34- Now You've Gone And Done It

34- Now You've Gone And Done It
"Have you lost what's left of your rabbit-ass mind?!" Hathor spat on the ground, disgusted with her son now that she fully understood what had happened at dinner, "What the hell was that?"

Horus had taken Aisha home and judging on his absence, had skirted off to his office to de-stress afterwards. Hathor knew him well enough to figure that much. Bast and Anubis took off the first chance they could get, likely not expecting things would go that badly.

As soon as Osiris had brought the name Aiko up, Imset had gotten to his feet, arguing with his grandfather. Horus hadn't wasted a moment to get involved in the discussion over why that topic was over the line. And at some point, Anubis had summoned an entire spirit into the room and Aisha hadn't lasted after that. It was hard to determine how much of what happened with the human was a decision and how much was an unfortunate coincidence.

"Did you not hear me?!" Hathor snapped her fingers.

Imset didn't have an answer, shrinking further and further into guilt. He'd crossed that line again, "I didn't know he would summon her friend. That's-- I know how much that would hurt her... I wouldn't have--"

"I can't even fucking look at you," Neith snarled, turning away to leave, "It's was cruel, even for you." Mutef followed, hanging his head as if he could not find one good word to give his brother. They disappeared off to their own wing.

The dinner had been a mistake. Pushing her had been a mistake. Especially with how Osiris intended to do it. He had obviously planned to push Aisha as far away from caring about Imset as possible. The way her body shook... the pain in her eyes. Imset felt like he might vomit. It was taking all his considerable control not to go to her and beg for forgiveness. He'd admit his fault. Tell her his whole truth. Admit all his baser fears.

But Hathor forbade it and with how she currently regarded him, she might very well draw blood if he tried.

Hathor took a deep breath, willing her anger down. This was her son and as badly as she might want to whip his ass, she was trying to get him to understand what he had done. Gods, the way Aisha's body crumpled into Anubis. That anguished sound...

"Imset, what in all of Egypt would possess you to give Osiris that power? To agree not to do anything to defend her while he provoked her? It was... was Bast a part of your plan? Make her jealous while you were at it? You are often thoughtless, son, but this? It was too far."

"No! Bast was never... I wasn't told she would be there. Anubis either. Though I see now what grandfather had planned. I was stupid to agree to it but he played on my fear of her failing the test," Imset tossed himself into a lounge seat in the main entrance of the palace. He covered his face with his hands. His body was exhausted, tired well beyond the small exertion of power he'd used on Bast. It was devastation, he realized. And an utter lack of options for how to fix the disaster he'd created.

"I thought we all talked this out already! I mean come on, Imset, a five-THOUSAND-year-old god of death afraid of how this might end?" Hathor placed her hands carefully at her hips, "She's strong. I have faith in her. You should too. But even if she doesn't pass, you've been down this road before and survived. Worst-case scenario, you can do it again."

"I don't want to do it again!" Imset yelled.

"I understand that, but to rile her grief..." Hathor shook the image of Aisha away. It pained her. The sharp tang of her agony had scented the air. It made them all recoil.

"I would never have thought he would use that. I thought he would insult her, provoke her sensibilities... maybe drag humanity's name through the mud. I don't even know how he knew of the human."

"He's master of the underworld!" Qebe bit back, suddenly unable to hold his own tongue with his brother, "He was bound to investigate her once he realized how invested you'd become. We warned you."

"I don't ever want to watch the life drain from her eyes, brother," Imset cried out, "You of all people should be able to understand that! I've had more consort attempts than any of you and I've filthied my hands too many times. Too many, dammit! I don't want to stop hearing her smart-ass comebacks or seeing her genuine smile. I don't want to hurt her." His voice twisted, emotions torturing him. Tonight had been a disaster but his intentions had been good. He wasn't sure that mattered anymore.

Hapi cut in, putting his hand to Hathor's shoulder. She had gone rigid, "Of course we understand, but some things are worth the risk. She's obviously worth the risk of breaking her. Could she not also be worth the risk of breaking your own heart?"

"I just wanted her angry enough to pass," Imset looked pathetically to Hathor, "I made a mistake. I went about it the wrong way. I know. But I would never have done what he did. You have to believe me."

"And yet you let him do it. You didn't raise even an ounce of power against him."

"It would have been futile," Imset reasoned, "Grandfather is more powerful than I am."

"Yes but if you love someone you fight even when the odds are against you. And if you're really as torn up about this as you seem, I believe it's love. If that's the case, why didn't you fight for her?"

Before he could respond she cut in again, "Hell, even I was ready to teach Bast a lesson and she wasn't even directly talking to me! You just let her. What does that show your consort? That you choose her over all others? That you'd lay down your life to protect her? That's she important? Invaluable? Someone you can't live without?" Each question seared a deeper pain in Imset.

He opened his mouth but said nothing, realizing any defense he offered sounded quite stupid against that argument. Fuck. He had done nothing but show her how little value she had in his life. It was... How did he always end up on the wrong side of things when it came to Aisha? He put his hands into his dreads, pursing his lips.

"How do you expect her to trust you again?" Serket asked, her voice surprisingly raw. Imset didn't have an answer. She might not.

His mother's eyes burned with disappointment then another emotion altogether. Suddenly his mother's eyes turned bright red as if she were just understanding something. She looked like at any second she might start foaming at the mouth, "And you've slept together? You've already started that bond haven't you?!"

Imset leaned forward slowly, bringing his hands to a meet over his mouth, "Okay.... I fucked up..."

"YOU THINK?!" Nephy hissed.

