No Comfort
By Desert Creature (desertcreatureofarrakis@yahoo.com)
Rating: G
Spoilers: Part 1 of the Sci-fi Channel's TV miniseries "Frank Herbert's Children of Dune"
Summary: Irulan struggles to accept what she can never have -- or give
Disclaimer: I don't own Irulan, Paul, Chani, or Arrakis for that matter as all belong to Frank Herbert. I ask not to be sued here for writing/publishing this as I have made NO money!
Timeline: This story takes place sometime during Dune Messiah…
No comfort... No comfort... No comfort...
She was his wife and she could offer him no comfort...
No comfort... No comfort... No comfort...
In the hours following the attack of the stone-burner, Irulan had sought to easy his pain and his loss. She came to him and he turned his back on her, pulled away from her attempts to comfort him with physical touch.
His censure of her, it hurts her just as much now as it the moment he first withdrew from her. Despite her Bene Gesserit and intellectual training, when they had married Irulan had deluded herself into hoping it was because he loved her, not because he needed a political alliance that would seal the Atreides' right to the throne. Because she had never had any man, including her father, to love her just for who she was, she trained herself not to see the loving glances her husband gave to the concubine during their wedding feast.
Her hope lived until that night, when he left their room, never to consummate their so-called marriage, to flee into the arms of the concubine.
The concubine...
Chani...
Chani, the Fremen woman who had forever stolen her husband's heart --and indeed it was she whom Maud'Dib called wife. Yes, she had seen the love his eyes held, even radiated, for the crude desert woman and she longed to see his eyes hold the same love for her as they did for Chani.
But, Irulan realized as he suddered away from her again that day, was something that would never ever happen.
And what's more, she told herself, you're a fool to hope for his love.
She finally turned away, left him alone in their room, and went to find Stilgar to ask him to send for Chani.
"She has already been sent for, my lady. She will arrive within the hour," the old Fremen had advised her.
Irulan thanked him, and she walked away, not intending to return to Maud'Dib's side. She had no intentions of being with him when Chani arrived but she still found herself drawn to his side. As she waited those final moments until the other woman who was the Light in her husband's life, Irulan came to a resolution in regards to her love for Paul Maub'Dib Atreides. If his eyes can never radiate with love for me, then let mine radiate with a love for him. Let me love him in a way that will never again ask for him to return my love.
At that moment, Chani arrived and not speaking a word Irulan left her alone with the man they both truly loved.
And let my beloved be happy in his own love...
FIN