Chapter Text
“I brought Horus food this morning,” Anubis said as he stood in the empty throne room in Heliopolis facing Seth and Isis. Anubis had his head down and his expression blank. He looked small and pale, but stood firmly as he gave his report.
Seth lounged in his throne, leaning his head on his left hand as he half-watched Isis, who stood near Seth’s throne, seething.
Isis had stormed in early, demanding to know why Seth had imprisoned Horus in the labyrinth of all places.
When Seth had retorted that Horus was his to do with as he wished in accordance with Horus’ own offer, Isis had started sparking with lightning.
Anubis had come in then to report back about his first visit to Horus, which had cooled Isis down only slightly. “He seemed fine,” Anubis finished, his expression neutral.
“He’s a demigod,” Isis said, glaring daggers at Seth. “He can’t survive there!”
“And yet you had him fight me,” Seth replied with a slight grin. “Am I somehow easier than the labyrinth?”
Isis scoffed and said, “A match is nothing in comparison to living in that prison day to day.”
“You weren’t even there long,” Seth said. “What do you know of it?” Nephthys had gotten her out of there pretty fast in the end.
Seth had never been sure he’d been happy about that. It just seemed another sign that Nephthys had never been on his side. But rather than confront him, Nephthys just hid in her cell, refusing to come out. And Seth at least didn’t have to deal with Isis’ fury.
“I know you made it your little warren,” Isis half-hissed at Seth. “And you’ve likely filled it with horrors for him!”
“And?” Seth demanded, smirking at her. “What are you going to do about it? Threaten me? Threaten Nephthys?” He was tired of being talked down to as if he was someone who could be tossed around on someone else’s whims.
Isis just glared back at him, still furious but with little recourse. She couldn’t kill him, though she could try.
And maybe Anubis will guide her to her precious son, Seth thought. He almost wished she’d try, as it would pass the time.
“He’ll be fine,” Seth eventually said, waving her off. “If you restore Nephthys, surely she at least will free Horus just like she did you, since she doesn’t seem all that willing to do it now.” True, the Nephthys he knew wasn’t aware of Horus’ imprisonment, but that didn’t change anything. “Or maybe you can go talk her into it.” He tilted his head thoughtfully, as if daring her.
Isis scoffed again and said, “I need Horus for my tests and the spell!”
“Then go with Anubis to see Horus,” Seth said. “I’m not going to stop you.”
Isis clenched her hands into fists and said, “You’re still just a monster,” before turning on her heel and stalking out of the room.
Anubis looked at Seth, clearly unsure.
“You’re dismissed,” Seth said, sharply. “Go plot if you wish.”
Anubis winced, and then left the room, following after Isis, maybe to actually plot away.
Seth breathed in deeply and leaned back on his throne, feeling tired. Not much had changed since he’d won the match. Heliopolis was quieter in some ways, at least, without all the gods making the place loud. But there were still problems like Isis and Horus to deal with. And Anubis and Nephthys.
Seth didn’t know what to deal with first: he couldn’t really help Isis with her experiments, or heal Nephthys himself. So I just, what? Seth wondered. Twiddle my thumbs?
“You dodging your problems instead of dealing with them is almost funny,” a familiar voice half-purred at him from behind the throne.
Seth frowned and made sand spikes shoot of the floor, causing Sekhmet to laugh as she leapt out of the way and landed before the throne in a half-crouch. Her golden headdress and costume glittered in the morning sunlight.
Seth glared at her and said, “What are you doing here, Sekhmet? The trial’s over. You missed it.” He was glad she hadn’t been involved in any of it, either. She had a habit of messing things up, and her help was always suspect.
“Is it?” Sekhmet asked as she stood and dusted herself off. “And here I thought the show had gone on. After all, you’ve been quite scrumptious after the second match.”
Seth scowled at her and said, “You always find ridiculous ways to word things.”
Sekhmet grinned sharp white teeth at him. “What would you rather I say? Something about the traitor son you’re sending to go help your enemies even more?”
“And what will he accomplish?” Seth asked, tired of this. “I already know what he did. If you expect to shock me, you’re mistaken.” Anubis was an ache he couldn't fix. But that didn't mean he was going to stew all the time over it. And he certainly wasn't going to moan about it to Sekhmet.
“Mostly I was just commiserating with you,” Sekhmet said as she stepped carefully forward, still smiling. “It must be so sad to be betrayed again by someone you love.”
Seth only glared at her before summoning more sand spikes, knocking her further away from the throne and making the ground shake a little. Sand crocodiles leapt from the floor and chased after her, making her laugh before she crushed and burned them.
“I’m not sure why you’re mad at me,” Sekhmet said with laughter in her voice. “You’re the one who’s afraid to confront Horus so much you hid him in a labyrinth.”
Seth glared at the goddess, making the sand animals move faster after her around the large chamber, half breaking walls in her wake. “I did no such thing. And I’m not afraid of him.” Horus lived because Isis wouldn’t help Nephthys otherwise. That’s all.
