Okay, everyone, in this chap you'll get to see our favorite couple interacting with foreign gods, and La Muerte finds not all are fond of gods who are not part of their own pantheon. As for their appearances, I found someone in deviantart who drew some pretty nice pictures of the Egyptian gods. You could take a look at them to give you an idea. They're in my favorites.
Enjoy!
The sound of his organ was the only thing that occupied his whole attention, whenever he played his whole concentration set on his instrument, and he had played for so much time that he could even do so with his eyes closed, he had memorized each tune and key and he only needed to touch them to know. It was his favorite pastime, and he did not like to be interrupted when playing, unless it was an emergency. La Muerte noted that all his compositions were dark and melancholic, it always sent shivers down her spine. She had heard that music was an expression of feelings, if they were then Xibalba was much more emotionally hurt than she assumed.
But when a letter arrived, coming from a god named Osiris, she had the feeling it was important. She was reluctant to interrupt her husband when he was playing the organ, but she felt this was important. If it came from a foreign god, she guessed it was from an old friend, and maybe it was urgent. Who knew? La Muerte made her way to the doors of the organ room, but she hesitated when the dark music sent shivers down her spine once again. Guessing Xibalba would not hear her due to the volume of the music, she opened the door, but she quickly covered her ears when the volume intensified. Xibalba was playing the organ, his back was turned on the door and his wings were half-outstretched. He was so concentrated he didn't hear his wife approaching from behind.
"Xibalba!" La Muerte had to yell, but it seemed he didn't hear her. Realizing he would not hear her, she realized she would have to call his attention in other way. She hesitated, but she reached out her hand and her fingers touched his shoulder lightly.
Xibalba was startled when he felt someone touch him, so much his music came to an abrupt end as his palms pressed some keys in reflex and he turned around abruptly, nearly knocking La Muerte off her feet. He was instantly angry.
"What the hell, mujer!" he snapped, his feathers bristling. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
La Muerte felt similarly, but nevertheless she managed to speak firmly. "I'm sorry if I interrupted you, but a letter arrived for you."
"You interrupt my playing for a letter?"
"It's from someone named Osiris."
At the moment he heard that name, Xibalba took the envelope from her hand and opened it, taking out the letter from it. He read it, and his features softened. La Muerte was curious as to why he was so serious about it, but it seemed it was important. She froze when he turned to look at her.
"Have you read about the Egyptian pantheon, my dear?" he inquired.
"I've only heard about a few of them, but Father has never liked to interact with foreigners that much."
"Maybe now you'll have the chance to meet them."
La Muerte blinked. "What do you mean?"
This was not her day.
It was not that she was prejudicial or anything, but she had heard many things about European pantheons, and most of them were not pleasant, though it was natural that pantheons didn't interact much with each other, considering how different they were. Xibalba, however, apparently had made connections with various deities from other pantheons, mostly European, like him.
As they led their horses through the desert sands of the Egyptian realm, La Muerte couldn't help but exhale the breath she didn't know she had been holding. Damn it, how could Xibalba still wear that armor with this heat! And adding the dark cloak he was using to protect himself from the sun's searing light, she was surprised he was not even panting. At least she had chosen her attire wisely.
For this burning dry climate she wore a cream colored sleeveless one-piece dress with the bottom similar to a sarong, and a matching waist length veil that widened and spread below her shoulders, though not the entirety of her long black hair, and a piece of cloth covered her mouth to protect her face from the flying sand. A matching cloak rested upon her shoulders, and the hood was up, though because this one was light-colored it didn't absorb as much heat as her husband's.
"How much until we arrive?" she asked after a while, wiping some sweat from her forehead. "If we keep like this I think I'm going to dehydrate!"
Xibalba rolled his eyes as he lifted a hand to pull his hood back up before the winds could blow it back and expose his face to the sunlight. "It won't be long, but I would save my energies if I were you."
"You're the one to talk! How come you're not melting when you're wearing all black?! Don't you know dark colors attract heat?!"
"I'm accustomed to this type of heat. Long story from my time in the wars, but it can wait, we're here."
He stopped his horse, and so did she to glance forward. She could not believe what she was seeing. She had seen pictures of Ancient Egypt, but it was even more beautiful in person. Aside from the desert, a beautiful palace made from gold and ivory stood up in the background among a beautiful oasis, with the Nile river running through it for kilometers, as well as the reeds along its banks and the exotic wildlife following its daily routine. On the distance she could see some pyramids where probably the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt resided. There was a large human village with buildings made out of brick a near the Nile and the oasis.
