XIV: What Dishonors A Lady

A ruckus happened on the other side of the great hall doors. Feyd's sound carried indiscernible words.

Probably barked at his staff as he always did.

The doors groaned loudly as they were pushed open. There was the sputtering sound of Feyd's servant behind him. Feyd paid no mind.

He stomped through on his boots. The thunder of his stride echoed around the empty space.

"Sweetness, I'm home." He taunted.

I sat straighter in my seat. "What took you so long?"

He chuckled. The chair was suddenly pulled from the table with yet another loud sound. He fell into it rather unceremoniously.

His eyes devoured the sight of me under that candlelight. The curl in the corner of his mouth tightened higher on his face. The sight of his eyes on my chest gave me hope that I pleased him enough.

But the true piece-de-resistance was the black lipstick.

Big dark eyes struggled to pull from the tantalizing outline of my dark lips.

"Did you miss me?" His throat throbbed. When I gave no answer, he stopped his toying. "Fremen are difficult to find. They leave almost no trace in the desert. We scoured the dunes for hint of them, alas they disappeared to the rock holes they reside."

Feyd's arrival spurred action within the castle. The stifling silence was no more. Staff now flooded within the Great Hall to present their wares. Platters were stuffed so high they were carried by two, instead of one. The length of table was topped in the decoration now of indulgence.

We were shown the efforts of their work. A beautiful, bountiful meal on display. Our wine glasses filled higher still. A subtle hum of well wishes before they fled.

"Oh, look at that. You did miss me," he taunted once more as surveyed the selection.

This time, I allowed myself to ease. "Cooked it all day in the kitchens waiting on you."

He smiled and grabbed his wine.

My anger lifted the longer he was there. I let him charm me as he liked. There were times when I forgot that he was Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, heir to The Baron.

It was just Feyd. Feyd and I.

Just as it was meant to be.

My mind seized. That was an unexpected thought.

We picked at the display of food before us. Steaming vegetables in tasty sauces, fluffy fresh baked goods, and the scent of herbs filled my chest with a sinking warmth. Pieces of meat were dragged onto his plate. I started to struggle with my own, so he pulled a knife from his belt and slid it across.

I sliced a leg from the fowl.

"I like the way you look with that dagger in your hand," he told me.

It was not lustful. Nor did he mean to taunt me.

My face went hot as I slid the blade back to him once I was done with it. He was too watchful whenever they were out. He'd watch me eat every bite if the dagger stayed near my reach.

"Thank you, na-Baron."

"You should call me Feyd," he mentioned again.

My throat went taut. "Soon I will call you Emperor. I'll have to address you by title then."

"Says who? I will be Emperor. You will be allowed to do whatever you wish."

"You can do that?"

"Who will stop me?" He leaned against the back of his chair. The wine glass in his hand raised to his lips. "Let me hear your lips say my name."

I swallowed. "Na-Baron, I-."

"Ah, ah."

He was not going to let me get away without saying it.

I sighed. "Fine. I will say it."

He sat still for a moment. "Well?"

"You want me to just say it without anything else?" My mouth felt dry. And my rambling silly. Which only made me shift in discomfort. "I thought I might ask a question and say it then. You know, how most people say names."

"Alright."

It was incredibly uncomfortable to feel the pressure of the moment. What did people speak of over meals that was not of typical "how was your day" kind of banter.

I lowered my glass. My eyes flicked over the candlelight to his awaiting face. Red lips swollen and beautiful, begging to be kissed.

My throat went taut. "Were you aware that people in this castle rape the staff? Feyd."

His lips pushed together withholding a smile. "I assume it, yes." He leaned forward. "Mintha."

"Is it common?"

He brought his fork to his mouth. "Depends where. Some places it is. Others, it is not."

The generalization of his answer was unsatisfying.

"Do you?"

"No."

"Really?" I said in a flat voice.

It was a very unconvincing statement.

"It is different for people like me," Feyd explained.

All too amused with the topic. His lips kept a slight curl in their corner, that I hated.

"Because of your moral superiority?"

He grinned. It was a game to toy with me as he did. His great excitement.

"No. Because my bloodline is of great importance. It matters who carries my spawn. A servant in my house falling pregnant by me would be a great dishonor."

"You had a harem of lovers," I countered. Great dishonor. Now I found amusement in that. "I assume they were taking the full of your ejaculations inside them."

Feyd barked a laugh. It heated my face.

"What?" I asked.

"It is strange to hear foulness come from you. You do not often swear. And filth is not your skill. It's…cute."

My lips nursed the rim of my wine glass.

He enjoyed a few glances to toy with me. The bitten back smile that embroiled my skin in an embarrassing flush. I used the distraction of my drink to hide the bottling frustration that he would devour with delight if he saw its emergence.

We kept a still quiet as we ate more of our prepared meal. It was stilted, chaotic.

