Uprise of the Rebellious Princess

It's A Man Part 1

A sudden chill reached his limbs. As he tried to cuddle, his hands blindly stumbled as they searched for her. His arms stretched reaching for her, but no success either. Yacanex found Atotoztli was no longer with him. A swift blast of worrisome made him snap out of the dream world. As he opened his eyes, he returned to this earthly world. He remained lying, as his eyes made sense of things surrounding him. His impatient head seek her, his body lifted into a seating position with legs crossed. And then an almost imperceptible sound came from behind a column.

He stood up, but the coldness of the morning reminded him of his nudity. For a brief moment he halted, but again heard a soft and delicate sound. So he tip-toed through the room of the ancient temple and around the cracked, dusty column. She found her in her bare nudeness, with her elongated back that contracted into a narrow waist that gave way to the glorious prominence of her broad buttocks, framed by the solid curvy hills of her thighs. Atotoztli leaned forward while on her knees. As he drew closer, he saw the map unfolded on the dusty floor.

His foot crunched a dried leaf. Atotoztli turned quite surprised, accompanied by a short but deep gasp. Yacanex just smiled at her reaction, which he found cute. She smiled too in relief.

“Don’t you laugh” whispered Atotoztli, “I nearly fainted.”

“Am I that hideous, my love?” Yacanex whispered back.

Atotoztli giggled as her hands caressed near her own neck. Then she whispered sweetly, as her big almond eyes slowly swept his body up and down, “Oh my love, there’s nothing foul with you. Believe me.”

She stood up, gently. Yacanex had a stunning display of her body. She proudly presented her breasts outward, her torso went up, her legs, and finally her womanly corners. Their arms reached, holding their hands as the drum music from both their hearts pulsated through their veins. A sudden chill that slowly crept from the lake outside reminded him of why he woke up. His eyes turned towards the opened map on the floor. Before he uttered any word, she spoke.

“You were right, terrible events are yet to come for your country,” said Atotoztli, with great concern. “I expect you don’t mind me reading the map.”

“No, of course not! Not at all! Actually I am grateful you recalled the map, especially after this night.”

A sassy smile was drawn on her semblance while she giggled a bit. They were the kind of womanly giggles that resonate sweetly in a man’s ears –contagious by its very nature. He chuckled as young boys do. For quite a brief moment, they stared at each other reading every face expression or eye movements. Again, a chilly draft, making both to cross their arms while curving their body. They snapped from their love trance back to reality. As she turned down towards the map, Yacanex noticed her worried eyes. He approached Atotoztli, and his hand embraced her shoulder with much care. She turned back to him, with a fragile semblance soaked with mixed sentiments. Her eyes were filled with tears that relentlessly resisted leaving her almond eyes. Her nostrils widened, her lips tightened dearly, and her eyebrows were submissive to a stinging torment that surged from the core of her heart. Yacanex remained confounded as to what had her in that state. She turned once more to the map but swiftly returned her head with eyes shut, her mouth was open as attempting to shout in mute.

He embraced wholeheartedly, and as both their nude but warm bodies touched, he said slowly, “What did you read on the map, my love?”

“A future so dreadful!” shivered Atotoztli. “Days to come so wretched, that I dare not see them come –less have courage to speak of them.”

“Affecting my people?” asked Yacanex, puzzled as to why it had such an impact on her.

A heavy tear took a long sad trail over the softness of her young tanned skin.

“Affecting you –and me –and everybody,” Atotoztli continued, with utter defeat in her trembling voice. “There is no future for us, Yacanex. Nothing awaits but the void, desolation, and death of the heart.”

“So the map is about –” Yacanex could barely say it, as he remained in a state of confusion. “You say, you and me –How can the map –?”

“Listen, my love,” said Atotoztli in desperation, “The map talks about large schemes. It explains political changes, in which apparently I play a role so basic and stupid that seems to be fit only for a woman. Typical!”

“Wait, it talks about you? The map says something about you?”

She sobbed for a moment but then attempted to regain composure again, even when her semblance looked so frail.

