the empress.

[corriinos]

elsa. she/her. twenty-two. affiliation.

sideblogs: history. house of the dragon. star wars. multifandom.

𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐒 — a dependent, indie portrayal of irulan corrino.

the biography.

[aleeragifs]

[  🐦‍⬛  ]  in the source link, you’ll find guidelines to access #113 gifs of phia saban in “house of the dragon” season 1-2. she was born in britain, and is white, so please cast appropriately when using my resources. all of these gifs were made from scratch, made for roleplaying purposes. please don’t redistribute or  claim  as your  own. to be able to obtain this pack it is required to contact me through a dm or ask ( off anon ) as this pack was originally created for a friend. please like and reblog if you wish to use them.

[atredieswarmaster-deactivated20]

@corriinos

The weeks following Paul's ascension to the Padishah Throne were a whirlwind of activity for the members of House Atredies. Warmaster to an empire poised on the verge interstellar war, Gurney Halleck had his work cut out for him. Fremen fighters were pouring into Arrakeen in their millions, demanding the honor of joining the jihad. The city was alive with a ferocious energy. Day and night ships landed at the spaceport, were filled to the brim with fighting fedaykin, and sent to war.

But Gurney's charge was more than simply leading men in combat. The best of Thufir Howat's surviving agents had recently arrived from Caladan and been promoted to Spymaster. But until he proved his skill and loyalty, Gurney was taking no chances. The safety of the Royal Household would remain his personal responsibility. Which meant embroiling himself in the scheming games of spies and nobility.

These days Gurney was never without his Atredies armor, his shield and blades. What might read affectation or attempt to intimidate, was in fact a reminder. He would never be caught off guard again. An act of penance, for his fallen Duke. Shit, maybe the Fremen's religious ways were rubbing off on him.

Upon entering the presence of the Princess, Gurney saluted with crisp military precision. That his gaze didn't linger on her might be explained by his cautious nature, as instead he swept the room for threats. This was partly true. But to a keen observer of human behavior, it was clear his defenses were up.

“Lady Irulan, I'm honored you grant me this audience. These are trying times for us all. And I'm sure you're busy with work of your own.”

“If you're amenable, I'd like to tour the royal residences together. And discuss how we can work together to ensure your highness' safety.” He held out a gauntleted hand, indicating she lead the way. He didn't quite smile, but came as close as he could. This was about as tactful as Gurney got. He wanted to start things off with the Princess amicably. Paul had assured Gurney of his firm belief that the Princess had no hand in the betrayal of Duke Leto. His logic had been sound, as always. Still, it would be difficult for the old wardog to simply cosey up to the daughter of the man who engineered the death of so many good men and women.

“I hope the transition hasn't been to difficult” he offered, walking on her left a step behind. “This planet... takes some getting used to."

[corriinos]

Irulan felt vulnerable, exposed beyond words, but the newly christened emperor and his men could not deal any lasting damage upon her. Not when Paul’s claim to the Golden Lion Throne had only been made legitimate by his intentions to wed her, to take her as his lawful lady-wife. The children of House Corrino had sat upon that throne since the Battle of Corrin, after all, and as such, they had the strongest claim. Many of the Great Houses had plotted, carrying out one carefully crafted plan after another in an effort to push their own claim, but none had been successful.

None until now, at least, because Paul had left Irulan’s father, Shaddam, with little choice but to kneel, to bend the knee and abdicate the throne. He could not keep that throne without Irulan, though, a fact that provided her a modicum of comfort when the warmaster entered her chambers, donning a full set of armor.

“I’ll happily join you, Warmaster,” Irulan lowered her head, giving him a nod that was simultaneously soft yet strong. They then ventured from her temporary chambers, moving in tandem to the capital’s royal residences. The security of those residences needed to be bettered, made safer, more secure, given that the Great Houses had refused to acknowledge Paul’s ascension. A war was consequently looming on the horizon, a war that could very well claim all of their lives. “The transition has been as smooth as possible, given everything. Yes, Arrakis is a harsh planet, but my home planet is as well. The only difference is how they are harsh.”

[lady-chani]

Chani had to smile at the princess' wording. "It is indeed delicate." She took a step closer to the beautiful royal Corrino. "However I think between us two intelligent women, we can come to some sort of arrangement. It shouldn't be too hard." There was no denying that Irulan was very intelligent. She was trained by the Bene Gesserit after all. Besides if they worked together maybe they didn't have to be enemies after all.

When Irulan spoke of the food, she again had to smile. The effort that was made was honestly charming. Chani knew the food would taste good to the princess. Yet it would be missing the Spice from the desert. It was unavoidable. The Fremen warrior did appreciate the effort that the other woman was putting forth. "Thank you, Your Highness. I'm sure it will be delicious."

[corriinos]

Delicate was a light way to word the situation the two women had found themselves in, a situation that they needed to sort out oh so carefully. If they did not, a strong, near suffocating tension could fall over them, threatening to smother them, to steal away their oxygen and leave them gasping, struggling for the air that might never come. And it could very well never come, because they were bound, tied forevermore by Paul, the man that they held close to their hearts. Nothing could undo that, could unravel them from the strings of fate that had latched onto them the moment that they had walked into his life.

