Zipacna was usually prepared for unexpected things, be it a Cursed Beast that snuck into the castle, or a surprising inspecting visit from Quetzalcóatl or Tezcatlipoca. But he was NOT prepared for when Epona teleported into his throne room out of sudden, her eyes bloodshot and a big yell coming out of her. "ZIPACNAAA!"
He jumped from his throne, letting the few papers he has bothering to read fly out as he struggled to keep his balance, before calming down and managing to ask her what was wrong. "W-What is it…?!" on closer inspection, as he approached her to check on her, he noticed there were purplish spots on her neck, and she looked very upset. "Epona…? What…?"
"Zipacna, I'm sorry! I had to tell him! He threatened me…!" Epona was panting heavily, her hair a mess. "He almost killed me…! I had to tell him… And he wants my horses…!" She took her hands to her mouth, sobbing uncontrollably. "I didn't want to… They're in danger, and it's because of me!"
"Wait a minute, what are you talking about?!" Zipacna took her by the shoulders. "Who threatened you?!"
Epona's cries became louder as she brushed her hair away from her neck, revealing the bruises Itzlacol had left on her. "He'll hurt my horses…"
"Who?!"
"I… He said that if I told anyone he would… I'm scared! I'm afraid, Zipacna! And I'm sorry I told him…! I just couldn't…! But they are in danger!" Epona felt torn apart. She wanted to protect Xibalba and La Muerte, but she didn't want her horses to be hurt. She could just weep as she embraced Zipacna tightly. "Z-Zipacna… It was horrible…"
Zipacna didn't push the matter any further for the time being, and simply puller her closer, wrapping his wings around her as he stroked her head. "Shhh… It's okay… It's going to be alright."
It took a while for Epona to speak again, this time revealing the name of her attacker. "I-Itzlacol…"
"I swear, that man is driving me nuts…"
She finally calmed down as she explained what had happened. "I was out with Nezmal when he came from nowhere. He asked me about La Muerte, I didn't want to tell him but he forced me to… I'm sorry… they are in danger because of me." Epona stiffened again, this time releasing herself of Zipacna's grasp as she turned away." I'm so sorry! I just couldn't…! He said that he would harm my horses!"
"It's okay, they mean very much to you. I would have done the same." Zipacna said.
"We need to warn them, Itzlacol surely has something in mind…!"
"How will we warn them without him finding out?"
"A letter, perhaps…? Itzlacol knows about a spell Xibalba cast on his realm… Do you know about anything like that? He said something 'such spell'. What was he talking about?"
"The spell Xibalba used to seal off the Land of the Forgotten was from the Book of Death…" Zipacna's tone was serious.
Epona looked at him with uncertainty, it didn't sound good. "Is it something bad?"
"I don't know the details, but I heard he made a Blood Oath when he ascended to the throne. HE swore not to use any spells from that book, but to guard it with his life. Breaking a Blood Oath is against the Ancient Rules." Zipacna closed his eyes shut. "Lord Tezcatlipoca will punish him, and he is not as understanding as Lord Quetzalcóatl."
"But he had good intentions… H-How will he be punished?"
"I don't know. It varies depending on the fault committed."
"You can send a letter to Xibalba, can't you?"
"I could try. There's an old trick which might work."
Epona sighed in relief. "Thank goodness…" Unknowingly, she had ended up sitting up on Zipacna's throne, much to the latter's surprise. Epona merely rubbed her forehead in dismay. "It's a mess. What are we going to do?"
"For now, we just have to make sure your horses, and my brother and his wife are safe."
"How? Itzlacol has minions everywhere, he could even have minions among my centaurs… He could, he has everywhere…" Epona rubbed her waist in disgust, remembering the way he had touched her. "We don't know what he'll do next… I'm definitely going to get a very long bath when I get home…" she stiffened, clenching his fists in anger. "I swear, if he touches me ever again you won't get to torture him. I'll do it myself! Stupid, airheaded gingerfail! ARGH!"
Epona managed to calm down, resting against the throne. "I was asked once why I have red hair. Do you know what we answer?"
"Curiosity is killing me, dear Epona. What?"
"'Each night we wash it in the blood of our enemies'…" the goddess shrugged. "Not true, but I like freaking people out sometimes. The funny thing is that a few people actually believed it…"
Zipacna chuckled. "Don't tell me."
"Tell you what? You believe me too?" the goddess raised an eyebrow amusingly at him.
"Err…"
"Well? You think I would be able to do that?"
