The Controversial Mayan Queen: Sak K'uk of Palenque (The Mists of Palenque) (19 page)

In the ensuing lull, Sak K’uk and Kan Mo’ Hix entered the chamber. All eyes riveted upon them, watching as they slowly walked from the entrance toward the central ruler’s platform. When they sat on the open spaces on benches near the platform instead of the throne, there was an audible release of breath. For the moment, crisis was avoided.

The High Priest intoned prayers for opening the Popol Nah session as attendant priests passed along the benches waving burners of copal incense, a ritual for purification that all present might enter into deliberation cleansed of negative energies. The sweet-pungent Pom smoke filled the room. Raising his staff, Pasah Chan rapped it four times on the stone floor – the number four for the directions and quadripartite world – and declared the session begun.

Kan Mo’ Hix stood and addressed the council first. It was a strategy aimed at defusing resistance to Sak K’uk’s message. As a man from a well-respected family, he hoped to build a foundation of support among ahauob.

“Honored Council of Lakam Ha, this session is called to address serious problems within our city and our polity. It has been well past one tun since our city suffered the wicked and immoral attack from Kan, and two uinals since their foul and despicable murder of our ruler Aj Ne Ohl Mat. We have also lost the wise leadership of Hun Pakal, another victim of the ruthless Kan. Our city still lies in ruin, many sacred temples defaced and pyramids damaged, our larders depleted, our fields laid waste, our idols of gods and ancestors destroyed, and most of our jewelry and adornments stolen. Not a single family has been spared personal loss and suffering; many of you lost kinfolk, brave warriors during the battle, or afterwards your women and children taken as slaves. Never before has Lakam Ha suffered such a defeat. In the memory of our ancestors, all the way back to our noble founder K’uk Bahlam, nothing of this magnitude has befallen our people, beloved of the Triad Deities.

“We know that treachery and betrayal by some of our own people underlay this defeat. We suffered the infamy, the insults of the three-day mat person, that vile and despicable Ek Chuuah. He profaned the throne of Lakam Ha by sitting upon it. May his soul be damned before the gods and ancestors so he is lost forever in Xibalba, never to escape the grasp of the Death Lords. Even in this Middleworld, his evil conspirator Uneh Chan of Kan met an untimely death, delivered upon him by our avenging gods. Our deities have not deserted us, but their ability to provide and protect us has been seriously damaged.

“The collapse of our portal in the Sak Nuk Nah has taken away our ability to access the gods and ancestors. Without this portal, we are unable to perform the ceremonies required, to give to them their bundles in the traditional and time-honored way. We cannot adorn the Triad and the First Sky Gods. We cannot keep our covenant with them. We all know this, but in our confusion and dismay we have avoided facing what is soon before us: the ending of Katun 8, which will be upon us in less than one tun. It is our sacred obligation to perform the K’altun ceremony, to bind the last tun, to set the auguries for the coming katun. The stone-binding ceremony is necessary to invoke patronage of the Lords of Time, to assure their favor for a prosperous new katun. We know the auguries of Katun 9, the attributes of the number 9. Katun 9 can carry the burden of limitation, but with proper rituals these limits can turn toward our enemies, can stop adversity and thus ensure times of expansion for Lakam Ha.

“We must have a plan. We must take action soon. Through the grace of the B’aakal deities, such a plan of action has been revealed to my wife, Ixik Sak K’uk. This is a powerful demonstration that our gods have not abandoned us. But extraordinary means are needed to maintain our relationships; unusual measures are required in these times of great calamity. Now we shall hear from Sak K’uk of her message from the deities.”

Kan Mo’ Hix clasped his shoulder and bowed to his wife, resuming his seat on the bench as she rose. Sak K’uk wore a simple white huipil bordered in yellow, an amber neck collar and earspools, with hair braided and twisted into a modest headdress of white cloth with intertwined bronze discs that clinked softly as she moved. She walked along the benches filled with ahauob, drawing herself to full height and straightness. Lifting her chin, her eyes swept the assembly then focused in the distance.

“My mother, Honored Ancestor Yohl Ik’nal, came to me in a dream. She re-told a story from my childhood about her vigil at the Witz cave on K’uk Lakam Witz. The quadripartite monster mask surrounded the Witz cave and called me to come there for my own vigil. This I did, unaccompanied as instructed and without any offering but myself. Within the maw of the cave, I was taken down into the Underworld where there exists a portal, one that was not damaged in the Kan attack. There in the cave depths were the roots of the Wakah Chan, through which I was able to ascend into the Upperworld.”

