He walked into the room after hearing a baby cry coming from behind the door. He could not wait to meet his little one after so much time. La Muerte was in bed, smiling down and cuddling at a tiny bundle of blankets she held in her arms, before looking up at him with glossy eyes.
"Balby, there's someone who wants to meet you…"
Xibalba walked closer to bed and sat down at the edge of bed as his beloved wife shifted the blankets to reveal the baby's face. His eyes swelled up with tears of joy as he reached out to caress the little one's cheek, and tiny fingers wrapped around his as the little one gurgled. Smiling, he gently took the little bundle of joy from his wife's embrace, staring down at his child with fatherly pride. He was so happy…
He…
He woke up.
Xibalba reluctantly started to shift awoken from his wonderful dream, and found his baby was but a small pillow, much to his disappointment. He stared at the empty side of the bed sadly, wishing La Muerte were here with him, where he could hold her close, kiss her beautiful face and take care of her. He tried to go back to sleep, but there were just too many things in his head; sighing, he left bed and put on his bathrobe, then walked out of his bedchambers, and down the corridor to the next door, walking into the nursery. He hadn't yet painted the walls, but he had accommodated most of the furniture, placing the rocking chair near the window, the changing table to a side, he hung up a few colorful portraits to decorate, along with some white drawers where all the baby clothing was kept, and the round bassinet cradle was in the middle.
Xibalba walked closer to the cradle to take a look. He chose to use pink decorating for it, in case the little one would be a girl, and thankfully he remembered enough of crafting to make a little gift for his child. A mobile with little animal plushies, a horse, a snake, a hummingbird and a butterfly, all intricately colored with bright colors. He stroked the little horse tenderly, and stared down at the cradle. He could already imagine a little baby girl or boy cuddled on it, sleeping peacefully or reaching out her tiny hands to the tiny plushies above her little head. He couldn't help but smile a bit at the thought.
He wasn't certain of what to do for his date with La Muerte. He was supposed to pick her up in a few more hours, but he didn't know what he'd do. He considered taking her to a restaurant, but Itzlacol had gotten ahead with that idea. A stroll through the beach was another consideration, but he didn't know if she could walk so much in her state. He didn't know why it was so difficult to plan out a date with her now when he had done so with her months ago, maybe it was because of the circumstances. He wanted to show her he had changed, but he was afraid he would mess it up. Unconsciously his hand started fidgeting with La Muerte's wedding band, still hanging around his neck. He remembered their first date, particularly when he took her to the clearing in the Spanish wilderness…
"Europe sure has the most beautiful landscapes."
"And you haven't seen Japan's. Especially in Spring when the cherry blossoms mature and their flowers scatter around with the wind. It's truly beautiful."
Cherry blossoms…
A smile slowly crept on Xibalba's lips as his gears started to turn.
Next morning, La Muerte awoke still holding the blue rose in her hands. Giving it another sniff, she sighed and placed it along the other two blue roses, now three. She couldn't help it, those roses made her feel comforted, it was almost as if a motherly essence radiated off them; she recalled they were Selena's roses, perhaps the knowledge was reason enough. La Muerte felt uncomfortable in the black dress, and stood up from bed, first removing her jewelry and then unzipping the dress off, heading towards her bathroom, where a warm bath was already waiting for her.
Sighing in relief, La Muerte stepped into the bathtub, and proceeded to take a long, warm bath, washing her hair and rubbing her body in relief, especially her abdomen, stroking her baby.
A few minutes later, she left the bathtub and dried herself with a towel. There was a knock on the door, and her ladies-in-waiting entered. La Muerte smiled at them in greeting. "Buenos días, chicas."
The maidens bowed respectfully. "Buenos días, your highness."
As one of the maidens helped La Muerte fix her hair and the other one went to the wardrobe to fetch an appropriate dress for today's date, the one brushing the long dark hairs couldn't help but ask. "And how was your date with Lord Itzlacol yesterday, princess?"
"It was…" La Muerte struggled to find an appropriate word. "…Interesting. He took me to a French restaurant my husband had taken me to before."
"Oh, I guess he didn't like the idea."
"I could tell." La Muerte glanced at the dresses the other servant was taking out of the wardrobe, most of them either red, salmon pink or champagne, but caught a glance of one particular dress. "Wait, Matilda… I will wear that one."
The maid called Matilda held out a long, golden dress with intricate patterns, a dress she reserved for picnics or carriage rides. "This one?"
"Yes."