Sekhmet was finally cornered amidst some spikes, though she didn’t look that bothered as she backed up against a wall. “You know there’s another way to pay back Osiris, properly put Horus in his place, and get back at Isis than whatever it is you’re doing.”
Seth sighed loudly. “Oh? Do tell.” As if he was planning to take more advice from Sekhmet, of all people. That turned out so great before.
“You know how,” Sekhmet said as she smirked at him. “It’s like what Osiris did to you. And you’re stronger than Horus. He’d never recover from it.”
Seth felt cold at the insinuation. “I don’t need to do such a thing. He’s trapped alone in the dark.” The idea of doing that was… He just glared at her for the suggestion.
“Afraid?” Sekhmet asked. “After everything you’ve done, this is what you’re afraid of?”
Seth was getting pissed off at Sekhmet telling him he was afraid. He was a god of war!
More sand spikes stabbed towards where she was, but she leapt aside, cutting them in half.
“Or are you upset he didn’t manage to kill you in the end?” Sekhmet asked him with a grin as she slid along the floor, leaving cracks in the floor tiles.
Seth frowned at her, confused at the random line of thought. “What?”
“Oh Seth,” Sekhmet said as she moved forward around the slowed sand spikes. “I know you. I know despair like I know how to breathe. And you, you’ve despaired for a long time, hoping someone would put you out of your misery. And here comes this chosen of the heavens, seemingly ready to do it… and he fails.” She grinned. “That must have sucked, huh?”
Seth merely blinked at her. “You’re delusional. Leave.” The sand spikes grew in width as they rose from the ground. “You’re pissing me off.” He was going to start fighting for real soon, and then Sekhmet would regret things. He hadn’t spent hundreds of years ruling and even more leading armies for nothing.
Sekhmet pouted as she leapt away and said, “You’re no fun. Fine, I’ll go spend time with someone else.”
After she was gone, Seth breathed in deeply and leaned back in his chair. Good riddance. What was that about, bothering me about how to punish Horus? It’s my decision what to do with him, not hers. He’d managed to tick off Isis and Horus seemed genuinely afraid, while Nephthys was potentially on her way to being healed, despite everything. And Anubis was staying in line, to a degree.
Everything was fine.
“Ah, pardon…?”
Seth looked up to see Thoth hesitating by the doorway to the large room. The god of knowledge smiling in that way he did that made him look weak and helpless, but surprisingly, he had no Maat to hide behind.
“What do you want?” Seth asked, glaring at the bird. “Shouldn’t you be helping Isis?” Thoth hadn’t visited Seth once during his long reign, and to come here now, when the other god had been so fearful without his allies, was bizarre.
“She’s gone to talk with Horus,” Thoth said as he stepped closer, while eying some of the melting sand spikes warily. “I thought that… since she’s busy… maybe you could use my advice?”
Seth glared at him, thinking that was the last thing he wanted. “And your advice has been so useful to me?” He’d avoided conferring with Thoth over the years, initially out of wariness due to Thoth’s prophecy for Ra, and then out of lack of interest. Thoth avoided anything to do with war, and if he had any insight, he gave it to Isis, who relayed whatever was relevant to Seth.
Seth also always felt like Thoth was afraid of him, and Seth didn’t bother changing the perception. “You’ve done nothing but help my enemies and now you expect me to use you for my own ends?”
“You did win the trial,” Thoth said as he stepped even closer, though he stepped a short distance from the throne. “You are the rightful ruler of Egypt now, fair and square, and I, personally, care about Egypt’s stability.”
Seth found the pseudo-potential attempts at flattery odd before he noted, “You care so much about Egypt’s health that you cowered away in your temple while the kingdom suffered under my rule for hundreds of years?” The other gods had abandoned the humans just as much as Seth had.
At least Seth wasn’t alone in being left in the cold.
Thoth winced before he replied, “It’s… true that I am not the most skilled at martial prowess, so I tried to um… protect who I could when I could, rather than confront you directly. And I did help Isis and Horus in the end…”
“The very end,” Seth said. “And that came to nought.” Otherwise, Isis or Horus would be sitting on the throne.
Thoth smiled awkwardly and nodded with a quiet, “Yes…”
“So you’re useless and you help my enemies,” Seth said. “And your advice to me should be useful because…?” Seth asked, leaning on his hand again.
“Although my advice didn’t help Isis and Horus win,” Thoth said, “I do still know your other enemies weaknesses. And I know that Isis arranged to have a foreign army arrive on our shores to fight you in an emergency.”
Seth raised his head then. “What?” It was a ridiculous assertion, though he wouldn’t put it past Isis to reach out to people she wouldn’t ordinarily go to. Certainly she’d gone to Ra for help, so she was definitely desperate enough to contact foreigners for aid.
“It’s true,” Thoth said, looking calm. “They’re on their way even now, and should be here soon enough. A whole navy’s worth of foot soldiers, led by a powerful foreign god.”
