Chapter Text
Paul and Daniel grew up together but it’s clear as the day that they are two opposites.
“Mother, do you want to see my progresses with the voice?” An excited Paul asks, jumping all around his mother Jessica, she ruffles his hairs with a loving look in her eyes
“Of course I do” she answers, tenderly
“Mother when will I learn too how to use the voice?” Daniel asks, curious and at the same time slightly offended, brows slightly furrowed, she puts her arm around his shoulder
“One day I’ll teach you too, my dear”.
That day never came.
Not that something bad happened to either of them, and it doesn’t mean that he wasn’t loved enough, it was just that her first born Paul was to be the Duke of Caladan and later Arrakis, and he was just going to be one of the Atreides. That’s just how things work.
And it isn’t bad after all, they were one of the most influential families when he was younger and now that Paul controlled the whole Imperium, they had the worlds in their pockets. It just felt a little… limited.
He felt limited.
He was the only one who didn’t have the gift of prescience, and he didn’t even have the Bene Gesserit training, he was just a normal boring human, unluckily born in the shadows of his powerful family.
“Brother, we’ll have to decide about that instance, and remember about the letter that they sent us? We have to respond to them” Paul lists, leading the way through the intricate corridors in the palace, while Danny is following him close
“Can’t our sister do all of these things?” He asks, slightly annoyed
“You know that she’s really occupied at the Sanctuary” he explains
“Well then why not Korba? He’s qualified enough” He adds
“I’m just trying to find something to keep you busy” he answers sincerely
“Since when you care about that?”
“I see that it’s the right thing to do, I don’t want you to feel useless”
“You always see in the future, but not what’s right in front of you” he’s almost shouting in his face, extending his stride to match his brother’s perfectly, but Paul remains completely calm, like the desert right after a sand storm so he lowers his tone
“Trust me, my dear brother, you are as equal as me in the Imperium, we hold the same power, we are the most perfect duo, as long as we stay together” he tries to say in a convincing tone, Daniel shrugs, knowing that it isn’t true. He really wants to believe him.
Daniel hated the ceremonial uniform. There are two types of uniforms, if you don’t count the training one: the ones they used for most of the not-so-formal meetings, the everyday ones, and the ones they wore when they had to meet important embassies in the throne room, the ceremonial one.
Daniel definitely hates the second type.
It’s dark blue with some details in silver, it’s made of a particular fabric designed to be both durable but elegant, a pair of shoulder straps in satin silver, the Atreides crest on both sides of the collar and on the chest, next to the symbol of the imperial lion and some flags of the biggest planets they control and a silver belt.
Over that, he’s wearing a dark blue short cloak made of whale’s fur with a silver edging, it isn’t too bulky but it’s hot as hell, especially on Arrakis when it’s always burning hot.
On the head he has a diadem made of thin silver. He’s wearing a pair of tall black boots that are perfectly fitting: they aren’t worn out but the leather is soft and they are really comfortable.
He looks at his brother and from his face he knows that he’s thinking about how much he hates it too. His uniform is even more complex than Daniel’s, the main color is the imperial white with decorations in purple red, it’s made out of silk.
His cloak is longer, made of whale’s fur but the inside’s purple red silk, when he moves it gives him an even more intimidating aura.
He has the same symbols as his brother but he also has a gold medallion with the Atreides’ symbol on it. His crown is bigger and heavier, with various rocks he can’t name embedded.
His eyes have a resigned look, pained under the heaviness of what being the Emperor meant. To others it looked like he was focused or lost in thoughts, but Daniel knew perfectly that he was upset.
Anyway, the door opens with a loud click and they’re welcomed in an enormous room.
On the left there lays Paul’s throne at the end of some stairs, then a stair lower on his right Daniel’s and on his left Alia’s. At the end of the stairs there are Stilgar, Korba and Gurney talking.
How much he despises Korba. He’s his brother’s advisor but they both know that he doesn’t trust him, he can’t even understand why he keeps him around but, as he reminds him quite often, he sees the bigger picture, everything he does he’s right.
They both take their seats.
A footman comes in announcing
“The Bene Tleilax Embassy asks an hearing”
Paul looks at Daniel, then at his sister’s empty throne “do we let them in?” He asks
“I don’t know, I’m not the one who can see the future” Danny answers ironically
“Let them in” Paul orders in a loud voice and the footman disappears behind the door he came from.
After some minutes, a group of people comes in with a steady stride, the leader, with short blond hair and a white uniform, stops at the front of the stairs and curtsy briefly, with dry and calculated movements: it wasn’t just a normal hearing, it was a chess’ game and they just did their first move.
Near the man, there’s a woman, the only one in the room, most likely to be a Bene Gesserit witch, with a controlled stride, dressed with careful precision, a black veil covering her hairs except for a tiny strand of red hair who rebelliously sticked on her forehead, who knows if for rebellion or clumsiness. She stopped right next to the man, not an inch further or behind, and kept her gaze modestly on the ground.
