The Cruel

15

Mara went back to her own room. She had to get ready. As she prepared her suit. The same exact suit she had came on Arrakis on. The black suit. Head to toe in black. With her black mask.

As Mara finished putting on her mask she heard someone walk in.

"I haven't seen you wear that since we've landed here."

Irulan spoke with such softness.

"How else would my servants recognize me?"

Mara words were dark and conniving. Even with the voice disruptor Irulan could hear it.

Irulan was silent as she walked more in the room. Mara didn't say anything more. Irulan stared at the younger girl. But couldn't see anything due to the mask.

Mara made it clear that she didn't want to hear it by holding her hand up when Irulan tried to talk. Mara didn't need this.

Irulan had lied to her. Manipulated her. Made her a puppet.

This made Mara's blood boil. She was an Atreides. Yet she had been tricked into being an Corrino.

She felt anger and nothing but that when she looked at Irulan. Where she once saw a safe place, she only saw a traitor.

Mara put her hand down as she walked out of the room. She had walked away as she knew that it was for the best. Mara was a manic when angry. Everyone knew that.

Irulan was left in that room alone. She yearned for the younger girl. Not in a romantic way but more of a platonic manner. She missed when Mara would come to her whenever she had a nightmare or when something was wrong.

She missed so many things that Mara would do. Even if she was manipulating Mara, she missed having Mara under control.

———

As Mara walked towards where the aircraft's would be she passed Paul. Paul walked past her as he walked with a high head. Mara knew that Paul would never trust her as much as he did on Caladan.

The two siblings had changed. They had drifted apart. A bond that could never be brought back to its original state.

Mara walked down the hallway and turned the corner.

Some Fremen soldiers were in the hallway. Waiting for her. Mara had her mask on. Yet even with her mask on everyone seemed terrified of her.

Perhaps it's because the mask is a symbol of death. A mask that everyone in the galaxy feared.

As Mara walked past them, they had followed her. All the way to the aircraft's. Gurney had been waiting patiently as he fixed his suit. It was a fremen suit. Everyone had a Fremen suit but Mara.

She hadn't earned it yet. But she could if she had taken the "Water of Life". Yet she didn't want to. She didn't want to end up like her brother or mother.

Mara entered the airship as she sat across from Gurney. Gurney didn't try to make small talk as he knew it would go nowhere.

———

A few days had passed since Mara and the others left for Pulko. Once returned, Paul had waited. Paul knew that everyone would make it back. At least the ones that mattered.

Gurney had walked up to Paul and gave him a paper. It had the blood of the Lord that oversaw Pulko. It had his name written in blood that he supported Paul.

Paul eyes widened.

"Who did-"

Before Paul could finish his question he saw Mara. She looked like she had the time of her life. Her mask was off as she held it with gratitude. Her suit was dirty with blood. Her black suit was shown in blood.

Mara walked past the both of them as she hummed a tune. Had this been a game to her?

Once out of earshot, Gurney spoke up.

"I could see why those people on Pulko worship her. She destroyed their last leader. She truly is what they call her."

"And what do they call her?"

"Mara "The Cruel." Atreides."

Paul scoffed. Mara truly did make a name for herself. He envied her. Even after all these years Paul knew that he would still be behind her even if he was Emperor.

———

Mara took a bath. Her bath was shortened due to a servant coming in and telling her that Lady Jessica and Muad'Dib wanted to see her.

Mara got out of her bath and made the servant fetch her new clothes. Once she was dressed, she made her way to the place that the servant led her.

Mara walked in the dining room. She saw Paul sit at the end of the table while their mother sat at his right. Mara didn't want to sit next to him. That would make her look like a servant.

So instead she sat at the other end of the table. Paul saw this as his jaw clenched but stopped after he saw food being brought in. Mara didn't even glance away as she continued to stare at him.

Once food was served and the servants left the room, Paul became to speak as he cut his food.

"Mother and I want to know everything that you've caused while under the old Emperor."

Paul declared as he bit into his food. Mara just stared at him. Didn't even bother to eat. Jessica ate her food slowly as she didn't look at her children but rather her food.

"Why."

"Because I told you too."

Paul hated how Mara didn't do as she was told.

"I don't see why you need to know."

"Gurney told me-"

"So you would rather listen to what that old hag has to say-"

"SILENCE!"

Paul used the voice on Mara. That finally caught the attention of Jessica as she looked up at Paul with an angry glare. Paul sighed as he looked away from his mother.

Mara stood up. She wasn't even hungry in the first place.

"You have no business in my affairs while serving the Emperor."

"Old Emperor."

Paul corrected.

"You are not the Emperor yet. You haven't even conquered a world on your own yet."

Paul felt his face get red.

"Mara, Paul, that's enough from the both of you."

Jessica reprimanded them like how she did back on Caladan. But this wasn't Caladan. And Mara wasn't that little girl anymore. She was a killer.

"For someone who sees all, you truly are blind."

And with that Mara left the room.

Paul and Jessica stayed silent the rest of the meal.