Chapter Text
Things were calmer for about two weeks after that. Seth kept his distance from Horus, though they were cordial with each other when they crossed paths. Seth made his own food and adjusted again to being self-sufficient. The air spirits were always there, ready to take his orders just as easily as they took Horus’. He slowly grew less weirded out when he went wandering only to return to a freshly made bed and a shining bathroom.
Sometimes Seth lounged in the pool for the relaxation of being transformed. Sometimes he just spent the day sleeping. While wandering the house, he found a large library that was clearly magicked to look smaller from the outside, and he began spending his days in there, reading different books. Osiris had brought him a few over the years, but never enough. He'd missed it.
He also found a practice yard, and, with Horus’ encouragement, used some of the practice swords on the dummies.
“Mother insisted I have the best training,” Horus said, when Seth asked about it. “If I wanted to join the military one day, or just protect myself in a fight, given I don’t have any magic to speak of…”
“You don’t have magic?” Seth asked, lowering the khopesh he’d been considering for another round of drills. It was nearly afternoon, and he’d barely worked up a sweat. He wore a t-shirt and light pants that allowed him freedom of movement.
Horus still walked around in an open shirt and simple shorts, seemingly completely unaware of how it emphasized his musculature, particularly his strong legs and ass. Seth decided to ignore it as much as possible, which wasn’t much, all told.
“I don’t,” Horus said with a sad smile. “Mother thinks it might come to me with the coming of age ceremony… but I don’t know.” He gestured around. “It’s one reason the air spirits are here and this place is so isolated. For aid and protection. They bring me all the supplies I need. I can’t do it with magic, and hunting is dangerous.”
“So you’re trapped here, too?” Seth asked, surprised. No wonder he’d never left…
“Not quite. I can always leave if I want. But it’s safe here, particularly during Mother’s assault on Osiris’ palace.”
Seth nodded. “Have you heard anything? About the attack?” He assumed that with Osiris dead, Isis would be successful. But he was worried she would come to collect her son, particularly if she heard Seth was here…
Horus nodded. “It’s why I came to find you, actually. Mother sent word she’s successfully taken the palace. They’ve dealt with the last holdouts of Osiris’ forces. They’re still in the middle of doing safety sweeps and setting things up for the new administration, but once she’s got that handled, she wants to set up my coming of age ceremony as part of the opening festivities of her reign.”
“That’s… A lot.”
Horus shrugged. “She wants me firmly placed as her heir.”
“So she’s taking the decision from you.”
“She’s letting me know that the clock is ticking,” Horus said with a slightly grim expression. “I need to decide, and soon. If I decide to not stay, she’ll respect that.”
“She’ll replace you?”
Horus nodded. “If need be. But I’ll still be her son.”
“Ah.”
Horus studied Seth for a moment before saying, “They found Osiris’ corpse.”
Seth pursed his lips.
“She could tell he took poison. But that’s all.”
“Yes,” Seth said. “He did.”
“…Did you give it to him?”
Seth snorted.
“You said you killed him.”
Seth sighed. “In a way I did.”
“What do you mean?”
“He took it himself. Voluntarily.”
“Why?”
Seth grimaced. “I pretended to be dead. He wanted to be with me. So he killed himself to follow after me.”
Horus simply stared at him. “What?”
Seth laughed. “He’d talked about it before, you know. Binding our souls in death somehow. I knew he couldn’t do it, but he’d try.” Seth shrugged. “Whatever it was would require me to die first, at best. So I didn’t.” Seth grinned. “But he took the bait anyway.”
“…That’s impressive.”
Seth shrugged. “I didn’t do it alone. Sekhmet helped. She knew how obsessive he was. Because she just… knows most everything, apparently.”
Horus’ expression grew thoughtful. “Mother always said Osiris left Sekhmet alone because she knew too much for him to pin down. She was always one step ahead of him. And he was lucky she didn’t care to rule.” Horus shook his head. “I guess he pushed too far.”
