Chapter 29
REVEREND MOTHER GAIUS HELEN MOHAIM
The Bene Gesserit Sisterhood had spent hundreds of years orchestrating matches, pruning and pruning lineages, all in the hopes of achieving their ultimate goal, to bring forth a being not limited in ways the sisters of the Bene Gesserit were, the Kwisatz Haderach.
They believed that through this, the order would be able to do what they had always desired. For far too long, the sisterhood had hidden in the shadows, pulling strings behind the scenes, yet if the Imperium were to truly progress, then that could only be done through absolute control and power, something which the Kwisatz Haderach would allow them to have.
And yet now, with their plans nearing fruition, everything had become unravelled. They were set to achieve their goal, set to give birth to the Kwisaatz Haderach in one generation through a union between House Atreides and House Harkonnen, ending their idiotic feud, and to form the alliance that would replace House Corrino on the throne, with the latter House having lived out its usefulness.
It had all begun with a small defiance by her own apprentice as Jessica chose to defy their sisterhood's orders and gave birth to a son, something which she should have seen with how, even in her apprenticeship, she had helped the Queen Anirul, in her little act of defiance.
Plans had been modified and House Atreides was thought redundant, and their line was to be exterminated, and a plan of action was made rather easily employing the Harkonnen feud and the jealousy the Emperor held for the Duke and his male heir.
Yet all their plans had been naught, and in their attempt to end House Atreides, they had lost control over the planet, which was the only source of the Spice melange, because of the intervention of unknown factors. A third part perhaps?
A third party that she had been unable to identify until only a few days ago. Though now she had a name, Kazab, Inzal Kazab and that very name put her on edge for she was fully aware of what history the name held. It was the name Anirul had chosen for her abomination of a son.
The very son that she had letter entrusted to the deep ravines of the galaxy.
And yet she hoped things would become clear for the Emperor's ship landed on the desert planet of Arrakis, and the ship's gates opened. As they stood there, she and Hasimir Fenring and a whole crew waited for Emperor Shaddam IV, who arrived only a few seconds later in his full ceremonial garb, and they walked out as she scanned the congregation that had come to greet them.
And suddenly, she was taken aback as her eyes landed on Jessica and her protruding belly who stood beside the young Ducal heir whose eyes had only become bluer since the last time she had seen him, yet what troubled her the most was Jessica.
Even from far away she could feel it. She could see through those eyes, eyes that had become similar to hers.
'She has become a Reverend Mother, ' she thought, surprised and taken aback that her apprentice had undergone the ritual, more so in her pregnant condition.
On the other side stood none other than Princess Irulan, her face devoid of any emotion. Yet, despite her long years as a Reverend Mother, she did not miss the rage bubbling inside her, and she was straining all her muscles just to keep herself expressionless.
"I would like to welcome the esteemed Emperor to this land," she said, noting that her ex-student did not mention any titles apart from the Emperors.
"Where is the Duke? He should be here to welcome his liege," The Emperor asked, ignoring his own daughter.
"The Duke is injured and yet to gain consciousness. I hope that the Emperor understands," she stated and backed away.
Then suddenly, she saw movement and heard a sharp hiss take over the air and watched as dozens of men erupted from below the building, fitted with that contraption she had seen being used in the Harkonnen massacres.
"What is the meaning of this?" the Emperor roared, as they were all surrounded by Fremen soldiers on all sides.
"Do you have any idea what you are doing?" and then one of the Fremen soldiers landed infront of them and was joined by Irulan as she felt all her fears come through, those eyes bluer than any she had seen, reminded her much of the eyes of that babe from all those years ago.
One that had no purpose in being here or alive, for that matter
"You have no reason to worry. After all, we have not quite stooped to your level, your grace," Irulan said scathingly as she stepped forward. The Fremen beside her pulled down his mask and hood to reveal a face that made her gasp.
She saw the Emperor and his aide, the Count still beside her as well.
"Wha..."
"I present to you, the leader of the Fremen, the Naib of Naibs and..." and at this she looked towards her father.
"...the heir to the throne of the Padishah Emperor. Inzal Kazab Corrino."
And there was only silence at that declaration.
"LIE..."
"It is the truth," Jessica stepped forward.
"As a Reverend Mother and companion of the Queen Anirul, I can confirm this. The boy beside me is, indeed, who he claims to be," and at this, her eyes met with Jessica's.
'Do you have any idea what you are doing? You are a Bene Gesserit. This will end up destroying the !' she roared, feeling their consciousness connect.
'I know. I am choosing my side.'
"It has been quite some time. You old hag," the boy taunted, and she felt her control over emotions loosen.
"You dar..."
"SILENCE!" and she was taken aback by the force and effectiveness of his use of voice. Even as a child he had been powerful, but this—this was different.
The power emanating out of him was unlike anything she had ever seen, and suddenly it all began to unravel. Kazab, that name. Those eyes, and as the secrets behind him began to dawn on her and all she could do was gasp as she turned towards Jessica.
'What have you done?'
