章 54: Chapter 45-A world at war!
Chapter 45
ALIA ATREIDES
Life had changed much for Alia Atredies, and she had gone from being a second daughter to the heir of House Atredies. From being afraid and little to full grown girl, one who now sat in the seat of the Duke of Caladan ruling over the ancient seat of House Atredies, governing over these lands as her father and his forefathers did so before her.
To her, though, it felt as if she was not doing anything different, for she had ruled over these lands for centuries in her memories. In the last decade and a half, she had gotten used to all the memories inside her head and realized how to separate emotions from them and see them all as experiences so as not to let them overwhelm her too much.
And though she would never be a regular child, through Inzal's and her own efforts, she had been able to have the semblance of a normal life, something for which she was very thankful to their Emperor. And it was because of that, though she did not find the task of ruling and governing over Caladan hard, she found it boring and tedious, and Alia Atreides hated being bored.
And yet she had a role to play, a duty to perform, and she would do it, for her family. For Inzal.
She felt the doors to the solar open as her aide walked in, Gurney Halleck the war master of House Atreides walked in stoic as ever, his gaze piercing and steadfast as he saluted to her and passed her along a messenger scroll.
"This came from Summerhall," he informed her. That was the name of their vacation home—a castle deep into the alleys, one where members of their house would retire.
She unfurled it and began to skim over the message, and she raised a brow.
"So, she finally decided to visit her," she added as she closed the scroll and then, in an abhorrent display of strength, crushed it in her hands, scrunching the metal into a crap ball.
"Yes, Lady Margot Fenring has just departed from the castle after meeting with your mother, the Duc—"and he halted in his sentence as she narrowed her eyes.
"...The Lady Jessica," he corrected himself, not to break the cover they had built.
"They are finally growing desperate," she added, as she thought about the war raging in the galaxy around her as Inzal's forces tried to overwhelm the Ixians and the Bene Tleilaxu.
"Shall we inform the Emperor?" Gurney asked her, and she scoffed.
"We do not need to. Inzal would have learned of it even before you and I," and that was his power, the power to see beyond space.
"What are your instructions then, Duchess?" he asked, and she raised a brow, her mind racing as she jumped up from her chair.
"Arrange a ship for me. I want to go and meet Mother," she said gravely, and Gurney nodded.
"I will have it prepared, but there are reports from Duncan Idaho from the war front that you..." and she slapped it away.
"Tell Duncan to present them herself. His reports are too complicated for me to understand without his presence," she added curtly, and Gurney raised a brow. Her face with all the years and centuries of Bene Gesserit training did not betray any emotion as he continued.
"I could help you wit..."
"No," she cut in sharply.
"I wish for Duncan to present them herself," she added. She saw his lips turn up slightly, and the expression made her face flush as Gurney finally relented.
"I will have the message sent," he said, and she nodded, a smile erupting on her lips.
"There are other tasks still left for yo..."
"They will all come later. Arrange a ship for me. I want to leave for Summer Hall in an hour," and Gurney nodded and left the solar with a salute as she slumped on the table and sighed.
"Finally!"
0000
LADY MARGOT FENRING
After a rather disappointing trip to Caladan Lady Fenring found herself back in on Wallack Nine, where in deep ravines of the castle Wallach, she found herself surrounded by the leaders of the Rebellion, and yet they were all hidden in the shadows, each unaware of the other lest that one of them is caught the other's identities are not exposed.
Only one person knew of all their identities, and it was her. Entrusted with this great task, for they knew of both her loyalty to the cause and were assured that the Emperor would never make a move against her just because of the name she wore second.
Fenring. And the thought of her husband unsettled her. This had never really been a match made in love. It had been arrangement, advantageous to both, and yet their time together had been happy. But it was not meant to be, with Fenring turning to the Emepror's side they had become enemies.
And yet some of what they had lingered, for she knew that when they had each chosen their side, he had assured her that he had not asked the Emperor for anything for his service but a single favor. That when they emerge victorious, he spare her life.
