Chapter Twelve
Though exhausted after the journey from Bacalar, William was revitalized by the warm greeting he and Priest Quisac received upon their arrival in Dzibanche. Seashell trumpets bellowed and a crowd of cheering citizens followed them the final distance to the King’s palace. Upon entering the courtyard, William felt the bloodstone heating up on his chest, and he sensed happiness emanating from the great ceiba tree, like it was glad to see him.
His attention locked onto Teshna, and his heart skipped a beat. She stood beneath the tree looking like a beautiful exotic fruit hanging from its limb. The Princess seemed frozen for a moment when their eyes met. She was breathing hard, as though she had just run there from a distance away.
“Balam!” she said with a burst of joy, racing up to him.
“I’ve missed you,” William said with a loving smile as they embraced, unable to hide his feelings for her. He held her in his arms, enjoying the warmth of her body against him, feeling the soft curves of her hips beneath her huipil blouse.
“I was so worried,” she said, holding him tight.
Scattered giggles came from girls in the courtyard, tickled by their show of emotion. Priest Quisac cleared his throat to get their attention.
Teshna blushed when she noticed everyone looking their way, suddenly becoming aware of her lapse of conduct. She tightened her demeanor and took a step back. “I am… pleased… that you have returned safely,” she said.
“Indeed,” the Serpent Priest said with a smirk.
“Thanks to Itzamna,” Yax said as he rounded the corner of the northern hallway. He met them near the ceiba tree. “We have been anxious for your return. Tell me, Priest Quisac, do you have the sacred items?”
“Yes, we have recovered the sacred items of Bacalar,” the Serpent Priest said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
“What troubles you?” Teshna asked.
The Serpent Priest moved to a nearby stone bench and sat with a heavy groan. He looked up with troubled eyes, and said, “Bacalar is no more.”
“What?” Yax asked.
“Hey, Will,” Betty said, waving as she entered the courtyard. William waved back.
Yax moved closer to Priest Quisac, looking concerned. “What do you mean that Bacalar is no more?”
Priest Quisac explained the events in Bacalar, and how the surviving priests went to Chichen Itza. “But our goal to retrieve the sacred items and to warn the Itzaes of the threat in this region has been achieved.”
Teshna placed her hand on William’s shoulder, looking anxious to ask him something. “Did you achieve your goal as well, Balam?” she asked, staring at him with intense eyes. “Did you find what you were looking for at the Sacred Cavern of Jade?”
Seashell trumpets blasted from off in the distance, drawing everyone’s attention to the palace entrance. Teshna, on the other hand, didn’t pay attention to the sound. Her eyes remained locked onto William, waiting for him to respond.
“Yes, I did find some answers… but they only lead to more questions,” William said.
“What are you talking about?” Betty asked after seeing the serious look on his face.
“The way back to our time, Betty,” he said. “If we go through the Serpent Passage on the day of the winter solstice, it might send us back.”
Sounds of people shouting outside drew even more attention, and Yax signaled the palace guards to investigate.
“You mean go through that tunnel again?” Betty asked. “But it’s under water! And we don’t have your dive gear anymore.”
“Yeah, I know.” William threw his hands up. “Look, there’s no use worrying about it right now.”
Teshna tugged on William’s arm, pulling his attention back to her. She gestured for him to translate what he had just told Betty. “It’s possible we could return on the winter solstice,” William said in Yucatec-Maya. “But the solstice is months away, and there’s plenty to focus on right here.” William studied the curves of Teshna’s body as he spoke. When their eyes met again he became serious. “I mean… to focus on the coming battle, of course.”
“Yes, of course,” she said with a wink.
William’s attention shifted to the palace entrance as Captain Salmac burst into the courtyard, ordering people out of the way. Guards hurried in behind Salmac, carrying an injured man on a litter, leaving a trail of bloody footprints on the plaster floor as they went. William recognized the man they carried. He was one of the ambassadors from Kohunlich.
“Ambassador Chen-Uk!” Yax said, rushing to his side as they set the litter down.
“They found him near Kinichna,” Salmac said.
A crowd gathered as Yax placed his hand on the dying man’s shoulder, drawing the Ambassador’s fading eyes his way. “What happened to you?” Yax asked.
“Captured on the trail…” Ambassador Chen-Uk said, coughing up blood, “Others taken to Calakmul…” He lost his breath and died with a frozen gaze into the sky.
After a moment of silence, Teshna asked, “What does this mean?”
“It means,” Priest Quisac said, “that they will know we have harvested our crops, and that we are preparing for battle.”
Yax looked worried. “Do you believe they may change the day of their planned attack, Priest Quisac?”
“No. King Aztuk plans around the stars. He also knows that we will continue to weaken over time as our supplies are exhausted. It is to his advantage to wait.”
Chief Etznab plowed through the crowd, his stocky frame knocking people out of his way. “King Stone Frog, this could be used to our advantage. Kohunlich may side with us after seeing what Calakmul did to its ambassador. I say we carry the body back to Kohunlich with a contingent of our nobles and demand help against Calakmul.”
“We may have little choice but to go,” Priest Quisac said, agreeing with Etznab. “Otherwise, they will think that we harmed their people.”
Teshna kneeled beside the dead man and shut his eyes. “Surely Calakmul has done this to turn Kohunlich against us.”
Yax contemplated the matter, while the nobles crammed into the courtyard, along with a fair number of servants and guards. They talked amongst each other about the fallen ambassador, escalating the background noise to the level of a loud restaurant on Friday night.
“Silence!” Yax demanded, quieting the crowd. He shook his head, looking exasperated. The people backed away, opening a larger space around the King. “Yes, we must return the ambassador to Kohunlich and explain this to King Snarl Tooth.”
Teshna stepped away from the ambassador with a troubled look. “Even if we bring the body back to Kohunlich, how would we convince them that we did not do this?” she said, pointing at the dead man.
Yax regarded his sister with confidence. “We must send a convoy with high status, so that King Snarl Tooth will be satisfied that our motives are true. Teshna, you know King Snarl Tooth. Next to me, you hold the highest status. You will lead the team.”
Teshna froze for a moment, surprised by the unexpected order. Yet she nodded, seeming to agree with the logic of his choice. Yax turned to scan the faces around him, selecting others like he was choosing a team for a pickup game. “Lamat, for you have been our chief trade merchant with Kohunlich, and Subiac, for your prior battle history with their king. One of our ceremonial priests shall also accompany the servants who carry the body.”
“They will need protection for the journey,” Chief Etznab said.
“Of course, within reason,” Yax said.
“I will go,” Captain Salmac said, volunteering with a smug look at William.
“As will I,” William said, returning a poised stare of his own back at Salmac. He would have gone anyhow, regardless of Salmac’s attempt at showing him up. Most of all, William didn’t want to be separated from Teshna for more days than he already had been.