Naamah's Blessing (70 page)

I felt like cheering. Clearly, the fellow had not forgotten that Balthasar had threatened to report that the commander had deliberately withheld information that would have assisted the Dauphin of Terre d’Ange.

Beside me, Bao chuckled.

Thierry de la Courcel gazed up at the Aragonian commander, a slow smile spreading across his lean, sunburned face. “Ah, the demands of diplomacy!” He gave a gracious nod. “By all means, Commander. We would be grateful for your aid.”

In remarkably short order, our remaining goods were redistributed among the pack-horses and our company mounted.

After travelling so many leagues on foot, it felt strange to sit a horse. We travelled at a steady jog. I had to stifle a laugh at the sight of Eyahue jouncing in the saddle, his skinny legs dangling and his scrawny elbows akimbo as he sawed ineffectively at the reins, his mount sidling sideways and tossing its head in protest.

“Hold tight with your thighs,” I advised him. “And use a gentle hand on the reins.”

The old
pochteca
glared at me. “I’d sooner a woman’s thighs gripped me, lady! I’ve a gentle enough hand with
them
.”

I smiled. “So I hear.”

Eyahue snorted.

“It puts me in mind of the first time Tortoise tried to ride a horse,” Bao said, eyeing him. “Remember, Moirin? Only Eyahue sits more like a bag of sticks than a sack of cabbages.”

“I remember.”

Our eyes met. We had so very many shared memories between us, Bao and I. Some were wondrous, and some were terrible.

Some were both.

“Poor Tortoise,” Bao said softly.

The remainder of the journey passed swiftly. After so long away, even returning to Tenochtitlan with its splendid, bloodstained temples and its mighty causeways felt like somewhat of a homecoming. I’d thought that the commander would wish us to lodge in the Aragonian stronghold, but it seemed that under the terms of his agreement, he was to escort us directly to Emperor Achcuatli.

Indeed, our approach had been noted, and a reception awaited us in the temple square beneath the rows and rows of hollow-eyed grinning skulls in the
tzompantli
. I could not help but steal a glance at them, and breathe a sigh of relief to find no fresh offerings among their ranks.

The Emperor himself was seated atop a gilded dais beneath a feather canopy, clad in the full regalia of his office, golden sandals and all. A faint smile touched his lips at the sight of me, and I felt myself flush.

At an order from one of the Emperor’s attendants, we dismounted and approached on foot, the Aragonians remaining behind.

Beneath his feathered canopy, Emperor Achcuatli inclined his head ever so slightly. “Prince of Terre d’Ange,” he said to Thierry. “I am pleased that the gods have spared you. I welcome you back to our city.”

Like Diego Ortiz y Ramos, Achcuatli had withheld information that would have benefited Thierry, but there was no hint of apology in his voice. Unlike the Aragonian commander, the Nahuatl Emperor
could not be dismissed for creating a potential diplomatic incident with an ally nation of long standing.

And I daresay Thierry understood it, for he bowed deeply in reply. “Your majesty, I thank you for your hospitality and for your generous aid.” He gestured at Eyahue and Temilotzin. “Without your clever
pochteca
and your brave and loyal warrior, my countrymen would never have found us.”

“I am pleased.” The Emperor took stock of our meager baggage and our ragged, threadbare condition. “I fear your long journey met with little success. Have you aught left to trade?”

“No, your majesty,” Thierry said candidly. “We have a few goods with which to return to Terre d’Ange. But we have gained knowledge, and that is more valuable than gold. And we have… that is, most of us have… returned with our lives, on which no price can be set.”

“Your people place a great value on life,” Achcuatli observed.

“I do not value my life above any other man’s,” Thierry said. “But I have a duty. I would live to see it done. I owe it to my people.”

