Chapter Thirty-Three: REAPING THE WHIRLWIND

[With a final chapter 34 and an Epilogue to go, The Jade Steps is nearing completion.  So it's worth re-emphasizing again that The Jade Steps is a true story.  Every principal event described actually happened, every named person really lived and had that name.  It all happened almost 500 years ago, but it still remains the cause of the civil war within Mexico's soul.  Mexico will never rise out of the Third World until this spiritual wound is healed.  That is the purpose of this book.]
 
The Jade Steps
Chapter Thirty-Three:  Reaping The Whirlwind

"Doña Marina! Doña Marina!"  Someone was screaming at her, shaking her violently.  It was Doña Luisa.[1]  Dazed from fainting, Malinali stared at the woman in confusion.  "You must not stay here! The Aztecs are attacking!"  She heard the words with no understanding.  She felt herself being pulled roughly to her feet and pushed into a run.  They reached a set of trees.  She looked around in bewilderment.  There was this incredible noise, but it seemed so far away.

She looked in the direction of the noise and saw the Tacuba causeway.  It was filled with screaming Aztec warriors swinging their macuahuitl obsidian-edged wooden swords and racing towards Pedro de Alvarado and his men.  Somehow the sight of it seemed as distant as the noise.  Suddenly, like the wave of a storm, the full sight and the sound of the battle crashed upon her.  She heard claps of thunder, but the sky was clear.  Then she saw the brigantines in the lake on either side of the causeway, firing their canons into the Aztec mass.  She recognized the captain of one of the ships, Juan Jaramillo, the officer who had protected her during La Noche Triste.[2]

She saw Pedro de Alvarado lead his horsemen into a charge straight into the Aztecs, as the musketmen and crossbowmen formed positions on the edges of the causeway to fire into them.  So many Aztec warriors had filled the causeway in their fury and rage to get at the Spaniards that they couldn't move.  They just became targets for the cannons and muskets and arrows and the hooves of war horses.  They died in the hundreds, and still more hundreds, until they gave up the assault, retreating back into the city shouting insults and taunts that they had killed…

Then the terrible sight that had caused her to faint appeared before her eyes, the bloody head of Cortez bouncing and rolling in the dust, and she screamed in horror.  Doña Luisa embraced her and she clung to the Tlaxcalan princess, sobbing uncontrollably for "My Captain, my Captain…"  She finally let go, and, whispering her thanks, she walked alone along the shoreline to stare vacantly out upon the waters of Lake Texcoco.

*  *  *  *  *

Her dream, her father's dream, of liberation from the Aztecs, hated so much by everyone in this land, had been so close.  How could the Lord Jesus have brought Cortez to this land, only to have the dream end like this? she asked herself.  She clutched her crucifix and prayed to the Virgin Mary for understanding.

How long she sat there looking out upon the lake, reliving memories now turned so bitter, she did not know.  The sun was still high in the sky, beating down upon her.  Then there was a shadow.  Doña Luisa had come to sit beside her.  She was smiling, a happy joyous smile.  How could she?  How could she smile when….

"Cortez lives."  Malinali heard the words, but they seemed to be in a strange language she didn't understand.  Doña Luisa grabbed her hand tightly.  "Andres de Tapia has just come to our camp from Xoloc.  Cortez and his men were trapped and many soldiers were killed or captured.  But Cortez and many others escaped.  The head that you saw, that we all thought was that of Cortez, was of another soldier who looked like him at some distance.  The Aztecs fooled us.  Doña Marina, Cortez is alive – Cortez is alive!"

A flood of tears poured down Malinali's face as she silently gave her thanks to the Holy Mother.  She cried for a long time, with Doña Luisa next to her holding her hand.

The sun was now well behind them.  They walked back to the camp, to Pedro de Alvarado's quarters where Malinali was housed.  There she saw Andres de Tapia and Gonzalo de Sandoval, both bandaged and limping from various wounds.  Immediately, de Tapia approached her. 

Bowing courteously, he said, "Doña Marina, I know of your concern.  A tragedy has befallen us, but I wish to assure you that Captain Cortez is well.  It was a terrible battle, with Captain Cortez and a small detachment separated from the rest and trapped between two canals in the city.  A horde of crazed Aztecs fell upon us, yelling ‘Malinche! Malinche!' and seizing our Captain.  He was saved by Cristobal de Olea, who cut off the hands of Cortez's attackers, as he did saving the Captain at Xochimilco.[3] 

"Although wounded badly in his leg, Captain Cortez killed his other attackers and was finally rescued by another detachment led by Antonio de Quinones.  I regret to say, however, that the noble gentleman who saved Captain Cortez's life twice, Cristobal de Olea, was himself killed by the Aztecs.  Our Captain was then able to rally all of us to beat off the enemy and retreat in good order back to Xoloc.  He then sent me to inform everyone here of what has happened.  We give thanks to God that our Captain is safe, Doña Marina, but we weep for those of us who have been killed this day, and weep more for those who have been captured."

Although her prayer had been answered, the following days were nightmares.  Cortez had insisted she stay where she was, where she would be safer than at Xoloc, where he had to stay because of his wounds.  Their allies, from dozens of cities and kingdoms and numbering in the countless thousands, had vanished.  Bernal told her that King Ixtlilxochitl and some forty Texcocans, along with Chief Chichimecatecle and another forty Tlaxcalans remained with Cortez at Xoloc.  There were similar handfuls of allies with Sandoval at Tepeyac, and with them here at Tacuba.  That was all.

"We are alone, then?" she asked Bernal.  "Yes, Doña Marina, we are alone, and there is scarcely a man among us who is not wounded, and badly.  All we are waiting for now is that the Aztecs pour out of their city and annihilate us, which we expect once they complete their sacrifices to Satan."

The sight of those sacrifices were the most horrible of her life.  From the Tacuba causeway, they could see the temple of Tlatelolco with its steep steps and sacrificial platform on top rising in the distance.  She stood with Bernal, with Doña Luisa and Pedro de Alvarado, and watched as one captured Spaniard after another, stripped naked exposing his white skin, was dragged up the temple steps to the platform, held down on the techcatl sacrificial stone, their chests sawn open by the priests with an itztli flint knife who then ripped out their hearts as an offering to Huitzilopochtli, their bodies kicked off the platform to bounce to the bottom of the steps, where other priests cut off the arms, legs, and head which was then flayed for its skin.

Interspersed between the sacrifice of the captured Spaniards was that of captured Texcocans, Tlaxcalans, and other allies.  Hour after hour they went on, the huge booming drums of death never stopping their pounding, the conch shell trumpets never stopping their blowing, the cries of agony from one victim after another never ending.  At night they went on, the entire scene lit by numerous huge bonfires.  They went on for five days.  Sixty-four Spaniards were counted as sacrifices, and hundreds of allies, mostly Texcocans and Tlaxcalans.

When finally the drums and trumpets and screams of sacrificial victims stopped, a group of Aztec warriors rushed down the Tacuba causeway to toss out the charred roasted legs and arms of several Spaniards and yell:

"Look!  This is the way you will all die, as our gods have promised us.  Eat the flesh of your brothers, for we are glutted with it.  Stuff yourselves with our leavings.  Make yourselves fat, for we shall soon eat you all."

