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Seraphina stood with her back to the door, trying to practice her sparring skills alongside Paul, who was doing the same thing on a separate dummy. Seraphina snarled in slight frustration as she swatted her paw at the dummy with her claws out, trying to get her speed faster like her old trainer had told her. Her ears flickered behind her upon hearing footsteps behind her and Paul and she turned around quickly, instinctively standing in front of Paul – who hadn't even bothered to turn and see who it was – with a growl, her lip curling back to reveal the sharp canines in her mouth.
"Don't stand with your back to the door," Gurney said as he walked in, putting his stuff down on the side table as Paul continued hitting the dummy with his sword. "You can relax now, Seraph."
Seraphina relaxed, taking a deep breath as she shook herself off and moved away from Paul, shifting back as she went and grabbed some water. She had often been told her zealous tendencies to protect her loved ones would be the end of her, but she couldn't help it, it was as if there was a switch in her brain that would automatically turn if there was even a slight hint of danger towards her family.
Many people described her as a 'burning one', a girl who will watch the world burn for her family. The intense passion and love she carries is so powerful, yet it can be so dangerous.
"I could tell it was you by your footsteps, Gurney," Paul stated simply as he continued hitting the dummy.
"Someone might imitate my stride," Gurney countered as he grabbed his sword.
"Are you the new weapons master?," Seraphina questioned as she finished her water, trying to catch her breath. She was still being given intense training sessions, Lady Jessicca seems to be incredibly set on making Seraphina into the perfect fighter.
"With Duncan Idaho gone, I must make do the best I can," Gurney told her, taking his jacket off and setting it on the table. Seraphina watched him as her eyes flickered to Paul again who was drinking a glass of water.
"Choose your blade, Paul." Gurney picked up a dagger.
"I've had quite a day, Gurney," Paul sighed, "Seraphina has been training all afternoon nonstop. Give us a song instead."
Gurney sighed, looking at the dagger in his hands and suddenly throwing it, landing it on the table a few inches away from Paul.
Seraphina felt her eyes flicker to the sharp weapon the man had just thrown, the dagger still stuck in the wooden table, feeling her instincts flare up as the voice in her head screeched at her to get in front of Paul, protect him. Keep him alive.
But she held back, she knew that this was merely only a training session. Her hands twitched, as she took a deep breath. Watching the scene play out. Paul sighed, picking up his sword as he turned to face Gurney.
"That's rude," Paul snarked as Duncan came up and swung his weapon at the boy, making him block and duck as he scrambled away.
In a way, Seraphina was glad Paul was the one who was training right now, she was exhausted and needed to rest for a little bit before she could return to her own training. Paul powered up his shield and Gurney did the same thing as they both got into their sparring stances.
The sparring lasted a few minutes before Paul pinned Gurney down, his sword in a position that in a real fight — would penetrate the shield and kill Gurney. But Seraphina was observant – she saw that Paul was in the same position — Gurney's blade was placed just above an artery on Paul's upper torso.
"I have you," Paul said as Gurney nodded before he nodded towards the blade he had pressed against Paul's side.
"You'd have joined me in death, my Lord," Gurney said as he panted slightly. Seraphina swallowed, she knew that either they were going to fight again or it would be her turn to spar, and knowing Gurney he'd go a lot harder on her than he did with Paul. Paul stood up, helping up Gurney as Seraphina approached the two of them, standing next to her brother with a tense demeanor.
"Will it be that bad?," Seraphina asked as Gurney turned away, pouring himself some water.
"The two of you don't get it, do you?," Gurney sighed as he turned to look at the siblings. "You really don't understand the grave nature of what's happening to us." He paused. "For 80 years, Arrakis belonged to House Harkonnen. 80 years of owning the spice fields. Can you imagine the wealth?"
Seraphina stared at him, feeling her eyebrows furrow at his words, of course she could imagine the wealth, but the cruelty that the Fremen experienced clouded her thoughts a lot more. 80 years of owning the spice fields meant 80 years worth of cruelty, 80 years of being massacred.
"Neither of you have met Harkonnens before, I have. They're not human, they're brutal!," Gurney growled, getting in Paul's face and Seraphina snarled, it was a low but loud sound escaping from her throat, feeling as though her brother was under threat. "You have to be ready. Both of you. Seraphina can't be your only source of safety and protection, Paul."
There was a long moment of silence, no one said anything as Gurney's words hung in the air. The tension was thick, the room was dead silent, all you could hear was the soft breathing of the three of them. Gurney sighed, giving Paul and Seraphina a respectful nod before he exited the training room and left the Atreides siblings in silence.
Gurney's words rang through Seraphina's head like a mantra, she knew that being on Arrakis wouldn't be easy, but a sick feeling in her gut told her that this whole ordeal would turn into something much greater than she could have ever imagined.
