Читать книгу The Emperor's Men 8: Stormy Heavens - Dirk van den Boom, Emmanuel Henné - Страница 6

Inocoyotl hated waiting, at least as much as he was used to do it. It was one of the prerogatives of great rulers to keep anyone waiting who was not of the same rank, and no matter how many Mayan kings existed, the number of rulers who were actually accepted as equal was not great. If you were king of one of the big cities, not somewhere in the province but of a real center of military, economic and political power, then lower kings had to endure until they were called, and nobody was allowed to show any impatience. In this, a Mayan ruler was no different from a king of Teotihuacán, and so he endured what was to be endured.

K’uk’ Bahlam, King of B’aakal, was one of the great ones. After Inocoyotl arrived in the city and had been received with great respect, he had waited a day for the Lord to address him. During this time, he had been granted the freedom to take a look around this metropolis and quickly learned that there were only a few cities besides B’aakal and Mutal that had achieved this size and wealth. K’uk’ Bahlam was a ruler who was very aware of his dignity and power. At the same time, however, it was he who had invited to this conference, and since he wanted something, he was not half as distant as one would have expected him to be. The King of Popo’ had arrived before Inocoyotl, and he was of roughly the same rank and standing as K’uk’, but the other rulers, although they governed only small spots, were treated with respect and appropriately. Inocoyotl might represent the great Teotihuacán, but he was not a king, and so it was only right that he had to wait.

No problem.

He had used his time.

The rumors about the strange messengers of the gods had been fleshed out during his stay. It was difficult now to dismiss everything as a web of fancies. Inocoyotl became friends with the thought that his gracious divine ruler had sent him here at a time when something very, very strange was happening. He had the greatest respect for his king and had no doubt about his wisdom and foresight. But he would have some questions after his return, if his master was in a good mood. Meztli might even reveal on his own if all of this was indeed mere coincidence or intention. Inocoyotl, at any rate, felt he was in the right place at the right time, and as much as he believed in divine will, he trusted the fact that sometimes a king knew more than his faithful servant.

Maintaining the good humor and mercy of his king depended not least on the success of his mission. Inocoyotl had the problem, however, that he did not know exactly what should be considered a success. He was deep in thought in the waiting room, far from bored when a servant called for him to enter the audience chamber.

He thanked and followed the man.

K’uk Bahlam’s chamber was not large. But the king himself was, a massive man with a nose so dominant that Inocoyotl for a moment forgot his manners and stared at them involuntarily. He was not expected to throw himself on the floor. He represented a power that even the highest Mayan kings had healthy respect for. However, the ambassador was not lacking in deference. He bowed deeply and did not straighten up until Bahlam asked him to sit down.

The king was not alone. A clerk sat next to him and would record the most important aspects of the conversation. B’aakal was known for its carefully kept archive. And next to the king sat a second man of dignified appearance, dressed in similarly magnificent feather headdresses. Inocoyotl couldn’t be sure, but he assumed that this was the king of Popo’, whose name he hadn’t heard yet. It was sometimes difficult to keep track of the Maya. They had so many important rulers.

But if the rumors were true, there were efforts to change this.

“Greetings to the envoy from Teotihuacán,” boomed Bahlam’s deep voice. “Sit down and tell us about your great lord.”

Inocoyotl bowed again and took a seat. Since the Lord of Popo’ didn’t seem to be communicating with him, he turned his attention to the jovial figure of Bahlam. However, he was not fooled by this. Bahlam’s body was large and soft, but his will was harder than the best obsidian.

“Noble King, noble majesties, I send you my lord’s greetings, and I’m delighted to see you in the best of health. The friendship of my lord and king is unbreakable, and his blessings accompany you. Teotihuacán sees you as a family, and we are united by a bond that stretches through the ages. Thank you for the friendly welcome, the kind hospitality and the opportunity to step in front of you.”

K’uk’ Bahlam’s broad face grew even wider, as his lips twisted into a smile, thus expressing his benevolence. “Thank you, ambassador. It is an astonishing coincidence that you appear here at the exact time when a major crisis is looming, and I have called a gathering of dignitaries to discuss this.”