When Malinali heard those words and told Pedro de Alvarado what they meant, she made a decision.  "I wish to be taken at once to Xoloc," she told him.  "If I am to die now, it will be with My Captain."  De Alvarado nodded in assent.  "Señor Andres de Tapia and a small detachment will soon be leaving with messages for Captain Cortez.  You may accompany them, Doña Marina."  She thanked him and embraced Doña Luisa for what she feared would be the last time.

*  *  *  *  *

The instant she saw Cortez, somehow all her fears vanished.  She could not, of course, throw herself into his arms as she wanted, for he was far from alone, consulting with his officers.  She clutched her crucifix instead, in gratitude and relief.  When he saw her, he broke into a cheerful smile.  "Gentlemen!" he proclaimed to his officers.  "Doña Marina is with us again!"  Several of the men had been sitting in chairs or stools around Cortez, immobilized on a couch with his wounded leg.  They all stood up and warmly bowed to her.

"We were discussing, Doña Marina, the fact that it has been several days since our catastrophe at the puente de dolor, the bridge of sorrow," Cortez said to her.  "Our allies, save for a valiant few, have left us.  We all, without exception including myself as you can see, are wounded.  Yet the Aztecs, who number in the multitudes, have not poured forth from their city to destroy our pitiful small force.  Yes, they have been celebrating their victory and commemorating it to their satanic gods, and they have led numerous small harassments against us.  But the main attack has not yet come to finish us.  When do you think it will?"

Just then, King Ixtlilxochitl stepped inside Cortez's tent.  As all eyes turned to him, Malinali replied, "I think we should ask the ruler of Texcoco," and she translated the question to him.

"Malinche!  My answer is that the attack will not come at all!" came his response.  "I too have been downcast these last days, with the death and sacrifice of so many, with so many of my people and others giving up our struggle.  But now I have come to tell you not to be  distressed.  The Aztecs have fed on your bodies and on the power of their victory, but that is over.  Cuauhtémoc's huge mistake was to place his huge army within Tenochtitlan to defend it.  This army is now running out of its supplies. 

"My spies tell me food is very scarce in the city.  It is only a matter of days before there is no more.  There is also no water, for the water in their wells now has too much salt.  All they have to drink is rainwater.  What you must do, Malinche, is stay in your camps for some days and rest your wounds, you, Tonatio (Alvarado) and Sandoval, and keep your big canoes (the brigantines) busy.  Day and night, keep them busy preventing Aztecs canoes from bringing in food and water into the city.  If you stop their food and water, how can they go on?  They will suffer worse from hunger than from war."

Cortez ordered his aides, "Help me on my feet."  As he stood, he opened his arms and motioned the king forward.  As they embraced, Cortez said, "Doña Marina, please tell this noble gentleman how much I value his friendship and wise counsel.  He is a king worthy of his people.  I am honored that I am worthy of his friendship."

As he stepped back from Cortez's embrace, King Ixtlilxochitl responded, "Malinche, there is more that you should know.  Cuauhtémoc has sent messengers to many kingdoms telling them all is forgiven for joining you against him and asking they now join him to destroy you.  They have refused.  All of your allies may have left you now, but all they are doing is waiting, waiting to see what happens between you and him.  Their hatred of the Aztecs remains.  If Cuauhtémoc cannot destroy you soon, they will return to you."

He glanced at Malinali with a look of hesitation, as if there was something he was not sure of saying.  "Please continue," she told him.

"The Aztecs are using the sacred plants."  Malinali translated this with a puzzled frown.  "Not just the tlamacazqui, the priests and nobles.  Cuauhtémoc has ordered that the entire store of sacred plants kept by the priests be given to the warriors to keep them fighting even with thirst and hunger.  This is why the Aztecs seem to fight so crazy and is why they will do so until they die.  They are drinking ololiuhqui and tlitliltzin water,[4] eating leaves of the ‘fear-conqueror' sinicuiche,[5] and taking much, much peyotl.[6]  Cuauhtémoc and all the nobles are taking much teonanocatl,[7] the god-mushroom, drinking it with cacao and honey."

Cortez noticed Malinali's puzzlement and her eyes widening in amazement while translating Ixtlilxochitl's words.  He looked at her to explain.

She blinked several times before answering. "The Aztecs believe that the gods live in these plants, that they are eating the flesh of the gods when they use them, so they are taken only by priests and nobles in only the most important ceremonies and sacred rituals.  The plants, they say, let them see the gods themselves, see many wondrous things.

"For Cuauhtémoc to give them to his warriors, for him and the other nobles to be taking them without the sacred ceremonies, means an agreement of suicide with the gods.  It means they are all willing to die in order to kill you.  It means we are fighting those who are ‘divinely insane,' who believe they are no longer human but fight with the courage and strength of gods."

No one spoke for some time after Malinali's words.  Then Cortez sighed.  "I did not want to destroy this beautiful city.  I did not want so much death.  The Aztecs have brought the doom about to befall them upon themselves.  Their gods are evil and false and have no power to protect them.  We must kill their gods. It will be a tragedy if we must kill all the Aztecs.  But if that is the path they have chosen, then we will take it.  For whatever crazy things they have made their brains drunk with, it will do them no good when at the end of a sword of Toledo steel."

He drew his sword.  "Gentlemen!  We shall not relinquish this land to evil.  We shall liberate it to the glory of Spain and the glory of our Lord in Heaven."

All the officers drew and raised their swords in silent assent.

*  *  *  *  *

Malinali could not hold Cortez tightly enough.  There were no words.  He held his arms around her and she clung to him in silence, as they lay in bed through the night.  It was only as dawn was arriving that they made love.  It was only afterwards that they talked.

"Andres de Tapia told me you came here to die with me," said Cortez as he caressed her face.  "Sometimes, our Lord in Heaven tests us in ways that seem unbearable.  Yet when you thought all was lost, that your father's dream was finished, you chose to be with me."  Malinali saw such love and wonder in Cortez's eyes that all she could do was lose herself in those eyes and say nothing.  He kissed her with greater passion than ever before.

Then he smiled.  "But just as I am still very much alive, so is your father's dream, my love.  You understand, don't you, that your father wasn't just dreaming?"

She waited for him to answer his own question.

"It was a presagio, an omen, a premonition, sent to him by God.  Just as God sent me here to liberate this land, God sent you to me, for without you, I could not achieve His purpose.  And how could you enable me to do so without your father's dream?  It was much more than a dream, and it is a great tribute to your father that he had the courage to accept such a gift from God, to make it his own.  He must have been an extraordinary man.  I wish I could have known him.  You are truly your father's daughter, My Lady."

She closed her eyes, while tears sprang out of them.  She could see her father in her mind so clearly, looking at her and calling her Ixkakuk, Beautiful Goddess.  "Tahtli!  Tahtli!", father, father, she whispered.

"This dream shall soon cease to be but a dream," Cortez continued.  "That is why the first thing I must do this morning is speak to Chief Chichimecatecle."

"He left for Tlaxcala last night," she told him.

Cortez's head snapped back.  "Left!  You mean…?  Why didn't you tell me?"

Her smile was gentle.  "He shall soon return.  He said, ‘Tell Malinche I won't be coming back alone'."

Relief replaced alarm in his eyes.  "Malinche… it still seems strange to me that I am known in this land by your name, not mine.  Does it amuse you?"

