Inca 2 : Scourge of the Sun 5

[ismenin]

Lovely piccie by lovely Richie!

Hello! Sunday is here again, and so is Inca. I hope you like it. I'll be going into hospital tomorrow for a couple of days for an op on my nose, so I won't be able to answer any of your kind comments until later in the week - but I hope you'll leave some nonetheless. *Hugs flist*

Here it is!




Thanks to LSR for beta.



Part 5 - Newcomers and distractions


Will glanced at Dom, but Dom shook his head. There was no room for swordplay in the small cave. He took out his knife, however, and the others did the same. Yupanque, who had never killed anything bigger than a cuy, was trembling, but Dom knew Rimac was well capable of defending himself and his lover. He had seen him neatly slit the throat of an adversary taller and bulkier than himself in seconds. Dom's only fear was for Lizhe.

As the voices grew louder, the men sighed and smiled at each other. There were two men - or rather, one men and a boy - and they were both Inca.

They did not reveal themselves, for it could still be that the cave would be passed by, but as the first man entered the cave and checked violently as he saw its occupants, it was seen they carried no weapons except their walking staffs, for they were completely naked, their clothing stuffed into the small animal-skin pack each carried.

To everyone's surprise it was Yupanque who recovered first. He moved forward his hands held out in a gesture of welcome. "You have come to share our cave - or rather, we are sheltering in yourcave, I expect. There is room and enough for two more."

The man's face lost its wary expression as he took in the five men before him. "You say truly - we have used this cave for shelter before, when the rains come." He beckoned to his companion who was considerably younger, who came forward, shyly, his head bent. He couldn't be above ten years old, Dom thought, with relief.

"This is my son, Kon," he said proudly, pushing the boy forward; "and I am Maita, the quipu-camayoc of the village of Napu."

He waited, politely, until the other men introduced themselves, giving their names and occupations, which was proper. Lastly, Lizhe said, "I am Lizhe, also a quipu-camayoc from Pitac, in the valley above the sea, and I am now guide for this group. The Fathers, as they are known amongst the people of the soldiers, are good men - you need not fear them."

Indeed, thought Dom, it had been necessary to add this, for at the mention of the soldiers a closed, almost frightened look came over the man's face, and the boy seemed terrified.

Maita glanced at the soutaines still on their sticks by the fire, and then quickly up to Dom and Will's bearded faces.

"You need not fear us, truly," Dom said, softly, in the man's own language. "We are not here with the soldiers, but come to teach the people of God, and build him a house somewhere where his Word will be welcomed."

The man shook his head in denial. "But we have a God we know, Father, whom we love and who gives us his Word. That is what they tried to tell the others. Why would we need another?"

"Why, indeed?" murmured Dom, almost under his breath, letting the man's last words sink into his mind, and glancing at Lizhe who was offering the boy a tomato of yesterday's gathering.

Yupanque had lit the fire again and soon their clothing was steaming gently in front of the heat. "Are your skirts wet?" he asked the boy, who shook his head and nobly attempted to swallowed a mouthful of the hand-sized tomato to answer the question.

"We took them off before the rain came. I could smell it in the wind," the man spoke for his son. "It proves a useful gift, if one is out when the rains come. For it is not cold, as you know, at this time of the year."

It was Will who broached the vital question. He had murmured quick and low to Lizhe whilst Maita had been speaking. "Why did you leave your village, Maita? And who are the others of whom you speak?"

The man ran a hand over his face as if he was not sure he should tell. Lizhe said, calmly, "you may trust these men, and as they said, you need not fear them. I give you my word as a priest of Inti that they will cause no harm to you or your son."

Dom was not sure Lizhe should have divulged this information. He glanced quickly at Will, who nodded to him that he was not concerned. There were, after all, Dom consoled himself, as many layers of hierarchy within the priesthood of Inti as there was in the Church...

Lizhe's authoritative voice, loved by so many and revered and feared by millions who had never heard it, had the desired effect. Maita's hesitant voice broke into Dom's reflections. His face had cleared at Lizhe's disclosure, and he began to tell his story.