“You were right when you told me yesterday in the pond about vast changes swayed by Xolotl. But the end result of it all was the only detail you missed deciphering. The last stage of their novel order of the world –it all ends with me.”

“With you?” asked Yacanex, “Of all people?”

“Yes!” she wept.

“How come?”

“I am not surprised. Not at all!” Atotoztli said, “I, for one, am the most coveted woman in this earthly world. I – I did not name myself with such a –a pretentious title. It was rather the day-by-day depiction of me ever since I abandoned my doll-playing days. Such label have been ingrained, chiseled, and stuck into my being. Growing without my mother gave way for everyone to rampantly fill my head with such vain ideas. And now that I think it more profoundly, they unwillingly had the opposite. Their constant worship of my beauty made me who I am now, a woman with higher expectations than banalities that weather off with the passing of time. Their eyes’ superfluous admiration for my face and body encouraged me to aspire for deeds by which I can be remembered by in posterity – where no eyes are required.”

Yacanex felt a strange sensation where this conversation was heading, and for this his amorous heart grew scared. She sighed and headed towards the map, and sat next to it. Her long pitch black hair dropped over her left shoulder down to her left breast until it touched her lower abdomen.

“It all ends up with me,” she uttered with a soft and concerned voice. A melancholic gaze swept unhurriedly over the large map. Her mouth and eyes were immersed in all seriousness. Then, she nodded decisively.

Yacanex wanted to say something, anything that could help her cope. But he did not know exactly what she needed. So he approached her and sat nearby, as he analyzed her afflicted semblance. When he grasped her hand with much sentiment, she suddenly snapped out of her gloomy state. Her eyelashes blinked hastily, and her black eyes searched until they found his gaze. He felt a bit relieved, as Atotoztli found at least some solace in his eyes. He felt useful.

“Oh, my love! Is it any good to know of things to come?” said Atotoztli, “Of despicable moments that approach us unimpeded? Is it better to know in advance in order to dodge the treacherous blow? Or shall we let our impotent hearts ignore the imminence of looming suffering?”

“I reckon it would be best to share those miserable moments with someone that could stand next to you with unrestricted support.” He replied.

“I wouldn’t want it otherwise,” she said while two of her fingers traveled once more through the red and white lines that went up and down through symbols. “But –They want to separate us. And they will ultimately do so, just to fulfill their plans.”

“Us?” he questioned with much amazement, “Is that what you read in the map?”

“Yes!” Atotoztli replied as a tear readied its way to drop from her eyes, “All because they want me to marry someone else. It is laid down here. Can you see?”

“I see, but I don’t understand these symbols,” Yacanex said worried, as his eyes tried in vain to comprehend.

“This is my name in written word,” explained Atotoztli. “The two bird heads are linked to a small flinted knife, and all underlined by the elongated water symbol. These three symbols, atl –tototl –itztli, is read and understood as Atotoztli.”

“When you lay it out it makes sense, but you do have to accept one can also read it as Iztliatototla,” Yacanex said.

“Yacanex, bear with me,” she said, as a silly smile briefly escaped from her anguished face. “My name is linked with a line of tiny footprint symbols to this other name.”

“That symbol caught my attention for some reason, ever since I laid my eyes on this map!” said Yacanex, as his fingertips touched it.

“It is a name,” Atotoztli said, with an earnest voice and bearing anguished eyes, “It's a man.”

A sudden burst of jealousy sparked through his limbs. An unwanted heat flamed inside his guts, eager to furiously pop out. He tried to control himself and nodded erratically. He lifted his eyes away from the map and looked at her. She seemed genuinely disturbed as well.

“Who is he?”

“It is someone I know,” she said with much delicacy as she could, carefully trying not to harm his feelings.

“Oh, so you know this man?” Yacanex asked as he started to feel annoyed by this individual.

“It is actually a young man, which has been lately roaming persistently at the Palace.”

“A young man!” Yacanex stated ironically. “And that is supposed to make me feel better?”

“I told you it was going to be difficult to understand. This is actually excruciating for me as well.”

