Nahui Ollin (Still a work in progress!)

Chapter 1 (Draft)

    "Young one, you shall accompany me back to the capital."
     Yolotl could not help but stare at the nobleman blankly, his jaw going slack yet his expression unreadable. Did he hear him right? Surely he jests. Yolotl shifted his head slightly to his right to meet his mother's gaze and held it, awaiting an explanation. Leaving his home was out of the question, his mother knew this and upon taking notice of her son's disgruntled expression, shot the teenage boy a stern look.
    "My precious jade, what Lord Toquatzin is graciously doing is granting you an opportunity."
     His mother stated as she cast a small pile of papers onto the nobleman's refined wooden table, each page different from the last yet equally as detailed. On one page was the sketch of Amamitepec's humble plaza, depicted with simple produce stands and skilled artisans seated on woven reed mats while the aroma of sizzling maize tlaxcalli wafted from open-air kitchens, tempting passersby with their enticing scent.
     On another page, joyful children chasing an innocent lizard, a calatl, and one child gleefully poking it with a long stick. Sketches of small birds and herbs from the nearby forest, although hastily drawn, shown by the rough lines and overlapping, were clearly depicted as though a novice scribe had jotted it down.
     Yolotl let out an exasperated sigh. He knew where they were going with this and he did not like it one bit. But his mother stubbornly continued.
    "An opportunity to hone your skills and make a name for yourself in the capital. You'd be a fool not to take it, my son."
    "The capital is barely holding on as is, mother." The teen boy quickly retorted. "And wishing not to leave my only home for some haughty city in the lowlands is not foolish."
     He turned his gaze off to the side to avoid seeing that furrowed brow of hers. That crinkled nose of hers, her mouth slightly agape as she struggled to articulate words. She believed her son to be completely out of his mind right now. And most would agree with her. This opportunity would not come twice. Tenochtitlan was the vibrant capital of the Triple Alliance. It was a small island situated on Lake Tetzcoco yet it is a known fact that its influence resonated far beyond its meticulously planned cityscape.
     Yolotl could see the desperation on his mother's face, her eyes bright and hopeful that he would at least consider it. But this was his home and he refused to leave it for a land filled with strangers. A land where he would no doubt be looked down on for the green tattoos on his face and wrists.
     Lord Toquatzin crossed his arms and let out a thoughtful hum. This boy was certainly something, a little rough around the edges but no doubt a natural talent. Although it was unfortunate that the young man held no desire to join him in the capital. His sketches and paintings, albeit childish, had a raw beauty to them. But there was an air of defiance about him. One that made him unapproachable. He could understand the boy's reluctance. To abandon one's roots and journey to the lowlands to start a new life. To leave behind friends, family and a sense of belonging was a scary notion.
    "This apprenticeship will do you well, Yolotl, even if you do not plan to pursue scribing. My child, you have lived in a bubble your whole life, sheltered from the dangers of the world and have grown accustomed to it, you live in ignorance of the whole universe waiting to be explored."
     She took a step towards her son, her hands outstretched to gently cup his cheeks. Her son who was stubborn, yet soft at heart. Her son who was strong, but not invincible. He was no longer a child, her precious jade.
     The teen boy felt his left eye twitch, "I am content with my life here, mother, I have no interest in rubbing elbows with lowlanders like him."
    "Ñ'uspi! Mind your manners, boy!"
     Yolotl felt a chill run down his back. She had called him by his personal name. She meant business. Yolotl's mother placed her hand behind his head and gently pushed him down onto his knees. She desperately did the same, quickly bowing her head out of respect for the nobleman.
    "Please, forgive my insolent son, Lord Toquatzin. There are times where his head cannot seem to catch up with his mouth." She apologized.
     Politely smiling up at the nobleman she nudges Yolotl's head further down. "Now, Yolotl. Apologize to the revered lord, my son. Tell him you will consider his kind offer." The mother grumbled.
     But Yolotl would not say a word. In fact, he could just as easily shove his mother's hand off of him, but that would be far too cruel to her. She was only trying to prevent their heads from rolling. 'How humiliating.' He thought to himself with a huff.
    Yolotl!" His mother scolded. His head still being forced down by his mother, he can't help but to look up at the lord with pure contempt as he spat out his response.
    "I will not."
     Lord Toquatzin let out a hearty chuckle. The nerve of this kid, and he was the one to bring him the good news. The nobleman stood up from his seat and walked over to his desk to collect his belongings.
    "Well, if you wish to remain in this small town, I shall not force you, child." Toquatzin stated while making his way towards the doorway. "It would be a shame to have a natural talent such as yourself waste away here. But, the choice is yours. You have until the sun rises tomorrow to pack your belongings and meet me at the city plaza."
     Yolotl and his mother watched in silence as the noble walked away, his entourage of attendants and warriors following closely behind.
     They sat in a tense silence for a moment. Yolotl refused to bow down to their rules, it is who he is. Stubborn through and through. Was it so wrong for him to defend himself, to defend his autonomy? Had he gone too far? Despite her obvious disappointment, his mother tenderly reached out and held his hand in hers. She gently caressed his hand with her bony thumb.
    "Forgive me, Yolotl. I will not send you away unless you wish to go on your own accord. I have already lost one child too many to send you away like this." She softly murmured, observing her son's hands. 'Oh, how small they used to be. How I desperately hoped they would always stay small. My precious jade.' She thought.
     Her eyes began to swell with tears, her lip trembling. She tried to speak, but her voice came out choked.
    "But Yolotl. What if the famine spreads to the highlands? Then what'll become of us?"
     "Mother, you worry too much. Nothing has happened yet; we will deal with it when we get there." He quickly assured her.
     There was no guarantee that the famine would spread, even if it did, he was not sure they would have enough provisions for the village to last long.
But this was his home. Where his family resided. The very place where he grew up and would most likely die. And he did not want to leave it, he did not want to abandon his friends and family for some distant land where he had no control.

