Chapter 10 Chapter nine

Around the side of the square is a long golden rope supported by some gold and silver long-handled forks. Dizzying smell. Manco's mouth was sticky.The pungent tingle of chicha remained on his tongue and taste buds.A few steps away from him, Vera Omar and several priests were still on alert like warriors.The image of the race was played again and again in front of him, and he felt his muscles still beating, and the taste of victory made him dizzy with joy and intoxicated. In a mild tornado, coca leaf soot surrounded the golden twin idols of King Vanya Kapac, lifting the veil of mystery known as "Kamaken Keya," and revealing Ana Maya Those blue eyes and a beautiful mouth with a sharp lip line.Suddenly a thunderbolt flashed in the sky, and their eyes met.

Paul stood beside him, surprised to see them looking at each other.He smiled and asked softly: "You think she's pretty?" "I don't know...she really doesn't look like everyone else. Where did she come from?" "Looks like a forest." The priests approached the new warriors, dabbed a feather on the young boys' faces after dipping a feather in a bowl of alpaca blood.Then it's time to make a vow. It seemed to Manco that it was not he but someone else who spoke out these oaths of homage to the sun god and allegiance to the Incas.There was only one thing he was anxious to know now, and that was: to hear himself crowned a true warrior.

Since he was the winner of the race, of course he was the first to accept the white shorts.Then he also received a pair of rush sandals, a red jacket with white stripes, a headscarf and a feather crown with gold and silver sequins hanging from it, etc... Everyone looked at him, including the contestants' parents, clan members, and many dignitaries from Cusco and Quito. Everyone looked at him with envy, and of course some envy. Manco held his head up proudly.The next recipients of the award were all the team members led by Paulo and Guapa.If his younger brother Paul gave him a warm look, then in front of the victor with a slightly mocking smile, Guapa looked at him full of hostility.Unlike other losers who were humiliated by shameful black shorts at the moment, Guapa showed a disapproving and challenging expression, and the threat was almost obvious.

Time passed quickly, and the singing performance was followed by dancing.Congratulations of laughter and applause can be heard everywhere in the square.Manco went up to greet the oldest fighters, who looked at him with joy in their eyes and put their hands on his shoulders... But no matter what he did, his eyes always returned to the young girl Anna Maya. As soon as the award ceremony was over, the virgins approached the young men with bottles of chicha.They will serve wine to the new batch of fighters, and will sleep with these teenagers in the open air on the last night of the schedule.After drinking and drinking, they will face the pure Mama Kira and all the strange spirits of the underworld, good and evil.

Manco watched in amazement as Ana Maya walked towards Guapa.He pointed it out to Paul, and said in amazement: "She cheers for that dog?" "She obviously has no choice, Manco! Because she belongs to Atahualpa's sect." "These sects are all damned. When Emperor Manco Capac established his dynasty, there were no sectarian issues at all. I also want to tell you that in the game just now, I had no idea of ​​running for the Cusco sect." "It's not a matter of whether you think so, you, brother; it's that they have to think so, them." Several girls who were sent to serve them came over with smiles on their lips and their eyes looking down.They are all young and petite, as beautiful as fake dolls, and they are even more respectful when pouring wine for them.Manco drank the chicha from the bottle in one gulp.Being fasted for drinks this morning, the sweet and sour coolness is just liberating his thirsty taste buds and throat, and clearing up the tiredness all over his body.

The girls immediately turned back and asked the cupbearer to pull the rope so that the large wine urn that had been dumped would refill the empty bottle.So did Ana Maya, who filled the bottles under the mouth of the carefully painted marijuana urn.The beer pouring out filled the air with a slightly disgusting sour smell. The last prayer ceremony to pray to Andi finally came to an end.The drunkenness of the teenagers gradually intensified, and the exhaustion was out of control. Within a few minutes, all the boys were drowsy. The drunkenness made them unable to stand up straight or open their eyes, and the desire to sleep on the ground was overwhelming. .Manco felt that eye was still following him closely. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then stood up again.

"Manco?" Paul tugged at his sleeve.When he opened his eyes again, he suddenly saw Anna Maya standing in front of him. "Ah, it's you!" he said, cursing and dizzy. "I haven't thanked you, Anamaya. Thanks to your help, I was saved today!" She made a gesture of denial: "It almost cost you the championship! I raised my foot and these snakes got under my feet—I learned how to make friends." She showed him the bracelet on her wrist, with two entangled snakes on it.He glanced casually.He is really not used to her pair of blue eyes, he still appreciates her slender and upright back.

"Isn't the snake a symbol of wisdom?" "It is said." "Why do they catch your eye, Anamaya?" She smiled like a little girl. "Not as attractive as you are today, great warrior." Anna Maya took a look at Vera Omar's serious eyes resting on her.A brief instruction, he ordered her to stay away from Manco, so she could only nod to the two brothers: "I have to go back to the boy I rooted for. Have a beautiful evening. May Mama Kiera give you tenderness!" After she left, Manco turned around and taunted Paul: "What do you think, brother? Shall we call her beautiful or ugly?"

