gave Ahuitzotl a leery glance, not pursuaded by his declaration, and was about to add something when he was distracted by a jaguar clad figure advancing across the quadrangle. “Is this our chief minister who approaches us?” he said. “He rarely comes here.”
“There’s an urgency in his pace.” Auitzotl noted, “I’d best see to him.”
Accordingly, Ahuitzotl left his vice-commander, not entirely displeased over the minister’s timely arrival as he had no eagerness to defend his views on devoutness, and walked out to meet his visitor. “Welcome, Cihuacoatl,” he greeted him, “How are you today?”
“I have been better. These are not the best of times, Lord. The burden of my office is most preponderant and affects my constitution. A gloominess abounds me, in spirit as well as body.”
“Come into my quarters. Dark chambers are suited for dark dispositions, not so?”
A rough grump acknowledged the minister’s assent and both men entered the dimly lit room and sat on the benches in its center, pausing to relish the interior coolness afforded by thick walls shielding them from the glaring sun.
“So, these are not the best of times,” Ahuitzotl spoke first. “Your enlightenment does not surprise me. I’ve said this often enough myself.”
“It’s not that I’ve disagreed with the assessment, Lord, but that my deference to my duties has prevented me from expressing such sentiments.”
“Ah yes, the minister’s loyalty must be beyond reproach.”
“It is essential to the office.”
“Even if false?”
“Not false, Lord, but tempered by other considerations seen as more important.”
“Such as?”
“Such as,” Cihuacoatl glared at Ahuitzotl with deeply penetrating eyes, “the greater glory and prestige of the realm.”
Ahuitzotl’s countenance turned grim; he met the minister’s eyes with equal concentration. “So you admit we have suffered in this regard.”
“More than you would believe, Lord. The reports come to me daily. You think Toluca is the only city in rebellion? It’s the only one to have openly defied us, but there are vaccilations and grumblings in numerous other cities now. Chiapa and Xiquipilco are flagrantly reducing their tributes, proclaiming their insolence in this fashion. The Tlappanecs are known to steal produce from our merchants and harass them into taking lengthy detours around their region, at much inconvenience to us. These incidents have multiplied alarmingly as of late.”
“So it’s come to this—that they dare to interfere with the sanctities of our treaties.”
“They dare because they believe we no longer possess a will to exercise our power—they may even think us incapable of it now. These offenses were inconceivable only two years ago. The great Motecuhzoma would never have stood for such belligerence. Nor Axayacatl. Under their strong leadership no people would have dared to think, let alone attempt, such dissension.”
“This demonstrates the importance of making an example of Toluca. And I promise you, Cihuacoatl, if it comes to war with Zozoltin, I shall impart a lasting lesson on him.”
“I do not think so, Lord.”
“You doubt my resolve to do that?”
“Not your resolve, Lord,” Cihuacoatl replied dejectedly, “but your opportunity.”
“I shall be prevented from it? Only the Revered Speaker can do that.”
“And he will. Lord Tizoc has decided to lead the armies himself. He values Toluca’s tributes too highly and will want them continued after we have chastised it.”
While this did not settle well with Ahuitzotl, it was not unanticipated. “Well,” he said, “perhaps nothing will come of this, if the Tolucan lords surrender to us as Nezahualpilli expects.”
“That is absurd!” snarled Cihuacoatl. “Submit voluntarily to death? Never!”
“You believe this?”
“Of course.”
“You didn’t say anything at the council,” Ahuitzotl expressed bitterly. “It would have given me some satisfaction that the chief minister agreed with me—even helped my proposal. As it was, Nezahualpilli had a field day with him.”
“That is precisely the problem, Lord. Tizoc has no mind of his own and is too easily swayed by the opinion of others, particularly Nezahualpilli’s. He lacks the spine for manly resolution.”
“You and I seem to have reversed positions from our previous talks,” Ahuitzotl reminded the minister. “Why the change?”
“Events have greatly accelerated on us in the recent weeks. Patterns of unrest are developing everywhere, which I cannot attribute to any other factor except Tizoc’s weak leadership. I was blind not to see it earlier. His reign was manageable because he rode on the crest of successes achieved by his eminent predecessors. Worse, when I tell him of these exigencies, he is not even interested in them. He ignores my counsel and spends his days with architects and engineers discussing building projects. There’s an irony for you. He plans all this construction while all around him the domain is crumbling to pieces. If he has no concern for the strength of our realm, why should he listen to my warnings about its weakening? No wonder my health suffers.”
“You have my sympathy, Cihuacoatl, but you also told me I must accept this. The Revered Speaker rules for life, and it was you who chose him. How will you resolve your dilemma now?”
“His vaccilation and indecision threaten our empire. Do you agree with that, Lord?”
Ahuitzotl became curious where the minister would lead him and suspected he was about to be introduced to the unthinkable. “I’ve maintained that for longer than you have.”
“Then it should be evident what our sacred duty must be.”
“What are you suggesting, minister?” prodded Ahuitzotl.
“By the gods!” Cihuacoatl roared as he sprang off the bench. “Are you that dimwitted? I pray you do not play games with me, Lord, for this is a matter of gravest concern to us both.”
“I play no games, minister. Yes, I know what you are alluding to, but instead of my delving on mere conjecture, I prefer you tell me directly. If you have something to say, come out and say it!”
“The issue is problematic. Heresy is one of our most heinous crimes. I’m not yet convinced I am at liberty to say it—no, even think it! I’m trying to make sense out of it, to give it a justifiable basis—that’s why all these questions. They are as much for myself as for you. I seek assurances that my contemplations will not condemn me.”
“You still have not told me.” Ahuitzotl pressed, adding to the minister’s discomfort.
“Bear with me,” entreated Cihuacoatl, “so that I am able to extract a solution to our dilemma. If we accept that our most sacred duty is to protect and preserve the realm because in so doing we sustain the
