Revolutions

2 - Teqosa

Every time I pass through the trapezoidal stone opening leading into the towering, ancient Great Library, I feel out of place. For so much of my life, access was only given to nobility, which here in Hilaqta is the council of elders from the most influential and well educated families in Qantua. I, however, am a warrior. And amidst a population that views knowledge and learning as civilized, compared to the brutality and barbarism of war, I believed upon my return home that I would be outcast. However, I have somehow been embraced by certain people in power, perhaps due to my adjacency to the new Arbiter, Achutli, from our time on the battlefield, or, more likely, from the results and consequences of the war. Now I find myself with a seat on the council, granted to me once I crossed the threshold into town several moon cycles ago. As such, I'm greeted warmly, with knowing nods, by the people walking the grounds, wearing vibrant tunics and dresses dyed with the yellows, reds, whites, and greens of their respective native lands.

Blending in with the hilly surroundings, large, brown stones form a perimeter to contain the Great Library, constructed of the same, though slightly smaller, smooth stones. Unlike the huts and homes surrounding the building, the stones are angled and tightly packed, carved intricately to distribute the weight evenly in the event of harmful weather or earthquakes. Creating these stones takes a tremendous amount of time, which is why they're only seen in a few locations around the continent, unsurprisingly amongst the wealthy nobility. The building looks enormous as I approach, but that's mostly from the fact it's built into the hillside. My father used to tell me it was built this way to give visitors and outsiders the impression it's presence is daunting and larger than life, but he reminded me that, like many things, this was just for appearances; the architects took advantage of the terrain to create an imposing and intimidating structure. Practically speaking, though, it was built at a site for the advantageous purpose that its proximity is to a cave dwelling that keeps an even temperature and humidity year round. This prevents the quipus from becoming brittle and breaking. Whether that was intended or happenstance is anyone's guess.

Inside the building are rows and rows of stored quipus with their assortment of colors, representing counts for agriculture, armies, and other news and information. Robed men slowly pace about the aisles, attentively inspecting the threaded mechanisms and checking for flaws. I scan the room and eventually locate who I seek. I approach an elderly gentleman with a slightly gaunt face and thinning, white hair, his cheeks and jaw whiskered in white. I gently place my hand upon his shoulder to get his attention, and he turns his entire body toward me. The confused expression on his face quickly lights up when he sees and recognizes me.

"I know I'm old, but there's not a council meeting I'm forgetting, is there?" he asks. A sly smirk slowly slides from the corners of his mouth denoting the tone behind his question.

"Your memory is sharper than any weapon I've ever wielded, Upachu. Or, at least, that's what my father always said."

"Your father always knew how to pour honey into one's ears," he says, his eyes cast downward slightly and his smirk turning into pursed lips as he briefly reflects on the memories spurred on by this sentiment.

"So what brings you to the Great Library, Teqosa?" he asks, after a short chuckle. "Surely, it can't be to count the color variety of all the quipus. They did teach you how to count at the military academy, correct?"

I know Upachu is trying to elicit a laugh from me, but the matter at hand is too pressing for me to be amused. Seeing this, Upachu stares at me with his large, chestnut-colored eyes, bracing himself for the request I'm about to ask of him.

"I came to seek your advice. You provided my father with guidance over the years, and I hope you can do the same for me."

He raises an eyebrow and initially maintains his smirk, but his face grows concerned, undoubtedly mirroring the expression on mine. It takes me a moment to collect my thoughts and figure out how to broach this subject. During the travel from Qapauma to my home, I pondered the task given to me by Achutli, the Arbiter. It commands a lot from our people-if it can even be achieved-and it doesn't sit well with me. Because of this, I haven't done anything about it, but also, I honestly don't know how to go about conducting what's been asked of me. I'm a warrior, not an explorer or politician, so how would I know where to begin? Fortunately, I wasn't given a deadline, but I can only imagine Achutli will want results at some point. It's taken much deliberation, not wanting to burden anyone else with what's been ordered of me, but I ultimately determine I need some guidance, and if anyone knows how to handle such a situation, it's someone wisened and experienced with Tapeu politics, like Upachu.