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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Seraphina Sylvane slowly kneeled as she watched the Muad'dib jump around the desert sand, its tiny feet barely making a sound. Her lips twitched into a small smile as she observed the desert mouse produce moisture from its fur and then drink it, a perfect cycle of life and survival in the harsh environment of Arrakis. Noticing the sound of sand shifting, its ears perked and turned toward Seraphina's direction.
"Hi," Seraphina whispered softly, her eyes drifting to the horizon where the dunes stretched endlessly before her. The sun was already up, but it was still early enough that the heat hadn't yet become oppressive. Seraphina had never shied away from the sun; it seemed to respect her, never burning her skin.
It had been almost two months since they settled with the Fremen, yet every day brought new lessons and discoveries. Both Paul and she were still learning the Fremen ways, each day revealing the beauty and strength in their way of life, where every hardship only made living more meaningful.
Lost in her thoughts, Seraphina was brought back to the present by a gentle squeak. The desert mouse had hopped closer, its button nose twitching as it sniffed her hand. "Aren't you a friendly one?" Seraphina chuckled, opening her hand invitingly. The mouse, driven by curiosity, hopped into her palm. Seraphina gently curled her fingers, providing it with shade. Her gaze softened at the sight, but the muad'dib's ears twitched again as faint footsteps approached, causing it to scurry away and burrow into the sand.
A towering figure cast a shade over her, prompting Seraphina to look up. Alder Morven sighed as he sat next to her. "Your walks are getting more frequent," he observed. "And farther from the Sietch. Do you realize the sun is getting hotter?"
"It's still early," Seraphina shrugged, smiling at her friend and practically her brother.
"My Lady-"
"You don't have to call me that anymore," Seraphina reminded him, nudging his shoulder gently. "At least not here, where Verdantia is far away, and I'm not a Lady of any House."
"Sorry, I'm still getting used to it, even after almost two months."
Two months. Time had flown by so quickly, yet Seraphina was grateful they were here. Fern, Alder, and Duncan had become her family in this strange land. Their reunion had been filled with joy and tears, embracing each other without care for the Fremen's baffled looks at their emotional display of shedding precious tears. But they weren't Fremen, and their family was worth every tear, every drop of sweat, and even blood to shed for.
She remembered the overwhelming relief and joy she felt when Duncan held her, warm and alive. She had thought he was dead, a vision shared by Paul that really happened that day. But their reunion proved something crucial: the future Paul saw was not always set in stone. The present always shaped the future.
Since then, they rarely strayed far from each other. The Fremen, initially wary of the "Outworlders," had slowly started to accept them as they proved their worth daily. Despite being far from Verdantia and Caladan, Seraphina had never felt more at home. Her remaining family was here, and the fear inside her seemed distant.
