Dune_ House Atreides - Brian Herbert [220]
Leto turned to the messenger, nodded formally. “Please give Crown Prince Shaddam my condolences. When is the funeral of state to be held? House Atreides will attend, of course.”
“Not necessary,” the Courier replied in a crisp voice. “At the request of the throne, there will only be a small private ceremony for the immediate family.”
“I see.”
“However, Shaddam Corrino, soon to be crowned Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe, Shaddam IV, graciously requests your appearance, and your oath of fealty, when he formally ascends to the Golden Lion Throne. Details of the coronation ceremony are being arranged.”
Leto glanced briefly at Thufir Hawat and replied, “It shall be done.”
With a curt nod, the messenger said, “When the protocol has been set and all schedules are made, proper word will be brought to Caladan.” He bowed, sweeping his scarlet-and-gold cape around his arms, and spun about with a neat click of his shoes. He marched back out of the hall, bound for a flitter that would take him back to the spaceport for his trip to the next Imperial planet, where he would deliver his report again.
“Well, uh . . . that was good news,” Rhombur said sourly. His face was pale but hard. He stood quietly in the doorway, absorbing the information. “If it hadn’t been for the Emperor’s petty jealousy and intervention, my family could have recovered from the crisis on Ix. The Landsraad would have sent help.”
“Elrood didn’t want us to recover,” Kailea said, glancing up from her accounting records. “I’m just sorry my mother couldn’t have lived to hear those tidings.”
Leto’s lips turned upward in a smile of guarded optimism. “Wait, this gives us an unexpected opportunity. Think about it. Elrood alone bore personal animosity against House Vernius. He and your mother had their painful past, which we know to be the true reason behind his refusal to erase the blood price on your family. It was personal.”
Standing under the bull’s-head, Hawat looked closely at Leto. He listened in silence, waiting to see what his new Duke would suggest.
“I’ve tried speaking to the Landsraad Council,” Leto said, “but they’re useless, noncommittal. They won’t do anything to help us. But my distaff cousin Shaddam . . .” He passed his tongue over the inside of his lower lip. “I’ve only met him three times, but my maternal grandmother was also a child of Elrood’s. I can claim blood ties. When Shaddam becomes the new Emperor, I will petition him to offer you amnesty as a gesture of forgiveness. When I swear the eternal loyalty of House Atreides, I will ask him to remember the great history of House Vernius.”
“Why would he assent to that?” Kailea wanted to know. “What’s the advantage for him?”
“It would be the right thing to do,” Rhombur said. “The fair thing.” His sister looked at him as if he had lost his mind.
“He’ll do it to establish the tenor of his reign,” Leto said. “Any new Emperor wants to create an identity, show how he’s different from his predecessor, not locked into old ways and old decisions. Shaddam just might be in a forgiving mood. Word has it that he was not on the best of terms with his father anyway, and he’ll certainly want to show his own colors after more than a century under Elrood.”
Kailea threw herself into Leto’s arms, and he hugged her awkwardly. “It would be so wonderful to have our freedom back, Leto—and our family holdings! Maybe there’s something we can salvage from Ix after all.”
“Let’s all keep our hopes up, Kailea,” Rhombur said with cautious optimism. “Try to envision it, and it just might happen.”
“We must not be afraid to ask,” Leto said.
“All right,” Rhombur said. “If anyone can accomplish this, it’s you, my friend.”
Fiery with determination and optimism, Leto began to develop plans for his formal procession