Chapter Text
Horus
Horus sat on his throne as the gods murmured amongst themselves while waiting for the trial of Osiris to begin. It was early morning, and the sun shone down on the familiar sight, giving Horus a sense of déjà vu. The place was packed with the curious gods, who struggled to keep their murmuring quiet. Horus had wondered if they’d all drag their feet because the new king had called them, but perhaps the enticement of Osiris himself being put on trial or the rumors of Seth being at Horus side were too alluring. They arrived quickly, all the same.
Ra was all smiles as usual, lazing on her throne in all her gold, jewels, and finery, and gazing expectantly at Maat, who was gazing ahead while they waited for Osiris to appear. Ra had arrived especially early, seemingly thinking to get hold of some gossip. Horus was closed-mouthed around her, as were the other gods in Heliopolis, though he greeted her politely, but he saw the way she stared at Seth standing behind him, quietly.
“So it really is true,” Ra had said with a laugh, her golden eyes bright and hungry. It was mid-morning, and they were in Horus’ court room. “You tamed him after all.”
Horus kept his expression neutral, and no one else corrected her, including Isis, who stood on Horus’ right side.
Seth frowned slightly when Horus glanced at him, but that was it. He probably knew nothing good would come of him arguing with Ra here. This wasn’t like the opening of Seth’s trial, after all, and Seth wasn’t posturing. He was simply standing where he was meant to so that things could carry on as easily as possible.
After a while, Ra sighed and said, “It’s a shame. I wanted to do that…”
Horus wanted to roll his eyes.
Hathor kept gazing at Horus rapturously from behind Ra, and now that the trial had begun, she was busy sneaking glances up at him from her throne on a lower level of the court, and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. He had no interest in his great-great aunt, and given the flirtatious looks she was given, even more of a desire to stay away from her. He knew there was probably something to be gained from keeping an eye on Ra, but Isis had promised she was keeping an eye on the sun goddess, and Horus left it alone. He’d avoided both goddesses since they arrived at Heliopolis, outside official court duties.
Tefnut and Shu were wrapped up in each other as usual, but otherwise kept their distance, while Geb and Nut were guarded as usual. Nut currently gazed sadly down at the empty platform where Osiris would appear.
Before the trial, Nut had pulled Horus aside to speak to him. They hadn’t talked in some time, and not really since Horus ascended. She’d overseen his early training before Osiris had taken over, and there was some connection between them given his power of flight, but that was all. Horus found himself oddly wary around his grandmother, especially after talking so much with Seth about her. He’d said she’d practically abandoned Seth, Nephthys, Isis, and Osiris, after all. And he recalled Seth’s words about how to treat one’s parents.
But she’s not my mother, Horus thought. Though I imagine Seth would see little difference in how I treat my grandmother, either. He didn’t imagine anything good would be gained from being rude to the goddess of the sky, particularly with his abilities, but he was also wary of her for the same reasons: he didn’t like someone who could cause much harm to him at her own whim.
Nut had gazed at him with her usual sad eyes and asked, “How has Seth been?” It was early evening, two days before the trial, and Horus was heading back to Seth’s rooms for the night.
Horus’ eyes widened, as he was surprised Nut was asking him rather than just talking to Seth about it. But he assumed there was a reason she’d sought him out. Maybe she felt she couldn’t talk to Seth herself? “He’s still my prisoner, if that’s what you mean. You saw him, alive and well.” She’d been greeted by Horus’ full court on her arrival, and Seth had been present as well, though he hadn’t spoken to her. “You’re not barred from speaking to him, if you wish.”
Nut smiled sadly and said, “I tried, but he left before I got the chance. I think he’s avoiding me.”
Horus frowned, unsure what to make of that. He wondered if his words about Nut abandoning Seth had gotten through to the desert god, somehow. Horus recalled Seth’s seemingly conflicted thoughts when talking about Nut. There was obviously a lot of baggage there. Or maybe it was tied up in Seth’s thoughts on Geb and Geb’s questionable parenting methods. Horus knew that even though Isis and Osiris were very much two separate beings with their own thoughts and agendas, his thoughts about them often melted into how they dealt with each other. He couldn’t help at times wondering how Isis could love Osiris, especially after learning she suspected at least a little about what happened with Osiris, Nephthys, and Seth, let alone what Isis had seen of Osiris’ treatment of Horus. How did you love someone who loved someone you had complicated feelings for?