Inocoyotl kept his composure. It was remarkable that Bahlam had exactly the same thoughts as the envoy himself. His respect for the massive man grew a little more. “A coincidence, indeed. I only heard about this meeting on my way here.”

“So you weren’t sent directly as an observer, as a participant in the deliberations?”

“No,” Inocoyotl said the truth. “My mission was of a more general nature. I should strengthen relationships with our friends, the Maya, and visit many cities. It was not my specific job to attend this conference; I knew nothing about it and neither did my master.”

He wasn’t so sure about the last claim, but of course he couldn’t show that.

Bahlam nodded. “But then you hurried here.”

“It seemed appropriate to me. Am I welcome?”

Bahlam laughed. It was remarkable what tremors the brief outburst caused on his body. “A lot. The gods look benevolently down at us. We could use the help of our generous friend, your king, someday.”

Inocoyotl said nothing and just bowed. He knew that he had extensive powers. His king might support whatever he said here, even what he didn’t think was right, just to save his face. In such a case, however, the head of his envoy would no longer be sitting on his shoulders too securely once he returned. Inocoyotl quite liked the current position of his head. He had to be very careful. “I’ve only heard rumors so far, noble majesties.”

“It started with rumors. But it is now much more than that.”

“Do you want to inform me?”

“That is the purpose of this gathering.” Bahlam rose.

Inocoyotl immediately wanted to do the same, but the king waved him off. The flexibility with which he was able to move was amazing, as if all the fat on his bones were actually muscles. Inocoyotl frowned. Indeed, there may have been more muscles than it appeared. He didn’t want to face the man in battle. The outcome could be surprising.

And Inocoyotl was really attached to his head.

Bahlam spread his arms and spoke. “Many weeks ago there were the first indications that amazing things had happened in Mutal. They spoke of messengers of the gods that would have appeared one day from heaven, brought by a strange vehicle, a metal container of impressive size, which the temple crushed among itself. We didn’t take these rumors too seriously, they sounded a little … hysterical.”

Inocoyotl just grunted. Who would blame Bahlam? That was his first reaction to the story. Visions of priests who had given themselves to chi too intensively and wanted to impress gullible people to demonstrate their usefulness.

“But then these rumors grew as our own informants began to confirm them in their reports. Indeed, something extraordinary has happened in Mutal. And any doubts we might have had have been cleared up by recent events that you probably haven’t heard of.”

Inocoyotl nodded promptly. “I’m listening, high king.”

“And attentively, as I observe. Good.”

Bahlam walked through the room during his lecture, driven by an inner unrest that now seemed to be transferred to Inocoyotl. He had to hold on to himself not to jump up. The one who remained completely uninvolved was the lord of Popo’. He had even closed his eyes. “Our dear brother, the king of Yaxchilan, has always been a man full of ambition and confidence. He used a victory over a neighboring town to fuel enthusiasm for a campaign against Mutal, and he managed to find two valuable allies in this regard, the lords of Saclemacal and Tayasal. An impressive army marched toward Mutal, and although this city is so big and powerful, I wouldn’t have given much of its chances of a successful defense.”

Inocoyotl said nothing. The Mayan habit of constantly attacking each other was well known in Teotihuacán. His own king was very pleased with this practice. Mayan kings in battle meant that none of them could ever pose a serious threat to the Eternal City. So they should keep pounding each other’s skulls. Inocoyotl found this a very reasonable attitude. The description presented to him thus so far corresponded to what he had to expect from the current power politics of this region. “What happened?”

“Mutal prevailed. The king of Yaxchilan is dead. Thousands of prisoners have been made.”

“One hears a lot about the power of Mutal’s warriors,” Inocoyotl said, unable to hide the fact that he was somewhat proud. Mutal’s current dynasty was founded by a noble Teotihuacán who had led one of the last great campaigns in this region. It seemed that some of his people’s energy and ability had been transferred to his offspring. If a Mayan state was honored by Teotihuacán, it was Mutal.

