Time 28

--If my father and our father wants to talk to me, I am ready to go personally to the sacred temple of the Great Sun. If not, it will be the most beautiful thing that can happen to the Chibcha people; that the Great Sun comes and honors us with his sacred presence.

-- Yes, Excellency. But I believe that this decision is a grave error," --exclaimed the man, terrified of his own imprudence.

IV

--The whole military structure could be lost,"-- said Ru Za Beru sibylline to his brother.

--But the boy is right. It is the only way to triumph. To go on the offensive for specific sectors, to destroy Timotocuicas villages within their territory and to return the picture to our side-acknowledged in an attack of frankness the military man.

--Then win points before Saba Tamac," --said the other, sending him into the ravine--, "explain everything to him and he will exalt you.

Meanwhile, Saba Tamac looked down at Hijo del Condor. The young warrior wanted to explain himself better. But the king was sticking to his own ideas and was more than reiterative.

--I do not want you to enter Timotocuicas territory again, this war is and will be defensive, eliminating those who enter. I am simply defending myself; I have to have that in hand for the day when I have to negotiate. If I invade their lands I will confess to the accusations they make against me.

--But they have destroyed our villages,"-- the young man said cautiously,

-- "the army wants to defeat them to impose Tahirza under Tanda's care.

----So it will be, the way I have designed will be the only possible outcome. As for the destruction of the villages, that I have more than foreseen.

- I don't want you to abuse the trust we have given you. In fact you are quite right when they say that this war is partly your fault, due to the great attention you paid to your duties of taking care of the royal visits; before I offered you my daughter's hand and you managed to grab hold of the bear's hair to avoid getting married and now you pretend to give me lessons in military strategy thanks to a poor triumph? Don't abuse your luck," ---said the Great Chieftain, observing the silent warrior.

At that moment, Ita Za Berú entered, and when he heard the last words, he put on an extremely sarcastic face. He came to express to the king his novel ideas to win the war.

Son of the Condor bowed to both of them and fled at full speed...

Xixata knew of Son of the Condor's arrival. In truth, the girl considered that the days spent in the temple had given her peace and serenity. The prayers, the rhythmic breathing while relaxing her body in parts of specific attention, had given her an astonishing calmness. Now she did not feel she had to sacrifice her life in this way. She no longer had a marriage on the horizon and could look forward to falling in love again or accepting fate.

All in all, she was only 17 years old, she had a long road ahead of her. She went out to the main terrace and saw the beautiful city at her feet. She saw the villagers going about their daily work, the vicuñas and llamas with their loads, the girls walking together, under that breeze that swept the high savannah. The girl closed her eyes, breathing in the same breeze that Son of the Condor breathed very close to her; then the girl called him from the depths of her heart and spirit. Suddenly she felt a pleasant company. He looked around him. Nothing. The bright landscape. The sky without a cloud. In the distance the snow-capped peaks. But she was in company. Someone was there on the terrace next to her. But No. She was not afraid. Her breathing was steady. It was being accompanied with the feeling of being next to her father. But Saba Tamac was not near. He was on the throne. It was like being with friends on a morning, enjoying a delicious breakfast. Or like being together with her mother in the Fourth hour of the afternoon knitting.

--Welcome. I know you're there-the young woman whispered.