trust you understand this."
Axoquentzin nodded, not meeting her eyes. "Will you return home and take up your duties as the rightful heir?"
"Tenochtitlan is my home now." She gave Cuauhtemoc a faint smile. "I trust you to oversee my kingdom in my absence, Brother."
"Thank you for your mercy, My Lady." Axoquentzin helped Huitzilxochitzin to her feet and led her crying from the court.
Malinali flopped into her icpalli, the gravity of what had happened overcoming her. Cuauhtemoc held her elbow so she made it safely down while the other lords flooded the dais in a flurry of conversa
tion.
Lord Zolin chuckled. "I don't think that I could be so strong as to forgive her if I'd been in your position, Lady Malintzin. If it had been me, I would have sentenced her to spend the remainder of her life in servitude."
"She is already a slave to her guilt," Malinali said, not looking at him. "Besides, I owed her a debt and now it's repaid."
"A debt?"
Malinali nodded. "If she hadn't agreed to sell me into slavery, her husband would have killed me instead. She saved my life."
Zolin nodded thoughtfully. "Justice should be harsh but not unduly cruel. I believe you will make an exceptionally strong Cihuacoatl, My Lady." To Cuauhtemoc, he said, "And none too soon. I hear Lord Matlatzincatzin made his confession today. He could go any time now."
"Then we're all in agreement about Lady Malintzin?" When the others nodded and murmured their approval, Cuauhtemoc said, "She shall start preparing for the Cihuacoatl ceremony immediately, then." To Malinali, he said, "You'll perform several days of fasting, and the high priest of Cihuacoatl will put the goddess's blessing upon you, along with some other rituals. It will take about a week, and if the gods are in a merciful mood, they'll keep Matlatzincatzin with us long enough so there is no gap in our domestic leadership."
"The gods are seldom in a good mood," Zolin replied, "which is why we will leave now, so Lady Malintzin can start her fasting and penance rituals, in case she needs to take her oath sooner than expected." He motioned to the others. "My Lady looks as if she could use a moment alone after her ordeal." He granted her a kind smile before leading the other lords out of the courtroom.
Cuauhtemoc stayed behind though. Once they were alone, he sat down next to her and took her hand in his. "Are you all right?"
She nodded slowly, the numbness giving way to exhaustion. She felt as if she could sleep all day. "I never thought I'd ever get to face them...to make them answer for what they did to me."
Cuauhtemoc nodded. "I decided they needed to the moment you won your freedom, so I sent for them as soon as we got back from Tlaxcala. It seemed only right that they should face your judgment, but I'm sorry that it caused you pain." He squeezed her hand gently.
"It was painful. But a good sort of pain. I learned the truth, so I never again have to wonder why. And my mother...." She shook her head. "I hated her for so long for what she did, and even now I want to think that she had other options—maybe she should have run away, but then how could she, with a newborn and a young child...? Might I have opted for the same thing if it would save my own son's life?"
"Then I'm very glad I left this to you, for I would have sentenced her to death the same as her husband." Cuauhtemoc stood, still holding her hand. "Come. You look as if you could use something to eat."
She accepted his help up, but once standing, she pulled him into a fierce hug, burying her face in his chest.
He stroked her hair. "I wish I could do more for you, my precious flower. I wish I could take all the pain away, but the best I could do was give you justice, and your rightful kingdom back to you."
Malinali said nothing, but held him tight as she cried silent tears of relief—and grief—into the feathers of his robe.
Chapter Seventeen
The next four days passed at a snail's pace; not because Malinali skipped two meals a day, or that she spent most of her time at the temple of Cihuacoatl, praying and doing service to the goddess in preparation for taking her oath, but rather because she saw very little of Cuauhtemoc. As part of her cleansing rituals, she not only gave up salt and chile with her one daily meal, but she refrained from intimate relations, and while she wished he'd still spend the nights with her, they'd both agreed it was foolish to tempt desire and anger the gods. It's only for a few days, she reminded herself.
But with so much quiet time to contemplate her future, she couldn't help but remind herself what a bad idea it was to even be with him at all at this point. She should end this affair for good, and try to move on. And yet come morning, when she joined him for breakfast—the only meal permitted during her fast—her resolve always faltered. He greeted her with a gentle kiss on the cheek and talked boisterously about his day's plans. Breaking it off would change everything between them, how openly he spoke to her about Achicatl, how freely he laughed. She couldn't bear the thought of losing all that.
On the morning after her fifth day of penance and fasting, she came from her quarters to find Cuauhtemoc and the rest of the Council gathered in the courtyard, everyone dressed in somber garb. No one had to say that Lord Matlatzincatzin had died. The former Cihuacoatl's wives were all gathered, weeping and clutching their children.
