The Land of the Remembered had been silent for hours, and all the crowds were staring in worry at the direction of the castle. Their Queen was about to bring a new life into the world, and they had heard no news from the inside.

Sol was pacing in front of the doors, wincing everytime he heard his wife screaming. He was very worried, it had been thirteen hours ever since the labor started, and still nothing. What if something went wrong…? This was their fifth attempt, Esperanza's previous pregnancies had ended up in miscarriages or stillbirths, he prayed with all his might things would be different this time.

He froze when he heard a baby's cry from behind the door.

He wanted to burst inside and see his wife and child, but they had been locked to keep him from intervening and making his wife nervous. Finally, after a few more minutes, the doors opened and the head midwife walked out, looking out at the King with a smile.

"Felicidades, Majesty. The Queen had a beautiful baby girl."

Sol was finally allowed inside. He found his beloved wife on bed, she looked all worn out, her hair was strewn on bed, but her attention was set on the tiny pink bundle on her arms. Esperanza looked up at her husband with a warm smile, weeping tears of joy.

"Mi Sol… Come and meet your new daughter."

Smiling, Sol walked towards the edge of the bed, taking a look at his little one, his hands behind his back. The baby girl took mostly after her mother, she let out a small gurgle as she suckled on her thumb, snuggling against her mother's chest.

"She's beautiful, just like you." Sol smiled, sitting down at the edge of bed and stroking his wife's cheek. "Our baby girl…"

Esperanza smiled at him and held out the wriggling baby to her husband. "Here."

Sol was very careful when he accepted his daughter from his wife, and froze when she wiggled and let out a few sobs upon realizing she was not with her mama anymore. "Shh, it's okay, my child. I'm your papa." The baby girl seemingly recognized her father's voice and quieted down, much to his relief. Soon she opened her little eyes, and looked up at her father with her mother's sun-colored eyes, and gave him a toothless smile. "My baby girl…"

When the baby wiggled in her father's embrace, he returned her to her mother. Esperanza stroked her daughter's cheek gently, giggling when the little one's fingers closed tightly around her finger. "Our little La Muerte…"

"La Muerte… It fits her…" Sol sighed, stroking his daughter's head.

Little La Muerte gurgled in delight at her new name, and let out a small yawn, falling asleep shortly after as she snuggled into her mother's embrace.

Xibalba had zoomed through the gardens unseen, thankfully, and made it to the stables, where Medianoche and Blanca were affectionately catching up; he was glad that at least his horse's girl was not mad at him. Reluctantly, he grabbed Medianoche's bridle and led him away with some difficulty, since the black stallion didn't want to leave his mare so soon after reuniting, but eventually he led Medianoche away to a spot no one would see them. Then he teleported the both of them back to his castle, just in front of the stables. Medianoche snorted sadly, lowering his ears.

"It's okay, chico." Xibalba sighed, stroking his head comfortingly. "If things go like I think we'll have our girls back soon…" rather, he hoped they did. Juarez rushed from the inside of the stables and grabbed the reins of the horse, looking up at his master.

"So how did it go, My Lord?" he inquired curiously; sometimes he was too curious for his own good.

"Sort of good, I think…" Xibalba replied, sighing as he made his way back inside the castle, his cape flowing behind him with the night breeze. He silently headed over to his room with a heavy heart, recalling how he had seen her cry, her angry and hurt expression when she saw him again, the kiss he had managed to steal from her before leaving her again… He would never forget it, that kiss, so sweet after a month of distance, he had been afraid he'd eventually forget how her lips tasted like, how soft her skin was.

When Xibalba finally crossed the doors into his bedchambers, he didn't bother to undress himself as he went straight to his bed and allowed his body to fall on top of it. Seeing her again was both a happy and sorrowful experience, he was happy to be close to her once more even for a while, but he felt guilty at the way she had cried over him. How could he have been so selfish? Thinking only of himself, not thinking of how she would feel. He regretted what he had done deeply, he wished he could take back all those horrible words. He wanted his La Muerte back, he wanted his first friend, his wife, the mother of his child, back home; he wanted to make up for everything, to make her the happiest of women and raise their child together. He wished his mother was there, she'd know what to do…

The tips of his fingers found their way up to his lips, recalling the kiss. Then he recalled when he touched his unborn child for the first time ever, his paternal instinct awoke that very moment, he couldn't wait to meet his baby, to hold his little son or daughter close in his arms and shower him with affection and love. He had to show La Muerte he cared about both her and the baby, that he had changed…

Speaking of which, he had to start thinking about his upcoming fatherhood. There were still so many things he had to do for the little one's arrival, the nursery, the cradle, toys, clothing for the baby… he wanted to give La Muerte a surprise when she came back (if she did come back, he hoped so with all his might). But he didn't even know the baby's gender, what if he picked the wrong color? He'd have to make changes in the whole castle, close off the dangerous areas and put fencing on all stairs, not to mention there were too many sharp items in here in part because everything was made of obsidian.