"Kon and I...Kon..."

Yupanque smiled at Kon who was looking up at his father with frightened eyes. "Will you come with me to collect more tomatoes? I know where there are some."

The boy leapt to his feet with alacrity, and, after looking to his father for permission, they left. The man resumed his tale.

"We had been hunting cuy in the woods. It is not long since Kon's mother died trying to birth a baby that died with her." The pain of his recent loss was plain on the man's face.

"He had it in mind that he wanted a white one as a pet, and being my only child, and feeling as he did...well, I let him have his way. However, there was not one that we found that took his fancy. We had been gone for three days and we had to return, for the water had run out. I took a few of the cuy for food, and we were just about to clear the trees, when a sound I had never before heard stopped my feet. There were four animals twice as big as llamas, pegged beside the trees. I drew Kon behind a large tree and we could see the people gathered in the central square. There was a man - a big, fat man - dressed in one of those..." he pointed to the soutaines, still gently steaming, "...and he was standing on a chest speaking to the people."

"I could see many men - over twenty of them - in some kind of uniform, and two men dressed in silver, shining like the sun. All the men were pointing sticks at the people, and I could see two men lying dead on the ground. One of the strange men had his foot on the back of one of them. I saw it was my wife's young brother. He was eighteen. Half of his head was missing, but still I knew him."

He cleared his throat and Will passed him his water bottle, from which the man drank gratefully.

"The man in the black robe was telling the people he had come from across the seas to bring news of the true God to the heathen savages. Who these savages were, I could not guess. Someone in the crowd, braver than I - for I stayed where I was, hidden - spoke up to say we had a God already, and needed no other, and he began to run forward in protest."

"One of them pointed his stick at the man, and it made a loud noise and the man fell, bleeding. The women screamed, the children howled, and the man in the black robe raised his voice even more to be heard over the screams. He held up a cross with something pinned on it - I could not see what. He told them our God was a Barbarian savage, who preyed on the souls of his subjects...I think I remember the words correctly. A quipu-camayoc has a good memory.

"He said his God was the one true God, and ours was less than the dust of the earth. Our false God would be captured, he said, and taken somewhere - I could not hear where for the screams - in chains, and, after tortured, would be given up to be burned."

"When they heard this, the screams of the people were terrible... - so terrible I could not let Kon hear more. We walked backwards quietly into the trees, and ran for our lives. We did not stop running until Kon could go no further."

"I told him we would stay hidden in the forests until these men had gone. He frightened me more than I can say. "They will never go, Tayta - never," he said. So here we are, hiding like cowards from the men with big creatures, who carry sticks that kill people without touching."

He looked at Lizhe, a desperate question in his eyes. "They will not find God, will they? They will not kill our God out of his season, and blight the Land and all our lives by his loss. Will they?"

Lizhe put his hand on the man's arm. "We cannot see what the future holds, my friend. All we can hope is that God is well hidden from these wicked men."

Will cleared his throat. "You may come with us," he said, quietly. "There is safety in numbers, and you may stay with us until we reach our destination, or leave when it pleases you. You can tell anyone we may meet that you are the recorder of our mission. I appoint you as such, now, so that you will not be telling a lie. Father Damian has some quipu strings you may have - and we can make more, if needed. He has the knack of it, now."

Dom heaved a sigh of relief. It was true that adding the young lad and his father to their group would benefit the newcomers - it would also give more weight to their story of travelling to form a mission in the east. Of course, he realised, it would mean taking the greatest care not to reveal anything of their true selves to the couple, but it would be good practise for them, also. Dom could see that Will was thinking the same thing.

Without thinking, Dom picked the strings out of his pack and divided them, handing half of them over to Maita. Lizhe and Will both stared at Dom, but could not say anything in front of the man.

Maita took them, and telling them over between his fingers, suddenly stopped and stared at the one he was now holding in his nerveless hands.

It was red and gold - the Sapa Inca's personal string, meant for edicts and laws, and known, revered and feared throughout the Land.

