RIVERS OF BLOOD STREAMING IN THE WAKING LIGHT
Coaxoch turned the corner with Amimitl who snarled as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "What is this about? You woke me up at dawns light so this had better be good!" Coaxoch sighed as they moved down the street. "You weren't sleeping the woman on top of you was proof enough of that." Amimitl grunted aloud. "Well I could have been…." He turned another street. "Look what is this all about?!" Coaxoch came to a stop next to the house which was surrounded by warriors none of them dared to come any closer to it. "I've had the people moved to another area there was no need for any one of them to see this until its all been cleaned up." Amimitl stopped still looking at the dried blood which was staining the stone floor and the window frame.
He slowly eased his axe up as he came closer seeing a pool of dried blood seeping out from under the door. He breathed in eyeing it and then the bloody trail that was going up the street away from him. "What the hell is this!?" Coaxoch looked down slightly. "One of my hummingbird warriors found it this morning…sadly it gets worse." Amimitl slowly opened the door looking in side only to pull back in disgust. "Oh great we have a psychopath who likes to cut people up and pull out their insides." He quickly closed the door. "This is just what I don't need right now!" Coaxoch shook his head as he looked in side the house again. "What ever happened here I believe it was more than just a murder."
Amimitl looked at the bloody window. "I can see where your coming from I saw gold and gem stones on the floor next to the fallen table. Some one was making some kind of deal." Coaxoch nodded slowly. "You are only half right sadly, one of these men was one of your warriors, we could tell by his headdress. The other two weren't though they were from the feathered serpent realm." Amimitl felt his teeth grind together. "So our man was betraying us to these scrum bags and then some one stepped in and took all three of them out." He sneered in disgust. "Killing one of our people is forbidden, since all traitors to this city are to be captured and brought in front of our god so he can pass his final judgement up on them."
Coaxoch sighed aloud. "Yes I believe so, but what I don't understand is why they did not take the gold for themselves out of spite. They took nothing they didn't even ram sack the house, the only thing that's missing is the dog." Amimitl turned sharply. "The dog you mean one of those small things with big ears and a tail?" Coaxoch nodded. "Yes our warrior had a dog I saw its food bowl inside." Amimitl growled aloud. "I hate those little things, they bite your ankles. "He breathed in sharply. "Do we have any witnesses?" Coaxoch slowly met his gaze he didn't like what he was going to say next. "Yes…but they want to talk to you and not me for reasons I don't understand."
Amimitl watched as a priest and priestess came towards them followed closely by two warriors, he knew them both all to well. It was Ixtli and Olin, who despite leading very different temples spent a lot of time together, ether bickering or talking. There weren't liars though but they did like to over exaggerate every now and again. He folded his arms as he eyed them. "Coaxoch tells me that you witnessed this event?" Olin nodded slightly. "Yes we did." Amimitl grunted aloud. "Did you see the person who killed these men, up close?" Ixtli swallowed as she adjusted her robe. "Close enough yes…" Amimitl put a hand on his chin. "Then tell me what did this psychopath look like?"
Ixtli turned slightly meeting Olin's uncertain gaze, she took a deep breath before turning back. "It was the Blood Jaguar." She breathed in hearing everyone around her fall silent. Even Coaxoch was staring at her the shock showing in his glowing eyes. Amimitl laughed causing everyone to turn to look at him. "You can't honestly be serious can you? She is not in any condition to kill anyone!" Olin turned to look at him. "She is not lying! We both saw her walk out of that house right there and you can't mistake her anywhere. The long sun coloured hair and glowing green eyes really give her away! She was covered in blood and she started to lick it of the bone dagger she was holding! On top of that she was…"
Ixtli turned sharply. "Olin they don't need to know about that!" Amimitl looked up sharply. "We don't need to know about what, please tell me more?" Olin growled aloud. "She was getting high sexually on it!" Amimitl pulled back, he coughed clearing his throat as he met Coaxoch glowing gaze. "This is preposterous!" Coaxoch shook his head. "We should not doubt them nether of them are lying I can see it in their faces. It could have been an impostor posing as her or it could have been her." Amimitl turned sharply. "Are you telling me that something may have gone wrong with her resurrection?" Coaxoch slowly eased up his hand. "We can't discount that…and if it was her then we no longer need to question her killer instinct." Amimitl groaned as he turned to look at the other warriors. "Move it all of you I want all this cleaned up! Document everything and if you find anything bring it to Coaxoch at the main keep!" He watched as they sped in to action, he put a hand on his face this was going to be one hell of a day! How in the hell were they going to explain this to their god?
