Citali, as the story unfolds....

Chapter 5

Itzel and Izel scurried as fast as their elderly legs could carry them from the Queen's bathing suite down the steep pyramid stairs to the kitchen in the basement.  They collapsed in laughter recalling her bitter howl when she settled into the icy cold bathwater!  They liked to play little tricks on her and, as they were both mutes, it was impossible to interrogate them.  Plus they were so loyal and they both adored her so much, she couldn't be annoyed with them too long for their playful practical jokes - as long as they didn't go too far.  In their 70's,  with stooped posture and both being deaf mutes, they really were more like fraternal twins than husband and wife.

Izel wiggled her finger at her husband as the cold water trick had been his idea.  Clever and mischievious, she loved his devilish sense of humor.  In fact it caused her to fall in love with him back in their home village, Yaxha, many, many years ago.

Itzel was the son of the wiley old village shaman and he had observed his father prepare many potions, concoctions and curses for the villagers. One time when Izel's cruel older sister, Nelli,  was beating her up over breaking her favorite urn, Itzel had peered through the window and gave Nelli the evil eye which caused her to freeze in place and stay that way for 24 hours - enough time for Izel to gather up her belongings and run off with Itzel to Piedras Negras,  the magnificent royal city and home of the Queen.

Shortly after arriving there,  the young couple went to the Queens' palace to hear one of her afternoon poems and, maybe, cadge one of those golden coins.   The beauteous and ageless Citali had ventured out onto her gilded balcony, overlooking the city (she never left her palace) but a careless manservant accidentally dropped the royal veil which hid Cital's face from public view.  The subjects were never allowed to see the royal visage as it would lessen her powerful psychic energies.

Quick as a lemur, Itzell ripped Izels' shawl away from her head, painfully pulling out several strands of her hair as he did so,  and then raced up the steep pyramid steps, three at a time.  Panting for breath, when he arrived at the top step he scaled the balcony wall and ran to Citali's side,  brandishing the old shawl in front of the Queens' face, before she barely realized the old one lay on the ground.

So delighted was she with his gallant actions, the Queen, through the bedraggled, hairy shawl, told  Itzel he could have anything he wanted.  Eagerly signaling down to Izel to join him up on the balcony, he threw himself on the ground and mimicked industrious sweeping, primping, scrubbing activities. "Aha, you are a clever fellow!  Citali exclaimed when she realized the fellow was unable to speak.  "You want to come and live in the palace and work for Citali," referring to herself in the third person.  Itzel vigorously grabbed the Queens' hand and kissed it.  She held onto it and reached for Izel's hand  and pulled them both on inside to the palace.  Itzel winked at his wife and they both grinned as they strolled into the cool and luxurious Palace of Citali.