The Atreides Twins

Chapter 3

"On Caladan we ruled by sea and air, but here on arrakis we will have to rule by something else, something I call desert power. I turned to our father as he spoke to us and the realization hit me what he was talking about. "You believe the fremen are this desert power," I said and I could see Paul's face as he made the realization to you. My father nodded and I had this gut feeling that he knew he wouldn't survive this, so his plan all along was to make a path for us to survive and eventually fight back. My father simply smiled as my mother joined us with a smile of her own. She heard something and looked to us again. "That's our que," she said and my father smiled and walked over to join her side. Paul and I followed behind as we made our down to the great hall where the banquet was being held. As we walked down the stairs I thought back to a couple days ago when the attempts on Paul and I's lives had been made. We had come an inch to death for the first time in our lives and it made all of our fears a reality. As we stopped at the bottom of the stairs I listened as mother began explaining to our father who everyone was. Dr Kynes eventually joined us and father left us to speak with some of the guests who were important. I turned at the commotion at the door as the Sardaukar began to enter and I knew our guest of honor had arrived. The seperated and the princess Irulan emerged with her arms outstretched showcasing the dress she wore. Everyone but me applauded and as she lowered her arms she spoke. "My father wishes everyone to know the confidence he has in Duke Leto in ruling Arrakis," she said in almost a way you could tell even she didn't believe the words she was saying. We all eventually sat for dinner. My father sat at the head of the table and my mother sat next to Paul. Irulan was placed between us and Dr Kynes sat on my right. As the dinner progressed and I was forced to listen to some of the talk at the table I heard a water dealer and a smuggler speaking about the customs of some who drank blood. "Isn't true Dr Kynes that the fremen do this," the water dealer asked with a tone you knew was mocking. I couldn't take it anymore. "Not the blood sir, the water," I said starting to explain a custom I shouldn't understand or know about without realizing. "In the desert water is life, the human body is comprised of 70% water, surely a dead man has no need for it," I finished and smirked as the water dealer gulped at the hidden meaning. I looked to Dr Kynes and he gave me a nod with a smile as he raised his glass to me. I returned in kind and we both drank the water from our raised glasses. I turned to see the stunned face of Irulan at my response and simply ignored before finally standing and apologizing as I left the table. 

I went up the stairs back to the balcony we had been sitting at before the banquet started. I saw Gurney sat at a table strumming his baliset as he drank his spice beer. I walked up and sat in front of him with a say and he looked at me from the corner of his eye as he strummed. "Alrigh' young pup," he asked in his fashion shedding all formality for the girl he had come to look at as a daughter. I nodded and took his glass with spice beer gulping down a large swig. "Careful lass, spice beer. It'll go to your head before ya know it," he said with a small smile as he warned me. I smiled back and looked back over the balcony at the table. I could see the disappointed look on my mother's face yet after what I had seen in my vision, I could feel no sympathy. I looked to Gurney then and hesitated for a moment before speaking. "You'll protect us right Gurney, from anything," I asked and instantly I felt a tinge of regret when I saw his face go surprised then stern. He set his baliset down and placed his folded hands on the table. "Your father rescued me from the Harkonnen slave pits when I was just a lad, when you lot came and your father told me what they were going to do, I swore I would watch over you and protect you till my dying breath," he started he had noticed my gaze at my mother and started to realize why I had asked. He had suspicions that Lady Jessica may not necessarily be on our side. "If any man, or woman, tries to cause you any harm, make no mistake I will rip their heart out with my bare hands for the treachery that would be involved," he said and I smiled at him nodding. Nothing needed saying in that moment, he understood completely why I asked. Paul soon joined us and I decided to say my good nights before heading back to my chambers. I knew Paul just needed a moment with Gurney and eventually he would head back to his chambers as well. I settled into a restless sleep with more visions through the night. The more exposed I became to the spice, the stronger the visions became. I knew something was about to happen, but so far the visions hadn't revealed what was coming. The next day my mother came to my chambers to speak with me about how I handled the banquet. "Excusing yourself for a moment is acceptable but what is not is to just leave with no explanation to your guests," she said once she had roused me from sleep. I sighed as I sat at my desk and drank some water. "I felt it necessary," I simply stated, not in the mood to deal with her lecturing especially after what I knew. She continued on and finally I couldn't take anymore of it. "Perhaps you should be more concerned about the consequences of your actions," I stated, "instead of solely focusing on mine. I'm simply playing a role now, one you created for me." She looked stunned for a moment and just as she went to speak again I stopped her not realizing my father was listening just outside of the door. He had heard our raised voices as he was passing and was going to put an end to my mothers lecture. "What are you talking about," she asked confused, but I could see a small amount of fear though. "I know mother, what you really intended and what you believe you have accomplished, but you don't even realize yet what those consequences mean," I stated finally looking her in the eye. "I don't...." she started, but I wouldn't here the clear lie she was about to tell. "You know exactly what you've done," I said and before she could speak again I went to the door to leave where I felt my father's presence leaving. After a moment I exited the room and moved in the opposite direction as my father wanting to visit the memorial garden that was in the palace. I saw Dr Kynes moving away and my brother following as I entered the room. I knew we were in the final days before something was going to happen, with still no idea what was coming. 

