The Tower of Il Serrohe (18 page)

“
When the performance was over, the audience stayed and visited with each other and the dancers. One of the dancers came over to Blue Lizard and he introduced her to Ho-La.

“‘
Ho-La, this is Nea-Noom, my niece. Ho-La is from the Aspen race of the Great Snow Mountains.’

“
Teresa forgot for a moment she was supposed to be a man and inquired about the material of the dancer’s dress. ‘That dress is lovely,’ she said. ‘What material, um, I’m a trader and always interested in goods such as material. I could sell a great deal of that material if it is available for trade.’

“
Nea-Noom was puzzled, but smiled dutifully. ‘Sorry, but we each weave our own material from the silk of giant spider’s webs we find in the bosques of the Dream River and dye them with plants we find here on the mesa. It’s part of our family’s rituals, so we don’t make it for trade.’

“‘
Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to pry—’

“‘
No, it’s all right. Actually we could show some of your craftspeople how to make the material for yourselves. There are no secrets in its making. It’s how it is decorated and consecrated for dancing once the dress is made that is a family secret.’

“
Wanting to change the subject and get away from Blue Lizard, Ho-La invited Nea-Noom to sit down in an area away from the crowd.

“‘
Please, let’s sit down. You must have many families even for such a small village. My Aspen race has three villages and each village has five families.’

“‘
We also have five. My intended mate is with the Warrior family. If he is not with the raiding parties out to find your slaves, then he may be assisting in a ritual with the Worker and the Priestly families tonight.’

“‘
Tonight? How odd to be having a worship ritual while your family is dancing. Was this all for me tonight?’

“‘
We do two dances each week, so we simply added another to our dance cycle for this moon. Tonight, being full moon turned out to be a good time for the hunting dance.’

“‘
Hunting, huh? I was so taken away by the music and the movement, I didn’t pay attention to the story or the meaning.’

“‘
Then we have succeeded. A dance you merely watch for the story means we have not taken you away from everyday thinking.’

“
Ho-La wanted to know more about this mate, especially being a warrior and doing something with the priests. ‘In my village, the warriors don’t usually meet with the priests except for a blessing if they are to defend our people from raiders. We do not go out raiding other tribes.’

“‘
Is that why you come here to us? You do not raid for your own slaves?’

“‘
Sounds a little like we’re lying to ourselves, doesn’t it? We just don’t believe in taking our near neighbors captive unless it’s in battle. Even then, we usually return them if a treaty has been worked out.’

“
Teresa was starting to run thin on her knowledge of the Aspen race since Pia and Pita didn’t have much time that morning to share what they knew.

“‘
So, anyway,’ Ho-La pressed on, ‘there’s a meeting of warriors and priests?’

“‘
It’s not so unusual now since we are building our tower…’

“
Ah, so that’s what the circular structure will be!
Teresa said to herself. Now we’re getting somewhere.

“
Nea-Noom went on. ‘The adobes it is made from must each be blessed in a special way by the priests, so the warriors and workers bring each brick to the priests before placing it to build the tower—’

“
Nea-Noom suddenly covered her mouth with her right hand as if she had said too much.

“
Ho-La, wanting to reassure her no secrets had been divulged, quickly commented. ‘Yes, we have similar rituals when we are digging new cliff dwellings. I suppose that’s why we feel comfortable coming to the So-Rye; we are kindred people living on cliffs though your place is so much bigger and doesn’t need any digging and carving like our long, narrow villages which follow the curve of the cliffs.’

“
Nea-Noom relaxed a bit though she kept her eyes downcast. ‘Do you have towers?’

“‘
Something like them. On the edges of our cliff dwellings we build a three or four story house for bigger families.  They allow one to see along the mesas as well as down into the canyons below.’

“
At that point, Blue Lizard approached. Ho-La hoped he didn’t overhear their comments or the close questioning to which Nea-Noom had been subjected.

“‘
Many of our people turn in for the night about now; however, as our guest, you are welcome to stay up as long as you like. Perhaps Nea-Noom would like to visit Ho-La in his quarters?’

“
Teresa bristled at his implication. Here was Nea-Noom, no more than fifteen or sixteen years old with an intended mate, and she was being offered as ‘entertainment’ to a trader who appeared ten or more years older. It was, of course, a bribe for one who could bring more business if he was pleased with his visit.

“
Repressing her anger and getting back into character, Ho-La stood and stretched widely. ‘Thank you. Nea-Noom has been most kind, but I am still tired from being on the trail these past several days. Thanks, Blue Lizard, for everything. I will see you in the morning when I hope you will have something to show me.’

“
Ho-La scrutinized Blue Lizard’s face closely for a sign of insult in turning down his offer. But she could detect no offense.

“‘
Yes, indeed, be ready for the best breakfast in the Valle, first thing.’

“
Ho-La turned to a relieved-looking Nea-Noom and took her hand. Wondering if it would be too odd, Ho-La bent and almost kissed her hand, then turned to shake Blue Lizard’s vigorously.

“
It was obvious the So-Rye weren’t used to friendly touching, but they forced smiles and endured it. A prospective lucrative business deal apparently trumped their squeamishness.

“
On her comfortable sleeping pad, Teresa reviewed what she had learned about the tower. She was pleased. Something big was involved with the building of the tower if they had warriors working with common workers. Now, if she could find out why people living on high cliffs felt they needed a few more feet of elevation to see what was going on in the valley…

“
The next morning a wonderful hot breakfast of meat pies fried in thick batter greeted Ho-La while he was still wrapped in the soft linens of the sleeping pad.