"But your highness, today you'll be going on a date with Count Osvaldo, shouldn't you wear something more appropriate?"
"Believe me, I don't think he'll take me to a fancy restaurant like Itzlacol." Knowing Xibalba, he'd probably take her somewhere more… original.
Matilda nodded. "As you wish, your highness."
However, as the other lady-in-waiting grabbed a corset from one of the drawers, La Muerte stopped her. "No, no, it won't be necessary."
"But princess, you father insisted you wear it at least for today."
"It could hurt the baby. I'd rather go natural, if father won't mind. I doubt Osvaldo will mind, even."
Nodding, the maid placed the corset back into the drawer, and proceeded to help the goddess get dressed. Soon, La Muerte was dressed up, all ready for the date, her hair tied into a long braid adorned with her two trademark marigolds adorning her head. She picked up her mother's necklace from the boudoir and placed it around her neck once again. A few seconds later, there was another knock in the door.
"Princess, Count Osvaldo is waiting for you."
La Muerte sighed. "Very well, tell him I'll be going down shortly."
The ladies-in-waiting bowed again and left the room, while La Muerte looked down at her abdomen and rubbed her stomach. "Well, bebé, let's go back meet your papi." For some reason, she didn't feel so uncomfortable in referring to Xibalba as her child's father anymore. Well, she better get this over with. La Muerte stood up and made her way towards the door, then out the hallway. It would have been easier if she teleported, but Toci said teleporting while pregnant was not recommended, so she'd have to walk everywhere for the next months. Not that she minded, though.
Once she was down at the throne room, Osvaldo was already waiting for her, coincidentally wearing clothing for an outdoor activity, only in black. Yup, she had guessed right. Again, her father was not present, or maybe he was watching from some hidden point in there to see how things went between the two. Apparently Osvaldo thought similarly, for he didn't give any hints as to his true identity.
"Good morning, your highness." He bowed chivalrously, planting a kiss on the back of her hand in politeness, and then he glanced up at her. "You look beautiful today."
"Gracias." She managed to smile, but it was not forced in any way. It surprised her.
"How are you feeling today? How's your child, if I may know?"
"Oh, the little one's okay…"
Still smiling, Osvaldo gestured towards the gates. "Shall we, milady?"
La Muerte walked down the hall, this time accompanied by the Count, and when they were outside, much to her surprise the carriage was very different from Itzlacol's. It was a landau type of carriage, colored black with a little red but adorned with marigolds and roses, her favorite flowers. It was being pulled by two dapple-gray horses, which looked much happier than yesterday's horses. The coachman waved amicably at her, and she found something familiar about him. La Muerte didn't say anything as Osvaldo helped her into the carriage, and the coachman only needed a small click of his tongue to have the horses advance.
When the carriage was far enough from the castle; La Muerte couldn't help but ask. "Where did you get this carriage and horses?"
"Epona insisted my old carriage was not suitable for such an occasion." Osvaldo sighed. "And she lent me her two draft mares because if I had brought Medianoche it would look too suspicious to certain people."
"Why?"
"Well, since I claimed him as mine he has plenty of my aura unto him, and your dear father is no fool."
"Yeah, but how come you came with him the night of the ball and…?"
"Epona gave me a spell to hide both my aura and Medianoche's, but it only lasts for a certain number of hours. That's why I had to be careful."
"Sure you had."
La Muerte recalled she was angry at him, and shifted away in her seat. "Where are we going?"
"Oh, it's very special place." Osvaldo smiled. "I believe you're going to like it very much."
"Oh, really?" La Muerte looked away, rolling her eyes and trying to sound as indifferent as she could. "How long will it take to get there?"
"A few hours, but it'll be worth it."
Osvaldo tried to get closer to her, but she shifted away and tried to look at the landscape, anywhere but at him. It made him sad. He wished he could pull her closer into a hug, but she would not allow him to, it seemed. Hopefully, what he'd prepared would soften her up a bit.
La Muerte had fallen asleep on the way to their mysterious date, but she soon awoke by a warm breeze of summer. She opened her eyes, and they widened in surprise when she found saw a single mountain in the distance adorned with specks of snow, along with certain trees that she had never seen before. The sky was clear and the climate was sunny with a bit of wind, but all her attention was set on the beautiful, large trees which had pink flowers instead of green leaves, and petals falling and being blown by the breeze.
"You're awake."
La Muerte jumped; she had forgotten she was accompanied. "W-Where are we…?"