"Yes."  Her smile broadened, then she tickled him, he tickled her back, and in an instant they were making love again, however carefully, for his leg was still healing.

*  *  *  *  *

Later that morning, a soldier appeared at Cortez's tent requesting to speak with him.  Introducing himself, he said, "Captain-General, my name is Francisco de Montano from Ciudad Real.[8]  I wish to make a request of you."  Cortez bade him to continue.  "We are in a desperate situation.  Not one man among us has less than two or three wounds from fighting off the continual harassment attacks of these Aztec mad dogs.  The one thing that protects us, that lets us kill so many of the attackers, is fire from our muskets and from cannons on the brigantines.  But we have almost no gunpowder left.  We have depended for our supply gunpowder made in Cuba and sent in ships.  I propose to you, Sir, that we make our own."

Cortez, Malinali could see, was taken aback.  "You have a way do this, Señor de Montano?"

"Yes, Captain.  There are many caves in this region where we can acquire sal de piedra.[9]  I saw them in the mountains during our expedition to Quauhnahuac.  Making charcoal is easy.  The problem is the sulfur.  Captain, do you remember Diego de Ordaz and Gutierre de Casamori climbing the great smoking mountain[10] and returning with a few bags of sulfur?"  Cortez nodded.  "Señor de Ordaz said there was not much on the volcano's rim, but he could see large amounts of it down on the walls inside the volcano.  Señor de Ordaz is now on his way to Spain with your message to His Majesty Don Carlos.  But Señor de Casamori is here and I have spoken to him.  I asked him if a man could be lowered with ropes into the volcano and collect a large amount of sulfur.  He thinks it is possible.  I ask your permission to do this."

"Señor de Montano, if I could easily stand I would embrace you!" Cortez exclaimed.  "This is exactly the kind of courageous initiative I most admire.  When do you wish to depart?"

"Immediately, Sir," came de Montano's reply.  "Señor de Casamori and the Tlaxcalans who guided them on the mountain plus several others are ready as well."

Soon after Montano left, there was a great noise in the camp.  Malinali went out to see and soon returned – with Chief Chichimecatecle.  The look on Cortez's face was a combination of happy relief and puzzlement.  How could he have returned from Tlaxcala so quickly? she  knew he was wondering. 

"Malinche!  It was a great shame for me to have my men leave you," the chief announced.  "Thus I went for them and found many on the way before they reached Tlaxcala.  I told them of my shame and that it was theirs also.  I told them if we gave up this struggle now, we would give up our chance to be free of Aztec rule forever.  Thus many of my warriors return here with me today, and many more will return in the days to come."

Cortez insisted on his aides helping him stand so he could embrace the chief.  "My noble friend," he had Malinali say to him, "how can your people fail to succeed when they have champions like you to lead them?  Tlaxcalan poets will sing songs in praise of you for generations to come."

Later that afternoon, a runner arrived with a message for "Malinche."  "This man is from Quauhnahuac,[11]" Malinali informed Cortez and his officers.  "He says a force from the nearby kingdom of Malinalco has attacked them.  The king of Malinalco is the cousin of Cuauhtémoc and is sending his army to attack you from behind.  ‘Because we are the ally of Malinche,' he says, ‘the Malinalcans have attacked us on the way, burning our maize fields and killing our children for sacrifice.'  He begs for you to come to the rescue of your ally, Quauhnahuac."

The officers looked at Cortez.  "The greater our weakness," he said, "the greater need have we to cover it under a show of strength.  We must comply."  Casting his eyes across the men before him, they fell on Andres de Tapia.  "Señor de Tapia, assemble a force of the most able-bodied, a few dozen if you can, and a dozen cavalry.  Several hundred Tlaxcalans will accompany you.  See that you are gone no longer than ten days."

The following morning, another runner appeared, bearing a similar message.  He came from Otomi allies to the west with apologies for their desertion, and a plea for rescue from an army of Matalcingo, whose king was also a cousin of Cuauhtémoc.  Cortez dispatched Gonzalo de Sandoval with a force similar to De Tapia's.

That night, Cortez expressed a worry that by depleting his forces so much by going to allies' rescue, he was inviting Aztec attack.  "So many of our men are still wounded, we need more Tlaxcalans returning, King Ixtlilxochitl promises many Texcocans will soon – we are still weak, My Lady."

"Yes, but the Aztecs are weaker," Malinali responded.  "King Ixtlilxochitl's spies tell him that many Aztecs are eating straw and grass.  Their water is so foul it is making them sick."

"Yet they continue to attack like mad dogs," Cortez objected.  "They are not in such huge numbers that we are unable to defend ourselves, but their ferocity…"

"Peyotl and the other sacred plants makes them so, but their supply will soon be gone."

Cortez thought about this for a minute.  "Then we must pray that Our Lord in Heaven grants us a few more days, time for the men to heal, time for Señores Sandoval, Tapia, and Montano to successfully return from their missions.  So strengthened, we can then demand the Aztecs surrender and live."  He looked at her with a look of astonished concern.  "They will surrender, won't they?  There has been far too much death.  They can't all want to die, can they?"

She tapped the side of her head.  "Peyotl changes you here.  It has made them death-crazy."

Cortez was silent.  His only response was to place Malinali's head to rest upon his chest. 

*  *  *  *  *

She was so glad to see Bernal.  He was in good spirits, just returned from a "triumphant" expedition with Gonzalo de Sandoval.  "We routed the Maltacingans completely, and captured two of their highest nobles," he enthused.  "And we hear that Andres de Tapia has done the same with the enemy forces of Malinalco." 

 "Yes, he returned yesterday," she responded.  "And so much else has happened in the days you were gone.  Francisco de Montano has come with so much sulfur!  He told a very exciting story of being lowered deep into the mouth of Popocatepetl and almost choking to death from the smoke and fumes, ‘hanging in space above the depths of hell,' he said it was like, as he scraped bag after bag of sulfur from Popo's skin.

"And we have even more gunpowder too!  Another ship arrived in Vera Cruz, with a good supply of it, and men with crossbows and horses.  I spoke to one of the men.  He said they were on an expedition of two ships led by Juan Ponce de Leon to a place called Florida.  They were attacked by people there called Caloosas and Señor de Leon was hit by a poisoned arrow.  They think he will die.  His ship sailed back to Cuba, while the other ship came here.[12] 

"There is more good news!  Chief Chichimecatecle led a force of Tlaxcalan warriors to attack the Aztecs right in the center of Tenochtitlan!  By himself, with no Spaniards!  They killed many Aztecs and captured three commanders." 

Bernal looked at her with satisfaction.  "It is good to see you happy once again, Doña Marina.  When I saw you last at Tacuba, you thought you were coming here to Xoloc to die.  Now you can see that we are going to live, and victoriously, thanks to the blessings our Lord Jesus has bestowed upon us."

That evening Cortez held a meeting of his officers and a number of men in his camp, with Chief Chichimecatecle and King Ixtlilxochitl in attendance.  Malinali stood by them to translate Cortez's words. 

"Our fortunes have changed much in the last 20 days since our disaster at the puente de dolor.[13]  Much for the better, thanks to the support and courage of our great friends from Tlaxcala and Texcoco, to the skill of my officers such as Señores de Tapia and Sandoval and their men, the great daring of Señor de Montano, the good fortune of more supplies and men.

