Chapter Text
Horus tried not to clutch Seth’s hand too tightly as he considered the rest of their family, all staring at them now.
Isis looked at their clasped hands with a slight frown and a lot of confusion.
Nephthys was barely hiding her shock amidst her worry.
Ra, stood as ever with a slight smile on her face, clearly interested in all the goings on, but offering nothing of what she was thinking, though Horus reasoned that Isis’ court being in disarray was probably high theater for her.
Sekhmet’s expression was unreadable. She stood again with her arms clasped in front of her chest, leaning by the door.
Horus had wondered when Ra walked into the throne room if she’d had something to do with Osiris’ murder. Sekhmet’s ominous wording had been too on point to think otherwise. True, Sekhmet could just be setting him up to go against the sun goddess, but Sekhmet knew Horus’ mother was Isis. And Horus imagined Sekhmet also knew how Osiris had gotten his throne in the first place… So, unless Sekhmet wanted to hurt Ra, it seemed odd that she arranged the scenario just to set Horus against Ra, even for amusement.
Beyond that, he’d realized that if Ra had been involved in Osiris’ murder, it was likely Isis was, as well. Horus didn’t know why or how at the time, but it wouldn’t have been possible for Ra to strike Osiris on her own, especially not with Isis in the palace.
He’d wanted answers from Ra, first, for why she was there, while he formulated how to raise the issue with Isis in private… and then to learn that Osiris was still alive was…
First he felt shock. Then there was anger, that Osiris was still there but… hadn’t come back, no matter the reason. A small part of him wanted to fly immediately to Duat somehow. Figure out how to get there, no matter how hard it was. Yes, he wouldn’t bring Osiris back to life, but for a moment he was a boy who’d felt the absence of his father all his life. And there was curiosity, too. What was Osiris like, really?
But Horus had ample evidence of what Osiris had been like standing next to him, frozen in terror because of the knowledge that Osiris yet lived.
And the anger at what Osiris had done mattered more than anything else.
He’d wanted to pull Seth aside and leave the room. Make sure the other god was safe somewhere before Horus tackled whatever was going on with Osiris. Leaving the throne room had helped, but it wasn’t quite enough.
Seth was still afraid, but Horus couldn’t just abandon his duties, and was worried about telling Seth to go on his own. So, Seth staying at his side had emboldened him.
It was selfish, but Horus promised to make it up to Seth somehow.
“Is there anyone else who knows?” Horus asked of the goddesses now, not knowing how else to start the conversation.
“No,” Isis said, watching him warily. “Just the four of us.”
“Couldn’t let anyone else know Isis planned the Pharaoh’s murder,” Ra said with a grin. “That’d be bad… So of course she picked someone she could blackmail… And Nephthys volunteered.”
Horus studied Ra for a moment, then looked at Sekhmet, standing calmly by the door, her expression unreadable. “And you? Why did you help?”
Sekhmet snorted. “What Osiris did was so horrible.” Her tone was overly dramatic. “I simply thought justice was due, and told Isis and Nephthys, since Osiris was Isis’ husband and both gods are their brothers.”
Seth’s hand twitched in Horus’ grip.
“Isn’t that reason enough?” Sekhmet finished.
Horus considered that, then commented, “You still didn’t have to help them kill him.”
Sekhmet grinned. “Are you mad that I made sure Seth was avenged?”
“I find it hard to believe anything, let alone everything you did was for vengeance for someone else.” Horus absently rubbed soothing circles on Seth’s hand with his thumb, though he kept his gaze on Sekhmet. “You wanted leverage. Against Isis. And perhaps Nephthys, too.”
Sekhmet scoffed. “For what, exactly?”
“It’s always good to have gods owe you favors,” Horus replied. “Or when you want help de-shackling your parent from a goddess you could impugn in front of the court.”
“Sekhmet did this for me?” Ra said, in mock shock. “I’m tickled.”
“You’ll note I wasn’t the one who admitted to the crime,” Sekhmet said, watching Horus. “Nor did I go before the court to decry your mother.”
“Because you swore an oath to Isis,” Nephthys said, frowning. “No one would speak a word of this outside ourselves, where others could hear.” She swallowed and looked away from Sekhmet.
“Until…?” Sekhmet said, smiling again at the other goddess. “You’re missing a clause there, Nephthys.”
