Promise //Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen// Dune

14 - LEONARA

Arrakis, 10186

In the dimly lit chamber, the Baron's voice cut through the air like a whip, his anger palpable as he prowled among his gathered subjects, eyes ablaze with fury. "Who told them?" he snarled, his tone laced with menace. "Don't make me bring the emperor's truthsayer here. Admit it, and you will be shown mercy." The word 'mercy' dripped from his lips like venom, a hollow promise in the face of his wrath.

Twenty-three pairs of eyes shifted nervously under the weight of the Baron's gaze, each person feeling the weight of his rage bearing down upon them. Leonara stood among them, her expression carefully composed, though a flicker of apprehension danced in her eyes. She knew the stakes were high, the consequences dire if the truth were to come to light.

The Baron turned to Leonara. She stood with a slightly puzzled and innocent expression, a slight frown tugging on her lips. She was a Bene Gesserit; the Baron would not be able to see through her.

Though Feyd did not have that type of training.

Beside her, Feyd trembled, his fear palpable in the tense silence that hung in the air. The Baron's accusing gaze fell upon him like a hammer blow, and Leonara's heart twisted with empathy for the turmoil her beloved endured. "You," the Baron's voice was a low growl, predatory in its intensity as he closed in on Feyd, his face contorted with malice. "You did this, didn't you? My own nephew," he chuckled, "I can't believe it."

A knock at the door shattered the tension, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the stifling atmosphere of the chamber. It was the same irregular pattern she had heard Gaius use the day she was introduced to Feyd. Two slowly, three in a triplet beat, and the last one a heartbeat after the rest.

With a command, the door swung open, revealing Piter's slimy figure lurking in the doorway, his blue eyes gleaming with malicious intent. "We have found something at the sight of their abandoned home: evidence," Piter announced, a smirk playing on his lips as he cast a sidelong glance at Leonara. She shook off a shiver of disgust, thankful that she had successfully somewhat avoided the man for the past year.

As the Baron's attention shifted, relief washed over the assembled group like a wave, the oppressive weight of his scrutiny lifted for the moment. Leonara reached for Feyd, her touch a silent reassurance amidst the chaos that threatened to consume them. She tugged him towards her room.

"It's alright," she murmured, her voice a soothing balm against Feyd's frayed nerves. "He didn't figure us out."

Feyd's trembling hand found hers, a silent testament to the fear that still gripped him. "He almost did," he choked out, his voice thick with emotion. She could see the absolute terror in his eyes as he thought of his menacing uncle and she sighed, massaging the back of his hand.

"He didn't," Leonara insisted, her resolve unwavering as she sought to banish the shadows of doubt that clouded Feyd's mind.

With a sense of urgency, Leonara retrieved a communication device from her belongings, a lifeline to the outside world in the face of the Baron's watchful gaze. She had given one to Chani, and now they could communicate without risking discovery.

As the device hummed to life, a message appeared on the screen, a glimmer of hope in the darkness that threatened to engulf them. "The Fremen will be forever grateful for your help. Thank you," it read.

A sense of relief washed over Leonara as she read the words, a flicker of hope igniting within her heart. Beside her, Feyd's tense form seemed to relax, the weight of their shared burden momentarily lifted in the face of their small victory.

A sharp rap at the door shattered the fragile peace of the room, causing Leonara's heart to leap into her throat. With a swift motion, she concealed the transceiver beneath the folds of her sheets, her hands trembling with the weight of apprehension.