Ahuitzotl. Herb AllengerЧитать онлайн книгу.
sons in the returning squadrons and discovered they were not among them. Although male children were born for battle, and significant honor was attached to their falling in war as this assured one’s place in Tonatiuhichin, the East Paradise of the Sun, there remained the initial horror all parents feel upon learning that they will never again see their sons until this deprivation is reconciled as being for the greater good of all things ordained. They bore their reversal in fixed solemnity, restrained by the knowledge that they would receive no sympathy from a crowd which believed their sons had arrived in a happier place, and intent on contributing to the general spirit of celebration so as not to mar the gaiety of the event.
Zozoltin and his warriors were placed in strong wooden cages, each one holding up to four captives, hastily assembled from various storage areas and located in the central plaza. Certain townspeople were assigned to feed the Tolucans at regular intervals and to replace their waste containers, a task by no means regarded demeaning because, as potential sacrificial victims, the prisoners attained a somewhat sacred status as divine messengers to the gods and deserved good treatment. Nevertheless, a few guards were kept around them in case there should be an attempted escape, however remote that possibility existed.
Before being dismissed, the soldiery gave up its armaments to collecting quartermaster sections which amassed them for storage in arsenals to be duly refurbished and prepared for the next campaign, and soon everything returned to a state of normalcy except that the Acolhuas stayed for the night and would not resume their journey home until the following day. The work of the commanders, however, was not finished. There remained the usual grievances to be heard, the recommendations for awards to those warriors who distinguished themselves, the assessment of the battle plan to determine where it had been effective and where it proved faulty, and there were the special tribunals which had to be ordered to sit in judgment over those who were accused of cowardice before the enemy and other military crimes, such as failure to obey orders, dereliction of duty, insubordination, malingering, or so on. Ahuitzotl directed these affairs from the headquarters complex; after listening to the reports of his chieftains, he told them he would evaluate each one and make a decision on them in the succeeding days and then dismissed them, except for Tlohtzin who remained in consultation with him.
“A strange case we have on Motecuhzoma,” he said to Tlohtzin.
“How so, Lord?”
“Contradictory. Certainly his bravery was exemplary—in that respect his conduct is beyond reproach—yet he broke the battle order, led the assault on the temple priests, and, according to a number of sources, was most averse to stopping his men from ravaging Toluca, even after my orders to do so. What do you say to this?”
“As to the first charge, I would say his actions demonstrated good initiative—something we should place more emphasis on.”
“Not when it entails a disruption of our tactical plan. Discipline is what differentiates us from our opponents—from the top levels to the lowest so that every facet of a battle can be controlled. Our failings in this at Toluca aside, which must be deemed an anomaly, it is the most basic factor leading to our successes.”
“To be sure, but his motivation—coming to aid Lord Tizoc will provide a solid case for him and could lead to embarrassment for anyone charging him with misconduct for this.”
“What of the other charges?”
“Who makes them against him?”
“His division commander, not that this makes a difference.”
“It doesn’t. I just thought for a moment that it might have been you.”
“Would that have offended you?” Ahuitztol asked, curious over Tlohtzin’s response.
“When you consider all that happened that day, yes. You had the occasion to relief our heavily pressed center but delayed in doing so. Indeed, I had suspicions you actually desired that the Revered Speaker would be killed or captured. Whether this is so I don’t know, but if it is, it would be no less a violation of our military codes than those alleged against Motecuhzoma.”
Ahuitzotl blushed over the insinuation but ignored additional references to it. “It’s not my conduct that’s being disputed, but Motecuhzoma’s,” he said. “What is your recommentation on the charges against him?”
“He is new to his duties. Novices are reluctant to force decisions on their men which are seen as unpopular. It takes time for a youthful commander to develop the inner strength and fortitude to lead authoritatively.”
“You were not asked to plead a defense, but for a recommendation. What do you advise?”
“Dismiss them!”
“On what grounds?”
“Mitigating circumstances. His squadron was not the only one to commit wanton outrages, nor was he alone averse to stopping his warriors from their, ah, diversions. Why single him out to bear the brunt for it? Either we share in this burden or we disdain from seeking scapegoats for it.”
“That may not satisfy his division commander.”
“If it doesn’t, it creates a dilemma for him. Can he swear before the court that he issued specific instructions prohibiting attacks on Toluca’s civilians? If he did not, then what is the basis of his charges against Motecuhzoma? And if he did, why are his other squadrons, equally guilty, not accountable for it?”
A smile came to Ahuitzotl; such an order was rarely given as there was no expectation of the abnormal brutality that had occurred in Toluca. “I can see him squirming,” he mused. “We shall have to save him from the indignation he will undergo. I will recommend a dismissal of all charges against Motecuhzoma, but we must find a new assignment for him. It’s counterproductive for anyone having to retain a member of his command against whom he has initiated charges. That creates uncertainty about issuing more orders to him and weakens one’s ability to lead.”
“I agree. Do you have one in mind?”
“He will be assigned to this headquarters—to become my personal aide.”
As Motecuhzoma’s future was being determined at the headquarters, another conversation was underway in the royal palace between Nezahualpilli and Tizoc. Although he never would have thought that unfavorable circumstances could stand between him and a truly good friend, Nezahualpilli found his association with Tizoc strained as a consequence of the events in Toluca and their discourse suffered accordingly. Tizoc was keenly aware of his colleague’s reservations, knowing the cause for it, but refused any allusion to this, realizing he could not negate what the gods had ordained, and repressed it, however difficult. The future of someone else was being decided.
“What will you do with Zozoltin?” asked Nezahualpilli.
“What we agreed to from the start,” replied Tizoc. “He shall be offered to the gods.”
“I thought perhaps, as a king, you might allow him to fight for his freedom upon your new ceremonial stone. It’s an honorable gesture considering his courageous performance against us.”
“We give him ample honor by sending him to the gods.”
“If you say so. When?”
“In twenty days, during our festival to Tlaloc. I trust you will attend the rites.”
“If that is an invitation, of course.”
“You know it is. You’re unduly formal, Nezahualpilli. We’ve always been good friends, and I had believed we understood each other, but tonight you make me feel as if I am imposing on you. Since when have you needed to ask for an invitation?”
“I’m sorry, Tizoc. The Toluca affair has placed a barrier between us and it will take time to remove it. I ask you to abide with me until I’m able to recover from my inhibition.”
“It weighs heavily on me. I shall have problems enough facing our people once they learn of what happened, but to also suffer the scorn of friends, that will make my burden unendurable. I appeal to your sense of justice—afford