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."
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.”
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."