"No! Of course not! But… You do defend those you love…"
"And here I finally thought I had gotten myself a reputation. I think I should make myself some enemies. Sometimes I think I'm too forgiving…"
"No, you're perfect the way you are!" He realized too late he had nearly shouted those words, especially when Epona looked at him with a surprised expression. "I mean… you're sweet, headstrong, untamable…" his cheeks were turning red from the embarrassment, this was the first time he was having so much trouble talking to a girl. Surprisingly, Epona smiled at him.
"Thanks… Well, I'm quite covered in bruises… It's going to take lots of make up to hide them while they disappear." She summoned a mirror to take a look at her bruises, before she caught the sight of something behind her. It was a large seat with red carvings and a menacing look… It took her a few seconds to realize where she had sat down.
Epona quickly stood up and stepped away from the throne, her face red. "Oh my god! I'm sorry!" She glanced at Zipacna, her face red, to which he reacted with a gentle chuckle.
"No, it's okay. You looked like a proper queen on it."
"Well…" the goddess blushed again. "It suits you better. I prefer the saddles… Which reminds me that I should go make sure my horses are safe…"
"I can go with you if you'd like."
"Oh… b-but what if Itzlacol comes here too while you are gone? He's capable of that…"
Zipacna shrugged. "It's the Land of the Cursed, there's not much he can do here. Since it's a realm meant to imprison wicked souls, it's much more strict and harder to access here. No one may come here if I have a word to say about it. Besides, I insist." He stepped closer to Epona to place a hand on her shoulder. "If something happens I can lend you a hand."
"Oh…" Epona smiled. "It's fine, I guess…"
Zipacna returned the smile. "Let's go."
They disappeared in a swirl of black feathers, reappearing moments later in the main entrance, where it would be easier to access the stables. However, as they walked down the stone path, Epona took notice of something unusual, which made her felt a shiver down her spine . "Zipacna, do you hear that?"
Zipacna pricked his ears, but all he could hear was the breeze blowing against the trees and rustling sounds they created as they did so. "…I don't hear anything…"
"Exactly… No neighing of any sort, nothing…!"
Epona rushed towards the stables, followed by Zipacna, fearing the worst. She couldn't believe Itzlacol could have actually… She actually could, but didn't want to imagine it. But as they came to the stables, her worst nightmare seemingly came true at what they found.
Nothing.
The guards were tied up and unconscious, and all the stall doors open and empty, there was not a single horse left. They were all gone. "N-No…"
Zipacna couldn't believe what he was seeing either. "Damn it! I can't believe he actually did it!" We have to go look for them, he couldn't have gotten far!" Before he could say anything else, Epona had rushed over towards the stables that were further in, only to find them empty as well. Her favorite horses had been taken too, especially her.
"N-No…!" Epona fell to her knees, taking her hands to her mouth as she started to sob. "No… This is all my fault!"
"Nonono, we have to think! Where could he have taken them?!" when Epona didn't move from her spot and her sobs turned into actual cries of pure anguish, Zipacna kneeled down and pulled her into an embrace. "There, there, it'll be okay…"
"C-Camaria, N-Nezmal… They're gone…! Even all the f-foals…!"
"Damn it…! We have to think what he could have done, and how!"
Epona just continued to sob, snuggling into Zipacna's embrace, fearing the worst for all her horses. She doubted he could have handled them all by himself, they would have never listened to a stranger, and someone had to help him but who? Could it be… They wouldn't have dared to betray her, would they? Her guards had never given signs of being uncomfortable with her way to handle things, but… could they have been brainwashed? She wanted to think it had been the case, but what if they had taken part in this willingly…? "The centaurs… Nobody could have knocked out the guards like that just like that unless they helped them… "
"Centaurs? Why would they turn against you?" Zipacna pulled back to look at her in confusion.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out, and maybe tonight I will wash my hair in blood."
Zipacna felt a shiver down his spine as she spoke, her voice cold and stern and a dark look in her face. He had never seen her like this, but somehow there was something that attracted him about this side of her. She wasn't a helpless woman, she had a dark side when it came to her horses' wellbeing. Once they were in the throne room, Epona whipped her head at one of her guards, narrowing her eyes dangerously.
"I want all the centaurs here! NOW!"
It had taken a few hours, but the carriage had finally come to a stop.
Xibalba was the first to wake up, though he wished he could have slept a little longer. Managing to sit up a bit, he glanced at his wife, who was still asleep in his embrace, snuggling against the warmth of his wing. His hand was still on top of her abdomen, he had been hoping to feel a kick, or at least the slightest movement, but it seemed like he'd have to wait some more time. Still, he smiled as he gently shook his wife's shoulder to wake her up. "La Muerte, wake up. We're here."
La Muerte stirred awake, groaning a bit in dismay at having been disturbed. "Hmmm… What is it?"
"We have arrived, my love."
"Have we…? I was having a good dream."