“
Blue Lizard proudly led him to the plaza where five slave cages were occupied by the young men of the Valle who had volunteered for this humiliation. They looked rather worn out and depressed, which may not have been far from their real feelings.

“‘
Well, what do you think?’ Blue Lizard gestured grandly. If his ego had not blinded his way of thinking, he might have realized this perfect filling of Ho-La’s order was a little too convenient.

“‘
This couldn’t be better,’ Ho-La said after looking over the slaves carefully. Two of them were known to Teresa, but no sign of recognition passed between them. ‘Let’s go to the guest house. I can pay you now.’

“
Not wanting to be too easy and inexperienced since he had already revealed too much by showing them
everything
he had brought for trading, Ho-La offered about two-thirds of the goods he had in trade for the slaves. Blue Lizard made a show of being disappointed.

“‘
My friend, we have outdone ourselves filling your order. This takes two or three days most times, but you have your five slaves as requested the very next morning. What are you going to do with the rest of your goods, carry them back to the Aspen village?’

“‘
Well, I was hoping to pick up some squash and beans down in the valley—’

“‘
With five slaves from among the people of the Valle coming along with you?’ Blue Lizard thundered. ‘The Valle people may be fools, but they’re not that stupid!’ Blue Lizard seemed to have forgotten his diplomatic skills.

“‘
I’d hoped to leave the slaves here until I was ready to return to the mountains…’

“‘
That means we will have to feed them and clean their cages. That will cost extra.’ Blue Lizard shrugged and shook his head disapprovingly. ‘Even then, the Valle people will know you have them here as slaves. Word travels fast even from the mesa down to the valley.’

“
Oh sure
, thought Teresa,
that’s why we know so much about this tower you’re building!

“‘
I don’t think they’ll realize I have their missing men here. Unless, of course, you have some squash and beans of your own to trade.’

“
Getting himself back in control, Blue Lizard tried to look like a kindly older brother trying to be patient with his foolish younger brother. ‘Friend, our mesa is small. We are not farmers. We are warriors and priests. Our food is adequate for our needs, but we have no extra for trade.’

“‘
Are you saying I’m not offering enough for the slaves?’

“
Blue Lizard was taken aback by this bluntness. ‘Well, as I said, we have filled your order… the valley people are a troublesome lot… but you’ll find these slaves to be fairly cooperative... no chance of them escaping; they wouldn’t know where home is from such a far off distance if you blindfold them… we will provide you enough food to feed them on your trip back home… even though you aren’t offering more in trade.’

“
Blue Lizard sighed with exaggerated indecisiveness. ‘I’m afraid we aren’t crafty in doing business…’ He jangled his bells in such a way to accent his so-called ineptness.

“
Ho-La decided this was enough.  Blue Lizard may ramble on for days at this rate. ‘OK, I will offer more, but I must keep enough for trading with fellow mountain tribes on the way back for my own personal needs. I will add more ground chile and pottery. That’s it; I’m out of goods except for my own needs…’

“
Blue Lizard smiled the smile of one who has gotten the last delicious piece of fried pie in the pan with all the left over scrapings. ‘We have enjoyed doing business with you. You must come back. I will share with you all the additional items we have for trade… what the hell, I’ll throw in a few samples you can show your chief. Please, let us feed you lunch before you leave. My men will prepare the slave cages for you.’

“
With that the deal was settled.

“
Several hours passed before Teresa had her beasts of burden pull the cages off the main trail and head back down to the narrow part of the valley to the north.

“
At this point, the Soreyes who followed along at a discrete distance had turned back, so no unfriendly eyes would see the transformation of Ho-La to Teresa as her long black hair came down upon her shoulders. Nor would they see the ‘slaves’ happily escape their cages to enjoy the fresh air of freedom.

Back at Piralltah Steeples, Teresa with her sisters, Pia and Pita, tried to sort out what little she had learned about the Tower of Il Serrohe.”

thirty five

“‘
This doesn’t make sense!’ Teresa said for at least the tenth time.

“
Pia looked at her sister with uncharacteristic impatience. ‘We agree, but you don’t have to keep going on about it,’ she said. ‘What purpose could a tower serve placed on the highest point along the west mesa? Now, tell us again what you saw on the way back to the guest house after the dance.’

“
Teresa sighed. ‘I don’t see how that adds anything, but I saw what I call a ‘kiva,’ a little round room in the ground, nearby where the tower is going up—’

“‘
About how high is the tower wall?’

“‘
I don’t know. The highest part is maybe eight feet high. If that thing is going to be a tower, it’s still going to take time to build it more than a couple of stories high because it is fairly big around. About thirty feet diameter…’

“
She saw Pia and Pita’s blank looks. ‘Uh, make that a little more than one and a half times my height and about the distance of six people my height if they were stretched out end-to-end from one side of the circle to the other.’ The two then understood and were somewhat amazed as they visualized such a large circle.

“‘
Anyway,’ Teresa continued, ‘I could tell there was someone in the kiva because there was smoke coming from the little chimney on the ground near its entrance. I could hear men chanting from that direction, and I saw two young men come up the ladder carrying three adobe bricks each’.

“‘
Because I didn’t want to be seen watching them with too much interest, I moved on, but I’m pretty sure I saw only two of what were probably several men carrying out adobes.’

“‘
And before you left the next morning?’ Pita asked.