Emilio, Regina and the rest of the lizards couldn't believe what was going on. The Xibalba they knew, the serious, cold and standoff King they knew was changing, almost as if he was changing back into the sweet boy they once knew. When he was in his study he'd often have that goofy smile on his face, his mind was almost always elsewhere as he'd often ignore what they said, or was so distracted he misunderstood their words. And more often than not Emilio managed to catch a glance at the blank paper on the dark god's desk and find a heart with La Muerte's name written on it various times. The lizard would smile in knowing, and soon it was evident what was going on in his master's mind.

He had fallen in love.

For the first time in his life, he felt love.

Now he'd try to spend as much time with his wife as possible. Even La Muerte had noticed the change in him, he was so different from the god she met almost a year ago. Sure, sometimes he'd still drive her mad, but other than that their relationship was changing for the better. He was very tender and affectionate, though he still kept his distance to some extent, and for some reason this bothered her. Ever since they kissed on that magical night, she wanted to taste him more, he wanted that he taste her more, but everytime she tried, whenever she gave him subtle signs that he could touch her, he'd always retreat and change the topic.

She herself didn't know why she had changed just like that. Months ago she didn't want him to touch her, and now that she did he just wouldn't take the first step. It was as if he was afraid of doing it, which was quite ironical considering how he had been dying to have her during the first days of their marriage… Speaking of which, she recalled there was a certain matter they had not settled yet.

Knocking the doors of her husband's study, La Muerte called out for him through the thick obsidian door. "Xibalba?" She thought she hear him yelp, and heard something going on inside the room, rushing and papers flying and other things, before it went quiet again.

"Come in!"

La Muerte turned the knob of the door and pushed it open to step inside. She found Xibalba on his desk with a nervous expression, doing his best to appear calm. "L-La Muerte? How are you doing?"

"Just coming to say hi." She said, giggling at his expression. "You're cute when you're nervous, by the way."

"I'm not nervous!"

"You're blushing."

"It's…" Xibalba sighed in defeat. "Okay, I am a bit nervous, maybe. You just took me by surprise, that's all. Is there something you need, by the way?"

"Actually, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

"Well… Remember the first time I rode on a horse during my first days here?"

"Don't remind me, I don't know what I was thinking on making you race with so little experience." Xibalba looked away shamefully, picking up his cup of wine.

"Anyway, remember what you said afterwards?"

"Not really."

La Muerte took a deep breath to calm her nerves, preparing herself for his reaction. "You said that we'd save the race for later."

Xibalba nearly spat the wine in his mouth, his wings flaring out in surprise and he nearly fell off his chair. She couldn't be saying what he thought she was saying, right? "You d-don't mean…?"

"Why not? I'm much better than before…"

"Yeah, but… I wouldn't like you to get hurt again."

"I'm not that fragile, you know." La Muerte crossed her arms, frowning lightly. This was harder than she thought, until she got an idea. Grinning seductively, she teleported next to him, and leaned against him, running her fingers down his chin. "Besides… It was your idea to begin with, wasn't it?" she knew she had him when he blushed deeply, trembling and a goofy smile creeping across his face. "And remember the stakes…"

God in heaven, this woman still drove him mad with lust, even though he fought his urges and desires to touch her. He shivered in delight when she ran her hand down his chin, and then down his chest, feeling her warm breath into his ear as she whispered sweet words to him. Not only was she beautiful, she was clever enough to use it to her advantage when she wanted. Out of sudden, he thought it wouldn't do bad to have a little rematch. Besides, they never got to finish it.

After a while, Xibalba regained his composure enough to give his wife a reply. "As you wish, my dear." Soon he was back to normal. "With a few conditions."

"What conditions?"

"One, I get to choose where we race. Two, we go smoothly, no obstacles."

"Are you the same god didn't stop bragging about his horse riding skills?"

"It's not about that. You are getting better at horseback, but you still have no experience in obstacles. The least thing I'd like is that you get a concussion in you head because of my carelessness."

La Muerte was partly moved that he worried about her and decided to comply on that request. She wasn't very excited about obstacles, anyway, and she didn't want to worry him. "By the way, where is it taking place?"

He grinned. "Well, a horse race can only be held at one place…"

Epona's realm was beautiful. The last time she had only seen part of it when they drank tea with her the first time, she never saw the rest of it. Epona gladly agreed to be the hostess of their little race, stating that as the mistress of Steeds it was her duty to oversee these kind of exchanges between gods (on European pantheons, at least). Xibalba asked her to lend them her easiest track, a road that led through the forest, then into an open field, and then back towards the castle.

As they prepared the horses for the race, Xibalba finished tightening the harness of Medianoche's saddle and bridle, before going to help his wife, who was not familiarized with it just yet. "Here, let me help you." He said, tightening the cincha of Blanca's saddle, showing his wife how to do it. "Don't tighten it too much or she may try to loosen it by herself. And believe me, you are not going to like it."

La Muerte giggled. "I guess not."

"Remember our deal, La Muerte. No obstacles and no shortcuts."