Mother still loves me, Horus thought, even though I love— His eyes widened.
“Horus?” Nut asked, clearly noticing his alarm. The stars in her hair twinkled as she stepped towards him lightly.
“I think he’s just worried about the trial, Grandmother,” Horus said, putting on a smile and ignoring what he’d just thought. “The last time we met like this, he was on trial, and became my prisoner. Now he’s at my side and preparing to oversee the trial of the man he was accused of murdering and stealing the throne from. There’s just a lot weighing on him.”
Nut’s eyes widened. Horus realized the look in her eyes reminded him a bit of Anubis, which was annoying, and he wondered if that’s why he was so on edge. It surely wasn’t because he’d just considered how his feelings on Seth had evolved far past his imaginings. “So he’s really at your side now? It’s not just for display?”
“He’s part of my counsel,” Horus said. “Despite his actions during his reign, he spent more time advising Mother and Osiris, and protecting Egypt, and has much wisdom to share.” Seth honestly kept quiet more often than not when Horus talked politics, but it helped to have him there to listen. It wasn’t like with Isis, who seemed far too guarded with Horus. And while he respected her being careful in a way, he felt like the wall between them was still high. He’d done horrible things, and he knew that, but every time he was around her, he felt like he was rubbing a festering wound. “We need him to protect Egypt, still.”
Nut nodded. “You don’t consider Osiris your father?”
Horus had been intentional with his wording, and he smiled now. “He is my father. He is also guilty of much. As the trial will show.”
Nut looked fearful, but when he refused to speak more on it, they ended the conversation and parted ways.
Now Horus could feel Seth on the throne beside him, and Horus wanted to know if Seth would be upset about Horus’ thoughts.
“I don’t love you,” Seth had said to him before.
That’s only fair, Horus thought, gazing ahead and growing impatient as Osiris made them wait even longer. Why would he love me? What binds us together is only lust and convenience. It was how things had initially begun between them after Seth’s punishment began, in a way. Horus wanted revenge, yes, but Seth was a convenient way to vent his general frustrations, as well: his frustrations with his new work, which felt overwhelming, his frustrations with Isis, who saw him less as an adult and more as a struggling child, his frustrations with his distant father, who seemed no closer now that Horus had the throne, and his frustrations with his own obsession over the god who’d destroyed Horus’ life, at least as Horus had believed back then. He hadn’t wanted to stay obsessed with Seth. He’d hoped it would fade with time. But in the meanwhile, Seth was present, and Horus could indulge.
I don’t love him, Horus thought as he glanced at Seth, who was still gazing ahead in the throne nearby, oblivious. Seth had grown quieter as the day of the trial drew closer. He still responded to Horus’ touches and comments, but he was withdrawing into himself more, and Horus wasn’t sure whether to try drawing him out again, as Horus had done when he’d offered to show he was better than Nephthys. Horus hadn’t run from the trial with Seth, but these days he had more and more frustrations about his own path in life. How his parents’ vengeance – and all the mixed-up nonsense of it – had been a burden he’d felt over the years and never fully voiced.
He remembered once, when he was still quite young, sporting a bruise on his chest and forehead from a sparring match with Osiris, sitting alone and sharpening his sword, and thinking about running away. He couldn’t, of course, and he hadn’t, but he’d wondered about another life. What things might have been like for him. Where he could rest or otherwise do whatever he wanted. Where he didn’t have to worry about disappointed parents and maybe impossible futures.
He’d eventually gone back and talked with Isis about his studies, and things had returned to normal. Seth was pursuing them, and they had no choice but to face it.
Seth was also being pursued by Osiris now, but he was protected, by Horus, Isis, and even Anubis, allegedly. He had Maat’s protection, as well, and Horus wanted to say that Seth didn’t have to be here, but that wasn’t true. In fact, it had been part of why Horus had told Maat to remove her spell on him.
“At least for the duration of the trial,” Horus had said in the small room he’d gathered Seth, Isis, and Maat in the night before the trial. The spell Maat used to restrain Seth’s powers was still on him, and its control was private.
Isis’ lips had parted, likely to say something, but then she’d glanced at Seth and shut them again. She looked angry, though.
Maat looked astonished, but stared at Horus as she asked, “Are you certain that’s what you want?”
