Chapter 18

Tanda laughed out loud, when that morning she saw her sister leave the palace alone for the first time and walk away among the people, on her way to the temple of the moon, guided by a girl on duty. At last that nuisance was out of my life," ----thought the princess as she watched the other one walk away. It was all done. Son of the Condor was hers, period....

Litu Ratu came with his escort; a symbolic group, just ten Timotocuico warriors and ten Carib warriors, faithful to their queen to the point of death.

-- They say that the sacred city of the Chibchas is very beautiful," ---said the wife of Litu Ratú.

--Let you see Cuzco," --said the man, ---"you will think you are in heaven, but do not lie, what you want to see quickly is your sister Blue Bird.

---My heart beats strongly knowing that I am each step closer to see her.---

----Also to meet the one who will be my second wife.

----They say she is very beautiful," ----said the woman, accepting the curiosity.

--No more than you,"-- answered Litu Ratú, ---"and I have a surprise for you, if I have agreed to come with you here, it is because I want to tell Saba Tamac that her offer is very generous and flatters me, but I cannot accept it.

---You would offend the princess. She is ready for this.

----She is a child; better opportunities she will find. State marriages are not a custom among us Timotocuicas. He will understand my reasons. We Timotocuicas marry for love. I want to influence the kingdom of the Chibchas by marrying my caciques, something I will easily accomplish with the weight of my presence. For Saba Tamac it would be easy to negotiate with me by having me married to her daughter. But I would increase my power by managing the chieftain I choose to marry the princess. Simple politics.

---You make me very happy my lord and master; I accepted but I did not share the idea of an additional wife....

XVI

---Ready?" --asked Ita Za Berú to the men dressed as Incas.

They all nodded.

----We will go at a fast military trot all night long, our work must be done at dawn. My spies tell me that the objective is within reach and that we outnumber it twelve to one. But during our journey it is forbidden to talk, to drink water, to stop for a physiological need. If anyone cramps up during the trot, they don't count it. Understood?

They all nodded.

Ita Za Berú then breathed in strongly, closing his eyes, isolating himself to the outside world, turning his back to his warriors, he concentrated on his navel, visualizing a yellow flame, in a way that made it hurt, as if a needle was penetrating him, such was the energy that fed him. Then he exhaled strongly and in the most absolute silence began the trot, which intensified as they moved away from the city, followed by the troop of warriors.

Litu Ratú slept peacefully, hugging his wife, wrapped in a thick blanket, at the edge of the royal road, inside a practical, unassembled tent.

The Timotocuicas had covered themselves with their ponchos and also slept soundly, while the almost naked Caribs considered it an offense to cover themselves from the cold and dozed in squatting position, leaning on their spears, while a lone warrior stood guard.

---Wake up,--" he said to one in a low voice.

The ten Caribs immediately became alert, putting their ears to the ground and looking worriedly into the distance, trying to peek into the blizzard.

The Timotocuicas were slower to react.

---What is it?"-- asked Litu Ratu in his sleep.

---- The Caribs say that many people are coming,--" said the captain of the Timotocuicas.

---Calm down," --said Litu Ratú sympathetically, "---it is the escort that comes to accompany us, it is mere courtesy, there is nothing to fear.

---- The Caribs say that the footsteps that are coming are not friendly, they are not coming on the royal road. They come at full speed through the cliffs and ravines," ---explained the warrior to his lord Litu Ratú.

The latter reluctantly left the warmth of the tent to the intolerant climate outside, but not before finishing tucking his wife in, patting her reassuringly before his wife's questioning gesture.

---- I don't know how these people can live so high and so cold," ---the man commented, bundling up as he left.

The Carib warriors were nervously ready to fight, alert to everything around them.

Could it be that Saba Tamac...? No, it is not possible," ---said the man to himself, watching the movements of his people, until he saw the group coming, making him smile. It was true what was said. Saba Tamac had lost even decorum and shame. The approaching escort was not Chibcha, it was Inca.

---What a shame," ---said the cacique in a loud voice, referring to the people coming, receiving the assent of his warriors, who understood perfectly what their king meant.

---Well,"--- said the king with a sigh, --"Get up my love, the escorts have arrived and we have to receive them. Let's see. All in line. Stand at attention and salute.

---Sir," --said Captain Timotocuicas, "--the Caribs sense something very ugly.

---What?"-- was the last thing Litu Ratú said in life before he fell dead instantly, pierced by an arrow.

Chapter 3.

The Carib warriors rushed forward, with their bloodcurdling war cry against the mass of supposed Incas, receiving from the latter a shower of arrows. The ten warriors looked like plows reaping a field of corn; while the assassins looked like statues tied hand and foot. Although the Carib warriors were hit with heavy arrows, they only made them more furious, each killing four or even six men at the same time. However, the immense amount of arrows was depleting the warriors, who died and others fell exhausted by the amount of wounds. One of the Carib warriors, in the imminence of death, saw an Inca running out of the mass of warriors; the Carib understood that this meant the search for reinforcements and in spite of his wounds he ran after the other one, managing to reach him and disembowel him with astonishing ease, both dying far from the road.

The Timotocuicas escorts fell dead, piled up next to their king and the wife of Litu Ratú agonized with the wounds received, at the mercy of Ita Za Berú and only five survivors of the great number of plotters.

--But what happened? I have never seen that way of fighting," ---said one of the assassins in a daze to the bewildered Ita Za Berú, who watched helplessly as the almost dead Caribs massacred his subordinates.

--They are demons from the last hells. They almost ruined our mission,"-- said Ita--, "we looked like rag dolls before that combat technique. ---Having said this, Ita quickly approached Litu Ratú and his consort.

Son of the Condor marched at a trot, through the gorges, under the perennial drizzle. That gray landscape was a copy of his soul. The young man felt a strange pain that he could not define. He looked and could almost reach with his hand the familiar figure of Xixata, being that memory the most tormenting thing he could live at this stage of his existence; he wanted to wish death, but something kept him waiting for something, even though he had known for a long time that miracles did not exist. But Xixata missed him more than the water of the rivers and the air he breathed, preventing him from sleeping, eating and ultimately living. He was a victim of that girl woman who made him so happy but so unhappy at the same time.

--My lord,"-- said a voice behind him, ---"you hear war ahead.

Son of the Condor took a tenth of a second to react.

-- That's all I needed," ---he shouted, challenging the sky with a fist, before breaking off in a suicidal run along the edge of the gorges. His men dashed down the gorge, following their young leader.