Irulan did not wish for those strings to tighten, to grow so tense that they cut off their circulation, which was why she had arranged for them to dine together. Perhaps, with a great meal between them, their conversation might flow as easily as water. That was why she raised her fingers, motioning for the meal to be brought out. The servants did as told, scurrying to carry out the dishes as quickly and as quietly as possible.

“Truthfully, I would like for us to get along, Lady Chani,” Irulan declared, reaching out to take the knife and fork deemed correct for the main course. A myriad of other utensils had been laid out on their individual placemats, but they were ignored, looked over until they were needed. “We both care for Paul. Perhaps not in the same way, but we do nonetheless. It is with this in mind that I’d like to ask what will make you most comfortable in this arrangement.”

[corriinos]

i’ll be working on replies tn and tm 💫

[lady-chani]

Chani had no idea what to make of the invitation that was extended to her tonight. On one hand she could refuse, however how would that look. That would paint her in the light of a haughty and jealous concubine. She only held a mere jealous kernel for the princess. The princess may have Usul's name, but she had his love.

Dressing as formally as she dared, Chani wore a gown of pale green as it complemented her bronze skin. Her hair was braided back with her water rings woven in. No matter how far she was from the desert, her habits would never change.

Approaching the princess, Chani hid her true feelings of envy. It would serve no purpose here. They were only two women who cared for the same man. "Of course I came. It seems we have much to talk about if we are to make our...situation work."

[corriinos]

The invitation to dinner had been an olive branch, a dove of peace, because of the near palpable tension lingered between them. That tension was hard to ignore, to push down to the deepest, darkest parts of their minds, because they were bound, tied irrevocably together by the man who held both of their hearts in his hands. Paul’s heart, on the other hand, was completely and wholly held by Chani, a fact that filled Irulan with red-hot jealousy. That jealousy had taken root within her chest, threatening to overwhelm her, to overtake her once sound senses and set her aflame.

It did not help that Chani donned a dress of olive silk, a silk that brought out the otherworldly blue of her eyes. What was Irulan, compared to the warrior women of Arrakis?

“Indeed. The situation we’ve found ourselves in is rather . . . delicate,” Irulan breathed, treading this particular set of waters with extreme caution. It was hardly rare for the emperor to take a concubine, but it was rare for him to not at least try to sire a child with his lawful wife. “Come, sit. I’ve had a dish prepared from your home planet: roast desert hare in sauce veranda. It might not quite be the same, but the chef has done his best, truly.”

[benegesseriits]

elsa. she/her. twenty. main blog.

𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐈𝐓𝐒 — an independent, indie portrayal of characters that live within the dune universe.

[nanstgeorge]

I have lies ready for him. He may have truthsense, but some lies are easier to believe than the truth.

[corriinos]

a starter for @nightmarefuele

At present, the galaxy was at a crossroads. There were multiple paths that could be taken, paths that would see a new man being placed upon the imperial throne, and while that man was ever changing, flickering between the Atreides and Harkonnen heirs, one thing remained constant: Irulan was at his side, reigning as his empress. The former was obscure, shrouded in darkness, because the night that Arrakeen had been placed under siege, he had fled into the night, seemingly never to be seen again. The latter, on the other hand, was at the center of the universe, making himself as well known as humanly possible. So well known that the reverend mother believed that his desires could be exploited, taken advantage of.

And so, she had sent her apprentice, Irulan, to Giedi Prime in an effort to see if her beliefs held any truth. “You certainly wowed the crowd,” she breathed, looking upon the man that oh so many feared. “It was a show, a spectacle for the masses . . . until you faced the third man. And even then, when his mind wasn’t clouded, you slayed him, killing him as easily as one would an ant.”

[corriinos]

a starter for @atredieswarmaster

Irulan had been made a prisoner, a hostage of a war that her father began and Paul Atreides meant to end. She could not change that, could not go back in time and urge him to reconsider his choices. All that she could do was make the best of the cards that she had been dealt, which was why when Paul, the self-proclaimed Duke of Arrakis, had declared that he was to take her to wife, she had remained quiet, silent as a field mouse. It had taken every ounce of restraint to not protest, to voice her discontent, but she had managed. Because even though she could not save House Corrino, she could save its bloodline.

Marrying Paul would ensure the continuation of that line in some capacity. Mayhaps not the capacity that she would have preferred, but it was enough. It had to be. It was with this in mind that she greeted Paul’s trusted friend and confidant — Gurney Halleck. “Warmaster,” she breathed his title, a title that held respect, reverence. “Might you tell me where we are going?”

[corriinos]

a starter for @gonesouth

The wedding was a grand affair, for Irulan, the epitome of beauty, donned a gown that cascaded down her frame like a waterfall of silk and lace. The embroidery, which had been woven specifically to resemble stars, shimmered in the light, drawing all eyes to her . . . except Paul’s. The reason for this was not lost on her. Not in the slightest, because his heart belonged to another: a bronze-skinned Fremen woman by the name of Chani. In a perfect galaxy, he would have been able to marry her for love, but this was not a perfect galaxy. Instead, he had to marry for duty, and as such, he needed a wife who had a claim to the imperial throne. A wife like Irulan. 