“That is spoken like a true ruler,” the Nahuatl Emperor said in approval. “For as long as you wish, you will be my guests. You will rest and refresh yourselves in the palace of Tenochtitlan.” He jerked his chin at Diego Ortiz y Ramos, hovering in the background. “When you are ready, the men of Aragonia may have the honor of escorting you on your journey to the city by the sea that they have built.”

Thierry bowed again. “Thank you, your majesty.”

Emperor Achcuatli rose and descended the steps of the dais, attendants sweeping the path before him with handheld brooms. His gold-plated sandals clanked with every step, but he managed the descent with practiced dignity. He paused before me, his obsidian eyes glinting. “It has been over a year since you departed,” he remarked. “And yet I found myself thinking of you and dreaming of flowers, thousands upon thousands of them. And so I ordered the offerings of flower and honey to Xochiquetzal, goddess of desire, to be continued in your name. I do believe they pleased her, for here you are.”

Again, I flushed. “You honor me, your majesty.”

Once more, he inclined his head ever so slightly before stepping into the litter that awaited him. “We will speak later.”

When the Emperor’s litter was receding across the square, Bao raised his brows at me.

I raised mine back at him. “I did not ask for this.”

“No,” he said. “And yet it seems to find you anyway, Moirin.”

SEVENTY-SEVEN

E
mperor Achcuatli was generous.

Our entire company was lodged within the vast walls of the palace. Attendants brought us all the food we might have desired. They stoked the fires of the
temazcallis
that we might sweat the grime of our long journey from our pores, and brought clean attire to don afterward. Rendered indolent by luxury, we spent three days there.

On the second day, the Emperor sent for me.

“You don’t have to go, Moirin.” Bao wore his shuttered expression, his face unreadable. “You could refuse to meet with him.”

“Is that what you want?” I asked him. He didn’t answer. “If it is, I will,” I added. “Only tell me.”

Bao sighed. “No. He’s given you no cause to refuse.” He rumpled his unruly hair. “Just…”

“I won’t,” I promised.

He frowned at me.

“Stupid boy,” I said fondly. “Whatever lies behind this, it’s not Naamah’s prompting, at least not on my end of the matter. That means I am free to choose.” Sinking my hands into Bao’s thick, springing hair, I pulled him toward me and kissed him, feeling our
diadh-anams
intertwine. “And I choose to be faithful to you, my husband.”

His expression eased. “Oh, aye?”

I kissed him again. “Aye.”

As it transpired, the decision was not entirely as easy as I reckoned it would be.

Summoned by Lord Cuixtli, I met the Emperor Achcuatli in the gardens. As we had done before, we strolled them together, gazing at the blooming flowers and the birds in the aviary, familiar strangers trailed by a horde of attendants. The Emperor kept his silence and I kept mine, waiting for him to break it.

It took some time.

“Since we were together, I have been unable to stop thinking of you,” Achcuatli said at length, his tone formal.

“I am honored,” I replied truthfully.

He turned toward me and laid his hands on my shoulders. “I ask but one more night before you go. Your husband may have his pick of my wives this time since the last one did not please him. And I will give your Prince of Terre d’Ange what he desires. The prince came here seeking glory. What he salvaged from Tawantinsuyo is a pittance. He seeks trade rights on equal footing with those I have granted to the men of Aragonia, does he not?” He gave a sharp nod, gazing intently at me. “I will see to it that his ship rides low in the water beneath the weight of Nahuatl gold and
chocolatl
beans. Whatever you desire. I will take it on trust that the favor will be returned. Only say yes.”

Ah, gods!

If Thierry were to return from his ill-fated expedition with a full hold of trade goods from Terra Nova, he would win considerable glory.

I wanted that for him. I did. I wanted it for all of us. A triumphant return would be validation beyond reproach. And it was not as though I found Achcuatli unappealing; in fact, it was quite the opposite.

But I loved Bao, and I had made a promise to him. Given his pragmatic streak, he would forgive me sooner or later. I was not sure I would be able to forgive myself.

I looked away. “You flatter me, my lord,” I murmured. “You flatter me, and you tempt me, too. But I must say no.”