Horus looked between them, confused.
Isis grimaced.
Sekhmet sighed. “There just isn’t enough honesty in this court, I swear…” She snorted, and looked at Horus. “I swore to stay silent, so long as Isis told you about it when you came of age. I even held back when she insisted you still weren’t ready to know. That you were still young and coming into your powers, and needed to focus on being accepted at court as Pharaoh. But I think you’ve made it clear that time has passed.” She looked pointedly at Seth and their clasped hands.
“Why does it matter to you if I know?” Horus asked, confused.
“You’re the Pharaoh,” she replied, matter-of-factly. “You rule alongside Isis. It’s wrong that you don’t know your co-ruler is an assassin. That she murdered your father.” She tilted her head. “Admittedly there are worse things to hide from people, probably, but it’s a bit of a heavy thing to hide from your son and someone on whose back the fate of Egypt rests.” She grinned. “Imagine if this was out in the streets: that Isis killed the beloved Osiris? It would be disaster for Egypt. And I care deeply about this country’s fate.”
“You—!” Isis snarled, raising her staff, before she glanced at Horus, and then shut her eyes.
“…Mother?” Horus asked, quietly. “Why…?” Why did she do it? Why did she hide it from him? There were too many whys to force into simple sentences.
Isis’ hands were shaking. “I…” She straightened slightly. “There was never a good time. I didn’t… I wanted you to believe your father was a good man. And…” She worried at her staff a bit with her fingers. “And you’re so perceptive. If I’d told you part of it, I’d have had to tell you all of it, or you’d have figured it out, and I…” She looked at Seth, sadness in her gaze. “And I didn’t want to betray Seth even further by revealing this to others. Enough people already knew.”
“You… hid it for me?” Seth asked quietly, clearly shocked.
Isis grimaced and looked away. “Mostly for myself. I was too much of a coward to tell Horus. I could have figured out a way, maybe…”
Nephthys reached out and touched her shoulder, comfortingly.
“I didn’t want you to know,” Isis said, meeting Horus’ gaze again. “So I didn’t tell you. I know I should have. Long ago.”
Horus tried to process that, and felt Seth squeeze his hand. He looked down at the other god, but could only see the frown on Seth’s face.
Horus lowered his voice, “I need to know the details. Do you… want to leave for that?”
Seth was quiet for a while, then said, “No. I want to know.”
Horus looked back at Isis. “How was it done?”
Isis was silent.
Ra snorted. “Isis made the plan. She and Nephthys cajoled Osiris with drink and a party. Got him alone. Then Sekhmet struck, knocking him unconscious. With a bit of my sizeable power combined with hers, Isis managed to cut his body into pieces and scatter them in the waters of Duat, cursing them to never return to the living world. Isis saw that Maat was in charge of most of the investigation, which meant Maat had no reason to distrust her, because what was there to hide when Sekhmet was seldom if ever seen around the palace, I was always in my sun boat, Isis was distraught with grief and occupied with her pregnancy, and while Nephthys helped Maat as she could, Nephthys was worried about her sister, and no one would ever suspect the Goddess of Peace was complicit to murder.” Ra grinned, with teeth. “It was quite ruthless, really, but efficient, too. I’m honestly proud.”
“Shut up,” Isis hissed.
“So,” Ra continued anyway, looking at Horus again. “Now you know. Will you report this to the Ennead? Have Maat judge your mother? Or… abuse your power as your father did, to hide her crime, keep her safe?”
Horus could feel Ra pressing forward, not just verbally, but in the way her oppressive aura pushed at everything around her, though he could still feel how she kept it back from him and Isis. She wanted Isis gone more than anything. With Isis out of the way, and Osiris already gone and seemingly unable to return for the time being, she had no one holding her back. Horus knew he was no match for her. She could come back into power again.
A part of him automatically prepared to fight tooth and nail on his mother’s behalf, but the other half was still reeling from everything, and unsure. He couldn’t imagine what she might face as punishment, but… He looked at her, to find her watching him with an empty expression. She was ready for whatever her punishment might be.
He felt betrayed by all this. But he couldn’t imagine what she was going through to decide to kill Osiris. And then to hide it for so long from her son. From the world.
