Chapter 26
CHANI KYNES
Chani Kynes stood on the palace's roof, armed with a laser sniper, peering down at the retinue that had come to negotiate on behalf of the Imperium, led by none other than Princess Irulan, Inzal's sister.
Yet she was not here to harm her, and why would they. She was Inzal's sister, his twin. No, she was the last contingency, being the sharpest shot among the Fremen, she was stationed their as the last line of defence for the Princess.
"I still do not think that all this is necessary," she said as the ship began to descend. She was not the only one stationed here; Paul, who had accompanied her a lot over the last month, sat beside her.
They had gotten much closer in this time, with her being impressed by the Atreides heir and his ability to adapt to their ways. He was a good leader, much like Inzal. Yet she had noticed him becoming quieter by the day, quieter and more pensive, yet she had not asked him why.
"It is," Paul said as the ship came to a halt and a ramp descended down, and they caught the first glimpse of the retinue and immediately her eyes were drawn to the Princess, and she was as Paul had told her.
Of a sharp, small, regal face adorned with shining blonde golden hair that shimmered in the Sun, she was the embodiment of poise and sophistication as she descended down along with the herald.
"But she is the Emperor's daughter. Why would he wish to harm her?" she questioned. She saw Paul look at the retinue with that pensive gaze.
"Because, in a way, she is a threat to him as well, and in this game of Thrones, you either win, or you die," and she frowned at those last ominous.
"Who said that?" she asked, and he frowned as his gaze narrowed.
"Inzal will," he whispered, and she frowned.
"Will?" she asked, surprised when he suddenly narrowed his eyes.
"He was right. Focus on the herald. He is the mole," he said, and she nodded and turned and looked through the scope as she focused on the herald and saw his face dissolve.
"What is that?" she asked.
"He is a face dancer, an assassin from the Bene Tleilaxu. They are the most dangerous assassins in all of the Imperium," he told her, and she was taken aback.
"Only the Emperor could have sent one here," he said, and she was devastated that a father could do this to their own child.
"He is moving!" he shouted, and she saw him vanish in the blink of an eye.
"The Prince..." and then she saw him jump towards the Princess, his blade slashing at her neck, when suddenly it was intercepted by Inzal, who had been able to respond to that inhuman speed.
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INZAL KAZAB CORRINO
Inzal parried the face dancer's slash aimed at Irulan's neck, forcing himself in between herself and the faceless assassin.
"Get back!" he shouted to his own men and to the Princess as he parried another strike before suddenly the face dancer spun in the air and sent a dagger flying towards Princess. Inzal jumped back and parried it with his own blade. He slid back until he was in front of Irulan and her guards, who stood on the edge of the bridge.
"You truly are impressive," the face dancer began as Inzal stared him in the face.
"None of my victims have ever lasted for more than a few seconds against me. You are the first one who has held me back for as long as you have," he complimented him.
"Well, that is good and all, but I am afraid your days of killing are over. I doubt you will stop, and I will not let you harm the Princess, not as long as I draw breath," he finished as he breathed out slowly and pushed beyond his humanity, beyond his limits.
"Then I will simply have to kill you as well," spoke the dancer before he vanished once more, and Inzal jumped in the air, and intercepted the assassin once more as he tried to go by him.
"Not so fast," and the assassin was taken aback by this as Inzal parried his strikes and kicked him in the gut, sending him barreling back before he landed infront of the Princess once more.
"You," Irulan began as she stepped forward.
"Why are you doing this? Who sent you after me?" she asked as the face dancer rose back to his feet.
"And why would I do that?" he scoffed.
"I said answer me," and she used her voice in desperation as the face dancer laughed.
"Your Bene Gesserite trickery does not affect me, Princess. Well, but I will answer you in honor of your courage," he began.
"I was sent here to assassinate you by none other than your own father, the Emperor," and the answer made her still as her face paled, and he saw her shoulders slump as the magnitude of that betrayal hit her.
"But why?" she asked in a shaky tone.
"That you are smart enough to figure it out on your own," he said as he vanished once more, and Inzal clashed with him once more. Their blades blurred through the air as Inzal cut him off from trying to approach Irulan.
"You have served your purpose," Inzal whispered and saw the man stiffen as he pressed on teh disengage switch on his blades and felt them detach from his swords much to the surprise of the assassin, who was taken aback at the shift in weight, and that moment of imbalance was all he would need as he craned his head to the side, and the assassin's blade whipped past his face cutting through his skin as Inzal's hand pushed through his skin.
GOUG!
And he felt it rip through the man's body as he was showered in blood as the Bene Tleilaxu assassin began to lose his strength, and he swung once more, yet Inzal kicked him with his leg as he pulled out his arm from his chest, the beating heart of the Bene Telilaxu still in his hand.
Inzal crushed it in his hand as the assassin stumbled back before falling to his knees.
"Who are you?" he gasped out as he fell to the ground.
Inzal walked up to him, and he could feel everyone's gaze focused on him, especially Irulan's and the rest of the retinue, where everyone was waiting for his reply.
He reached for his mask, lowered it, and pushed back the hood to reveal his white hair, which had spots of red in it, as he turned towards the Princess.
"My name is Inzal Kazab Corrino," he finished, and he saw her eyes widen, being a Bene Gesserit she must be able to see that he was not lying.
"I am the Firstborn son of the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV and Anirul Corrino," he answered, and many in the retinue stiffened and whispered at those words.
"Impossible," Princess Irulan gasped as she looked him in the eyes.
"It cannot be. You cannot be real. I always thought it was all a delusion, a simple dream," she wailed wildly.
"I believe I am more than a simple delusion..." he said with a smile as he walked towards the Princess, and the Saradukar came in between them.
"...I have been wanting to meet you for a long time, sister," he added.
"But I was an only child. I asked repeatedly. Yet I was told that I have no twin," she shouted, half in denial, half in hope.
"But you do, Princess," Lady Jessica finally cut in, and the Princess's head whipped towards her.
"I was there on the day your mother bore you and your brother and how you were separated. On the day Anirul gave birth to you, before you, she gave birth to a male child, one who was born into this world cursed in ways more than one way," she began, and he saw Anirul's eyes narrow onto him.
"Cursed?" she asked, and he nodded.
"Blessings, I would say," Inzal cut in.
"After all, if it was not for them, I would not be alive here today," he said, and he saw her look down before she took a step forward, much to the surprise of the Saradukar.
"Stand back," she said softly, and the Saradukar followed her command as she stepped closer to him.
"I wi..."
And then hours later, with the whole of the Imperium waiting in trepidation, a message was transmitted from the planet of Arrakis, much to the surprise and anguish of the Emperor, who watched with a drunken, muddled gaze as his daughter, who had no purpose being alive appeared on the screen.
"I am Princess Irulan Corrino and I was tasked with negotiating with the Atreides and their allies on behalf of the Imperium. And today, I bring you great news," she halted as the Emperor crushed the table with his hands as he gasped out.
"Impossible."
"That a compromise has been reached. The congregation will be pushed forward by a month. The Embargo in Spice will be lifted, and sips laden with spice shall begin departing the Arrakeen soil as soon as certain demands are met."
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