Sweet Revenge (Tag: Horus, then Set)
"Take very good care of this. Don't worry, he can't do anything while he is in this case," she explained to Fatima. "I want to surprise Horus, and I don't want him to pick up on his uncle's presence until the time is right. I will call you when I am ready." Gazing down at her prize, a smile smile played on her lips. "You look hungry. Are you hungry, dear brother?" With a flick of her finger, a pair of flies buzzed in confusion inside the little box. Seeing the toad's sudden agitation, she pretended to misinterpret his objections. "Oh, I'm soooo sorry, that really isn't suitable fare for a king, is it? Here, this might be better." The flies disappeared, replaced with a sparkling firefly. "Maybe after you've swallowed that, it'll warm your heart a little."
She knew she would pay dearly for her additional humiliation of her brother, but she just couldn't let this opportunity slip by. It was simply too much fun. Plus, for once, she could say what she wanted to say, and he couldn't mouth off to her. He was forced to listen, without turning heel and running off, like the coward he really was. "Your current status has certainly given me a lot to think about. I promised you I would set you right, and I will, but not without certain...concessions, shall we say?" At the very least, he needed to be convinced to leave the damn Greeks alone.
Clearly, Set was not pleased with this turn of events. He bounced around the box, as if trying to find a way to escape. But there was none. Gwydyon had seen to that very well.
"You know, instead of spending all your time thinking of all the ways you would like to torture me, maybe you should reflect on what really brought you to this point. We cared about each other, once. Oddly, a part of me still does. You are my brother. A bond that at least means something to me, even if you have forgotten that yourself. Don't you remember how we used to be? The games we played. The secrets shared. There was love there, once. I even defied my own son for your sake, at one time. An action that could only have come from a sister who still cared, despite all." A sigh of regret escaped her lips.
"But your actions so long ago have never been atoned for. You killed my husband, your own brother, and nearly brought Kemet to ruin in the process. I brought him back, but to what end? He was forced to remain in the Underworld, while you pranced around up here proclaiming yourself king to all the world. You took away my life. Did you really think I would simply just let it go?" Tears of anger, loss, and frustration threatened to form, and she blinked rapidly. "You wounded my son, you usurped his rightful place, and yet you thought you could just carry on, having the audacity to insinuate that I should be your Queen, forgetting our sister, seeming to forget you have your own wife. What on earth ever possessed you to think that would ever be possible?"
"You were never my king." The words, though nearly a whisper, were harshly spoken, spat out in resentment.
"Well, we shall just see what fate holds in store for you now." Her smile was black, completely humorless. "Maybe, if Horus is in a good mood, we will spare your life. Hard to say. He, too, is rather bitter." Her words were simply designed to inflict a little fear into him. There were certain rules that couldn't be broken, and if he had any sense remaining, he would know that. She just had to give him another jab, after all the insults he had thrown her way. "And I suggest you settle down in there. You really don't want to hurt yourself. You might scar those pretty features."
She glanced at Fatima, noting the look of satisfaction on the other woman's face. "Dear Fatima," she thought. "After all you have done for me, it is right you have even a small hand in this." She smiled mischievously at her. "Wait for my call. I promise, it won't be long."
She turned on her heel, instantly appearing at her son's temple. She entered without knocking, something a mother had the right to do. If Horus was doing anything he didn't want her to know about, he would sense her presence immediately and forewarn her. She headed toward the throne room.
"Horus, darling? It's Mother." She kept her voice light, pleasant. "I have some interesting news for you, dear."