Osvaldo smiled. "Remember when I once said you should see the sakura trees in bloom?"
She couldn't believe it. He had brought her all the way to Japan? Eventually, the carriage came to a stop just in front of a entrance to a small path leading somewhere. La Muerte was too amazed by the scenery to notice Osvaldo stepping out of the carriage on the side of the path. It wasn't until she heard a cough that she finally turned to him, and saw he was holding out his hand for her to take. "Careful with the step."
She frowned. "Thanks, I can climb out by myself." She said curtly, stepping off the carriage by herself with a bit of difficulty. "I'm pregnant, not crippled."
Osvaldo rolled his eyes, but chose not to say anything as he turned to the coachman. "Juarez, you may come after us in a few hours."
Juarez?! La Muerte quickly turned to the coachman; that could not be Juarez, could it? Why did he look like a human?
"Sure, My Lord." The coachman's voice confirmed her suspicion. "I'll try not to get eaten by an Oni on the way." Juarez then drove the carriage away down the path.
"That as Juarez?" La Muerte couldn't help but ask.
"Camouflaging spell. It's temporary, but I can tell he doesn't like it very much." Osvaldo sighed. "Anyway, shall we go?" he smiled lightly and held out his hand.
"Let's just get this over with." La Muerte muttered, walking down the path without even bothering to look at him.
"Alright…" Osvaldo felt a little hurt by the barrier se had put around her. But nevertheless he walked after her to catch up with his wife. "This way."
"Where are you taking me, by the way?"
"If I told you it would spoil the surprise, my dear. You'll see, just a little farther."
La Muerte frowned. "This better not be one of your nasty surprises."
"Actually, I think you'll like this one."
"As if."
Finally Osvaldo came to a stop. "Well, here we are… almost."
La Muerte couldn't contain another gasp at the beautiful scenery before her eyes. They were upon a great lake of crystalline waters, all surrounded by a forest of cherry blossoms whose petals scattered with the wind or fell into the purified waters. There was as an island in the middle of the lake, also with a cherry tree, only much larger than the rest, and whose petals blew on the breeze and fell on the lake's water. La Muerte was amazed, but she tried not to show it. "Wow, a lake, how intriguing." She said, trying to sound as unexcited as she could. "What, we're going to fish?"
"Not exactly." Osvaldo pointed to the island. "That is out destination."
"That… island? How are we going to get there? I don't see any boat around here…"
"We don't need one." Osvaldo bent down and picked a small round stone, then threw it into the water, causing large ripples.
"What are you doing?"
"Shhh…." He shushed her. "You'll see."
La Muerte rolled her eyes, until she saw two shades moving from under the water. She jumped when out of sudden two heads emerged from beneath the lake's surface; they looked like turtles with bird beaks and a small hole filled with water on top of her heads surrounded by green hair, which reminded her of a monk's head. She immediately recognized these creatures.
"You attracted Kappas!" she tried to step back, but Osvaldo held her in place.
"Yeah, and they will be our way of transportation to the island."
She relaxed a bit. "Them? How are they going to help us cross?"
"They swim and we stay on top of them."
"W-What?!"
Much to her fright, Osvaldo stepped on top of one of the Kappa's shell, and held out a hand to help her. "Easy breezy, come on. I won't let you fall."
Reluctantly, she took his hand and stepped unto the other Kappa's shell, stiffening when the two yokai started to move, swimming forward towards the island at a slow pace and as close as possible to each other. La Muerte couldn't help but hold unto Osvaldo, afraid of falling into the water, though the feeling of the water rushing at her feet was quite pleasant and she might even say refreshing. Finally, the Kappas stopped at the shore of the small island, and she was the first to step off the yokai, Osvaldo following soon after. The Kappas were looking up at Osvaldo expectantly, as if waiting for something.
"Kappas supposedly drown people, I never thought they were benevolent." La Muerte commented, staring nervously at the Kappas. Why were they still there?
"Usually they aren't… If you don't reward them, that is."
"Reward?"
Osvaldo took his hand into his pockets and took out something. About five cucumbers; almost immediately the Kappas' eyes lit up, and caught the cucumbers as Osvaldo threw the vegetables to them, before disappearing into the depths of the lake once again.
"Cucumbers?"
"Everyone has their weakness." Osvaldo chuckled. "I love desserts, they love cucumbers. It's a kind of custom around here, people throw cucumbers in Kappa-infested rivers to appease them so they can bath without worrying about being eaten."
