Thread: Student of Dune (DarkAngel & Sync)

The legacy of her family hadn't gone unnoticed by this Fremen, the man haunting her dreams for so many years. His face was as it had always been, his eyes glowing just as bright and now she knew the extent of the reach of her grandfather. It touched not just her past and her present, but also her future. Her very life now lied in the hands of a man who had no love for Atreides. Though, how could she fault him for such hatred? She couldn't. She wouldn't. She understood it wholly and completely. It was something she'd grown to fear more and more each sunrise her mother caught her looking out into the deserts of Dunea harsh world she'd never been allowed to traverse. Not until now. Helene made no attempt to search for Tal's eyes, her own remaining fixed on the outcrop or rocks in which he'd said was their current destination. She was sure that he and the man he'd lost in the marketplace had supplies stashed there. Ready and waiting for their arrival...only they'd be one person short. One person's water lost to the desert and for what? All in the name of Atreides. A wave of disgust rippled through her blood as Helene moved with the arrhythmic footfalls of the Fremen. She glanced Tal's manner of movement, knew a little having seen the way her own mother moved. How she longed for the comfort of someone who truly understood, the embrace of her mother as her arms encircled her and cradled her close. But she couldn't see her, so she thought on her uncle, his body slowly changing, becoming one with the desert after her family cursed the lands with their visions. A part of her wondered if she deserved to come face to face with the great Shai'Hulud. Perhaps such an end was the only fate she deserved. Ghani would scold her for thinking such things. But the empress was not with her, no longer near enough to have influence. The sun bore down without mercy and the brown cloak Helene wore did little to help stave off the relentless heat. But it was far better cover than the shimmery gown she donned beneath. Such things would mean death out in the deepest parts of the desert. No, she'd never meet a maker this way. It would be a dishonorable death, only proving the foolishness of off-worlder, of someone who didn't belong. But did she? Helene often wondered that, but her mother was always quick to push such thoughts from her mind. Ghani mentioned she be mindful of her own path, to follow it. They were Atreides. Though, Helene found herself not liking what that meant. Often times, she saw her mother weepingsometimes in her dreams, sometimes at night when she'd run off to find her uncle. She supposed the legacy cursed more than just herself and her siblings. Her mother and uncle paid a high price as well. When Helene and Talgar finally reached the outcrop of rocks, she finally dared a glance to his face. She shivered despite the heat, his eyes somehow seeing through her, though she knew he had no idea of what she knew, what she'd seen, she'd dreamed. She quietly took the stillsuit and let her fingers gently run over the material. It was a simple design, yet absolutely ingenious. She marveled at it for a moment before setting it down and readying herself to change. Firstly, she removed the brown cloak given to her by her escort, the gruff Fremen her mother had insisted she trust and obey. She studied the material, her blue-in-blue eyes not missing a stitch. The Fremen who'd given the cloak to her was dead. Her mother's friend...gone...sacrificed. And all for her. Helene bit down on her lip, her heart twisting slightly as she gently set the cloak down and moved to unfasten her gauzy gown. A slight breeze blew through the area, the material billowing about her slight body. A swirl of sand and spice kicked up around her legs, but she made no move indicating that it bothered her and she made no gesture regarding Tal and whether or not he was watching. Slowly, Helene let the straps of her dress fall over her pale shoulders. The material slid down along her skin like liquid water until it pooled about her body at her feet. She then stepped out the tiny heap, her body almost completely bare. For a moment, she had the urge to cover up, her arms moving to cover her breasts, but she closed her eyes and let her arms drop to her sides, a sense of calm washing over her. Just then, another breeze blew through and the scent of spice was strong in the air. She could smell it. It made her wonder if it would be stronger the deeper they went into the desert. As the hot air kissed her flesh, she felt her skin prickle, goose bumps forming along her arms, her tummy, her chest. She rubbed her arms gently, her eyes opening and a soft sigh escaping as she reached for the stillsuit and made to put it on and cover up. She was vulnerable and exposed, but she had no fear. She'd never fear Talgar. Once the stillsuit was on and secure and Helen felt ready enough, she turned to face Talgar. I'm ready, she said, her voice softer than she intended. But the look on his face was exactly as it had been in her dreams. Her heart pounding, she knew what lied ahead for them both would be treacherous. She'd seen the 'thopter above. I trust you. Ghani raced down the darkened corridor and threw open the doors that allowed her to look out upon the open desert. She couldn't see her daughter and she felt the chaos, the disturbance that was happening all over Arrakeen. Just what was it that Leto had planned? She wasn't stupid. She knew her brother wouldn't divulge such things, not if it disrupted the balance of what it was he set in motion. He was always scheming, seeing things that even she could not. She fell to her knees as her eyes suddenly spotted her brother. Quickly, she headed toward the hidden door that led down to their secret meeting place. By the time Ghani had reached the lowest levels, she'd already stripped off most of the ceremonial garb and replaced it with a cloak. Something familiar and comfortable. Something...Fremen. Most nights, Leto came to her out of his own need. But there were times when her own needs surpassed his. She knew he'd already be expecting this and already be at their secret place. Waiting for her. He always knew. The mournful cries of Arrakeen somehow flooded Ghani's ears, the vision so very clear. She could never forget this as it seared her mind, forging the fear before it could start. Being pre-born, she was both blessed and cursed. She saw the burning of the marketplace, a whole part of the city destroyed! She feared that her daughter had died. It coursed through her and not even the litany of fear could stop it. Had this been why she'd lost sight of the child? Her heart shattered in her chest the closer she got to the place she knew Leto would be waiting and she could feel each piece slicing her flesh when she finally found herself looking deeply into Leto's eyes. For several long moments, she couldn't even speak. She just stared at her twin, her eyes pricking unnaturally with tears she rarely shed. Finally, she could no longer take the silence. I can't see her, Leto. She's lost to me. Unable to hold back the tears, Ghanima moved toward her brother, her arms moving about him, terrified he'd run and disappear into the sands of Dune, leaving her alone to cope with her sorrow.