Chapter 10b-The Ticking Clock!

Chapter 10b

DUKE LETO ATREIDRES-The Duke of Arrakis

"I would win," and those words were said with full seriousness as Leto found himself staring at Harkonnen butcher Inzal Kazab.

Leto's meeting with Kazab was far from what he had envisioned. He had sought Kazab, yes, but this unexpected encounter was a twist he hadn't seen coming.

And then there was the other problem. Inzal was young—younger than he had imagined. His face reminded him much of their Emperor from his youth, and the thought had burrowed its way into his head and refused to leave.

Despite being surrounded by blades from all sides, Inzal Kazab stood confident in his abilities. What drove such confidence, he did not know. Yet as his eyes met Jessica's, who had grown pale and had a worried expression on her face, he knew that he did not wish to find out.

"Halt," he spoke strongly at Gurney as he gave his war master a nod.

"Put away your weapons," he ordered, and with a grunt, Gurney obeyed the order as the guards backed away, leaving Inzal alone, who smiled as Leto pointed towards a seat.

"Have a seat. Let us talk," he offered, and the young man accepted. His mannerisms were quite different from those of their earlier Fremen guest. Inzal's manners were more in line with those of the other noble Imperial Houses, a fact he did not miss.

"Of course," Inzal accepted the offer as he sat down opposite to him.

Inzal's earlier words to him about them walking into a trap and his own values showed that the young man, despite his age, was quite knowledgeable about the political games of the Imperium.

"It was you who had a message passed along to my associate, Duncan?" he questioned, and Inzal nodded.

"Indeed, it was me," he did not deny it.

"Then I believe you must wish to engage with me, so let us engage in talks. I know of the Harkonnen atrocities against the Fremen, but now Arrakis is my fief, and I believe all of us can come to a healthy agreement on certain terms," Leto questioned, as the young man shook his head.

"Ohh, I don't think we can," he rejected the notion, unlike their Fremen counterpart.

"Arrakis is not your home, my Duke. Caladan is your home, your men come here to this foreign land, and they do not call it home. They never will, it is a hard planet, much different than your lush home. This is not your home," and the way he spoke of his men told him that he had observed them and knew what had been going on.

"This planet, this desert wasteland, is simply the place chosen for your destruction, and that should be your main concern," he said, and he glanced towards their Fremen guest, who looked at this young Kazab with narrowed eyes.

"You speak as though you know much about this attack. What am I to think of that?" he accused sharply as Inzal's gaze narrowed.

"Speak carefully, Duke. No, Fremen shall ever join hands with the Harkonnen butchers," he said coldly as he turned towards Stilgar, who added.

"He speaks the truth. We would slay one who betrays us like that with our own hands. And though, different Inzal is a Fremen," he was assured.

"Though, I don't think you could say the same for your household. After all, wasn't the young Duke attacked quite recently," and Leto stilled at that.

Not only did he know of the attack on Paul, he also knew of their suspicion of a Harkonnen spy in their midst.

"A hunter-seeker, I heard, operated by a Harkonnen hidden in these walls," he questioned as he looked at Paul and Leto's fists balled up.

He could see what Inzal was doing, and he was keeping him on his toes. Probing and testing, he was trying to get a measure of them.

"How do you know about that?" he questioned.

"I know much more than you think, Duke Leto. I know why you were sent here; I know of the danger it poses to you and your family," he answered as he looked him in the eye before his gaze shifted towards Jessica, who gulped nervously for some reason as Inzal's gaze lowered before moving back to himself.

"I know why you seek the Fremen and myself and how little time you have to make it all work," he said.

"What do you want?" it was Jessica who spoke, her voice strong yet soft, as Inzal turned towards her.

"I wish for what many take for granted. I wish for my people, the people of this planet, to walk freely on their lands, go where they wish to, and get compensated fairly for the melange you and the Empire rob from us," he said heatedly as Leto's guess was proven right. He was indeed a freedom fighter.

"I can assure you of much of that," he said, and he would.

"And it is because of that willingness that I sit here infront of you—something I never did for the Harkonnen butchers. But Duke Leto Atreides, that would not be freedom," he said, and there was sincerity in his tone.