Will was still staring at Dom, obviously appalled by this thoughtless act, and Dom, realising his error, was just wondering what he could do, when Lizhe spoke.

"Ah, I see that Father Damian has given you God's instructions concerning the mission that God is allowing him to build in the east. To hold something in your hand that God himself has touched is a great honour. Very few men have done so."

Maita lifted his eyes from his adoration of the string, and it was seen that they were full of tears, which ran unchecked down his brown, weary face.

"G-God has touched this?" he stammered, looking to Dom for his answer. Dom nodded, his heart slowing down from its frantic racing.

"He knotted it with his own fingers as I watched him. Do you read it and see what God instructs. Read it aloud, for Father Guillermo is not adept in reading the quipu, and does not know of its contents."

Dom ignored the frown that Will sent in his direction, for Maita was reading the knots. He recited in reverential tones...

"God is speaking to his people. Hear and obey his Word. The men who hold this string are good men, who are working for God and for the common weal. They are to build a house of God wherever they think good, and may not be gainsaid. Offer them every assistance you can. They must be allowed to travel, unmolested, anywhere in the Land that they will, and all must feed, water, clothe and house them in peace, and with the utmost care, for my wrath will fall upon anyone who willfully harms, hinders, or interferes with them in the prosecution of their duty to me. Those who do so will die. God has spoken. Aralizhe Pachacuti Inca."

The man's hand was visibly shaking as he handed it back to Dom. "You have spoken with God - in person? You have seen his face - heard his voice?"

Rimac spoke softly. "We have all seen him, and spoken with him, it is true."

Maita took a deep breath of joy, his face lit like a beacon.

"Tell me, what is he like?"


*****

It was left to Rimac to describe God to Maita, and when Yupanque and Kon returned loaded with tomatoes and potatoes, he was made to repeat it all for the boy's benefit. Rimac good-naturedly obliged.

"He is tall - very tall, and beautiful in his face, with black hair hanging below his waist, tied and plaited with gold ribbons. He wears clothing studded with jewels and on his head is a crown of gold, shining like the rays of the Sun. On his feet he wears vicuna boots, and his arms and ankles are adorned with golden bracelets as befits the Son of God himself."

"He has a long nose that smells out evil, and sharp eyes, like the eagle, that pierce wrong-doers to the core, and which fill all good people with love for him, so tender is his gaze upon them. His voice booms across the waters, and up to the skies to the Gods themselves, lifted in prayer for the People. By his word do the people obey him, and the work of his hands and his body and mind is for the benefit of the people day and night. This is God."

Dom lowered his eyes so that the strangers would not see the smile in them. It was all true - except that God was not tall. He had no need to be tall; his presence was enough to command total obedience in all the peoples of the Land.

In the four years Dom had been living in his intimate presence he had never seen or known of anyone - except himself - argue or dispute any decision Lizhe had made. His word was, indeed, Wisdom, and his will, the Law.

"Has he children like me?" Kon asked shyly. "Does he have sons?"

Dom saw Rimac look away from Lizhe as if afraid he might reveal his emotions in his voice, for he, too, loved Dom and Lizhe's children, having none of his own.

"God indeed has sons and daughters. Many sons and daughters. Much beloved..." and missed thought Dom, as he saw the longing in Lizhe's face.

"Are you rested, my friend?" Rimac said to Maita, after a few moments of silence. He was still looking over-awed from hearing Rimac's description of God. "It may be if we searched hard we could find some cuy or other small creatures we could eat. I am very fond of the tomato, and potatoes, but I know the Fathers both like meat, and it will give us all strength for the journey."

Maita said he would be pleased to help the men who had spoken with God to find food, and soon Will, Dom and Lizhe were left alone in the cave. It was Dom who broke the silence.

"I am sorry, Will, Lizhe. I did not think."

Will snorted loudly. "Dom, this is the trouble - ye dinna ever stop t' think! Well, from now on, ye must. It was a guid thing Lizhe was so quick-witted just now, for what t' say, I didna ken."

