The Curse in Her Blood

Chapter 33

Robin

Set had been gone four days and I had nothing to do. And, since I was bored, I got into all sorts of mischief.

Oh I wasn't going around pranking Osiris, though the thought did come to my mind. But I did spend a lot of time in the town below our kingdom getting to know our people. It wasn't really mischief, I didn't think I was causing problems, but somehow, I just knew, that Set wouldn't want me wandering about. He'd want me stuck in the palace avoiding contact with the other world.

Well, he should have thought about that before going on a cruise and leaving me behind.

I learned that most of his people were famers. There were others, like the baker family and the carpenter family, but almost everyone owned a farm here. And every time I went down to that town they asked the same thing: "When are we getting our blessings?"

It was why I had gone to the library to read up on them. I wanted to see if there was an instruction manual or something. Some guide I could follow so I could do it for them, but, while I found loads about Osiris's blessings and the other gods in the Upper Kingdom there was nothing about Set's at all.

Useless.

I had found some readings of use, but they were either too vague or wildly over exaggerated. I'd need Set to figure out what to do for this.

This day, however, is going to be special. And not only because it is day five of me being left alone in the kingdom of he dead.

I had sent the invitation two days ago and I had heard back literally immediately. Nehebu-Kau had RSVPed yes to the tea party I scheduled for today. Granted it was just a two-person tea party, but that didn't mean it wasn't going to be special.

It was Nehebu-Kau's first one after all.

I had spent the last two days preparing. One day to pick the menu and find Set's tea set, and one day to set up the room. I had been in the kitchen since dawn. The servants were putting the finishing touches on everything, and they were going to get the spread up to the room.

I had made extra, just in case Nehebu-Kau wanted to take stuff home, and in case the servants wanted to nibble while they worked.

Once I was sure everything was ready, I got into the finery for the day.

On the second day of being by myself I realized that Set had been making clothes appear for me. I dind't have my own wardrobe. The servants had brought out all the clothes that Astarte used to wear, and all of them were either gold and turquoise or black and gold but completely sheer. Like literally could see right through it to the body underneath.

After that I had met the Weaver family and they had made me up all sorts of different dresses and outfits. Ones that I was more comfortable with... and were completely opaque.

The matriarch of the Weaver family had informed me that I had the same sort of taste and style as his first wife.

They adorned my straps with jewels, even though I said it wasn't necessary. My white garments got turquoise stones and the black, which was what I was mainly in, were adorned with rubies. Each piece of fabric had lines of gold woven through them, making it look like marble.

They taught me how to wrap the dress, and then the women taught me how to do the make up more like them.

I had never managed to perfect winged eyeliner but with their help I did. I couldn't wait to teach Sarah when I got back.

On the second day, the servants showed me where the vault was, which essentially a room where Set kept all his money and jewels. They let me pick out some jewellery, being sure to tell me that Astarte was here all the time. Yeah, I had no intention of doing that. I picked out some small, modest pieces for me to wear, and if Set got mad I'd put them on.