"I know, my dear, but we should go and see the villa. I heard it's beautiful."
Soon after, Juarez opened the door of the carriage, helping La Muerte climb down. She had to shield her eyes to protect them from the sunlight, but the fresh breeze blowing against her face gave her a refreshing feeling. Once her vision adjusted, the view of the place made her think she was really in paradise. The sky was a clear blue with fluffy white clouds, and the sun was shining high in the sky. Around them there was a lush, untouched jungle, and a few meters ahead there was a beautiful beach with golden sand. The ocean was so blue it almost blended with the sky.
The villa was beautiful at first sight. It was u-shaped, and the walls were a beautiful ivory color. As Xibalba led her inside, the found it to be even better than they both expected. There was an open-plan kitchen, bar and living room, along with beach chairs outside facing the ocean, along with a small tea table and a pathway surrounded by orchid bushes that led to the beach, a few hundred yards away. There was an expansive pool nestled in what seemed to be lava rock.
"It's not that bad…" Xibalba commented, panting heavily as he helped Juarez carry some of the heavier luggage. Finally he placed it down with a heavy pant. "What did you put in this, my dear? Rocks?"
"At least I didn't put any armor in there." La Muerte countered. "It's a beach, Xibalba. You're supposed to wear clothing for swimming.
"I've never really liked swimming, my dear. Especially after my… recent experiences regarding water."
"It's not that bad."
"My feathers feel all heavy and stiff when they are wet."
"So is my hair, but I still like to wash it."
"Anyway, what do you want to do…?" Xibalba purred into his wife's ear, embracing her with his wings as he stroked her cheek. "We could go take a look at the scenery, or go in a boat ride at sunset… Or we could just stay here and get cozy…"
La Muerte blushed at the word cozy and rubbed her stomach. "We could rest for a while, it was a long trip."
"Good! That way I'll have a bit more time to make a surprise for you…"
"What kind of surprise?"
"You'll see…" Xibalba panicked when suddenly La Muerte lost her footing momentarily. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, really…"
Xibalba picked his wife up and carried her to the main bedroom. Just like she imagined, it was just as beautiful as the rest of the house, there was a large canopy bed with silky curtains, various types of exotic flowers decorating all around and crystal doors leading outside into a beautiful balcony with a tea table and two chairs. As soon as she was gently placed on top of the bed, she relaxed and glanced around. "It's beautiful…"
"I know." Xibalba lay down next to her, glancing at the ceiling. "There were a few occasions when I considered making a sort of retreat here, but I wasn't fond of vacation…"
"I thought you liked travelling."
"I do, but only for business or work purposes…" he glanced at his wife's abdomen, smiling. "However, I think I might make one just for her… I bet she would love it here."
"You think?"
"It's not everyday I get to see two girls on bikini."
"You dork!" La Muerte smacked him playfully, to which the both of them laughed. "Besides, you just said you didn't like water!"
"I can cope with it, don't worry."
Suddenly, La Muerte felt her stomach churn, and before Xibalba could react she had already rushed into the bathroom and closed the door. Xibalba sighed in dismay, hoping that wouldn't happen too often. He wanted her to enjoy every moment they spent here, everything to be just perfect… He searched into the pocked of his cloak and took out a small rectangular box, staring at it in worry. He hoped things would go according to plan if the spirits that oversaw the climate in this place had mercy on him. He barely had time to tuck the box back into his pocket before La Muerte opened the door again, breathing heavily.
"I'm sorry, I just…" she said, still feeling the acidic aftertaste of the vomit.
"Don't worry, my dear, though that means our lunch will have to wait." Xibalba told her. "So how about we relax a bit here, getting cozy…"
La Muerte giggled again at the tone in which he said 'cozy' and lay down next to him. "Wanna talk about something?"
"I don't know. Do you?"
"We could play a game."
"A game?"
"I was thinking twenty questions. You know, to pass the time and get to know each other some more."
"Don't we know each other enough already?" Xibalba chuckled, but still he nodded. "Do you mind if I go first?"
"Go on."
"Well…" He tried to think of something he didn't yet know about her. "Have you ever been to a beach before?"
"When I was a child, a while before Aimé was born. Mamá and Papá took me to one of the beaches in the coast of Mexico, I can't say it's as beautiful as here, but it was beautiful." La Muerte responded before thinking of a question of her own. "How about you? Did you ever go on vacation?"
"I'm afraid not. My father rarely let us out of his sight, and he never thought of taking us somewhere. But mamá sometimes took us to Aztlan to spend the day when father was away. Those were the only times Zipacna and I got to play and relax."
One question for each, now came the second.
