In mid-May, the kingdom's Exploration Fleet reached the southern island of Cuba and stopped at Yucahu Village of the Taino. The fleet repaired its ships, replenished fresh water and food, contacted nearby tribes, and searched for the vessels that had been scattered.
The old Militia had some leisure and walked through the Taino cassava fields. The spring breeze brushed his face, and the scent of grasses and trees rushed toward him, fresh and pleasant. He looked at the rows of heaped planting mounds, and at the lush branches and leaves atop them, and sincere delight showed on his face.
"Lord God, what a beautiful spring!"
"Oh! Oh!"
Petrel cried out, cassava grew new shoots, and bright spring light lingered in the Taino villages along the Cuban coast. Spring shimmered and rippled for five thousand li; the spring wind soared upward two thousand meters, all the way to the plateau of the Mexica Alliance.
On the plateau, it was likewise a brilliant spring, dyeing the spring-plowing scenery of Lake Texcoco and wandering through the flourishing Valley of Mexica. This was a season of peace, lifting the hurried footsteps of farmers and the spring smoke of slash-and-burn clearing. The armies of the northern states of the Alliance had all returned from the Eastern Expedition with vast spoils and thrown themselves into the spring plowing of their city-states.
The Alliance's spring plowing had begun, and this year's spring-plowing ceremony was grander than ever before!
At this very moment, the Lake Capital was packed with people, pine resin spreading and curling endlessly. Priests chanted scriptures, warriors danced war dances, and the grand spring-plowing ceremony was being held high atop the pyramid of the Great Temple. King Avet wore the newly made feather crown of the god-king and stood upon the highest divine platform. He