Even If It Means War || Ennead

Sunrise

The morning after the storm brought cold air and dark waters, Seth realized. He had woken up early, while it was still dark out. With nothing but a blanket wrapped around his body, he stood at the front of the boat while the humans in the back paddled them toward Egypt.

He breathed in the fresh air and realized that he didn't mind the sea too much. The storms, yes but the sea? It brought him the calmness that he could find in neither Egypt nor Hellas.
Lost in the beautiful view he didn't realize that a certain god of wisdom jumped from one boat to another and was now standing behind him.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself," he commented and snapped the man out of his train of thought.

"Huh? Yes, I am," he answered which seemed to have taken Thoth by surprise. He expected an insult maybe or sarcasm. His gaze softened when he noticed that Seth looked like he was still half asleep. If the dark circles and droopy eyes were anything to go by.
He looked pretty. And nothing like the god of war from 8 months ago.

The blanket was falling off his shoulder, his hair fluttered in the wind. A peaceful look, Thoth thought, and he felt pity for the demigod.

"That's good." he walked up to stand next to him and pulled the blanket back up over his shoulder for him.
"We will be in Egypt soon." you should prepare yourself, was purposefully left unsaid.

But Seth understood and nodded. They stood in silence, just looking out at the sunrise as the first rays of sunshine fought their way through the clouds.
It was quiet, save for the paddling of the ships. A perfect morning, Thoth decided.

Seth spoke up, "I really do regret it, you know?"

"What?"

"Everything."

"Why did you do it?"

"I can't say."

They left it at that. It wouldn't change anything to talk about it now anyway. What happened was in the past now and Seth was going to stand for it. The regret was eating at him, the souls screamed his name in his sleep but he wasn't going to run away again.
He had no one to fight for anymore, except maybe, himself?

He could do the right thing, and show his regret through his actions. Earn at least a little respect back from his family. His mother wouldn't care but maybe his father whose earth carried his desert.
Could there be a day when maybe Anubis regained his memories and realized that his father did his best to repent? Anubis...would he see him again? Part of him wanted to but the other part was afraid. Afraid that the story would just repeat itself.

He sighed and shook his head as if trying to shake that thought away and into the sea, never to be thought about again.

"Did Horus tell you he's getting married?" Thoth leaned over the edge, looking down to see how the ship was breaking through the water.

Seth clenched the blanket tighter as a rush of cold wind blew through the air, "He is?"

"To Hathor. No doubt she's excited for Horus to come back. They announced their wedding just before Hera's letter arrived."

"Hera's letter?" Seth didn't know what to concentrate on. The fact that Horus was getting married to Hathor or the mention of Hera's name.

"After we found out that the sand started to disappear we called the Ennead and realized that you had left Egypt. I had my suspicions that you were in Hellas–"

"Of course you did." Seth rolled his eyes and Thoth sent him a cheeky grin.

"--And before we knew it a letter arrived. It said that you were on that Mountain with them."
Thoth tightened his ponytail and looked back at Seth.

"And Hera sent it." Seth concluded, to which Thoth nodded.

"Exactly."

Seth just hummed, it was to be expected. At least he didn't get poisoned as Hestia assumed.
He wondered if maybe dying in Hellas meant he would end up in their underworld. Maybe he could've sucked up to Hades and gotten special treatment down there.

If he was entirely honest, he had absolutely no idea how the underworld in Hellas worked. Hestia mentioned something about rivers and dogs and threads. Maybe he should've listened better but oh well.

Oh, he would miss Hestia, he realized. Besides Ares, she was the person he would miss the most. He chuckled as he remembered their conversations and how Poseidon would butt in to make his moves at her only to be rejected in some cheeky way.

He really would miss Hellas, the reality of that finally set in.

Then his thoughts went back to the wedding. From how he knew Hathor to be she was probably running around, screaming and yelling at her servants about some minor issues with the wedding.
He almost pitied the humans that served her. It was such a shame to waste their good looks on someone like Hathor.

Then again, Hathor had always been obsessed with looks. A particular moment came to mind from when he was young and she openly insulted his hair color. It was Osiris who had to talk some sense into him when he tried to shave it all off later that day.

"I'm not invited to that wedding, am I?" He grinned, sincere and innocent.

Thoth shook his head, returning a smile, "I'm afraid not."

"Ah shit, and I thought I'd get to taste the good wine again." Seth raised his arms over his head as he stretched, pulling the blanket along.

"I'm sure I can sneak out a bottle or two into the desert." Thoth chuckled as Seth elbowed him.