ᴀʟɪᴇɴꜱ【𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐀𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬】

ᴇɪɢʜᴛ

𝐈 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬 the meet Paul, he lowered his gun and was about to say something when a soft yet fierce voice spoke from behind us. "I would not have let you hurt my friends" I turned and saw a girl kneeling on the rocks. Paul held his gun up in surprise but soon lowered it as she took her mask off. "They say you're the Madhi, but you look like a little boy" 

"What are you doing?" I asked as she started climbing 

"You two chose the hardest way up, follow me," she said leading us back down to where Stilgar was. 

"Take it off," Stilgar said as he approached Paul and me "give it to me" he held his hand out for our weapons which I was certainly not going to give him. 

"You would have your own Maula pistol when you've earned it," A Freymen said in Paul's defense. Paul held the pistol in his hands looking at Stilgar cautiously 

"Give it to me" he repeated. Paul slowly went to give the pistol to Stilgar but I stopped his hand 

"No," I said "we keep the pistol unless you want to see what I can really do with my Bene Gesserit training" I warned 

Stilgar scoffed "fine" he then turned to the girl who had helped us "Chani, take charge of the newcomers. See that they are safe on the journey, let's go"

"I will not have them," One of the Freymen said, it was Jamis, the one who had wanted to kill us before 

"Jamis, I have spoken, be still," Stilgar told him

"You talk like a leader," Jamis said "but this young girl bested you. I invoke the Amtal"

"Do not challenge her" Stilgar said "her mother could be a Sayyadina for all we know" 

"But she is not, therefore she can fight" Jamis growled 

"Jamis. don't do this, don't. The night is fading and the sun is rising"

"Then the sun will witness his death," I said starting to walk forward 

"Mila don't," Paul said gripping my arm "please" 

"I have to," I told him continuing to walk up to Jamis "you wanna fight? then let's fight" I pulled out my blade showing him that I was ready. I was given time to prepare for the fight, I stood close by the rocks thinking about all the strategies I had learned from Duncan over the years and which one would be the best to use.

"Mila" Paul came over resting his hand on my shoulder "are you sure you've thought this through?" 

"Yes," I said softly "I must do this, I can do this. I was the best in House Atreides" 

"Just be careful," he said pulling me closer. He leaned in kissing me gently, I knew it wasn't a goodbye but for some reason, it felt that way. As much as I wanted our moment to last, I knew it couldn't, I had to be prepared. 

I took my blade and cut the palm of my hand, it was something that my mother had taught me to do. When in battle I used my blood, like paint to make tear-like marks down my face, I wasn't sure why I was meant to do it but I knew that it was tradition.

"I don't know you," Chani said coming up to me "but I do want you to die with honor" she held a different blade out to me "this crysnknife was given to me by my great aunt, it's made from the tooth of Shai-Hulud, the great sandworm. It would be a great honor for you to die holding it"

I nodded "thank you" I mumbled, I knew I wasn't going to die but she was being nice and I didn't want to upset her with my confidence 

"Where's the outworlder?" Jamis yelled suddenly 

"The outworlder has a name" I yelled back walking forward "It's Mila" I walked over to him and he stood up 

"May your knife chip and shatter," he said lowly, I touched the blade to my forehead giving the ancient saute. 

I then made eye contact with Paul I'll be ok I told him in sign language I know he replied. 

"You should welcome my blade," Jamis said as he paced around me "this world will kill you"

"We all die at some point" I shot back "I guess today's your day, it's quicker this way." Jamis lunged at me and I dodged him easily looking for weaknesses. I kicked his legs knocking him to the floor and I went to lodge the blade in him but he moved out of the way quickly. We continued to fight trying to stab each other in some way but he slipped up and I was able to get my blade to his neck "do you yield?" I asked, hoping that I wouldn't actually have to kill him 

"The boy doesn't know our rule" Stilgar mumbled "there is no yielding under the Amtal rule, death is a test of that"

"She's never killed anyone before" I heard Paul say "you can't make her"

"One of them has to die," Stilgar told him. Jamis started screaming at me making me lose focus, he pushed me back and I stood panting, waiting for him to make another move. I knew that I had to kill him, it was one or the other and I still wanted to live. 

You're so much stronger than you think you are. Rise.

When Jamis ran at me I was ready, I went to the side sticking the blade out and cutting through his abdomen. I watched him fall to the ground in a heap, I watched as the light dimmed from his eyes. 

The Fremen each touched their hand to my shoulder as I passed. I looked up into Chani's blue glowing eyes, I didn't know what she was feeling towards me but I didn't think that it was good. 

"You're one of us now," Stilgar said "a life for a life, come with us to Sietch Tabr"

"No" I spoke up "we need to get off-world, you must have ways, you have smugglers, you have ships"

"No" Paul stopped me "the emperor sent us to this place and my father came. Not for spice, not for riches, but for the strength of your people, my road leads into the desert, I could see it, if you'll have us we will come" 

And so we traveled across the desert, as Paul said. Stilgar and Chani led the way. In some masochistic way, I found everything a bit exciting. It was so new to me and even after all the tragedy and everything we suffered through it somehow felt exhilarating. 

I turned to Paul and we shared a smile while looking out over the glistening desert. "This is just the beginning," Chani said  

"I'm sure it is" I took Paul's hand and we continued walking into the sunlight, into our future.