The Cruel

25

Mara got up from her bed. She saw how her blood stained armor got her bed dirty. She was annoyed but didn't say anything about it. She left it to the servants as she put her mask on.

She was being more reliant on her mask. Something she didn't used to do. She relied more on her mask than her own actions to instill fear.

Silence took over her as she walked down the hallway. She was well respected more than ever now. She walked towards the dining hall. She walked in to see only her mother eating. While her mother's servants waited for her demands.

Mara stood still as she stared at her. Her mother looked up at her and saw her bloody suit still on her. Her armor plates that were covered in blood. Her house symbol that had blood over it.

"Wash up. You won't have the necessities on Arrakis to do so."

Her mother spoke with carefulness. Mara was silent still. Staying still as she stared at her. Now that Jessica thinks of it, when was the last time she saw her daughter's actual face?

"I will do that later. As I will eat later."

Mara's tone was dull as she was bored of this conversation. Her mother sighed as she looked at her. Jessica knew that Mara only cares if she gets hurt, other than that? No emotional affection from her first daughter.

"Eat well."

Her mother said as she stared at her. Mara just huffed like a child as she turned around. She didn't liked being told what to do. No one did.

"I'm not a child."

"Then why do you look, act, and speak like one?"

Her mother asked. Mara was silenced. She didn't say anything. She still was a child wasn't she? At least someone acknowledged it.

"My Mara would-"

"Your Mara died years ago. She died with her father."

Mara spoke over her mother quickly. She didn't need to hear any more of her mother's tricks. Her mother never cared for her before and she won't start now unless she needs something.

Jessica stayed silent as she cleared her throat. But by the time she finished cleaning her throat, Mara already left the room. She left her mother with only her servants.

"What is wrong with that child."

Jessica muttered as she continued to eat.

———

Mara walked into an empty room. She made servants wait outside. Mara had made this room a shrine for her father. Nobody was allowed in this room except for her. Not even her mother was allowed in here.

Nobody saw the room but Mara herself as she decorated everything. She had a portrait of her father on display. Candles and little gifts that her father gave her.

She sat down as the portrait hung over a mantle. She felt small still. Like a child. She didn't look away from his portrait.

"Father...I've missed you."

She muttered as she choked up. She took her mask off. She didn't see her reflection as she made sure to take out all mirrors in the room.

"You told me that one day i would lead an army. Now I do those things. Yet each time I do, I feel like i'm loosing a battle with myself."

Mara said softly. A tone she rarely used now. She didn't like feeling soft but she always was a daddy's girl.

"I feel myself slipping away. I feel...her taking control. I can't let her win over me. If I do then, i'll be lost forever."

Mara stated with a shiver. She was scared of herself. She knew that she would one day she would loose this battle with herself. She would be consumed by darkness.

"I miss you dad."

Mara spoke as she stared away from the portrait. She felt nothing but pain from looking at his portrait. Who wouldn't?

"Father I-"

Mara cut herself off as she felt tears brim in her eyes. She didn't want to continue. Instead she sat up as she put her mask back on. She stared at the portrait one more time.

"Till next time father."

Mara said as she walked out the room. She made sure to close the door shut as she didn't want a servant pestering around.

These walls were thin in this house. Everyone here couldn't be trusted. Even the woman that birthed her couldn't be trusted. The man that was a good person to her couldn't be trusted.

———

Mara finally took a shower. She had forgotten what that felt like. Paul didn't let her waste water anymore on showers. Instead he told her to use the sand to get the dirt off. Mara didn't like that.

She loved the water. The way it moved. She stared at it as she sunk deeper into the tub. She took a deep breath as she sunk all the way in. She didn't come up for a few minutes before a servant rushed towards her pulling her up.

She sighed. These servants never let her do anything. Her mother's doing.

She raised to the surface with an angry look. Her mask was off and hated how the servants looked at her. Their faces showed pity more than fear. She didn't like that. She looked away.

She turned away from them as she didn't want to face them.

"Leave me."

Mara voice was raspy. The voice had taken her voice slowly each time she used it. She always had the most beautiful voice but now it was just a raspy sound.

She was different. She would never be the same how she was years ago. She heard the servants leave the room. She sighed as she turned back around in the now empty room.

She felt emptiness as she got up from the tub of water. She got out and changed back into her armor. She never wore any Fremen gear. She didn't want to. She hated the idea of being one of them.

Her armor that had her House symbol on it. Her pride. It was clean now, Mara made the servants clean it. Shiny and clean. Not dirty with sand.

She sighed as she had her armor back on. She felt the materials weigh heavy on her as she winced. She hated the weight of the armor but knew her body would get used to it.

She walked around in circles until her body got used to the feeling. She hummed a tune. It wasn't the tune her father used to sing to her. It was a tune that Emperor Corrino used to hum to her.

She would remember it like clockwork. It became of her. She hated the man and despised him for making her his puppet. But she had to give him credit.

It was a catchy tune.

She turned around towards a stoop that held her mask. She put it on. There she saw a mirror in the corner in her eye. She already had her mask on so it didn't bother her that it was there.

However she did notice how long her hair had gotten. She didn't like how it always got in her way. She looked at the dagger in her hand. She grabbed her dagger and cut her hair short.

It was quick and steady. She had cut it perfectly. She had her hair now up to her neck. It was even and neatly cut. Her knife work was something to admire.

She looked in the mirror. She saw her hair now short. She thought it was better. She liked it. It showed her curls more. Something she inherited from her father.

She liked it, no loved it. As she walked out the room she grabbed a hairbrush. She threw it at the mirror. It shattered everywhere.

———

Mara sat in the dining hall. She was alone due to her request. She ate with her mask off. Never once doing anything else. Keeping her eyes solely on her food. She cut her steak and chewed it.

She had nothing to worry about except for her food getting cold.