Anubis 2: Kebehut
[Note--this was the second story of the original COTS to be entirely rewritten, and so far is the longest. Compare to the rewrite entitled simply "Kebehut." It's only in partial format here.]
ANUBIS WAS BORED.
Every day, since Sokar had ceded his job of spreading death to mortals, he had done the exact same thing; and every night, at Judgement, he would set up his scales and weigh the hearts of those who had died. Every day it was the same thing, over and over again and again.
That was why one day he decided to spend some time to himself. Though he visited the mortals often, he knew quite little about them; about all that he knew was that they died, unlike gods, and they seemed to quarrel a lot--though he was sure that the latter was also true for the gods. He had asked Khenti Amenti, one of his tutors, about them once, and had been given what was, to him, an unsatisfactory answer.
"Don't mess with the mortals," the wolf god had said. "All they do is cause trouble. They can be amusing at times, though, so it's quite alright [sic] to watch from a distance."
From a distance wasn't what Anubis had in mind. He wanted to get a better look at those strange creatures whose short existences at times seemed so futile.
So he went to Bastet, and asked her what he should do.
"If you really want to see what they're like, go looking as they do," she replied. "That way they won't notice you, so one, you won't get in trouble, and two, they'll act naturally."
And so Anubis did.
He watched them for a while, studying their clothing and mannerisms, and finally, when he was ready, disguised himself and went to join them.
His first day among the mortals went quite well. He roamed about, watching them intently as they went to and fro about their business, and when he tired he rested near the river where the ships and rafts were wont to pass. In all he found the day quite interesting, and at nightfall decided to stay a little longer. Judgement wasn't to be for an hour or so yet. He visited a tavern of sorts, where many of the people seemed to be going. Inside he sat down in a darkened corner, still observing them with alert eyes. It wasn't too long before one of them, a man dressed as a merchant, noticed him and approached. Anubis looked up as he sat down.
"Never seen you here before," he said. "Name?"
"Anpu," Anubis said, with barely any hesitation. He knew that very few mortals would recognize his older name.
The merchant nodded but didn't offer a name. Anubis didn't really care though. "New around here?"
Anubis smiled wistfully. "Not really."
For a while they sat talking, the merchant telling of hi day's sales, of how his neighbor's sick donkey was doing, of his two-year-old son and his ragged toy goat. And all the while Anubis listened, recognizing under all the cheerful talk the actual loneliness of the man. It was several hours later that he finally departed for his home in the Underworld. As he entered, he noticed all was still. The halls were deserted.
He had missed Judgement.
Silently, he continued on, looking for his room. A soft noise caught his attention, and he stopped in midstride, looking back over his shoulder.
A faint shadow. Then he recognized Thoth, coming his way. His tensed muscles relaxed, and he turned.
"Anubis," Thoth said as a sort of greeting as he approached. Anubis nodded. "Where have you been?"
"With the mortals," Anubis said. Thoth raised his eyebrows. "I didn't interfere with their activities. I only wanted to see what they were like."
"Well, now you have." Thoth stared at him for a moment, as if noticing a new person emerging. "You've missed Judgement. Maat took over the weighing for you." He smiled faintly. "Did you meet anyone interesting?"
Anubis smiled also. Thoth was with him for now. "A merchant. He talked and laughed for a long time but I really don't think he was feeling it." He paused. Then, "Thoth, are all mortals so inwardly desperate?"
"Many of them are. But not all. Some of them manage to make do with what time they have. Come now, it's late. You have a long day ahead of you."
Anubis agreed, and together he and Thoth continued down the hall.
"So that's where he was last night?" Hathor asked, brushing her hair. "Anubis was on earth, with the mortals?"
Khenti Amenti nodded. He lay near the door half-asleep, having come to give the goddess his news of the day. "All day long. He stayed there quite a while. From what I hear he enjoyed it, too."
"Is that so." After a moment Hathor put her brush down and stared thoughtfully into the mirror in front of her. "Khenti," she said finally, "what do you think Anubis would think of a wife?"
Khenti raised his head. "Goddess?"
"A wife. How do you think Anubis would like that?"
Khenti snorted and put his head back down. "I don't know. Maybe he'd like it, maybe not. But there's Osiris and Isis to think of first."