Yacanex wanted to say something but preferred to remain silent fearing he could say anything regrettable that could hurt her feelings. He took his hand to his face and squeezed it over and over, almost strangling it. He calmed at least a bit.

“You see these legs? They stand for ‘tzin’,” Atotoztli said. “And this figure which is above the legs? Although it is too worn, I can distinguish the oval top of it. It appears to be the written word for drum. Huehuetl and tzin –Huetzin. They are referring to the same I know, I bet.”

“And they want you to marry him?” asked Yacanex, “Who wants this?”

“These orders come from Xolotl himself,” said Atotoztli as she took the map to examine it closely. “You see, the written word is artistically refined and well-ordered in its layout. And it is an original, not a hasty copy intended for archival purposes in a library. I am afraid that all laid out in this map is true.”

“Does the map has more?”

“My arranged marriage seems to be the end of their plans, although there’s a reason why they want it to happen,” Atotoztli said as her fingers followed the red and black lines. “You see here?”

“Yes, those darn dots were confusing for me and my comrades back at Tepetlaoztoc,” Yacanex said with impotence.

“They are not dots, they are symbols for maize fields. For some reason, the tlacuilo that wrote this map decided to represent the corn on the maize fields as rectangular dotted bars.”

Yacanex jumped towards the dotted maize symbols and watched them with terror.

“What is it?” asked Atotoztli bewildered.

“They are fenced maize fields! Of course!”

“That would make sense. But how did you know?”

“They are building long fences at Tepetlaoztoc and its surroundings lands,” said Yacanex. “We already know some will to keep animals away from the locals. But more fences are still under construction.”

“Yacanex, listen to me, this is all part of their major plan,” said Atotoztli. “They are still constructed and held under the authority of Tlotzin –”

“Oh, yes we know, we deciphered that part” Yacanex interrupted.

“And did you know that Tlotzin –by orders of his grandfather Xolotl and the support of his father Nopaltzin –will relinquish that authority sooner or later?”

“Wait! Tlotzin just received this land by decree of the Chichimec Domain”, explained Yacanex, “Until a few days ago it was a communal land. How come Tlotzin is relinquishing it so fast?”

“By right, my cousin Tlotzin received those Eastern lands in the form of a heirloom when he married Pachxochitzin, daughter of Quauhatlapal, a Tlatoani of the Chalco realm. The Confederacy of Chalco agreed to the marriage in order for them to preserve certain self-authority under the Chichimec Domain. The offspring from their union is to receive Chalca and Eastern territories, which are contiguous land anyway. That is why they are preparing their third offspring, Quinatzin, to become the heir –even though he is just a teenager. This deal applies to the Eastern lands and mountains, except for Tepetlaoztoc and its vicinity. For a communal land to become property, it had to be taken by a Domain-only family member directly linked to the Huey Tlatoani. My cousin Tlotzin Pochotl, being the grandson of the High Ruler Xolotl, was perfect. No one complained.”

“So that’s how Tlotzin appropriated of those lands,” said Yacanex.

“Yes!”

“But they are to be given to someone else.”

He saw her finger being put decisively over a black line. Her eyes were concerned, her lips tightened with anguish, and her face afflicted with burden. That grieving face turned to him, as her delicate finger remained over the map.

“To Huetzin!” she said with a voice carrying the heavy burden of sorrow, “Who else! He will ultimately receive the lands pertaining to Tepetlaoztoc and its surroundings.”

“But if he gets all these lands, why the need to marry you?” Yacanex asked, with honest bewilderment in his mind.

Atotoztli sighed and said, “He may be a Tecuhtli of Coatlinchan, grandson of the recently deceased Tlatoani Tzontecomatl, and heir-apparent, but his altepetl never had a presence in your communities. Even when they coveted them for so long. They need to strengthen his upcoming authority over the town of Tepetlaoztoc and its villages.”

“They?”

“They –the High Ruler, Huetzin’s father Tlacotzin, my father. Especially my father! Just about everyone at such spheres of power,” Atotoztli said. “Coatlinchan has never received any sumptuous endowment from Xolotl. If the Domain decided it was time for doing so, they needed an extra push to bolster Huetzin’s presence in the Eastern lands.”