"I know, I don't know this realm that much, anyway."

"So, still the same… stakes?"

Again, La Muerte felt some hesitance in his words. "Yes, the same ones."

Medianoche was snorting and stomping his hooves at Blanca with a flirty air to him, and the white mare seemed to be accepting his compliments this time, if horses could blush her cheeks would be red.

"Those two are getting a bit affectionate, you know." Epona giggled at the sight, even watching as the two horses started exchanging neighs and affectionate snorts between each other. "We'll start when you're ready."

After managing to get their horses away from each other, the two gods led them to the finish line by the reins. Epona had marked the starting line, and right then one of the centaurs that served her walked over to the starting line to signal them to part. Both gods mounted on their horses, and the centaur lifted up a colorful banner. La Muerte shivered internally, already thinking on what she would do. She knew Xibalba would probably try to go easy on her, judging by how he had been acting, but she wouldn't let him do it.

Xibalba subtly glanced at his wife, tightly holding the reins and making sure she was properly adjusted in the saddle. Damn it, he hoped nothing would happen to her, even though Epona's realm was relatively safe and there were little creatures that could pose a threat he still didn't want anything to happen to her again.

The centaur stomped both hooves and waved the banner.

The horses were spurred into a gallop, and led into the forest. Epona immediately teleported towards her castle to wait for the winner. Meanwhile, Xibalba and La Muerte galloped through the forest road, and unlike the first time, La Muerte had a gentle yet more confident hand, and led her horse with great ease. However she had noticed that Xibalba made no attempt to outrun her, in fact it seemed he was doing his best to gallop at her pace. Eyup, he was holding back.

At this pace they would end up in a tie.

She'd have to incite him to give it his all.

"What's up, Xibalba?!" she called out for him tauntingly. "Can't you hold on your own against a woman?" If she pressed the right buttons…

"What are you implying?!" Xibalba inquired, he sounded offended.

"You didn't stop bragging about being the best horseman in the pantheon and look at you now!"

"I'm going easy on you, for your information!"

She didn't buy it. "As if! Maybe you're losing your edge after so much time!"

Damn himself and his pride. Taking those words as a challenge, Xibalba responded with a grin of his own. "Fine! You want to see me in action? I'm not having mercy!" With that, he spurred his horse and Medianoche neighed in response, accelerating his pace and soon outrunning her. La Muerte smiled internally with satisfaction, and snapped Blanca's reins to motion her to go faster, but now was careful not to get too close to Xibalba. A few minutes later they emerged from the forest, and into a beautiful wheat field that almost looked like a field of gold. Xibalba looked back at his wife with a grin as he steered Medianoche leftwards, right towards a spot where some quails were resting. The startled birds took flight right in the direction of La Muerte and Blanca, though luckily none flew close enough to frighten Blanca. La Muerte gaped in dismay and surprise, and caught the mischievous glint on Xibalba's eyes as he continued on his way. La Muerte gave him an incredulous stare, before huffing in annoyance as she spurred Blanca and the two galloped after the black rider. Her long hair was flowing with the breeze, refreshing her scalp and giving her a sense of freedom similar to that of the wind itself. Was this how Xibalba when he rode?

Well, if he had tricks up his sleeve, so had she.

As the two entered the forest, La Muerte took a look at her surroundings, trying to find someway to get ahead of her husband, until she recalled that his priority was that she didn't get hurt. An idea popped inside her brain, though she thought of a way that it wouldn't violate Xibalba's conditions on the race. No shortcuts, and no obstacles. Grinning, La Muerte slowed down her horse and trotted out of the road, and waited for a while before calling out. "Blanca, what's wrong?! Calm down!" Blanca soon knew what she was up to, and started to neigh loudly to give their little act a little more credibility.

Xibalba grew alarmed when he heard La Muerte's yells through the forest, Medianoche reacting similarly when he heard Blanca's neighs. The dark god stopped his horse and wheeled him around to glance back at the road he had come, finding his wife missing. Oh, no.

"La Muerte!" Xibalba kicked his horse into a gallop once more and headed into the woods, exactly towards the direction he had heard his wife. "Where are you?!"

No reply other than Blanca's sounds. Medianoche dashed forward towards the direction of the sound, his large and thick hooves pounding against the ground with a great force, until he heard the running of water, and his ears perked up. Xibalba spotted a small creek just a few steps ahead of them, and quickly pulled on the reins, flaring out his wings to brake abruptly before his horse's hooves touched the water, making him rear. Medianoche hated getting wet, he hated it with a passion, and let out neighs of protest as he stepped back from the edge of the creek by his own account.

And on the other side was La Muerte, giggling in amusement. "You're certainly a drama queen when you want to." With those words, she galloped down the river, laughing in delight.

It took both Xibalba and Medianoche a while to process what had just happened. When he realized what she had done, Xibalba smiled in amusement and shook his head. "That woman has more to her than it seems." She had managed to outsmart him, and that was usually a very hard thing to do. If he hurried he still may catch up to her. Once more wheeling his horse around, Xibalba galloped back the way he'd come, towards the road.