8
Xena slowly moved up the inner keeps steps she carefully eased the Aztec bag with Gabrielle's skull inside over her shoulder. She could see the first rays of sunlight breaking through the sky lighting up the city bellow. She turned meeting Itzli's gaze. "How long till we get to his city?" Itzli looked up slightly. "A few hours maybe more…." He walked slowly over to the winged golden horse taking hold of the reins bringing it over to her, he'd put on its saddle and its tack some time ago. "Your horse is ready for you." Xena eyed Argo who snorted. "Where's Gabrielle's horse?" Itzli lowered his gaze feeling the slight twinge of pain go through his chest. "It died not long after she did. It was bound to her by blood and it could only live if there was living blood running through her body."
He looked over at the skeleton close by which had been neatly piled up. "Once she's brought back to life it can be brought back as well. Until then it'll just be a skeleton without its soul." Xena let her gaze drift over the horses bones she hadn't noticed them the last time she'd been outside but the truth was she hadn't noticed much of anything her mind had been to focused on her anger. She slowly turned to meet his gaze. "Funny I just expected it to be alive, I'd gotten used it despite how odd it looked." Itzli eased up his hand patting the golden animal's nose. "I think your horse misses it to, it wouldn't leave the bones alone it stood over them for a very long time while you were in your sick bed."
Xena slowly took hold of her Argo's reins she raised her hand stroking her mane. "I'm sorry girl I know he was your friend." Itzli shook his head realizing that she was talking to the horse. "What is it with you and talking to animals I don't get it?" Xena turned to meet his gaze. "Argo has saved my life many times I think its only fair to treat her as my friend." Itzli raised his eyebrow. "Ah, well that makes more sense." Xena moved putting the map in the saddle she moved her hand realizing that the last godly item was sticking out of one of the saddle packs. "Did Gabrielle change the bags around before she left?" Itzli nodded. "Yes she moved everything over including her other bag, the one that has scrolls in it."
Xena moved quickly over to her lovers scroll bag opening it and began to rummage through the scrolls. She could see now that the younger woman had left most of her scrolls with Cyrene no doubt for safe keeping until they both got back. Itzli walked forward coming to stand next to her. "What are you looking for?" Xena carried on shuffling through, most of the scrolls were ether notes or half written and unfinished. She finally caught sight of what she'd been looking for a scroll tied with a gold ribbon which was hidden away in the inner pocket she eased it free looking at it. "I'm looking for this." Itzli eyed the scroll. "What's so important about that scroll?"
Xena looked at the scroll. "It's one of her private ones, all the rest have silver ribbons but not this one." She ran her fingers over the ribbon. "It's about our first night together she never let's this scroll out of her sight." She pulled out the other opened scroll which her lover had left for her from the Aztec bag. "If she can't remember writing this letter to me before her death, then she may remember this." Itzli watched as she put both scrolls in to the Aztec bag and then closed the scroll bag. "It's a possibility but take in to mind she may not remember anything and even if she wants to she might not be able to." Xena sneered slightly. "Well I have to try something anything to make her remember that she loves me and not that bastard!"
Itzli raised both hands as he stepped back. "I meant no disrespect I'm just saying it may not be as easy as lighting as torch of flames." Xena looked up slowly. "I wish I had that other scroll." Itzli narrowed his gaze as he looked at her. "Which scroll is that?" Xena smiled sadly. "I had a beautiful scroll written for her." She breathed in sharply. "It was a poem I didn't write it, I didn't know how, so I got one of her favourite bards Sappho to write it." She lowered her gaze feeling the sadness as it hit home. "I pestered Sappho for three days by the end she was so angry with me. She wrote this beautiful poem and I gave it to Gabrielle as a birthday present."
She felt her hand grip the saddle tighter. "I wish I could remember all the words I can only remember the first two lines. There's a moment when I look at you. And no speech is left in me." Itzli looked up sharply feeling his whole body freeze. "I know those lines I've read them before." Xena felt her hand slowly form a fist as she turned to look at him. "What!?" Itzli slowly folded his arms. "They are on the statue that's dedicated to Gabrielle, which is in one of the market squares in my god's city. It's mostly full off carving of her exploits in Mexica, but at the very top under her main image are the words you just said, followed by, my tongue breaks. Then fire races under my skin and I tremble. And grow pale for I am dying of such love. Or so it seems to me."
