Free Doctor Who: The Aztecs by John Lucarotti

thing and for once the High Priest of Knowledge shall be in ignorance.’ He glanced at Tonila and almost managed a thin smile.
    At the same time, the High Priest of Knowledge was basking in Cameca’s radiant smile as they walked along a path in the garden.
    ‘Such happiness, Cameca, outshines the sun,’ he remarked.
    ‘And with good fortune may outlast it,’ Cameea replied softly.
    ‘What brings you such joy?’
    Cameca looked around the garden and saw the Doctor studying a carved coiled snake on one of the stones of the back wall of the garden. Cameca raised her hand and pointed to him. A small leather bag hung from a cord around her wrist. Autloc smiled.
    ‘I am grateful to Yetaxa’s aged servant,’ he said, and noticing the bag, asked if Cameca was carrying cocoa beans to barter with.
    She shook her head. ‘I have already been to the market and bought food,’ she replied.
    Autloc touched the bag. ‘Then these are to prepare a drink’
    Cameca lowered her eyes. ‘Only the Gods may know,’ she replied coyly.
    ‘Ah,’ Autloc murmured, and observed that all mortals lived in hope.
    ‘He is a gentle companion and most dear to me,’ Cameca admitted.
    ‘Are these then for a love potion?’ Autloc asked in mock surprise.
    ‘That would be too bold,’ Cameca blushed, ‘rather should he show his love for me.’
    ‘You wish him to prepare it.’
    ‘Yes.’
    Autloc looked from her to the Doctor and back to Cameca again. ‘May the Gods favour your desires,’ he said gently and walked away.
    Cameca went over to the Doctor and greeted him. The Doctor half-replaced the bougainvillea over the carved stone and turned to face her. ‘My dear Cameca, how nice it is to see you again.’ He took her hand. ‘The garden is a lonely place without you.’
    She glanced at the wall. ‘When one’s interest is held, loneliness does not exist’
    The Doctor followed her eye-line to the carving partly hidden behind the flowered trellis. ‘I was looking at it — hadn’t noticed it before,’ he explained.
    ‘The coiled serpent of Yetaxa. In almost every building homage is paid to the High Priest with that symbol.’ Cameca drew aside the bougainvillea and snagged her bag on the trellis. As she pulled it free some of the cocoa beans fell onto the ground.
    The Doctor began picking them up. ‘Cocoa beans,’ he exclaimed.
    ‘We use them for barter for our daily needs,’ Cameca replied.
    ‘What an excellent idea, a currency you can drink,’ the Doctor proclaimed. Delicious!’
    ‘Do you know our customs?’ Cameca asked timidly as the Doctor dropped the beans one by one back into her bag.
    ‘Why, yes, my dear, of course,’ the Doctor replied, looking about him to make sure he hadn’t overlooked a bean.
    ‘The drinking of cocoa has its own very special meaning,’ Cameca ventured and the Doctor wholeheartedly agreed with her.
    ‘It’s a rare delight and we shall take a cup together.’ ‘Are you certain?’
    The Doctor missed her shyness. ‘Yes, yes, quite,’ he replied, ‘now give me the beans and I’ll go to the kitchen and brew some up.’
    ‘You insist?’ Cameca was hesitant.
    ‘I do. I insist as a token of my esteem.’
    Cameca’s face lit up as she gave the Doctor the bag of beans. ‘The Gods are smiling favour through your eyes, may it always be so,’ she said. ‘My dear Doctor, I accept with all my heart’
    ‘Now, don’t go away, my dear,’ the Doctor cautioned her, ‘I’ll be back.’
    Clutching the bag of cocoa beans, he marched off to the small kitchen in one corner of the garden where the old people could take a drink of cool fresh water, or prepare a corn pancake with honey, or a goblet of hot cocoa, over the wood fire. The Doctor found the mortar and pestle, and ground sufficient beans for two goblets. He sang quietly to himself. It had been a long time since he had drunk cocoa and he was looking forward to it. He put the powder equally into the two goblets, added hot water, and