Achcuatli’s hands fell away. “You’re sure?”

I nodded. “I am.”

To my surprise, he smiled. “So it is not true, what the men of Aragonia say of your people. You are not willing to sell yourself at any price. That is good to know. I was uncertain.”

I scowled at him. “You were
testing
me?”

“Peace.” The Emperor held up one hand. “Either answer would have pleased me for different reasons. I have already decided that I wish to engage in trade with your nation. The balance of power has shifted since first your prince came to our shores. Now that our people are no longer falling by the thousands to the spotted sickness, we are able to stand stronger against the men of Aragonia.” He paused. “I note that the one who taught our
ticitls
is no longer among you.”

“No,” I murmured. “He perished in Tawantinsuyo.”

“It is a pity.” Achcuatli resumed his stroll, and I kept pace with him. “We owe him a great debt.”

Since it was true, I said nothing to gainsay it. My heart ached a bit for the man Raphael de Mereliot could have been. “If you had already decided, why did you wish to test me, my lord?” I asked instead.

“I wished to learn more of the nature of your people,” he said. “As your prince said, knowledge is more valuable than gold.”

“There are those who would have taken the offer,” I said. “Would you have thought less of me if I had?”

Achcuatli shook his head. “As I said, it would have pleased me for different reasons.”

“Would you have told me that you intended to open trade with Terre d’Ange regardless of my answer?” I asked.

He gave me a sidelong glance, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. “Of course not. I would have let your people believe that your women are irresistible to the men of the Nahuatl Empire.”

At that, I had to smile. “You are a clever man, my lord.”

Emperor Achcuatli gazed into the distance. “Since the coming of the strangers from beyond the sea, I have had to learn to rule in a new and different way. The world has changed, and we must change with
it. The old ways are not always the best ways.” He walked in silence for a time. “I have spoken with the priests regarding the words you spoke to me before. It is their belief that the goddess Xochiquetzal spoke through you. Do you suppose such a thing is possible?”

“I suppose a great many things are possible,” I said. “It is hard to know the will of the gods.”

He nodded in agreement. “This is true. But I believe that they need their people to remain strong. Strong in spirit and strong in numbers, no longer fighting amongst ourselves for glory and sacrifice, but standing strong together. To that end, I have made new allies amongst former enemies.” He glanced at me again. “That should please you, I think.”

“It does,” I said. “But what you told me was true, too. When the gods thirst, sometimes blood
is
the only sacrifice.” I swallowed involuntarily, reliving the memory of Cusi’s blood spilling over the stair. “I wish it were not so.”

“Perhaps it will not always be so,” Achcuatli said gently. Reaching out with one hand, he ran a few strands of my hair through his fingers, then leaned down to kiss my lips. “Now go, and return to your husband.”

I went.

Following the pull of my
diadh-anam
, I found Bao in a palace courtyard, sparring with Temilotzin. Both men were stripped to the waist, sweating in the sunlight, Temilotzin wielding a new obsidian-studded club and grunting with frustration as he tried in vain to either get inside Bao’s reach or splinter his elusive bamboo staff. I held my tongue, fearing that if I interrupted them, there would be bloodshed.

“I cannot believe I am having such difficulty defeating a man with a
stick
,” the Jaguar Knight complained, and then he caught sight of me and stayed his hand, lowering his club. “Ah! Hello, my little warrior.”

I smiled at him. “Hello, Temilotzin.”

Bao turned. “Moirin.”

Mayhap it was petty of me, but the studied neutrality of his tone galled me a bit. “Emperor Achcuatli made me a considerable offer,” I
informed him. “One we did not expect. In exchange for a single night with me, he is willing to grant trade-rights to Terre d’Ange. You may have your pick of his wives, since the last one did not please you. As a token of his trust, he will fill the hold of our ship with gold and
chocolatl
until it wallows in the water under the weight of its cargo.”