Bahlam knew that, of course. And he was a polite man. “Indeed, envoy. But all reports speak of magic weapons that brought great destruction to the attackers, thundering sticks from which invisible arrows shot, and large fires that spontaneously spread like magic. They speak of men in strange robes who have conquered the ear and heart of the King of Mutal and a metal vehicle that rests on one of their temples.”

“These reports sound … embellished.”

Bahlam laughed again in his shattering way. The sound came deep from his body and felt like a volcano was preparing to erupt. There was something contagious as well as terrifying.

“My spies are men of the greatest reliability, I expressly admonish them to only report what they hear and see and never to try to interpret these things.”

Inocoyotl believed that the king was extremely careful when selecting and instructing his agents, especially those in Mutal. He was concerned that the truth did not seem to be far from the visions of drunken priests.

“That’s how you called this important conference,” Inocoyotl concluded. “In the visit of the messengers of the gods you see a danger, not a blessing.”

“I doubt it’s messengers from the gods. I have no doubt, however, that they are a danger, except for Mutal itself, and I don’t want to come to a final judgment there either.”

“What is the danger? How do you want to deal with this? Do you wish to attack Mutal? Who should support you?”

Bahlam laughed again, and Inocoyotl imagined hearing respect in the laughter. “Everyone at this conference once wanted to conquer Mutal. Even the mighty Teotihuacán, if I remember correctly.”

Inocoyotl shook his head mockingly, grinning. He started to warm up for this king.

“The problem is not whether and when we attack Mutal, but rather where the king of that city, supported by the messengers of the gods, is now turning his eye. The last thing we heard today, delivered directly by messenger from one of my spies, is this: King Chitam of Mutal’s troops have set out to punish Saclemacal for participating in the attack on Mutal. And everyone agrees that this city will not be the last to fall victim to the campaign.”

“It doesn’t sound unusual. Saclemacal is actually owing tribute to Mutal and has committed treason. That’s how you would act, noble Bahlam, if one of your tributes should orientate himself otherwise.”

Bahlam laughed again, but this time it sounded happier. “I don’t blame Mutal. One small detail bothers me: Chitam, it is said, is now determined not to just punish Saclemacal, to humiliate the king there and replace him with a more pleasing one, to plunder properly and to take slaves – no, the intent is to conquer the city. Permanently. Manage its affairs directly, with no intention of ever granting her independence again.”

Inocoyotl understood. He understood Bahlam’s fears too well. And he remembered why Teotihuacán was so happy that the Mayan kings were fully occupied with their own repetitive trades. Because if this wasn’t the case …

“Chitam is ambitious,” Inocoyotl said finally.

“He or those who stand behind him,” said Bahlam.

“Yes, these strange alleged messengers of the gods.”

“Supposedly or not, the fact that someone with special powers is fighting for Mutal is undisputed.”

Inocoyotl nodded. “And what plan do you have, my king?”

“An alliance.”

“An alliance against Mutal.”

“An alliance to march against Mutal, join forces before it marches against us.”

Bahlam leaned forward, eyes narrowed into narrow slits, and fixed his eyes on the ambassador, who knew exactly what was coming.

“This is a potential danger for the mighty Teotihuacán too!”

“My master is undefeated and invincible,” Inocoyotl said almost automatically, but he still felt a little out of balance. He didn’t want to believe much of what Bahlam was saying. On the other hand, the king was apparently not one who was prone to hasty alarmism. He seemed to be a careful ruler who knew how to assess risks. It was clear that he believed the reports of his agents. And Meztli had sent him, his ambassador, here at that time. The conclusion was overwhelmingly clear.

“Your city is powerful, more powerful than all of us,” Bahlam admitted, trying to sound somewhat respectful, an effort that Inocoyotl rewarded with a smile. “But if this attack on Saclemacal succeeds and turns into a tidal wave, it might be too late for all of us. After Saclemacal, Mutal will logically attack Tayasal or Yaxchilan, one of the other two cities that were involved in the original attack against Mutal. So we have a little time to make our own preparations and to position ourselves.”