Seth looked surprised, and his lips were slightly parted, but he didn’t add any of his own comments. He was likely confused. Horus had been thinking about this for a few days afte rhe’d come up with the idea on his own, but he hadn’t mentioned a word of this to Seth beforehand, so that Seth’s reaction would be genuine. He didn’t want Isis and Maat to think Seth had pressured Horus into it.
“We don’t know what Osiris will do once he gets here,” Horus said, gazing back at Maat calmly. “Given he’s tried to kill Anubis, me, and Seth in the recent past, it’s unclear if he could try again once he’s here.”
Maat frowned. “Osiris wouldn’t dare with so many gods in the room.”
“Never bet on what Osiris will or won’t do,” Horus replied, firmly. “No one in this room has done a good job at winning those bets, other than to know not to trust him.” Horus had learned that lesson too many times.
Isis and Seth oddly wore mirror grimaces, but stayed quiet.
“Regardless,” Horus continued as he met Maat’s continued frown, “it’s better to have more people ready to face him if he does attack. And I’d rather Seth have access to his abilities fully in such an instance.” He glanced at Seth, who had pressed his lips together, but didn’t otherwise react. Then Horus looked at Maat again, who looked conflicted. “On top of that, if your spell is on Seth during the trial, when he testifies, won’t there be cries of interference in the proceedings on your part, like you manipulated him?”
That made Maat’s eyes widen a little.
Osiris is still beloved by many, and you’re the judge of the trial. Even though your spell doesn’t change Seth’s thoughts, there may be rumors that it does, given that it doesn’t just bind him, but also weakens his powers.” So much of a god’s nature was tied to their abilities. It was one reason demotions could be something of a death sentence if enacted, and were so rarely done. Seth’s strength was a main reason he’d been able to hold through Maat’s spell for so long. If people knew that Maat’s spell was cutting Seth off from his powers, they might think she was influencing him to do things, too. “They may think you made him testify somehow. That you have a grudge against Osiris for some reason.”
“There may be rumors about the gods of Duat rallying behind Maat’s desires to get Osiris to testify,” Seth said, evenly. “But it would be foolish. Anyone with basic intelligence would realize there’s no reason for Maat to want to punish Osiris. She doesn’t want the throne of Duat, and she prefers keeping balance between the realms.”
“She helped oust one king,” Horus said, meeting Seth’s calm gaze. Horus was surprised at Seth’s pushback against this, and wondered if Seth didn’t want the spell removed for some reason. It could only benefit him to have it off. “Perhaps she wants better control over the next one.” He looked at Maat, who was still confused. “You’re close with Anubis, and once the truth is out about his parentage, people will suspect you’re trying to place him on the throne in Duat.”
Seth frowned. “Anubis could never rule Duat.” He sounded slightly petulant as he said it. “He’d never go for it.”
Horus shrugged and replied, “You know something about gossip among the gods. They’ll come up with anything.” He didn’t think Anubis would be a good ruler of anything, but Anubis didn’t know many other gods. Given Anubis was Seth’s son, he’d be seen as power-hungry, just like Seth allegedly was. If the father overthrew Osiris for one throne, why not the son doing so as well?
Seth grimaced and nodded. “They are stupid and easily led that way.”
“Easily led to exaggeration and rumor, yes,” Maat noted primly. “I suppose it helps to be safe… Though I would not favor Anubis to take over after Osiris, unless necessary. There are plenty of other gods in Duat who would better manage the role, not that I’m looking to replace him.”
“I don’t think you are,” Horus said. Though I wonder how you plan to punish him. “But it’s good to be cautious.”
“There may be an outcry that you are bringing so many gods to gather when Seth is unbound,” Isis said with a neutral expression of her own as Horus looked at her. “Forget trial mishaps. There will be cries that you’ve endangered other gods.”
“Seth will not act up,” Horus said. He saw the questioning look in Isis’ gaze, and continued, “Besides, I beat him when he had no spell on him, and I’ll be present as well. What is there to be afraid of?” He had full faith that Seth wouldn’t start anything during the trial with his powers, at least against anyone other than Osiris, and even then, Horus felt he could step in if things got out of hand.
Maat and Isis were still skeptical, but eventually trusted in Horus, and Seth remained silent. Later that night, Seth had asked what Horus was planning, with a frown.
“I gave my reasons earlier,” Horus explained as he sat at his desk with Seth sitting on the bed. It was dark out, and both their headdresses were gone. It felt like Horus could breathe for the first time all day, after managing all the arriving gods. He was glad at least Nephthys was staying put and Anubis hadn’t bothered him much. “What was unclear?”
