Aztec Century (11 page)

‘It looks Aztec,’ I remarked.

‘It was a present,’ he said proudly, fingering it.

‘Oh? From an admirer?’

‘A friend.’ This with the mischievous grin of a child enjoying the privilege of a secret.

‘Is it someone I know?’ I asked.

He shook his head shyly, though I wasn’t sure it was a denial.

‘I don’t know why you’re being so secretive,’ Victoria said to him with more than a hint of annoyance. ‘The captain of our yacht was a Tepanec and he bet Richard that he couldn’t water-ski. The ring was the stake. Richard won the bet.’

Richard promptly jumped up from the table and pretended that he was riding the waves, arms stretched out in front of him, legs wobbling. Victoria laughed indulgently. Of course I knew was a lie.

I had not seen either Extepan or Maxixca since my return from the north, but that evening Chicomeztli came to my suite and told me that Extepan wished to see me at my convenience.

I went directly to his quarters. Mia admitted me with her usual silent poise. She wore an earth-red wraparound skirt with a feather-fan design. An elaborate necklace of polished seashell matched her earrings. I don’t think I had ever seen her look more beautiful.

She took me through into Extepan’s office. He was sitting at his desk, poring over some papers. He immediately rose.

‘Catherine. Forgive me for not being here to greet you on your return. I have had many arrangements to make for the
cihuacoatl
’s visit.’

He spoke in English, motioning me to the sofa near the balcony window. Outside, late evening sunlight, thick with midges, drenched banks of honeysuckle and cerulean bougainvillaea.

He sat opposite me in a Regency armchair, unbuttoning the jacket of his uniform. I declined his offer of drinks, and Mia silently withdrew.

‘I must first thank you for the very detailed nature of your reports,’ he said. ‘Your journey around the country has been a most fruitful one.’

The urgent needs are for adequate food and clean drinking water. Medicines are also in short supply almost everywhere.’

He nodded vigorously. ‘We are already moving on these matters. Before winter comes we shall ensure that repairs to water mains are complete and reserves of food provided in strategic areas.’

I was unconvinced by these vague assurances. ‘I hope you will. Promises are easily made.’

‘I was pleased to discover that there appear to have been relatively few abuses on the part of our armies.’

‘Either that, or people are too frightened to say anything.’

He smiled.

‘Does that amuse you?’ I asked.

‘No, no. It’s not that. It’s your … combative nature.’

‘This wasn’t just a diversion for me. I expect to see something done.’

‘It will be, I assure you. I was merely trying to say that it is good to have you back.’

‘Really?’ I said suspiciously.

‘It is useful to keep busy when one suffers a loss. I remember when my mother was assassinated. I loved her deeply, and it was as though my world had ended. One of my father’s staff brought the news to me. My father was campaigning in Indo-China at the time, and I did not see him for six months. So I threw myself
into my studies. My tutors were astonished with my progress. I was a brilliant, heartbroken six-year-old.’

I was unprepared for these private revelations, and unsure what to say. Above us, Dona Maria Mendizabel looked out from her portrait, beyond all human claims. From all I knew of her, she had been an inattentive mother, being absent on diplomatic missions overseas during much of his brief childhood. I wondered how much he had romanticized her loss. And yet the situation must have been difficult for him when Motecuhzoma had subsequently taken Maxixca’s mother as his principal wife. Maxixca, already four years old, had been an illegitimate child until Doña Maria’s death, since all subsidiary wives had been relegated to the status of courtesans while she was empress. Perhaps Extepan had become even more of an outsider in the aftermath; perhaps he had suffered even more keenly the resentment of the rest of the family. I felt a certain sympathy for him, but at the same time I disliked the parallels he seemed to be drawing with my situation.

‘My husband was killed defending his country,’ I said. ‘For that alone, I’ll always remember him with honour and affection.’

‘And love?’

‘Of course. That goes without saying.’

