paul atreides

he was not wrong, and there had been no lies told, even as there had not with paul.

❛ there was no risk. you were never going to fail. ❜ had he witnessed her silent vigil outside the door, he might have had ample cause to question her confidence — a tenuous confidence that even now renders her statement more stubborn denial than true faith.

It's a peculiar feeling welling up in Paul that he knows he should immediately squash, but he's too curious about it to do so. Is it pride? Pride that his mother was so confident that she would not consider the risk for what it was; a risk that would cause her to lose her Duke, certainly. Even if she had a replacement, it would take too long for him to become old enough to--

Paul does stop that thought. He doesn't want to think of replacements. Not for himself and not for his father. And anyway, if it's pride he's feeling, it's not only that, because if it wasn't a risk there is no cause for pride, really. It's all predetermined, somehow.

So what is he feeling?

𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐛𝐲 .. 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐢 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

a collection of dialogue quotes from a game of thrones (tv). mature elements. change pronouns/tenses as needed.

“Everyone who isn’t us is an enemy.”

“Power is power.”

"Tears aren't a woman's only weapon. The best one's between your legs.”

“Love no one but your children; on that front, a mother has no choice.”

“The more people you love, the weaker you are.”

“You never love anything in the world the way you love your first child.”

“Look at me, look at my face. It’s the last thing you’ll see before you die!”

“I choose violence.”

“No one walks away from me.”

“I thought if I could make something so good, so pure, maybe that means that I’m not a monster.”

"Nobody cares what your father once said."

“Every breath you draw in my presence annoys me.”

“The things we love destroy us every time.”

"Love is poison. A sweet poison, but it will kill you all the same."

"I should wear the armor, and you the gown."

“People will whisper. They'll make their jokes. let them; they're so small, I can't even see them."

"The gods have no mercy, that's why they're gods."

“So we fight and die, or we submit and die. I know my choice.”

"The only way to keep your people loyal is to make certain they fear you more than they do the enemy.”

"If I wanted to kill you, do you think I'd let a wooden door stop me?"

Ama Codjoe, from Bluest Nude: Poems; “Bluest Nude”

❛ the test depends upon instinct. ❜ unreliable or not. this is why he must be trained in both, though considering how this conversation goes, jessica thinks she will leave it to the duke to share that particular piece of information with paul, when the time comes. soon. too soon.

"But it's not only the test, is it? You're preparing me. Not as a mother prepares a son, but something else."

Paul's thoughts are darting around so quickly, his eyes actually twitch as if trying to follow them. Every part of his life will have to be recontextualized, but he doesn't know if he can do it, or if he even wants to. He wants to be an adult, or he wants to go back to being a child. He's not sure he wants to be this other thing, whatever it is.

He's passed his test in humanity, yet he feels almost as if it's proven that he's becoming another thing.

CHILDHOOD BEST FRIENDS

we were only kids back then. we didn't know any better.

you promised me we'd be friends forever.

you've changed quite a bit since i saw you last.

how are your parents doing? will you tell them i said hi?

i've known you for years, and you haven't changed a bit.

you've always been like this.

remember the last time this happened?

sure, i made a lot of mistakes, but so did you.

do you remember how we met?

you always stood up for me, no matter what.

i've always had a lot of love in my heart for you.

when i was struggling, you were always there for me.

I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY

i thought i told you to stay away.

you've got a lot of nerve, showing your face around here again.

i really don't want to see you again.

you're supposed to call and warn me before you show up here.

there's never going to be a "next time."

this is the last time you show up like this.

last time i said i never wanted to see you again, and yet here you are.

you can't just show up here unannounced.

you remember what happened the last time you showed up.

every time you show up here, shit hits the fan.

you're putting us all in danger by showing up here.

don't you have somewhere else to be?

ROMANTIC FEELINGS

i'm sorry, but i can't stop thinking about you.

after the time we spent together, you've been on my mind.

can we discuss what happened between us?

the last time i saw you, you were going to say something... and then you stopped.

did you mean it? any of it?

i wish we were still together.

would you go on another date with me?

it's hard to deny how you make me feel.

you've always had an effect on me.

i can't stop thinking about the way you look at me.

GENERIC "I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR A WHILE"

do you remember what you told me?

i can't believe this is happening to us again.

the last time this happened, we were better prepared.

i tried calling you a hundred times, but you never answered.

this was never supposed to end like this.

didn't you see my text?

i know you better than anyone else.

you can't lie to me. i can tell when you're lying.

you're making "the face" again.