To this day, she often thinks she has really chosen the right side, and many a time she does not really like the answer she arrived at.
"So, will the Atreides help us?" came the question from one of the four rebellion leaders—otherwise known as the Four Usul.
And she shook her head.
"The Atreides will not support our cause. The Lady Jessica may not like what has become of her House, but she bears us no love," and why would she? Not long ago, everyone here had tried to end her house, and later, they had involved her son in a plot of their own, one that had ended up killing him.
"She will not go against us, but she and House Atreides will not lend us any aid," and there was silence at her answer until a feminine voice cut in.
"I should have expected nothing less from that cur!" it raged as a thick, dreary voice continued.
"This was expected. Paul Atreides's death was a big blow for Lady Jessica, and she still blames us for it, even though the one she should blame is that accursed Emperor," and she was quiet as they continued.
"At this rate, we will lose. The Saradukar will overrun us in a month, and if one of us falls, the rest shall follow soon after," and that was true.
"That damned Emperor! When will his bloodlust cease? Has he not gathered enough power!" they raged and raved, and yet there was nothing they could do. And then she remembered her whisper, the last words she had left her with.
"There was one thing," she cut in, and the chatter died down in an instant.
"Before I left, she told me something—of someone that may be able to help us," she added as she gulped, and there was silence at that.
"Who?" came the inquiry, and she thought of her words.
"She did not give me a name but said that we would find him on Arrakis, hidden in folktales long forgotten and secrets long dead. She gave me an epithet that they call him 'the Preacher,'" she finished, and there was silence at those words.
"Arrakis," came the whisper, and that was the problem. Arrakis was the Emperor's stronghold. It was said that not a single bird flapped its wing on the desert planet without the Emperor knowing it.
To make a move against the emperor on Arrakis was praying for death itself, and yet death was coming for them all. All except her.
"Is there no choice?" someone asked.
"This could be our only hope," another added.
"But who will go to Arrakis? Who will walk into Lion's den," came the feminine voice, and she knew the answer to that already.
"Lady Fenring, we believe you are the only one who can," and she had known that.
"I will do as is needed of me," she replied with a bow.
"Yet the Emperor bears me no love. He will not allow me entry into Arrakis without reason, despite the name that I bear," she added. To reach Arrakis, one had to have the Emperor's permission. The whole planet was still covered by a wide planetary shield that made it impossible for anyone to enter it unauthorized.
Arrakis was a black hole to them. None of them could understand what went on there, and none of them or their allies would be granted entry to the planet.
"Indeed we need a reason for you to be granted permission," the femine voice added, and then the last of them spoke. One that had been quiet until then.
"If we can get you to Arrakis, could you locate this so-called 'Preacher' for us, Lady Fenring?" the voice was chilling and ominous as she nodded.
"I will," she answered resolutely, and then the fourth voice hummed before adding with finality.
"Then you will have your permission. Until then, make your preparations," and with that, she nodded as the fourth Pillar vanished.
"We must make preparations as well. If this Preacher can help us, we must also be ready." And with that, the meeting came to an end as she stood there wondering just how she would be granted that permission?
.
.
.
Back on Arrakis, the Padishah Emperor sat on his throne, his eyes closed as he saw more than any man should before. In his vision, a light vanished, marking the death of one individual, one he knew rather well.
Sometime later, his aide would walk into the room bearing a message, even though there was no need for it.
"Emperor, I bring grav..."
"I already know," the Emperor would cut in, opening his eyes. Those blue orbs glistened in the darkness of the night as he continued.
"Count Hasimir Fenring is dead."
"Indeed, Emperor," the man knelt his voice had reverence as he found himself seeing the Emperor's prowess for himself.
"Have his body returned to Arrakis, and send a message to his wife the Lady Margot Fenring. Estranged though they may be, but she is still his wife and must be allowed to say her goodbye," and the man nodded.
"As you wish, Emperor," and with that, he left as Inzal Kazab Corrino looked to the skies and sighed.
"And so, it begins once more!"
0000
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