In Name Only

Intro, characters, and media

Okayokayokay I know we all love Chani, but y'know who got seriously fucked over in the books? Irulan. And before anybody @s me like, "but she gave Chani contraceptives that ended up killing her!" Yeah, she did. But... put yourself in her shoes for a second. You're a princess, set to take over for your father one day. It's all you've been trained for, all your life. You see your father's warmongering ways and you don't approve. And then, some dude who's led a huge war rolls up, says he's gonna be emperor now, and demands to marry you to do it. You agree, cause you've always known you'd likely have a political marriage. Problem is, you fall in love with the guy, except HE'S already in love with someone else, so he uses you for your mind but otherwise isn't that great to you so he doesn't make his girlfriend jealous. Twelve years of unrequited love, of not being able to escape from it (and she couldn't cause he was her fucking husband)- dude, I would lose my fucking mind. I don't know *what* I'd do. Honestly, after twelve years of that hell, I'm legitimately impressed she didn't go on a killing spree. I sure as shit might've. So, yeah, I'm an Irulan apologist, and this fic is my love letter to the bullshit canon put her through, cause she deserved better.

Also, playin' it fast and loose with timelines and ages here, kids. I got into this shit 'cause of the new movie, and I'm sorry, but I just cannot for the life of me look at Timothée Chalamet and think he's fifteen. Doesn't click in my brain. So the events of the movie take place when he's twenty because that's the absolute lowest my brain can go. I'm sorry, but he's too sexy to be fifteen. It just doesn't work. This takes place a few years later, when he's 23. Irulan's age is kinda up in the air canonically so I just made her eighteen at the start here.

Also, Chani and Paul had Leto the Elder still, and he was killed a few months prior to when the fic takes place. This starts right after their wedding; Paul has been acting emperor for a few months; long enough for Irulan for fall for him, anyway. Cause I mean why wouldn't you, look at him, he's hot and he's problematic, sounds great. Oh yeah and I can't write wars for shit so instead of that whole rebellion thing, we're making it so the war took a few years and now it's over 'cause he's emperor and the majority of the empire doesn't really give a shit who rules as long as nobody messes with them too much. So... no long, drawn out rebellion. I ain't about that life.

CHARACTERS

Name: Irulan Corrino.
Age at start of fic: 18.
Height: Short.
Hair: Blonde.
Hobbies: writing, history.
Background: firstborn daughter to the last Corrino emperor. Trained as a Bene Gesserit and to be the next ruler of the Empire.

Tim plays him here, obviously. He's 23 at the start of the fic. He's got the blue-blue eyes.

Chani, as played by Zendaya. She's 22. We don't see her, really. Sorry Chani.

MOODBOARD