Paul Atreides

Markings ~ Soulmates p3

The sand whipped against your skin as your team walked through the moonlight. Sietch Tabr was not too far, the entrance hidden from the outside world.

'Where are we going?' Paul asked as he walked beside you.

'Sietch Tabr.' You replied.

'Where is it? I don't see anything but sand.' Paul sounded confused.

'It's there.' You smiled under your shade cloth.

Ever since that night two days ago, there had been dozens of stolen kisses and affection. Stilgar noticed your eyes and you and Chani pretended to freak out over it, pretending to had no clue as to why your eye colour changed for the second time. Nobody knew about you and Paul, except for Chani who saw you.

'But I don't see it.' Paul repeated.

'Paul, you know how the Fremen are secret.' Chani spoke up

'Yeah.' He nodded

'Then why in Mahdi's name would they have Sietch Tabr in the open?' You look at him, his features glowing in the moonlight.

'Good point.' He smiled at you, eyes meeting. Your heart skipped a beat.

'I know.' You smirked. Paul opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, you and Chani laughed and ran up to the rock formation in front of you. Paul shook his head and took off after you and her. Scampering up the formation as though you were a mouse, you stopped on top, watching Paul struggle to come up the same steep slope you and Chani did.

'Hey birdbrain!' Chani called out, Paul looked up, knowing she meant him. 'Look!' She pointed over to the side where a natural stair case had been carved in where the rest of the group had climbed up. Paul groaned and kept up his efforts of climbing up the almost vertical rock face.

When he reached the top, the sun was almost up.

'Come on, I'm hungry.' You said as you turned on your heel. Paul tried to catch up to you, but Stilgar took one side and Chani took the other. Paul took the message, Stilgar was going to talk to you two.

'Take them to the visitors quarters on the lower floors.' Stilgar instructed. 'And I'm sure that Irisa can whip up something along the lines of roast bird and such.'

'Thank you, Stilgar.' You nodded politely.

'No problem. Chani, please find Orlar, I wish to talk to him privately. I'll be in my study if you need anything.' Stilgar walked a few paces ahead and down into the cavern to the left at the back of the rocks.

'Where did he go?' Jessica appeared beside you.

'Stilgar's got some business to attend to.' You replied. 'Follow me.' You went down the right side of the cliff face until you found a slit that was the size of a narrow doorway and went through. Chani, Paul and Jessica followed. The rest of the group went through the main entrance.

'Why are we going this way?' Paul asked.

'You're full of questions, aren't you?' Chani climbed up a ledge that carried her to the upper floors where Orlar was located. She walked off before Paul said anything else.

You stopped as the tunnel widened. 'Sietch's are our homes. Cities. These places are huge, there are over twenty five levels and hundreds of rooms and extra tunnels and channels off. If you haven't grown up in this place, chances are you're going to get lost. That's why I'm with you. If I'm not, then Chani is.'

'So you're like our guides.' Jessica confirmed.

'In a way, yes.' You nodded. 'We came this way because this leads directly to the sleeping chambers. You're going to be in the guest ones which are further to the back of the Sietch. I'll be sleeping in the one next to yours.' You turned around and started walking down it, Spice Lamps glowed orange to light your path.