A Soldier in Every Son

The Rise of the Aztecs

Luis Mario Moncada, Gary Owen

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781849434706
• eBook ISBN: 9781849436199
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

Late 14th century in the Valley of Mexico and a small, unknown tribe called the Aztecs propel themselves from nomadic mercenaries to rulers of a great empire. Passion, power and intrigue play out in this epic political thriller which charts the history of an ancient civilisation. Spanning a century and based on true events chronicled in the Aztec codices, A Soldier In Every Son – The Rise of the Aztecs is closely inspired by Shakespeare's history plays. A Compañía Nacional de Teatro de México/Royal Shakespeare Company co-production. Originally commissioned for the World Shakespeare Festival which is produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company for London 2012 Festival.

PART ONE

1

Thermal baths at Tacuba. IXTLIXÓCHITL is painting on the naked body of the beautiful slave ZILAMIUAH.

IXTLIXÓCHITL: You are the world. Your body is the lake which our great, great, great grandfather Xolotl settled, and around which all the tribes live. And here –

He paints around her left breast.

– we are, the Acolhuas, oldest and grandest of the tribes. This freckle can be the city of Chalco, this one’s Tlatelolco and this...delicious bud is our capital, Texcoco, ruled over by my father, the glorious Techotlala.

Now he paints around her right breast.

And here on the other side of the lake, are the Tepanecas, and this is their capital, Azcapotzalco, where their crude, grasping and, not to be unkind, less than fragrant King Tezozómoc holds court.

ZILAMIUAH: Hold on – if your tribe is the oldest, how come you have to pay tribute every year to Tezozómoc?

IXTLIXÓCHITL: Because just for the moment, the Tepanecas have grown to be more powerful than us. (he brushes her left nipple.) You see? Now their capital’s bigger. But in time, we Acolhuas will regain our rightful position. (he brushes her right nipple.) Now look – both the same. More or less...

ZILAMIUAH: You’re tickling me!

IXTLIXÓCHITL: This is why we don’t bother sending slaves to college. I try to teach you a bit of basic history, and you just giggle...

ZILAMIUAH: I thought it was supposed to be geography...

IXTLIXÓCHITL: Then to complete your education: down in your belly button, where all the dirt collects –

ZILAMIUAH: There’s no dirt in my belly button, you cheeky sod!

IXTLIXÓCHITL: That’s the Aztecs. We stuck them on a rock called Tenochtitlan in the middle of the lake, cos neither us nor the Tepanecas wanted them as neighbours.

ZILAMIUAH: Well you mind where you’re sticking that feather...

IXTLIXÓCHITL: And then if we explore further south, who knows – we may find the lost city where the great god Quetzcoatl hides his secret treasure...

IXTLIXÓCHITL takes off the gown he’s wearing to reveal his nudity.

Yes. I think the great god is answering our call. I think he’s going to incarnate all over you...

ZILAMIAUH approaches him timidly, but once she has embraced him they both lose any inhibition and kiss passionately. The painting quickly turns into smears of colour on both bodies. IXTLIXÓCHITL even rubs his face on her breasts, covering himself in paint. They roll around on the floor.

IXTLIXÓCHITL: Ask me whatever you want, my little hind. Ask me to love you above all else.

ZILAMIUAH: Love me like a goddess.

IXTLIXÓCHITL: (Nodding.) I’ll worship you, sweetheart. Ask me for something you’ve never dared ask for before.

ZILAMIUAH: Give me a son!

IXTLIXÓCHITL: My son will be a king. Yours must be a slave.

ZILAMIUAH: I don’t mind if my son’s a slave. He’ll be a prince to me.

IXTLIXÓCHITL: Hold tight, and you’ll have a little prince inside you quicker than you can say Xochiquetzal, great goddess of love.

Neither of them pays TOCHITZIN any attention when he comes in. he doesn’t know how to get their attention. he clears his throat.

Tochitzin isn’t it obvious, even to an idiot like you, that I am busy.

TOCHITZIN: Three may be a crowd, my lord, but it’s going to get worse. An evil spirit chased me here, manifest in the shape of a small, angry man.

IXTLIXÓCHITL: Why, what’ve you done?

TOCHITZIN: For once, it’s you.

Raised voices outside. HUEXOTLA enters, followed by the princes YACANEX and ZIHUAC.

HUEXOTLA: I knew it! You want the prince, sniff out his sleazy friend Tochitzin. Prince Ixtlixóchitl – what the hell are you doing here shagging slaves?

IXTLIXÓCHITL: Is there something else I should be doing?

HUEXOTLA: What about paying court to your fiancée?

IXTLIXÓCHITL: Ah yes. I had a feeling something’d slipped my mind. But then I got so caught up in my studies...

HUEXOTLA: How exactly is this part of your studies?

IXTLIXÓCHITL: Um...Tochitzin. Explain to esteemed master Huexotla how exactly this is part my studies. If you will.

TOCHITZIN: No, I’d be glad to. What it is, master Huexotla, is that...

HUEXOTLA: I’m all ears...

TOCHITZIN: We went to Tenochtitlan, to study how the Aztecs have managed to build roads across the lake itself, and on our journey we got all dirty and sweaty, so we thought, pop in the baths on the way back so the prince’ll be presentable for his fiancée. You know, make a good impression.

HUEXOTLA: And how do you explain the slave’s legs wrapped around him?

TOCHITZIN: The prince slipped. And the slave girl...cushioned his fall.

HUEXOTLA: Enough of your mockery!

TOCHITZIN: (To IXTLIXÓCHITL.) Sorry mate, best I could do under pressure.

HUEXOTLA: Present yourself at court before sunset, or you’ll regret it. (leaving.) Oh, and Prince Yacanex – your father has a bollocking in store for you too. I do hope you enjoy it.

HUEXOTLA goes.

IXTLIOXCHITL: (To YACANEX.) What’s your dad so worked up about?

YACANEX: That stunt you pulled in Tlalpan.

IXTLIOXCHITL: My generous engagement gift? What was her name her again?

The slave girl moves gently aside.

IXTLIOXCHITL: No, don’t go anywhere, my hind.

ZIHUAC: So your father has reached terms with King Tezozómoc?

IXTLIOXCHITL: Yes, the grand treaty between our tribes is all sown up. Nothing seals an alliance like a marriage – and this one will be sealed by mine.

TOCHITZIN: They’re marrying you off to Princess Yoali? You’ve done well there, mate, she’d never touch you otherwise.

IXTLIOXCHITL: Not Yoali. I am betrothed to Princess Tecpa.

YACANEX: Oh that’s not good...

TOCHITZIN: She’s...a little older than you, isn’t she?

IXTLIOXCHITL: She could be my mother.

ZIHUAC: They do say, a mature woman knows how to please a man...

IXTLIOXCHITL: Maturity would be one thing. Tecpa’s just old, but with the temper of a toddler. And she limps, from all the beds she’s been kicked out of.

TOCHITZIN: Then you kick her out too!

IXTLIOXCHITL: Can’t. When Tecpa and I have a ...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Characters
• PART ONE
• PART TWO