(no subject)
Isis sat on a wooden dock jutting out over the Nile, her back against a post as one foot dangled in the water, lazily swirling the dark liquid. Usually the sight of the hippos and crocodiles would cheer her, but today her habitually playful self had grown pensive. From her vantage point she could see the area her siblings and her used to play... First the four of them altogether, then three as Osiris went to learn about ruling. It hadn't taken long for it to be only two, Nephthys not always fond of their games.
There wouldn't be any more games, not after tomorrow. Tomorrow she would marry Osiris, a day she'd always known would come. He was the first born, and she the eldest sister. It's the way things were. She had never expected to feel any regrets about it. So why was she feeling like it was the end of something?
With a sigh she leaned her head back, looking up... up towards her mother, who was the sky itself. She felt a breeze against her cheek, and it produced a slight smile.
"Mother."
"Aset. You look rather unhappy For a girl preparing to get married."
The words were whispered into her ear with the wind, more a feeling than any actual sound.
"Not unhappy, mother. Thoughtful. Nothing will be the same after tomorrow."
"It can't stay the same for ever. Osiris will be King."
"I know."
"And you his Queen."
"I know."
"And this doesn't please you."
"I wouldn't say that. I just...don't want things to change. I like being able to learn and play and what not."
"Aset. You play with Seth and have fun, but it can be no more that that. He is my son, but a bad seed. No good can come of your relationship with him. i watch you both all day. Do you think he will be happy? He wants what does not belong to him. He is cruel and hurtful. He is everything your not."
"And yet we get along fine."
"And you will get along without him, as you live and rule with Osiris."
"Yes. I know."
"My daughter. You have a choice in this. You will make the right one."
With that The breeze faded, and Isis knew her mother had gone. She frowned at the stillness... what was this about a choice? No one had said anything... she'd always known she'd marry Osiris. The idea of a choice offered a whole new idea of what things could be. Was her mother stating she had a choice between marriage or not, or just between Osiris or not? If she didn't marry Osiris in the morning, would her sister? She had no doubt Nephthys would do it, if offered. And did it matter? Her duty was to Osiris. Her duty was to Egypt. Could she ignore that because she didn't want to lose something she held close?
The sun began to sink below the horizon, the dark snake that was night beginning to uncurl. She was supposed to meet Seth out here near the reeds very shortly, though she didn't know why. It was a surprise, he said. It wouldn't do to be out here before him... and so she pulled herself to her feet, and made her way back to their home, planning only to change and come back out.
She was just inside the door when Osiris caught her, sneaking behind her and kissing her cheek. She smiled at him lightly, and made to back away when he grabbed her arm, tugging on it.
"I don't want to wait until after tomorrow to share my ideas with you. Let me show you some things I have planned for Egypt."
"I..."
She looked from him back out the way she came, then to his face. It held such excitement, such life... Such dedication. This was her choice, in a nutshell... duty and dedication to Egypt? Or companionship and the surprises that came with Chaos. What she needed to do, or what she enjoyed most. She took a breath and nodded finally, letting Osiris pull her in the direction she wished.
"Very well. We'll be putting it all into action soon enough."
She glanced back down toward the water, and caught a glimpse of red hair... and could only hope he'd understand her choice. It was duty, after all.
There wouldn't be any more games, not after tomorrow. Tomorrow she would marry Osiris, a day she'd always known would come. He was the first born, and she the eldest sister. It's the way things were. She had never expected to feel any regrets about it. So why was she feeling like it was the end of something?
With a sigh she leaned her head back, looking up... up towards her mother, who was the sky itself. She felt a breeze against her cheek, and it produced a slight smile.
"Mother."
"Aset. You look rather unhappy For a girl preparing to get married."
The words were whispered into her ear with the wind, more a feeling than any actual sound.
"Not unhappy, mother. Thoughtful. Nothing will be the same after tomorrow."
"It can't stay the same for ever. Osiris will be King."
"I know."
"And you his Queen."
"I know."
"And this doesn't please you."
"I wouldn't say that. I just...don't want things to change. I like being able to learn and play and what not."
"Aset. You play with Seth and have fun, but it can be no more that that. He is my son, but a bad seed. No good can come of your relationship with him. i watch you both all day. Do you think he will be happy? He wants what does not belong to him. He is cruel and hurtful. He is everything your not."
"And yet we get along fine."
"And you will get along without him, as you live and rule with Osiris."
"Yes. I know."
"My daughter. You have a choice in this. You will make the right one."
With that The breeze faded, and Isis knew her mother had gone. She frowned at the stillness... what was this about a choice? No one had said anything... she'd always known she'd marry Osiris. The idea of a choice offered a whole new idea of what things could be. Was her mother stating she had a choice between marriage or not, or just between Osiris or not? If she didn't marry Osiris in the morning, would her sister? She had no doubt Nephthys would do it, if offered. And did it matter? Her duty was to Osiris. Her duty was to Egypt. Could she ignore that because she didn't want to lose something she held close?
The sun began to sink below the horizon, the dark snake that was night beginning to uncurl. She was supposed to meet Seth out here near the reeds very shortly, though she didn't know why. It was a surprise, he said. It wouldn't do to be out here before him... and so she pulled herself to her feet, and made her way back to their home, planning only to change and come back out.
She was just inside the door when Osiris caught her, sneaking behind her and kissing her cheek. She smiled at him lightly, and made to back away when he grabbed her arm, tugging on it.
"I don't want to wait until after tomorrow to share my ideas with you. Let me show you some things I have planned for Egypt."
"I..."
She looked from him back out the way she came, then to his face. It held such excitement, such life... Such dedication. This was her choice, in a nutshell... duty and dedication to Egypt? Or companionship and the surprises that came with Chaos. What she needed to do, or what she enjoyed most. She took a breath and nodded finally, letting Osiris pull her in the direction she wished.
"Very well. We'll be putting it all into action soon enough."
She glanced back down toward the water, and caught a glimpse of red hair... and could only hope he'd understand her choice. It was duty, after all.