Arrakeen, Arrakis, Saturday Afternoon
”Today I’ve been the benevolent ruler,” Leto cheerfully announced as he took a seat in front of Irulan.
”Oh?” His stepmother took a sip of her coffee. ”I’m sure that made you happy.”
Of course they both knew that hadn’t been the reason behind it. Irulan looked at Leto, challenging him with silence. He knew she was unhappy with how he had left her guessing at his motives lately, giving her only half of the story, and for no other reason than to tease her. Ghanima told him off for doing that. It was unfair, he supposed, but who else could he do that with? Ghanima knew exactly how his mind worked, Alice wasn’t as interested in politics, Farad’n didn’t deal with it very well.
But yes, it was unfair, wasn’t it?
”The conflict I told you about yesterday. I pardoned the revolutionaries, sending them home and giving them positions of power. It will complicate matters for them for decades, which… well, I suppose you can guess the rest.” Irulan wouldn’t need for him to spell that out. That wasn’t half a story told.
”And how are you going to celebrate this?” Irulan let a tiny smile appear, deliberately and controlled, but Leto could see it was sincere. He let her pour a coffee for him.
”I promised Alice I would join her in Tabr tonight,” he said. ”I’ll be back tomorrow evening.”
”And Hania?” Irulan looked at him raising an eyebrow.
Leto sipped the coffee, drawing in the scent of Spice. ”I’ll let her choose whether she wants to come or not. Unless that interferes with her studies.”
”I’m not sure running around Tabr is going to make it easier for her to sit still and read or if the effect will be the opposite,” Irulan said with a sigh. ”But she can go if she wants to. At least she enjoys reading about the Butlerian Jihad.”
That was something at least. ”I’ve seen the drawings,” Leto said. ”Of the Thinking Machines.”
”They are quite… vivid.” Irulan shifted on the couch. Perhaps that interest wasn’t entirely suitable. ”Other than that she wants to go on adventures as usual. And eat… Pop Tarts?” She frowned. ”What are those?”
Leto shook his head. ”I don’t know. Perhaps something she made up.” With Hania that was always a possibility.
”In any case, she has to be back the day after tomorrow, as I have a new chapter planned,” Irulan said, then added: ”Which sadly will offer less inspiration for colorful drawings, I’m afraid.”
Leto grinned. ”Don’t underestimate her imagination. But she will be back by then, I promise.”
”I would never underestimate a child of yours, Leto.” Irulan gave him a warm smile that wasn’t about Hania but rather about actually being told about his current political plans rather than being teased. And, returning to those: ”Will I be trying my luck if I ask you for some more details about your current benevolence?”
Leto supposed he deserved that comment.
[Can be open]
”Oh?” His stepmother took a sip of her coffee. ”I’m sure that made you happy.”
Of course they both knew that hadn’t been the reason behind it. Irulan looked at Leto, challenging him with silence. He knew she was unhappy with how he had left her guessing at his motives lately, giving her only half of the story, and for no other reason than to tease her. Ghanima told him off for doing that. It was unfair, he supposed, but who else could he do that with? Ghanima knew exactly how his mind worked, Alice wasn’t as interested in politics, Farad’n didn’t deal with it very well.
But yes, it was unfair, wasn’t it?
”The conflict I told you about yesterday. I pardoned the revolutionaries, sending them home and giving them positions of power. It will complicate matters for them for decades, which… well, I suppose you can guess the rest.” Irulan wouldn’t need for him to spell that out. That wasn’t half a story told.
”And how are you going to celebrate this?” Irulan let a tiny smile appear, deliberately and controlled, but Leto could see it was sincere. He let her pour a coffee for him.
”I promised Alice I would join her in Tabr tonight,” he said. ”I’ll be back tomorrow evening.”
”And Hania?” Irulan looked at him raising an eyebrow.
Leto sipped the coffee, drawing in the scent of Spice. ”I’ll let her choose whether she wants to come or not. Unless that interferes with her studies.”
”I’m not sure running around Tabr is going to make it easier for her to sit still and read or if the effect will be the opposite,” Irulan said with a sigh. ”But she can go if she wants to. At least she enjoys reading about the Butlerian Jihad.”
That was something at least. ”I’ve seen the drawings,” Leto said. ”Of the Thinking Machines.”
”They are quite… vivid.” Irulan shifted on the couch. Perhaps that interest wasn’t entirely suitable. ”Other than that she wants to go on adventures as usual. And eat… Pop Tarts?” She frowned. ”What are those?”
Leto shook his head. ”I don’t know. Perhaps something she made up.” With Hania that was always a possibility.
”In any case, she has to be back the day after tomorrow, as I have a new chapter planned,” Irulan said, then added: ”Which sadly will offer less inspiration for colorful drawings, I’m afraid.”
Leto grinned. ”Don’t underestimate her imagination. But she will be back by then, I promise.”
”I would never underestimate a child of yours, Leto.” Irulan gave him a warm smile that wasn’t about Hania but rather about actually being told about his current political plans rather than being teased. And, returning to those: ”Will I be trying my luck if I ask you for some more details about your current benevolence?”
Leto supposed he deserved that comment.
[Can be open]