**************

    "You foolish, foolish child."
     Old Cecihuatzin shook her head in disappointment.With an irritated huff, she tossed her bundle of precious herbs into the woven basket sitting in front of the crooked tree. The old woman, hunched and frail, shuffled her way over to Yolotl, her gnarled hands clutching onto his.
    "I oughta knock some sense into you!" She grumbled, pinching his side. Yolotl scowled at the old woman and quickly withdrew his hands from her grasp.
    "You'd break a hip trying, old lady." Yolotl chided as he rubbed his side. "You're not exactly young anymore. Weren't you there for the birth of Tonatiuh? Or was it the creation of the first sun?"
    "Neither, you brat!" The old woman cackled. "Now help me with my basket, won't you?"
     Yolotl rolled his eyes as he closely followed behind the old woman but a smile could not stop its way from creeping onto his face. He couldn't help it. He was fond of this outspoken and rather rude woman, in fact, he considered her his grandmother and enjoyed her company. Though the same couldn't be said about the rest of his village.
     Old Cecihuatzin had a knack for speaking her mind, often without thinking. She was not the most popular amongst the villagers, nor was she well-liked. But that never bothered her. The villagers had no choice but to turn to her in their times of need for she was the village midwife and healer. And it was only because she was a good midwife and a talented herbalist that they all tolerated her antics.
    "That old bastard Toquatzin. He's only after your skills."
    "Those nobles are all the same, old lady." Yolotl shrugged.
    "But gods are they wealthy." The old woman sighed. "Imagine living in a grand home with servants. Not a care in the world but for the occasional public appearance."
    "I could do without the servants. " Yolotl scoffed. The old midwife quickly smacked the teen boy in the back of the head.
    "Tch! All you do is think of yourself! What of your mother, boy?" She scolded. "Have you thought about how this would benefit her?"
     Yolotl wanted nothing more than to shut her up. But even with his stubbornness he could admit that she had a point. His mother has always been rather frail, both emotionally and physically. He kept his mouth shut as Old Cecihuatzin went about the forest.
     He watched as she snatched her small basket out of his hands and wandered off in search of useful herbs, occasionally plucking one or two to inspect.
    "Don't worry about a thing, boy." She stated. "I'll take care of her."
    "I'm not leaving."
    "Don't be stubborn, child. " She huffed. "You greatly value your freedom, it is admirable. But while you are beloved and cherished by this village remember this, you have no power here. The only way you can have that is if you move up the social ladder. Become an official. Maybe even a nobleman if you're lucky. "
    "I'm not leaving." He repeated.
    "Then you're a fool, Yolotl. A damn fool." She said with the nonchalant wave of her hand.  This boy was stubborn, she knew better than to waste any more time on this matter. She gestures for him to follow her.
    "Come, Yolotl. Let us get going, the sun will set soon."
     As the old woman continued to gather the herbs, she paused to take a long, hard look at Yolotl. Yolotl stared back at the woman blankly.
    "You know, I was not much different from you. When I was young, I also did not know my place in this world." She admitted. "But, unlike you, I did not have the courage to fight back against the rules of our society."
     Yolotl's gaze narrowed as he shifted uncomfortably in place.
    "I do not blame you. Women have it hard. Just look at my mother, wronged by men and abandoned by the village in her time of need." He mused. "Now she is paranoid about every small thing. She greatly stresses over that small drought that those lowlanders are facing. She will get ill if she keeps this up."
    "You should listen to your mother, Yolotl. For the gods are cruel and do not play favorites. The famine will spread to the highlands, sooner or later."
    "All the more reason why I cannot leave this village, Cecihuatzin." He sighed.
    "But I digress. It is not the gods that are cruel, but men. They are the ones who decide what is right and wrong, good or evil."
    "Perhaps." She muttered. "Just think it over, Yolotl. I trust you'll make the right decision."
    "And if I don't?"
    "Then I will drag you to the lowlands myself!" She threatened.
     The two spent the rest of the afternoon in relative silence, aside from Old Cecihuatzin's occasional grumbling, which Yolotl took great amusement in. And as the teen boy returned home, he was left to ponder on his own.
     Perhaps Old Cecihuatzin was right. Maybe he should accept the noble's offer. If not for him, then for his mother.