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HASIMIR FENRING
Kazab. The Mysterious figure that had become a major thorn for the Harkonnens in their operations. They had all thought him to be an Atreides agent, and if not that, then a Fremen warrior.
Yet now that very Kazab stood in front of them, his face on display was much similar to his frie...to the Emperor, who was pale as they all stood in the solar, or at least all those involved in this mess.
"How?" the Emperor asked, his voice barely able to contain his rage as he turned towards the Reverend Mother.
"You knew of this. Knew that I had a son. Yet you kept him away from me. WHY!" the emperor roared, and the older woman backed off at the force and anger of his tone.
"You cannot listen to him, your grace. We only tried to spare you. That boy is not your son. IT IS AN ABOMINATION! YOU SHOULD NOT BELIEVE A WORD THAT COMES OUT OF ITS MOUTH!" she roared, and the Emperor frowned.
"Abomination! What do you mean by that?" he asked.
"She means that I was born with my mental faculties fully intact," and Hasimir finally realized what she was referring to.
"See, he admits it. That thing is not you chil..."
"Silence, you old hag!" the boy used the voice once more as he stepped forward. He motioned, and a few of his men stepped forward and surrounded the Reverend Mother.
"I will deal with you later," he said. The men began to escort her out of the room. He could see her eyes widening as the old woman turned towards the Emperor for help, yet Shaddam had his eyes trained on the boy.
Even the Saradukar did not move. Their loyalty had always been to House Corrino rather than the Emperor, and now that loyalty lay divided for the Saradukar followed strength and power. and right now, the boy held the most power.
"First, let me deal with you," he began, and the Emperor paled as the boy's eyes narrowed.
"I am afraid your time as the Emperor has come to an end. I will be taking the burden off of you," he said, and the squad of Saradukar stepped forward and covered the Emperor, and he did the same.
"You wish to displace me. Me! Your own father!" Shaddam asked, and the boy raised a brow.
"You should consider it a mercy, really. After all, you didn't show such mercy to your own father," and the whole room became still at that declaration as Shaddam gritted his teeth.
"I don..."
"There is no need to lie infront of me," the boy said as he pointed towards his.
"I can see through all that and much more. Unlike you, I am sparing you your life. You shall want for nothing in your exile, but your time as an Emperor is over," the boy said.
"You think the ruling is so easy. I am the Emperor. You are but a boy who claim..."
"I am the rightful heir to the throne. You can make it easy or force my hand and see just how I deal with my enemies," the boy warned, and Shaddam scoffed.
"Tell me, Count Fenring," the boy turned towards him.
"Did you see even a single Harkonnen soldier while you were coming here," and he stilled at that, recalling how they had sent all their forces to the planet to kill the Atreides.
"I did not," he answered.
"Make it easy for yourself, or proof of your collusion with the Harkonnens will be transmitted to all of the Imperium," the boy warned nonchalantly.
"You would break the Imperium. Destroy it!" Shaddam gasped as the boy leaned back on the table and shrugged.
"I can conquer it all once more if I want to. Or let it become a ruin," the boy answered nonchalantly, making Shaddam's eyes widen at such a bold declaration.
"It matters little to me. I will have that throne..." and he reminded him much of Shaddam in how he spoke and how he thought.
"...or I will raze it all to the ground."
Yet there was something that was constantly bugging him about the boy, about how he felt in the air. Bout how his senses perceived him—or they did not, and with what he knew of the Bene Gesserit's secret ambitions and how he himself was a failure in that ambition, the boy gave him a similar feeling.
"You are mad! I am your fath..."
"No, you are not," the boy cut in sharply.
"I would much rather not have a father like you, especially one that is willing to kill his own daughter," and Shaddam paled at that as he turned towards Irulan, his gaze subtle as he spluttered.
"I do not kno..."
"Didn't I make it clear earlier?" Kazab had a menacing look on his face, and he was impressed as he saw Shaddam step back in fear.
"No more lies!" the boy roared.
Shaddam's face morphed through a series of emotions. He looked towards him, and Hasimir ignored him and stepped forward, and he could see the betrayal take its hold as he walked upto the boy.
"You are like me, aren't you?" he guessed, and the boy smirked.
"I am," he replied, and Hasimir nodded and bent his knee. He saw Shaddam grit his teeth, knowing full well that he was alone and that the Saradukar would not follow his command of striking down the boy and the Princess, especially after they had realized that he had arranged an assassination of his own daughter.
In the end, Shaddam slowly reached for his ring, took it off, and threw it on the ground. It clacked on the ground, its metal making a distinct sound as it hit, and with that, Emperor Shaddam IV's rule came to an end.
And yet, as the noise went out, the boy made no motion to pick it up as he stared Shaddam in the eye, his face expressionless as he used the voice once more.
"Pick it up."
And he watched as his once friend and Emperor could do little to resist the command as he picked up the ring from the ground.
"Kneel and Present it to me as a servant of the Imperium."
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Have a fun day!
ALL HAIL INZAL KAZAL CORRINO, THE NEW PADISHAH EMPEROR!
~Things are about to get much more fun~(And Complicated!)