“Then we have to think of several strategies at the same time,” Inocoyotl heard himself say, and immediately noticed the satisfied smile on Bahlam’s heavy lips. But now there was no going back for him, he was part of the discussion, and he wasn’t sure if that was wrong at all. There was a feeling of a threat, the magnitude of which could not yet be properly estimated. As diffuse as it sounded, the fear that came with it felt real.

“What do your ideas look like?” Bahlam asked.

“First of all, I will send a messenger to my master with all the information you have just given me. I may have to tell him myself at one time so he can see the urgency of the matter.”

“I want to provide an escort for this man, and he should travel quickly,” Bahlam said, nodding.

“Then I have to inform myself about these things before I recommend my king to join an alliance against Mutal. I cannot step before my master, only armed with second-hand information. I have to see.”

The fat king’s nod again. “I can understand that. It will not be too dangerous if you only act as an interested ambassador for Teotihuacán. In Mutal they are aware of your common history and feel connected to you. Chitam will speak to you, and you will be able to look around. I’ll give you the name of one of my agents, you can meet him on site, and he can tell you his view of things.”

“A good idea, noble king, and I am grateful for it. But you should continue and consider how you try to defend yourself against Mutal. If an alliance is your target and you want to attack Mutal to avoid the looming danger, you need a commander-in-chief. You can imagine yourself taking this office?”

Bahlam looked pensive as if he had never paid attention to this question. Inocoyotl, of course, didn’t believe that for a moment. “B’aakal is the most powerful of the cities that gather here. Popo’ alone can be regarded as equivalent, but the noble ruler has already indicated that he intends to leave the overall command to someone else.”

Inocoyotl’s eyes fell again on the quietly seated man who hadn’t spoken a word before and nodded to him. He got a slightly bowed head to answer.

The ambassador thought that he would not really be able to figure that man out.

But he had expected Bahlam’s answer, and it was now up to him to deliver bad news to the king.

“Noble Bahlam, your request is logical, because B’aakal is the first among the cities we are talking about. Of course, I don’t know yet whether my lord will join this alliance, but let’s assume he sees the danger as you do. When he declares himself as a full member of your alliance, it is clear at the same time, and I say this as someone who has served both him and his father for many years: My great sir will not accept anyone’s command except his own – exercised by himself or through one his generals, whom he will certainly send if he participates in this campaign.”

Inocoyotl bowed his head in a gesture of respect. It was better to address this unpleasant fact straight away than to trigger conflicts later which, if everything was as urgent as described, could have very negative consequences.

Bahlam looked at Inocoyotl, looking neither angry nor disappointed. “Ambassador, you must think I’m a fool.”

“Not even remotely!” Inocoyotl replied.

The rumbling, erupting laugh of the king was heard again. “I have the impression. I assure you, I am not. I am clear about who the king of Teotihuacán is and what rank he occupies in the structure of the world. If … I say it very clearly … if your Lord decides to march against Mutal together with us, I will leave him or his general in command and pray with him to all the gods, ours and yours, that they may give us victory – all of us.”

Inocoyotl felt relieved and confirmed in his good judgment of Bahlam. Truly not a fool. And he had already considered this question very carefully. He bowed again. “A wise decision.”

“I don’t claim wisdom. Security is my goal.”

“Should I take part in your consultations?”

“I don’t make that decision. You are, of course, invited. Your word will have weight. But if you have to make sure that everything I’ve told you is correct, you should leave while there is still the possibility of traveling peacefully.”

“That sounds wise again.”

“And again it’s all about security – yours in this case.”

“The mighty Bahlam’s concern moves me.”

The king liked to laugh, and so he did it again. However, he seemed genuinely amused and clapped his hands.

“Excellent, Inocoyotl from Teotihuacán. You will be attending my banquet that I will be giving to all my guests tonight. And then do as you see fit.”

“I’m traveling, but I’m leaving one of mine as an observer. He will not speak and take no position, but he will be my eye and my ear.”

“So be it. Now you are wise, my friend.”

Inocoyotl smiled softly.

“I just want to be on the safe side.”

Bahlam laughed loudly, with violent tremors in his body, and even the silent King of Popo’ managed to smile. Inocoyotl bowed again and found that the matter had gone well.

Then he left.