Our Secret

Beth

Disclaimer: I don't own Dune 

Y/N POV:

Early in the morning I snuck back down to the servants quarters as I was now in the habit of doing. and made my way over to the dorm room only to hear a throat being cleared behind me as a light flicked on. "Look what the cat dragged in" said a voice behind me, I spun around. It was Beth. Shit. "Well," she said "I think that I should tell matron that you are sneaking around every night"

"It's not every night just today" I retorted, it wasn't true but one unexplained absence would be better that a whole string.

"Liar, I woke up last night and your bed was empty so when you didn't come back I told matron that I would wait up and finish the dishes. Now I think we should tell Matron that you have been sneaking out but the real question I want to know is where you go" She said Maliciously

"I just go to the training room or the library, it's so hard to find time to read in piece these days" I said hoping desperately that this time she would but my bluff, she didn't.

"You must think that I'm thick. Your not tired in the day, in fact your very well rested my bet is that your visiting a boy"

I looked down trying to hide my face which I knew would betray me alas it didn't work. 

"I'm right aren't I, Who is it?" Her voice had changed from mocking to conspiratorial as if we were both in on the same joke. 

"Why would I tell you?" I asked

"Why would I tell you?" she mimicked and then laughed "Because then there will be less for Matron to get out of you" She said smiling, Alisha ran to get Matron as soon as you walked in she will be here any second now"

As if on cue Matron rounded the corner accompanied by Alisha and clearly in a towering rage. "Care to explain?" she shouted at me "Why you have been wondering the castle at night?" 

She must have awoken the girls in the dorm for there was a slight bustle of movement in there presumably as everyone rushed to see what was going on. 

"It's something to do with a boy" said Beth spitefully to Matron 

"What boy?" asked matron loudly 

I debated lying but a reckless abandon had swelled in my chest and suddenly I didn't care anymore, I took a deep breath, then said levelly my eyes never leaving her face "Paul Atreides" 

My words hung in the room for a second before Matron screamed "You insolent little brat, you filthy liar. He is a Nobel and you are a serving girl, do not besmirch his name, do not insult him in such,"

"But Matron it's true," Said Mary "I've seen them together, they kissed in the training room, it was gross" she finished pulling a face which made me laugh. 

"Mary dear, she must have some how lied to you, I know she is your mentor but you don't have to defend her."  said Matron before raising her voice again and yelling at me " As for you, you will spend a week in he basement for your insolence and lies, the rest of you leave." 

Matron then grabbed my arm and frogmarched me down to the basement, then she threw me in, my hand hit the ruff stone floor and I felt it graze, then the door was slammed behind me and I was in near compete darkness the only visible light a streaming from the minuscule cracks around the door frame. I sat down and imagined creating stories in my mind. It was the only way to cope.

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Mary's POV:

I watched Matron drag Y/n away, horrified and furious. I turned to Beth not caring that she was a head taller than me and not caring that she could easily get me punished too I yelled "You bitch, why the hell would you do that" then something hit me. I pivoted so that I was facing Mia and Camilla their faces matching the horror of mine they had clearly had the same taught as me the three on us spoke in unison.

"What are we going to tell Paul"

"Oh come on you can drop it now, Matrons gone" the three of us stared at us unblinking our eyebrows raised and cheeks scrunched slightly in an expression of, funny that isn't it. "Oh my god, your going to keep pretending okay, you do you" she said rolling her eyes and laughing "Your all ludicrous"

She then walked to the dorm room stretching and clearly following Matrons orders to go to bed as soon as she disappeared we began to discuss in a hushed whisper. 

"What are we going to do?" I asked fear creeping into my voice for the first time.

"Well we have to tell him" started Camilla but Mia cut her off.

"Tell him what, we aren't even going up stairs tomorrow cause of our job lists and even if we could sneak around, which we can't cause were Y/n's best friends  and Matron will be keeping an eye on us, what are we supposed to say. Yes. Hi Paul the head of all of your female servants has quite possibly locked your girlfriend in the basement but don't blow off her head cause it was only because another one of your servants told on her when she was coming back downstairs from sleeping with you." Muttered Mia fast passed and frantic "Cause nothing could go wrong with that!"

"But we have to do something..." I began but I was cut off

"Something about what?" It was Matron 

"Nothing" We said far to quickly and in complete unison.

"Right, you three will be working downstairs until one of you tells me what she was actually doing and until then she can suffer, but if you tell me now she can get out already"  

She stared at me as she said that "I already told you the truth, and It was discussing, it was like he was eating her face" I said, Mia kicked me in the back of the leg but Camilla was trying not to laugh. 

"fine, anyone else have something to add?"

"We once had a good game of Monopoly, Paul won" said Mia as if she was bored.

"Go to bed, I will see you in the morning" Matrons voice sounded restricted and we left quickly before she started yelling again.

brushed out my hair as Mia and Camilla also prepared for bed, the three of us were continuously glancing over at the empty bed usually filled by Y/n. Sharing many long and fearful looks we all got into bed but it was a long time before any of us fell asleep, I could hear the movement in the dark and new that they like me ware desperately trying to come up with a way to tell Paul or save our friend whilst being kept down here. Late in the evening I finally drifted into uncomfortable sleep my head full of concern about the coming days and my friend locked meters below me, alone in the icy basement below.