"Thanks to this, our many allies who left us after the puente de dolor are returning as they see our own strength return.  It is wise for us to wait until they do so in sufficient strength that we may complete our task here quickly and with finality.  All of us – including myself as you can see – have recovered from our many wounds and are ready for this task.  Yet I wish to make one last effort to propose peace with the Aztecs and their king Cuauhtémoc.  We have captured  two nobles from Maltacingo and three noble Aztecs.  I wish them brought before us."

With the five captives standing in front of them, Cortez spoke to them through Malinali.

"Please convey to King Cuauhtémoc my great respect for him.  He and his people have fought like true warriors. Yet now the time has come to cease fighting and killing, and for there to be peace between us.  It serves no one, not the Aztecs, not us, not anyone in this land, to have the great city of Tenochtitlan, the most beautiful thing in the world, destroyed.

"We know that the Aztecs have neither food nor water, that they are dying of hunger and thirst.  King Cuauhtémoc must know now that he has no hope of defeating us.  He deserves the same fate as those of our brave men who fell into his hands.  Yet it is not our way to butcher defeated enemies like animals and feed them to false gods.  Our Lord in Heaven would condemn us to Hell for such blasphemy against Him.  The Lord Jesus commands us to forgive our enemies for their sins against us.

"So it is that I forgive King Cuauhtémoc.  He has been poorly advised by his priests, and he behaves foolishly because he is so young.  I will spare his city, it shall not be destroyed;  I will pardon all the Aztecs and there will be peace;  all of this if he will personally surrender to me and order the fighting to cease.  I give him my word as a Christian that he shall be treated with honor and dignity."

The captives were escorted into Tenochtitlan and released.  The next day, a force of Aztec warriors, led by several high-ranking commanders adorned with an array of gorgeous plumes denoting their rank, led an attack down the Iztapalapa causeway towards Xoloc.  Although they attacked with maniacal rage, it was soon overwhelmed by a larger force of defending Texcocans led by King Ixtlilxochitl.  In the course of the battle, Ixtlilxochitl himself captured the Aztecs' main commander.  He insisted on bringing this commander to Cortez. 

"Malinche!" Ixtlilxochitl called out as he entered Cortez's tent, still splattered with blood from the battle and holding the captured commander firmly in his grasp.  "I bring you my brother Coanacochtzin, who would still be King of Texcoco, not I, if he had not abandoned his people and become a traitor for the Aztecs."

Malinali could not help but see the great pride in Ixtlilxochitl's eyes as she translated his words.  Cortez could see it as well.  "Great Lord Ixtlilxochitl, is there no end to your nobility and heroism?  I have been learning much of Texcoco history from Doña Marina, who tells me your kingdom was blessed with a great ruler, your grandfather Nezahualcoyotl.[14]  He was not only a great warrior but a man of extreme wisdom, a filósofo, a philosopher who worshipped not false gods as do the Aztecs but one single Unknown God, Ipalnemoani.  On the roof of the temple of Texcoco, I am told, Nezahualcoyotl outlawed human sacrifices, replacing them with offerings of flowers and incense to the Unknown God.

"Great Lord Ixtlilxochitl, you are a king equal to your renowned grandfather.  I believe that the Christian God was working through him and now through you.  I believe that your people through the ages will revere you as they do him."

The Texcocan king stood in silence and looked intently into Cortez's eyes.  Then he said solemnly, "You have been taught well, Malinche."  The slightest smile fleeted across his lips.  "My grandfather would have liked you."

He thrust his captive forward.  "But now, Malinche, my brother has much to tell us."

Coanacochtzin began speaking, Malinali translating.

"Malinche, our lord Cuauhtémoc received the message you sent to him.  He called for all his nobles and commanders to discuss it.  I was among them.  Everything he had tried to defeat you had failed, he said.  Should he surrender himself to you? he asked them.  They got very angry with him.  Every man among them said no, the fighting must continue, that it would be better for all Aztecs to die, even the women and children, than to lose their kingdom to their enemies.

"These men were Tlacotzin, the cihuacotl,[15] Petlauhtzin, the tlillancalqui,[16] Coyoueuetzin, the tlacochcalcatl,[17] Temilotzin, the tlacatectal,[18] Auelitoctzin, the ezhuahuancatl,[19]  and several high lords such as Tetlepanquetzatzin, king of Tacuba, and myself.  We all agreed to die fighting you, Malinche, and our king then agreed with us."

Cortez grimaced and shook his head.  "So how is it that you are still alive, captured by your brother?  Your days of fighting are over, and soon they will be for all Aztecs."

The next morning,[20] Cortez was up before dawn, telling Malinali he had a "surprise" prepared for the Aztecs.  He and his men were back before noon.  Bernal was with them.  He was smiling.

"This was a good day, Doña Marina.  Captain Cortez decided a trick was in order.  He and Gonzalo de Sandoval collected thirty horsemen and one hundred of us soldiers, plus a thousand Tlaxcalans, and we entered Tenochtitlan very early.  Sandoval ordered most of our force to hide in some large houses.  Then Cortez, with a few horsemen, crossbowmen, and musketmen, advanced deeper into the city.  It was not long before they were attacked by many Aztecs.  Spotting our captain and seeing his force was so small, they began yelling, "Malinche! Malinche!", and very quickly great swarms of Aztec warriors appeared, all wanting to kill him.

"So Cortez retreated, slowly at first, then seeming to panic and run away.  This put the Aztecs into a wild excitement chasing after him.  Racing past us, Cortez had two shots fired as a signal for us to come out of our hiding places to fall upon and destroy them.  Not one of the Aztecs was left alive.  The Tlaxcalans saw to that."

Cortez, however, was grim and incommunicative.  "Too much death," was all he would say.  For the next four days she saw little of him.  The fighting, he said, was continuous, but at last, much of Tenochtitlan including the entire area between Xoloc and Tacuba was cleared of the enemy.  Then, as the sun broke upon the city the next morning,[21] when they stepped out of their tent they could see a plume of smoke rising in the distance.

"It is from the summit of the temple of Tlatelolco," Malinali observed.  Cortez nodded. "Which means Alvarado has taken it and the Tlatelolco marketplace.  Soon, My Lady, we shall be leaving here and moving to there."

But not that day.  Francisco de Montano and Gutierre de Badajoz, she learned, had fought their way to the top of the temple and placed Cortez's flag[22] there, but the fighting had been so fierce all around the marketplace that Alvarado had to call a retreat at sunset.  The following morning, Cortez sent such swarms of Tlaxcalans and Texcocans into the marketplace and beyond as to remove all Aztecs from it.

She expected him to look triumphant when he returned to Xoloc that evening, but his mood was dark.  "My officers and I rode around the entire square of Tlatelolco, then I myself climbed the steps of the temple.  When I reached the summit and the sacrificial platform, it was the blackest sight I have yet seen.  A dozen heads of my countrymen were displayed amidst the gore and stench.  When I climbed off that home of Satan, I fell to my knees and prayed to my God for strength.  I asked Him to give me the strength to resist a desire to wipe these evil Aztecs from the face of the earth, to resist the desire for bloody revenge."

He looked at her with a plea in his eyes.  "I ask that you help me resist this desire as well.  I need your strength as I need your love."

