They say where one goes, the other follows.
In the sprawling expanse of the cosmos, Paul Atreides and Seraphina Sylvane are bound together by an unbreakable tether. Despite the light years and planetary divides throughout the Known Universe, their...
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The world can be cold and cruel, and for nobles like Seraphina Sylvane, safety was a fragile illusion and a simple life is a fantasy to have. Assassinations, political machinations, and treachery lurked at every corner. Heirs such as Seraphina didn't have the luxury of a normal life. Friendships and casual encounters were luxuries beyond reach. In this treacherous existence, she was fortunate enough to find solace in the friendship of Paul Atreides. Without Paul, her life would have felt unbearably lonely.
Seraphina recalled the events all too well. She was eight years old when she was first taken advantage of. Naivety and youth blinded her to the impending betrayal.
It began innocently enough. A girl, about her age, the daughter of a destitute farmer, she said, managed to sneak in and out of the mansion. Driven by curiosity and a promise of friendship, the girl charmed her way into Seraphina's life. Thrilled at the prospect of a new friend, Seraphina eagerly introduced the girl to Paul, her steadfast companion for three years once he arrived to Verdantia that week. Paul, however, was skeptical. He didn't like the idea of Seraphina having a friend other than him yet seeing Seraphina's happiness, he reluctantly agreed to tolerate the newcomer.
This, however, was a grave mistake.
The girl's requests began small. She first asked for a small money, claiming her mother was ill and needed funds for medicine. Seraphina, moved by compassion, provided the money in secret, telling only Paul. The boy disapproved and sensed something was amiss. Despite his misgivings, Seraphina continued to help. The requests escalated. Jewelries were needed for her mother's treatment, and Seraphina, desperate to help, complied without hesitation. Paul's unease grew, but he respected Seraphina's wishes, though he kept a watchful eye.
Then came the fateful day.
The girl asked Seraphina to meet her mother that was now cured, to express their gratitude. The girl encouraged the young Lady to sneak out, promising it wouldn't take a while. Seraphina agreed, choosing to forego her usual afternoon playdate with Paul in the garden as she followed the girl, unsuspecting, into a trap.
Three days passed. Three agonizing days during which the youngest Sylvane was missing. The rangers scoured Verdantia, the Marquis's rage and desperation palpable as he threatened to tear apart the entire planet to find his daughter. It was the ransom demand that betrayed her captors' location.
They found her in the basement of an old, decrepit house, starved and cold. She was shaking, with high fever and her arms and legs were bruised from being chained to the floor. The sight of his daughter in such a state drove the Marquis to the brink. Those responsible for her abduction faced swift and merciless retribution. They did not see another day and it was a message to those who would dare lay harm to his daughter again.
As Seraphina was carried away by her trembling father, a mix of rage and relief in his eyes, she caught one last glimpse of the girl. The betrayer stared back, devoid of remorse, her face a mask of cold indifference.