"Humans in a gods' realm?" she inquired, curious.
"The Egyptian Gods don't have separate realms like back home, my dear." Xibalba replied without removing his gaze from the palace. "All live in one, known as Aaru in their language, but in your books you may know it as the Egyptian Reed Fields. This place also acts like the paradise to 'good-hearted' mortals under this pantheon's jurisdiction."
"And the bad ones?"
"That's something you will have to ask one of this gods." He grinned a bit. "Race to the palace gates?"
She couldn't help but accept the challenge. "Oh, you're on, boy!"
They snapped the reins of their steeds and galloped down the dunes towards the oasis and the golden palace, their cloaks flowing behind them with the buffeting air. Xibalba had a rather unjust advantage in the beginning, but he made sure not to leave his wife behind either, she was not accustomed to galloping either. As they crossed the nile though a bridge, beautiful white-feathered ibises took flight and disappeared into the blue sky, while crocodiles lazily sulked near the banks of the river, though they ignored the gods as they galloped across. As they advanced through a village, Egyptian humans, women, men and children, waved their hands amicably at them; Xibalba ignored them, but La Muerte couldn't help but wave back at them. When they arrived at the palace, golden gated carved with hieroglyphs were opened and they galloped into a beautiful courtyard adorned with lush plants, a fountain with crystal clear waters and peacocks strutting around, proudly exhibiting their plumage.
Pulling the reins and slowing their horses into a stop, Xibalba and La Muerte dismounted just as servants-also deceased humans- came and led their horses away. Blanca was glad, she was exhausted over the trip through the desert, so much she ignored Medianoche's flirty snorts.
"This place is beautiful…" La Muerte gasped, looking around in amazement, though she was careful not to leave Xibalba's side. She did not forget she was a foreign in a stranger land.
"And this is only one part of the Underworld, my dear." Xibalba sighed, finally pulling back his hood to allow a bit of the cool breeze to refresh him. "The other regions are known as Duat, and believe me when I tell you they're not as pleasant as Aaru. Anyway, we should go inside, they must be waiting for us."
La Muerte nodded and held unto her husband's arm as he led her into the palace. Once again, she was amazed at the interior of the royal palace, with pillars of ivory adorned with intricate drawings, giving way into yet another courtyard, this one smaller than the previous one. Most of the walls were adorned with even more hieroglyphs, as well as golden edges and drawings of Egyptians leading chariots into battle or cultivating papyrus plant.
Two figures approached the couple, but when La Muerte saw them she nearly fainted, and instinctively hid behind her husband in case they were hostile. Two creatures, with the body of men, but one had the head of a black long-eared jackal and the other the head of a blue ibis bird. The Chakal-headed one was all black-skinned, and he wore a god and blue headdress, as well as golden bracers and a long, wide blue loincloth. The bird-headed wore a long green and white robe, as well as the characteristical headdress. Xibalba forgot he had not explained to her Egyptian gods had… interesting appearances.
"Don't freak out, they're not going to eat you." He glanced back at her reassuringly.
"Are those Egyptian gods?" La Muerte inquired, still nervous.
"Ah, Xibalba." The jackal-headed god was the first to speak when he and his companion stopped a few feet away, his canine lips curving upwards into a small grin. "Long time no see, old friend."
Xibalba nodded, returning a polite smile. "Anubis. Indeed, it's been centuries." He then turned to the ibis-headed god. "Thot."
Thot nodded his head politely, before glancing at La Muerte. "And who is this lovely lady that accompanies you?"
"This is my wife, La Muerte." The dark god replied, placing a hand on her shoulder while he fidgeted with his staff with the other. He gently squeezed her shoulder reassuringly when he felt her trembling. "La Muerte, allow me to introduce you to Anubis, the God if Embalming, and Thot, God of Wisdom."
Despite her hesitance, La Muerte removed the cloth covering her mouth and managed to smile politely at them. "Nice to meet you, My Lords."
"We're equally pleased, milady." Anubis and Thot bowed, with the Chakal headed god gently planting a kiss on her knuckles.
"Xibalba, the Great Osiris requests your presence in his throne room." Thot spoke next.
He nodded. "Very well, I shall join him shortly, but first I think I should take my wife somewhere to wait for me, don't you think?"
"I'll ask Ma'at to keep her company and show her around, you don't have to worry about it." Thot insisted. "But the Great Osiris needs to talk to you urgently."