La Muerte decided to change the subject. "So, what now?"
Osvaldo smiled as he took her hand and led her towards the tree. "This."
There was a blanket beneath the tree, with a basket, flowers and a few candles around. La Muerte couldn't contain a gasp of wonder. Damn it. "It's… pretty."
"I figured you'd like it. This is the time of the year when the cherry trees are in blossom."
She was glancing at the falling petals. "I can see that…"
"I found this small island on my first trip to japan." Osvaldo's form shifted and he changed back into Xibalba, stretching out his wings in relief. "Much better! I was starting to get cramps."
La Muerte rubbed her forearms uncomfortably when she recalled who she was with. "Really? You found this place?" she looked away to try and avoid seeing him.
Xibalba couldn't' help but smile in remembrance. "Sort of. Though the Kappas weren't so friendly back then, Lord Izanagi had to save my butt."
She took a tentative step away. "They tried to drown you?"
"Rather, they only warned me to stay away from their cucumbers. I tell you, they are obsessed with those vegetables." He took La Muerte's hand and led her towards the picnic, helping her sit down before sitting down himself, and he started to look into the basket. "You must be hungry from coming all the way here." He took out fishes such as empanadas, tacos, a bit of pico de gallo, among cheese varieties from Europe, as well as a few slices of various desserts. Her mouth was watering at the sight.
"I thought you didn't like Mexican food." She commented upon noticing the type of dishes.
"I never said I didn't like it, only that I like other types better than Mexican ones."
"If you say so…" a glance at the empanadas was enough to awaken her appetite, and apparently her baby's as well. "Are those empanadas?" What a silly question, of course they were.
"Made by Regina herself… most of them, at least."
"Which are Regina's?"
"I can't really tell them apart…" Xibalba chuckled in embarrassment. "I kind of helped her as well."
La Muerte glanced at the dark god amusingly. "Since when do you cook?"
"Since forever, actually, but only when I'm in the mood and have a good reason to."
"A good reason?"
"Believe me or not, there are certain holidays when I want to give my servants some attention as well and I make dinner. Just to show my gratitude."
"Curious." She didn't know if she should believe him or not. "I never saw you cooking."
"I never did while you were in my castle, you deserved better cooked meals than mine."
She decided to tease him about it a bit. "So I guess I'll have to worry about food poisoning."
Like she expected, Xibalba panicked. "No, no!" he hastily took an empanada and gave it a bite, nearly burning off his tongue, but nevertheless he swallowed it. The cheese and chorizo made a good combination, so he managed to ignore the sensation of burning in his throat. "See?" he managed to say before coughing a bit. "I wouldn't put poison unto food, much less your food. You're too precious for me…"
La Muerte winced a bit when out of sudden her back started to ache. Another symptom of the pregnancy, but unfortunately Xibalba noticed. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine…" La Muerte lied, but she shifted her shoulders painfully in an attempt to ease it a bit.
"A good massage would help, if you would allow me-"
"I'm okay!" but she had to bite down a cry of pain at another painful cramp in her spine.
"No, you're not." Almost immediately he shifted over to her side and rubbed his wife's shoulder blades with his thumbs carefully, pressing into the knots.
"Don't-!"
La Muerte relaxed when slowly the pain disappeared and gave in to pleasure, the knots disappearing, and her back relaxing. Surprisingly, her temper also relaxed when she felt Xibalba's hands rubbing her back tenderly, easing the tension in her muscles. She felt him moving her braid out of the way so he could get a better look at where he was massaging her.
"See?" he whispered gently. "Would you prefer to stay with a sore back?"
"What are you…?" she stiffened when he started rubbing her knots again.
"I'm just trying to help you. Remember how you used to massage my back when I had one of my… crisis?"
"I do…"
"I'm just returning the favor, I guess…" He wasn't at all… he wished he had removed his gloves so he could better feel her soft skin, remembering how he had stroked her cheeks and caressed her curves that night… "Feel better?"
"Sort of… thanks." She shivered when she felt one last gentle, tender stroke on her back. As he went back to his place, La Muerte started to eat the empanadas in a rather hasty manner, as well as a few slices of cheese and a bit of cheesecake, attempting to ignore her companion as much as she could. Xibalba stared at her in surprise; he had never seen her eat in such an… unladylike manner, but he had to say he didn't care about it. He subtly set his eyes on her abdomen, wondering if the little one was behind its mama eating so much.
"Say, did you start to have any cravings yet?"