He raised his hand slowly. "When she went to see my god I went down to look at the carving because I'd never seen it before because I'd been away from Mexica for so long. I was being a little selfish I wanted to see if they'd carved my name in to it, which they had. "He shook his head. "I saw those words under her image and I had no idea what they meant, so I asked someone." Xena slowly narrowed her gaze. "What did they say?" Itzli breathed in deeply. "They said that no one had any idea why those words were put there. Even the artists and builders who carved it and painted didn't know. They were just told by my god to put those words under the main carving." He lowered his head. "Now I finally realize why there, there."
He slowly put his hand on the dark haired woman's shoulder. "That was your beautiful poem, and the only way my god could know about it is was if he took your gift for himself. He no doubt wishes that it was his poem and that he wrote it for Gabrielle." Xena pulled away from him feeling the anger suddenly burn in her stomach before she could stop it. "That's my poem! Do you know what I went through to get her that!?" She ran a hand through her hair feeling the frustration. "I put Sappho through Tartarus I shadowed her while she was writing every single word! Do you know why? Because I wanted every word to say what I felt, and I had no idea how to write it!" She snarled aloud. "Then that bastard Huitzilopochtli steals what's mine by right and tries to pass it off as his own!"
"I'm sorry I don't mean to interrupt."
Xena turned sharply seeing that Xochipilli was standing close by she breathed in trying to calm herself down. "What is it?" Xochipilli eased up the scroll in his hand as he walked towards her. "You need this, it's a scroll which shows you how to create the correct patterns on Gabrielle's skull." He watched as she took it. "It's very important." Xena eyed the scroll for a moment before putting in the Aztec bag. "I'll read it when I get to Huitzilopochtli's city." She grabbed hold of the reins as she pulled herself in to the saddle. "Thank you for everything." She turned watching as Itzli got in to the saddle behind her. "If I come back alive I might thank your sister and her charming partner Chantico."
Xochipilli looked up slowly. "You shouldn't mind Chantico, she's always been like that manners are not her strong suite." Xena tapped Argo slightly feeling the war horse move forward. "I noticed." Xochipilli eased up both his hands. "She can be very nice once you get to know her, she just has a thing about showing any form of soft emotion in front of others, she think that it makes her look weak." Xena turned to look at him. "No it doesn't it makes you stronger." Xochipilli laughed as he met her ice blue gaze. "Well when you return you should be the one to tell her that." Xena felt a smile creep across her lips. "I'd like to be the one to tell her that." Xochipilli watched as she kicked the horse causing it to go in to a gallop.
The golden animal leapt of the keeps edge spreading it wings as it went in to full flight. He watched as it flew over the city its feathered wings shimmering in the sun light. He looked at his hand soon he would have to go and face Huitzilopochtli, but not just yet he needed to give them time to land and set their plan in to motion. The truth was that he was terrified of going back to that city he had spent so long avoiding this confrontation. He felt his hand form a fist, he knew it would happen one day but it had never filled him with happiness only dread. Despite that Huitzilopochtli was kind to his people now he had never been known for his patience with the other gods and that was what scared him the most, he knew all to well what it was like be faced with his dark and violent side.
8
Akemi opened both eyes slowly feeling her self groan, her body still ached. She turned over in bed pulling up the covers higher. She'd hated Aztec beds ever since she'd gotten here, they were hard as rock. She missed the luxurious Japanese bedspreads with their bamboo frames and thick sheets of silk and highly decorative patterns. She tensed sharply she wished she hadn't had to go to bed but she couldn't help it, sleep had been calling her for so long. She had just given in to it, she had never liked sleeping mostly because of the nightmare she suffered from which tormented her. She would never escape the seventh hell that was certain now.
If she never remembered it during the day it would still be her tormentor at night. She leaned over only to stop in mid motion as she realized that she wasn't alone. She turned seeing a pair of glowing red eyes in darkness she snarled realizing that it was Ehecatl. He was watching her from a seated position close by. She looked up trying to adjust her clothing which she slept as she met his glowing gaze. "Get out of my room!" Ehecatl put both hands together, it was a guilty pleasure and he hadn't been able to stop himself. He wanted to see what she looked like when she was sleeping. It seemed odd that this woman who was full of anger and hate could look so peaceful in her dreams.