He gave me a long, appraising stare, and I wondered what he was thinking. Often, when we talked, I felt that there was a hidden agenda on his part, as if our conversations were really about something else. He resembled his mother very strongly, and only then did it dawn on me that Extepan was in fact a Spanish name, a Nahuatl version of Esteban.

‘To other matters,’ he said abruptly. ‘We are expecting the
cihuacoatl
to arrive tomorrow.’

‘Ah. I suppose it’s futile for me to enquire as to the purpose of his visit?’

‘I’ve been given few details. But it is not uncommon for Tetzahuitl to make such journeys.’

‘To newly occupied territories.’

He looked serious. ‘Hardly newly occupied. But if you wish.’

‘I’ll be on my best behaviour.’

‘I shall be grateful for that. I have already spoken much of you in my communications with Tenochtitlan.’

‘I gather you went there in March.’

‘My father wished to see me.’ He did not elaborate. ‘I’ve spoken highly of you, Catherine. You may find this difficult to believe, but you are one of the few people I feel I can speak candidly to. And even trust.’

‘Don’t make that mistake. I’ve nothing against you personally. As far as I know, you’ve treated us all fairly. But you’re still my enemy. I still intend to fight you in every way I can.’

He was not ruffled by this. His brown-rimmed eyes regarded me calmly.

‘I expected you to say no less.’ He sounded almost rueful. ‘You speak your mind, and so I am able to understand your position. There is a basis for trust in that, yes?’

‘Since you’re so fond of me,’ I said, ‘I’d like to ask a favour.’

‘By all means.’

‘I want to set up a complaints centre. An office or bureau that will undertake to investigate citizens’ grievances about any matters arising from the occupation.’

Extepan mulled this over. ‘That is a wide brief.’

‘It must be completely free of Aztec control. I would report directly to you.’

‘You would take charge of this … office?’

‘I think it might give people confidence to express legitimate concerns, without fear of reprisal.’

‘Very well.’

‘You agree?’

‘It sounds like an excellent idea. For security reasons, you will have to be based somewhere close by, and I would have to insist that at least one member of my staff is present at all times to ensure that the office is not being used as a cover for less … desirable activities. But otherwise I can see no obstacles to such an arrangement.’

I barely hid my surprise. I had not imagined he would agree so easily, if at all.

‘There is one small condition.’

I might have known. I was already shaking my head, but he said, ‘I simply want you and your sister to be present when the
cihuacoatl
arrives.’

I was silent.

‘I promise you we can edit your presence from any news footage, if you so wish.’

‘I’d prefer you to say I was forced to attend.’

He did not rise to this. Will you agree?’

‘Only if you give the complaints centre full publicity and make it plain that this was my price for being there.’

He considered for a moment. ‘That should be possible. Of course, we shall phrase it more diplomatically than that. Now, was there anything else?’

I could think of nothing. I shook my head.

‘Then I must press on with the arrangements for the
cihuacoatl
’s visit.’

He led me to the door of his office. When he opened it, Mia was standing directly outside.

The ship was a sleek ultra-highspeed carrier with slashed-back wings and a raised delta tail. A humid wind blew in across Heathrow as it came in from the west with a fierce whine, decelerating rapidly down the main runway, tiny support vehicles chasing it at a safe distance, bathed in the brilliant golden radiance of its wings.

I stood with Extepan and the others on a dais which had been constructed in front of the terminal building. A host of Aztec dignitaries had turned out for the occasion, among them Maxixca, newly returned from Scotland and a model of military smartness in his tan and gold uniform. Richard was resplendent as the Commander of the King’s Guard, while Victoria and I wore black skirts and bodices. It was a sultry day, and I was uncomfortably hot.

The great ship touched down safely and shut down its main engines. The perimeters of the runway were crammed with security vehicles and guards, and there was not another aircraft in the vicinity. Normal flights from the airport had been suspended for the entire afternoon.

