Despite her follies, her heartbreak, her frankly terrible choices, Huei had been her sister-in-law. She’d borne Neutemoc five healthy, happy children. And now she was dead, having given herself in sacrifice to Chalchiuhtlicue to escape the judgement of the Underworld, and there was a hole in the air where her place at the table had once been.
Mihmatini knew she wasn’t the only one feeling it. The children had been inconsolable all day; even Necalli, who bid fair to take after his uncle Acatl, was silent and shaky and close to tears. Neutemoc had barely spoken a single word in weeks. Acatl...well, he was always quiet, but now there was an edge to it. He’d tried to save Huei. He’d failed.
Finally, it was too much to take. Carefully, without quite looking at either her siblings or her nieces and nephews, she picked up another serving of now-cold meat and said aloud, “Do you remember when she made these?” Huei, for all her skills in other areas, had never been able to roast anything without charring it to a crisp.
Neutemoc made a face. “Unfortunately yes. Ah, but her baking...”
Sniffling, Mazatl added, “Mama made the best maize cakes.”
That set Necalli and Ohtli off, and even Acatl managed to unbend himself to share his own stories. Huei was still gone. Nothing would change that. But for the moment, she lived on.
Obsidian & Blood, Mihmatini & her brothers
Despite her follies, her heartbreak, her frankly terrible choices, Huei had been her sister-in-law. She’d borne Neutemoc five healthy, happy children. And now she was dead, having given herself in sacrifice to Chalchiuhtlicue to escape the judgement of the Underworld, and there was a hole in the air where her place at the table had once been.
Mihmatini knew she wasn’t the only one feeling it. The children had been inconsolable all day; even Necalli, who bid fair to take after his uncle Acatl, was silent and shaky and close to tears. Neutemoc had barely spoken a single word in weeks. Acatl...well, he was always quiet, but now there was an edge to it. He’d tried to save Huei. He’d failed.
Finally, it was too much to take. Carefully, without quite looking at either her siblings or her nieces and nephews, she picked up another serving of now-cold meat and said aloud, “Do you remember when she made these?” Huei, for all her skills in other areas, had never been able to roast anything without charring it to a crisp.
Neutemoc made a face. “Unfortunately yes. Ah, but her baking...”
Sniffling, Mazatl added, “Mama made the best maize cakes.”
That set Necalli and Ohtli off, and even Acatl managed to unbend himself to share his own stories. Huei was still gone. Nothing would change that. But for the moment, she lived on.