She looked into his eyes, but Cortez could tell she was looking into her mind.  "This is still the one thing I understand the least about the Christian faith, the demand for forgiveness of enemies.  Always and everywhere, people wish to annihilate their enemies.  Why are Christians so different?"

Cortez gave her a small sad smile.  "Why is Jesus Christ so different, is what you mean – why are His teachings so different from other religions' founders.  For centuries, my land was ruled by Moros[23] from Africa who believe in a religion of hatred and destruction of infielos, infidels, because that is what the man who created their religion taught.  For all those centuries, it wasn't until my lifetime, when I was a young boy, that Spain finally rid itself from of this pestilence."

Now Cortez looked into his mind.  "This was the great moment in our history, when in the year of our Lord 1492, our king and queen who had united all of Spain[24] secured the surrender of the last Moro king, Boabdil.[25]  Yet this triumph was without bloodshed.  When Boabdil saw the situation was hopeless, he surrendered his great city of Granada. It was done so peacefully and he was treated with great respect.  This is what I wish to do with Cuauhtémoc and the Aztecs, but as you say they are crazy with peyotl or some sickness in their heads."

He focused again on her.  "Yet you ask why we are required to forgive our enemies.  It is for our own salvation, My Lady, not our enemies'.  Hatred, the desire for destruction, is a poison, a spiritual poison that can kill one's soul.  Jesus knew this.  He knew that in forgiveness we save ourselves.  It is a teaching that is hard for many to accept, too hard for many who call themselves Christians and truly believe they are."

He closed his eyes in pain.  "Why?  Why?" he cried out.  "Why must this carnage continue?  Why at the least doesn't Cuauhtémoc let the women and children leave Tenochtitlan?  Must they all starve and die too?"

She could see he was in anguish.  She could see the depth of it in his eyes when he opened them.  "So many thousands of Aztecs have died in this siege – but it is as nothing to how many more will perish if I cannot persuade Cuauhtémoc to surrender.  If he refuses again, I will not be able to hold back the Tlaxcalans, the Texcocans, and the hosts of other allies arriving in vast numbers every day now.  At dawn, we shall leave here to establish new headquarters in Tlatelolco.  It is from there we will reach out to  Cuauhtémoc – we, Doña Marina, you and I, for I can only talk to him through you.  We must convince him.  We must…"

Malinali never looked upon Cortez with more love than now.  Many times she had heard the men talking among themselves, telling stories of heroes of old called "knights" who were not just great warriors but acted with great honor and nobility.  Here was just such a knight, brought to life from these old stories, and he was looking at her with love and longing in his eyes.  They talked no more.

*  *  *  *  *

She was not prepared for what she saw.  Malinali was walking with Bernal and a large contingent of soldiers straight into Tenochtitlan.  But where was the city?

"Such a sad sight," said Bernal.  "Our allies have been busy taking their revenge on the capital of their oppressor."

The only way to prevent incessant attacks from roof tops, he explained to her, was to bring the roofs to the ground.  The only way to prevent the incessant attacks from canoes along the canals that wound through the island city like a maze was to fill them up – fill them with rubble from leveled buildings.  Not a building, not a palace was to be spared, not a canal to remain. 

"Every house is a fortress, every street cut by canals," Bernal explained.  "There was no choice except this.  After the disaster at the puente de dolor, Captain Cortez decreed, ‘To my shame and regret, I must command that our allies convert the water into dry land.'  And that, Doña Marina, is why you are now walking across what used to be this great city and is now a pile of rubble safe and unmolested."

When she entered the city's great central square, she stood frozen in shock.  On one side loomed the huge temple with the twin towers for sacrifices to Texcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli, with the blood-encrusted Jade Steps leading up to them.  It was devoid of priests, abandoned and empty as was the entire square.  Every single great building around the square save for the stone temple itself, was gone.

The walls surrounding the enormous square[26] were gone, the palace of Tillancalqui, the two palaces of Montezuma, the palace of Axayacatl where they had stayed the year before, the children's prison where children were kept for sacrifice to Tlaloc, the victim's kitchen where the priests cooked the arms and legs of victims for meals for the nobles, the huge tzompantli containing so many thousands of victims' skulls[27] — all vanished, nothing left but bare ground with scattered bits of rubble.

"With each passing day now," Bernal continued, "more allies from more cities and kingdoms arrive, wishing to participate in the demolition of a city that once was a wonder of the world – as you can see…"

She certainly could see, for though the square was empty of buildings, it swarmed with people busy with carrying away the rubble to fill in canals.  A contingent of Tlaxcalan warriors approached, led by Chief Chichimecatecle who announced he would personally escort her to Cortez in Tlatelolco.  "The Aztecs are dying in numbers we cannot count every day now, dying of hunger.  They have eaten all the rats and lizards until there are no more of even them," he told her as they walked.

"Is this the fate for the Aztecs that you wished for?" she asked the chief.

He stared straight ahead and was silent.  "For the women and children – some of whom when they die are being eaten – no," finally came his answer.  "As for the men, my heart feels nothing.  I only wish for this cursed place to be gone, so that my people's dream of a Tlaxcala free of it will be true."

He breathed deeply.  "And it soon shall be true, thanks to Malinche…" he looked at her, straight into her eyes… "and to you."  She instantly realized what a great compliment he was paying her, as she held his gaze and slightly nodded her head in respectful acknowledgement. 

As they walked through the destroyed city, she was reminded of its enormous size[28] — and startled that she could walk straight across it without any Aztec threat.  The almost total control Cortez now had over the city was evident when she was escorted behind the market square of Tlatelolco, on the opposite side of the Tacuba causeway, to a large home that she learned had belonged to a Aztec noble named Atzauatzin.  On the spacious roof of this home, Cortez had established his headquarters in a large tent of red cloth.  Only his eyes told her he was happy to see her, for he did not smile.

Next to him was Pedro de Alvarado with several skeletal figures so emaciated it took her a moment to realize they were Aztec nobles.  "They came to us, crying for ‘Malinche,' Doña Marina," Alvarado informed her.  "We have waited for you."

There were such nightmares in their eyes she had to force herself to look at them.  "You are the children of the Sun!" one of them called out, looking wildly at Cortez.  "But the Sun is swift, it can go across the earth in a single day!  Why, then, do you delay so long to put an end to our miseries?  We wish you to kill us at once, so that we may go to our god Huitzilopochtli, who waits for us in heaven!"

Cortez stared out at the ruined city and the lake beyond.  After some time, he began to talk.

"When I first looked at this city spread below me, it was with Lord Montezuma on top of the Great Temple.  It was a city of such beauty, with its magnificent buildings, laced with canals, flower gardens and bright trees too numerous to count, that I wept.  Never before had I seen anything so beautiful.  Now, when I look upon this city, I am weeping once more."

He turned to face the starving creatures, and Malinali noticed that there was a pretended sternness in his voice, but there was nothing but sadness in his eyes.

"For it was not just the beauty of your city that made me weep, standing there with Montezuma.  It was knowing that this incredible beauty was built on a foundation of evil and blood.  As the Son of God, Jesus Christ, is my witness, I did not wish to destroy this city.  I wished to destroy the evil infecting it like a horrible disease, a disease of the soul."

He stepped forward to look at them intently.  "I do not want you to die!  I want your gods to die!"