He fixed Dom, then Lizhe with a hard green stare. "And when was it ye were both thinking of letting me intae the secret of the quipu from God, eh? When did ye think it would be a fit time tae tell me - tae tell us?"

Both men looked abashed. "I am sorry Will..."Lizhe began, but was cut off by Will's swingeing tone. "Yes, well, it would have been a bit late if it had been found by others and I didna ken what was in it, do not you think? Ye pair of mindless idiots! Being sorry willna save our lives. I canna thole yer carelessness. It is beyond belief!"

Will was breathing hard. He has forgotten, Dom thought, that men have died for less than calling Lizhe a "mindless idiot", which was, indeed, an offence punishable by death.

"Look, now," Will continued more calmly. "I said Maita and his son could join us as it'll gi' ye a chance tae practise y'r roles, apart from making our group seem more ordinary. For ye must admit, Dom, that Lizhe, Rimac and Yupanque are gae handsome men. It may seem tae others that Dom and I chose ye three with only one thing in mind. Bedding ye. Maita and Kon are plain, ordinary peasants and that is good. If we can pick up a few other strays on the way who would like a new start in the ...wherever we are bound...or we can drop off on the way tae...wherever...that'll give us more verity, I think."

Will stopped for a moment and grinned at Lizhe. "Is there any damned thing we can do t' ye t' stop ye looking like the bluidy king y'are, Lizhe? There y' sit, naked as the day ye were born, and still, my God! It exudes from your pores, man. Give it over!"

Dom looked over his love with a critical eye, ignoring, for once, his body and face. "He still seems much paler than any other of the People we have met, Will. Even the Coya, his sister-wife, is darker. Is there anything we can do to alter that?"

Will thought carefully. "Well, if we had walnut juice we could spread that over him. That'd darken his skin somewhat. Y'r right, he is too pale. What story can we make up to account for it?"

They spent a few moments in thought, having no walnut juice to hand. Lizhe said, "I can speak Spanish very well, as can Rimac. He could hide the fact, then it may be if we meet more soldiers he can overhear something that may be of use to us, them not knowing he understands."

The two men nodded. "Go on," Will smiled at him.

"It could be my father was a Spanish sailor who married my mother in a mission, somewhere. Of course I will not know where that was, to keep us safer. What do you think?"

Will rubbed his chin. "What would you know of your father? He must've died when you were a child, to be convenient."

"I will tell them what I know of Manuel. It will be easier, for I will not forget it. I will change his name, of course. What is a good Spanish name for me, Dom?"

Dom knew a perfect name for his love. "Sancho Gomez, without a doubt. It was your father's name and his father before him, You choose a name for your mother."

Will nodded. "Sancho Gomez. Excellent! Where did he come from?"

"A small village to the north of Madrid. My mother could not remember the name. He was tall, with bright golden hair and - yes, Dom - blue eyes! That will account for them. I need not fear so much to show mine, if they were my father's eyes, and he was a foreigner."

"What was the name of his ship?" Will continued, asking the sort of questions others might put to him.

"Esperanza, Dom contributed. "There are many ships named that. I know of three, at least. It will not go amiss. Perhaps it had a longer name, but your mother could not pronounce it, being in a strange tongue."

Lizhe gave them a few more facts gleaned from what he knew of his real father, and Will leaned back against the cave wall, satisfied at last.

Their clothing was now dry, and it had stopped raining some time ago, so the three men dressed and went outside to stretch their legs.

Will saw the three foragers approaching the bottom of the hill, and went down to help them, as his feet were in better condition than Dom's, whose blisters were still very swollen and painful.

Lizhe glanced at Dom, a gentle look, full of humour and love. "Why is Sancho Gomez such an apt name for me, Dom, my love?"

Dom resisted the temptation to wrap his arm around Lizhe's waist. He settled, instead, for putting an arm around his shoulder. He thought that no-one - meaning Will - could object to that.

"Sancho Gomez means sanctified man, Lizhe. I think it is a very suitable name for God."

