Chapter 11- Emptiness

Joaquín found Juan Carlos under the Proposal Tree, completely in shock, and Marigold nowhere to be seen. He immediately took him back to his house, where María received them both with a warm blanket and hot chocolate. However, Juan Carlos wouldn't say anything, he was in an almost catatonic state. It was almost like he had seen a ghost or something.

"Mijo, what happened?!" Manolo asked him, but Juan Carlos was frozen in shock.

"Juan Carlos, are you okay?!" María was shaking him by the shoulder gently, but it didn't work either.

"Let him calm down, then he'll tell us what happened." Joaquín suggested, taking a sip from his cup of chocolate.

Cristina climbed unto the couch and approached her older brother. "Where's Marigold, Juan Carlos?"

When she spoke Marigold's name, it broke him out of the initial trance. "M-Marigold…"

"What happened to her, Juan Carlos?" Manolo asked him, calmly this time.

"I was waiting for her, then a red haired girl came… she kissed me, and Marigold saw us together… I went after her, I tried to explain, but she was so hurt… and then her father arrived and turned into a dark creature, and she..." he couldn't continue, for he started to tremble in remembrance.

"A dark creature?" Manolo and María asked at the same time.

"Could you describe that creature…?" Joaquín placed a hand on his godson's shoulder; he had an idea to who he was talking about.

"He was a black skeleton with dark wings and cloak, and a white moustache and beard. His eyes were red and shaped like skulls." Juan Carlos barely managed to speak about the dark god at all.

The adults remained in silent shock for a minutes, before María looked at her daughter. "Cristy, would you go to your room for a while?"

Cristina looked at her mother in confusion. "Why, mami? What's wrong?"

"We're going to talk about grown-up stuff. It won't be long, only a few minutes."

She didn't understand what was so serious about this, but at the word 'grown-up stuff' she instantly knew it wasn't something pleasant. Without saying a word, Cristina walked up the stairs to her room and closed the door.

"You saw Xibalba?" Joaquín glanced at the young guitarrista with his only eye.

"Who?" Juan Carlos inquired.

"Mijo, remember the story I used to tell you when you were little?" Manolo continued. "The one about how your mother and I got together?"

Juan Carlos's eyes widened. "That Xibalba? He is real?"

"I'm not happy to say that he is." Joaquín muttered under his breath.

"Why would he take Marigold away? What interest would he have in a girl like her?" María stated.

"Mamá, I think they're related."

"What?" Manolo grabbed his son's shoulders. "Are you certain?"

"After he transformed, she also changed shape, but she looked more like a white skinned teenager with black wings and his same eyes."

"Could it be…?" María started connecting the dots. "Could she be his daughter for real?"

"Well, the other option would be siblings, but I find the first one more logical." Joaquín stated before turning to Juan Carlos. "Juan, didn't he hurt you? Are you okay?"

"No, no! I'm lucky, but…" Juan Carlos felt a deep sorrow overcome him. "Marigold… I couldn't explain to her what had happened… she was so hurt…"

"This red-haired girl, what did she do?"

"She just came out of nowhere, tumbling, and I went to help her. I don't recall what happened exactly, but I can recall she kissed me, and Marigold saw it."

"This is very strange… Like this girl did that on purpose so that Marigold would catch you…" Manolo concluded.

Still, none of them could believe it. Marigold, that beautiful and sweet girl was Xibalba's daughter. Judging by Juan Carlos's description, she looked more like La Muerte, but… how much had she gotten from her father? The storm outside continued, reflecting not only the dread silence in the house, but also the storm of emotions in Juan Carlos's broken heart.

Marigold was hidden under the bed in one of Aztlan's many guest rooms, sobbing into a borrowed pillow. She was hugging unto Rattle's remains, he had been torn in half mercilessly. Her hair was all undone, there were scrapes on her knees and arms, and her dress was all dirty.

"Marigold?" Xibalba came into the room and found his daughter nowhere to be seen, but he soon realized the sobbing was coming from under the bed. He knelt down so that he could take a peek underneath. "Sweetie, are you okay?"

As soon as she heard her father's voice, the five year old instantly teleported in a blur of rose petals towards him, materializing close enough so she could throw herself at him and wrap her arms around his waist, wailing. "Papi!" she sobbed.