I entered the room and started going over all my memories with my father. All the good and the bad and I felt a pang in my heart. Several days passed and the night was finally upon us. I was woken by loud explosions and when I went to my window I could see the Harkonnen ships lowering from the sky. I watched as the Atreides troops attempted to fight back but I knew there would be no way out of this. My door opened and in stormed Harkonnen troops but before I could react they had already shot a tranq dart and I was falling to the ground. Darkness consumed me as I felt the troops gather around me. When I finally woke up I was bound and sat next to Paul. Neither of us had a gag and Paul quickly explained to me in the sign language our mother had taught us what was happening. I noticed they had left me ungagged with Paul, but our mother was bound tightly and gagged so she couldn't speak. I looked to Paul and could already tell what he was planning to do, but I knew he wasn't as skilled with the voice as I was. One of them men began talking about what they could do with us before dumping us in the desert and Paul attempted to use the voice, "You won't touch them." The deaf one stood and hit him hard making his head snap to the side. I shook my head as he looked to me and signaled that his pitch was off. My mother tried to signal to me when she saw me about to speak, worried that I wasn't ready either with the voice. Another man walked up to me and stood in front of me smirking as he opened the hatch, ready to throw Paul out so they could have their way with mother and I. I found the right pitch and finally spoke, "Untie me." I saw even my mother shrink back as I used the voice. What she hadn't realized is Gurney had been allowing me to practice using it with him as he was able to fight against it. Immediately the man moved to untie me and once done I told him to untie Paul. Once we were both free we quickly dispatched the men, but not before one of them nosedived the thopter in an attempt to kill us all. We hit the ground hard and sand burst around us like an explosion. "Quickly we have to get out before it comes," I said as I began gathering supplies I could from the thopter. Paul quickly freed my mother and without a word I moved past and exited into the desert. 

Paul and our mother followed me as I climbed a dune and when we got to the top we could see Arakeen in the throws of the invasion of the Harkonnen. I knew my father was dead or at least on the verge of death. The Baron wouldn't leave him alive, but for the moment we had a chance. "We have to go into the desert," I said as they joined me. "We need to find the fremen," Paul said agreeing. My mother couldn't speak as she watched everything she thought would never happen. I turned towards the desert and spotted the rock formations I recognized from our first trip into the desert. Paul pulled our mother to follow and we showed our mother how to walk so as not to attract the worms. Through the night we marched and it was just after dawn as we saw that we were close to reaching the rock formation. Suddenly a thopter shot over us and startled us. We had no idea if there were any Atreides left and prepared or a fight. When the ramp opened though a familiar form exited and yelled at us to hurry. I shot straight for Duncan and he wrapped me in his arms before planting a kiss to my forehead. I could only hear the whispers of his thanks that I was alive. "Quickly Harkonnen patrols are close," I heard a familiar voice say. I looked to see Dr. Kynes and he was quickly getting the thopter ready to take off. Duncan got us inside and we quickly strapped in. For a moment we were safe or as safe as we could be, but I knew what was to come and I knew this path our mother had created what going to be long, but I hoped somehow we could stop what I had seen. I felt Paul grab my hand and without words it was as if he was telling me everything would be ok, for now.