The Cruel

12

Once Mara had awoken, she was confused. She didn't know who was on her bed with her. She had her back faced to the person who lay next to her.

Mara went in a fight or flight mode. That was until she felt the person put their hand on her back. Mara knew that hand. It was her mother's.

"Get out."

Mara managed to say through anger.

"I know that you don't want me close to you-"

"And you would be right."

Mara's back was still to her mother.

Jessica saw how her daughter was feeling weak in this situation. Jessica put her hand on her daughter's cheek. That caused Mara to panic as she pushed her mother away. Mara jumped from the bed and raised a blade that she had hidden.

"Get out!"

Mara screamed out.

Jessica eyes were still soft towards her daughter. Jessica knew that Mara didn't have control. Mara was manipulated and Jessica would never blame her for that.

"Calm down."

Jessica gently spoke.

Mara was having a mental breakdown as she was hyperventilating but wouldn't let her mother get close to her. Jessica was a bit suprised but still had a comforting aura.

"Let me help."

"No! Just leave!"

"I can take away whatever pain you feel."

"You Bene Gesserit are all the same. Always taking away my "pain" only to give me more!"

Jessica was confused at her daughter's words. Then it clicked. Mara wasn't mad at her mother but rather afraid as Jessica was part of the Bene Gesserit.

"I won't hurt you."

"Liar!"

Mara had her grip firm on the blade.

"I don't know what they did to you but i'm not the bad person here."

"Yes you are! They told me everything about you."

Jessica turned her head slightly. She was getting a bit irritated with how the Bene Gesserit made her daughter fear her.

"And what did they tell you."

"You met my father only to make "The one." That was Paul wasn't it? He is "The One?" Or he was supposed to. But i changed that. I was to marry a Harkonnen."

Jessica closed her jaw shut as she clenched it. Jessica was no longer going to put up with her daughter. If Mara knew the truth then Mara must face those consequences.

"Sleep."

Maras body slumped down the wall as Jessica hurriedly caught her.

———

Jessica was holding the newborn in her arms. Mara slept on her mother's bed. Paul was next to his mother. The 4 Atreides family members were there.

"How long do you believe she's been manipulated."

Paul's voice covered the silence in the room. Jessica looked at the newborn as she bounced the child in her arms.

"I say the moment they kidnapped her."

The newborn spoke up.

Jessica just carried the small child as her son looked at Mara with pity.

"They've been toying with her."

Paul blurted out in frustration.

"Making her to be their pet."

Paul's eyes grew dark. His whole house had been humiliated by how Mara was being manipulated.

Jessica stayed quiet. And the newborn fell back asleep in her mother's arms.

Paul opened his mouth to talk but was interrupted by Mara's body shifting in the bed.

Her breathing was frantic as she mumbled incoherently. It was as if she was scared. No. She was scared. She was still a child.

"Please...let me go."

Mara murmured in her sleep as her breathing got  worse and her body started to shake.

Jessica saw her child as scared and frightened. It physically hurt her to see that.

Paul saw his sister in pain and was hurt. He was going to have the head of every Bene Gesserit for her.

Jessica put Alia into Paul's arms. Paul carefully took the sleeping newborn as Jessica sat beside her middle child. Jessica caressed her daughter's head.

Jessica sat on the bed crisscrossed as she put Mara's head in her lap. Paul saw his mother's movements.

He knew what his mother was doing. It was the same thing she did to his father when he couldn't sleep.

Jessica massaged the poor girls temples to help and calm her. And it worked as Mara's body stopped trembling and her breathing went back to normal.

Jessica sighed as she looked back at Paul. Paul just stared at his mother and smiled at her. Even if the old Paul "died" his love for his mother didn't.

"irulan?"

Mara spoke up as she groaned. But instead she wanted to met with Jessica and Paul staring at her.

Mara looked confused and angry instantly. But Jessica didn't want the moment to end. Jessica put her daughters head back on her lap as she massaged her daughters head even if Mara tried to fight back.

Paul smiled as he missed how his sister never liked massages. Jessica smiled also as Mara gave up and just leaned into the touch. Mara would be a fool to say she didn't miss it.

———

"Paul and I know something that you would like to hear."

Jessica spoke as Mara was still in her lap. Paul was playing with Alia or more like talking to her. But he stopped once his mother spoke.

Mara was silent.

"But we want someone else here to confirm our suspicions."

The doors opened up and Mara saw Irulan walk in. Mara was now confused with everything. More confused with how Irulan had a guilty face.

"Irulan?"

Mara managed to say as she was confused. Mara lifted her head off her mother's lap. Jessica stared at Irulan with so much anger as did Paul.

"I'm sorry Mara-"

"Silence!"

Paul used the voice on Irulan. Paul didn't want to hear his wife's side of the story.

However Mara was not amused as she furrowed her eyebrows at Paul. Paul noticed as took a breath before looking at his mother.

Jessica knew that being rough on Irulan would just make Mara more uncomfortable with them.

"Mara."

Mara looked at to who said her name. Jessica stared back.

"The Bene Gesserit lied. We didn't abandon you nor did Paul or I try to end the Atreides line. The Emperor tried to make the Atreides line disappear."

Jessica spoke carefully for her daughter to understand. However Mara needed more confirmation. Mara looked at Irulan and was met with a guilty face. Mara scoffed as she clenched her fist.

Mara didn't want to speak with anyone as Paul tried to explain more. Mara was silent as she stared at the ground. Everything she thought was wrong.