Why did he call me cute like that?

Feyd slurped up a string of rare meat before he continued. "My pets were cut of their organs, so no accidents could occur. They were not meant to be carriers of anything. Especially not suited for high born children. They were for pleasure when pain could not be found. That's all."

He saw plenty of pain then. Most of it from his own hands.

I wondered if it was a half-truth or a lie.

"Do you imagine you'll have many children with the emperor's daughter when you marry?"

He slowed his chewing. "We will be married but she will not sire my heirs."

A simple brain of my own thinking prioritized the sensibility of the suggestion rather than the emotion backlash it had on me to think of Feyd siring children with another woman. A high-born woman, no less. They were regal and refined, devoid of foulness and inky black thoughts that consumed them in the dark.

In every sense did it make sense for Feyd to join his seed with hers if he intended to be emperor.

He did intend it, with all his soul. The only want in the whole Imperium was that throne.

"I don't understand, na-Baron."

"Feyd," he corrected in a grumble.

I sighed. "Wouldn't the transition of your ascension be difficult if you did not try to secure the lines together via an heir? How could they revolt against you if the old emperor and you were family? Feyd, you told me of her death but isn't it wiser to keep her alive?"

Feyd adjusted higher in his seat. The wine of his glass did little to satisfy him. He set it down with a sudden thud.

"I have not known you to take interest in politics. You add seldom to meetings. Your mind wanders when talk of all the responsibilities of the fief come into conversation," he said. His face tilted. "You concern yourself with a woman who will have no place in your future. Why?"

Apparently, I was not the only one taking notes of the other.

I felt caught in a trap in hadn't suspected being laid. Did it matter what happened with this woman he took as a wife? No. It would be done as he saw fit because there was no one to stop him.

I don't know why I'd even asked the question. Heirs and wives. Ha!

Aishti was to blame. My thoughts circled around children and the rapes in the castle, marriage and dead husbands and the wounds they all wore. I was not myself.

My throat took a long swallow. "I apologize, na-Baron. I spoke out of line."

Feyd released the hold of his utensils. He tossed them aside his plate. The table clattered with their sudden drop. He stood, rattling the legs of the table.

"The next time you see me, address me by name and recall just who I am to you," he bellowed.

The sound of his anger reverberated around the room. It surrounded me, as did his noisy exit.

I was caught off guard. My chest heaved in deep breaths as my eyes refused to stop blinking, like it would turn out to be a nightmare in a daydream.

But, no. He was gone.

My body was quite cold when I stumbled back into my chambers. I ripped the dress from my curves. Earrings pulled and tossed aside. Where they landed was not in my care.

I adjusted the light of the glass to be complete black. Not even Vishti should visit.

And they didn't.

For an entire night, I was alone. In my mortal despair, I was left to rot away in darkness as a being fixed to death but denied the pleasure of deaths control. I was forced to stare into a black abyss knowing that I would meet it again and again.

This emptiness helped claw back control over myself. I summoned up my numbness. The creeping frost atop my flesh - which had grown too hot under the Arrakis sun - grew thicker, stronger.

I stared into the pitch black of my room until my eyelids grew too heavy to hold up. I slept without dreams. Nothing.

Just a shell. A monster in a human shell.

Vishti entered multiple times that morning to which I rolled over and went back to sleep without a word. I heard their feet enter three, maybe four times. The comfort of their company did little to melt the permafrost over me. Instead, I slept like I hadn't known sleep for many days.

When I at last crawled up from my cave within my bed, it was midday.

Vishti was quiet when they entered with my meal. It was a pregnant silence, many words assumed but unspoken.

They probably wondered what possessed Feyd to go on a rampage last night. There was no way he was not livid. I'd gamble that he even used a servant for his pleasure last night since he left me in the Great Hall in a flurry. Angry. In pain. It was all his delight.

The thought soured my stomach. I turned up my nose to the food.

Instead, I drained the teapot to calm my stomach.

"You should eat," Vishti said after holding their tongue as long as they could.

An entire tray remained intact. Their face shook in disapproval at it.

"Not hungry," fell flatly from my mouth.

Deep wrinkles emerged as a frown formed. "Are you sick?"

"No."

They put their hands on my forehead to check for themselves. I did not fight their advance. The only sick thing about me was my soul. It was so diseased by Feyd's poison.

Vishti was satisfied by my temperature. They released me to my own support.

The sheets were brushed off, tucked, and folded back together atop the mattress.

"You missed a meeting. Na-Baron was angry. He wants to see you as soon as you ready."

My pulse quickened.

Pieces of the frost already began their thaw – without permission. I scrambled to hold my chill. "Well, if he wants to see me, he can come himself. I am not a thing to be fetched when he wants."

I knew I was a thing.

Even his thing.

And…well, I wanted to be his thing.

Feyd was too rough on things. Being broken and thrown away was inevitable.