He pointed at the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan soaring in the distance.  "Look!  The building remains but its gods are dead and gone, and they are never coming back."  He swept his arm in an arc over the ruined city.  "Look!  Your city is destroyed, your people are eating worms and insects, they are dying in such multitudes that the stench of their decaying bodies is overwhelming where we stand here.  And why?  Why?  Because you continued to believe in evil gods rather than live in peace with your neighbors.  Look again!  It is your evil gods that have done this to you – not me!  I don't want you to die.  I want you to live – live in peace with your neighbors instead of believing your evil gods wish you to conquer them, sacrifice them to your bloody Huitzilopochtli."

Cortez looked at Malinali with a plea.  "Doña Marina, I beg you to get them to understand that Huitzilopochtli is dead and is not waiting for them in heaven.  Only the One True God can save them, and for that they must live, live and ask for His forgiveness."

When she tried, all she got were expressions of terrified bewilderment.  "They are too hungry to think," Cortez concluded.  "Let us feed them, and when their bellies are full, persuade them to go to Cuauhtémoc.  Have them tell Cuauhtémoc that I do not know why he will not confer with me to arrange an end to all this death, when I could crush him and all his people in an hour if I desired.  I give my Christian word that he will be treated with every respect and we will confer in complete safety."

As they ate ravenously, she talked with them as soothingly as she could.  She pointed to the sun.  "You say Malinche is the child of the Sun and, yes, he could indeed kill Cuauhtémoc and all Aztecs before the Sun's journey ends on this day.  Think!  The only reason he will not is because he does not want to.  He wants peace not death.  Let us do this together.  You go to Cuauhtémoc and persuade him to meet with Malinche.  And from that meeting, where I will be the one who talks between them, there will come new life for the Aztecs.  I ask you to live for this, not die."

Full of food and cacao, they nodded in agreement.  "You must return as soon as you are able with Cuauhtémoc's answer," she reminded them.  "You now carry the fate of your people in your hands."

After the nobles left, she stood with Cortez facing east.  They were in a section called Amaxac in the northeastern corner of the city.  Most all of the huge city lay behind them and to their right.  Only this small portion lay in front, bounded on two sides by the lake.

"All that is left of the Aztec people are stuffed into there," he told her.  "Tens and tens of thousands alive, and even more dead.  If you go in there, you cannot take a step without stepping on a dead body.  It is a Hell on earth, more terrible than I could have imagined."  He looked at her in pain.  "I do not think your father meant for a dream like this."

All she could do was whisper, "No."

As they waited, hoping for a return of the nobles, Cortez issued a series of orders to his officers.  Alvarado was to hold himself in readiness for an assault.  Sandoval was to ready the brigantines for a cannonade upon the houses nearest the water.  Hours passed and now it was mid-afternoon, when two of the nobles appeared.  "The Great Lord Cuauhtémoc will meet with Malinche," was the message.  "Tomorrow when the sun is highest in the sky, in the market square of Tlatelolco."

Cortez and everyone else breathed relief.  Immediately, he sent word for all his officers to stand down and withdraw their forces.  The next morning, elaborate preparations were made.  A stone platform in the square was covered with mats and carpets.  A banquet of delectable food was laid out.  Cortez and his officers arrayed themselves in their finest polished armor and waited, erect on their horses. 

Five Aztecs nobles came, but no Cuauhtémoc.  They prostrated in front of Cortez and apologized, saying Cuauhtémoc could not come because he was very sick.  Cortez refused to show any disappointment, and instead instructed Malinali, "Doña Marina, tell these gentlemen that they are welcome as our guests.  Tell them to please enjoy all that has been prepared for them."

The nobles fell upon the feast with such hungry ferocity that the Spaniards averted their eyes.  When they had finished, Cortez ordered more food brought, wrapped in bundles.  "Please take these provisions with you, and return for more when you want.  Please convey to Lord Cuauhtémoc my hope that his health will soon return.  I have instructed my soldiers to withdraw from their positions.  There will be no attack from us while he recovers.  When his sickness is over, I will welcome him as I have you, welcome him as a brother with whom I wish to live in peace."

*  *  *  *  *

As the Aztecs left, Cortez turned to his officers on horseback.  "This Cuauhtémoc is just as devious and untrustworthy as Montezuma.  Gentlemen, everyone is to be on guard but on no account to provoke any attack.  We shall give Cuauhtémoc some more days to consider his situation.  I shall return to Xoloc.  The stench of death arising from below that roof in Amaxac is intolerable."

As they passed through the Great Square of Tenochtitlan on their way to Xoloc, Malinali saw it was filled with thousands of Tlaxcalan, Texcocan, and other allies' warriors.  "Look at their eyes," Bernal said as he walked with her.  "They have the eyes of wolves, wolves so eager and ready to tear the Aztecs apart.  They are waiting here, waiting for the final kill."  She shuddered.

She shuddered in a different way when at last she was in Cortez's arms that night.  "I wanted you far away from that awful place," he told her.  "Here we will be in peace for the next several days. Let us put aside all the horrors we have seen. Let us use these days to enjoy our love."

Those days were complete bliss.  Malinali not only thought she was living among the clouds of heaven, but that she was as light as a cloud herself, or a golden ray of sunlight shining through them.  Cortez was like a thunderbolt, overwhelming her with his passion, indefatigable, never-ending.  All the time they had been together since that first time in Zautla[29], she had used a preparation of herbs taught to her by her grandmother Ciuacoatl to not be with child.  Dare she stop doing so now?  Yes, she decided.  She prayed to the Holy Mother for the blessing and honor of Cortez's child.

She had never seen Cortez happier.  "The rest of the world does not exist," he said.  "Only you."  Only they existed, for day after day after day after…

Then it ended.  A messenger arrived, saying a group of Aztecs nobles had appeared in Tlatelolco asking for "Malinche."  As Cortez began putting on his armor, he kissed her gently and said, "Now at last we shall see how this finishes."

They arrived in Tlatelolco by mid-day.  "Lord Cuauhtémoc wishes to meet with Malinche," the nobles said, "but it is already late in the day.  He will come tomorrow."  Malinali was so incredulous she didn't translate their words.  She pointed to the sky.  "The sun is still high.  It is not late.  Your Lord must come now," she argued.  They shook their heads.  "Tomorrow," was all they would say, and left.

On the next day, a banquet was laid out in the square as before.  The nobles came, but no Cuauhtémoc.  "Our Lord has decided he will not meet with Malinche," they said  "We cannot discuss this further."  Cortez remained cordial.  "He will surely come to see me, as he understands how well you are being treated, how you come and go unharmed.  He has nothing to fear from meeting me, which is the only way to cease this bloodshed.  Please go to him, ask him to reconsider.  Think of all the lives of your people that may be saved if you convince him."

Nodding in agreement, they departed.  Early the following morning, they arrived at the home in Amaxac and were escorted to the rooftop to announce that Cuauhtémoc would indeed meet Malinche at noon in the Tlatelolco market square.  The preparations were made still again, and noon found Cortez astride his horse along with several officers, Malinali standing by.  No one came, no nobles, no messengers, no Cuauhtémoc.  Three hours passed, and not a word or a person from the Aztecs.  Cortez was infuriated.