He felt Seth’s hand tighten on his.
“…I must think this over,” Horus continued. He glanced at Isis, then back at Ra. “You said my father is alive in Duat. How do you know?”
Ra shrugged. “I felt him try to come back. He failed. The spell on him is too strong for him. But I can still feel him down there.”
“So he can’t come back?” Horus asked.
“Yes,” Ra said, smiling. “He can’t.”
“…Good. Then… we’ll deal with that later. Have you other business here, besides Osiris?”
Ra shook her head.
Horus nodded. “Very well.” He looked at the others. “Word will have spread throughout the palace by now. I’ll make an announcement to the court that we’re deliberating over what steps to take. …And whatever it is can wait a day. If Father somehow returns within that time, well… We’ll see what we’ll see.” He looked at Ra. “If you wish to stay here until I come to a decision, you are welcome, and have your own chambers. Otherwise, you are free to leave. I will send a messenger when I have decided how to handle things. Until that point, you are not to speak of the plot against my father.” He looked around at the others. “You have kept your conspiracy quiet this long. Continue to do so until I have made my decision. That is my order as Pharaoh.”
Isis grimaced.
Nephthys nodded.
Sekhmet smirked.
“Mother, Aunt,” Horus said, looking at them, “You are to go to your chambers. I’ll call upon you when I’ve made my decision.”
Nephthys touched Isis’ shoulder again as Isis’ frown deepened.
Horus looked at Sekhmet. “I don’t imagine there’s a way to keep you in one place you don’t want to be. But I’ll request you remain in the palace until I’ve reached a decision.”
She bowed her head with a slight smile.
“Excuse us, then,” Horus said, nodding to them all before pulling Seth out of the room.
Seth went obediently, saying nothing.
They stopped briefly near the throne room so that Horus could speak to an aide, setting up a general message should anyone ask for more information about Ra’s announcement.
Seth stood back silently while Horus talked.
Horus then took Seth back Horus’ rooms, shut the door behind them, and then turned to Seth, pulling the other god into his arms.
Seth slowly wrapped his own arms around Horus, and Horus could feel him shaking, hard.
They stood like that for a time, just holding each other.
“What do you need right now?” Horus asked, quietly.
“…I don’t really know.”
Horus grimaced, then asked, “Do you want to get out of here for a short while?”
Seth twitched. “…What?”
“We could take a short trip to the desert, perhaps?” Horus offered. “Or maybe just walk somewhere? Away from people?”
Seth pulled away and stared at him, truly confused. “Horus, you can’t just… leave. Not after all of that.”
“We’ll be back soon enough,” Horus replied. “And I can be reached in an emergency.”
Seth opened and then shut his mouth. He looked away, then back at Horus. “I… Yes. Yes I’d like to… to get out of here, for a little while.”
“Do you know where you’d like to go?”
“…The desert.”
Horus nodded. “I can carry you if you wish.”
Seth flushed at that. “What?”
“If you’d like. You don’t have to. We could get your chariot, or…?”
“You’d… carry me?”
Horus smiled and pulled him to the window, then hopped up and out over the ledge, summoning his wings to keep him aloft. He turned back with a smile to Seth, holding his arms out. “I’d be happy to carry you wherever you want.”
Seth blinked, looked back at the door, and then at Horus. His cheeks were still red. After a moment, he smiled and shook his head, then hopped onto the wall and took Horus’ hand. “How are you…? Planning to carry me?”
Horus grinned.
Seth had a hand over his face as they flew to a part of the deep desert.
Horus supported Seth’s back with his left arm, and had his right arm under Seth’s knees, keeping Seth close to his chest.
“We can choose another position if it’s a problem, Seth,” Horus offered, looking down at him, worried this was just making everything worse.
“No, no, it’s fine…” Seth said, for the fourth time. He scoffed and looked out over the desert below them. “It’s fine.”
Horus hoped it really was.
After a time, Seth said, “It’s different, seeing it up here, but not making a storm or one of my sand statues.”
“Bad different, good different, or okay different?” Horus asked.
“…’I don’t know’ different,” Seth replied, snorting. “Ah, here is fine.” Seth dissolved into sand and showered down towards the ground.
