Atreides

In Arrakeen, you could see more of the Atreides ships land. There were three ships. They all looked the same, but they were massive enough to garner the number of soldiers. The one in the middle landed first, and so did the others after. The two to the sides opened, and out came Atreides soldiers. 

They all positioned themselves to the side and stood in line to receive their Duke Leto the Just. When it was done, the middle ship opened its doors, and Duke Leto and his concubine, Lady Jessica, were in front.

The Duke wore the Atreides battle armor, as for his Concubine Lady Jessica, she wore yellow summer clothing with her face covered but a see-through veil. To the sides, her shoulder showed her beautiful skin, which she knew her Duke loved. 

The Duke looked back to where Gurney Halleck was and saw his heir and lieutenant standing side by side. Paul wore the Atreides military uniform, and Gurney Halleck was the same as the Duke. As the Duke's gaze met his son's, a silent understanding passed between them. With a nod of acknowledgment, he began to stride out of the ship, his voice booming, 'ATREIDES!' In a thunderous response, the soldiers at his side echoed, 'ATREIDES, ATREIDES, ATREIDES, ATREIDES.' 

A smile played on his face, but it went away as quickly as it came; the duke needed to look presentable in front of his men. 

The duke and his men felt the searing heat of Arrakis, a harsh reality they were not prepared for; the planet had two suns, one intensifying the heat of the other. After the meeting was over, Lady Jessica meticulously selected the rooms for the people closest to the duke and an office for her Duke Leto. 

Paul walked inside the Palace of Arrakeen and reached an exciting room. The room was well furnished and had many things that a young man like him would find interesting. 

He looked at the bed, which looked like it had never been used before, which brought him a semblance of relief. He liked this room and had chosen it as his personal one. 

........

In the dining hall, we could see two shadows of people standing next to each other; one looked more robust. These were Duke Leto and his concubine, Lady Jessica. 

Lady Jessica stood beside the Duke as he caressed the bridge of his nose. " You seem bothered, " Leto said as he looked at the woman he loved. " Ahh, yes, it would seem so," Jessica said. " I have been giving rooms to the man and woman we brought over from Caladan, but when it comes to your room, I do not know what I'm supposed to do," 

" Well, as for the assignment of room, could you make sure I have a large office space next to my sleeping quarters? There'll be more papers here than on Caladan. Of course, there is a guard room, which should cover it. Don't worry about the house's security; Hawats men have been over it in depth." 

"I'm sure they have," Jessica said. 

She wanted to tell him something, to encourage him to take a more active role in ensuring his family's safety. She thought to herself,  'I could force him.' But she threw that Idea to the back of her mind. Despite being his concubine, she loved the Duke and, as such, would never force him to do anything he didn't want to. 

As Leto was walking out of the room, Jessica called to him, "M'lord." he turned around, and she asked, " At what time will you be expecting dinner? The duke looked into her eyes and thought that was not what she was going to say. 

"Dinner, ahh yes, dinner," Leto said. I will be taking it in the office; make sure Paul joins in the strategy room if you please." He turned the corner, leaving Jessica alone in the hall. Outside of it, you could hear Leto's strong voice, and he said, " The lady Jessica is in the great hall; join her immediately."

From the corner, a small woman walked into the hall; she wore a light gown and a head covering, and all that showed was her face and her Blue within blue eyes. A Fremen woman, Jessica thought. She had heard of their blue eyes but not up close, only through a film book. 

" I am Shadout Mapes, noble-born," Mapes said. She looked at the woman before her, felt the crysknife on her back, and thought,  I have seen the mother; I must test her.

" I am not noble borne, Shadout Mapes. I am the duke's Concubine," Jessica said. 

" then you are his wife."

" I am simply the concubine. There has never been a wife, and all I have done is given the Duke his Heir. You may call me Lady Jessica; noble born is too formal. 

My husband told me of your titles, Shadout; they are very ancient for Fremen." Jessica said.

" You know the ancient tongue, then?" Mapes asked. There was vigor in her voice as she said this. 

"Tongues are the Bene Gesserite way," said Jessica, and this seemed to excite Mapes internally. She had now confirmed that the mother was a Bene Gesserit and that she had a son; Bene Gesserites were known only to have daughters. 

" I know all the hunting languages of the Bhotani Jhib and the chakobsa." Jessica continued. And Mapes seemed to have mumbled something in those languages; her superstition to find the Lisan Al Gaib was growing, and the more Jessica spoke, the stronger it became. 

Why do I play this sham? Thought Jessica. 

" I know the dark things and the way of the Great Mother," Jessica said as she began to analyze Mapes and her actions; she could not help it. At times, this was simply her training. 

" I know many things; I know that you have borne children, that you have lost loved ones, that you have hidden in fear, and that you have done violence and will yet to do more violence." Mapes took a step back. There was no excitement in her anymore, and now she felt threatened.

" You speak of the Legend," said Jessica. "Yes, I heard your whisper. Beware the answers you may find, and I know that you hide a weapon in your bodice." 

"My lady, I," Mapes said. More than anything, Mapes was surprised, but Jessica's actions seemed to instill more of her belief in the Lisan Al Gaib. It was well known that his mother was a Bene Gesserit.

" The weapon was sent as a gift to you to see if you were the one. If you were, then it would be yours," Mapes said. 

"And if I do not prove to be the one, what then?" Jessica asked. There is only one answer: Death, Jessica thought.

The thought frightened her, and she caressed her stomach. She was pregnant, and she had not told the duke yet, but this woman had just threatened her life. She had heard of the Fremen and their battle ability, and she knew that she needed to prove herself to be the one. 

Mapes removed the Cryknife from her bodice and showed it to Jessica. " you must answer me a question: what is this blade called? Jessica wanted to Call it its formal name, the Crysknife, but it was more than that. The blade meant more than that. And she used all her knowledge of the Fremen to come to an answer. " Maker," Jessica said. And at once, Mapes began to speak in chakobsa, " I have met the mother. " 

Lady Jessica was right to call the Blade The Maker, for the Crysknife was made from the bones of a dead sandworm, The SHAI-HULUD., which translates to the old man of the desert. 

Jessica had passed the test, and Mapes handed her the blade. Jessica took it at once. And Mapes began to move the veil and showed the side of her neck to Lady Jessica, "You could kill me if you so wish it; I will not fight it. " she said. 

And that was indeed true; she would not fight. However, Jessica saw more than just a housekeeper in Mapes; she saw someone she could use to inform her about Fremen's culture. 

Someone who could tell her about Krelln. Ever since that day her son told her of his vision, she had begun to read about what little there was about Arrakis. 

In the next chapter, we will return to krelln and be patient. please.