“Why not an army?” said Yacanex, “Why you?”

“Any army, trained warriors, or even a single spear-carrying macehualli can be immediately mustered under his orders if they see an endorsement from the Tenayuca –and from the ancients as well,” Atotoztli said. She slowly stood up, still nude, and walking across the chilly room she continued, “I am that endorsement. A descendant from the revered Tollan-Xicocotitlan bloodlines of old married to him by authorization from Xolotl’s Domain. With this thrust, not only will he be able to take Tepetlaoztoc under his rule free of worries, but the road will be prepared for him to hold the prestigious rulership of the altepetl of Coatlinchan –which is Colhuacan’s sister city, by the way.”

“So they need you,” said Yacanex, “You are part of their plan.”

“And without my consent, or any knowledge for that matter,” said Atotoztli, as she took her wrinkled white long white dress, with her forearms poised to put it on.

“And what will you do?” asked Yacanex, with profound concern about whatever steps she will take. He felt impotent, for he was out of the loop at the moves from such high levels. He was surely angry, especially because he was out of place. He felt he was inside a game of power he never asked to be, and that no one has ever even accounted him into. It was like having high-stake bets at a patolli game he wasn’t even playing in. The poor man from Tepetlaoztoc believed he loses the more from such a game. He sensed his biggest disadvantage at this point was to be a nobody amongst big players of such stature. He could not think correctly. His mind was lost as to what his proper course of action ought to be – there was no move he could do, no voice to protest with, nor any family of worth which could back him up. He gazed at her, nervously awaiting her answer. Sad thoughts kept inundating him.

Atotoztli stopped dressing. She took the dress back, grabbing it from both sides with her hands, and turned towards him still without her clothes on.

“Don’t! Do not think whatever you may be imagining,” she sternly said. Then she began to slowly walk towards him with a harsh semblance, “You know me, better than anyone. You have seen my heartfelt feelings. Your body felt the inside of my body. You have strolled amongst my ideas and viewed my dreams for the future.” Yacanex was muted, as she approached with much confidence and stature. He did not know what to say. “Do you?” asked Atotoztli severely, “Do you know me, Yacanex?”

“Yes.” He answered a bit calm, but cautious.

“If you know me, what will I do then?” Atotoztli dared him.

Yacanex thought for a moment. He tried to put himself in her position and into her way of thinking. For a fleeting moment, he made her past his own, her present his day-by-day life, and those wishes of her future as if they were of his own. For a moment, Yacanex was the Cihuatecutli of Colhuacan –with the frustration to have such nobility from yesteryears running in his veins while living under the charading yoke of foreigners and misogyny. He felt the agony of desiring liberty while being trapped in a woman’s body. He felt the solitude of not knowing love, and suddenly grasping it. Her unloving family was for that moment his unloving family. The complexities, the contrasts, and the paradoxes of her life were his own during that brief moment. He was Atotoztli –what would he do? For that fleeting instant, he was the most beautiful woman in the world, with aspirations to change that very same world.

A sudden luminescent burst,

Detonates oh so perennial,

That fulgurates the answer’s force,

Booming from his mind’s navel.

Thus, epiphanies smack thoughts so coarse.

Yacanex felt slugged so fiercely,

That his innate faculties tuned,

Mental sharpness flowered timely

To foresee as he once enjoyed,

The augur’s joys of outlooks so sly.

With the brazen epiphany,

And the return of a lost gift,

He pondered to Atotoztli,

That her sole actions meant a rift,

His answer was: ‘A fight so cruelly!’

‘That swiftly, the world to love would shift.’

Her air of harshness fumed away,

Though her beauty was never gone,

High over him, smile on display,

At last, amid hardships to come

Alas! The imminent blows to pay.

She pressed her bare breasts, nude still,

Strongly with her clasped crinkled dress

She uttered with soft but stout will,

‘Until stars shut their eyes!’

‘Until the moon falls down!’ He replied with thrill.