Horus dipped and followed him and watched as Seth reappeared as a small sand whirl moving back and forth on the sand. The sand whirl eventually slowed and gathered together on the ground, forming into Seth laying on his back, staring upward. Sand flowed over to cover him, and he shut his eyes.
Horus dismissed his wings and sat nearby, watching him. He was close, but gave Seth space, too.
After a while, Seth asked, “Are you bored?”
“I’m never bored when I’m with you,” Horus said. “Does being out here help?”
“…It helps,” Seth said, quietly. He laughed, still with his eyes shut. “I thought I’d have to… storm around somewhere. Literally. But just… being out here. Where it’s quiet. In the sunshine… It’s better.”
“Because there are no people.”
“Yes. At least over here. I’ve run into nomads and traders here and there, but I always avoided them.”
“I still heard tales about the God of War redirecting lost travelers… And I've seen you do it.”
Seth snorted. “Well… sometimes I didn’t avoid them. But only if they were lost.”
They were quiet again, and Horus shut his eyes, too, soaking in the warmth as he leaned his head back.
“I can’t believe he’s… still alive,” Seth finally said, quietly, making Horus tense. “I always thought it was possible, but…”
“…We don’t really know what state he’s in right now,” Horus said, quietly. “He can’t get out of Duat, and he can’t apparently communicate with any of us.”
“I suppose a part of me just hoped Ammit had somehow eaten his heart and been done with it.” Seth grimaced. “Sorry…”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“...He’s your father.”
“Considering what you went through, it’s understandable. Osiris hurt you deeply, and that left deep wounds, and bad scars. You certainly didn’t send him to Duat yourself, nor did you plan his murder. Wishing you’d never have to deal with him in one of the few ways we know that is possible… Well, you’re hardly the first person, or god, to wish someone who wronged them ill.”
Seth smiled. “You always have the answers.”
Horus smiled back. “I wish that were true.” He thought of his mother, and Nephthys. Of Sekhmet and her games. “But if my simple-minded thoughts can help, I’m glad.”
“You’re not simple-minded. …Most of the time.”
“Oh?”
“You have your bad moments. We all do.”
Horus laughed.
Then they were quiet again.
“…Do you want to talk about… what Sekhmet did?” Horus finally asked.
“…I don’t know that I can,” Seth replied, very quietly. He laughed, bitterly. “I wanted to run from that room and never look back. As if I could hide from it. As if they all haven’t known for decades…”
“I’m so sorry, Seth.”
Seth didn’t reply.
“…If you want to talk more about it, I’m here,” Horus said.
“…Thank you, Horus.”
“Can I come closer?”
“Yes.”
Horus inched closer and gently brushed a finger along Seth’s cheek. He felt Seth hum softly in contentment.
“I’m glad you were at my side,” Horus finally said. “Selfish as it was, it meant a lot, having you with me.”
“It wasn’t selfish,” Seth said, opening his eyes to look over at Horus. “You shouldn’t have to be alone against… against all that.”
“I am Pharaoh.”
Seth sighed. “We’re your elders. We should have… We should have made it easier for you. Dealt with our own problems, rather than leaving them to you to clear up.”
“Who’s to say you haven’t?” Horus replied, quietly. “I may not have to do anything about Osiris. It’s just deciding what to do with my mother, my aunt, Sekhmet, and maybe Ra that’s the trouble.” Horus smiled. “And that’s nothing, really.”
Seth huffed a laugh. “Ah yes. Very easy.”
“Well, they all listened to my orders, so that’s a start.”
Seth smiled. “I can’t believe so much happened in so little time. We just started court. It’s not even evening yet.”
“It felt like an eternity,” Horus replied. Too many revelations at once. “When I set out to figure out the mystery of Father’s death once and for all, I’d never conceived of something like this. It feels…” Horus sighed. “It’s just a lot. But I’ll surmount it. I have to.”
“I believe you will,” Seth said. “It’s just… how you work.”
Horus smiled.
“…Have you considered what you’ll do with… Isis?”
Horus wondered if he was going to ask about Osiris but changed his mind at the last second. Horus frowned. “I have some ideas. But I think… I’m not going to demand she be put on trial.”