Sak K’uk continued, giving details of her encounters both inside the cave and in the sky-celestial realm. She entered a semi-trance in telling the story, and ended with the instructions of Muwaan Mat.

“Muwaan Mat, the Primordial Mother Goddess, will give the K’altun offerings. She will give the proper bundles to the Triad Deities and Lords of the First Sky in the Upperworld. She charged me to become her representative in the Middleworld, and perform symbolic rituals so the people can see that these requirements of the gods are being carried out. But the people must understand that we cannot perform the full rituals until the Wakah Chan is restored, until Lakam Ha has re-established our portal to the gods and ancestors.

“Muwaan Mat is to accede as our next ruler. I am to act as her earthly ambassador. When my son Janaab Pakal reaches 12 tuns, he is to accede as ruler. The Goddess has ordained that it is his destiny to rebuild the portal.

“Thus has our Great Mother spoken to me, and charged me to bring her communication to you, the Council of the people of Lakam Ha.”

Still dazed with her sight blurred from revisiting the encounter with Muwaan Mat, Sak K’uk stood in the center of the Popol Nah, trembling slightly.

All around her arose murmurs as the ahauob exclaimed among themselves, a few phrases penetrating her awareness: “The Primordial Mother has spoken …” “Can this be so?” “…Who observed this?” “…Self-serving story…” “Our deities still care for us.”

As voices became more strident, Pasah Chan stepped forth and pounded his staff several times on the floor.

“Let the Council come to order! Hold your speech!”

When there was quiet, he continued. “In the absence of a ruler, let us select our Nakom to preside over the Council.”

“Yes, yes, the Nakom!”

“Come forth, Chakab!”

From the bench, Kitam and Pax Koh exchanged dark glances, knowing well the long alliance of Chakab with the Bahlam family. Neither dared challenge the choice of the honored elder warrior to preside, however. Kan Mo’ Hix suppressed a smile, for this was part of their plan. He went to Sak K’uk and assisted her to sit on the bench, as Chakab stood in front of the raised platform holding the throne. Kitam signaled a request to speak and was recognized by Chakab.

“It is with great respect that now I pose some questions to esteemed Ixik Sak K’uk. Surely what she has told us is an amazing event. She deserves our acknowledgement for braving the dangers of the Underworld to seek assistance. Such a dangerous endeavor should have received some protection by assistants. Were there not any with you at the Witz cave?”

Kan Mo’ Hix murmured in Sak K’uk’s ear as Kitam spoke, bringing her back into the present. Although she felt shaky, she stood near her husband to reply.

“There were no assistants. The calling I received required that I do vigil alone.”

“This she told us before embarking up the mountain,” Kan Mo’ Hix confirmed.

“Then no one was present to hold sacred space, to anchor your soul, or to observe what transpired?” continued Kitam.

“No one.”

”With no disrespect, Sak K’uk, perhaps this was your imagination and not actually a journey to the Upperworld. There is no one to verify what you tell us.”

Oaxac Ok leapt to his feet and exploded before Chakab could restrain him. “What is Sak K’uk if not honest? Her honesty has often been criticized by those who oppose her leadership. How dare you imply she is fabricating her experience?”

He sat quickly upon Chakab’s glare.

“It fits too perfectly into her ambitions,” retorted Kitam. “We are not ignorant of her desire that her son Pakal sit upon Lakam Ha’s throne. How convenient that Muwaan Mat would give her just such instructions.”

A round of murmuring and nodding showed that Kitam had made a strong point. Satisfied, he returned to his seat. Ch’amak signaled next to speak.

“It does strike me as unusual that Sak K’uk, alone in a dangerous place, was able to attain such a journey when by her own admittance, she has not journeyed very often and has not been able to raise the vision serpent. Perhaps her desire to be helpful to our city has clouded her perceptions and brought these images into her mind. We can all identify with her desperation to bring Lakam Ha out of its chaos. Do not we all feel disheartened and confused?”

Cries of “That is so!” and “Well spoken!” erupted.

