DUNE-A False Haderach-Ch.25 (Patreon)

Chapter 25

LADY JESSICA

The parlay day was fast approaching, and Lady Jessica knew she had to act. Her decision was made-she would undergo the ritual to become a Reverend Mother, all in a desperate bid to save Leto.

The very Leto lay there on the medical bed, unmoving, hooked to various machines, his body sealed inside a glass pod that kept him alive.

“Forgive me, for what I am about to do,” she said, and with a heavy heart moved out of the medical bay, and as soon as she did she found an all too familiar face standing outside waiting for her.

“Paul,” she called out, and her son looked up at her. He had changed much ever since they had stepped foot on this planet. Gone was the young ducal heir, the boy adored by many, and in his place had emerged the young Duke Atreides, the boy who had and was leading House Atreides through one of the most trying times in a century.

“I knew I would find you here,” he said, and his eyes had gotten ever bluer, a consequence of the thick spice-laden air. Yet that was not the only thing that had changed about him. His gaze had changed as well, and so had he, and now, often, as she stared into his eyes, it reminded her of times when she would stare into the eye of her teacher, Reverend Mother Gaius Helem Mohaim.

“Have you come to stop me?” she asked, and he shook his head.

“I did, but a part of me tells me that it will be futile,” he said, his tone soft and tired.

“Good, because I will not stop,” she added, and Paul nodded and she moved past him, her transport was waiting for her.

“It is a mistake. I can see it,” he added, and the words shook her. She looked back at him.

“The visions,” he began as he looked down.

“They now plague my days, just like they did my nights. They are obscure and difficult to understand, but I can see why the Reverend Mother put me through that test about what you and your order were trying to create,” he said as he looked her in the eye.

“I can see it. You will regret it,” he said, and she felt her heart still at those words.

“Even so, I will not give up on him. If it is regret that is written in my future, then it is a regret I shall have,” and with that, she walked away and began to walk out of the sketch, her heart racing with doubt and worry but her mindset.

She walked out of the sketch and found an ornithopter waiting for her, with Gurney and Inzal standing there.

Inza, Gurney,” she greeted them both.

“The preparations for your journey have been made. The ritual preparations are underway. If everything goes according to plan, you will be here around the same time, Irulan arrives for the parlay,” Inzal said as he handed her a messenger scroll.

“I will keep an eye on you, but in case of an emergency use this, it will send a beacon with your location. I will have aid there within an hour, no matter where you are on this planet,” he assured, and she took it.

“Thanks,” she said as she walked towards the Ornithopter. Gurney would be joining her on this expedition.

“Are you excited to see her, your sister Irulan?” she asked, and Inzal’s lips turned up slightly.

“I am. I have heard rumors of how she looks quite like our mother,” he finished.

“She does,” she agreed. She had seen the Princess many times, and she closely resembled her old friend.

“You do not have to do this. There are risks to the ritual that even I cannot fores...”

“I have to,” she cut in as she looked him in the eye.

“This is my role to play, and I will do it despite the risks. You just have to keep your promise to me,” she asked, and he nodded.

“I will get that Imperial Healer, and no matter what happens, I will do everything in my power to keep your daughter safe and sane,” he assured her.

“Then I can rest easy and do my part. Soon enough, Arrakis shall have a new Revered Mother,” she said. She turned to step into the ornithopter, but suddenly, she stopped and turned.

“Inzal,” she called out, and the white-haired boy stopped and faced her.

“Look after Paul. The Spice has begun to affect him. The visions, he told me they plague his days as well. Only you can help him along in this journey until I return,” she asked, and he nodded.

“I will see what I can do.”

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PADISHAH EMPEROR SHADDAM CORRINO IV

Being the Emperor of the Imperium meant he had to make hard choices, choices that ripped his heart apart yet were necessary to secure the future of the Imperium.

Leto had been a brother to him once, they shared blood, yet he could not let House Atreides threaten the Royal lineage as they had. The lack of an heir had complicated the matters further, enabling the duke to covet his throne, an overreach that needed to be answered.