He looked up feeling her gaze burn in him. "I'm sorry I was bored and I wanted to be in here rather than in your main room." Akemi felt her teeth grind together. "I have hundreds of scrolls to read how can you be bored!?" Ehecatl raised his hands. "You set them all up so beautiful I didn't want to ruin your order it seemed so perfect." Akemi narrowed her gaze as she sat up throwing the cover off. "So you thought that you'd just walk in here and watch me sleep! You know I don't know what's worse, hearing you use that excuse or seeing your bony carcass!" Ehecatl looked up slightly. "What is it about me that you hate? Is it my looks? Or is it that I'm the only person in a long time who you've spoken to?"
He shuffled on the stool as he looked at his hand. "Is that I show you compassion and you don't like that because you don't like letting people in?" Akemi eyed him for a long moment before turning away. "I see Aztec demons like you in my nightmares and they are always pulling out my insides and eating them." She turned meeting his gaze. "That is why I don't like you." Ehecatl laughed slightly but it was a sad laugh. "I may look like those who tormented you in the seventh hell sadly it is something I can't change." He raised his skeleton hand looking at it. "A hundred years ago I was a young handsome warrior with so much to give."
He moved his skeleton fingers. "Now I'm just a nightmare who can feel everything and touch nothing. I have watched thousands fall and I was never given my freedom. I wasted my life in the pursuit of getting my living flesh back, I know now that it would never have happened." He grinded his jaw bone in annoyance. "Like you I've seen the eyes of a demon, its just I have to look in to them everyday when I see my reflection." He looked around her bedroom for a long moment. "I don't sleep unlike you and I get bored which is why I'm here in your room right now." Akemi eyed him for a long moment before looking at the pendent around her neck. "I wish I could stay awake all night like that…then I would never have to dream about the seventh hell…."
Ehecatl looked at her catching a glimpse of pain in her eyes which vanished as their eyes met. He turned away shaking his head as he put his hands together. "How ironic the skeleton warrior who would give anything to know what it was dream and the mighty warrior who wants to never dream again as long as she draws breathe." He looked down wishing he could smile. "I would never have guessed." Akemi looked down hearing a long silence draw out which made her feel slightly unnerved. She didn't like this feeling at all maybe because it had been so long since she'd felt it, it was the feeling of someone getting under her skin and trying to break down the emotional walls which she'd kept in place for so long.
She didn't want people inside them! She didn't want them to see how weak she was, or how weak she had been. How she'd had no strength to stand up to her father Yodoshi who she loved to hate. He had taught her how to hate with every blow to her face. He had taught her to fear and to draw in to herself with his displays of malice and strength. He had also taught her how to draw strength from pain and punishment and to focus on things when the lights around her felt like they were fading. He had taught her so much and most she had never wanted to know. She didn't want anyone to know that when she had first met Xena that being dominated by the Warlord had been joyful as much as painfully in the bedchamber.
She didn't want anyone to see the pleasure she experienced from it because of the dark place it had come from. The shadows with in were never kind they were cruel they always made you remember things you didn't want to. In the same way they were doing now with this skeleton warrior, who was breaking through her defences. She stood up feeling the anger burn in side her stomach. "Is this your pitiful attempt at trying to get to me you bastard?" She leaned forward. "Is it that you want to see me crack in front of you and weep!?" Ehecatl looked up slightly unfazed by her burning gaze it was a look he'd seen so many times before in his life.
It was the look of someone who was afraid to let others in and couldn't stand it when anyone got to close to their heart. They saw themselves as weak if they let anyone see a glimpse of their true self with its soft emotions, which seemed so lost even to them. It was a look he had worn for most of his un-dead life until he had come to accept his skeleton appearance. He looked at her as he stood up. "You don't need to be angry I know what it's like for you." Akemi narrowed her gaze. "You don't know what its like, how could you even fathom what its like to be me!?" He took a slow step towards her seeing the uncertainty appear in her eyes for a split second. "Because I have been you a thousand times over."
He slowly stepped back seeing the emotion leave her face as became unreadable once again. He shook his head sadly as he walked away from her. "I'll let you get dressed and cleaned up." He turned meeting her dark gaze which remained unmoving. "I'll have your breakfast ready soon it'll be on the table when you're ready." He turned walking away from her ignoring her eyes which followed him out of the bedroom. He wished he could smile because this was a victory, a small one but was one none the less. He had caught a glimpse of the Star Coyotes true self for only a spilt second, yet that was probably more than anyone else had ever seen during the whole time she'd lived in Mexica.
End of part 61
Silvermoonlight