The carrier taxied slowly towards us, its wings already dimmed to a matt black in which the conduction channels shone like copper arteries. The sunburst emblem was bold on the nose of the craft, and its flanks gleamed in the hazy sunlight. It came to a halt and its engines died.

There was a mood of tense anticipation on the dais, and everyone was fidgety with the heat. Kenneth Parkhouse and his manicured cabinet looked more nervous than most, but even Extepan was not his usual composed self. Which wasn’t entirely surprising, since Tetzahuitl had a formidable reputation.
Unusually for Aztec noblemen, he had never married or fathered any children, instead devoting himself utterly to the furtherance of Aztec power.

A stairway was wheeled out to the carrier, and we descended the dais and lined up at its base. Richard and Extepan were at the head, myself and Victoria next in line, followed by Maxixca, who looked aggrieved that we had taken precedence over him. Of course, that was just my suspicion: he always looked sour to my eyes. The hostility I felt towards him was strengthened by my suspicions regarding Alex’s death. It was perfectly possible that Alex had been captured during the invasion of Scotland, then executed by Maxixca simply to revenge himself on me. It would have been easy for a man of his position to cover up the fact and pretend it had been an accident. Already I saw him as an implacable enemy who would do anything to injure us.

A doorway irised open in the carrier’s flank, and a small avalanche of emerald-uniformed guards poured down the gangway. All were armed. They formed a cordon from the base of the stairs to Extepan.

It was almost an hour before Tetzahuitl emerged, and by then I was nearing the end of my patience. Apparently the delay arose because the
cihuacoatl
disliked flying and entered a deep meditative state for the duration of any flight and was slow to rouse himself from it. I was more inclined to believe he was playing power games with us.

At length, a figure appeared in the hatchway, standing alone. For a man in his late seventies, Tetzahuitl was remarkably unbowed by age. Though short by European standards, he stood erect and alert. He wore a black cloak trimmed with a silver geometric motif. His iron-grey hair was tied up in elaborate knots adorned with clusters of purple feathers. He looked like an exotic visitor from another world.

For a moment he paused and scanned the horizon, his eyes seeming to drink in everything he saw. As he began to descend, Extepan stepped forward while a guard of honour tossed marigolds and white roses in his path.

Extepan dropped to one knee. Tetzahuitl touched him on the upper arms, raising him up. Extepan then began a formal greeting by saying how greatly they were honoured by the
cihuacoatl
’s decision to visit, what an auspicious day it was for everyone concerned, how he hoped that Tetzahuitl continued to enjoy the best of health and remained in full command of his inestimable powers. He was certain that the
cihuacoatl
’s arrival would uplift the hearts of everyone who served him, and he trusted that his stay would be as comfortable, fruitful and enlightening as it would undoubtedly be glorious.

By Aztec standards, it was a brief encomium, and Tetzahuitl replied equally briefly that he continued to be blessed with great reserves of physical and spiritual strength, that it was highly pleasing to be able to visit a son of the
tlatoani
and even more pleasing that his feet should tread on the sacred ground of England, whose people had contributed much to the march of civilization. He had come with an open heart and mind, eager to see and to learn, thankful that Huehuetecuhtli – another Aztec synonym for God – continued to grant him a respite from death so that he could make such travels in his dotage.

As with all such greetings, it was highly stylized, the words uttered without effort, almost by rote. From an early age, Aztec noblemen were thoroughly schooled in the art of speech-making.

‘Permit me, then,’ Extepan said more informally, ‘to introduce you to the Royal Family of the United Kingdom.’

Tetzahuitl spoke little English, and his introduction to Richard was limited to an exchange of titles and Extepan translating Tetzahuitl’s comment that he was honoured to be greeted by the king of a great nation. Richard bobbed his head and smiled but said nothing in return. He looked embarrassed and out of his depth.

