Chapter 35
SHISHAKLI
There were times when things were simpler, when the whole purpose of their movement was to gain independence for the Fremen, and even during those initial times, Inzal always made a single statement.
"It is easier to win freedom, but what is more difficult is keeping it."
And only now, months after the great liberation, did she truly understand the sheer truth behind those words. The Imperium was a cesspool of politicking and plots, with each and every power vying for control.
And so, all the wait and the little political moves now began to make sense.
"So, this is it," she asked as she found herself once more in the very place where it had all begun. In sietch Tabr, where she had taken his sister a few days ago. The very place she had vowed to dedicate herself to him.
"Yeah. I believe it is," he replied as he turned towards her. He was dressed in Royal Garbs, specifically made by the Fremen engineers, modelled after the previous Royal Garbs and his own 'Ajniha' uniform.
It was a stillsuit fashioned from whiter materials, with the special ODM contraption attached to the sides and a long royal silken overcoat to cover it all. Inzal had always been beautiful, and now his beauty was at a breathtaking level.
"I still remember the day you first unlocked your powers in their entirety," she began as she began to walk around.
"How painful it had been to wake up alone with that note of yours. Everyone in the sietch had called it a suicide mission, with many believing that you would never return," she began as she stopped and looked him in the eye.
"Yet you still waited for me," he said with a smile, and she nodded.
"I did. Only because you promised me," she finished, and he nodded.
"That I did..." he walked upto her, halting only inches away from her face as he caressed her face in his hands.
"But that was not the only thing I promised you, did I," he said with a smile; his eyes seemed so much more blue up close.
"We began our journey in this very place. You believed in me when none did, helped me, and shared my pain and my secrets, my joys, and my losses. You were there for me through it all. And now, as I am set to take on the throne..." and her heart skipped a beat.
The truth was, she had never doubted Inzal and his promises, yet the situation had become complicated. Whispers had spread all around about how to secure his power, how he would have to marry for political reasons, and how the Atreides wished to match him with their yet-to-be-born daughter.
"I wish for you to join me on it as well," he said, offering her the insignia ring of the Queen of the Imperium.
"You owe me nothing," she said as involuntary tears began to bubble up in her eyes, and he wiped them away.
"You are wrong," he said softly, leaning closer until she could feel his breath on her face.
"I owe you everything," and with that their lips met, as they had never before and she lost herself to the goodness of this sensation as her hands scanned his body, much as his did hers.
0000
FEYD-RAUTHA HARKONEN
The world revolved around power. And power was never given, it was only ever taken. And the Harkonnens knew that better than anyone. And soon enough, he shall have all of it.
The attack on Atreides and their subsequent failures only highlighted the weakness of his family to him, of how disastrous it could be to rely on another House or army to carry out one's will.
He realized that if one was to obtain absolute power, then he must do the deed himself with his own bare hands. The shame brought onto the Harkonnen name for their misadventures would only be wiped off through the battle he was set to take on by putting an end to the damned Atreides and then the person who had orchestrated this all.
And as the ramp of the ship dropped down he walked down the stairs, eyes glaring at the people sent to welcome him. Guards—Sardukar and Fremen, those desert scum parading around two women.
And immediately, his anger rose at the insult. He did not know much about the person behind all this, the one whom they called 'Inzal'. He had only heard of him through rumors and blurred videos, and yet he now knew that he was the man behind the downfall of his House, responsible for the stain of dishonor on their name.
"Welcome to Arrakis, Baron-na Feyd Rautha Harkonnen," the Princess welcomed him, and his fingers twitched as he looked over the woman who may yet be his bride, and desire and lust filled him as he saw those unyielding eyes looking at him as if he was a bug.
"Does the Crown lack for men that it sends women to welcome me," he taunted as he strode down the stairs.
"The Crown only gives you the honor it thinks you deserve," she replied, and he smiled.
"And what honor do you think I deserve, Princess? Perhaps the honor of your hand," he ventured as he walked upto her, only to be stopped by the Saradukar, who stepped forward, blocking his path.
"None. You deserve no honor. After all..." the Princess began as she turned her back to him, making him both flush in rage as his fists balled up, while at the same time, he found her nonchalance addictive.
"...I doubt a dying man has any need of it."
0000
GAIUS HELEN MOHAIM
Gaius Helen Mohaim watched as the preparations were made for the kanji. As a courtesy, she had been allowed to observe, and yet even after her last ploy had worked, doubt continued to creep up as she realized that their gable might just be their undoing.
Pitting Paul against Inzal had been their last ditch effort, and yet, with every passing day, she felt the proverbial dagger inch closer and closer to their necks as the promise of absolute destruction grew and grew.
She stood there in the back, two guards surrounding her, their ears covered, making her powers useless as the orchestrator of this last gambit joined her.
"Lady Margot," she greeted the young initiate, the one who had been tasked with securing the Harkonnen bloodline.
"Reverend Mother," the young blonde greeted her and looked around her.
"What happened? Things are rather different than our plans," she asked as she joined him on the side.
"Oh, my dear, you have no idea," she began as her eyes landed on the form of her old students, at Jessica and Irulan on how they stood on the two sides of the Padishah Emperor's throne, which remained empty.
"But that will come later. Tell me, girl, is the task complete?" she asked, and the blonde nodded.
"It is. I have trained Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in our ways of fighting and have secured the bloodline," she finished a bit stiffly and made her roll her eyes. It was little more than duty, what she had done. There was little need to be bashful about it. After all, everyone knew how a child was made.
"That is good. But I doubt that this has escaped the eyes of that boy," she whispered as she rubbed her chin as Margot frowned by her side.
"Whose eyes?" she asked, and she scoffed.
"My greatest shame, and the one person who could very well be the unravelling of our whole order and the Imperium itself," she answered.
"Our new Emperor," she answered as she saw the herald thump their spears into the ground and the doors swung open.
"Now entering, the Padishah Emperor himself..." the herald announced as her eyes narrowed.
"You mean to say that it was not Paul Atreides who was behind all this?" Lady Margot asked, and she nodded.
"No, my dear. This was not Paul's doing. No, the person behind all this was someone else. Someone far more sinister than that little boy," she answered as the herald continued.
"KNEEEL!" the herald roared and everyone in the room got down on their knees as that noy entered the room.
"INZAL KAZAB CORRINO!" the herald finished, and she watched as he walked forward, sauntering into the shock and amazement of all those gathered at the mention of his name.
Yet none could utter a word. Such was his presence and power as he slowly walked up to the throne, walking past his sister and Jessica before he stood infront of the Royal Chair.
"Kazab!!" Margot gasped from the side, her surprise evident on her face.
"That Kazab?" she asked her, and Gaius nodded.
"Indeed. The very Kazab that played each and every one of us as a fiddle. The secret child of Anirul and Shaddam that we thought we had gotten rid of all those years ago," she added as the boy sat down before looking straight at her.
Even at a distance, those blue eyes felt as if they saw through her, and all her secrets lay bare infront of them.
"Those eyes!" Margot was forced to step back. Such was the power in that gaze.
"One born half in all ways except one," she whispered.
"A half Prince, a half Haderach but a full abomination!"
"Let the kanli begin!"
0000
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