Xibalba pulled his daughter closer, stroking her head in comfort. "Shhh. It's okay, mi florecita." He tugged at Rattles, and Marigold allowed him to take it. "Don't worry, we can fix Rattles. But tell me, what happened?"

Marigold buried her face into his chest. "Cabrakan, the rock boy, remember him?"

"Yes, he is the son of Chimalmat and Vucub."

"He called me ugly. I was playing with Rattles, and he came with Camazotl and Oxomo. They started making fun of me because of my wings, and then they took Rattles. The other children didn't help me, they just kept watching. Some of them even laughed at me!"

Xibalba was at a loss for anything to say. Looking at it, it seemed inevitable that most people would not like his daughter because she was precisely that, his child. He was not that popular either when he was her age. In his case because the other godchildren found him scary, and they were afraid of his father; La Muerte had been the only one who saw past his grim looks, and they became the best of friends. But unfortunately, it seemed his little Marigold wasn't having the same luck as him.

"Why are boys so mean?" Marigold sobbed as more tears fell.

"Because they're idiots and they aren't worthy of you." Xibalba said, stroking Marigold's cheek with his thumb. "Sweetie, believe me, someday you'll find someone who appreciates you for the sweet, brave, kind little goddess you are. Who values you for who you are, not because you're beautiful or not."

"I don't want anything to do with other godchildren anymore!" Marigold growled. "Who needs them anyway? I've got you, and Tío Zipacna, and the Sánchez and my friends in the Land of the Remembered. That's all I need."

Xibalba gave a small smile. "I think you may change your mind about that one day."

"No I won't! I'm never going to need anyone else, ever!"

The next day, Xibalba opened the doors to the Dining Hall, but he didn't find Marigold there; she usually was the first to come down and she'd make him a surprise breakfast, but today it wouldn't be the case. Either he had come down too early, or she was just getting ready. He was about to go and wait for her outside when Emilio walked into the Dining Hall, a worried expression on his face.

"Emilio, have you seen Marigold?" the dark god asked, looking down at him.

"I'm returning from her room, in fact, My Lord." The lizard replied. "She said she wasn't hungry and she seemed so sad that I let her be."

Xibalba grew worried at those words; instantly, he teleported to her doors, and knocked gently. "Marigold?" When he heard no reply, he turned the knob and walked inside. The curtains were closed, and the young goddess was still in bed, hiding from the world underneath her covers. Xibalba felt a small pang of sadness as he approached her bed. "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" Marigold sobbed, retreating further into her sheets.

"Sweetie, you can't stay in bed all day. It's not healthy."

"I don't care. I don't feel like going anywhere right now."

"But you have to eat something at least, my dear." Xibalba spoke, gently caressing her head. "How about I bring you something tasty?"

"I'm not hungry, papá, really…"

"Come on, Marigold, you won't have any dessert if you don't eat." He chimed playfully, patting her shoulder.

Marigold would have laughed were the circumstances different, but she was too sad. "Well, I think it'll be okay."

"Good! I'll tell the chef to make something special for you, you just wait here!" And with that, he vanished in a blur of tar.

Marigold sighed and plopped unto her bed once more, pulling Rattles and Latoso closer to her. Latoso whined and cuddled next to her, resting his head on her shoulder. She looked down sadly at her pup and petted his head softly; she may be disappointed at Juan Carlos, but this didn't mean she had to take it out on the poor puppy she had come to adore. She recalled all the moments she and Juan Carlos shared, the laughter, their kiss, but over all the love… Had it all been a lie? Had her father being right when he told her she just had a temporary crush on the human? Had Juan Carlos just been toying with her?

After a while, Xibalba was back carrying a tray, with a bowl of warm soup. He sat down at the edge of bed and place the tray on his daughter's lap. "Here, I asked them to make your favorite soup."

Marigold shifted under the covers and tray to take a look at the bowl; she was surprised to realize it was a letter soup, the one she liked when she was little. There were some letters at the surface accommodated, forming a phrase.

Te quiero, mi florecita.

"Ay, papá…" Marigold embraced her father, her eyes tearing up as she sobbed into his chest.

"Shhh. It's okay, my dear, papi's here. Papi's got you." Xibalba embraced his daughter and wrapped his wings around her body, kissing her head. "Don't cry, mi niña."

"It hurts so much…"

"It's normal, sweetie. In a few days you'll be just fine, believe me."

"Thank you."