There was a knock on his door. "Come in." he said emotionlessly, embracing La Muerte's pillow.

Soon enough, Epona peeked her head in. "So, how did it go?"

"She still loves me…" Xibalba replied, stroking the pillow. "She still loves me, but… She doesn't want me with her anymore…"

"Well, what did you expect after the way you threw her out of your life?"

"That's not helping!" he snapped, glaring back at his friend with hurt. "I know what I did was wrong, okay?! I want to make up for it but La Muerte doesn't believe I've changed!"

"Then show her." Epona said, softly this time, as she made her way to the bed and sat down at the edge. "Women don't like big-mouthed men who only brag and don't do what they preach, they want a man who no matter how many times he screws up, he will always correct it. If you truly love her, show her you are willing to do anything for her to forgive you."

Xibalba glanced back at her in surprise. "How do you know?"

"I am a woman. Believe me, she will forgive you eventually if she loves you as much as you love her."

"… Thanks."

"Anytime, you old goat." Epona giggled when the dark god muttered something under his breath and hid his face into the pillows.

"By the way… I was wondering if you could lend me a hand… with the baby's stuff and all that..."

"Don't you think you should wait till you know the baby's gender?"

"That's what I was thinking also."

"But there are a few things you don't need to know the gender to make."

Interested, Xibalba sat up in bed to look at the goddess curiously. "I'm listening."

La Muerte spent most of the party with her sister and a few other friends, chatting over what they had been doing these months, and politely declined her suitors' ask to dance. Finally, she headed over to her throne to take a breath, subtly placing her hands on her abdomen, stroking her unborn baby. She was still thinking about her encounter with Xibalba, of his words and the kiss he stole from her. She didn't know if she should believe him or not, he could be as well trying to lure her back to hurt her again, but that look in his eyes told her he was being sincere. There were just so much thoughts in her mind! She had unknowingly grabbed the blue rose Xibalba had given her, there was no doubt plucked it from his mother's bushes.

If he was willing to part with something so precious to him for her, then he had to be telling the truth… right?

But then the memories came back to haunt her, recalling his parting words and the mocking look on his face, and she'd become afraid again. Just then, her father approached from the dance floor.

"Is something bothering you, my child?" he inquired gently, holding her hand.

"N-No, Father, I'm okay…" La Muerte lied, though Sol didn't buy it.

"I know you, La Muerte, I can tell there's something in your thoughts." He noticed she was holding the blue rose the count had given her. "I see you liked Count Osvaldo's present."

La Muerte blushed lightly. "I am intrigued. I never thought I'd see a blue rose…"

"He must be very resourceful if he could obtain one."

"I guess."

"He'd seem like a good candidate for your hand in marriage."

She shivered uncomfortably; he had no idea that the Count was Xibalba himself, but maybe it'd be better if he didn't know. "He seems like a better option than Itzlacol."

"Mija, you shouldn't judge him without knowing him first."

"And why are we talking about marriage if I'm still Xibalba's wife? As far as I know he has not signed the papers."

"He will, I will make sure of it. Everyone has a price, even him. We just need to find the right button."

"Father, if you don't mind, I'm having a headache and I'd like to go rest."

"Are you sure, my dear? I can tell Lorena to accompany you back to your room if you'd like."

"No, its okay, Father, I just-"

As La Muerte stood up to head for her room, suddenly her worst fear came true, and her consciousness faded away.

"La Muerte!"

The music stopped and all the guests turned around just in time to see La Muerte fainting and Sol catching her. Alarmed, King Sol took a hand to her forehead and found she had no fever, but why had she fainted then? Aimé's heart skipped a beat when she saw her sister fainting.

"La Muerte, wake up!" Sol tried to shake his daughter awake in vain.

"What happen, your highness?!" Itzlacol was, of course, one of the first to leave his seat and rush towards King Sol. "Is the princess alright?"

"I don't know, she just…!"

Toci instantly knew the signal. "Let's take her to her room so I can check on her."

Aimé immediately went after her father, Itzlacol and Toci as they carried La Muerte up to her room. They would discover everything; they would learn she was with a child, and they would figure what it meant. Toci had La Muerte placed on her bed, and asked the other gods to leave the room so she could check on her. As Sol paced outside, Itzlacol noted Aimé was beyond anxious.

"Princess Aimé, is something bothering you?" he inquired, and his suspicions were confirmed when she jumped.

"Y-Yes, I'm okay, I'm just worried about Muertita…" Unfortunately, Aimé didn't know how to lie, and her father noticed.