Lizhe nodded. "It is, truly. For I am made holy by Father Viracocha, and act in his name here on earth." He was quiet for a moment, then facing Dom, said in a quiet voice. "Maita thinks you are travelling to build a house for the Spanish God, Dom Huascar."

Dom nodded. "He does. So, I pray, will any other strangers we encounter." He paused for a moment, then caressed the back of Lizhe's shoulder where no-one could see him do so. "I have one God to whom I am true, and to whom I owe all my allegiance, and give unstintingly of my love - and he is standing next to me, my Lord."

Lizhe briefly touched the hand now resting again upon his shoulder. "I know."

Dom's God shielded his eyes with his hand from the strong midday sun, and stared down the hill at the men sharing out bundles and bags between them.

"I will go and help them, and later I will find the stream I hear to my left, and wash your feet again. Sit down and rest - there, in the warm sun."

A grateful Dom sat against the cliff, resting his back against the cool rock, and put his bare feet up on a tussock of grass. He laughed to himself as he thought that the pleasant prospect of having his injured feet bathed was a far cry from the thoughts he had had when, in the night, he had watched his Lizhe by the moonlight - his beautiful, naked Lizhe - asleep beside the dying fire.

He was, if he owned it, glad to have a few days here, to rest. He was no surer what was to happen to them than were any of the others. They had left without anything but the barest preparations, and he was thinking that a few more plans would not go amiss.

He smiled to himself. His Lizhe was climbing the hill towards him. As long as they could be together, all would be more than well.

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, letting the beneficent rays of the sun shine on his smiling face.

Comments

[laeliacatt.livejournal.com]

I hope the surgery goes well and that you recover quickly so that you can get back to your shrine. :D Seriously, I know that the best healing is at home amongst the people and things you love.

Besides, you have a birthday coming up soon and you just can't be ill and sore on your birthday! I won't have it! ;) *hugs*

Off to read the latest Inca!

[mole-caz.livejournal.com]

Thanks Issi...... and all the best for the op. Hope it goes well *hugs*

[lireeli.livejournal.com]

Still with you of course! ( How can I not? )
Good luck for tomorrow and the hospital!
Take care of you I will think of you!
*hugs*

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Ah, I'm glad they've met Maita and Kon, and really glad they're trying to come up with a plausible story to explain Lizhe's pale skin and blue eyes. And it was very nice to imagine them having a peaceful time to recover a bit. But I know they're not out of the woods yet, so to speak. Can't wait to find out what's going to happen next.

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

And I wish you all the best tomorrow when you have your surgery. I pray it will be successful and you'll have an easy, uneventful recovery.

[pattilovesviggo.livejournal.com]

Yes, we`ll all be thinking of you tomorrow dear Issi :)
Lovely story, I liked the newcomers.

[frolijah-fan-54.livejournal.com]

Love how Lijah is with children and it's nice to get to know some new characters. Love the trust that Lijah has in Will and that Will can speak frankly with him. And I had the BIGGEST smile on my face when they were talking about how Lijah looks like a god even without all his finery - exactly how I feel about him!! Thanks for another great chapter. Hope the operation goes smoothly and that you can be home to enjoy your birthday!! *BIG HUGS*

Oh - and LOVE the pic of Inca Lijah - talk about a face that could launch a thousand ships!!

[(Anonymous)]

Love the pic! Beautiful Lij.

Take care dear.

(I will start reading the story as soon as I can love. I don't want to miss reading more Inca Lij)

[suzy-74.livejournal.com]

Oh. That was me!

[slipperieslope.livejournal.com]

Have a quick and painfree trip to the hospital, Ru. Quick in and quick out!

I love the way that Will laying down the law to Dom and Lizhe has the potential to rachet up the UST! And I get a tickle out of your Will and his assessment of the faux priests entourage as entirely too pretty, you and Will had me grinning like a loon.

Thank you for this installment!

((hugs))

Be back soon!

[laeliacatt.livejournal.com]

Ok, I've finally had time to read and I found this to be a most informative chapter.

