Tower of Covin

by ingrid

It's a Smallville/Children of Dune AU crossover. If you're unfamiliar with the "Dune" universe, it probably won't make a whole a lot of sense, but there's some slash in it, some wickedness, Clark in uniform, so it's not all bad. (Note: The drabbles alternate in time with flashbacks, which I hope are clear, but ...) Anyway, here it is.

The rumors from Arrakis were wild, traveling on a solar wind scented with blood. Starting as a whisper -- was Maud' Dib alive? -- ending with the Abomination's death, there was little any House could do but watch the Atreides brats claim their Golden Path -- and all the dwindling spice.

House Luthor had waited too long. Plotted for too long.

It finally had a weapon of its own.

"Did you call, my Lord?"

Clark stood obediently in the antechamber doorway, his obscene strength hidden beneath the tight lines of his uniform, bearing the Luthor crest.

Prince Luthor nodded. "Our business has begun."

They'd found him in a field after the great meteor storm hit Tynan'kit by surprise.

Entire cities burnt to the ground in minutes. Ashes and flame, and the old Regent considered it a sign of greater things to come for his House.

His son, Prince Luthor, only wondered about the creature he'd found among the ruins, unscathed.

Eleven years old, and as sharp as a mentat his tutors swore. He'd covered the naked child with his coat before taking him by the hand. "Who are you? What are you?"

The child only laughed.

Then broke his fingers in half.

Arrakis came into view and looked as uninviting as the death tents used to house the sick -- blinding and fever dry.

Clark stared curiously at the waxing sphere. He'd never been off-world before. "It burns like a sun," he said quietly.

Luthor nodded. "It will burn a man to death, if he should let it."

"It will not burn me," Clark countered. He brushed his hand against Luthor's. "Nothing can burn me, and in turn, you will walk beside me in its fire, untouched."

Luthor considered his words. He felt the chill of prescience.

We must be very careful.

The boy was named Clark and kept in the Regent's palace, trained as a bodyguard to the Prince. Young boys were routinely chosen for such duty; it insured loyalty.

Luthor soon realized Clark was capable of feats only heard of in tales of legend.

He kept tight reign over the instructors. Silenced some with death, until the day they were all dismissed, forever.

Luthor was twenty, Clark sixteen.

"Look what I can do, my Lord," Clark exclaimed one day. He stared at the far wall and its hangings burst into flame.

"Very good," Luthor whispered, and silenced him with a kiss.

On the ground, they were met by the Scribe, Farad'n, of House Corrino.

"You come at a strange time, Cousin Luthor."

Mildly, but there was an air of witchery about him. Luthor placed himself on guard. "I come to pay my respects to our new Emperor."

"Is that so?" Farad'n said stonily.

Where are your great armies, your Sardaukar, now? Luthor wanted to sneer but instead maintained a pleasant expression of thoughtful serenity. "That is so, Cousin Corrino."

Farad'n looked at Clark. "And you are?"

"I'm but a servant," Clark replied, glancing at Luthor. "Of my good and gracious Lord."

The old Regent was fond of mushrooms, so much so he had them imported off-world at astronomical prices. He liked to name worlds after them, devouring them whole with a smirk.

The Prince watched as he gulped down his prizes. "Be careful, Father. You don't want to choke."

"Nonsense!" Lionel swallowed a huge one in defiance.

Suddenly, the Regent began to gag and turn blue, clutching his throat.

"Let me help you, Father," the Prince commanded, but it was too late.

The Regent fell down dead at the table.

Luthor smiled, replacing his father's tampered poison snooper with his own.

The Royal Consort Ghanima sat on her lioness throne. Hair the color of the dunes, blue on blue eyes and Luthor held himself tightly within as he gazed at her.

She could kill me easily, he realized with shocking clarity.

"We have not expected you." Her voice echoed through the Great Chamber, brittle with warning.

Luthor felt Clark's presence next to him suddenly, protective and warm.

"Nothing can burn me, and in turn, you will walk beside me in its fire, untouched."

"Our respects are your due, Your Highness," he insisted.

She didn't reply.

Her eyes were focused on Clark.

Clark could run faster than the eye could see. No blade penetrated his skin, he was impervious to poison. He shrugged away fire and acids, and every assassination device known to man, he survived.

The implications of his power made Luthor tremble.

Eventually, he'd taken the young creature to his bed, which pleased them both, especially Clark. He happily sighed as they made love at night.

"The day will come when I ask you to do certain things for me," Luthor said, stroking Clark's hair. "Will you question them?"

Clark considered, as Luthor held his breath.

"No," he replied with a kiss.

The courtiers followed Emperor Leto Atreides like the wind follows the sea.

He swept into the throne room, deceivingly delicate and lithe. Beautiful as his sister -- his wife -- and deadlier in every way.

"Indeed, you are early," he said, in a calmly mocking voice.

"Never too early to show one's loyalty," Luthor replied. "Smaller houses must make up for what we lack in wealth with diplomacy, Your Highness."

"Your loyalty is noted," said Leto. He stood, walked over to Clark and brushed his strange-skinned hand over the boy's cheek. "As is yours."

Clark remained unmoved, at Luthor's side.

"We are to take over the Empire," Luthor said to Clark, after the last seal had shut on the sound-protected room. "You, my friend and love, are going to accomplish this for us."

Hazel eyes met his. "How?"

"By removing the Great Lion's head from his shoulders, by destroying his pride and by running faster than the wind through his deserts. All this and more, I know you can do."

A flicker of distress, but it quickly disappeared. "I love you," Clark said, a little desperately.

"As I love you," Luthor soothed. "And together, we shall rule universes as one."

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