“Ra could talk. Once they know, the other gods might demand it…”
“She could. But I find it interesting that neither she nor Sekhmet spoke of it until now. Perhaps they are free of the requirement to not speak about it and are spreading word of it elsewhere even as we speak, though Sekhmet seems to not want word of it among the general populace, just me… But I feel that if Ra started telling others of the plan, her part in it would be revealed, as well. And Ra herself might face consequences, even if it might be considered revenge for Osiris’ past with Ra.” Horus sighed. “It’s a mess. But I believe that trying Isis isn’t the answer.”
“Other gods will wonder if Isis can just use Ra whenever she wants to get rid of them,” Seth said, thoughtfully. “If Isis could use Ra against the Pharaoh, who knows who else Isis might use Ra against?”
“Yes,” Horus said. “That is the issue. I find it hard to believe that Mother would do this again, but I still find it hard to believe she killed Osiris. She’s not close to other gods in that way, not even Nephthys.”
“…You have to talk to Isis.”
“Yes. I do.” Horus sighed. “I want more explanations from her.”
“The bigger part of me would suggest you rest from all that, but… you should go sooner rather than later,” Seth said. “While it’s fresh.” He looked at Horus. “I’ll go with you.”
Horus was warmed by that, but added, “It might be ugly. I don’t think either of us will be very nice.”
Seth shrugged. “I already know you can be terrifying sometimes. It’s fine.”
Horus smiled, but then his expression became more worried. “…I know you’re still worried about Osiris.”
Seth swallowed, and turned his face back to the sky. “I trust Isis – and even Ra – when they say he can’t come back. Or I will for now anyway. I wouldn’t be able to hide from him if he did come back. He’s the God of Life. Where would I hide? So why worry over something I can’t change?”
Horus grimaced and nodded.
After a time, where even Horus was beginning to feel drowsy, Seth pushed himself up and sighed. “We should be getting back.”
Horus stood as well, stretched, and asked, “How about a race? Back to the desert edge? You on the sand, me in the air.”
Seth blinked and looked at him. “You’re not serious.”
“It might help? Both of us, I mean.”
“You need your strength to face Isis.”
Horus shrugged. “I’ll be flying back anyway.” He grinned. “Unless you’re not up to it.”
Seth scoffed and yanked him down for a kiss, narrowly avoiding stabbing Horus with the black sha headdress.
Horus blinked and then wrapped his arms around Seth’s back, shutting his eyes and savoring the feel of Seth’s lips against his, Seth’s skin under his hands, warmed by the sunlight.
When Seth broke the kiss, they stayed close, so that Horus could feel his hot breath.
“We should…” Seth said, quietly.
Horus smiled. “Yes. Or else we’re definitely not going back for a few days.”
Seth snorted, then shoved him away and raced off towards Heliopolis.
Horus blinked. “Hey!”
Seth’s laughter was carried back to him, and Horus grinned, summoned his wings, and shot into the air.
Horus squeezed Seth’s hand before they entered Isis’ rooms. The trip back to the city had been grounding, and quietened the storm of uncertainty in his head, even if Seth had narrowly won their race.
Seth had pulled Horus into a private unused room in the palace along the way to Isis’ chambers and kissed Horus again, which led to Horus dropping to his knees, pushing Seth’s shendyt back, and sucking Seth off. Seth bit his left arm to keep quiet, and held Horus’ headdress tightly with his free hand, nearly yanking it off entirely and shaking against Horus’ lips. Horus kept his hands wrapped around Seth’s thighs and pushed him against the wall, savoring the way Seth quickly unraveled.
While Seth was coming down from his orgasm, Horus had stood up and peppered his neck with kisses.
Seth had murmured, “Just say the word and we can go back. Spend another few decades in the desert.”
Horus paused and looked at him. Horus was surprised to see that the other god was crying. “Seth?”
Seth sighed, shutting his eyes. “It’s nothing. I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”
Horus pulled him close for a tight embrace. “We don’t have to go now.” He’s not ready for this. It wasn’t a criticism. The day had just… been a lot, brief excursions away or no.
“…We don’t have to, but better now than later.” Seth lightly scratched his nails down Horus’ chest. “Do what you have to do. I’ll stay calm.”
Horus pulled away and met his eyes. “If it gets to be too much, just tell me, and we can leave.”
Seth grimaced, then nodded.
Now Isis sat at her desk, watching Horus and Seth with a hard expression. “So. You already came up with my punishment?” She looked at Seth, who didn’t reply.