"It's a good thing Lords Xicotencatl and Acxotecatl arrived last night," Cuauhtemoc told her as they took their morning meal in her private garden. "We couldn't have the funeral rites until someone from Tlaxcala arrived."
Malinali nearly choked on her tortilla. "Why is Acxotecatl here?"
Cuauhtemoc chuckled. "It's all right. He and Xicotencatl brought their Council representative, so his arrival is fully expected. I'm glad he came, so he can see you vested with the robe of the Cihuacoatl tonight."
"Yes, but why didn't you tell me?"
He frowned. "I'm sorry. I thought you had enough on your mind with preparing to take your oath. I didn't want to worry you."
"I'm not worried," she snapped. Seeing the doubt in his eyes, she took a deep breath. "Sorry. He makes me nervous."
Cuauhtemoc took her hand. "I understand, but he can't possibly hurt you anymore. After tonight, you'll be the second most powerful person in Tenochtitlan, and any threat against you is the same as threatening the Triple Alliance itself and we will react accordingly." He leaned over the empty plates and gave her a passionate kiss that left her wishing he'd pull her atop the table, scattering dishes everywhere as they shared the pleasure she so dearly missed.
But she knew he knew better. She had to remain properly fasted until the high priest of Cihuacoatl presented her with the robes of her new office this evening, once Matlatzincatzin had been placed upon his funeral pyre. It seemed so far away still, and desire pulsed inside her belly.
"I won't let him bother you," he whispered once they separated. "I promise."
¤
Her impatience followed her throughout the day, all the way up to the ritual burning of Lord Matlatzincatzin's body. It was a somber affair filled with grim-faced lords and weeping women, though Malinali chose to follow the lead of the lords, since she wasn't part of Matlatzincatzin's family. She spent most of her time watching Cuauhtemoc—the better to avoid eye contact with Acxotecatl. She sensed him watching her, but she never caught him at it.
In fact, Acxotecatl had been cool and formal since his arrival, giving her only cursory attention at the formal meetings and sparing her his conniving smile; a relief at first, for certainly he'd come to his senses and realized that he had nothing to hurt her with. But as the hour of her accession approached, that turned to suspicion that he was holding back, waiting for the moment where the high priest of Cihuacoatl was poised to set the headdress of her new position on her head before shouting out and destroying everything.
But he remained respectfully silent throughout the ceremony atop the temple. A large crowd of citizens gathered to watch—a good number of them women who cheered when their newly-crowned Cihuacoatl turned to face them for the first time. Malinali nearly broke down when she saw many of them in tears as they smiled and cheered, their arms raised to the sky. Even some of the men looked pleased and cheered when Cuauhtemoc took her wrist in his hand and raised both their arms in triumph between them.
After the ceremony was the celebratory feast in the great hall, and she expected Acxotecatl to attempt to approach her then, especially when Cuauhtemoc moved off to speak with Xicotencatl and the man he'd brought to represent Tlaxcala on the Council. But he remained at his mat, eating slowly and actively avoiding her gaze.
Lady Izel came over and asked permission to sit with her. It felt strange how the power
had shifted so significantly between them since the last time she'd seen her. Malinali welcomed the distraction. "Please share this bowl of sauce with me." She held up one of the numerous gourd-bowls the servants had set out for her.
Izel beamed as she sat down, then dipped a rolled tortilla in the bowl. "Congratulations on your accession, My Lady. You must be so honored, becoming the first female Cihuacoatl of the Mexica."
"It's a great honor," Malinali agreed, dipping her own tortilla.
"These are exciting times to be alive. There's peace between our nations for the first time in our history, and now the Mexica have opened their power structures to intelligent, worthy women. The future looks bright, not only for our sons, but our daughters as well."
"It's a good first step."
"Have you met my brother Ohtli yet? He's to be Tlaxcala's voice in the Triple Alliance." Izel looked over her shoulder.
Malinali followed her gaze, to the man standing with Cuauhtemoc and Xicotencatl. He wasn't as tall as Cuauhtemoc, but he was well-muscled. He had a grave demeanor about him—no doubt the reason his father thought he'd make a good priest; Malinali wondered if it was for Cuauhtemoc's benefit, or was he this way in private as well? Izel was right though. Ohtli was handsome, and the most obvious signs of having been a priest—the blood-matted hair, the facial scarring from ritual bloodletting of the ears and cheeks—were absent. But he's no Cuauhtemoc. She immediately scolded herself though. "No, I haven't had the pleasure yet."
"I can introduce you to him," Izel offered. "He's eager to meet you, after everything I told him about you...." But when she followed Malinali's gaze—and Cuauhtemoc glanced back and gave them the briefest of smiles, finally making Malinali look away—she paused then added, "Oh."
Malinali's cheeks burned hot while growing stiffness pained her chest. "I look forward to meeting him." She tried to keep a steady voice but it came out choked.
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