Seth’s gaze was hard. “You really think you could take me on again without Maat’s spell?”
“Yes,” Horus said. “Regardless of what we do when we spar, I am as strong as, if not stronger than, I was when we fought the first time.” He had full confidence in his abilities, and he knew that Seth still held back plenty, which could be exploited. Whatever Seth’s true feelings on Horus were, he wanted to protect Anubis’ future, and Isis might withdraw her protection from Anubis if Seth attacked Horus. Horus being whole meant that Anubis was left alone.
Seth had only gazed back at Horus impassively for a bit, before lowering his eyes and moving back to lay down on the bed.
Horus had frowned, confused by Seth’s behavior. “Did I do something wrong?” He truly had assumed Seth would be happy about all this, but instead, Seth just had just this strange impassivity.
“…I guess we’ll see,” Seth said, avoiding answering.
Horus hadn’t pressed then because it was the night before the trial. They needed to be on the same side rather than arguing, and Seth was going to be interrogated enough the following day. But he’d missed something, and it was bothering him. As he gazed at Seth now, he still wondered about it.
Before they entered the throne room, Maat had removed the spell, and Seth had raised one hand before himself, gazing at it thoughtfully, before lowering it, and simply standing, waiting for Horus to move.
“I’ll restore it after the trial is over,” Maat said, glancing at Horus.
“We’ll return to the subject then,” Horus said, making her raise an eyebrow. “It’s unclear how the trial will turn out at this point, and if we must face Osiris openly, we’ll need the god of war on our side, at full strength.”
Maat bowed her head, and they all moved to their places for the trial.
A brazier had been set for Osiris to communicate through, but it was still simply burning with normal flames. No connection to Duat had been made, though Maat was in contact with various gods in Duat who were keeping her apprised of the situation there. They’d debated holding some sort of trial in Duat itself, but that would be difficult for gods in the land of the living to accept. Instead, they’d been assured by Maat’s allies in Duat that he would appear somehow for the trial.
“Perhaps someone should go down and get him?” Ra asked with a smile as she glanced up at Horus.
Maat breathed in deeply and said nothing.
Horus gazed ahead calmly, assured that Osiris would appear. The chance to see Seth was too tantalizing for him, and with access to Anubis cut off, and Heliopolis protected, Osiris had few options.
Seth opened his mouth.
Someone walked into the court just then, drawing everyone’s attention. It was a mere human, an older one, dressed in the fine robes of a priest. He had brown skin and a thick, dark beard, and behind him walked other humans, also in rich robes, looking terrified. The human in front raised a hand, making them stay back as he walked forward.
“This is not a place for humans,” Maat called, her face severe. “Who let you in here?”
The human stopped, bowed his head to Maat, and then said, “I am here on behalf of Osiris.”
There were whispers around the court.
“That’s one of Seth’s high priests,” Isis said with a frown, quiet enough for only Horus and Seth to hear. “Why would he be here for Osiris?”
Seth frowned down at the human, too. “He’s one of my priests?”
“I recognize him,” Isis replied with distaste. She glanced at Seth in confusion. “You don’t recognize your own priest?”
Seth grimaced. “I don’t keep track of them… I’ve been busy…”
Isis sighed, clearly exasperated.
“You may step forward,” Maat said, her gaze severe. “What are you here for on behalf of Osiris?”
The priest got up on the stand and approached the brazier. He bowed his head again and said, “I am his speaker here, where he cannot be.”
Maat frowned, while mutters continued in the gallery. “What do you mean?”
“I can demonstrate,” the human said. He gazed up for a moment to Seth, and Horus saw a strange look of longing in the man’s gaze.
Horus frowned and thought, Something is not right here.
“It has been my honor to serve,” the human said. Then he raised his right hand, which had been clenched around something, and crushed whatever was trapped within. Green vines shot from it, causing yells in the audience. But the vines only wrapped around the human like a vice. He trembled, but didn’t fall.
“What is this abomination?” Isis demanded, her hands tight on her throne.
After a moment, the vines melded together, and formed what appeared to be a second face over the human’s. A familiar one.
A hard gaze glared out at Maat, and the being who had once been a human priest said to Maat, “I, Osiris, am here, Maat. What is it you want of me?”