GIEDI PRIME, 10185
The desolate world that awaited Leonara offered no solace, its colorless sky a stark reminder of her grim destiny. Amidst the barren landscape, devoid of life and joy, she found herself escorted by a handful of servants from the heighliner, her only companions in this desolation.
Must my fate bind me to the loneliest planet in existence? Such melancholy thoughts clouded her mind as she gazed upon the bleak expanse before her. The scarcity of life, the absence of vitality—it weighed heavily upon her spirit.
"Hello, Reverend Mother, Lady Leonara," a voice pierced the silence. It was Piter de Vries, the Baron's mentat, his presence unsettling. Rumors of his dubious nature had reached Leonara's ears, and his oily tone sent a shiver down her spine.
"Allow me to escort you to the Baron's palace," Piter offered, his gaze fixed challengingly upon Leonara, tinged with an unsettling mixture of arrogance and something akin to lust.
What impertinence, she thought, disdainful of his audacity to regard a Bene Gesserit with such inappropriate desire. I must handle this with the appropriate discretion.
Glancing at her mother, Leonara sought guidance and pushed a thought into her mother's mind.
What do we do with him?
Nothing, her mother shook her head subtly, Nothing yet.
"Proceed, Mentat," her mother dismissed him with a wave of her hand. Piter bowed slightly, his gaze lingering provocatively on Leonara before he turned to lead them towards a waiting aircraft.
"Ladies first." His hand brushed against the slit in her clothing near her thigh and she shuddered visibly. The tense atmosphere was palpable, even as they settled into the spacious interior.
"Careful, Piter," the Reverend Mother warned sharply, "Remember, Lady Leonara is betrothed to Feyd-Rautha. Your attention may not be well-received by your master."
Leonara felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of Feyd-Rautha's rumored brutality. Could such a fate await her if she failed to navigate this precarious situation?
"What makes you think I'm doing anything improper?" Piter retorted with a smirk, his demeanor challenging. Yet, Leonara remained composed, refusing to succumb to his provocations. She straightened and looked him dead in the eye.
I am a Bene Gesserit, she thought angrily, I will not grovel at his feet. I will not fear a man as low as this one.
Leonara boarded the aircraft, refusing to entertain him any longer.
Many servants stood with their heads bowed at a corner of the aircraft, tension visible in the lines of their shoulders. As Leonara approached them, they seemed to shrink away and attempt to join the shadows.
What peculiar beings, she thought curiously, they would like to join the shadows rather than control them.
Piter De Vrais obviously was not a pilot for a reason. When the aircraft finally landed on another patch of plain concrete, Leonara felt sick. However at least upon arrival at the Baron's palace, color greeted her weary eyes. Though the furnishings remained monochrome, the mere presence of the hues other than gray on her hands offered a semblance of comfort.
"Compose yourself," her mother admonished in a hushed tone, reminding Leonara of the gravity of their mission.
"Yes, Mother," she replied. As they were ushered to their rooms, Leonara braced herself for the task ahead. The success of their alliance with the Harkonnens rested upon her ability to impress the Baron—a daunting prospect that filled her with both apprehension and determination.
"Be strong, but be obedient." A quiver in her voice suggested fear.
"Yes, Mother," Leonara affirmed, steeling herself for the challenges that lay ahead. Seated beside her mother, Leonara absorbed the weight of their expectations. This moment, the culmination of years of preparation, held the fate of their order in its balance.
"You have been preparing for this moment your whole life," her mother reminded her, her expression betraying a hint of anxiety. "Do not falter now. The Bene Gesserit's reputation rests upon your shoulders."
"I understand."
I must not fear.
With a knock at the door, Piter's voice interrupted their conversation once more, delivering the Baron's summons.
"The Baron seeks Lady Leonara," he paused, "alone."
As she prepared to face the Baron, Leonara steeled herself for the challenges ahead. In this game of power and intrigue, she would need all her strength and cunning to navigate the treacherous waters of Arrakis.
For the Bene Gesserit, failure was not an option.
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Promise //Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen// Dune
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