To Root Out Routines [Morning 1]

[Kannon]

It took Irene a moment of thought to find a frame for what Nirilli was relaying. It was purposeful, and it was new.

"I have no issue with your equivocation, Nirilli, as long as you know where your loyalties lie. Harmothep is not Arrakis. We treat our Zensunni population with benevolence, whereas the Harkonnen revel in mindless extraction and crude oppression. For the wealth it brings, there could easily be enough water on Arrakis for both palms and men. If House Hagal is ever given the stewardship over that planet again, we will be able to improve the lot of your distant kin simply by introducing our enlightened governance. The very one that unambiguously rewards dedication and talent."

The Archon glanced at the Zensunni through the mirror and smiled.

"If she wants to teach you gardening and you are eager, I will allow it and let you make time for it. Just keep sharing those conversations with me afterwards."

[Nirilli]

Nirilli nodded.

That was a lot more information. Context. A conversation the two women were having together, in some way, through her? Arrakis was ruled by Harkonnen. And they were political rivals to House Hagal. Hagal might like the chance to show they could do better.

"Thank you, Mistress. I will gladly study gardening and chat with you after."

It was - it struck her suddenly - her very hypothesis. That plants bloomed when spoken to. She had been thinking about plants. But it could apply to people too. Information was its own kind of oxygen. Life-giving. If she was the plant, she would get twice as much conversation. From Salomea and from Mistress about Salomea's words. That was surely just as interesting an experiment as seeing how deprivation made a person tougher.

The Archon's words had a message she could hear. Be very glad I live here. Under the Archon's benevolent care. And she was. Truly. She hoped the Archon could hear that.

Think... Had she missed anything else to convey?

"That is by far the better answer than my own attempt. That the people and the plants can both survive if the place was only governed better. I think..." Remember. Who can say what word was the most important? Nirilli couldn't. This was important. Don't forget anything that might have had meaning. "I think Lady Salomea said it is God's will that some places be places of testing. That there is purpose in harsh environments. Purpose, maybe, even if enlightened governance could ease the pain? But that last part is just me guessing from words I can remember."

"She said my kin there are different, from their harsh life. That they live on a knife's edge. Action and principle tightly bound without hesitation. She admired that, I think. Or wanted to give me the impression that she did."

[Kannon]

Irene found herself wondering how far she could go with the explanation of Salomea's narrative to Nirilli. She collected her thoughts while perusing through the jewellery.

"The Bene Gesserit have a purpose in maintaining the harshness of some environments. Their own Wallach IX is a dour, uninviting world with constant rain and little sun where planting anything is even harder than on Harmothep's surface. They seem to be convinced, however, that hardship forms better human beings, more spiritual, mystical, godlier even. You have probably realised that Salomea and the likes of her are good at and obsessed with the matters of religion. I suppose they perceive the Zensunnism on Arrakis as purer than here. In the humanity's past, it was actually often true for the desert people to acquire religious fervour."

She chuckled, looking at her servant again. "Maybe Salomea wants to radicalise my marshland songbird." She spoke with a soft tease.

[Nirilli]

Nirilli listened thoughtfully. More knowledge. More context. More planets.

"Only God may judge the purity of our faith."

"If it is true that hardship teaches humility, patience, dependence on God, compassion - softening the heart to others who likewise suffer, and gratitude for every blessing that shines in scarcity," which indeed was the Zensunni teaching, "then it could be argued that the purest faith is in the heart of one who manifests those virtues innately without the training whip of hardship."

The Archon, for example. May she be ever patient and compassionate. Truly she was both!

"I remain your marshland songbird. Now and always."

"But this is intriguing about deserts. Was Nilotic al-Ourouba a desert planet? Was Aegyptos a desert kingdom? The name - we say Riverhome. I imagined rivers and marsh." Exactly like this place. Pankratos' words had only encouraged the thought, though perhaps that was just because she had not asked the right question.

[Kannon]

Irene turned around to smile at Nirilli directly, with approval. Then she leaned against the arms of her seat as she rose, with slight wobbliness to her footing. She massaged over her womb through the fabric as if there was a cramp in there.

"Aegyptos was a desert in part, but it was also floodplains, marshlands, oases and a large delta. The floodings of the Nile made it the breadbasket of the world. There was even a saying: Αἴγυπτος δῶρον τοῦ Νείλου, that it was the Gift of the Nile."

The Archon tossed the shoulders of her gown off and let it slip to the floor. Her body, the softest hue of caramel, would be an envy of women half her age. It now bore marks of a man's fresh attentions, displayed proudly on her statuesque form.