Then a cavalryman galloped into the square.  "Captain Cortez, the Aztecs are mounting an attack!"  Immediately, Sandoval was dispatched to take charge of the brigantines, Alvarado and Cristobal de Olid to prepare their forces.  Cortez then had King Ixtlilxochitl and Chief Chichimecatecle brought to him.  "Doña Marina, please instruct these gentlemen to assemble their warriors for battle – and to order their warriors that under no circumstances are they to do harm to women and children, the old, the weak, and the sick.  If any of their warriors does this, my soldiers will kill him.  Do they understand?"

Malinali gained their agreement, and soon the square was filled with thousands and more thousands of warriors in gaudy warpaint and bright feathers, Spaniard soldiers and horsemen, the horses rearing and neighing, sensing what was about to happen.  A heavy guard escorted Malinali to the rooftop headquarters.  From there, she watched as Cortez led the forces into the warren of Amaxac's narrow streets.  A vast tumult of war-cries erupted from the Aztecs, who charged down the streets to attack them, as clouds of arrows, darts, and stones were fired and cast from the rooftops.  The musketmen now began shooting, along with the crossbowmen, while she could hear successive booms of the canons on the brigantines in the watery distance.  Then came the screams.

She knew they were not the yells of men, but the shrieks of women – and children.  She knew what was happening.  The Spaniards were unable to control their allies, who were killing any Aztecs they could find, old, young, sick, woman, baby, it did not matter.  Now buildings were being torched, first a few, then in the hundreds, crashing in burning ruins and clouds of dust and smoke.

This was not a battle, this was a slaughter, the Aztecs so demented to start it, so starved and weak to oppose it.  Wave after wave of allies poured into Amaxac like an immense storm of murderous fury.  She sank to her knees.  She was watching the final destruction of the Aztecs, in a maelstrom of blood and fire and smoke and vengeful hate.  "Tahtli! Tahtli!" she called out to her father, "I did not mean for your dream to come true like this!" 

And yet her dream had come true, on this day[30], in front of her eyes.  She couldn't take her eyes off it.  Finally she saw the Spaniards marching out and the allies with them  When Cortez returned to the rooftop, he took off his blood-splattered armor and sat in silence.  At last, he said, "Never did I see so pitiless a race as the people of this land, or anything wearing the form of man so destitute of humanity." 

He looked up at her.  "Let us return to Xoloc.  Tenochtitlan is an osario, a charnel-house."[31]

*  *  *  *  *

That night, neither of them wanted to celebrate what had happened with love-making.  All they wanted was to hold each other tightly in silence.  It was different in the camp.  All along the causeway there were bonfires, laughing and singing was heard everywhere.  "The men are so happy," Malinali noted.  "Not over the horror of today," Cortez advised.  "Over the knowledge that this war is over, and that they have been victorious."

They arose at dawn to make their way to Tlatelolco.  Alvarado, Sandoval, Olid, Ixtlilxochitl, and Chichimecatecle were waiting.  "Gentlemen," Cortez addressed them, Malinali translating for the chiefs.  "It is on this day, the 13^th day of August in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Five Hundred Twenty One, that we achieve victory and extinguish the Aztec Empire.

"Our goal today is not, however, to butcher as many Aztecs as possible…" he cast a glance towards the two chiefs to make sure they knew he was talking about them… "but to capture Cuauhtémoc alive.  If we do that, this war is over.  Señor de Sandoval, instruct your brigantines to be on the most careful watch for fleeing canoes.  Our quarry may be among them.  He must not escape, to lead a rebellion against us elsewhere.  Señores de Alvarado and de Olid,  the purpose of your forces is to push the Aztecs towards the water, to capture those who surrender and see they are not killed.  By pushing and trapping them, we can force the leaders and Cuauhtémoc himself into canoes where we can seize them."

He turned to the two chiefs. "Lords Ixtlilxochitl and Chichimecatecle, I know your men were beyond your control yesterday and for that I do not blame you.  But I do not expect this to happen again today."  Reluctantly, they nodded.

At this moment, a delegation of Aztecs appeared, led by a man of obvious high rank.  Malinali spoke to him, then announced, "This is the cihuacoatl, commander of the Aztec army."

Cortez gave him a courtly bow.  "Sir, it is you above all, save for Cuauhtémoc himself, whom I wish to meet.  We are both leaders of armies, it is our life's work.  Surely you know you must surrender to us rather than have what remains of your army destroyed.  Let us talk together and come to an understanding of peace between us."

Malinali could see he was a defeated man who could not hide sadness and disappointment from his face.  "Malinche!  How I wish for this!" he replied.  "Yet my king, Cuauhtémoc, forbids it."

Now disappointment was on Cortez's face.  "Surely, your king will not see your people perish, when we can so easily save them.  I beg you to come and bring him to me and end this war."

"Lord Cuauhtémoc sent me here to tell you this.  That he is ready to die where he is, and will never meet with you."

Cortez sighed.  "He can die, but why must he have his people die with him?  It is his belief in evil false gods that are the cause of this.  So, I have no choice?"

In a tone of deep resignation, the cihuacoatl replied, "It is for you to work your will."

Cortez stiffened himself in his saddle.  "Go, then, and prepare your people and your king for their end.  Their hour has come."

As the cihuacoatl left, Cortez said to his commanders, "Nonetheless, let us wait a while.  I do not want a repeat of yesterday.  Let us give time for Cuauhtémoc to try his escape.  Which means, Señor de Sandoval, you and your men must be extremely vigilant."

The commanders went to organize their forces, while Cortez and Malinali went to the rooftop headquarters.  The hours went by, until by noon, Cortez decided he could wait no longer.  He had Francisco Verdugo give the signal, and watched Alvarado's and Olid's forces enter Amaxac, which seemed deserted except for the uncountable number of dead Aztec bodies lying amidst the shattered, smoldering rubble of what used to be buildings.

Cortez assigned Luis Marin to keep him informed.  In less than an hour, Marin had run back to report, "Countless men and women came to us to surrender.  They look like skeletons and wear filthy rags.  It is beyond our men's understanding how they could endure such misery.  We are gathering up as many as possible and put them in a safe area.  Most all of the Aztecs have been pushed to near the water, where some are jumping in and drowning.  We are doing our best to prevent the allies from killing as before, but one group of Aztecs fired some arrows and darts, and the allies destroyed them.  Many canoes are being filled with who I think are people of high rank, and have begun paddling across the lake."

Everyone on the rooftop then strained their eyes to look out on the lake.  Several brigantines were engaged in running down canoes and overturning them.  Malinali pointed to three very large canoes racing to get away, with one brigantine under sail and a good wind, closing with them.  The brigantine pulled along side one of the canoes, and after some moments, it seemed that the Aztecs on the canoe got on board the ship.  A moment later, the ship's canon boomed in triumph.  "He is ours," concluded Cortez.  "It is done."

*  *  *  *  *

This was confirmed when they saw the other canoes stop fleeing, with canoes and brigantines alike all now making their way back.  Cortez sent Francisco Verdugo and Luis Marin to bring Cuauhtémoc before him.  They returned sooner than expected.  "Captain, we have a difficulty," they reported.  "Cuauhtémoc has indeed been captured, by a brigantine commanded by Garci Holguin.  Señor Holguin wished to bring his captive to you, but then Gonzalo de Sandoval, as commander of the whole fleet, demanded Señor Holguin surrender the captive to him, wanting the honor of the capture to be his.  What shall we do, Captain?"

