The Cruel

23

Mara was on Caladan. She had been there for a few days. She wished to stay longer but felt that she would return back to Arrakis. She hated the way her mother had been acting.

Her mother had tried to make her feel welcomed. All for show. Everyone knew that. Everyone knew that her mother didn't care for her. Every servant saw it. They've known the two Atreides since forever. So they saw through them.

How Mara and her mother didn't speak during dinner. How Mara cringed when she saw Gurney touch her mother's hand. They were together and seemed somewhat happy. But Mara knew that her mother would never love him as she loved her father.

Mara didn't care for it. None of it. The only people she cared for was Alia and Irulan. And even then she doesn't know if she loves Irulan. Was it fake? Was it another manipulation trick?

Her thoughts were racing around her head as she stared at her council. Her council of different Lords all over from Caladan. Men that used to gift her presents as a child. Now they were with her in her own council. But they saw her differently.

She was no longer a child. She was a murder. A tyrant who had no moral compass or compassion.

———

Mara was in her room. She missed it. Her old room, she stood in the middle. Looking at the window placed in the room, hearing the waves crash. Each wave crashing was replaced by swords in Mara's mind. That's all she ever thought.

Death.

She knew her death would come soon. She knew she would never die of old age. Probably an assassin attack or dying on the battlefield. She just looked at the waves from the middle of the room. She didn't move. She had perfected her stillness.

"Won't you join me and Gurney for dinner."

Jessica asked as she looked at her. Mara was quiet as she didn't stare at her. Mara hated her mother. A person she once craved love from was now just a nuisance to her.

Jessica stared at her daughter still. Nothing. She got no reaction. She just bowed her head as she was beginning to leave the room.

"Write to Alia more."

Mara said as she continued to look out the window. Jessica turned her head confused and a bit irritated.

"I do write her. She doesn't respond."

"Don't lie, Reverend Mother."

Mara barked through her teeth. Jessica stared at her as Mara barely turned her head to stare at the older woman.

"I don't lie of this."

"You do. Right through your teeth. She waits for days for your letters. Yet she barely receives anything. You already failed me and Paul. Why do it with your last?"

Mara sneered as she turned away. Jessica's eyes softened for a second before turning cold. She turned away towards the door.

"I'll tell him that you won't be joining us tonight."

Mara was silent at her mother's words. Jessica walked out as she slammed the door. Mara was standing there still, not giving her any sort of thought.

She touched her scar in her face. She turned to the mirror. Half of her face was beautiful and the other was crisp and burnt. Her scar had started to spread.

She didn't think scars could spread but it had. A doctor on Caladan explained it well.

The boiling water that burned her face in the first place must of had some type of chemical to cause this. Eventually her whole face will be scarred. There is no saving her face. Her feature that showed she was Leto's mirage would be gone. She won't be recognizable.

She lashed out on the mirror. She threw it on the floor. It shattered in a million pieces. She backed away from the shattered mirror. She hated the Bene Gesserit woman that did this to her.

A woman she met before. The same woman that told her mother years ago of her potential. A woman who was rumored to be her own mother's mother.

Gaius Helen Mohiam.

She stared at her hands. She visioned herself killing that old hag. She enjoyed the thought of it. She would want to. But knew she wouldn't be allowed to.

That old woman played a vital role in everything. Her time would come eventually, but Mara would have to wait for a bit.

Until it was the right moment for her to pull the plug on that old witch.

Mara often could remember of times when that old hag had put her in torment for hours at a time. All to see if Mara was still obedient to the then Emperor. Mara would never cry when she would be put under this torture. She didn't want to seem as weak. Now that she remembers it, she often feels herself feel hatred and resentment.

Mara would kill every last one of those people that did this to her. Every last guard that watched it happen. Every last soul that saw her in this torment. She knew that Irulan was excluded from this. She would never hurt Irulan. She swore an oath. An oath that she didn't want to break.

But perhaps she would have to if Irulan ever tried to take what's hers. If Irulan happened to try and take Mara's things, like Caladan, then Mara would have to be violent. Wouldn't she?

But Irulan would never do that. She knew that. Or did she? Was Irulan just trying to get closer to her all this time to turn everyone against her?

Mara had become paranoid. She always was paranoid but it had become worse after Irulan leaving her and going to her brother instead. She had became paranoid about anything. She wondered if anyone would try and take Alia away from her to.

No. She wouldn't let anyone take her away. She couldn't allow that. She would never let anyone take away something from her again.

———

Mara was on Caladan still. This was her last day here before she would go back to Arrakis. She wanted to see the sea again before she left. But she knew a spot that was the best place for looking at the ocean. She grabbed her horse that she rode since she could remember.

She was a bit rusty as she hadn't rode a horse in a while. She wasn't used to riding one anymore. She hosted herself on the horse as she groaned. She had hit her leg on the metal part of the saddle.

She waved it off as she made her horse run towards the cliff that was ahead. It was a far journey away. About 2 hours worth of riding, 6 hours if walking.

She continued to ride. She smelled the ocean, the grass, and the trees. All things that weren't on Arrakis.

Once on the cliff, she got off her horse. She walked at the edge of the cliff. She smelled everything and she felt conflicted. Should she stay here forever? Or go back to Arrakis?

She didn't want to go back there. Yet she was conflicted as Alia was there. Her baby sister. She sighed as she looked at the wave.

If she was to die in this moment who would care? Would her mother cry? Would her brother? Irulan? Alia? Could they have already seen her death?

She looked at the sky with terror in her eyes. There was a huge object in the sky. It was entering the planet. It didn't look like a friendly aircraft.

She rushed and got back on her horse. She had to get back to the castle now. She made her house go faster than ever. Making her horse gasp for a breather but Mara didn't let it. She couldn't. She pushed forward.

She would protect this world with her life. She knew in that moment that fate would come for her. She was screwed and this was her doing.