Maya Maikoko
"PRIESTESS!"
The aged holy woman moved quickly to kneel before her Queen Tri'Na; ruler of the great Maya city of Uxmel. "Yes, my Goddess?"
"Please tell me the result of your research that I commanded of you yesterday."
The priestess was prepared, as the great queen knew she would be.
"Goddess Tri'Na, the astronomers and timekeepers have consulted our calendars and the stars. The optimum date for you taking on a new young slave is 13.0.6.10.15. In other words, TODAY."
The great Queen smiled. "Then my vision the night before last was true; the time has come." She turned to the guards at the door in the east wall. "Bring in the slavegirl!"
The two guards turned, and one walked through the door, returning in a moment with a beautiful maiden, leading her by a chain attached to a collar at her throat. Upon reaching the Queen, the girl obediently knelt and lowered her eyes.
"Look up at me, girl," said the Queen. The slave immediately lifted her head, and her face was illuminated by the golden light of the Sun coming through one of the many windows in the room.
"What is your name, girl? You may speak."
"This girl is called Maikoko, my Goddess."
"And you were given to me as a gift, Yes?"
"Yes my Goddess. I am the daughter of the stonecutter Ak'chen, who has offered me to You, should You accept me as your slave and servant forever..."
The girl paused and looked down, obviously wanting to say more, but afraid of the response.
"You have more to say, child. Tell me, please."
Maikoko took a breath and raised her eyes again. "But it is also true that I asked my father to give me to You, Goddess. I had a vision, the night before last, that I was to be with you for all of my life. I cannot deny the power of the spirits who spoke to me, my Goddess; it is really THEY, not my father, who place me before You this day."
The Queen rose to her full height and the girl bent down into a deep bow of obeisance. "Girl Maikoko, I do believe your vision! Because your Goddess Tri'Na also foresaw, that very night, that a special slave would be delivered to me . And my priests and astronomers tell me that this very day is the most perfect in many months for such an event to take place." She beckoned to the Priestess. "Show her, and everyone, the date that you calculated for me to accept a personal lifetime slave, Priestess."
And the woman held up the bark paper on which she had written the Calendar date given her by the astronomers:
13 -- 0
6 -- 10
15 -- Tzolk'in 13 Men
Haab 3 Sek
"Look up, Maikoko." The girl lifted her head, and met the deep, powerful eyes of the Queen.
Queen Tri'na spoke to all. "Record that on this day, 13.0.6.10.15, your Queen took possession of the girl Maikoko, to serve Me faithfully, with all of the love in her heart, as a personal slave, as long as she shall live. She will care for Me, dance for Me, and perform any and all duties that I shall assign to her. And NO ONE shall touch her, save by my direct and specific command."
The scribes furiously wrote the glyphs required to record this important event. Although there were many servants in the royal temple, very few were ever accepted as a personal slave to the Queen. The moment was a turning point in the girl's life; she would never be the same again.