[Monday night]

[mind_over_metal]

[It's a dark October night in camp. All is quiet in the Cabin McAvoy.





Until a child starts screaming.]

Comments

[mind_over_metal]

"We"?

[goddamnemperor]

Ah, yes. My sister, Ghanima. We were twins, set to take over the empire once we reached fifteen.

However, people plot. Conspiracies began to grow over my aunt's rule of Dune. Afraid and scared, she became... lost with herself.

[mind_over_metal]

Because she had all of the memories, too, right? Inside of her?

[goddamnemperor]

Yes. It's like... the noise you hear, in your mind. All those other voices. For her and for us, that noise was there from the very beginning.

She fell prey to one of those voices... Baron Harkonnen. Who seized control of her and the Empire and tried to kill us.

[mind_over_metal]

Wait, wasn't that the enemy house? How was he inside of her?

[goddamnemperor]

The enemy house ... had secret ties to our own. The Baron's daughter was our grandmother. [he smiles a little] Such is the way of politics.

We managed to escape, Ghani and I. But ... I chose to separate from her, to dress in our myths and save mankind. For all our fortune-telling, our futures were starting to trap the human race. That... could not be allowed to happen.

[mind_over_metal]

And your sister, she would be-

*stifles a yawn*

...she would be saved, too?

[goddamnemperor]

Yes.

But that part of the story must come tomorrow, young wali.

[mind_over_metal]

And you promise? That you'll continue it?

[goddamnemperor]

I keep my promises.

[mind_over_metal]

*can't restrain his smile as he climbs back up into his bed and his mind slides closer to Leto's*

And I promise that I'll be here to listen.

[goddamnemperor]

I will hold you to that.

[mind_over_metal]

*tucks himself in, still positively glowing*

Good night, Leto.

[goddamnemperor]

Good night. May your dreams be sweet.

[mind_over_metal]

*the adrenaline from the initial shock of his relocation having worn off and the weariness of the sudden strain setting in, it doesn't take long for sleep to overtake him. and his mind curls up close to Leto's -- not touching, not quite, but getting as near as he can to that miraculous stillness, with the caution of one wishing to avoid being told to go away*

[goddamnemperor]

[his mind sings to you, a faint lullaby, soft and lilting in a woman's voice, to put you to rest]