Seth looked to the big window on one side of the room, gazing out at the calm waters beyond, as if he could see Sekhmet there. She hadn’t contacted him even once, and he had no way to reach out to her, as usual. It was frustrating. “I’m still not sure why she helped me. We used to be allies after a fashion, but… It’s just strange. It’s not like I can offer her anything.”
“Perhaps she disliked the way Osiris was causing the kingdom to stagnate. Many disagreed with his isolationist policies, and his focus on indulgences.”
“Hmm… it’ll be interesting to see if Isis partakes in indulgences, I guess.”
“You think Mother will fall to the same ends?”
“I think the throne messes with your priorities,” Seth said. “It’s a lot of power for one person to have.”
Horus nodded. “Yes, that’s true…”
Seth set the khopesh aside and said, “What are you best skilled at, then? We could spar.”
“What?”
Seth grinned. “You have to be the best, right? I was a general for years before I was taken prisoner by Osiris. Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two. Or you’ll teach me something new.”
Horus smiled. “Okay. That sounds good. But I’m best at hand-to-hand. Though I always appreciate more practice there.”
Seth stretched a bit as he walked over to a practice mat. “All right. Let’s go!”
What followed was an oddly enjoyable session of practice. Fighting out of the water was different than in it, but Seth had learned how to do both. Horus was larger and more muscular than him, but that had always been the weakness of Seth’s enemies: they saw his slightly smaller size and figured he was a pushover. But bulk often got in your way, and it was proven as Seth moved around Horus’ hits and knocked him down over and over. He picked the younger man up and explained what he did wrong, each time. Horus would nod, and attempt to correct. And he was a good student.
But in the end, Horus ended up on his back on the floor, with Seth’s left calf over his throat.
Seth grinned. “Give up?”
Horus scoffed. “Yes.” His eyes were bright and he was breathing quickly. There was sweat on his skin that made it glisten. Seth remembered what the feel of Horus' skin in his hands felt like, how hard his muscles were. The strength there. It called to something in him. Something Seth didn't want to think about.
Seth snorted and sat back on the ground. He was breathing quickly, and realized they’d been at it for a while. He was sweating, too.
“You’re amazing,” Horus said as he sat up with a grin. “I’d love to see you underwater, too!”
Seth smiled. “Maybe someday.”
Horus nodded and stood up. He offered a hand to Seth. “Want to get something to eat?” I’m starving.”
Seth stared at the offered hand, then took it. Horus pulled him up, and they were standing close together. For a moment, it was like the world went quiet.
Horus stared down at him in surprise. His right hand drifted forward slightly, nearly touching Seth's left. But he pulled it back.
Seth felt too aware of Horus, of himself. Of heated thoughts and things getting out of hand. Of how they could easily pull each other close and lose themselves that way. When he'd been in the military, it had been relatively common for people to work out their feelings that way, and Seth wasn't above it, though such occasions were rarer as he went up the ranks. Now he knew that if he wanted...
Osiris felt so distant in that moment, but right there, too. A part of Seth was afraid, and another part just wanted someone to cling to. Someone who wasn't Osiris or a nightmare, or his own anxious thoughts.
Seth's cheeks warmed and he looked away. “Yeah, let’s get something to eat.”
“Have you thought about what you’ll do?” Horus asked over dinner that night. They had moved to the dining room Horus recommended, and Seth had accepted the offer to dine together after the nice practice session earlier. It was a large, pretty room, with lightly scented flowers and a large window overlooking the water, as many rooms in the house did. The sky was clear and the moon was high and bright. The room lights were gentle, and the place had a sense of ease to it. Dinner had been good, too.
Seth was relaxing in a comfortable chair with a fruity non-alcoholic drink of some kind that the air spirits had introduced him to. Seth was giving out more trust, slowly. He still made his own meals, but he was willing to try things.
Horus had a cup of hot chocolate, and was warming his hands on it. “I mean you can stay here, of course, you’re more than welcome, and I enjoy your company. But my mother will want answers from me, and if I decide to join her court, I’m not sure this place will be available for you to use…”
Seth winced and said, “I know.”