Seth scowled at him. “More powerful than me?” He hadn’t dealt with any foreign gods in a long time. During Osiris’ reign, he’d kept them out of the country, though the army had fallen apart since then. Seth had still fought off a few over the years, and they generally knew to stay away, especially as the country fell more and more apart.
Thoth tilted his head and gazed up at the air, contemplatively. “I’m not very familiar with him, but I think it’s up for debate, especially given he’d be so far from home.”
Seth grimaced, though he wasn’t afraid of a new challenge. Certainly, it was something else to do rather than focus on Isis, Nephthys, Horus, or Anubis.
Seth still wasn’t sure it wasn’t a lie, perhaps some gambit of Thoth’s or Isis to take back the throne. “And I should let an ally of Osiris tell me more lies?”
Thoth winced and replied, “Osiris spoke before Maat’s scales, he wasn’t a liar!”
Seth barked a laugh then, making Thoth flinch. “That you idiots fall for his duplicity is hilarious…” All that wisdom and they can’t see through Osiris’ pathetic machinations… “Some god of knowledge you are.” Ridiculous… Useless imbeciles… Even when they were trying to “help” him they were bad at it.
“I know you don’t have a reason to trust my words,” Thoth said as he stepped closer, “But I can reassure you further.”
Seth scowled at him, unimpressed.
“Yes, we supported Osiris,” Thoth acknowledged, “after a fashion. He was the rightful ruler of Egypt, and you deposed him.” When Seth didn’t say anything, Thoth pushed on, “But that doesn’t mean we’re allies forever. Especially after everything Osiris has done…”
Seth narrowed his eyes. “What has he done?” He was under the impression people wanted to lick the ground beneath the dead god’s feet, especially judging by his reception at the trial.
“He destroyed a city I look after,” Thoth said, his expression going a bit solemn, “seeking out my knowledge. Especially when he didn’t hear what he wanted to hear.”
Seth scoffed and said, “Sounds just like him.” Though he couldn’t recall Osiris doing something specific like that. He supposed the other god had traveled around a bit during the war with Ra, and Isis had commented negatively on some of his tactics.
“I can even take you to the city if you want,” Thoth said, perking up that he hadn’t lost Seth entirely. “So you can see the destruction.” Thoth sighed sadly. “It could have been a place of knowledge, and he just wrecked it… So wasteful…”
“And yet you supported him,” Seth said. Can any of you people just pick a side and stick on it?
“He seemed to have changed a bit,” Thoth said, a bit nervously. “He was a better ruler than he was before that.”
A better ruler my ass, Seth thought. Sure, he acknowledged Osiris’ skills in making agriculture work, but he’d gone behind Isis and Seth’s back for everything else, attempted to murder his nephew, and his entire plan had collapsed due to Osiris’ own ineptitude, while the kingdom crumbled in his wake. Without Isis and Nephthys around to work, and Seth to maintain the borders, nothing Osiris did had any permanence. That didn’t speak highly of Osiris’ abilities.
He was almost weaker than the rest of us in that regard, Seth thought. Pompous asshole.
“And I viewed the way you took the throne as erm… unfair,” Thoth said, bringing Seth out of his reverie.
Seth burst out laughing then, startling Thoth.
Imagine what you’d say if you knew it was Osiris who handed the throne to me, Seth thought, bitterly. Imagine if you knew what shit your precious savior’s father got up to.
It was almost more annoying than anything else to keep up the charade, especially after learning Isis knew. All these people who thought they knew what he was, and they had no idea. And even if they got rid of him, well... Osiris was still there, ready to sabotage them whenever he felt like it. Without Seth to obsess over, he'd likely ruin the rest of them.
When his laughter finally died down, he said, “You’re the god of knowledge. Do you really only know what Osiris admitted to about the night he died?” He couldn’t believe Osiris had been able to come back in some way and never told anyone anything, even more lies.
Thoth looked wary then. “Well, I’ve heard rumors that elaborate on it…” He looked apologetic. “Lots of people like to exaggerate about what you did to him. But you don’t seem the type to dismember his body and place it in a coffin to float down a river…”
Seth grimaced in distaste. “Why would I place the pieces in a coffin? They’re just trash.”
Thoth blinked at that, and then smiled, awkwardly, clearly unsure how to react.
Seth leaned back on his throne. So either he’s still a good liar or he really doesn’t know anything about that night. Seth grimaced. Useless trash.
He wasn’t going to explain if he didn’t have to. Dealing with Isis, Anubis, Sekhmet and now Thoth was draining. And it was better if Thoth feared him too much to challenge him anyway.
But if the foreign army was coming, Seth could use whatever information he could get. He wouldn’t have ordinarily cared if they destroyed Egypt, but he disliked the idea of someone else doing it.
This is my kingdom, Seth thought, bitterly. I decide how it falls.
He smirked at Thoth. “Fine. Tell me what you know about Isis’ pet army. And anything else you think I might find useful. But lie to me, and you’ll regret it.”
Thoth swallowed nervously before stepping closer.