"Anyway, it's just different from other people. Did you see, the wise man Vera Omar treated her like a precious wife who was afraid of being snatched! And I don't think he wants us to be with his robbed wife Guardians together!" As night fell, Anna Maya felt fear again. Although a pot of warm flames was lit in the palace of the square courtyard, what was reflected in Gu Yapa's eyes was an increasingly treacherous light and shadow.Since nightfall, he has never left his cup and drank it non-stop, trying to use chicha to drown out the insults he suffered during the day.

He took a sip, his hands shaking so much that he spilled as much beer on his gown as he actually drank.However, the hangover only made him unconscious, but unable to sleep.There was a smell of alcohol all around him.From time to time, he straightened his upper body and raised his hands to the moon god, as if he wanted to pinch it between his fingers, and then he opened his mouth and hesitated to speak.In the end, he always fell down again, looking around for the bottle. "Out of wine," he screamed, "go get me some more, blue-eyed girl!" "You're drunk, Guyappa..." Anamaya tried to tell him, "Maybe you should take a break?"

"Go get some chicha!" said Guapa gesticulating. "Go get some more chicha and stop talking to me!" When Ana Maya stood up, he reached out and grabbed one of her thighs.With a movement of turning around and swinging her clothes, Anna Maya had already avoided his pull, but Guapa instead grabbed her clothes tightly and pulled her towards him.So she kicked him hard to get rid of his entanglement, and the latter fell to the side in response, and said with a sneer: "You like him, well, my brother Manco!" "Guyappa..." "I saw the way you two look at each other affectionately! It's a pity that you are a girl from the forest, and he, he is from Cusco! You will never think about..." "I'm the wife of your father's twin brother, figure it out! Don't forget that!" "I know, I know! You are Kamakenkeya! Isn't it? Vera Omar should really find you a name that is unique to you!" Gujapa simply fell backwards, his facial expression unnatural due to fury. "Manco cheated!" he muttered to Anna Maya half-heartedly. "It won't be long before everyone knows he cheated..." Ana Maya remembered the complaints Antti Panla had made towards Manco.But Manco won the game! On what should have been a night of competition and fun, she felt fear and threat instead.Yes, there is a bloody feud between the Cuzco and Quito communities.But Guyappa now stood up unsteadily from the ground, pointed to the tip of her nose with his index finger and said: "And you helped him cheat, Kamakenkeya..." "I help him?" "You made him win the game!" "Don't play dumb! I just helped him avoid a snake." "Andi put a snake in his path and you chased it away. So, isn't that cheating? You even let this bitch win a race and he's not like me at all, it's Atahuallpa Brother! You have betrayed us!" "I don't……" Anna Maya didn't speak anymore, and it was useless anyway, because Guapa was too drunk to listen to any reason.Now she just wants him to be quiet, drunk and unconscious. However, Guapa staggered and stood up straight again. "Come here," he said in a low voice, "come here, follow me." "Where are you going?" Guapa looked at Anna Maya carefully again.He didn't answer, but just nodded and said with a sneer: "You are the beauty of your clan, you are true! I like you, forest girl, I like you more than other girls, but you are a bad girl!" Ana Maya bit her lip and stepped back.Suddenly, Guapa grabbed her arm and dragged her forward without a word.He rudely asked her to pass through the inner courtyard, and seeing that he was about to walk out of the square courtyard, she resisted desperately, but he actually used up all his remaining strength, twisted her arm, and forcibly pulled her away regardless of her resistance. push out. The streets are full of drunks, and no one notices their presence.There were bursts of singing and cheering from outside the gate of the square courtyard, and occasionally the sound of a flute and a tambourine could be heard.Piles of charcoal fires reflect the carnival figures.Where all the paths meet, even the ground is littered with unconscious drunks and their vomit.The stench of chicha filled the air. Suddenly, Guyappa staggered to a stop in front of a beautiful wall, and shouted: "Manco! Paul!" Before he could finish his brusque voice, he pushed Anna Maya across the threshold of the quad where the two brothers lived. "Guyappa!" Seeing Manco's tall and dignified figure standing in front of the fire, Ana Maya breathed a sigh of relief.Despite his red eyes, he doesn't look like a drunk, and he breathes forcefully. "Let go of her," Manco said, pointing at Anna Maya, "let go of the queen, you have no right to treat her like this!" Then Paul stood up too.In the darkness, he walked forward slowly. "Go back, Guappa," he said calmly, "you should accept..." "Brother!" Gujapa sneered and pushed Annamaya forward so hard that she fell to her knees on the ground. "These two are the brothers you love to death! Cheaters are always in groups to hide their cowardice!" Manco hurried forward to help Anna Maya up.Paul said sarcastically: "You're not wearing black shorts, Guappa? It's a pity they suit you right now, because you're as dark as the night!" Manco held back his anger, he threw off the cloak on his shoulders, clenched his fists, and strode forward. "No, Manco..." Annamaya begged, "he has no idea what he's doing..." It's a pity that it was a step late.With a roar, Guyappa reached into the sleeve of his jacket with his right hand, and took out a half-moon-shaped bronze dagger from it, the blade shone brightly under the light of the