Horus set his cup on the table. “I have connections with humans, of course, but I don’t get the impression you want to live on land.”
“I don’t,” Seth replied. “And I was going to follow up some connections of my own. But thank you.”
Horus nodded. “I could always speak to Mother on your behalf. You’re no ally to Osiris. I’m sure she wouldn’t see the harm in leaving you alone. She might even be interested in recruiting you. If you were interested, of course.”
Seth considered his glass. “I have thought about it. I’m just not sure. I encountered some of her soldiers during my escape and it didn’t go well.”
“What happened?”
“They shot me with arrows.”
Horus’ eyes widened. “That’s how you were injured when you got here?”
Seth blinked. “Yes…?” He’d almost forgotten about it, honestly. He’d been so overwhelmed by everything he hadn’t even thought much about it.
“I saw the wounds on your back when Sekhmet left you on the shore on your stomach. But since I don’t have healing magic, I put you in the pool and went to fetch a first aid kit. But when I returned, you were already healed.”
“…I do heal quickly. The injuries were minor.” Though usually it took longer than that. Perhaps the injuries were smaller than he thought?
“If you can remember who the soldiers were, I can report that to Mother as well. If they were acting out of line, they can be disciplined.”
“If they were acting out of line,” Seth emphasized. “If. It’s possible they weren’t. That they were under Isis’ orders to capture or kill me.”
Horus grimaced and nodded. “It’s why I think I should contact Mother. I don’t think she’d show up on my doorstep with an army if she learned you were here. But it’s something we won’t know about until we try it.”
Seth sighed. “She doesn’t know where I am right now. I could get away… find somewhere else to go.”
“She’ll scry for you soon if she hasn’t already. Can you evade that?”
Seth grimaced. Isis was the most powerful sea witch anyone knew. If anyone could find him… He was probably just lucky she was busy setting up a new government. It gave him time, but not much. He’d been using some of it to look for ways to destroy adamant, because the collar was still sitting in his room. But he’d only found mentions of, “Use magic to do it.” And with Horus apparently magicless, Seth was out of luck, given his own magic, even at full strength, didn’t go that way.
Horus bowed his head. “I know this is hard. But reaching out first could be a good idea. If nothing else, it’ll give you a head start.” He raised his head to meet Seth’s gaze. “And I swear, you are under my protection while you are under this roof. If she wants to harm you, she, or anyone under her orders, will have to go through me first.”
Seth blinked. “You’d… go against your mother for me?”
“You’re my guest. And Sekhmet trusted me with your care.” Horus smiled. “Plus, I like you.”
Seth snorted.
“You’re distant at times, but that’s hardly surprising given where you came from, and that you barely know me. But you’re interesting and insightful, and I’d like to spar with you again, if you can, to learn more from you. You’re probably the person I’ve known longest among the merfolk. And that means a great deal.”
“It’s hardly a flattering view of our people.” He was a soldier, not an ambassador or artist or philosopher or something. He knew how to disable and kill. How to evade detection. He could manage groups of people and logistics. He was popular with his soldiers – back when he’d had them – but there was still a distance there. What few friends he made over the years he hadn’t spoken to during his imprisonment. And only Sekhmet seemed to reach out to him. Perhaps others had tried, but he’d never learned of it, nor seen any of them at court during his visits there at Osiris’ side. A part of him knew it would be suicide for anyone to try – Sekhmet clearly didn’t care, or believed in their success – but another, unkinder part, felt they’d written him off. And it made him more cynical in turn. He was polite to Horus, and even attempted friendliness, but the spar earlier had been the closest they’d been since the time in the pool, and Seth had been insistent on keeping that barrier between them.
In short, knowing Seth, with all his baggage, was hardly a great experience of what merfolk could be like. There were wiser, kind people out there, than him.
Horus smiled. “I wouldn’t say that.”
Seth snorted before he met Horus’ gaze and felt there was something else in them that made Seth’s cheeks heat.