It wasn’t Daniel’s first time seeing a Bene Gesserit, he had seen a lot of them, accompanying every embassy from every planet, and his mother even was one, and his brother and sister, still, her presence was magnetic for him, he couldn’t move his gaze from her.
“What are you here for Tleilaxu?” Paul asks roughly
“I’m here to present you our newest invention, your majesty” he answers with a manipulative tone
“Well then” he says, gesturing to go on
“It’s been years since we created our first ghola, and since then we’ve been improving”
“I couldn’t care less about another ghola of yours” he cuts off, annoyed
“But what if it’s someone you know?” He asks and a man with a long hooded cloak that covered his face steps further, near the stairs, he then stops and curtsy, keeping his gaze fixed on Paul
“We’re here to present you Hayt” he says, then gestures at him and he removes the hood.
Daniel had never been good at reading people, he hadn’t been taught those skills, but in the exact moment he showed his face, Paul became more stiff, the breath stopped for a second: he hadn’t expected that.
“I have nothing for you here” Paul exclaims, wanting to close the conversation as soon as possible
“No no, consider it as a gift your majesty, for your benevolence” Daniel wanted to raise an eyebrow at that, but he forced himself to not to, after all he wasn’t looking at the full picture, everything was perfectly calculated
“Well then we’ll accept your gift” Danny was truly shocked right now, how could he accept that? It was terrifying, seeing Duncan Idaho again after knowing for years that he was dead.
Paul makes a gesture to the footman, who comes with a hurried stride
“Yes your majesty?”
“Take our new guest to a room and do everything to make him feel comfortable”
“Yes your majesty” he curtsy, then leads the way to the ghola.
When they exit the room, the embassy considers itself dismissed and with a brief curtsy exits the room from the door they came from.
“Don’t you feel to a sense of unease on you after this morning’s meeting, brother mine?” Daniel asks during dinner, Paul seated at the other end of the table, focused on some particularly hostile piece of meat
“I’ve become distant from emotions in all these years, brother” he answers
“Okay I understand but it’s totally normal for you that a Duncan Idaho clone lives under our roof?”
“Guests come and leave this palace, and it’s enormous so we’ll probably never encounter him again” he answers in a definitive way, showing that he didn’t want to add further, so Danny focused on his food.
After some minutes, curiosity wins over Daniel and he asks
“You didn’t see that coming, did you?” For a brief second, Paul’s fork stops halfway through the plate, but almost instantly he recomposes himself
“I didn’t, but I don’t see everything, I see only what the universe wants me to see” he answers, Danny’s quite satisfied with his answer.
“Your majesty, Saint Alia of the Knife is here” the footman says, interrupting the silence that always existed undisturbed during their dinners
“Let her in”
After some seconds, a brunette young woman comes into the room, dressed with a flowing satin white dress that bounced in the stern room
“Sister” Daniel exclaims, going towards Alia and hugging her
“It’s been days since you’ve delighted us with your presence, sister” Paul notes to her, with a note of affection in his tone
“I’ve been busy at the sanctuary but you two were in my thoughts, as soon as I’ve had a spare second, I’ve come to you” she explains with a warm tone.
Daniel and Paul were truly opposites, one hated leading and the other was born to lead, but they had one thing in common: the unconditional love for their younger sister Alia.
“Join us to dinner, we’ve just began” Paul invites her with a gesture, calling the footman to serve her the first course of the meal.
“The evening has been good with you sister” Danny reveals to her, while they’re taking leave
“Remember that the doors of the palace are always open to you” Paul tells her, she smiles back to both of them
“Goodnight brothers” she says, looking at both of them with joy and love in her eyes, before leaving the room, the dress still bouncing carelessly with her movements.
They watch her disappear then go along the corridor, directed towards their private rooms.
“Daniel, let me tell you what I wish I’d known, when I was a young son of Caladan and dreamt of glory, you have no control on who lives, who dies and who tells your story” Paul says in a serious tone, before they separate to go to each other’s bedrooms
“Why are you telling me this, Paul?” He asks confused
“I know more things than you, it’s not to brag, it’s not just because of my gift, but because I’m older than you” he answers with an ancient and immortal wisdom in his voice
“I’m not an ingenue” he bits back, offended
“No, I’ve never said that. But you’re just like me when I was younger, you dream of doing the greater good but it’s scary, and when you’ll find yourself face to face with it, you’ll understand”
“You’re too cryptic, brother mine, and it’s too late to talk about such topics of conversation” he jokes, but Paul doesn’t laugh, he looks him straight in his eyes, but he’s not looking at him anymore, he’s looking at a projection of a future, with all the choices he was going to do
“Daniel, remember these words, I beg you” he seems desperate, on the verge of tears, and a shiver goes down Danny’s spine, looking at him in this way
“I’ll do” he reassures him, laying his hand on his shoulder.