flames.After Guapa gestured twice in the air, he stretched out the short bronze knife and slashed straight at Manco's cheek. "Now it's your turn, Manco! Quick! Just run as fast as I said." When Manco jumped aside like a swift desert leopard cat, Paul dodged to Anna Maya, grabbed her by the shoulder, and pulled her back. "Look!" screamed Manco clearly, "look at this man who calls other people cowardly! He's fighting an unarmed man with a short knife in his hand." "Liars! Cusco scum! You are all liars from that place! You think you are superior, but you are actually liars at all..." There was a commotion from the dark surroundings.Now they are crowded with people, including servants, uncles, sisters, aunts, aunts... No one dares to say a word, only drunk people talking nonsense.However, it is time for the insulted Manco to refute. "It's time, Guyappa! I've been waiting for this moment. Come on! Put your dagger down my throat. Come here, if you dare!" The two boys circled the fire.Guapa seemed a little sober, but whenever he tried to step over the flames, Manco easily dodged his attacks.With a slight dodge, he hid aside and stretched out his hands at the same time: one of them grabbed Guapa's arm and pressed it against his shoulder, and the other grabbed the hand holding the dagger.Furious, Guapa tried his best to get away, turning around on his heels.His right arm drew a wide circle on the fire, the blade of the short knife slid across his cheek, and he backed away hastily after a cry of pain.The gurgling blood flowed from the wound, and Guapa touched his face with his fingertips, looking suspiciously at the blood-red cheeks. "Go back to where you live, Guapa," Paul said again. "It's still too late!" "No, brother," Manco said excitedly, "it's too late!" But, perhaps awakened by the bleeding, Guapa dropped the dagger and threw himself on Manco, wrapping his arms around his waist.The two of them rolled around the fire, where the flames sprang from time to time.Anamaya screamed and Paul had to hold her tight so she wouldn't run forward and try to separate the two boys who were wrestling together. "Leave it alone! Leave them alone: ​​this must be done!" Manco and Guapa fought in the dust, huddled together, covered in each other's blood.Whenever he was hit by an opponent, or his palm was reversed or pulled, the short gasps were mixed with painful groans, and then, Annamaya saw Gujapa roll to the side, the armor on his body suddenly cracked, and a huge explosion Voice.Immediately, Manco stood up, threw himself on him, pressed his knees on his stomach, and squeezed Guapa's bloody throat with both hands. "Whether a warrior is brave or not," Manco asked in a barely audible voice, "is it up to you to decide whether or not honor is respected?" Guappa didn't answer.He opened his mouth wide, trying to catch his breath.Manco pinched hard and asked again: "Is it our Heavenly Father Andy and Our Lady of the Moon, or the gods of the Patriarchs and all the One Kings who want you to judge me this way, yes or no?" Anna Maya felt that Manco could no longer control her emotions, so she pushed Paul away and walked forward: "Manco, I beg you, let him go..." But Manco couldn't listen to a word. "Let's see if you still dare to insult this virgin who is standing guard for her father here?" He let go of Guyappa's throat, clenched his fists, and, like an outraged warrior, he swung in the face of his hated brother.Neither Guapa's screams from the bottom of his throat nor Anna Maya's screams could stop him.The surrounding crowd, including the relatives and friends who were watching, all gathered again, but no one dared to intervene.Ana Maya wanted to grab Manco's hands, but she saw the spark of anger in the eyes of the young Inca, as if all the hatred caused by Incujapa had been burned away... "enough!" An order sounded in the night.At the same time that Ana Maya raised his eyes, Manco stopped punching.In front of the fire, a man in sacrificial robe stretched out his hand and continued to order: "Enough, Manco! Don't kill him." Ana Maya recognized him as one of Manco's uncles.He gave her a quick, suspicious look, and then went on: "He has been taught enough, and he should never forget it. No one should insult the people of Cuzco casually." Manco let go of Guyappa and slowly got up from the ground.Ana Maya and Paulo exchanged glances, the latter remaining completely silent and neutral throughout the fight.There was a touch of sadness in his focused eyes as he watched his brother readjust his breathing. Coughing blood and panting, Guapa curled up and knelt on the ground in pain.Then he straightened up at last, and he asked Anna Maya for help, but she didn't extend her hand.Exhausting the last bit of strength, he held his abdomen with both hands, stood up again, and said with limited physical strength: "You will have retribution, Manco. Before you die, you will be consumed by fire! Your soul will never be free!" Manco wiped the blood between his fingers and retorted: "Only the cursed curse others." When Gujapa staggered away from Manco's quad, Anamaya was still undecided.For a moment, her eyes remained attached to Manco. "I've got to go with him," she said finally. "I've got to watch him tonight, even if he's wrong about you." Manco glanced at Paul first. Although he had experienced such a fierce challenge, he still replied in an affectionate voice: "I understand, blue-eyed sister..." "Take care, Manco, and don't be afraid of snakes." "Hey, it's a pity that you can no longer appear on the roadside and whisper to them, open the way for me!" In the charcoal haze that added a lot of atmosphere to the night, Anna Maya's back has already gone away.

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