Being broken without death was too serious a risk.

"Is that what my lady wishes me to tell him?" Vishti plucked the earrings from the floor. "I will risk it if you say so."

Damn them!

"No. I'll go to him myself," I snarled. The old crone knew just how to make me feel guilty. Feyd's disregard toward the staff would only prove fatal to my beloved attendant if I sent them with that message. "I'll go now."

"Not now."

"And why not?" I snarled.

"You are not dressed my lady! You'll show the castle your unders."

"Na-Baron does not mind it. Why should I?" I was practically shouted from my lips. Vishti said nothing on the matter. "Harkonnens are not modest. They do not care. It is all flesh they wish to see, dead, but still. I'll not deny them the love of a bloody body ready for piercing."

Of course, once my temper cooled – perhaps not my temper but my wounded pride – we decided on a simple gown. It was pale yellow. Chiffon, with a beautiful flow to them as I walked. The sleeves were sheer and white, fluttering against my bicep. A sash of pale blue wrapped around my waist. A matching bow decorated my hair.

I was a fluttering flower in a garden bubbling tar.

Harkonnen's with their black sticky tar pit, nothing came too close without being tainted and sucked inside. Ugh.

My feet knew the way to the space where Feyd worked. It was a desolate dark room with a large center table at waist height. It held many holograms, projections, and information about the planet. Little gadgets glowed with spice readings. They went up in number every moment.

A handful of advisors monitored the holograms.

They said nothing as I passed through. Feyd's office was tucked away in the back of the room through a dark doorway. It slid open with a shuddering sound through the walls.

I did not hesitate to enter his space.

If he called for me the instant I was ready, he would receive me just then. Not a moment later.

Feyd was in a casual black suit. He read lines from a book page. The pace momentarily paused when his eyes perused me before returning to the reading.

"You missed the Witan," he pointed out as he continued to read. "The lady is expected to attend all meetings where it is relevant."

The distance in his gaze cut a hollow slice at my chest.

"What was relevant, na-Baron?"

His black eyes flashed up. A thin line at his mouth set deeper through his pale flesh. "I was in attendance."

I knew what he awaited. He wanted me to apologize. Maybe there was some sick thrill he got from getting me to be remorseful. I don't know.

What I did know was that I was not intent on releasing my emotions.

"Na-Baron is so dedicated. He tends to his fief so well."

"Damn it, Mintha!" He stood suddenly. "Do not mock me, woman. Our fief. Our lives are tied together in this venture. My lady is expected at every meeting. You will be seated at my side every time. Do you understand?"

"Yes, na-Baron." My face kept trained indifferent as he fumed. "Is that all?

"No. It is not." He barked. "Sit down."

I did as I was told.

He, too, took his seat opposite mine behind the desk. Silent. There was a perverse silence within the space. So many things left to be said. There were some things that came to mind when I saw him again.

"What am I here for?"

"You are here because I commanded you to be," he said sourly.

He scanned me for a hint of emotion. There was none to be found. I'd made myself numb just in time for his search.

I settled against the seat in wait. Until he released me, I was stuck there in his office as he worked. Part of me knew it was his idea to punish me so it would not be over quickly.

His eyes turned back to his work. He ran his eyes along the lines.

"So, tell me," he finally said. The attention kept focused on the pages before him. "What did you do last night?"

"Nothing, na-Baron."

"Must have done something to sleep in so late."

The accusation felt subtle. Did he think I spent my time with someone else?

Even I was not stupid enough to try that.

My throat somehow remained calm. "I imagine you were very tired from your late night, too."

"I trained into the early hours, yes, but I still made it to Witan."

Trained. I'll bet the men were thrilled about that.

Captain Rurik hated me now, if he hadn't already.

My lips pressed closed. I wanted to ask if that was all he did last night, but it would open too many feelings. They were better left closed.

"You could have dragged me out of bed if my attendance was so important."

"You were sleeping."

"You're the na-Baron. You do as you wish."

"I wish for my lady to want to be here." His eyes finally found mine. "Can she do that?"

"I wished to dine with you last night." I tilted my head. "My attendance would have been guaranteed if I'd been within your bed this morning."

"Fine." He snarled. "I'll expect you in my bed every night."

"Then it will be vacant? Na-Baron's bed may be large, but there is not enough room for me and a pair of lovers."

There was plenty room for more than three to sleep. It was the only reason I could find that did not show my inability to deal with his other prospects. His sexual conquests outside of me were common back in the days of the black sun planet when I knew him to venture to my bed only two nights a week, sometimes less. Although now, I found myself sick at the thought. Sick and angry.

I was afflicted with the favoring of Feyd stronger than I should.

I knew his touch was black and poisonous.

I knew his favor meant death.

I knew it all, yet I was ensnared by emotion for him.

"My bed is vacant every night you are not in residence."

