F0180 · The Maroon Kingdom / Only the Child Mattered
3 July 1520. In some corner of the city.
The wife of Tepeyohtli caressed him.
—They are coming for us. They are drawing near.
Atonatiuh knew he was going to die. He closed his eyes and gave thanks that he had lived long enough to know a man like Moctezuma.
The men of Cortés tried to escape. But it was late.
The city was a trap of fire. And the gold weighed too much.
They had torn it all away. From the walls, from the gods, from the paintings, from the stone.
A Spanish soldier passed beside Atonatiuh.
—Come with me, it is over there that they need you. Your king is dead.
Farid stepped in.
—Your king is the young Chimalpopoca.
Farid and Atonatiuh rose. They had no interest in gold. Only the child mattered.
In the canals, in the ruined streets, in the courtyards where fire still devoured the bodies, the men of Cuauhtémoc were dismantling the bridges.
A man loyal to the emperor ran to Cortés.
—The traitors of Cuauhtláhuac are closing off every possibility of escape.
Isabel thought only of the child.
Neither Farid nor Atonatiuh understood riches. Only the Spaniards desired gold.
But in that labyrinth of blood, the Mexicas wanted to protect him and the Tlaxcalans wanted to kill him.
F0180 · The Maroon Kingdom / Only the Child Mattered
3 July 1520. In some corner of the city.
The wife of Tepeyohtli caressed him.
—They are coming for us. They are drawing near.
Atonatiuh knew he was going to die. He closed his eyes and gave thanks that he had lived long enough to know a man like Moctezuma.
The men of Cortés tried to escape. But it was late.
The city was a trap of fire. And the gold weighed too much.
They had torn it all away. From the walls, from the gods, from the paintings, from the stone.
A Spanish soldier passed beside Atonatiuh.
—Come with me, it is over there that they need you. Your king is dead.
Farid stepped in.
—Your king is the young Chimalpopoca.
Farid and Atonatiuh rose. They had no interest in gold. Only the child mattered.
In the canals, in the ruined streets, in the courtyards where fire still devoured the bodies, the men of Cuauhtémoc were dismantling the bridges.
A man loyal to the emperor ran to Cortés.
—The traitors of Cuauhtláhuac are closing off every possibility of escape.
Isabel thought only of the child.
Neither Farid nor Atonatiuh understood riches. Only the Spaniards desired gold.
But in that labyrinth of blood, the Mexicas wanted to protect him and the Tlaxcalans wanted to kill him.
F0180 · El Reino Cimarrón / Solo importaba el niño
1520, julio 3. En algún rincón de la ciudad.
La esposa de Tepeyohtli lo acarició.
—Vienen por nosotros. Ya se acercan.
Atonatiuh supo que iba a morir. Cerró los ojos y agradeció haber vivido lo suficiente para conocer a un hombre como Moctezuma.
Los hombres de Cortés intentaron escapar. Pero era tarde.
La ciudad era una trampa de fuego. Y el oro pesaba demasiado.
Habían arrancado todo. De las paredes, de los dioses, de los cuadros, de la piedra.
Un soldado español pasó junto a Atonatiuh.
—Ven conmigo, es allá donde te necesitan. Tu rey ha muerto.
Farid se interpuso.
—Tu rey es el joven Chimalpopoca.
Farid y Atonatiuh se levantaron. No les interesaba el oro. Solo importaba el niño.
En los canales, en las calles en ruinas, en los patios donde el fuego aún devoraba los cuerpos, los hombres de Cuauhtémoc desmontaban los puentes.
Un hombre fiel al emperador corrió hasta Cortés.
—Los traidores de Cuauhtláhuac están cerrando cualquier posibilidad de escape.
Isabel solo pensaba en el niño.
Ni Farid ni Atonatiuh entendían de riquezas. Solo los españoles deseaban el oro.
Pero en ese laberinto de sangre, los mexicas querían protegerlo y los tlaxcaltecas querían matarlo.