The Cruel

27

Mara had gone back with Stilgar. They rode a Sand Worm. Mara had never ridden one before. It was different she would admit. Wasn't the same like riding a horse.

Once they returned, they went their separate ways. Stilgar went to go see Paul while Mara went to go see Alia. She hadn't seen her sister in a long time.

Once Mara had gone down the corridor to see where Alia was, she heard laughter. She recognized it. It was three voices.

Chani, Irulan and Alia.

She felt her eye twitch underneath her mask. Why were they with Alia? She was mad, no she was furious. No she was raged. Yes that's it. She was enraged.

She didn't want Alia to have anyone else. She believed that Alia and her were the same. All they needed was each other. A bond between sisters. But Mara was wrong.

That wasn't a healthy relationship between sisters or anyone. But Mara didn't know the difference between what was right and wrong.

Therefore she didn't know that her feeling was wrong and not good intentions.

Mara didn't even walk down the hall anymore as she walked away. She walked back to her own room. She made sure to train in there.

She closed her door with a loud boom. Servants that were around startled but no one said a word. They did not dare to speak to her when she was mad.

———

Mara trained until it hurt her limps to pick up her sword. She felt exhausted. Tired. Unfortunate. A lost cause.

Mara tore her armor off. Only now was she in a plain black shirt and her black pants. She carefully took her mask off. She was about to put it down until she saw something in her mask. Was that? No.

She ran to a nearby mirror that she had hid away in her room. She looked in it. Some of her skin on her face was ripped off by the mask. She had wore it too long that her skin started to get used to the mask. Mara felt a loss for words.

She said nothing as she put the mirror back to where it was. Nothing was said from her as she went back to her bed. She placed the mask on her side table.

She was going to rest and figure this all out later. She knew that she had to make a choice. Either keep the mask on and have it be imbedded in her face. Or she could have it off and show everyone her disgusting melted, some of the skin off of her face.

She made a choice right then and there. She would wear the mask. It meant something. And without it she was nothing.

———

Stilgar had knocked on Paul's door. Paul had opened the door. Stilgar smiled at him as Paul just stared at him. Paul hadn't smiled since the loss of his and Irulan's child.

"Usul."

Stilgar started. Paul could see how Stilgar looked like a child who just had candy. Paul made an amusing face. To signal for Stilgar to continue.

"Your sister is a great warrior. She had told me of what she has done for you."

Paul was confused but didn't show it. He just stared at Stilgar.

"And that is?"

It sounded more of a demand than an actual question.

"She wears the mask in your honor. Those scars on her face are for you. In the name of Lisan Al Gaib."

Paul looked at him with a narrow stare. What was his sister doing? Well he might as well go with it. Paul then gave him a smile.

"Ah so she's told you? Good. That's good."