Hathor nodded. Not long ago, another goddess named Nemesis had fallen in love with Anubis, only to be denied permission to marry him by Osiris and Isis, due to his relatively young age and inexperience with mortals. This action had led to much heartache for Nemesis and much trouble for the mortals themselves. [Note--all righty, this is a Kemet story that may go forever untold. In my old Encyclopedia Of Things That Never Were era, I came up with a tale regarding Anubis and the Greek goddess Nemesis. I'd gotten the idea from an image of a faience statue I saw of Nemesis in a book on Egyptian art; this was obviously GRECO-ROMAN Egyptian art, but I wasn't aware of that back then. It was a statue of Nemesis as a gryphon, with her talon resting on the Wheel of Fortune. I came up with a story that she would ask to marry Anubis and would be denied. Set would then trick her into marrying HIM, and would use her and her rage over Anubis's rejection as his pawns in causing havoc for the mortals. Eventually the other gods would convince Nemesis of the error of her ways or some such--I think they cursed her with her gryphon form and condemned her to always spinning the Wheel of Fortune to determine others' fates. I still occasionally toy with the idea of this story, probably in a modified format, happening at some point. HOWEVER...the role of Nemesis has since been taken over in my fiction by the Egyptian goddess Meskhent, who determines people's fates. An interesting aside--in the original full version of this very story, "Kebehut," Nemesis appears briefly, to state Khebit's fate. In the rewrite, of course, Meskhent has taken her place. Perhaps someday I'll write a story about MESKHENT wanting to marry Anubis...??] However, she had the feeling that now they would allow him to marry. After all, he was grown now, wasn't he? He should be able to make that decision for himself. And Hathor had an idea--make it a mortal first, so if things don't work out it could be fixed. Right then and there she decided it was about time that Anubis learn his next lesson. Though with Osiris's and Isis's permission first, of course.
Hathor went to Isis first, knowing that if either agreed she would be the first to. Isis told her to come visit herself and Osiris after Judgement. When everyone else had departed, she entered the large, echoing Hall, her mind set.
Osiris and Isis were there on their thrones, waiting. Hathor bowed before them but stayed standing; they were about equals so most formalities weren't necessary. Isis nodded at her, so she spoke.
"I've come to ask you a question about Anubis," she started.
"Isis has told me that much already," Osiris replied. Hathor went on.
"I wish to know if Anubis is ready to marry."
Osiris looked stunned. "Marry?-- Why do you ask?"
Hathor laughed. "Oh, not for me! You both very well know that I'm not going to marry. I just want to know if you think he's ready or not."
Osiris said nothing.
"I was thinking perhaps a mortal first," Hathor said. "Just to see how things work out."
"You understand that Anubis has never loved a woman before," Isis said.
Hathor nodded. "Of course he'll be confused at first, but he's learned everything else so quickly that I think he'd know what to do."
Isis looked at Osiris. Osiris, looking resigned, nodded. Isis nodded also.
"Alright [sic], then," she said. "Try this with Anubis. But be careful with who you choose for him. He's always been somewhat reserved."
Hathor nodded, bowed again, and left.
She was forced to bide her time for a while, as it was several days before Anubis went out again. He stayed in his quarters for a good deal of the time, studying, as Thoth had been very strict with him about his lessons. The older god had recognized Anubis's pontential [sic] since he'd first heard him speak. Anubis rarely had a reprieve from his work, with his lessons during the daytime and his Judgement Hall weighing at night, but whenever he did he would make the most of it. Finally he found a break in the daily routine, and at his first chance left the palace. Hathor followed him, unnoticed.
As she had expected, he headed for earth. But he didn't join the mortals. Instead, he entered an oasis forest, disappearing among the trees.
Drat it!, Hathor thought. I should have known he'd rather be alone. He always has. But I'll soon change that, somehow.
She made herself invisible and, growing wings, followed him above the trees. She moved noiselessly through the leaves, carefully watching.
For a long time he just walked, keeping his eyes mostly on the path ahead of him. Hathor soon heard the gurgling of water, and, spying a break in the trees ahead, realized what he must be doing. Of course. He's found a spot where he can be all alone to think.
Hathor flew on ahead to examine the clearing. She saw that the stream ran along its side, a slight grassy slope leading to its banks. Then, to her surprise, Hathor noticed that Anubis wouldn't be alone.
