Without Byron, they would not be where they are today; their loyalty to him is absolute.
These two city-states had already fallen completely into his grasp, and their support for him was the strongest.
Only Tayapan, the last one, remained. Although closest in distance, it had the least interaction, always conducting affairs officially, without any overly intimate personal relationships. (Chapter 183)
Most of the upper-class nobility in Tayapan had also been lukewarm towards Torrent Fortress.
One reason was their pride in their own heritage.
Whether it was the mightiest Dragon Lizard Warriors of the past, or the Number One Crystal Skull, "[Heavenly God] Itzamna," both represented the ultimate glory of the Taya Empire era.
And "Tayapan" itself means "The Standard of the Taya People"!
They always considered themselves the noble, legitimate heirs of the Empire, superior to all other Taya People.