Meanwhile, when they were getting closer to Epona's castle, La Muerte slowed Blanca down and hid at the side of the road for Xibalba to pass. Knowing him it wouldn't take him that long, he had a stronger horse with much more stamina, but actually she wanted him to win. She didn't actually know why, she was wasting a perfect chance to visit the Land of the Remembered, and yet at the thought of seeing her father again after what happened between them made her stomach churn and her heartache. She missed her little sister and her subjects, of course, but not her father… She wondered if this was only temporary since she was resented at him, or if realizing he was a real person with defects made her grow distant permanently from him. She still loved him, he was her father above all, after all, but she still needed time.

Her mind drifted back to the other stake of the wager. Why did she want Xibalba to win? If he won she'd have to finally spend a night in the same room, the same bed as him, and he'd probably want to consummate their marriage. That was his objective the first time they did this wager in the first place.

However, things had changed… the both of them had changed their opinions and perspectives on the other, they had seen each other cry, laugh, suffer, grow excited, they had learned of each other's story, what things they had in common and what made them different at the same time. At first she didn't want to touch him, or let her touch him, she despised him for tricking her father into handing over his realm through a wager, the oldest trick in the book, and now she saw him as a friend, she appreciated his suave manner, his chivalry, his tenderness and his friendship, she met a side of him she never thought he'd have. He'd taught her to be herself and not let others' expectations get in the way of who she was.

Xibalba had only wanted her maidenhood and to make her his at first, to brag to others he had gotten her as a wife, but now he genuinely cared for her and treated her as such. He showed her respect and tenderness, she became his first and only friend (other than those who inhabited in his castle with him), she helped his long-inflicted wounds to finally heal. Over the course of the race she had noticed he had been holding back, as if trying to let her win, it was almost as if he was trying not to get the prize he'd have if he were to cross the line first. La Muerte felt as if this dark, arrogant and cruel god she had met had only been an outer shell concealing his true self, a lonely creature who only wanted a friend.

Maybe this is why she wanted to let him win.

Just like she assumed, it wasn't long before she heard hooves pounding against the ground, and soon after Xibalba galloped by, not even noticing La Muerte was hidden behind the trees. La Muerte waited for a few minutes before leading Blanca out of the bushes, back unto the road and gently spurred her back into a canter to go after him.

Xibalba galloped towards the castle, and expected La Muerte to be there already waiting for him with a triumphant smirk, but when he crossed the line (also marked by one of Epona's centaurs) and found he was by himself save for the amused Epona waiting on one side of the road with some of her guards, he glanced back at the way he had just come. He was about to go back and look for his wife when he saw her cantering towards the finish line much farther behind him. That's when the realization hit him, making his heart nearly stop inside his chest.

He had won.

When she crossed the finish line, La Muerte was panting, and tried to look and sound as frustrated as she could. "Rayos…"

"What happened?" Xibalba inquired, dismounting from Medianoche and walking over to help his wife dismount her horse.

"I got a bit lost and it took me a while to find the path again." She lied, hoping he wouldn't suspect anything.

"That's what you get for cheating." Xibalba snickered, brushing a hair away from her face.

"Well, you little lovebirds, how about we go back inside and rest a bit before you go?" Epona almost laughed at how the two were blushing.

"Well, I guess it won't do bad. Blanca and Medianoche need to rest a bit, anyway." La Muerte nodded, but as she went to join Epona Xibalba stayed behind.

"I'll catch up to you in a moment, girls, I need to… catch my breath."

As they headed over towards the castle courtyard, some stable hands leading Medianoche and Blanca away into the stable to give them some water, Xibalba stayed behind in the entrance. As soon as he was certain he was alone, Xibalba sighed in dismay and rubbed his temples. "Maldita sea…"

Ponzoña slithered out of his armor unto his arm and hissed questioningly.

"I know I wanted to win, but that was before…!" Xibalba growled, sighing. "I don't want to hurt her… She's a wonderful woman, I don't want to take her maidenhood from her just like that anymore. I should have never agreed to this to begin with!"

Ponzoña hissed in reply.

"And even if it happens what if she…?!" Xibalba couldn't even finish the sentence; the topic was touchy for him. Heck, he hadn't even thought about it nor the possibility.

He had never liked children, he had always found them annoying, bratty and pestering, he disliked them in his presence, and many pantheons knew it.

He didn't feel ready to be a father, but not because of the reasons some thought. The truth was he was terrified of becoming like his father with his already threadbare patience and bad temper. He wouldn't bear it. He didn't want to give La Muerte such a burden when he wasn't even sure if she felt ready for it either, he hadn't talked about it to her. And yet, he dreamed of the night he'd spend with her, of her aroma, her gentle skin and the taste of her lips, he wanted to express what he felt for her, but he was afraid of planting his seeds unto her.

Cursing under his breath, Xibalba turned Ponzoña into a staff and went inside the castle to meet with Epona and his wife.

Okay, I know this chapter was rather short, but I promise you I'm making it up to you in the next chapter! You're going to love it!