𝐲𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐧 ⁀➴ paul atreides

49 ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ the ones who point the way

─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ 🌕 ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ───

forty-nine

'The One Who Points the Way.'

─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ 🌕 ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ───

PAUL

The cheers of the Fremen erupt around my wife and me as we sit in the tent, the scent and sound of victory hanging high in the air.

"You saw what he did," Stilgar says to the other Southern believers. "He saw it coming, and he saved her life. He saw it." He makes a small gesture, like he's projecting his mind into the world. "He can foresee."

Subconsciously looking around, I find my wife by my side. She's never left, but I just love being able to see her like this.

Happy.

Free.

Shishakli makes a few sniffing sounds, her hand crawling up my shoulder as she declares, "Muad'Dib likes his smell," which brings a chorus of laughter from some of the Fremen.

(Y/N) smiles, but her hand intertwines with mine. It's something I've noticed. She's defensive. Like she wants me to remember that I'm her's and her's alone. It's endearing, in a way.

"Who taught you two to fight like that?" Chani asks.

"My old masters," I say, glancing at my wife to see what she'll say.

"Mine, too."

"They were close friends," I continue, the weight of the memories starting to come back. "They were massacred. Alongside my father."

A small shift in weight brings me back to the present, noticing that (Y/N)'s head is now on my shoulder. I lean into her touch, grateful that I have her.

To anyone who had eyes... this was what love looked like.

And I don't know what I'd do without her.

"You've been fighting the Harkonnens for decades," I say after a moment, glancing around, noticing the complete silence as the Fremen listen to me. "My family's been fighting them for centuries. I know everything about them. Their habits, their ways of thinking." My gaze flits around. "You know everything about the desert. You harness the very power of it. We can stop them together, bury them in the sand where they belong." 

A soft chuckle is caught by my hearing, and as I glance down, I notice (Y/N)'s smile. She's amused, but she's proud of my declaration.

"So that this planet can be yours once more," I conclude.

"What would you have us do?" Stilgar asks as he shifts his position. "Huh?"

"What would you do, Stilgar?" I ask, looking up at him.

"I? I would..." he sighs as he thinks, "would strike even further north."

"Then I will go further north," I say.

"And the further north you go, the more likely it is you die," Shishakli says from my right.

I don't look at her as I answer, my eyes falling on my wife as I notice her stiffen at my idea. "Then I'll die. Maybe you will too." I look up at Stilgar. "But the others will keep going. And they won't stop until the Fremen are free."

Murmurs of agreement wash around as I wrap an arm around (Y/N)'s shoulders, leaning down to unnoticeably brush my lips against her cheek, heading for her ear to whisper something.

Shishakli interrupts the moment as she nods, "They deserve to be Fedaykin."

Louder murmurs of agreement sound as a soft smile graces my lips.

"They need names, Stilgar," one of the men says.

"They do. They do!" he answers as (Y/N) lifts up her head.

"I see strength in you," Stilgar continues. "Like Usul. The base of the pillar." He gestures to me with his hand. "Come, come."

I glance at my wife, moving away from her, only for Stilgar to motion for her, too. We crouch in front of Stilgar as he says to me, "You shall be known among us as Usul."

The others murmur the name as the man continues.

"Usul. And down, a Fedaykin is a fighter and needs a war name. You must choose."

I shake my head in thought, glancing at (Y/N) before a smile forms. "How do you call the, uh..." I look back at Chani and Shishakli. "The little desert mouse, again?"

Everyone softly laughs at the idea.

"Muad'Dib?"  Stilgar asks.

"Muad'Dib," I confirm. 

"No, no, no," Stilgar says, shushing the others as they quiet down. "Muad'Dib is wise in the ways of the desert. Muad'Dib... creates his own water. The constellation that points to the North Star, we call Muad'Dib. 'The One Who Points the Way.'" He seems to pause for a moment, glancing at (Y/N) before he says to me, "That is a powerful name."

Stilgar's gaze lands on my wife as he turns to her. "Now, you... you shall be known as Mahfuz."

The others murmur in question, wondering why he would choose such a name for her.

"No, no," he murmurs again. "Mahfuz is a protector. Mahfuz is... a guide. Mahfuz is... Mahfuz is a guardian."

His eyes flicker in thought as (Y/N) pauses, trying to rack her brain for a warrior name.

"You must choose a name," Stilgar says to her.

(Y/N) seems at a loss for words, unable to find something.

"Sahira..." Stilgar murmurs after a moment. "You... will be Sahira."

"Sahira?" (Y/N) asks, her brows bunching in curiosity and confusion as a few of the Fremen murmur in consideration.

"Sahira is like Muad'Dib," Stilgar explains. "Sahira is the constellation that sits beside him. Always watching, always guiding. When we look to the stars, we see Sahira and Muad'Dib. 'The One Who Shows The Way.'"

(Y/N) glances at me as we take it in. It was perfect. Two constellations interwoven in the night sky--it was like fate was calling us together.

This was it.

"The name fits," Stilgar murmurs to (Y/N). "You two are not separated, but together. As one."

We slowly stand and my hand instinctively find's (Y/N)'s, weaving our fingers. Stilgar's right. We're one with each other. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Now you are our brother and sister," he says, tracing his thumbs on my eyelids. "Paul Muad'Dib Usul." He then turns to my wife and does the same to her. "(Y/N) Sahira Mahfuz."

He suddenly pulls both of us into a hug, causing (Y/N) to laugh as the others gather around and cheer for our new Fedaykin names.

Each of the Fremen come to embrace us, murmuring our new names in our ears, and occasionally, I can tell that my wife is trying not to laugh at how funny it all looks.

Chani comes up, her touch more hesitant as she quietly murmurs, "Usul," before she does the same to the end of (Y/N)'s.

A wide smile forms on our faces as I look at the woman I now called my Duchess. It was crazy. We had no ruling, and yet...

We point the way to something greater.