"It would be a start," he said, and the young man shook his head.

"We have suffered enough, so let me make an offer of my own," said the young man as he leaned forward.

"Just as I wish for you to return Arrakis to its people. I make the same offer to you," he said, making Leto frown.

"Caladan," he elaborated, making Leto still as he reminded him of his ancestral home.

"Safe passage to you and all your men from this planet to your own home if you join hands with me and join me in an alliance. I will ensure, that," and the offer was tempting even though Leto could scarcely imagine how he would do that.

"How?" he probed, and the young man shook his head.

"I will not go into the details, but you have my word for it. You would have your home back, and the Fremen would have theirs,"

"You cannot make such an offer," Stilgar spoke strongly as Inzal smiled and shook his head.

"Ohh, Stilgar but I can. And ask Lady Jessica, and she shall tell you that there is no falsehood in my words," he said. Leto turned towards her, and she nodded, telling him he was not lying.

"How can I believe you?" he questioned, trying to make sense of that offer, for he could not imagine how such a thing would happen.

"You will have to take this leap of Faith. Already, you must feel the noose tightening around your neck. I can remove that noose and have you back in your home world with your honor and prestige intact, your family safe, sound, and whole," he said softly as Leto's eyes glanced toward Jessica and Paul.

"And you believe we unsafe on Arrakis?" he questioned, and after a second, he answered.

"You and your kin have nothing to fear from me. You have not drawn a blade against us, and so neither shall we. But you have other enemies, great enemies who have trapped you here, and they wait to strike, and they shall do so soon," he implored as Leto leaned back.

"And what if we draw a blade against you?" Gurney spoke, and the young man looked towards his war master.

"Then you shall see just how I got the name of 'the Harkonnen butcher'," he answered coldly.

"Gurney!" he chided his war master, stopping him from escalating. This was too much. They were in untested waters. This whole meeting had been unexpected, going beyond his wildest imagination.

Whoever this Inzal was, he was a young man of mystery. Leto could sense that there were hidden secrets about the young man in front of him, which he was not privy to. Secrets that could shake the whole Imperium, yet he had no clue on how to figure them out.

But one thing was clear. His enemies moved against him, and if Inzal's words had an inkling of truth to them, House Atreides was not prepared to face them. At least not alone.

But joining hands with a foreign, mysterious entity. He had a decision to make, one that would define the future of his House.

"I shall need time to consider your offer," he said, and the young man nodded.

"I would have expected nothing less, though let me give you a warning, Duke Leto," he said as he stood up.

"Do not linger for too long. You do not have much time." He told him as he began to rewrap the cloth around his face.

"Would you allow us the honor of hosting you?" Jessica questioned, and he did not miss how her tone was softer, a tone she would often use with her Paul.

Why?

And the young man smiled as he shook his head.

"I do not think I am much welcome in these Halls, though I would be honored if the Lady saw me out," he said. It was an odd request, one that Jessica agreed to as she turned towards him.

There was something going on that he was not privy to. What?

Yet her eyes were eager, unlike anything he could recall, and there was a glint to them. And he nodded, choosing to trust the woman he loved despite the growing uneasiness.

"How shall I reach you when I have made my decision?" he asked as Jessica walked towards the young man.

"Your man, Idaho, would have an idea," and with that, the young man nodded and left as Jessica led him out of the room.

Leto sighed as the tension eased, but there was the sound of a chair being pushed back. He looked to the side and saw their Fremen guest had stood up.

"I have lingered enough. Now, I must be on my way back," he said, and Leto nodded, accepting his words.

"Of course, though. Would you answer a question of mine?" he said, and the Fremen named Stilgar nodded.

"Ask away, Duke of Atreides?"

"What Inzal spoke today, was it all true?" he questioned, and Stilgar frowned.

"Inzal is many things, but he is not a liar. If he says a thing, then it is the truth," and that was the end of it.

"Though I would warn you, Duke..." Stilgar suddenly added.

"...often what is not spoken is just as important as what is not."

And with those ominous words, Leto was left alone in his solar with his War master, who had a grim expression.

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