The Cruel

8

Mara was training. That was until Mara was told that she had a mission to do. Mara always had little missions that the Emperor gave her.

However she never knew what she did on them. One minute she would be in front of the Reverend Mother and the next she would be on an aircraft going back home covered in blood.

Mara knew she didn't want to know what they had her doing. But she quickly made a name for herself throughout the Universe.

Mara "the cruel" Atreides.

———

Paul had woken up in sweat. He rushed to his mother. He had seen a future with Mara. His mother woke at the same time. They both saw the dream.

A dream of Mara standing before the Emperor, serving him in his glory. Mara was bent on her knee as she kept her head down. But her face was all blurry. Yet they knew it was Mara.

"She's alive."

Paul told his mother. Jessica simply nodded as Paul seemed angry.

"She's betrayed us."

Paul said with anger. Jessica was angry too. Their flesh and blood had betrayed them. But they knew there was more.

"She is a child still. They may have her-"

"SHES BETRAYED US!"

Paul yelled over his mother causing others in the room to cower.

Jessica saw in that moment what she caused. She had brought two monsters in this world.

———

Mara was in fresh clothes as she cleaned the dried blood from under her nails.

"You look tired from today."

Irulan said as she walked into the room. Mara stayed silent. Unusual.

"Will you join us for dinner tonight?"

Still Mara didn't give the older girl an answer. Now Irulan knew something was wrong. She feared this as she knew Mara knew.

"What missions do i do?"

Mara asked gently. There was silence. Irulan knew that she wasn't in the jurisdiction to tell Mara what she did.

How could she? How could Irulan tell Mara that she kills men and woman, even sometimes children that put the Emperor at risk of losing his spot as Emperor.

Mara was just a puppet doing all of the dirty work. So instead Irulan decided to tell the teenager something else.

"You help protect my family. You help protect me."

Irulan said as she caressed the younger girls head with such tenderness that it felt real. But Irulan was just acting with fear.

Mara just nodded as she looked up at Irulan from her chair. Irulan smiled at the younger girl. Mara smiled back.

"I'll join you for dinner."

"Good. I don't know how i would survive without you."

Irulan joked as she pulled Mara for a hug. She smiled into the hug until Mara couldn't see her face. Irulan's face dropped into a cold face. She knew that Mara would eventually find out. So she just needed to lure her away from that.

———

As dinner went on, Mara was silent as the Emperor and his family ate. Silence was taken.

The Emperor took notice but decided not to speak about it. He knew that Mara was going to find out. And he knew that when she did he would have to take her out but until then he could just pretend.

Pretend to be a father figure that she craved for.

"Ah so anyway I'm going to Arrakis."

The Emperor said as he saw Mara look up in the corner of his eye. Irulan knew about it. The whole table did except for Mara.

"I and Irulan will go as we need to discuss manners with the Harkonnen's. I was thinking that you would join us."

The Emperor said to Mara. Mara just nodded as she felt her left hand twitch under the table. Irulan who was sitting to her left grabbed her hand and held it.

"Good. We leave tomorrow."

The Emperor mustered as he ate.

Mara was silent the rest of the dinner and Irulan never let her hand leave hers. Irulan knew it was cruel to put her back into the world that took everything from the younger girl but it was needed.