Down next to the stream was a woman, washing some clothes in the waters.
What luck!, the goddess thought. Just in the right place at the right time.
At that minute Anubis came to the edge of the clearing. Hathor whirled to look at him. He seemed dismayed at the sight of the trespasser, but Hathor quickly changed the situation by selecting an arrow, fitting it to her bow, aiming at Anubis, and shooting, all in less than a second. Then she rapidly did the same to the woman and, without waiting for any response, flew away.
Anubis had stopped at the clearing's edge, somewhat upset by the presence of the woman. He'd wanted to be by himself, and this would ruin everything. He started to turn away when something struck him. He quickly looked at himself. Nothing. What could it have been? Then he looked back up, and his heart skipped a beat.
The woman was standing now, holding up the clothes for them to dry, the exact same woman--only different. He couldn't place it but she interested him now. Puzzled, he watched her shake the clothes and start to fold them up. I can't just let her leave!, he thought, and stepped out of the woods.
The woman gasped at his sudden movement and dropped the clothing. Anubis hadn't meant to frighten her, so held up his hands.
"I--I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to--I mean, at first I didn't know you were here, but then I saw you, and I was only wondering why--" He cut himself off, realizing with dismay that he had been rambling. The woman only smiled and stooped to retrieve her spilled clothing. Anubis automatically went to assist her.
"It's alright [sic]," she said. "I wasn't paying any attention. If this is your place, then I can just leave--"
"No, it's alright [sic]," Anubis echoed, and they both stood at the same instant, looking straight into each other's eyes.
Finally it was she who broke the stare, dropping her head and smiling. "I've never seen you before."
"I'm not from here," he replied.
"What's your name?"
"Anpu."
"My name's Khebit."
"Hello--Khebit."
"Hello."
They fell silent again. Anubis picked up the last of the clothing and handed it over, then looked at her. It felt strange that she should interest him so. He usually preferred solitude to company. But there was something different about this person. He suddenly realized that she had said something to him.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" he asked, shaking his head.
"I asked if you'd like to walk back to my home with me."
His heart leapt. She's interested, too! "That would be fine," he said, and together they started off down the trail.
The next day Anubis's mind was barely on his studies. Thoth's words fell on deaf ears, until finally he stopped for a moment, then said, "Anubis?"
Anubis continued staring off into space.
"Anubis."
He abruptly snapped awake, looking at Thoth.
"Is anything wrong, Anubis?" Thoth asked.
"No--I mean, yes--I mean--I don't know," Anubis stammered.
Thoth sat next to him. "Perhaps you should talk about it."
Anubis sighed and looked up as if he would see all the answers written there. "I don't really think anything's wrong, but I don't really know," he said. "Yesterday I went to visit the mortals again. I went out to the woods. There was this woman there. I'd wanted to be alone, but somehow she--I don't know how to put it--interested, me, and we talked and I walked her home. I really don't know why she seemed so different."
Thoth smiled at him. "I think you've finally felt it for the first time."
"What?"
"Love."
Anubis looked taken aback. "You mean--I'm in love with her? Somehow it isn't what I'd expected!"
"Give it some time. You'll see." He stood and put his pallette [sic] under his arm. "Lessons are finished for today. Take tomorrow off." He nodded and quietly left the room.
Anubis stayed where he was, confused. In love! He'd thought it would be more than this. The import of what Thoth had said finally struck him, and he realized he'd been given tomorrow off. So Thoth understood! Could it be possible that he was once in love for the first time, too? Anubis nearly laughed at the thought of it, then set off early for Judgement.
Anubis set out early in the morning to find Khebit's house. He didn't have to go far before he met her on the trail again. They both stopped with surprise.
"Anpu!" she exclaimed with a smile.
"Khebit," he said.
"I wasn't expecting to meet you again so soon."
"Neither was I."
"Since you're here, why don't we go for a walk?"
Anubis agreed and they started off.
He and Khebit spent a wonderful day walking through the woods, jumping creeks, and listening to the birds sing. They laughed and talked about all that had happened since they'd last met. It was Khebit who did most of this talking, since Anubis could say very little of where he came from. He only told her about his tutor (Thoth) and how at night he would often attend private court hearings (Judgement). Nevertheless she listened and asked him questions, most of which he answered half-truly. But half of the truth was better than none of the truth at all.
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