096

As he lifted the spoon to his mouth for the sixth time there was a commotion near the entrance of the mess hall, where Atl himself had entered just a few moments before. The few lone voices at the other table slowed to a murmur and then stopped. Atl looked up, the six spoonful of soup hanging in the air and saw the Tlacate and the Tlatoani of the Eagle army. The two were deep in conversation with a gaggle of other men following close behind them trying to look important.

Atl was surprised to see the Tlatoani as he had heard that the man wasn't supposed to have arrived at the castle for another week. The casters would be happy to learn of his arrival. His strength would lessen the burden placed on them and make their casting much easier. Judging by the dust on their clothing and the way in which the Tlatoani and the few casters, mixed in with Tlacate's men, walked the men had just arrived.

Atl dropped his spoon into his soup and hastily rose to his feet. The wooden bench squeaked along the cobblestone floors as his calves pushed against it while he straightened. The Tlatoani stopped talking and looked at Atl for a moment before resuming his conversation with the Tlacate.

The group of men behind Atl saluted the Tlacate and made their way out of the mess hall. The Tlacate and his men returned the salutes as they made their way towards a large table near the centre of the room. The salutes awakened Atl from his fatigued reverie and he quickly saluted the commander of the Eagle army, even though the men had already turned their backs towards him and were sitting down at the table. Nobody noticed.

Atl sat back down and quietly lifted the bench off of the ground and back into position. One of the men at the table got up and spoke with a member of the kitchen staff who immediately ran into the kitchen. Within moments the sounds of washing and cooking could be heard from behind the food counter. Atl looked down at his soup with a sigh and began to finish eating his soup. Just a tired Tlamanih in the corner eating his supper after a night on the watch.