So I've finally come up with some inspiration. I'd like to thank my wonderful boyfriend, Frank, who I love more than anything. And I would also like to thank the best English teacher ever, Mr. Brett. I would also like to thank everyone that reviewed, hearing feedback really does help, so keep up the good work! Here's what I've put down so far, the first part is a flashback, if you can't tell. Hopefully this time I'll keep my word and update more often. I think I may throw in a lemon in a few chapters because I was playing around with one and my friend told me that it was pretty good, but don't worry, it won't get excessive, unless you guys want it to be. I just hate it when a story seems deep and well written and then it just turns in to fluff. Let me know what you think.

I don't own Children of Dune, or Dune, or anything else by Frank Herbert, blah, blah, blah...

Leto hung his head with fatigue. His eyes hurt, his body was sore, and his mental state wasn't exactly the best. He wondered how long it would take her to figure it out. That morning she had been as peaceful as ever; nothing had given him a clue that she knew. He was thankful for the peace, no matter how temporary it was. The feeling of foreboding that had settled into his stomach told him that it would not last much longer.

He knew that it was Lanara before the doors swung open. She looked calm and composed, but he could sense the anger about to boil over. He hoped she would be quick, her temper rarely reared its head, but when it did things ended badly. She stood at the entrance to the office for a few moments, staring him down with those flashing green eyes of hers. Then she strode forward, closing the doors with a wave of her hand. Then she walked forward and all but slammed a tiny black mechanism down on his desk. The loud bang made him jump a bit.

"What is this?" she said coolly, temper snapping at her throat. He could not bring his eyes to hers.

"So even the great Emperor Leto can't look a betrayed woman in the eye?"

He sighed; this was the end of his peace. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

She snorted. "Don't play the fool with me Leto; you know what I'm talking about." Because it was true he lowered his eyes back to the table.

"It's not what it looks like…"

"Oh I think it is. I think that you let those scheming bastards bug my room because in your heart, you think that I did it."

"You love Ghanima, how could you kidnap her child?"

"My point exactly, but evidently you believe the contrary." In her heart of hearts she didn't want this to be happening. Her heart wanted his words to be true, but her head was very prepared to not believe him.

He got up now, and skirted around the table until they were face to face. He may be willing to take a verbal beating, but he wasn't going to do it sitting down or defenseless.

"I did what I had to do…"

Oh please, gods below don't let this be happening, she screamed in her thoughts.

"Don't bring up duty to me, Leto," she said. "I know what they say about me behind closed doors. Of course a servant girl would never be smart enough to rise up to the council on her own…" She trailed off when she saw the look on his face.

"You believe them…don't you? You think that the only reason that I'm on the council is to ruin House Atredies…"

He pretended to be shocked that she would come to such a conclusion, but then he realized that that would be insulting her intelligence.

"I'd nev…" He tried to embrace her; maybe there was still a chance…

"And if you believe that, you probably think that I'm just a whore too. You never really respected me, or loved me."

Her eyes went unreadable as she backed away from him. She nodded slightly.

"I see…" And with that she walked from the room.

He stood there, stunned. Her words had not been as painful as her eyes. That cold, unfeeling look had chilled him to the bone. Couldn't she tell that he loved her? Couldn't she understand that he was just trying to do what was best? No, he thought, it's not that she couldn't, it was that she wouldn't, her personality wouldn't allow it. He picked up the small listening device that lay on the desk and felt his heart begin to crack…

Leto woke up with tears streaming down his face and an unbearable pain in his chest. It was the first time he had had the dream in almost five years. At one time he would remember that moment every night as he slept, and would awake to an empty bed and realize all over again that it was no dream; Lanara was gone. Now he found himself next to a warm, soft body, but the woman next to him was not the one that his heart cried out for, the one person besides his sister who could make him feel human. Safron…he remembered who this woman was. After two years together he would still catch himself looking at her like a stranger. Now that Lanara had returned, it was even worse. For the past few nights since their meeting at the ball she was constantly in his head, and he hoped Safron didn't notice his preoccupation. She was so good to him. She was quiet, gentle, supportive, everything that an Emperor's concubine should be. And gods below knew that she was excellent in bed. She had first come to Arrakeen looking for her father, a spice smuggler who had fled from the city after the uprising against Alia. After working in the palace for a month or so, the lovely redhead had begun to grown on him. They engaged in a very heated and tumultuous affair before she became considered his officially unofficial mistress. The last few months she had begun to push for full concubine-ship, but he just could not think of her in the same position as his mother and grandmother. She just did not seem to fit in a group with such strong, independent, and admirable women. She did not appear to be able to handle the responsibility and weight that came with the position. But he did care for her, and had a great fondness for her, so he hoped that she would eventually let the matter rest.

His head done swirling from the memories, he settled back into bed and drifted into a dreamless sleep. Safron waited until she was sure that he was asleep, then turned and studied his face. She had indeed noticed the change that had come over him since the ball, and she knew the source of his uneasiness. It was a pity, she had hoped that the lovely little ambassador would not intrude on her agenda, but for the past two nights she had awoken to Leto moaning her name in his sleep. It did not help that she was pretty sure that Lanara's little girl was his. Oh well, she mused as she ran a hand absently over her stomach, she was very doubtful that he would ever claim the child, and if anything like that did happen, she would make sure that whatever stood in front of her and her unborn child's destiny would be eliminated. She fell back asleep with a smile on her face, smiling as the image of her hands around Lanara's lifeless neck filled her mind.