"Aimé, do you know something?" he inquired gently, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Por favor, mija, if you know what's going on with your sister please tell me."

"I… She…"

Before Aimé could say anything, Toci walked out of the room with a serious expression. Sol and Itzlacol immediately ran towards her. "Did you find anything?! What's wrong with my daughter?!" the elder god cried out.

"La Muerte is not ill, Sol. She's carrying a baby."

Aimé closed her eyes in resignation. Sol and Itzlacol were shocked; pregnant? La Muerte was pregnant? It was impossible! Unless… No… Sol glanced at Aimé and saw her downtrodden expression. Realization dawned unto him. "You knew about this…?"

Knowing there was no point in hiding it any longer, Aimé nodded. "I did, daddy… I'm sorry…"

"Why didn't you tell me, Aimé?!" there was more hurt than anger in Sol's voice as he approached his daughter and grabbed her shoulders abruptly. "Why didn't you tell me La Muerte was pregnant?!"

"She asked me not to! She wanted to tell you at the right moment!"

"W-Wait, if she's pregnant…" Itzlacol drew his conclusions. "It can only mean one thing, she and Xibalba-"

"No." Sol couldn't believe it. "No, no, no!" he punched the wall, startling both Aimé and Toci. If the marriage had been consummated, a divorce was impossible now. She would be bound to that horrible entity forever. And the worst thing of all was that he had planted his seed on her. He needed to know what had happened. "I can't believe that monster…"

"She should wake up soon, you may talk to her, but do not upset her. She needs all the support she can get right now."

"Aimé, could you accompany Itzlacol and entertain the guests for a while?" Sol asked his younger daughter. "Tell them La Muerte fainted because she had not been eating properly."

"Yes, Father." Aimé nodded, and ran down the hall, followed by Toci and Itzlacol. King Sol sighed and went inside his daughter's room, finding her still on her bed, unconscious. He had failed his daughter. He had failed to protect her, and now she was carrying a child from a cruel god. He was not angry at her, he was angry at himself, if he had forced her out of Xibalba's clutches when he could this wouldn't have happened.

La Muerte started to stir awake, and the first thing she noticed was that she was in her bed, in her room. Realization washed over her, and she froze in horror. What she had feared had happened, she fainted in front of her father, in front of everyone… It could only mean one thing…

"Mija."

She jumped when she heard her father's voice, and found him standing next to her bed with a serious expression. "F-Father…"

"La Muerte, I'm going to ask you something. But I'm asking you, please, be honest with me." He said, staring down at her solemnly. "Toci said you're pregnant. Is it true?"

La Muerte placed her hands on her abdomen, closing her eyes in resignation. "It is. I'm pregnant, Father…"

"is Xibalba the father of the child?"

"He is."

"If this happened, is what I think happened true? Did you give yourself to him? Was that the reason you returned?"

Her eyes were swelling up with tears. "Y-Yes… He made me…." She couldn't finish the sentence.

"That son of a…!" Sol instantly grew angry, pacing around the room, his hands clenched into fists. "I will have him executed!"

"Father, leave it be! What matters is that I left him forever!"

"It doesn't change the fact he dared to defile you!" Sol snapped. "Don't ask me to let this slip, La Muerte, because I can't!" his anger turned into sadness as he sat down on the edge of his daughter's bed. "This is all my fault…! If I had brought you home when I could, he wouldn't have had the chance to strip you of your maidenhood…! The marriage was consummated, you won't be able to get free of him…"

La Muerte hugged her abdomen, as if trying to cover her unborn child from her Father. "Father, I beg of you! Don't make me give up this baby! It's mine! I don't care who his father is, he's my baby!"

"Make you…" Sol glanced at his daughter in surprise and genuine hurt. "La Muerte… Do you really think I'd be that heartless?" he shifted closer to his daughter, holding her hand. "I'd never separate my grandchild from his mother."

All the dread and fear she had been feeling started to disappear when Sol hugged her, stroking her head gently in comfort.

"A baby is not to blame for who engenders him. If you wish to have your child, you have all my support, mija. We shall give the little one all the love he deserves, and we'll teach him values and principles, he won't be like his father. I promise."

"Ay, papá…" La Muerte finally broke down, and she sobbed into her father's chest, returning the embrace tightly. Father and daughter stayed like that for what seemed like hours, La Muerte felt a great weight being lifted of her chest; she was thankful her father understood, that he had accepted her baby even though Xibalba was his father... But she was afraid he'd fulfill his promise and do something to Xibalba. As angry and disappointed as she could be at him, he was still the father of her child.

Speaking of which, she was wondering what he was doing right now.