"Please bring me the burnished gold kalasiris, and the himation with the clamshell clasps. The right message for when the golden lions prowl in a Hagal arena."

[Nirilli]

Nirilli quietly observed the slight wobbliness to the Archon's stance. The touch to her lower abdomen. She tried to make sense of it. Was that sign of a pleasant sexual encounter, or a punishing one? Nirilli had no experience of her own to judge by. There was no question that they'd had sex. But was there anything to worry about, as her attendant?

(Is there a roll here?)

She kept a close eye to see if her Mistress needed a gentle steadying hand.

A smile at further information about Aegyptos.

And then she quickly fetched the requested items. The gold kalasiris. The himation with the clamshell clasps.

Ready to help her put them on, or to help bathe her first, as the Archon preferred.

[Kannon]

There didn't seem to be, at least not from the Archon's demeanour, who was glowing and could barely hide a smile. Whatever exertions she had been through seemed to be welcome, glorified even, to the point she betrayed to intention to wash them off. An opposite thought was actually more justified: she seemed... smitten?

By the time of enrobing she was already steadied, getting into her graceful routines intrinsic to her position.

[Nirilli]

She smiled, reassured her Mistress was well. Happy! Steady. Graceful as ever.

"Is there anything in particular I should be prepared for, during the racing? Any guests you need served? Or other role helpful?"

[Kannon]

"Just be at the grandstand with drinks, Nirilli. One of the thopters can take you. I expect no guests. In truth, I'd rather be focused on the race."

It was the time to go through complexities of placing bejewelled adornments.

"Unless you'd like a more anonymous seat, just for yourself?" It was a genuine question.

[Nirilli]

She focused on assisting with each adornment, giving that task her undivided attention.

"Mistress, you look so radiant!"

And then, "Oh, I am happy to focus on the crowd and the drinks. But perhaps wandering beyond your grandstand would be beneficial? Your eyes will be on the race. Mine can be on the people watching. Making sure they have all that they want. Confirming what drinks are most popular. What a given person favors, should you ever need to know. Who asks for more than they can handle. New flirtations. New arguments. Unexpected seat partners. Unfamiliar faces. Anything of note."

She had a bit of a smile as she added: "We cannot have them dry. They could become zealous." A little joke, circling back to their earlier topic.

[Kannon]

"It is my role to be, Nirilli." But she smiled at the compliment, and then at the joke, which acquired more than one subtext once voiced. "You are correct, dryness is undesirable on so many levels."

"I'll give you a letter to Salomea you can deliver to the antipodal balcony. This way you'll still be able to see everything from my brother's vantage point on the opposite side of the Oon. Salomea is going to be receiving guests from Wallach IX, so the conversations there may be interesting. Something you could share with me later."

[Nirilli]

"That sounds like an excellent plan, Mistress." A bow. "It shall be as you say."

She took a moment, her Mistress ready, to make sure that her own appearance was worthy of her service. Every line of her dress and headdress falling precisely as it should. Her necklace of moss pearl clamshells. Any other livery that defined her role.

Wallach IX she now knew was the Bene Gesserit homeworld. A dour, uninviting world with constant rain and little sun where planting anything was even harder than on Harmothep's surface. A place kept harsh on purpose? Visitors from there were likely Bene Gesserit.

[Kannon]

Almost ready. There was still the matter of makeup and a choice of fragrance, but that the Archon preferred to do herself. After she sat back, she started with writing the letter, however.

"Do you have a clear idea what you would do if you were ever manumitted, Nirilli?"

[Nirilli]

Nirilli was surprised by the question. She took a moment to think.

"I ... I don't know. I think I would try to travel. First, to find my family's barge in the marsh. To see how they are doing. To tell them I am well. Maybe join them on pilgrimage to the most sacred pool. But I think i would want to return here. To perform. To be useful in the ways I know. Maybe garden, if I have learned how. And learn as much as I could. Maybe try to see the places I hear about. In the past probably isn't possible. But in the stars? Ah, it's probably also impossible. But fun to imagine. Probably though I would be focused on finding a patron. Or a husband."

[Kannon]

"You should have such a clear idea, just in case." The Archon handed her the letter. "You can go now."

[Nirilli]

She should have asked the Archon for her advice. That would have been better then just speaking foolishly. Unprepared.

"Thank you, Mistress. I will give it more thought and welcome any advice you might have. In the future."

She took the letter and felt the weight of it in her hand.

A dismissal was a dismissal.

She bowed and began to back her way out of the space as one did.

She could make her way to the far grandstand where the race, and all who would attend, awaited.

[Kannon]

/scene!