"The fief in Cloud Land? Alisa's and my child?..."
The bright sun slanted west, and a flying eagle swept over the Mixtec mountain forests, gazing out over range after range of rolling mountains and valleys as it gave a long, distant cry. Even amid the clamor of warriors in the sprawling camp, the eagle's soaring call still echoed between heaven and earth, making men's hearts yearn. In that drifting eagle cry, Xolotl straightened his back, shifting from a relaxed half-cross-legged posture into a formal kneel, and his face turned grave.
"Main God as witness! In essence, this is an exchange between Avet and me, and an even clearer binding of interests. Alisa's child, my son, his grandson, is the common point of interest between us, the covenant ensuring that I stand on his side. While maintaining the authority of the alliance's royal house, he wants to balance the branches within the royal family, using the Holy City royal line I belong to, to balance and even suppress the line of the former king Axayacatl! This is an orderly struggle to preserve internal stability in the alliance. He won't enter the field himself, but will act as the referee who quietly tips the scales, letting me struggle and compromise with Axayacatl's line..."
"For the long-term scheme of stabilizing royal power, Avet needs to find the right person, put him in the right position, have him do the right thing, and meet the right opponent. And such a delicate arrangement must consider not only the alliance's present, but also the time after time has passed, burying equally advantageous foundation stones for the future. The right person must not only be right today, but must also be right later—or at least must not turn around and obstruct the Divine King's power. Just like