To Belong ✰ ✰ ✰ Paul Atreides (ON HOLD)

five

Lady Jessica and I are sitting together, having a cup of tea. We are chatting about different household management issues, while figuring out details for the preparation of the departure.

"Mother, shall we act upon Missionaria Portectiva?" I ask the older and more experienced Bene Gesserit.

"My dear, if the situation requires for such a procedure to be put in place, then we shall take precautions," Lady Jessica suggests. "We'll be off to Arrakis, a place where they wait for a Messiah to bring back the green scenery that once existed."

"Lisan al Gaib, that's what they call him, right?" I ask.

"The voice from the outer world," she explains.

I take a moment to think everything through. Is it the right time to tell Lady Jessica about the signs I have noticed in Paul? Should I be the one who tells her, or should Paul confess the nature of his dreams to his mother.

"But we shall only act upon it in the case of an emergency," Lady Jessica suggests. "We don't need to make enemies among the Fremen," she points out. "I also think we should rush the wedding between you and Paul."

I almost drop my cup of tea on the floor in shock. I quickly contain myself and put the cup on the table. "Excuse me, mother, but don't you think that it is too soon, and quick. We will need the blessing of the Emperor himself, and I know for a fact that my father shall give us a hard time in that matter."

Lady Jessica sighs. "It would be a way to ensure your safety fully," she explains. "I know you and Paul are young, but we need to plan everything carefully and with respect to all the possible outcomes there are."

I look at Lady Jessica with a concerned look for a few mere moments. "Whatever you decide, mother," I nod my head. I know we cannot risk the Emperor's benevolence. What he has done, giving Arrakis to House Atreides, already meant that we are not in his favours. Upsetting him will only make things worse, and I do not want to witness my father's wrath. Stirring up a conflict with the Emperor would bring us all to our downfall.

After I finish my tea, I excuse myself and leave the room. I walk to my own room and sit down on my bed. I begin to think about everything Lady Jessica and I have discussed. The plan of survival has to be carefully done, no mistakes can be done, and no uncertainties should exist. This is a life and death situation. How we survive this will lead to the future of House Atreides.

I keep contact to a minimum with everyone for the rest of the day, remaining confined within my chambers. After three weeks of sleeping consistently in Paul's room, sleeping in my own bed feels different, unsafe even. But I need time to think.

Morning comes and I find myself wrapped in a pair of arms. I stir carefully in bed, turn around and see Paul sleeping next to me. Attempting not to make any noise, I get out of bed. I go to the bathroom and get myself ready for the day. When I enter my bedroom, I see Paul still asleep on the bed. I make my way silently across the room, then exit and walk along the corridor to the breakfast room where Lady Jessica is already sitting down.

"Good morning," I greet her.

"Good morning, Chalice," she greets me back. "Do you know where Paul is?" she then asks. "I went to his room to wake him up for breakfast and he was nowhere in sight."

I look at Lady Jessica for a second, trying to muster up a lie. But most probably she will sense it, which leaves me with no option but to tell her the truth. "When I woke up this morning, Paul was sleeping next to me. He was still sleeping when I left," I explain.

Lady Jessica nods her head. "Has this been happening often?" she asks.

"Um, yes, mother," I sigh. "We are sorry we did not tell you. I know that we should do no such thing until we are married, but ever since I moved to the new room, I can barely sleep at night," I go on. "Paul offered."

"It is no problem as long as nothing else happens before you two are married," she informs me.

"Of course, mother," I assure Lady Jessica.

We eat our breakfast in silence for a while, before Paul walks into the room.

"Good morning," Paul greets his mother. "Good morning," he then says to me, bending down a little bit to kiss my cheek. He sits down next to me and puts food on his plate.

"How did you sleep?" Lady Jessica asks her son.

"Well, mother," Paul replies, still sleepy.

Silence falls for a few moments, before Lady Jessica decides to break it.

"It has been decided that the two of you shall get married before we leave for Arrakis," Lady Jessica informs the two of us.

I drop my fork on the plate in shock due to the news I have just heard. Paul stops eating and looks at his mother with a questioning look.

"And who has decided this?" Paul inquires.

"Your father and I," Lady Jessica replies. "We see it as a strategy to preserve the future of House Atreides if anything is to happen," she goes on to explain.

"But we leave in four months," I say. "How are we to get married by then?"

"The two of you shall have a small ceremony, attended only by the Duke and I."