‘married’ to the army; it occupied most of his time and energy and gave him pleasures few women could. He was able to take them or leave them at will with no preference for any particular one of them.. This was so until he met Pelaxilla.
Ahuitzotl had on occasions seen Pelaxilla among Tizoc’s ladies, and from the beginning was struck by her beauty, but it was not until he attended a dinner with Tizoc and Tlalalca somewhat over a year ago where she happened to be one of the guests that he chanced to speak with her for the first time and was immediately captivated by her charm. He initiated his advances slowly and did not begin visiting her regularly until six months later, usually in the royal garden, but at times in the market place or central plaza when she told him she would be there. Not long after that it became evident their meetings amounted to more than mere casual get-togethers, and this complicated matters because a Revered Speaker’s mistresses were not for sharing. So while they loved each other, they could not become intimate in their affection, and as yet, both had honored this formality.
Custom specified that mistresses belonged to the noble who had acquired them, through prizes of war, payment of debts, purchase as slaves, voluntary submission, or, as for many in Tizoc’s case, inheritance. No particular inducement existed on his part to consider giving up Pelaxilla, nor was it proper for Ahuitzotl to make such a request. Were Tizoc to grant such a concession, it would be more out of gratuity or benevolence than any other motivation, and Ahuitzotl had not done much lately to render himself any kind of endearment out of his brother. A chill ran through him when he reflected on this.
“I’m puzzled by you, Ahuitzotl,” Pelaxilla broke the long silence. “You don’t strike me as someone who is content to let things be as they are at present.”
“An odd thing to say. What do you mean?”
“Oh, I don’t know for sure,” she mused, “I often wished things were somehow different—that I had a more meaningful life. I thought you might have similar thoughts.”
“I suppose I do, but I don’t think it wise. Cihuacoatl once advised me this can poison your mind. He’s right.”
“When you do ponder over such things, even if infrequently, what do you wish for?”
“Many things—all of them foolish, for they can never be.”
Pelaxilla detected his reluctance to be specific and decided to proceed in a different manner. “So do I,” she said. “Often I see myself as a head priestess so that I am honored by worshippers and am able to instruct them and have them obey me.”
“I didn’t know you had such aspirations.”
“I have even loftier ones. I wish to be the empress some day. Do you suppose that means I hunger for recognition or power?”
“You tell me.”
Pelaxilla paused momentarily, satisfied that she held his interest, then answered, “I would say so. Yes, I aspire for glory. The longer I am at the court, the more that prospect appeals to me. I feel as if I’m beckoned to become her. Don’t you think I’ld make a good one?”
“Such talk is foolishness, Pelaxilla.”
“Yes, but entertaining.”
“Also dangerous, if anyone hearing you takes it seriously.”
“They know I say it in jest. You haven’t told me if I would make a good empress.”
“Must you persist? How should I know?”
“Well, I think I would. There is a seductiveness in ordering the ladies of the court around, in being attended at my bath, in having all my cares and desires provided for. Yes, I would take a fancy to that.”
“You do persist.”
“Really, Ahuitzotl, I only pretend. There’s no harm in it. I well know my wishes are but dreams. You’re the one who is too serious about it.”
“Perhaps, but if so, it’s because your pretensions closely mirror certain realities I grapple with daily. For this reason, I’m probably oversensitive about it.”
“What realities?”
“Nothing. Forget what I said.”
Pelaxilla was taken aback by the abrupt manner in which he cut her off; yet his defensiveness fueled her curiosity—she had obviously struck a raw nerve. “As you say, Ahuitzotl,” she continued. “Apparently what I consider merely frivolous has some serious overtones for you, but I have no desire to pry into your personal affairs.”
“Then don’t!”
“You don’t have to get irritable about it,” Pelaxilla reacted critically. “If I offended you, I apologize for it.”
“These things you talk about, what you wish for and pretend to be, make me uncomfortable, not only because your are at risk for saying it, but because I am guilty of having similar damaging ideas. But there’s a big difference between us—to you, it’s merely playing,”
Tlalalca was right, Pelaxilla thought in her amazement. The implication was clear, even if Ahuitzotl had not come right out and actually said it. She was convinced that whatever was going on, he was a crucial element in it.
“It isn’t to you?” she pressed on.
“I’ll speak no more on the subject. Stop your prying.”
“Very well,” Pelaxilla said. “At least I learned what some court ladies say about you is true, and I appreciate that.”
“What do they say?”
“That you are ambitious and will go to great lengths to get what you want. Some say you are vain and seek the adulation of others.”
“And you like that.”
“Yes I do. I prefer someone who professes high-minded goals to one who is content to let things be as they are. There is a drive in such men—something very stimulating to me. I find myself attracted by the aura of excitement that surrounds them.”
“I didn’t know you felt that way.”
“See what you can discover when you open yourself to someone? You should tell me more about yourself—it may surprise you what I think.”
“Perhaps.”
“Will you tell me what your plans are?”
“There are no plans, Pelaxilla,” he sharply reproved her. “Let the matter rest.”
She had to be careful, Pelaxilla thought, so as not to draw erroneous conclusions about what he imparted in the course of their conversation. All she really knew was that Ahuitzotl admitted to having thoughts suggesting a possible desire for the crown, and even this was vague. She knew nothing in terms of details—certainly nothing concrete to relate to Tlalalca. Clearly he had no intentions of revealing any more about this and she decided not to press him further. In time, she would discover more.
As for Ahuitzotl, he thought their entire exchange perplexing and was trying to reconstruct the topics discussed which led up to what he deemed a careless disclosure on his part. He had never previously
