THE BLACK FLOWER: An Elena Duran Story 18/18
Vi Moreau (vmoreau@ADELPHIA.NET)
Sun, 4 Mar 2001 01:48:24 -0500
THE BLACK FLOWER: An Elena Duran Story 18/18
Chapter 18
Corazon Negro was gathering his belongings near the stable when he felt eyes
on him. It was little Joaquin again. "Hello, Joaquin."
This time the boy was crying softly. It was too much for the little one.
Corazon Negro sympathized. Joaquin's loss reminded the Aztec of the many
people he had lost over the centuries, his father, then his grandfather. He
put his wrapped weapon aside, then walked toward the child.
"Are you leaving, too?" Joaquin asked, with his little hand covering his
mouth.
"Yes, I must," the Aztec answered sadly, kneeling in front of Joaquin.
"Why? Why can't you stay?" the child cried desperately, a sound that broke
Corazon Negro's heart.
<How do I explain to a five-year-old boy that I can't stay? How can I make a
beloved child understand something like this?> Corazon Negro knew that Don
Alvaro was right, that if the Aztec stayed sooner or later he and the Don
would have a serious disagreement, with Curi-Rayen caught in the middle. In
fact, they had already had a small disagreement. A serious one would be bad
for all of them.
But none of this would mean anything to the boy, who was simply feeling lost
and abandoned. "Someone is waiting for me," he said, suddenly inspired. "In
a faraway land, a child like you is waiting for my return."
Joaquin lowered his gaze. "Is he your child?" he asked.
Corazon Negro smiled a little at that. "No, not really, but he is alone and
he needs me." It was horrible to lie, to this boy especially, but he
couldn't think of anything else. "You have a lot of people around you who
love you and care for you; but this other boy is alone, and I must go to
him. Do you understand?"
Joaquin nodded in silence, still crying. "I guess now my grandfather has
joined my father in the sky, hasn't he?"
The Aztec looked at the child with love, then hugged him hard against his
chest. "Of course he has. And from there they will both care for you."
"I will always remember you, Corazon Negro."
"And I will never forget you," the Aztec replied, wiping the boy's tears. He
went to his pack, pulled Joaquin's drawing out, then folded it and placed it
inside his shirt. "I will keep this right here, next to my heart, where you
will also be. Remember, you must be a great man. That way, your father and
your grandfather, watching you from the stars, will be proud of you. And so
will I."
"Yes, I will," Joaquin said, then ran toward his house.
Corazon Negro watched him until the child disappeared inside his house. Then
the Aztec went back to his packing.
**********
Mariaelena and Corazon Negro rode in silence until they reached the
rancho's* western edge, by which time it was full dark. When they stopped,
the riders hands with them hung back. Mariaelena spoke first, sadly. "I wish
you could stay."
"I have fulfilled my vow, Curi-Rayen," he said, happy that the brothers were
dead, but sad that he had to leave. It pleased him, however, to know that
she didn't want him to go. "Let me leave you with this: in my mother tongue,
you and I are now Tlacantzolli*. It means two humans joined together in one
body." Looking at her intently, Corazon Negro continued, "It's strange; the
future has always been so clear for me, and now, for the first time in my
long walk, I have no prophecies to fulfill. I'm not quite sure what I'm
going to do now." Corazon Negro paused, and looking into her grey eyes,
said, "Et quacumque viam dederit.*"
Mariaelena thought for a moment. "You're always coming up with some other
language for me to decipher," she said, smiling softly. "Latin this time.
Let's see: and wherever our path leads, we ... we should follow it. Right?"
He nodded, and they smiled at each other for a moment, their eyes glowing in
the light of the lantern hanging from her saddle. Neither one wanted to say
goodbye. Finally she asked him, "Do you think we'll meet again; perhaps
under better circumstances?" She blushed as she said this, her eyes as
bright as the stars above them.
Corazon Negro saw her expression and thanked the Gods in silence. The old
Don had been right, and what he himself had felt during their shared
Quickening was true--she was in love with him, too, and he could imagine the
promise that lay behind Curi-Rayen's gaze. Looking up into the sky, he took
a deep breath. "I truly hope so, Curi-Rayen. I truly hope so."
Corazon Negro leaned over and took Curi-Rayen's hand. For once the horses
were cooperating, staying quiet beneath them. "Will you trust me one more
time?"
She smiled. "When have I not trusted you?"
He nodded, accepting and pleased. "Never," he answered, knowing that even
when she hadn't been sure, when her head hadn't believed him, her heart had
trusted him. Then he said, "This was an ancient custom of my people. Long
ago, my brothers and I used to do this before our farewells," he said,
pulling his small obsidian knife out of his shirt. Raising his hand in front
of Curi-Rayen's face, he cut his palm, then took her hand and cut hers.
Before the wounds started healing, he put their palms together. "Whenever
you think of me, look up at that star over there," Corazon Negro said,
pointing at Noh-Ek, or Venus. "Wherever you go, I'll be listening to you.
Always remember, Curi-Rayen, the Quickening we shared, and the feelings we
have for each other. We are two minds and two bodies--but one soul and ...
one heart ... forever. And forever for us--"
"--is truly forever," she finished for him.
As they spoke their blood mixed while the healing sparks illuminated their
hands. Then Corazon Negro slowly released Curi-Rayen's hand. He gently
caressed her face, and without another word, he pulled on Goliath's reins.
Man and beast galloped away.
"Good bye, Son of the Wolf," Mariaelena said as he disappeared into the
curtain of the night. "We'll see each other again." Then, she looked up into
the sky. "Whoever you are, Quetzalcohuatl, thank you sending him. Thank you,
Old Snake. And thank you, Dios mio*. !Vamonos, hombres!*," she said, and the
riders turned to go back to the rancho*.
Notes & Translations:
Dios mio (Spanish): my God
!Vamonos, hombres! (Spanish) Let's go, men!
The end - Fin
Florida-Mexico
17 Nov 2000 - 1 Mar 2001
Vi Moreau vmoreau@adelphia.net
Julio Cesar divad72@prodigy.net.mx