Xibalba glanced down at the bowl of soup; he smiled a bit in remembrance. "Remember the 'hola' soup?"

"Huh?" Marigold looked up at her father in confusion.

"Don't tell me you don't recall! When you were little you'd spell words in the soup, like 'hola, papi' or 'marigold'."

"or 'perrito'."

"Yeah, exactly! On one occasion you spelled 'adiosito'."

"Or papá.·

"Or 'te quiero'."

Marigold lay down back on bed, her wings shifting underneath her weight. Xibalba took a spoonful of the soup and lowered it to his daughter's lips. "Open wide, chiquita!" he chimed playfully.

The young goddess would have laughed, but once more her broken heart was stronger; still, she didn't have the heart to reject the soup and so she allowed her father to fuss over her. After a while, the bowl was empty, and her tummy was full as her father would say when she was a baby. Xibalba picked a napkin and wiped Marigold's lips gently.

"Feeling better?" he inquired.

"I think so…" Marigold replied, hugging her knees.

"Sweetie, I have been thinking… How about we go for a ride? It's been a while since we went somewhere to spend the day, just you and me."

"I'm don't feel like going outside, papá…" Marigold shifted back to bed, wrapping her wings about her body.

"Then how about…" he looked around her room, until he spotted her painting kit. "painting? I could help you, like that time when we ended up in a paint war, remember?"

"No, thanks…"

Somehow, her sorrowful air made him feel sad too. He wanted to hug her and tell her it was going to be alright, but how could he do that when he was the one who caused her this pain to begin with. He quickly shook that thought aside, he had done it for her sake, he was certain that in a few days she would be fine. For now, he would try and cheer her up in any way he could.

"I understand, my sweet. It's okay if you don't feel like doing anything, it's normal for broken hearts."

"Did you ever have your heart broken, papá?" Marigold asked weakly, hugging her knees.

He was at loss at that question. "Sort of. There was a time when your mother and I grew estranged due to a misunderstanding that happened. The time we spent away from each other I felt empty, I loved her so much…"

"How did you get over it?"

"I never really did. Those centuries still haunt me even today, I missed her… But what kept me sane was the hope of someday reconciling with her…"

"What can I do? I don't think I'll ever love again…"

"Don't say that, my sweet. There are plenty of eligible gods out there, you're so young…"

"How do you know they won't end up toying with me too? I think you forgot most of them picked on me, what makes you think they are not going to hang around me just because they want to seduce me for one night before tossing me aside for another-?"

"Marigold!" Xibalba took his daughter by the shoulders firmly. "Please, don't do that! Don't doubt of your self worth just because you had a bad experience!" his look softened. "You're beautiful, that's true, but you're also a smart, kind, sweet and brave young lady. Any man would give anything to be by your side. I'm certain the right man for you is out there somewhere, you just have to learn where to look." He smiled at her as he wiped a tear rolling down her cheek. "Please don't cry. You look prettier when you smile, mi florecita."

It took her a great effort, but Marigold managed to give her father a small smile, the smallest she could muster at the moment, before embracing her father once more, burying her face into his neck. Xibalba embraced her and wrapped his wings around her to comfort her. He felt Ponzoña's two pair of eyes unto him, and noted the snake was staring at him from the floor with disappointed eyes. The dark god wanted to usher him away, but suddenly the voice returned.

See how she's suffering? You caused it.

"I just did what was best for her." he thought to himself in an attempt to silence it. IT didn't work.

You wanted to keep her for yourself, because you can't stand her being near other men. You're a selfish being.

"That boy was going to cause her trouble."

What about you? You caused her a great pain, and you claim to love her?

"Papá?"

Xibalba was brought out from his conscience conflict when he heard Marigold's voice. "What is it?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm just stressed out… Are you sure you don't need anything?"

"I just… I just want to be alone for now, if you don't mind…"

"I understand, my sweet. Don't forget, if you need anything, you just call for me or any of the servants, okay?"

"Okay…"

After planting another kiss on her forehead, Xibalba stood up from bed and glided out of her room, Ponzoña following after him. However, when the dark god closed the door, he felt his snake's reproaching eyes once more. "What?!" he hissed down at the snake though in a low voice so that Marigold wouldn't hear him. "I'm not happy with what I did, but I just…" no, he didn't have to repeat it any further. Ponzoña shook both heads and slithered away from his master into the dark halls. Xibalba shook his head with a sigh and went back to the Dining Hall, recalling he hadn't had breakfast just yet.