Already Tetzahuitl had turned to me. His eyes were dark and depthless, and they did not waver. He wore a small gold nose plug in his septum and gold circlets in his ears. His prominent nose and arched eyebrows gave him a haughty look. I saw that the silver motif on the hem of his cloak was not abstract but consisted of stylized human skulls.

‘This’, I heard Extepan say, ‘is Her Royal Highness, the Princess Catherine.’

‘Ah, yes.’

Tetzahuitl’s head was tilted back, so that he seemed to be squinting down his nose at me. I had the disorientating feeling
that he was towering over me, even though I was three or four inches taller.

‘You speak our language, I’m told,’ he remarked in Nahuatl.

‘Up to a point,’ I replied.

‘You’re a student of our culture.’

‘More so now than ever.’

I saw Extepan glaring at me, warning against saying anything too sharp or challenging.

But Tetzahuitl was unruffled.

‘I shall look forward to talking with you later,’ he informed me.

A brief introduction to Victoria followed, and then he turned to Maxixca, who instantly bowed.

‘We have been heartened by the news of your efforts on our behalf. Your father is proud. You have served us well.’

He was obviously referring to the swiftness with which Maxixca had accomplished the conquest of Scotland; the planting of false information via ALEX had done little to stem the tide, so overwhelming was the superiority of the Aztec forces. Maxixca, almost meek beforehand, immediately straightened, and I could see him making an effort not to show pride. I thought I caught a look between him and Extepan as Tetzahuitl moved on.

I had imagined we would fly back to London after greeting the
cihuacoatl
, but instead we were ceremoniously taken down to the Underground station, where a special train was waiting.

‘Where are we going?’ I asked Extepan.

‘Kew Gardens,’ he told me. ‘It is at the
cihuacoatl
’s express request.’

We took dinner in front of the Palm House, seated at a long table draped in white linen, the evening sunlight warm and mellow around us. With their passion for flowers and all things green, the Aztecs had taken care to ensure that Kew Gardens had survived the invasion unscathed, and it was said that a squadron of soldiers had held out there for three weeks because the Aztecs would not countenance an attack. Finally they had been starved out.

Aztec plant technologists had been sent to London after the invasion to join the existing team at Kew, and Tetzahuitl was
given a lengthy tour of the research centre, inspecting new varieties of cereals, fruits and, of course, flowers. Aztec advances in plant engineering had turned the northern Mexican deserts into vast grain-growing regions, further strengthening the empire. The
cihuacoatl
was well known to take a personal interest in all new developments.

We dined on
ahuacatl
cocktail, followed by a mélange of spiced fish with peppers, aubergines and sweetcorn. Tetzahuitl took only vegetables and fruit; he did not eat meat of any sort, and also abstained from alcohol. I was seated opposite him at the table and had watched him closely since his arrival, continually wondering whether his constant look of disdain reflected real emotion or was simply a mask of office. After eating he smoked a thin-stemmed pipe filled with aromatic tobacco, responding briefly to the conversational forays of others but showing no inclination to engage in small talk. Yet his eyes were active: they constantly scanned the table, as if he could learn everything he wanted to know about a person simply by watching and listening. Presently, as if to amuse Richard, he took an
ahuacatl
stone and twirled it through the fingers of his hand before it vanished entirely. Then he plucked it from behind Richard’s ear.

Richard was predictably delighted, and begged for more. Tetzahuitl took the stone and rubbed it between both his palms. When he opened them again, the stone was gone and in its place, as if it had been transformed, was a piece of
chalchihuitl
, the variety of jade which the Aztecs still prized as much as gold. Tetzahuitl presented it to Richard while everyone applauded fulsomely. The
cihuacoatl
was supposedly descended from Nezahualcoyotl, another great sorcerer, though any stage magician could have duplicated his sleight of hand.

‘Did you like my trick?’

Tetzahuitl was addressing me.