Xibalba seemed to consider it, he could tell by Thot's tone of voice that it was really urgent, so he glanced at La Muerte. "You don't mind if I go, do you?"
"Oh, don't worry. I'll take a look around."
He was still reluctant to leave his wife alone, especially since not all the Egyptian gods were fond of foreign gods, but he nodded and followed Anubis and Thot down the foyer. Once she was alone, La Muerte walked out into the courtyard to take a look. It was almost as beautiful as the garden in Xibalba's castle, but this one had different plants, and a beautiful fountain, as well as a small but wide flight of stairs that dipped into the Nile. A few ibis birds were basking in the water, looking for small fishes to eat, some dipped their beaks to refresh themselves with a drink.
With all this heat, maybe it wouldn't do bad to dip into the water a bit, and the water looked fresh and crystalline. La Muerte couldn't contain it, and she approached the flight of stairs, slipping off her sandals to dip her feet; she shivered in delight when she felt the cool water in her feet, relieving some of her heat. The sensation was so refreshing she walked deeper into the river, until the water reached her waist. She cupped her hands and scooped some water to refresh her face. She even pulled back her veil and poured water into her hair.
Suddenly the ibises grew alarmed and were quick to flee, once again taking off and splashing in the water as they flew away. La Muerte had a bad feeling when she saw them flee out of sudden, and thought the best thing to do was to step out of the river; she had not forgotten she had seen crocodiles earlier, and who knew, maybe there were some nearby. She was stepping out back unto the stone stairs just as the head of a crocodile emerged from the river. But her terror began when the crocodile swam towards the stairs, and as he emerged she saw he had the body of a human, but also the characteristics of a croc, such as green scales, a thick tail and creamy chest. He wore a dark blue Egyptian headdress, as well as a blue loincloth over armored rust colored shorts, and gold bracers. Water scurried down his body as he stepped out of the water, stretching his muscles and letting out a yawn, before a long staff with the tip in form of a lighting materialized in his grasp.
Once his golden reptilian eyes set on her, La Muerte shivered. Damn it, the third god she encountered and she didn't know if this one liked foreigners or not. Still, she felt she had to be polite, she didn't want to give a bad impression. "Greeting, My Lord." She curtsied.
The crocodilian entity's stern features softened as he examined the lovely woman in front of him. He had never seen her before around here, that only meant one thing. "You're from another pantheon, aren't you?"
La Muerte's stomach churned. "S-Sí…" when the god blinked in confusion at the word, she realized he did not know Spanish. "I mean, yes."
"I suppose you're somehow related to Xibalba, right?"
"He is my husband…"
The crocodile laughed. "And here I thought that old rascal said he wasn't interested in romance!" he realized he was freaking her out. "Oh, my apologies, you don't know who I am." He gave La Muerte a polite bow. "I am Sobek, God of the Nile River and crocodiles."
That was pretty obvious. "I'm La Muerte, from the Land of the Remembered." She smiled, a bit calmer now. It seemed he didn't mind her being a stranger.
"Land of the Remembered? I'm afraid I have yet to hear from such a place, my dear."
"It's from the New World, My Lord."
Sobek nodded. "I see. I admit, they have quite interesting names for their realms." He glanced behind La Muerte and saw a figure approaching, frowning when he recognized it. "Oh, great."
"Is something wrong?"
"Here comes the sandstorm…"
Confused, La Muerte turned around to see what he was talking about, but she found no sandstorm, only a rather sinister-looking figure walking towards them. She felt a shiver down her spine and hid behind Sobek in case he was a hostile entity. He had the head of… She couldn't identify it, she had never seen such a creature before, it had a long snout and two short rectangular ears. He was of a dark gray color, with long, black spiky hair and blood red eyes with darker markings around it. Two long strands of hair ran down from the sides of his ears to his chest, and a black goatee hung from his chin; a dark red and black 'skirt' hung from his waist. Like La Muerte assumed, his eyes had not even a glint of politeness as he glanced at her.
"Well, well, looks like my brother has no qualms about letting strangers in here, does he?"
"What do you want, Set?" Sobek snapped, pushing La Muerte further behind him gently, glaring at Set with a severe glance. "Why don't you go dance around the desert or something?"
"I just returned from there, and look what I've found. Xibalba and a concubine of his."
At the word concubine, La Muerte's temper flared up as she came form behind Sobek's protective frame and stood her ground in front of Set, her eyes flaring up in indignation. "What did you just call me?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I guess you don't know what a concubine is." Set retorted, not intimidated. "Let think of another word for it. How do you call prostitutes in your pantheon-?"