"Didn't you ever date someone? I mean, you're such a beautiful woman I can't really believe you didn't have a boyfriend or two…"
La Muerte sighed. "I had many suitors, but never an actual boyfriend. They only wanted me for my body and status, never for myself. Did you ever consider having a actual relationship with all those goddesses you seduced?"
"I'm afraid they weren't my type. At that time I loved my freedom, I didn't want to be tied down by such a petty thing as marriage, kind of like Zipacna. I did keep in touch with a few ladies, but I never had a serious relationship. They would rather go after the handsome knight-angels from Spain." Xibalba muttered the last part bitterly, before regaining his composure. "Okay… When I… you know… Well, did you really consider the idea of doing your life with someone else?"
La Muerte was caught off guard by that question, but nevertheless she answered, sighing. "At that time I hated you, but you were still my husband. Even if I actually considered it, I would have had to wait till our marriage was annulled for some reason to actually go out with someone else." It was her turn. "What would you have done if I had actually agreed to go out with someone else?"
"Well… I guess you mean after I found out about the baby… In that case, I would have waited for the moment to… sort of taking you back."
La Muerte raised an eyebrow. "You mean you would have kidnapped me?"
"Nonono! I mean I would have…" Xibalba blushed and sighed in dismay. "You know I can't bear seeing you with other men…" Much to his surprise, La Muerte giggled.
"I don't understand how come you're always so cute when you're nervous."
"Mamá used to say the same thing when I was a child… My fourth question is this: Who was that friend from childhood you said you had?"
"I never learned his name." La Muerte lay down and looked up at the ceiling in remembrance. "But he was very sweet, even though he was apparently mute. He was the first friend I ever had, but one day he didn't come to our meeting spot. I thought he couldn't go that day, but as time went on he never showed up again, and I thought he had moved away somewhere."
Xibalba placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry…"
"My turn. Didn't you have any friends when you were a child? Any at all?"
It was Xibalba's turn to turn nostalgic. "From our pantheon, no. They were all too afraid of my father to even get close to me, and they thought of me as a freak because of my… peculiar looks… The only exception was one girl, though I'm not sure if she was from our pantheon. To me she was the most beautiful and kind girl I ever met, she didn't care if I was scary or not, she only cared if I was fun or not." His voice grew forlorn. "But my father thought she was 'softening me up', and he forbad me from ever seeing her again. He even cast a spell on me to keep me from leaving…"
"The Land of the Forgotten?"
"The castle, my dear. I was caged like a bird, helpless to do anything because I was too afraid of my father. I would often sit in my window and stare out the window, yearning for the day I would be finally free of him…"
"I'm sorry for that…"
"It's in the past…" The dark god thought for a moment, thinking about the next question thoroughly. "When's your birthday?"
"Of all the things you could have asked you chose one of the most simplest questions?" La Muerte sighed. "November first. When's your birthday, silly?"
It took him a while to reply, but when he spoke he looked amused. "December fifth. Close to Christmas."
"I got the feeling you never celebrated, did you?"
"Guessed it right. Mamá could only tell us about it… Next question: How well along do you and your little sister get?"
"Aimé and I are very close. I had to look after her when mamá died, we trust each other in everything. She helped me get away from the castle despite knowing she would get in trouble if Father found out... How about you and Zipacna?"
"Well, we were very close when we were little, then he left… We didn't see each other until years later… And I guess you know the rest of the story…"
There was something else Xibalba wanted to ask his wife, but he wasn't certain if it would be a good idea. His feathers bristled a bit in discomfort, but finally he managed to gather his courage to speak. "Next question…" He took another moment to think of the right words. "How do you feel about the baby? I mean, I know you love children, but… How do you feel about me being the baby's father? We don't know what things she might have from me, or who she'll resemble more… That's why I'm asking you, you don't mind the little one being… well, mine…?"
La Muerte was speechless at that question. A few seconds later, however, she smiled, placing a hand on her husband's cheek as a comforting gesture. "Xibalba, I don't care who the baby's father is, what matters is that she's a little blessing coming into our lives. The circumstances under which I found weren't the best, but I can't imagine having the baby with someone else..." she accommodated in bed again, shifting. "How about you? How do you feel about me being the baby's mother?"
"Are you kidding me? I could never imagine having a child with any other! You're the kindest, sweetest and most loving woman I have ever known, I think there can't be a better mother than you would be…" his hand went to rest on his wife's abdomen as he smiled. "I'm glad you're the one carrying my baby, mi amor… I promise you I will take good care of the both of you."
"I don't doubt it…"
The two deities shared a tender kiss as Xibalba wrapped his wings around her once again. When they pulled back, Xibalba was blushing deeply, thinking of the next question already. "So… Any ideas for a name?"