And so, they had said their vows, binding their souls forevermore. A golden celebration had followed, and when that celebration came to a close, they had been allowed to retreat, to retire to their chambers. “You wish to go to her, do you not?”

[corriinos]

a starter for @lady-chani

The chambers of the empress were warm, homey. Irulan had filled them to the brim with objects that reminded her of her youth, the years in which she had been allowed to grow, to sprout up like an oh so altitudinous tree. Many branches had sprouted from that tree, though, thus laying out potential paths that her life could take. The Bene Gesserit had seen those paths, and so, they had trained her, molding her into a good and proper lady. The kind of lady that knew better than to protest, to voice her uncertainty when Paul Atreides had declared that he was to take her to wife. There had been no choice but for her to stay quiet, silent as the mouse for which Paul had been named, and so, she had been wed, married off in order to cement the legitimacy of his reign.

Their marriage was fruitless, though, because his heart was already spoken for. It belonged to a bronze-skinned, blue-eyed Freman woman by the name of Chani. The very same woman that Irulan had requested to dine with this night. “My Lady,” she greeted, offering her a smile that reeked of trustworthiness. There was no trace of the red-hot jealousy that lingered beneath her skin, threatening to consume her, to engulf her in flames. “I wasn’t certain that you would come.”

[corriinos]

a starter for @stupidprophecy

Irulan had not lived up to the expectations of her reverend mother. Not in the slightest, for no matter how hard she had pushed, no matter how far she was willing to go, she had remained average. Completely and wholly average, because her sense of self had remained strong, ever-present. That sense of self had seen her ambition and resolve not wavering or wilting in the slightest . . . until she had been wed, married off to Paul Atreides. The union that had followed was fruitless, for even though she had been willing to do her duty, he had not been. Doing that duty would lose him the woman that he loved: Chani. 

Chani, who she now sensed was swelling with life. 

“You’re with child.” 

[corriinos]

a starter for @muad-die

A sense of doom had long hung over the members of House Corrino, threatening to suffocate them, to steal away their oxygen. Why had this sense come about, one may wonder? Because Irulan’s father, Emperor Shaddam IV, had thrown caution to the wind and began plotting, crafting an oh so elaborate plan to bring about the fall of House Atreides. Its former head – the Red Duke, Leto – had gained too much power, too much influence over the Lansraad. So much power that there were whispers, rumors that Irulan would be wed to his son and heir, Paul. Shaddam had meant to do no such thing, though, because he had found Leto’s growing popularity to be a problem, a thorn in his side that needed to be plucked out. And so he had the Harkonnens pluck him out. 

His wife and son had survived, however. Jessica and Paul had left, fleeing into the desert under the cloak of darkness. There, they had licked their wounds before coming back with the power of the Fremen at their side. That power was wholly unexpected, which was why Shaddam had little choice but to submit, to bend the knee and agree to wed Irulan to Paul. She had her own reservations regarding this, but her training had seen her staying silent, quiet as a desert mouse . . . until she found a moment to speak to Paul alone.

“The Fremen, do they have the strength to combat the Great Houses?”

[corriinos]

a starter for @impercre

Empress Irulan stood with her back pin-straight, her emerald eyes roving over the length of the imperial training grounds from a nearby balcony. The view up there was extraordinary, given that said grounds offered a perfect view of the surrounding environment. The wind was chilly up there, yes, but it was not cold enough to combat the fire that sat within her chest, oh so nicely warming her insides. This fire was her only companion . . . until the great steel doors of the balcony opened, revealing her guest — a Bene Gesserit by the name of Seneca Raun — and a guard.

”Leave us,” Irulan advised the guard, her tones simultaneously firm but soft. The guard left, leaving the two alone, solus. The doors swung shut behind him, prompting her to extend her hand. Her fingers stretched out, her signet ring glinting beautifully against the sunlight as she beckoned him closer.

[corriinos]

a starter for @warspun

Paul did not love his wife. Irulan knew that, for even though they had been wed, bound irrevocably by their marital vows, his heart belonged to his paramour, his concubine, Chani. This had drawn forth a multitude of emotions from the empress, for even though she had her reservations, she had been prepared to carry out her duties. It was those duties that she had been trained, groomed to carry out, after all, but those duties had not fallen to her. They had fallen to Chani. Chani, who was to bear the next generation of the imperial line. 

Irulan had tried to take this with grace. Truly, she had. The key word there was tried, though, because even though she had tried to stamp out the flame of jealousy that raged in her chest, that flame could never be wholly extinguished, put out. That was why here and now, as Irulan sat across from Paul, the flame’s embers warmed her insides. 

“Start from the beginning,” she breathed, her emerald eyes falling upon the man she had grown to care for, to mayhaps even love. A stylus could be seen in her hand, because while she could not serve as his wife, she could serve as his scribe. “How did you feel the first time you journeyed to Arrakis?”

[wulfhalls]

my dearest brother