Horus sighed and crossed his arms. “I just want to talk, Mother. I need to know what you were unwilling to say when others were listening.”
Isis watched Seth.
“You owe it to Seth, too,” Horus explained. “This is about him. He deserves to know.”
“You’ll have to be more specific,” Isis said, thoughtfully. “There are a lot of things I keep from other people.”
“Go over the real reason you didn’t tell me about Father’s death,” Horus said. “Even though you apparently swore to tell me.”
“I thought I was clear as day,” Isis said with a huff. “But very well. I…” She looked down. “I didn’t want you to think ill of me.” She scoffed, and met his gaze again. “Can you imagine being a parent and telling your child your murdered their other parent? It’s not an easy place to be, Horus.” Her expression saddened, and for a moment Horus felt bad for hurting her… though he knew he wasn’t the one who’d created that pain. “Even I feel fear sometimes. I didn’t want you to hate me. Or be disgusted that we share blood, or… Or I don’t know. I was afraid. So I didn’t tell you.” She sighed. “I promised at some point I’d tell you, and while you were investigating, I nearly told you a dozen times. I kind of hoped that somehow you’d figure it out on your own, without me having to say anything… but I was quite careful.” She sighed again. “I just…” She looked at him, sadly. “I should have told you. I know I should have told you…”
Then she swallowed and rubbed her eyes. “I didn’t want to lose you.”
Horus processed that for a while, against all that she'd hidden, how it felt to be raised with so many lies... And he couldn't imagine the life he'd had if she'd told him even a sliver of the truth when he was young. Perhaps things would have been easier with Seth if she'd told him sooner, before he'd gone out to the desert.
But if I hadn't gone to the desert, would Seth and I...? He considered that, in the contrast with how much pain Seth had gone through because neither of them had known the full truth. Not all of it was on Isis' shoulders - after all, it was to ultimately hide Osiris' cruelties - and he... didn't know what to think of it all.
He'd always loved his mother. So little time had passed between realizing what she'd done, hearing her say it, and coming back to confront her about it. He knew she wasn't his adversary. Yes, she had kept this from him, emphasized his father's virtues while hiding the horror, and lied to his face that she didn't know who killed him, or...
“Why did you kill him?” he finally asked.
Isis stilled, then put her hand down, and looked up at her. Her expression was hard. “I loved your father. Truly. He was an excellent partner. A good friend. A powerful god who was one of the wisest people I ever knew. And he was my brother, and I’ve loved him for that as long as I can remember.” She grimaced, then looked at Seth, her expression sad. “But Seth is my brother, too. And we’ve always been close, excepting… recent events.”
“It wasn’t…” Seth swallowed. “I didn’t mean to push you away, Isis.” He scoffed. “Though obviously that’s… what I did. …I’m sorry.”
“I understand why you left,” she said, quietly. “You don’t have to apologize.”
“The poison he used to weaken me,” Seth asked. “Do you know it?”
“He could have used a few things,” Isis said. “He liked to experiment on his own when I wasn’t around. I’m afraid just knowing it affected you that way isn’t enough.” She winced. "But he didn't ask me for it, if that's what you're asking."
Seth jerkily nodded.
Isis looked back at Horus. “At any rate, Seth and I used to be even closer than I am with Nephthys. And Osiris… hurt him.”
Horus noted Seth shift on his feet, but otherwise not react much.
Isis looked back at Seth. “He hurt you so badly. What Sekhmet showed me, it..." She swallowed.
Seth was staring at the ground now.
"Obviously it doesn't compare to... to living it, but... I saw." She swallowed. "Awful is an understatement. And he... made you run away from all of us. From me.”
Seth’s right fist clenched into a fist.
She looked away. “When I doubted myself, what I had done, obviously I had… the memory of what Sekhmet showed me of that night, in all its... But I also still remember you at the funeral. The emptiness in your gaze. The way you didn’t really respond to people talking to you. And then you disappeared again…” She swallowed, and her fingers tightened on her knee. “Osiris hurt you. He—” She swallowed again. “I couldn’t let him get away with that.” She breathed in deeply for a moment, and then said, “My only regrets are that I didn’t stop it before it happened, and that I wasn’t more creative in the murder. To give him what he deserved.”