Emilio never thought he'd ever see his master, Lord Xibalba, the Last of the Ancient Lords of the Underworld, the Black Swordsman, fretting over such a simple thing as a baby. He had spent hours in his library looking for every single book about fatherhood and babies, and spent all night reading. He had to admit, it was quite amusing to see him read, then scribble something down on a scroll, then read again. Xibalba had also written to some fertility goddesses from the European pantheons, a privilege he had for being acquainted with most pantheons from his homeland, and from serving a few of them in the wars.

Xibalba had to say, though, he was a bit frustrated with the replies he got. Most of them told him that fatherhood could not be learned from books, it was learned from experience, but they nevertheless congratulated him on the news. Unfortunately, he was so frantic he forgot to ask them to keep the secret, and within five hours all the European pantheons knew that Xibalba and La Muerte were being blessed with a child.

The next day, they received quite a surprise in the form of baby stuff, much to Xibalba's dismay, they didn't even know the gender of the baby and they were already sending things. Still, he had not the heart to send them back, and decided he'd 'improvise'. He picked the room next to his as a potential nursery, and had the lizards remove all dangerous objects or furniture with sharp corners. They spent all day accommodating the things, but as it turned out, Xibalba was very picky.

"A bit to the left… No, not so much!"

Lorenzo muttered something mentally, as he, Luis and Gael moved the bassinet again, only to be yelled at again. "Don't get it close to the window!"

"Aren't you exaggerating?" Regina sighed. "The baby hasn't even been born yet, and La Muerte is still mad at you."

"I know, I just…" Xibalba sighed, rubbing his temples. "I want it to be perfect for her… For them."

"I'm certain she'll like it." Emilio added, accommodating some stuffed animals and dolls on the couch (with sharpless corners). "She always liked details like this."

"I just hope she will come back… What if she…?"

"Stop being so negative, would you?" Roberto said, groaning. "That's why she left in the first place!"

"Thanks, I feel so much better!" Xibalba rolled his eyes and crossing his arms, but there was still a form of uncertainty in his features.

"That's not the only thing bothering you, is it?" Emilio inquired.

"I don't know what you're talking about…"

Regina crossed her arms. "Xibalba."

Emilio gulped. He did not approve of the way the female lizard sometimes referred to their master informally, just like that, he didn't think it proper. They were still servants, no more, no less, no matter how many times Xibalba told him he didn't have to worry so much about it. He didn't mind being called by his name by them, actually. Xibalba sighed, and lay his back against the wall. "Can I talk to you alone?"

"Thank heaven!" Luis cried out as he, Lorenzo and Gael finally placed the cradle on the ground, panting heavily as they left the room, dragging Regina and a protesting Roberto.

Once they were alone, Emilio looked up to his master. "What is it, My Lord?"

"I want you to be completely honest, Emilio. No sugarcoating even if you think I'll tear you limb to limb." Xibalba said, sighing again.

"As you w-wish, My Lord…"

"Do you think I could be a good father?"

Silence. Emilio just stared up at his master in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"I mean… I'm happy to be having a baby with La Muerte, but… what if I'm not a good father…? I'm still afraid of turning out like Akrinok, I wouldn't… I wouldn't bear to lay a hand on her… on either of them… I love her more than m very own life… if something ever happens to her, I'd die along with her…"

Emilio thought for a moment, before speaking in a serious tone. "My Lord, I've known you ever since you were an infant. I saw you grow from the boy you were to the man you are now, I was there when you lost your mother, then your brother, and finally your father. I saw how you changed through the years, I saw how Akrinok influenced you and turned out into who you are."

"You are not helping…" Xibalba groaned in dismay, he already knew he took much from his father to be reminded of it, for goodness sake!

"But you are not your father." Emilio frowned at his master-a very rare thing-. "You have to understand that, Akrinok might have influenced on your way to be but you are not his clone. You have your own brain and your own will. You are far from being like Akrinok was. You have never laid a finger on a woman, you are only cruel when you need to, but you have never harmed innocents. You are selfless, you were willing to let La Muerte go even though you loved her. You may not be very attractive to some people, but on the inside you are still the sweet boy I saw learn and grow." Finally, he smiled in reassurance. "I think you'd be a wonderful father."

Xibalba was looking down at his head of staff, moved by how he talked about him. He had forgotten for the past decades, but Emilio was always like a father to him. He was so unlike Akrinok. Akrinok was cruel, abusive and never had a care for his feelings. Emilio was considerate, he always looked after him, gave him advice from the heart, never manipulated him for self-benefit. For the first time in a while, Xibalba gave Emilio a warm, thankful smile, like those he used to give him as a child.

"Gracias, Emilio."

Emilio smiled in return. "You're welcome, My Lord."

The dark god glanced around the room, and saw the cradle was still in the wrong place. "I think the crib would do well a bit further to the center of the room."