The air calmed. The room dropped of its thickness, to an easier breath.

"Oh," I murmured.

My stupid chest breathed deep. Relief - traitorous - washed through my palms, no longer tense at the suspicion of his activities beyond me.

"As Lady of House Harkonnen, you know what a dishonor it would be to take lovers that are not me."

My chest went tight. "Yes, na-Baron."

How often Feyd used my body left little time to want another. Even if I did not care for him as I did now, it still was a chore to be there for all his sexual needs. They were often, daily and rough.

Lust was a well that he depleted.

There was none left for another to sip.

Not one drop.

"Dishonor is not something I can tolerate."

"I understand-."

"You are meant to be connected to me in every way. My house must be kept in line. And we must be seen strong. Together."

He was all worked up about something that did not happen.

I loudly loosed an exasperated sigh. "Would you like to check that I did not fuck someone else? If na-Baron believes me so easily swayed, please." My hands gripped the skirts of my dress.

It did not matter that we were in the middle of his workday, or in his office with his advisors just outside the unlocked door. I was going to prove that I did not run off to find someone - who? - to satisfy me.

He did not stop me as I raised my skirts to show my pussy. Nor was he shy about admiring the view of my skirts around my waist at my own volition.

Feyd leaned back against his chair. "No panties?"

"They only piss you off," I said.

He allowed himself a grin. "That they do."

Feeling emboldened by the swing of his mood, I stepped up to his desk. My ass leaned against the top, pushing some of his work farther back. He did not care. His mind was lost to lust. A hand crawled up my leg through my skirts upward to what he sought to find.

I welcomed the feeling of his fingers entering me. It filled me up. The length slipped deeper yet.

My mouth dropped open in a shocked gasp.

"That look." He groaned. His face leaned against mine. Our lips met, though mine were agape at the depth I felt his fingers inside.

We began to kiss deeper. The thrusting of his fingers began. It rubbed against clit back and forth, entering and withdrawing slowly, toying with my pleasure.

My hand released the edge of the desk to grip his shoulder. His eagerness quickened with the bite of my nails against his neck.

I opened my mouth to suggest something unwise, when the door to his office opened.

My body tensed. His lips pulled away from my face, but the fingers did not withdraw.

Whoever interrupted was spared the sight of me being split open with his hand. They were behind my back. I refused to look over to see just who was given the sight of our compromising position. Sparing a child, no one would be ignorant of what was taking place.

Feyd's fingers twisted and toyed inside me - to much despair and thrill – in subtle motion to hide the fact he had me near climax.

"Na-Baron." The voice greeted.

"Ah. Faheem. Harun, was it?" Feyd spoke casually as if he was not rubbing my g-spot with the tip of his finger.

I tried to hold my breath to shield the gasping pleasure that rippled within my lungs. But it was too strong. I needed to breathe.

My lips let a slow gust slip through without a sound.

Harun paused. His steps did not come deeper inside the room. "I can give you a moment, if I interrupted -."

"Nonsense. My lady had an itch that needed scratched. You must know how that goes."

Oh my god! My nails bit harder through his skin. I felt the pressure building below their tips. It would soon have to pierce even his monster hide.

I hoped it did - with how mortifying this experience was, and how much I wanted to beg him not to stop.

"Uh, yes, na-Baron. Very good."

"Sit," Feyd instructed. "My representative tells me that my men are succumbing to the heat faster than before."

"Your hours are debilitating."

"Are there some more men you can hire to take my men's places?"

They spoke on business and workers while Feyd brought me close to the edge of climax. He rubbed my inner walls. When I began to tighten my muscles around his fingers, they slipped out. I could have screamed out in fury at his denial.

A sparkle held the corner of his otherwise fatal dark eyes. They would flash a glimpse at me as he spoke without missing a single word.

Fingers began pumping inside me. It was slow and savage.

It did not slake the hot need inside my pussy to have it frantically fucked.

Harun finally rose to leave. Thank the heavens that the Harkonnen's chose creaking echoing metal for their rooms. It made it easy to discern where he was without seeing it.

"Good. Very good, na-Baron," he said. "Uh, my lady."

The fingers plunged deeper still, flicking his thumb against my clit like a maniac. My teeth sank into my bottom lip unable to bid the man goodbye without making it into a howl.

Feyd's grin froze. "See yourself out, Faheem."

The walls shuddered as the door closed behind his back.

"Finally," I gasped out.

My body jumped from the desk top onto Feyd's lap. I was full of fire, ready to douse its light with his…liquid.

He was taken aback. My hands grasped below to pull at his trousers, caressing the jutting erection within them. His eyes flickered down to watch my needy hands grasp at him.

"Mintha," he said.

The tone of his throat felt like denial before it was even said.

"Please. It will be quick. I swear," I pleaded.

I needed this. My body needed this instinct satisfied.