We found out more about Father Manuel, Lizhe's father, and more about the area of Spain where he lived. I like knowing back-story details like that. And, we found out that God does not strike down a certain green-eyed Scot for telling him something that will save his hide! "Mindless idiots" indeed! :) Though I do think that if Rimac had overheard this, he would have acted as God's assassin once again.

And, we have new characters to learn about! I have a feeling they will become important in chapters to come...

Another lovely chapter, thanks to you and to LSR's marvelous beta.

You'll be in my thoughts tomorrow, dearest Ru. &hearts

[(Anonymous)]

Hmmm...I hope nothing happens in the hills...
Although, I never got to read their first adventure, I love the five new chapters of Dom and Lizhe's new adventure. I enjoy how you develop characters and plots.

Nimue

[primula-baggins.livejournal.com]

I loved this chapter! A little respite for them, and some new friends who love their little God. Even if they now think he's tall! : D

I too hope your surgery is easy and the recovery swift.

*hugs*

[moffel83.livejournal.com]

First of all: Good luck with your surgery and I hope that everything will go fine:)

Secondly: Sorry for not commenting on the last chapter but I had a visitor from the U.S. over and I was only able to read it yesterday-and I loved it! Will is absolutely right with everything he said!

I absolutely loved this chapter and all the background information you've given us:) So Dom is really a priest*g* I had the suspicion during the first INCA story when he talked about not being married and working for the pope but I never really thought about it again. Seems like he doesn't really care about his celibate that much;) But who would if you'd have such a beautiful person loving you...

I really like the newcomers and I think it's a good idea to have them as a testing case to see if their story is believable,it's good that they thought about an explanation that will explain Lizhe's blue eyes and pale skin but couldn't they just say he was a Spaniard as well? Wouldn't that be even safer than having him remain INCA?

And I am really curious how he will cope with not being the one who makes decisions and gives orders, anymore. He was born to be king and is used to people following his orders and now all of a sudden he has to follow Dom's and Will's orders-interesting setting...Though I have a feeling that Rimac will have a harder time dealing with this than Lizhe.

Thanks for updating, I absolutely love this story:)

[janejanejane.livejournal.com]

Brilliant pic! Well done Richie :)

Have printed this out to read asap! Meeting tonight with new Reception parents for next September and a Phonics course tomorrow, provided the roads aren't flooded... It's poured here all day :-(

Hope all goes well with your op and you're back in the bosom of your family soon, dearest Issi!

Love you lots XX

Btw, any news on your bathroom, has it been started?

[http://users.livejournal.com/saura_/]

By the time you'll read this you'll be out of hospital and everything would be ok, I'm sure ^_^

I'm so scared for the boys Ru! For all of them really, because Will is right! Dom being so careless is going to put them in trouble, and no "sorry" would save their lives!!!

I loved the love declaration at the end.

[chickenlegs-11.livejournal.com]

Good luck for the surgery and you make a swift recovery! *hugs*

Another wonderful chapter! I just adore this story!

[janinelearner.livejournal.com]

[janejanejane.livejournal.com]

Another interesting, enjoyable and well-written chapter, dearest Issi :)

Wow, Will was doing some straight talking again and pushing his luck with the Sapa Inca! Good thing it's Lizhe or he'd be silenced permanently! What he says is sensible, it's the way he says it 0_0

Thank goodness there was no danger from Maita and his son Kon, but what a sad tale Maita had to tell...

I enjoyed the description of *God*, especially his height ;D And the thought of his pale nakedness was delightful to imagine :P

Thanks for your hard work and to LSR as always for beta. I love your Inca fics and characters, you write a darn good yarn!

*hugs*
XXXX

[lisabellex.livejournal.com]

Loved it. I'm fearful there will be further encounters with dastardly Spaniards, however, so I'm hoping they'll continue to keep their wits about them, and that Dom will learn to take care!

:D

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

Thank you, my love. Dom, I'm afraid, has a bit to learn yet - see next part! :D xxx