La Muerte swallowed before replying. "Sort of."
"Can I ask what m-your baby craves for?" he felt saddened that he couldn't refer to the baby-their baby- as his, at least not yet.
"Sweet things right now."
Xibalba chuckled as he watched La Muerte practically devour the slices of cheesecake she served herself. "I guess he or she will have a sweet tooth."
"I hope not."
"Why not? I mean… Life is supposed to be sweet, and if it isn't we should make it sweet ourselves in different ways."
La Muerte growled. "You talk much about sweetness when you've always been bitter about life in general."
"Always?" he smiled and looked at her with all the kindness and sweetness in the world. "My life was bitter… now not so much. A few years ago I never even imagined I would be sitting here, under this tree, at this picnic, with you and… your baby." As he spoke, his tone grew forlorn, and he looked down sadly. If only he hadn't driven her away, the circumstances would be so different…
"Me either…" La Muerte temporally set her cake aside and looked away awkwardly.
"… La Muerte?"
"What?"
"I have something for you."
"For me?"
Xibalba searched into the basket once again, but this time instead of food he took out a small black book tied with a black ribbon, accompanied by a blue rose. It looked like it only had a few pages. "For the both of you."
"What is it?" when he held it out for her, she took the book and stared at it for a while. "What's this?"
Xibalba nodded at it, motioning her to take a look inside. Her curiosity betrayed her as she untied the ribbon and placed the rose aside, opening the small book. There was a title written in the first page.
The Raven and the Dove
Curious, La Muerte flipped to the next page and found a surprisingly well-made drawing of a dark crow and a pure white dove, each perched on a withered branch on a different tree. There was something written just in the full moon.
Little did the Raven know
Just how far he'll have to go.
Little knew the pure, white dove
What it means to be in love
Again she skipped to the next page, and this time the raven and the dove were on a worn down nest made of sticks and a bit of tar, and they seemed to be quarreling.
Or to whom they'll have to give.
Or with whom they'll have to live.
In the next page, the raven lay alone and sad on his nest, while the dove was on a different nest, much more colorful and pretty than the other. She too seemed to be weeping.
How much they'll have to try
Or how much they'll have to cry
The next page was surprisingly not as sad. The raven and the dove were both on the same perch, staring at each other lovingly with the full moon just behind them.
Only if the raven sees
And only if the dove gives.
The last page made her heart skip a beat. Both the raven and the dove were on a nest, apparently a mixture of the previous two, cuddling against each other while staring down lovingly at a tiny white egg with little black spots.
Only then their love could be
When from two, they become three.
She was…. Speechless. He had written this and drawn those pictures? What moved her was not only the fact that he had done it himself, but what he expressed in it. It was their story, the story of their… love. It took her a great effort not to shed tears of endearment at this beautiful piece of poetry. "X-Xibalba…. T-This is…"
He leaned in closer lightly. "Yes?"
La Muerte didn't want to say it; it would give him a clue that the walls she had put around her heard was starting to crumble. "It's…"
He got even closer. "Hmm?"
"It's pretty, who wrote it?"
Xibalba was broken out of his daze when she made that question. He was hurt; she didn't think he had done it himself? Or she was just trying to change the topic because it had the effect he hoped it would have on her? He hoped it was the latter. "My… self." He couldn't help but blush.
"You?" La Muerte glanced at him incredulously.
"Yes."
"Since when were you the artistic type?"
"Since… Since…." He was reluctant to admit it.
"Since when?"
"Since I read Romeo and Juliet. Let's say that… inspired me."
La Muerte couldn't believe it. "You read it? I thought you didn't like romance novels. In fact, you made it very clear that time."
"I didn't know how much love I actually showed you…" he stared at her slightly-swollen abdomen tenderly, but she shifted away from him. "Please, don't…" he reached out to touch her, only to retreat his hand when she stiffened. "I would never hurt you…"
"You already did." La Muerte retorted curtly, looking away as the tears gathered in her eyes upon remembering that day again. She couldn't forget it no matter how many times he said he was sorry and that he had lied to her. "Not with your hand, but with your words, and those kinds of wound don't heal just like that like physical ones. You of all people should know it."
Another stab at his heart. Yes, of course he knew what it felt like, he had that feeling all his life. All the pain, the sadness and bitterness that gripped at one's heart and made them shut everyone out and away, trying to protect themselves from any further damage. He should have known better than to inflict that very thing he had suffered on the woman he loved.