The Duke had drown many houses to his side, using himself and his son as potential prizes, spitting in his face, taking advantage of his generosity, mocking hi for his failures to have a son.

The absolute destruction of House Atreides through House Harkonnen was an answer to all those aggressions and would serve as a symbol to any House that would ever try to overreach, back off, or suffer as the Atreides had.

House Harkonnen, they were scum, all of them. Sniceling, cunning, and greedy scum that thought themselves capable of using him to empower themselves, they would be taught a lesson as well.

He planned to pin the destruction of House Atreides on them and punish them heavily for the offense they had committed, yet now all his plans had been laid to waste.

“Was it truly necessary?” Hasimir questioned from the side as he sat there in his solar half drunk at what he had done. At what those damned Atreides were about to cost him and how he loathed both them and himself for that.

Yet he was Emperor, and he had to make the hard choices.

“It was,” he said as he drowned another cup.

“She was your daughter, one who has done as you have ordered till day dutifully,” Hasimir said as he turned to face her.

“Even now, she rides to Arrakis, unaware of the plot you have hatched for her,” Hasimir said, and he frowned.

“Are you turning against me, Hasimir?” he asked, and the Count shook his head.

“I am not, but I am asking if it was truly the only way,” and Shaddam shrugged.

“I did it because she is my daughter,” he said, scoffing.

“And I have five,” he added, hatefully, cursing at his fortunes.

“That is cruel of you,” Hasimir said.

“But the truth nonetheless, and her sacrifice will make our House stronger. Right now, doubt creeps up in the hearts of many Houses, they question me, ME about what transpired on Arrakis. Rumors have begun to spread as well, close enough to the truth,” he began angrily at all those scurrying, sniveling bastards and at their gall to question him. HIM. THE EMPEROR.

“What do you think will happen if they are confirmed, if the truth is revealed? We will be facing open rebellion. House Atreides will become the flag bearer of this rebellion, and my legacy would end with the end of the reign of House Corrino. I will not let that happen, no matter what,” he finished, his resolve unshattered by what he had ordered.

“Even if it involves the murder of your own daughter,” and he looked into Hasimir’s eyes.

“Even that,” he answered as he drowned another cup and threw the crystal glass at the wall.

“And what of her teacher, the Revered Mother? She has raised Irulan. Does she know the truth?” Shaddam scoffed at that.

“Of course she knows,

“Trusting the Bene Tleilaxu is dangerous. Few can fathom what those faceless monsters even want, yet have joined hands with them. It could be dangerous,” Hasimir cautioned.

“Not any more dangerous than the danger we were already in. The Bene Tleilaxu want what the rest of the galaxy wants, and they will have it if and only if House Corrino gains control of the planet Akrrakis,” he finished as he stumbled to his feet, his head was spinning yet still he walked up to Hasimir and placed his hand on his shoulder.

“I know it is hard, but that is the duty of the Emperor to make the hard choices. Irulan’s sacrifice shall give us the leverage we need to break the atomics treaty and attack the Atreides with the full might of the Landsraad. We will be rid of both Atreides and those accursed Fremen in one single attack. Arrakis will be ours with its spice fields and sand worms, and all it would cost me is a daughter, of which I have five,” he said as he tapped him on the shoulder.

“In two days' time, we shall announce the Atreide's treachery in breaking the rules of the parlay and killing Irulan. She will be remembered as a martyr, one who died trying to make peace with the wretched Atreides, and with that announcement, the House Atreides will lose all their support, and we will be free to do as we please,” and just as he was about to step out the door.

“She is simply doing her duty, serving me and House Corrino in whatever what she could. Her death will be our salvation,” he finished and opened the door.

“What if it had not been Irulan the Atredies had asked for? Would you have done the same?” Hasimir’s voice made him stop and turn back, and he found his friend staring at him with those blue streaky eyes.

“What if it had been me they had asked for?” Hasimir asked.

And Shaddam looked his count in the eye before turning away.

“You are a good servant, Hasimir. A Good servant.”

And with those words, he walked away, leaving the count alone in his solar.

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