*SMACK*
Sobek couldn't believe what he just witnessed, his eyes were wide open like plates, dumbfounded, though on the inside he was grinning approvingly. Set didn't see it coming when La Muerte's palm came into contact with his cheek. She was fuming with ire, there was a fire in her eyes that one didn't find in women on this part of the world.
"You better learn to respect women, imbécil!" she snapped, growling with clenched fists. "I'm not a whore who gives herself away to just any man who thinks can impose on me! For your information, I am Xibalba's wife! And you better show some respect or he will defend me with nails and teeth!"
Set could not believe this… woman dared to speak to him like that?! Who did she think she was?! "You insolent-!"
"Set!"
The god of chaos froze when he heard that voice; La Muerte and Sobek were equally surprised, and they glanced behind Set to find a goddess walking towards them, looking at Set with a severe expression. She was a beautiful woman, with long straight black hair and a colorful headdress in the shape of a vulture with outstretched wings, a long white dress and golden jewelry.
"What are you doing? Bothering a guest?" the goddess spoke in a cool voice, but it was stern as well.
"Whatever I do is not of your business, Ma'at." Set retorted, not even bothering her with a glance.
"What would Ra say if he saw what you were doing? Harassing a married woman."
At the mention of his brother's name, Set grumbled something in Egyptian as he stormed off, disappearing into the halls of the castle. When she was certain he was gone, Ma'at turned to La Muerte, all her demeanor changing. "My apologies, friend. Set doesn't like foreigners, and he's not very subtle about it either." She smiled. "La Muerte right?"
La Muerte returned the smile. "Yes."
"My name is Ma'at, I'm the Goddess of Order and Truth."
"Haha! You should have seen the look on Set's face!" Sobek finally started to laugh. "My respects, La Muerte! No one has ever struck Set and lived to tell the tale!"
"Anubis was not exaggerating when he said your aura was not like that of most women. You have a fire of defiance in your heart, but it is coated underneath layers of kindness and a heart of gold."
La Muerte couldn't help but blush. "Gracias, milady."
"I will show you to you and your husband's guest chamber."
That caught her by surprise. "Excuse me?"
Awkward would have been an understatement.
The room they were lent was beautiful, it had a wide balcony and a side of the room led into it, having long ivory pillars instead of a wall, and semi transparent curtains were blown by the gentle breeze. The canopy bed of golden sheets was big enough for the both of them to fit in, but there was one single problem with that.
"Couldn't they have given us separate rooms?" La Muerte sighed, changing into her dressing gown inside the bathroom.
Xibalba sighed as he donned his purple bathrobe. "For the fifth time, they had no space for giving us an individual room for each."
"They have such a large castle and they don't have enough space for individual guest rooms?"
"Egyptian palaces have more courtyards than rooms. It's sad, but true."
"How are we supposed to sleep in the same bed?"
"We could use the pillows to make a 'line'." Xibalba suggested, sitting down on the edge of bed and taking some pillows to place them between him and La Muerte.
"I know that, but…"
"You still don't like the idea of sharing a bed with me, you can tell me that."
"I'm sorry, it's just…"
Xibalba decided to change the subject. "Anyway, I heard what of happened with Set." He couldn't help but chuckle. "I must say, I never thought I'd ever see the day a woman could stand up to him."
"He deserved it. Even Sobek was impressed. "He and Osiris have… negative history."
La Muerte finally stepped out of the bathroom, using her red bathrobe to hide her body from view, her nightgown was… well, short and almost semi-transparent. She didn't want Xibalba to see her body. He was already in bed, with a small wall of pillows separating their sides of bed. Reluctantly, La Muerte lay down on her side of bed and accommodated beneath the blankets, shifting uncomfortably at being so close to Xibalba in such circumstances. Still, she glanced at him with a small smile. "Buenas noches, Xibalba."
He returned the smile. "Buenas noches, La Muerte."
She fell asleep shortly. He watched her for a while, her chest rising amd falling from her breathing, her dark hair spread out on bed. Xibalba brushed a few strands from his wife's face, quickly retreating his hand when she shifted, only to remain still once more. Even asleep she looked beautiful; the dark god couldn't help but stroke her cheek gingerly, making sure she wouldn't wake up. When she smiled in her sleep, he smiled as well. La Muerte had such a lovely smile that could lifted the spirits of anyone, even his.
It wasn't long before he fell asleep next to her, his hand holding hers.