"Yes, I know that…" he whispered, still staring at his wife's abdomen, smiling lightly. "But…" he couldn't help it any longer as the tears stared trickling down his cheeks. But he did not bother to try to hide them anymore as he looked down in regret. La Muerte caught a glance of him, and her heart tugged. She tried to ignore the feeling, but she couldn't.
"Is there any way that you could listen to me… as you used to?" Xibalba recalled those evenings, those nights, those mornings where they would chat about simple things, sharing some desserts or snacks together, laughing, He remembered all those times she had tried to help him, some rebuffed due to his stupid pride, but others when he could finally let out all his sorrow and pain after centuries of bottling them up, her arms always open and that beautiful, compassionate smile on her face… he missed it.
"If you say you've changed, then show it."
He lifted his teary gaze up to her, surprised. Had she…? He noticed she was no longer looking away from him, she was glancing at him with a serious expression, but he caught a glint of that beautiful compassion she had always shown. She was offering him another chance? He'd take it.
"I will, I'm willing to do whatever it takes so that you would led me be part of my child's life… and one day, perhaps… Well, you know… you could give me another chance at love. I don't care what I'll have to do, just let me be there for him or her…"
Again, La Muerte's heart tugged in deep compassion. The wall was now crumbling slowly as she shifted a bit closer to him and looked down at her abdomen. He looked so eager and hopeful about their baby… "I think felt a kick." She blurted out of sudden, placing her hands on her belly.
Xibalba stared at her abdomen, but he looked doubtful. "Isn't it too soon?" But deep down he was hoping it was the game he thought she was playing.
"Maybe, but I think the baby moved a bit…"
"Maybe…"
La Muerte saw his hand, apparently unconsciously reaching out for a golden ring hanging on a thin silver chain around his neck, she almost immediately recognized it as he started to fidget with it. "Is that…?" she thought he had probably disposed of it, and judging by the embarrassed expression that followed soon after, she guessed right when she thought he didn't notice what he was doing.
"Y-Yes…" he stuttered, blushing as he lowered his hand.
"You kept it? I figured you'd throw it away…"
"No… I couldn't even if I wanted to…" He wasn't certain if it was the right thing at the moment, but he unclasped the chain from around his neck and grabbed the wedding band, reaching out for La Muerte's hand and placing it back on her palm. La Muerte stared at it for a while, but then caught a glance of Xibalba taking off his right glove, exposing his hand, and she wasn't really surprised when she found a gold band still on his finger; there was a moment of awkward silence with only the blowing of the wind, until Xibalba lifted his gaze to her.
"Say, La Muerte… why did you cover me up in front of Sol?" he was staring lovingly at her.
"I don't know…" La Muerte said, closing her hand on the wedding band and retreating her arm. "I just don't want to tell my child it's father was killed by its grandfather."
"You could have let him catch me."
"I could have… Maybe I should have, but… I don't want you dead. It's not in my nature to wish bad things on someone, no matter how wicked he is."
Xibalba stared at her amusingly. "Very funny." He took a look at their surroundings, and noticed it was getting dark. "It's getting late." Time flew by when you were immersed in a conversation.
"Are there any other Japanese monsters that like to prey on the dark? I mean, Kappas are one thing, but…"
"Nop. They aren't the only ones, that's why we should go."
They put the rest of the food back into the basket, along with the folded up blanket, and La Muerte had the feeling they would not have the Kappa's help to get back to mainland this time. Xibalba glanced at her. "La Muerte, may I…? I mean…."
She knew what he wanted to say. "It's okay."
Xibalba handed her over the basket to hold, and carefully picked her up bridal style. Then he flapped his wings and took off, flying away from the small island and towards the main path they had arrived to. Juarez was already there, waiting for them and apparently dozing off. As he landed just next to the carriage, Xibalba carefully placed his wife back down and changed back into Osvaldo. Again, he helped her up into the carriage, then climbed up to sit next to her, and Juarez made the carriage advance. La Muerte decided to try and strike up a conversation with the lizard.
"Hey, Juarez, what did you do while we were here?" she inquired.
"Believe me, milady, you don't want to know." Juarez muttered under his breath. "Damn spider…"
Xibalba chuckled. "What have I told you about talking with suspiciously pretty ladies on the road in Japan?" At least it hadn't been an Oni.
La Muerte failed to contain a giggle. How she had missed these two.
The poetry was written by a dear friend of mine, Neagoieolivia, she made me the favor to write it.