"You could have gone to the Ennead," Horus said. "Stood up for Seth. Demanded justice."
Isis grimaced. "They'd have to know what happened that night." She looked at Seth sadly.
He didn't meet her gaze.
Isis continued, "They'd likely have demanded Seth stand witness and talk about it all. In front of everyone."
Seth swallowed.
Isis shook her head sadly and continued, “I can’t change what happened. But… I can only say how deeply sorry I am, Seth. I wish I'd been there for you.”
Seth’s lips tightened.
"I should have just gone out to the desert myself, but I..." She sighed. "I wanted to give you your space, after Osiris disrespected it so badly."
Seth didn't reply to that either.
Horus watched Isis thoughtfully, wondering at all the centuries of relationship here that he'd missed out on, because he hadn't been alive for it. Mostly he was just sad, for all of them: for Isis and Seth, Isis and himself, Seth and all the people he'd been close to here. So much pain, stemming from the actions of one person.
He could see Isis' grief even clearer than ever. Grief over the loss of Osiris, yes, but mostly the realization that he wasn't the person she loved, that he hadn't trusted his partner and sister with his deepest desires, despite everything they'd gone through, and that after all they'd been through, she had felt like she had to do this, to avenge her brother. He couldn't imagine how hard planning it all was. She was furious, but there had to have been pain, too.
He finally said, “You still hate Father.”
“Yes,” Isis said, practically spitting it out. “I remember what Sekhmet showed me. And seeing Seth now…” She looked back at her brother, and her gaze hardened again. “I can see in some ways what Osiris took from you, from us all… And the idea of Osiris possibly returning makes me want to march down to Duat and kill him again.”
Seth snorted, but there was a light smile on his face.
Horus smiled. “Perhaps you and I will go down together. A family reunion.”
Seth shook his head. “Fool.” But he was still smiling.
Horus smiled at the sight, then looked at Isis, who was watching them both thoughtfully.
She met his gaze, then smiled. “You love Seth, don’t you, Horus?”
Horus noticed Seth’s right hand twitch.
“It’s obvious, seeing you two together,” Isis continued.
“Yes,” Horus replied, easily, “I do.”
Seth looked at Horus, then at Isis. “Isis, I…”
She waved him away. “I’m glad. In many ways you’re both rather similar. Loners. But not people who like being alone. You both wanted someone in your lives, to support you, and to support. You both like taking care of others, too, in your own ways. I’m glad you have each other.”
“We thought you’d be mad,” Horus said. “At least a little.”
“Because you didn’t ask me first, before you went courting him?” She snorted. “So long as Seth is fine with it, I’m fine with it.”
Horus looked at Seth, who swallowed and said, “I love him too, Isis.”
Isis smiled. “I’m glad, Seth.”
Horus looked back at Isis. “…Thank you, Mother.”
She shrugged. “So. Have you decided how I’ll be punished?”
“…I’m still ruminating on it.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll let you know when I’ve decided.”
She nodded, her expression stern and accepting.
After a moment, Horus walked forward and kissed her cheek. He felt her surprise, and saw the way she reached out for his arm, but pulled back at the last second. As he pulled away, she saw the sadness had returned, but she was smiling softly, too.
"Whatever you decide," she said, quietly. "I am proud that you are my son."
He smiled at her.
As the door to Isis’ rooms shut behind them again, and they stood out in the hallway, Horus sighed, and said, “What a mess. But… not as bad as I was expecting.”
“What were you expecting?” Seth asked.
“Shouting, more plots… Who knows?”
“Ah. Well… Yes, I guess it was simpler than that.”
Horus took his hand and squeezed it. “How are you doing?”
Seth blinked, and then laughed. “I just… didn’t expect to get Isis’ blessing, really. Certainly not now.”
Horus shrugged. “It’s like you said. We’re gods. We don’t have to worry about things a mortal would. And Mother respects my decisions. And yours, I think.”
“Mmm.”
Horus smiled. “I’m feeling hungry. Perhaps we could get some food?”
Seth smiled at that, then glanced down the hall. “Do you mind if we… take a detour before that?”
“Sure,” Horus said. “What is it?”
Seth grimaced and looked up at him. “I want to talk to Nephthys... Even more, now.”