Cortez shook his head with a weary smile and held his hands up in mock despair.  "Bring them all to me," he ordered.

First to enter was Cuauhtémoc, erect, tall, and thin, in an elaborately embroidered cotton robe and a large gold headband with a crest of feathers.  Malinali was surprised that he was so young, not much older than she[32].  Behind him came Sandoval and Garci Holguin.

"Doña Marina, please bade our guest welcome while I talk to my officers briefly," Cortez requested.  She did so, and the two of them stood aside as Cortez called out, "Gentlemen!  Your dispute reminds me of a story.  You know where I am from, Medellin in Extremadura[33].  It was founded before the time of Christ by a Roman General named Metellus, so my city was first called Metellium.  His father was also a general, and was tasked to put down a rebellion against Rome in the kingdom of Numidia[34]. 

"The leader of this rebellion was a very dangerous man named Jugurtha[35].  The person who captured Jugurtha would be a great hero to Rome.  Two commanders claimed the prize, Sulla[36] and Marius[37].  Metellus settled the dispute by asking the Roman Senate to decide.  I shall settle the dispute between you – for I know what it is about – by asking His Majesty Emperor Don Carlos to decide which or both of you shall incorporate the capture of the great Aztec lord into you coat-of-arms.  Both of you have done great deeds today, both of you should be honored and memorialized.  Please do not let your dispute soil this moment of history."

After a few stunned blinks of their eyes, Sandoval and Garci Holguin turned and bowed to each other.  "Our dispute is over," they told Cortez.

Cortez turned to a puzzled Cuauhtémoc and a bemused Malinali.  "Please convey my apologies, Doña Marina.  Tell Lord Cuauhtémoc he is my welcome guest."

She did so, and Cuauhtémoc replied:

"Malinche!  I have done all that I could to protect my country from you.  But I have failed.  So I ask that you end my life with the long knife you carry on your hip.  I only ask further that you see my wife and family come to no harm."

"Great Lord Cuauhtémoc," Cortez replied, "I do not wish to kill you and shall not.  I wish to treat you with the respect and dignity you deserve.  You defended your city with great courage.  My regret is that you refused to make peace with me as I so often begged you to do, before your great city was destroyed.  Now I suggest that you rest.  You should fear nothing among us.  Your wife and family will be brought to you.  Later, we shall discuss how the Aztec people can best live in peace with their neighbors."

He turned to Verdugo and Marin.  "Please see that Lord Cuauhtémoc and his family are placed in comfort and security, and extended every courtesy," he instructed.  He turned to Garci Holguin.  "Señor Holguin, my warmest congratulations on your great feat today.  Today, Señor, your life has become a part of history."  He looked affectionately at Sandoval.  "Gonzalo, my trusted friend.  I entrust the Aztec ruler into your hands.  See that he is respectfully cared-for, and more importantly, very well-guarded."

Then Cortez was alone with Malinali on the rooftop.

They gazed out upon the vast smoldering wreck of a once-great city.  "This has been a horror, one which I did not want.  Yet this is what a whirlwind does," Cortez said quietly, putting his arm around her.  "Do you remember the day we first entered this city, the day I first met Montezuma?[38]  We talked that morning of the fear of the Aztecs, that I was coming as the whirlwind of Quetzacoatl, a whirlwind that brings ‘the disembowelment of the world.' And I told you of the Bible story of the prophet Hosea, who lived thousands of years ago, but whose warning now seemed directed at the Aztecs:

"For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: the grain shall have no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: and if it does, strangers shall swallow it up.[39]

"The Aztecs sowed the whirlwind with their evil.  The One True God sent us as the whirlwind which the Aztecs must reap, for we are the strangers who must swallow up their evil.  Now that evil is gone.  Too many people have died horribly here.  But they died less horribly than all the countless thousands year after year after year for generations whose hearts were cut out of their living bodies in sacrifice to Satan.

"And those countless thousands, who would have been sacrificed had we not brought the whirlwind, now shall live for generations to come.  The price for their lives that you see before you had to be paid."

He looked into her eyes.  "My dearest, just as God sent me here as this whirlwind, just as God gave your father's dream to him, so God sent you to me.  Without you, I could not have succeeded.  It is thanks to you that this land is liberated from Aztec evil and can now be free."

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[1]   Princess Teculehuatzin, daughter of Tlaxcala King Xicotencatl, whom Pedro de Alvarado married in Chapter 19

[2]   See Chapter 29, The Night of Tears.

[3]   See Chapter 32, "We Have Killed Malinche!"

[4]   Two varieties of morning glory seeds, Rivea corymbosa , and Ipomoea tricolor, containing a hallucinogenic alkaloid tryptamine d-lysergic acid amide or LSA, a chemical cousin of lysergic acid di-ethylamide or LSD.

[5]   Heimia salicifolia, leaves of which containing the hallucinogen cryogenine.

[6]   Peyote, the buttons of the Lophophora williamsii cactus containing the hallucinogen mescaline.

[7]   Psilocybe mushrooms containing the hallucingens psilocin and psilocybin.

[8]   A province of south-central Spain.

[9]   Saltpeter or salt of the rock, potassium nitrate.  Gunpowder is 75% potassium nitrate, 15% charcoal, and 10% sulfur.

[10]  Popocatepetl – see Chapter 22.

[11]   Cuernavaca.  See Chapter 32.

[12]   Juan Ponce de Leon (1460-1521) from Santervas de Campos, Valladolid, Spain, accompanied Columbus on his second voyage of 1493.  He was the first European to reach a land he called La Florida, "flowery" in 1513.  He led a colonizing expedition to settle there in 1521 with 200 men, 50 horses, and supplies.  Attacked by the Caloosas in the estuary of the Caloosahatchie River (Charlotte Harbor), he died shortly upon reaching Cuba.  The myth that he was searching for a legendary "Fountain of Youth" arose in the early 1600s.

[13]   It would now be July 20 (1521).

[14]   1402-1472.

[15]   "Snake Woman," chief advisor to the king.

[16]   "Master of the House of Darkness," deputy advisor to the king.

[17]   "Blood-Shedder," commander of the army.

[18]   "Cutter of Men," deputy commander of the army.

[19]   "Chief of the Eagle and Prickly Pear," chief judge.

[20]   July 22.

[21]   July 27.

[22]   See Chapter 23, n.7.

[23]   Moors, Moslems.

[24]   Ferdinand of Castille (1452-1516) and Isabella of Aragon (1451-1504).

[25]   1460-1533.

[26]   The temple square of Tenochtitlan was about 1,000 feet on each side.

[27]   The skull rack below the sacrificial temple contained some 60,000 victims' skulls.

[28]   Tenochtitlan covered an area of some five square miles, with over a quarter-million inhabitants.

[29]   See Chapter 14.

[30]   August 12.

[31]   Estimates are that 40,000 Aztecs were killed in this single battle, upwards of 150,000 during the entire Siege of Tenochtitlan.

[32]   Malinali was born in 1500, Cuauhtémoc in 1496.

[33]   See Chapter 23.

[34]   Roughly present-day northern Algeria along the Mediterranean coast.

[35]   160-104 BC

[36]   Lucius Cornelius Sulla 138-78 B.C. 

[37]   Gaius Marius  157-86 B.C.

[38]   November 8, 1519.  See Chapter 23.

[39]   Hosea 8:7.