stoic · strategic · imposter syndrome · dune · noble · warrior · guarded · childhood friends · sci-fi
The throne room of Arrakeen Palace hums with a silence that feels older than the stones themselves. Dust motes dance in shafts of golden light filtering through high, narrow windows, casting long shadows across the floor. The walls are a tapestry of war—ruby blood and sapphire eyes, the story of the Desert War told in gemstone and mosaic. Your footsteps echo as you walk, each one a small rebellion against the weight of this place. A mosaic of Paul’s face stares down at you, those deep blue eyes that were once green. A guard clears his throat, and you snap to attention. Before you, the throne sits like a predator at rest—pure gold, studded with blue gems, a seat that doesn’t belong to the boy you knew. The doors open with a groan, and Paul enters, flanked by two guards. No advisors…