Revolutions

18 - Walumaq

"Great plans are in store for you today!"

Iatuq's performative announcement jars me out of my sleepy stupor as I arrive to the dinning chamber.

Seated at the large table along with a few nobles is Iatuq and my father, Siunqi. He feasts on roasted boar, tearing at its flesh in huge chunks, while Iatuq delicately selects a single piece of cut-up citrus, seemingly content to only consume that for her meal.

"In bringing back our most beloved and cherished traditions, and to honor our most respected guests, an exhibition of Uli-Poq has been organized for your entertainment after breakfast!"

I have never heard of this "uli-poq" and can't discern what that means, but Iatuq looks elated to tell me the news. I look to Siunqi for a hint at what to expect, but he remains impassive and more concerned with his meal.

"I must go and change outfits for the ceremony, but we will see you at the court!"

She scampers off with a trail of servants behind her. I seat myself besides my father and have two servants immediately catering to me before I can do anything else. One presents an array of exotic fruits and meats while the other fills my chalice with a juice of some kind that I'm unfamiliar with. It smells sweet and has a cloudy orange color, but appears harmless enough.

"Do you know what's going on?" I quiz Siunqi, but he only shrugs.

"Supposedly," he says, "we're 'in for a treat'—she has repeated that confusing phrase all morning."

"She also said 'court'; is there a trial happening? Did they..." I lower my voice before speaking the next part, "did they find the insurgents?" Siunqi's eyes grow intense and he hushes me profusely.

"Not so loud!" he says. "I have no idea what– it's okay, stop apologizing! I have no idea what this 'uli-poq' is supposed to be—initially, I believed it to be some kind of public execution, but Iatuq gives me the impression it can't be that serious. Hurry and finish your meal, and we will see what this is about."

After I eat, and apparently also drink, an amazing assortment of fruits and their juices (with only a bite or two of boar), we're ushered down a long, winding path leading away from the palace that cuts through a field of tall, unattended, dried grass. The land on this side of the village is flat and nondescript, with a sea of tan and beige extending as far as the eye can see. Nearby, farmers tend to the manicured areas outside the main grounds of Chalaqta, occasionally popping up and appearing out of the tall grasses like fish jumping above the water's surface to snatch an insect. Beyond the field mice and other rodents rustling the grass, the only other noise is the chatter from all the nobles walking through the countryside.

A tall stone wall finally appears over the horizon, growing imposingly larger as we approach—my estimation is roughly the height of three or four men. It extends almost the length of the palace grounds, which is to say several houses. The grass suddenly gets much shorter, with sporadic patches of dirt throughout the grounds, and the shape of an "I" is outlined by a stone wall and what appear to be stands for spectators. To one side of the field, two rows of tents have been put up, with vendors selling food and refreshments for the attendees. At first I'm mortified when I notice the perimeter of the court is marked with human skulls, but I notice soon after that they are just stones painted to appear as such, and I'm immediately relieved, albeit slightly disturbed by the morbid, macabre decorations.

As the path leads us around the nearest wall, I realize it is, in fact, a gradual, tiered incline, allowing spectators to be seated and watch the display. The inner-facing wall is vibrant, its colors stand out from the neutral earth tones that surround the location. On the large wall across from the seating are humongous painted designs, depicting numerous scenes involving people, animals, and locations in the mountains, jungles, and seas. Studying it, I notice the resemblance of many historic events, such as battles and major events I learned from my tutor about the continent. At the base of the wall is a sloping ramp or incline, and high above at the center of the wall lengthwise is a ring crafted in stone with a fairly narrow hole. There is a decorative pattern carved into the hoop, although it's difficult to distinguish from this far away.