ASCENDANCY (Feyd-Rautha)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Note: I am so sorry about the three month wait... I've felt so burnt out and exhausted recently, but I love this story and I have the full intention of finishing it. Thank you for being patient <3 

Recap of the Story So Far:
Abigail Atreides, the only child of Leto Atreides' brother and cousin to Paul Atreides, has been given a crucial Bene Gesserit mission: to bear the Kwisatz Haderach (who is supposed to come from the unification of Atreides and Harkonnen blood). To fulfil this, she has been wed to Feyd-Rautha and is now a few months into her pregnancy.
Her relationship with her mother is strained, she disdains her mother for her decision to waste her own potential as a bene gesserit and instead become a mother and housewife. Amma, her lady in waiting and former servant on Giedi Prime, is the one constant presence in Abigail's life. Recently, Abigail and Feyd, under the orders of the Baron, have journeyed to the struggling planet Chusuk. Their mission is to offer aid but, in truth, to exploit the planet's financial struggles for political gain. There, they meet the planet's rulers, Count Fionn and Countess Corliss, as well as other important political figures. 

"Would thou like to live deliciously?"

The tiny ceramic cup made gentle noises as I stirred sugar into my tea. The scents of freshly baked goods and blooming flowers mingled beautifully in my nostrils. Countess Corliss and I had begun spending more time together as friends rather than political allies. It made little sense, as we were both power-drunk women who should by all laws of society despise each other. We enjoyed each other's company, even if it was simply sitting in silence whilst having breakfast in the gardens. I paid no mind to where Feyd was spending the morning. Usually, he would wake far earlier than the other inhabitants of the castle, seeking the serene quiet of dawn, free from disturbances.

"Your stomach has grown." Corliss broke the silence as she placed more berries onto her plate. Our table overflowed with food, much of it there solely to enhance the table's lavish appearance. The sun shone brightly that day, casting a golden hue on Corliss's brown hair.

"I have noticed. I am unsure if it is mostly cake and not the babe, though." I replied, taking a careful sip from the steaming tea.

"Both are conditions of pregnancy, so it does not matter, really." She replied, smiling playfully.

"Have you given any thought to how life will be, when the little one comes?" She asked, taking a bite of a scone covered in freshly churned butter.

"A bit, though I must admit I have not given it much time." I said, placing the tea back onto the table to let it cool, feeling its stinging burn on my tongue.

"Why not?" Corliss asked, intrigued.

"It is not much to think about, really. It is my duty to give a child. I feel that, in many ways, he is not truly mine. He is the child of politics and scheming far more than he is mine own." I said, before sinking my teeth into a strawberry.

"Does that not sadden you?" She asked, a line of worry on her brow. In truth, there was not a single maternal fibre in me. If he went hungry, would I feel inclined to feed him, or would I simply stare at him, as helpless as an unknowing child myself?

"I do not know." I eventually replied. "This pregnancy has been so miserable, and yet I have given so little thought to the time after."

"Why do you find it miserable?" Corliss asked, her tone a blend of motherly concern and clinical curiosity.

"The never-ending urges," I groaned. "Weak desires for cake, comfort and sex. It is so unlike me, it fills me with a dire frustration." I continued, feeling the warm morning air making me clammy.