The Harkonnen looked up from the soft mud, which was now plastered on his face. His visage growing almost as red as his hair. Chuckles resounded through out the Kaitainan Market Place.
" Go home Adrian," Marco said smiling his arms across his chests, " Tell your Papa you were bested by a mere girl."
Rossan Harkonnen walked up to his younger brother and shook his head at his mud covered Sibling." Rossan nineteen was the calmer of his three Siblings and Fifteen cousins he was also the shrewest. Tall and slender he lacked the brutishness of his brother and was more refined, his hair was more auburn than red, but he shared the harkonnen's generous mouth. " You are lucky Adrian that little dagger this seemingly innoculous little girl carries has a posion on it that would have caused complete muscle paralysis if she nicked you, you would have stopped breathing. Consider your self lucky that all you have is her boot print in your butt."
Donica gave the Harkonnen a breif smile. The two despised each other but respected each other.
" Tell your little brother never to attack my charge again or next time he won't be as lucky" Donica said looking down at Adrian as if he was nothing more than filth.
" There you are" Duke Candar Atredis made his way to his Niece and Son. The Current Duke followed by his own guard looking down at the Harkonnen covered in mud. " I can't take you two any where" he said shaking his head. The Noble Crowd became silent. Harkonnens and Atreidis face to face something was sure to happen. Not bothering to hear the explination. He scolded both youth and looked down at Adrien Harkonnen "i will send you money for your suit and any medical expense you may need as payment for my ill mannered child just send your grievances through the proper Channels" Everyone breathed a disappointed sigh of relief as the auguing parties reach a stalemate. But Candar laid into his Grey eyed Son. " Marco, what you just did could have cost us untold lives on Caladan. I brought you to Kaitain for a learning exercise not for you to start something with the house of Harkonnen. Donica was doing her job to protect you, and i find it appauling that you would put the lives of your cousin and your people in danger because you can't stay away from the Harkonnens. Tell me now if that's and impossiblity and i will send you back to Caladan with the first transport." Marco Atredis normally ruddy complection looked ashened. " Do i have your word that you will stay away from them?" the usually good natured Duke said sturnly.
" Yes Father," the young man stuttered.
" As For you Donica," said turning to his niece " well done, Your brother would have castrated that bull, but you showed restraint and protected my block head son. You'd make your mother proud"
" No," Donica said with a seriousness that was unusual for a girl her age, " My mother would have castrated him also."
The Duke laughed his usually hardy laugh and was joined by his son and the dukes own personal guards " Yes my girl, that she would have."
" Is that her," Donica said looking less like a harden assassin and more like a little girl. She was pointed at Artemis Corrino the Emperor's youngest daughter. She appeared to be about the same age as Donica dressed in a red and gold gown befitting a princess. Her amber brown hair was pulled away from her face and cascaded down her back in ringlets. She was a striking young woman who moved with the floating grace of the Bene Gesserit. " Hard to believe she spends most of her time on Wallach IX in intensive training" Marco said clearly taken by the beatiful young woman.
" Marco has a crush," Donica said ribbing him.
MEETING
Rossan Harkonnen set across from twin Princes Kurr and Lenin Corrino. The three men were of similar stature and build with lean but sinewy frames. But the twins had shockingly white blond hair and equally as shocking blue eyes while Rossan had brown eyes and curling auburn hair.
" It is wonderful to see you again, dear cousin," Lenin said with a sweep of his ivory palm. He moved in with an almost feminine grace.
" Yes, wonderful." Kurr smiled. The two men were identical down to the small mole just below their right eyebrow. The two complete each other's sentences, and shared an eerie telepathic link that many found intimidating. Many knew one simply could not function without the other. Only thing they did not know was if the link was a product of being raised together or something more.
" Cousin," he said raising and eye brow, " I know nothing of such link. When has the dishonorable house of Harkonnen ever have the honor of joining with the kindredof the Golden Lions thrown" Rossan smirked.
Lenin not at all deturred by the younger man's sarcasm smiled down at his distant relative. " Let's just say it is uncommon knowledge that we share a common ancestor. A one Xavier Harkonnen who beget a one Wandra Harkonnen who changed her name back to Butler along with her sisters after her father killed the Grand Patriarch Iblis Gingo.
Rossan his face remained blank and unchanged.
This may have startled the twins but neither showed any physical Signs. " Kurr took over where his bother left off. " It has come to our attention that before Vorian Atreidis took off on his final space flight and disappeared he left a document in the care of his granddaughter who left this in the care of her sisters on Wallach IX. This document is a hand written note from our mutual ancestors explaining to him exactly why he flew that ship straight into a star. Seems that Iblis Gingo knew a lot more about the Tliaxan flesh farms than was made public. And in order to protect the Sacred jihad he never revealed the truth." Both men smiled a confident smile trying to see if Rossan was taking the bait."
Rossan crossed his arms over his broad chest " Gentleman, tell me something I don't know. We've known this document has exsisted for many millineum . What would it change for the house of Harkonnen. Our family has been disgraced and we are viewed poorly in the Landsraad. What will an insignificant piece of paper do to change the misconception. Besides maybe we like the way we are viewed. "
" don't you understand Rossan," Lenin began, taking up the oration, " clearing our common grandfather will do much for both of our houses, It will place both of our house in a place of unified Glory. The family of Harkonnen could hold a special seat in the Landsraad,"
" Save your breath Kurr," Rossan smiled getting ready to leave the Princes' study. " I happen to be proud of the name Harkonnen and I don't give a Sulsan's Bull's ass if no one knows the truth about Xavier Harkonnen. But you know what strikes me as ironic Abulur Harkonnen was lable a coward by your ancestors and that vermin Atreides but the real cowers were the Butler's. One man's actions should never have so completely tainted one family's name, and not so much that his daughters and all his grandchildrens would back away from a consistently honorable family. " Standing he chuckled to himself, " Infact only Vorian Atreides had the scrupples to realize the truth, and the fact is that the great Xavier Harkonnen saved your families crubbling Jihad, therefore I speak for all Harkonnens when we say you can take your tardy bravado and stick it up certain parts of your nether anatomy." With that Rossan rose and walked for the door. " Our meeting of the minds is over your magesties."
" Not so quick Rossan," Kurr said his voice not wavering from the unexpected Rebuff. " what if I could promise you Arrakis. Surely your father would be very disappointed to find out that in rejecting our proposal you also rejected all of the spice to exist in the known universe."
Rossan turned around only his eyes showing his shock. Now he was listening.
" I do not," Even at nineteen he turned a fierce shade of red when matters of his love life came up. Crown Prince Philip took his place besides his sister." Looks like Donica has a crush too" Marco said returning the embaressment. Donica gave him a chilling glance.