‘It served its purpose,’ I replied. What interested me more was that his face had remained expressionless throughout; he was a man well used to hiding his thoughts and feelings.

‘I’ll take a walk now,’ he announced. ‘Perhaps you would care to accompany me.’

A request or an order? I wasn’t sure. He rose and offered his
arm. Though I was suddenly afraid to be alone with him, I knew I couldn’t refuse.

His arm in mine, we began walking towards the Palm House. Several soldiers moved to accompany us, but Tetzahuitl waved them back.

His assurance and arrogance angered me. As soon as we were out of earshot of the others, I said, ‘Aren’t you taking a risk?’

‘A risk?’

‘Being alone with me like this? Don’t you know I’m your sworn enemy? Perhaps I have a hidden knife.’

He didn’t even look at me. ‘If I were to be assassinated by a princess of the realm while walking in these gardens, I would be quite amazed.’

‘Do you think I’d be afraid to do it?’

‘I think perhaps you might like to. But the desire is one thing, the means and the enterprise quite another.’

He paused on the steps to light his pipe, still not deigning to look at me. Blue smoke wreathed his feathered head. He seemed an impossible figure in such surroundings. I felt both furious and foolish.

‘Let me assure you,’ he said, ‘I don’t underestimate you in the slightest. But look there. And there.’

He pointed towards the pond, in which ducks floated, then at an ornamental hedge in front of the Palm House. There were snipers with high velocity rifles trained on us. On me.

We walked on. Birds were darting amongst the trees and shrubbery.

‘European sparrows,’ Tetzahuitl remarked. ‘Vigorous colonizers. Did you know that they’ve been displacing our native bluebirds from many areas in the north and west of our continent?’

I made no reply to this.

‘We’ve been forced to build nesting-boxes too small for them to enter so the indigenous species can be preserved.’

‘Are you trying to make some symbolic point?’

‘I’m simply making conversation. Your starlings are energetic immigrants, too.’

‘We’ve got colonies of passenger pigeons all over London.’

‘So I gather. Perhaps it’s futile for us to suppose we can limit species to their original domains.’

‘Are you going to tell me that this justifies your invasion of my country?’

‘Not at all. I was going to ask your advice.’

‘My advice?’

‘Does that seem so remarkable? You’re a woman of integrity and spirit. A patriot. Therefore I hope you’ll answer me with the interests of your country at heart.’

We circled the lake while a security jetcopter flew low overhead. As it diminished towards the west, Tetzahuitl said, ‘I’ve come here primarily as a matter of courtesy and diplomacy, and because the Revered Speaker requested it. He has two sons here and is naturally eager that they perform their duties well. He must constantly consider their future.’

‘So you’ve come to check up on them?’

‘In a manner of speaking, yes. To assess their progress and achievements. To see if changes should be made.’

Suddenly I was concerned. Tetzahuitl had obviously been pleased with Maxixca’s success in Scotland, and I began to imagine the worst possible outcome in which he would replace Extepan as governor.

‘If you’re going to make any changes,’ I said, ‘I hope you’ll consult us.’

‘That’s precisely my point in speaking to you now. Of course I understand that you would like nothing better than for us all to leave, but, that aside, I would be interested in your appraisal. For example, are you satisfied with Extepan’s efforts on your country’s behalf?’

This sounded ominous.

‘There are many who would have done far worse,’ I replied.

‘That hardly sounds like a recommendation.’

‘What do you expect? Unqualified praise for the agents of an occupying power? Extepan has behaved decently but with purpose since he arrived here. We could have had a worse master. We did, in Nauhyotl. Under the circumstances, I think his achievements are considerable.’

Tetzahuitl sucked on his pipe. ‘High praise indeed from someone so adamantly opposed to us.’

‘I don’t like the situation, but I’d prefer us to be ruled by someone who will try to work with the people rather than humiliate and brutalize them. I think Extepan’s quite clever at achieving his own ends with sweet reason rather than force.’