Acatl opened his mouth to protest—it was only a broken ankle, he wasn’t an invalid—but Palli spoke right over him. “Ichtaca-tzin has already taken over your ritual duties for the next week, and we are more than capable of handling anything else that may arise. Your only job right now is to rest.”
“But...”
“Teomitl-tzin,”—Palli didn’t quite grimace at the name, but it was dangerously close—“has already been informed of the situation and is sending warriors to bolster us on our missions. I am told he intends to visit himself at some point today. The Guardian is also expected—”
Running footsteps. His sister’s voice calling, “Acatl!”
Acatl rubbed his temples. “I suppose you have everything well in hand without me, then.”
Mihmatini shoved the jingling entrance curtain aside, frowning at both men. Well, mostly at him. Palli looked a little terrified to be caught in the effect. “Of course we do. Acatl, how did this happen? No, wait, I’m not sure I want to know.”
Since he’d broken his ankle when a ladder rung had snapped under him, possibly the least dignified way to injure himself, he didn’t want to tell her. Unfortunately Palli was both loyal and scrupulously honest, so she found out anyway. But it wasn’t all bad; Teomitl showed up as promised, with food and another (unnecessary, really) healing priest, and Acatl’s priests really were as good as their word. Rituals were performed flawlessly, he’d never seen the temple so clean, and when he was finally back on his feet he...well, he didn’t miss the period of enforced leisure, but it was nice to rest occasionally.
He let Palli and Ichtaca handle more of the temple affairs after that.
Obsidian & Blood, Acatl
“No, Acatl-tzin.”
Acatl opened his mouth to protest—it was only a broken ankle, he wasn’t an invalid—but Palli spoke right over him. “Ichtaca-tzin has already taken over your ritual duties for the next week, and we are more than capable of handling anything else that may arise. Your only job right now is to rest.”
“But...”
“Teomitl-tzin,”—Palli didn’t quite grimace at the name, but it was dangerously close—“has already been informed of the situation and is sending warriors to bolster us on our missions. I am told he intends to visit himself at some point today. The Guardian is also expected—”
Running footsteps. His sister’s voice calling, “Acatl!”
Acatl rubbed his temples. “I suppose you have everything well in hand without me, then.”
Mihmatini shoved the jingling entrance curtain aside, frowning at both men. Well, mostly at him. Palli looked a little terrified to be caught in the effect. “Of course we do. Acatl, how did this happen? No, wait, I’m not sure I want to know.”
Since he’d broken his ankle when a ladder rung had snapped under him, possibly the least dignified way to injure himself, he didn’t want to tell her. Unfortunately Palli was both loyal and scrupulously honest, so she found out anyway. But it wasn’t all bad; Teomitl showed up as promised, with food and another (unnecessary, really) healing priest, and Acatl’s priests really were as good as their word. Rituals were performed flawlessly, he’d never seen the temple so clean, and when he was finally back on his feet he...well, he didn’t miss the period of enforced leisure, but it was nice to rest occasionally.
He let Palli and Ichtaca handle more of the temple affairs after that.