He had to stomp that down before it got worse.
“You know Osiris wanted me for my body, as well,” Seth said, which made Horus’s eyes widen. “If that’s the only reason you’re protecting me, you’ll not be getting payment in kind.” Seth would kill him if it came to it. Seth found he didn’t particularly want to, but if he had to…
Horus winced. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” He held up a hand. “Yes, to be honest, I do find you physically attractive. And I have to admit I’ve thought about that day in the pool for a time… But that’s not why I enjoy your company. It’s not the sole reason, anyway, or the main one. I don’t expect you to pay me back at all, and certainly not in that way. You are a guest here. One I’m honored to aid.”
“…Good.”
“You don’t believe me.”
Seth sighed. “Horus, whether or not Osiris is your father… He kept be as his bed slave for 40 years. You know that. What do you expect?”
Horus bowed his head. “I know that. And I don’t… expect anything.”
Seth nodded.
“I just… remember that moment in the pool. Where our tails touched.”
Seth’s cheeks warmed.
“I’ve never felt anything like that. It was… electric, almost.”
Seth could lie. He could wave it off. But it felt cruel to someone who had offered him so much for nothing in return. So Seth sighed and said, “It sometimes happens when merfolk… when we touch like that. It can mean something… sometimes. But it could also mean nothing. It’s unusual for us to touch that way, so part of it is lack of familiarity…”
“What can it mean sometimes?” Horus asked.
“That we…” Seth sighed. “It’s just… I’ve never experienced it before. I only know that sometimes it happens…”
Horus was watching him with a fierce expression.
“…That we’re compatible,” Seth said. “Or something. Not soulmates, that’s a myth, but that… It’s tied up in old magic and the like. And it might not even be that.”
Horus nodded. “If you’ve never experienced it, how do you know what it is?”
Seth sighed. “It happened to my parents. And two of my friends. They all described similar things. And it’s something you’re taught when you’re young. It’s pretty common for people looking for partners to try it, to see if there’s a spark, so to speak. But even for couples who end up staying together, it sometimes never happens.”
“I see.”
“But it also doesn’t have to mean anything,” Seth said. “Even for couples it happens to, they don’t always stay together.”
“…You don’t want it to mean anything.”
Seth swallowed. “Horus, you’re a good man, from what I know. But I’m not… I don’t know that I’m ready for something… For anything. I don’t know that I ever will be again.”
“I’m not asking for anything.”
Seth shut his eyes. “I’m glad to hear that. And I’m sorry I can’t… be more for you. You deserve more than that.” He opened his eyes again and met Horus’ blue gaze, wondering what a future with him would be like, but shying away from it. Horus would go on to do great things, whatever he did.
At best Seth had a life of isolation ahead of him. Perhaps running. Perhaps a swift death if he wasn’t careful.
“I want you to have more than that,” Seth said. “There’s a whole world of people out there for you, and you can have more than… than me and my baggage.”
“I feel like you’re too dismissive of yourself.”
“I’m realistic,” Seth said. “I know about the things that let me become a general. My brains and skills. But there are other things, too. I still have nightmares, flashbacks, I’m difficult to be around… I don’t know that I’ll trust being near someone like that again.” Even though he was relatively okay with the sparring, if it had lasted much longer… But that road meant something more. Something he wasn’t sure he was ready for.
He was afraid. And he felt he had the right to hang onto his fear, after everything.
“…I understand.”
Seth was quiet, then. He didn’t know what else to say. Horus clearly knew he was trying for too much. That was good. It meant Seth wouldn’t have to try so hard to push him away.
“Are you all right with me speaking to my mother, to let her know you’re here?”
Seth sighed. “Yes.” He would be prepared somehow. He could always shift into sand and escape into the waves. He’d be gone before even Isis could catch him.
“I’ll send a message to Mother,” Horus said. “I’ll ask her to visit so we can talk.” He breathed in deeply, then said, “I’ve made my decision about what I want to do for my coming of age.”