𝐲𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐧, paul atreides

2 ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ the acceptance

─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ 🌗 ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ───

two

'With great power comes great responsibility.'

─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ 🌗 ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ───

PAUL

That's an entrance, as always, I think to myself as my gaze lifts up to meet the descending ship as it lands in the distance. Nothing of a smile was even on my face, but I could feel it fade in that moment. How big is this thing?!

It's larger than the hundreds of soldiers behind us—larger than the temple, the castle, everything. And yet it lands so effortlessly, like it was on glass.

All for one person to tell us we need to accept this? Really?

The belly of the beast opens to reveal the officials, including—is that carpet on the platform? You've got to be kidding me. Well, it's the Herald of the Change, after all. And they're all ominously walking down the ramp with their faces hidden by space masks, with staffs by their sides.

Father stands in front with Gurney nearby. He doesn't look fazed by any of it. A soldier's build and a poet's eyes.

How could I live up to this role?

He shifts his shoulders, glancing at Mother, who reciprocates while neatly dressed as always, but I'm too focused on the size of the ship and the number of people coming closer to us. Upon closer inspection, I realize that there's not only the officials to back the Herald but also a member of the Bene Gesserit and her Council.

Oh, boy...

. . .

"Smile, Gurney." Duke Leto tilts his head back to his comrade, who just stares straight ahead, unmoving like he's made of steel. He's as sour and uncomfortable as his Duke is warm and welcoming.

"I am smiling." His tone is as blank as his expression.

"How much will it cost them, traveling all this way for this formality?" The Duke asks, not even sparing a glance to an old friend of his, now a top general, Thufir Hawat, unmistakably a Mentat.

The question jolt's Hawat's mind into Mentat functioning and calculation. Said man's dark eyes roll back in his head as he speaks, "Three Guild Navigators. A total of 1.46 million, 62 solaris, round trip."

Duke Leto quietly sighs as his wife and son remain still, and Paul is equally the resemblance of his father. For one, he's a head taller than his mother, and just by his ceremonial dressings, anyone could tell that they were related.

Minus the fact that there was no Duchess as Jessica was a Lady for a reason, being a concubine.

The Herald of the Change stops a multitude of feet from the family before bowing, a large scroll in his hands. Duke Leto gives a nod of acknowledgement, watching the man with careful, yet weary eyes.

"By the grace of Shaddam IV of House Corrino," the Herald says, "ascendant to the Golden Lion Throne of Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe, I stand before you as Herald of the Change. We're witnessed by members of the Imperial Court, representatives of the Spacing Guild and a sister of the Bene Gesserit."

Lady Jessica's agate-colored gaze hardens just slightly at the sight of the cloaked woman who's eyes remain closed. They share a similar kind of adornment to their clothing, but their colors contrast each other as if they want to look different from each other.

They are not the same.

"The Emperor has spoken." In a swift movement, the Herald opens the scroll he had before reading aloud: "House Atreides shall immediately take control of Arrakis and serve as it's steward." He closes the scroll, looking at the Duke. "Do you accept?"

Said man steps forward as representative of the family and Caladan before speaking calmly, a contrast to the Herald's authoritative announcement.

"We are House Atreides. There is no call we do not answer; there is no faith that we betray." As he speaks, Paul watches his father in slight admiration, and yet his eyes are those of his mother's. "The Emperor asks us to bring peace to Arrakis."

This was no mere formality. This was passion. And everyone could see it. Paul could see it just as clearly. His father is a great man. An intimidatingly great man.

"House Atreides accepts," the Duke finalizes, and the soldiers begin chanting the well-known name as it echoes through the mountains.

"Atreides! Atreides! Atreides! Atreides! Atreides! Atreides!"

Flames light the tip of a lighter plated with a gold-like metal and circular inscriptions, melting into the familiar golden wax seal used by House rulers as the Bene Gesserit sister leans over the document with Duke Leto behind her.

Gurney stands as a witness, watching the ordeal from the sidelines. With his cap hooked in his left hand, the Duke turns back to look at his son who watches with a blank face, but his expression holds a thousand undecipherable emotions.

He merely nods, as if internally accepting the fact that this was happening.

"Your seal," the Herald reminds Leto as he turns back to the scene in front of him. He steps forward to the table where the document lies, switching the position where his cap is to reveal his left hand. It holds a signet ring on his middle finger, and if used in combat, it's a powerful hit.

His hand curls into a knuckle to prevent any remnant of the wax, engraving his seal into the liquid-like substance. Unknown to him, the Bene Gesserit sister had opened her eyes once she was preparing the wax, now looking at Jessica, who stares back.

It's a silent battle, but then she realizes... the old woman was looking at her son. Paul merely glances down at the ground, and the sister looks back at Jessica, her frail and elderly form looking nonetheless intimidating to the concubine.

The Lady tries to keep her composure in that second when she had given a glance to her son, and it's like she was given a silent message from the sister.

A frightening one, at that. Like she knows something Jessica doesn't.

Leto removes his hand from the seal, and the sister of the Bene Gesserit begins to walk away, prompting the Herald to retrieve the scroll.

"So, it's done?" The Duke asks calmly, though on the inside, he's likely wondering what happens next. Taking over another planet while ruling your own is a huge change, after all.

The Herald remains silent for a second, before saying, "It's done."

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

Okay, I lied.

You're not having a perspective until later, but, I hear wedding bells!!

I feel like Paul would definitely be clever in his personality, but he's also... awkward, in some areas, or just in general. He's the Duke's son, but he's still a kid--even in his 20s, he's just... learning.

it's really easy to tell that he holds a lot of honor in upholding the legacy of being Duke and having the knowledge of the Atreides name. He's just... ah-- sometimes, I feel like he just needs a hug and should be told that everything is okay.

He's a cinnamon roll underneath it all, am I wrong?

See y'all at the wedding after we meet Duncan!