"But, she'll be okay when she wakes up, right? It's not like she... um..." Imset couldn't quite finish his thought. Nothing seemed like it would be okay.

"I suggest you pray that she forgives you," Hathor said. And walked away before she did something to Imset she would deeply regret.

__________________________________________

Hathor calmly walked the halls of the palace, her composure belying the volcanic rage she really felt as she looked for her husband. How had Imset become so broken? She snorted angrily at herself, she knew exactly how he became this way. Early on, he'd been so hopeful and driven to be a good deity and consort. But year after year-- attempted consort after attempted consort-- he grew more reserved. Thousands of years. She couldn't even count how many he'd killed over these long years and each one had been a tragedy in its own right. 

Fucking Ra and his laws. He'd written that terrible rule into action long ago when she was still a child herself. Second generations could choose to marry divinity or mortals but mortals were subject to the test. It was meant to keep the consort selection process pure. In theory it was good to open up their divinity to mortal influence. It kept ideas fresh and the genetic lines from stagnating. It also limited the number of humans willing to risk themselves to obtain power. But to excuse all failed attempts... that aspect had nearly destroyed each of her sons. And Imset had it the worst.

Qebe was by far the luckiest, having found Serket in the world when it was still young. Hapi hadn't been too many millennia behind. But Mutef and Imset? They grew distant, hardened, as time stretched on. When Mutef finally found Neith, that was a blessing in Hathor's heart. It had been such a long and bitter journey for him. And even that marriage had been centuries years ago.

Leaving Imset the only unwedded one all this time.

With each wife his brothers took, he became more closed off, more cold and distant. Though he was happy for them and loved his new sisters, Hathor always knew it was a longing he couldn't quench. And when Mutef finally took his bride, something iced over in Imset's chest. He refused to try again. And it broke her heart. She could see all the signs but what could she do? The laws were the laws. If only he had found love with another goddess... But he seemed to never be able to fully connect.

One of the housekeepers scuttled by with a half-smile.

"Bee? What's wrong?" Hathor turned, dropping her anger for a moment, "Is everything alright?"

She bowed, "Yes mistress, it's just I've seen that look before and I didn't want to irritate you any further... should we clear the west wing again?"

Hathor pinched a smile, "Yes, probably best.... for at least half the day." Bee scurried back off, laughing a bit under her breath. Hathor turned once more, a small smirk on her face, heading towards her husband's office...in that very same west wing. 

He was damn sure going to fix this. There was no way anyone was getting in the way of some new little grandbabies. Especially not with that sweet, bookish, respectful woman. Strong and resilient? With the looks of a stunner? Those babies would be perfect. And those lovely brown eyes... Hathor sighed deeply, thinking about the cute baby cheeks scrunching up under those adorable little eyes. Was it her fault that married couples were only fertile for the first few years of their marriage? Even the divine didn't fully understand things like creation.

She walked forcefully into an empty office ready to make an entrance that unfortunately fell flat. Where the hell was that obnoxious man now? Her blood pressure ticked one notch higher at the sight of his empty chair, papers strewn about his desk. Of course, he was not where he should have been.

If she had a dime for every time he abandoned turmoil to go play catch the sun with Ra, she would be a rich widow. Just as she was about to leave the office, she heard a soft sound coming from the patio. A sound she knew very well. Snoring. How could the man sleep at a time like this? When the entire happiness of their son was resting on the traumatized woman Horus himself picked?

Her composure cracked finally as she rounded the patio wall and flung her hand down hard on his sleeping face. She quickly slipped back around the corner as he jumped, "WHAT IN THE FRESH HELL?! WHO?! WHAT?!" She could hear his frantic movements left and right to get his bearings, "DAMN THAT HURT!" he hissed. She heard him cup his jaw--heard him mumble about respect.

She stifled her laugh and returned to the patio, the picture of poise, "Oh good, honey, you're awake! I was worried I would have to awaken you, I could hear you snoring from down the hall..."

"Oh gods, baby, did you see anyone leaving on your way in? I swear I was just slapped damn near out of my slippers," his flushed face nearly broke her composure into a fit of laughter, but she held it together. Now wasn't the time to make light.

"I don't know... One of the kids maybe? Perhaps they were upset because you never came back after dropping the human off?" she answered, her ire easily heard in her tone. He eyed her wearily. His suspicions over who had struck him growing.

"You probably had a bad dream. You know you've always been prone to those realistic night terrors, hmm," Hathor tucked her finger under his chin, smiling sweetly, "But we have to discuss your son..."

"My son?" he grunted seductively, though still rubbing his face, "I distinctly recall you being there for each of their conceptions..."

"Yes, well that's beside the point. He's a block-headed fool and that's your genes at work, not mine. So he's yours until he corrects himself."

Horus sighed, "Tonight wasn't entirely his fault I'm sure."

"Is that the godsdamned point?!" she clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"He's grown, we really can't intercede but so much, dearest, we should really let them sort it out. It was unfortunate but no one was hurt. Osiris seemed to be surprised that Imset reacted so strongly. I don't think he'll attempt anything like that again."

"My grandbabies!" she gave him a fierce look the likes of which would make any man tremble, "I. want. My. Grandkids. Horus. That boy is going to drive away the only consort he's had in centuries!" She pointed her long fingernail at his chest, "Correct this situation. Before I correct it for you!" Horus hated the double play of what he'd told Imset just a week before.

Using his given name and not a pet name meant only one thing, he was in trouble too. He rubbed the side of his head, "My love, consider it done. I'll speak with him again."

"See to it that it is done, not forgotten in your sleep, love," Hathor seethed before slipping back out of his office.