Duke Leto Atreides had a woman he loved and an heir he was proud of. The reason why he never married the mother of his son was a political one, the very same reason why he was marrying a girl half his age he had never met.
Please, note that I am Fre...
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The light breeze carried the briny smell of the sea as the sun shied away behind the heavy grey clouds. Sierra was lying on the soft blanket they had stretched on the grass, her head resting in Jessica's lap as she gently caressed her hair. She raised a hand to shield her eyes from the weak rays of sunshine filtering through the thick clouds and Leto moved up slightly from where he was sitting, protecting his wife from the sun, taking her hand and bringing it to his mouth to place a kiss on her fingertips. She smiled at him, the joy on her face and the love in her eyes warmed his heart like a gentle flame burning brighter than the sun behind his back. A sudden grimace appeared on her face and came to ruin the peaceful mood and bring worry to Leto's mind. But she quickly gave him a reassuring smile as she took his hand and brought it to her round belly. The corner of his lips twitched as he felt his child kick against his palm. It never ceased to amaze him.
"She's grown and healthy," Jessica said as her fingers brushed either side of Sierra's jaw as she leaned over.
"I know," Sierra smiled, sliding a hand in Jessica's hair and pulling her for a kiss.
Jessica's lips always tasted sweet, which was always odd. Sierra thought she looked salty. A strong powerful taste that made you thirsty for more. But Jessica tasted like berries, and smelled of flowers. But not the candy like. She was bitter. In a good way. In the best way.
"She won't be long now," Jessica added as she brushed her nose against Sierra's.
"You keep saying that," Sierra complained. "And she's still not here."
"Patience, my love," Leto said as he moved his hand on his wife's belly, caressing the soft fabric of her dress. "She'll be here soon enough."
***
Sierra had taken the habits of wandering around the castle as much as she could. It was the first thing she did after breakfast and the last thing she did before bed. The windy hills offered her a breath of fresh air she longed for and made her feel like home. She had gotten used to the cold beach and the humid sand, learning to appreciate the salty smell of the sea and the cries of the seagulls.
It had been a hard conversation for Leto to start when they came near her due date and he had wanted her to stop leaving the comfort of the castle so much. He worried she'd start her labor in the middle of the deserted hills, with only Edward there to help her. So they had to compromise, and now Nesta and Caro followed her wherever she went. She hated to be such a hindrance to her housekeeper and healer, but she would have hated being confined to her quarters even more. What she didn't hate, however, was the constant presence of either Jessica, or Leto, or both.
On that night, after having had a pleasant dinner with them, with Paul and Sisi, she had gone to bed with a relieved sigh of exhaustion. Everything hurt. From head to toe. And yes, perhaps the usual baths she shared with her husband and concubine helped, but it never chased the pain away entirely. And although she fell asleep relaxed on most nights, on that night, her headache and sore feet felt a bit more painful, and she knew she would wake up before daybreak.