And he had to center his thoughts on something else to ignore the damn voice.

A week later

Many things happened in seven days.

For both Juan Carlos and Marigold, it was a time of sorrow, emptiness and heartbreak. Juan Carlos spent all the time in his room, playing sad songs with his guitar and barely going out, if he did at all. His parents, sister, and Joaquín would try to convince him to hang out a bit, but he was too sad. General Posada unintentionally added insult to injury when he told his grandson that there were many more girls, prettier than Marigold, but to Juan Carlos she was the only one. Manolo, in particular, thought maybe it was best that they were no longer together, in part because of his part experiences with Xibalba.

But the dark god had his own problems. All this time, the damn voice haunted him and just wouldn't go away. At first it was only occasional, but the more he saw his daughter gloomy and sad, it became almost constant, to the point it wouldn't let him sleep peacefully at night. It hurt him, seeing his beloved daughter so sad; he missed her laughter and her smile. No matter what he did to cheer her up, she didn't want to do anything other than stay in bed and cry. He didn't want to admit it, but he was starting to regret what he had done.

Marigold tried to overcome her sorrow, but she just couldn't, something didn't let her. Her heart was torn in shredded pieces like a piece of cloth clawed by a cat, she didn't have the mood nor the energy to do or go anywhere, she didn't even eat at all. How she was doing it without food, she couldn't tell, maybe it had something to do with her emotional condition. Her father had already tried various times to coax her to come out, but she was too sad; deep down she missed Juan Carlos, even though he had just toyed with her.

The still-single gods were glad when they heard the rumor that she had cut off with her previous 'boyfriend', and resumed their (failed) courting of her. They sent bouquets of exotic flowers, love letters, exquisite jewels or dresses and some even went as far as to send her songs with birds such as nightingales and canaries. This time, however, Xibalba didn't have any problem with them and actually hoped that perhaps Marigold would get interested in any of these young suitors. But she didn't even want to look at them, considering most of these suitors were her former tormentors from her childhood; it would take them more than a few trinkets and flowers to get her to even forgive them. She never thought she was so spiteful…

Coincidentally, a letter that arrived from Aztlan would give this story yet another twist.

Despite his exhaustion, Xibalba knocked the door to his daughter's room with one hand, holding a box in the other. "Marigold, sweetie, can I come in?"

She simply whined her approval. Still, Xibalba walked into the room and closer to her bed, avoiding the trays of food, cold and untouched. Marigold was sitting on bed, looking towards the window, her wings wrapped around her body. She didn't even look at her father at all.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" Xibalba inquired, hiding the box behind his back.

"More or less better, papá…" Marigold replied gently, sniffling.

His face brightened. "I got you a present, mi florecita!"

"What is it, papá?"

The dark god brought the box forward and placed it in front of her. "Here. Open it."

Although not really in the mood, Marigold removed the lid of the box, and her eyes widened slightly. It was a beautiful dress; it was a light-weight two piece gown consisting of a sleeveless bodice and skirt. The bodice featured gold rope lacing in the front and hidden elastic in the back for an improved fit. The full skirt featured a false underskirt of gold brocade in front as well.

"It's pretty…" she said glumly. "But what's it for?"

"Tláloc invited us to the quinceañera of his seventh daughter, you need to look lovely, my sweet."

"Have you even asked me if I want to go?"

"Come on, Marigold, it's already been a week. You need to go out a bit, it'll help heal your wound."

"What? Seeing lots of couples dancing will make me feel better?"

"By the way, my dear, guess what?"

"What?"

Xibalba glanced at her door, and Emilio walked in holding a golden birdcage with a pink ribbon. Inside the birdcage was a beautiful nightingale of bronze colors, singing a beautiful song that would have made any woman cry. Marigold stared at it with little interest, however.

"Centeotl sent it for you, isn't it beautiful?"

"Aja." Marigold looked away.

Seeing she was not interested in it at all, Xibalba sighed and held her hand. "Sweetie, please. Could you at least accompany me, only for a while?"

Marigold thought for a moment. Her father was right in one thing, she had been just coping around in her room miserably. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to hang out a bit, it was a long time ever since se went to a party. Her mother would have wanted her to move on.

"…Okay…"