goddamnemperor | [OOC] Li-Anni

“You seem troubled, cousin,” Leto stepped out from his hiding place. If he was hiding at all. Farad’n knew how fast Leto could move, had seen him run across the desert, always running, always trying to escape. And Ghanima waited in her room for Leto to return, for him to sleep by her side. There was a sting to his thoughts. Leto was unbeatable in every aspect, no matter how Farad’n tried. And he kept trying.

Not today though. Leto was wearing his coat and shirt, and if Farad’n looked, the tell-tale hawk flashed at him. It was a blatant sign of power and his heritage. A way for Leto to proclaim, “I am forever Atreides!”. His grandfather, his namesake lived proudly, picking the best from the hearth for his kingdom. Leto will raze everything to the ground before he picks up what is left and rebuilds them utterly in his image.

It made him sick.

It made him hopeful.

“You should not be on your own, Farad’n,” Leto said, calmly standing beside him, “Why, if I lost you, there will be no one to contest me!” The tone was lovingly mocking.

“No one can contest you,” Farad’n felt his mouth burn. This monster could destroy him with a word! Why does he tempt fate? “You know that.”

Leto dipped his head in acknowledgement. He could see the worm-skin pulse under the clothes and he wondered if Leto would use his superhuman powers to remove him completely.

“That does not mean I want to live a life devoid of rebellion,” Leto replied, “That would bore me utterly to death.”

“And I am the sole rebel?”

Leto smiled, “You have my sister. That makes you the man I will forever envy. What more do you want? Your place in history is assured.”

“You could have taken her,” Farad’n said, despite knowing better. Leto would never do anything to his sister that she did not wish for. He wondered what a black day it would be when Ghanima finally perished to old age. What then, would happen to this child-man-god? Would he weep? Or has he already lost the capacity to do so?

“I could have,” Leto admitted, “But I am not a gentle man, Haraq-Al-Ada. And Ghanima needs gentler things in her life. Not the fire that is brindled by my body and wisdom.”

Farad’n looked at him, a straight gaze. Leto gave him his wistful smile, the kind that hid the danger in him and yet one that calmed him completely. Yes, this man could destroy him, but he never would. It was a small comfort.

“You see, my dear cousin,” And it was that loving mocking tone, the one Leto is most fond of when communicating with him. It was no secret that Leto did love him, if one could believe anything he said. But it was also no secret that Leto would not let the issue of Ghanima rest, “In hindsight, I have not lost anything. You and Ghanima still belong to me. You are mine and no one else’s. I am only sharing you with each other in absence of my … other qualities.”

Farad’n felt the logic weigh him down, felt the words loosen his stomach, and remembered that everything Leto does has a purpose or a game to it. But he acknowledges the sadness, the inescapability of Leto’s decision, felt the slight prick of tears at the border of his eyes.

He didn’t see Leto move, his hand touching his cheek to cradle the one traitorous tear that had slipped past. He didn’t have the Fremen control. Leto let it slip into his open palm where he stared at it as if it was something of legend.

“Oh, my dear cousin…,” Leto said mournfully, “You are too honest for me.”

And Farad’n let the others escape, as Leto stood there with him, their backs to the closed door of the universe.

[OOC] Li-Anni

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