“Sak K’uk is correct in her desire to revive leadership in Lakam Ha, so we can begin moving toward recovery. This is good, this is correct. She is right, we must take action soon for the katun-end is upon us. It is my contention that other leadership will serve us better. Let us choose a new ruler, but from another family of royal lineage. The time of the Bahlam’s has waned, and fresh leadership is needed. Let us consider my kinsman Kitam, of correct bloodlines, a youthful and vigorous statesman, and a brave warrior who distinguished himself battling Kan. Kitam has the vision to lead Lakam Ha forward!”

Shouts of agreement mixed with lower growls of disapproval.

Yaxun Xul spoke next, predictably in support of Sak K’uk’s proposal. The fervor grew as one then another ahau rose to speak, showing an even division among those present. Sak K’uk had resumed her seat, now fully present and sinking into desperation. Clearly her explanation had fallen short; she had not convinced the Council. They even doubted the truth of what she told them, a blow that pained her heart. Maybe they were right and she was incapable of providing leadership, even as a proxy. Maybe her earlier visions had been false and Pakal did not have the destiny she foresaw.

Sak K’uk was overcome with a wave of despair. Her mind cried out in anguish:

“Great Mother! How could you give me these commands and not the authority to carry them out?”

Suddenly her ears were bombarded by a roaring sound, so loud it caused pain. Her vision darkened and she could not see the chamber or people around her. A blaze of brilliant light flashed into her forehead, like a lightning bolt splitting her skull and flooding her brain with vibrant energy. The periphery of her awareness recognized this as the axe of K’awill penetrating her forehead, the symbol of divine dynastic lineage. Her mind and her body were no longer her own, for she was possessed by K’awill and his mother, Muwaan Mat.

“Stop this dissention!” she yelled, springing to her feet.

Everyone in the Popol Nah froze and stared dumbfounded in her direction. Kan Mo’ Hix, Pasah Chan and Chakab, who stood closest to her, shrunk backward lifting their hands to shield their faces.

The pounding force of giant wings beat the air within the chamber, sending vortexes of dust swirling and flapping the loincloths and feathers worn by ahauob. Blinding light emanated from around the form of Sak K’uk, sending forth flashes of lightning that crackled the air. Hair rose on forearms and necks and some dropped to their knees, while others covered their eyes. Those who looked saw a huge dark cormorant settle its shape around Sak K’uk’s body, then morph into a blazing-eyed hawk-goddess with sharp beak and long talons, frightening and awesome.

“Dare you to question my commands!”

It was not Sak K’uk’s voice, although her mouth-beak spoke through the shimmering form of the Goddess.

“All that my daughter Sak K’uk has spoken is true. She came to me from the depths of Xibalba, risking her life, overcoming her terror, in order to help you. What ungrateful wretches you are! Were it not for her love for you, and my love of her, I would leave you all to destruction. Now listen closely and do not doubt me again. Every word Sak K’uk has spoken must be followed exactly. You are to provide her every support that is needed. My intercession in the Upperworld will save you for a time, but then the reparations must be done by yourselves. Pakal has an enormous challenge as ruler to re-establish your portal, and you must support him in that.

“Do you understand me?” she roared.

The cowering and shaking ahauob whimpered pitifully under the merciless glare of the Goddess. Many blubbered a tremulous “yes” while others nodded their heads.

With another round of pounding wings and cracking lightning, further throwing the ahauob onto the floor, Muwaan Mat ascended through the corbelled arch ceiling of the Popol Nah and disappeared.

Sak K’uk slumped to the floor unconscious. Usin Ch’ob the High Priestess, who had been sitting at the farthest corner of the chamber, rushed to her side. Cradling Sak K’uk in her arms, the Priestess pressed an herb paste below her nostrils and signaled for a cup of water. Kan Mo’ Hix knelt next to his wife, awe-struck and flooded with new respect. Pasah Chan and Chakab circulated among the ahauob, helping them up from the floor. Some remained in shock while others appeared exuberant. This encounter with the Primordial Mother Goddess would be the high point of their lives, repeated for generations in story and fable. They felt incredibly privileged … or soundly rebuked.

When Sak K’uk had revived, the Priestess and Kan Mo’ Hix supported her to stand. Her confused look prompted her husband to whisper in her ear. “You are validated. Muwaan Mat took over your form and commanded them to follow your plan.”

His arm firmly around her shoulders, he addressed the Council. “We shall prepare for the accession of Muwaan Mat as K’uhul B’aakal Ahau.”