SANDSTORMS

004. Salted Secrets.

CHAPITRE IV:
SALTED SECRETS.

"How do we approach the study of Muad'Dib's father? A man of surpassing warmth and surprising coldness was the Duke Leto Atreides. Yet, many facts open the way to this Duke: his abiding love for his Bene Gesserit lady; the dreams he held for his son; the devotion with which men served him. You see him there—a man snared by Destiny, a lonely figure with his light dimmed behind the glory of his son. Still, one must ask: What is the son but an extension of the father?"

— from 'Muad'Dib, Family Commentaries' by the Princess Irulan

"Lost in thought?"

Madhavi startled slightly, her attention drawn to Duke Leto's sudden appearance. He stood nearby, a faint smile playing on his lips as he observed her.

"And you?" she countered, meeting his gaze with a quizzical expression.

The Duke chuckled softly, acknowledging her deflection before joining her side. A comfortable silence enveloped them as they both directed their gaze towards the horizon, the morning sunlight casting a golden glow upon the rugged terrain of Caladan.

"Love is scary," Leto remarked, his voice carrying a weight of contemplation as he surveyed the vast expanse of the cliffside, his grey eyes reflecting the deep blue of the ocean below.

She frowned, her gaze shifting from the distant horizon to Leto beside her, his expression stoic yet thoughtful.

"Okay, and?" she replied, her tone betraying a hint of curiosity as she adjusted her position on the rocky outcrop, the sea breeze tousling her hair.

Duke Leto's lips curled into a faint smile, his eyes lingering on the horizon. "What's going through your mind that you'd come to a cemetery to think?"

The young girl hesitated for a moment, her gaze drifting to the scattered wildflowers that dotted the cliff's edge. With a disinterested gesture, she plucked a handful of herbs, their delicate fragrance mingling with the salty sea air as she watched them crumble in her hand.

"Everything."

"Your father will be okay, Madhavi. It is not the first time I've sent him on a mission," Leto reassured her, his voice gentle.

The ghost of a smile stretched her lips as she nodded in acknowledgment, saying no more.

There was a brief silence as Duke Leto watched the young Idaho, his mind preoccupied with the revelation from the Ginaz Swordmaster's one-night confession.

It was a secret he had guarded carefully, at the behest of a trusted ally and friend. But as with all secrets, its lifespan was finite, and the doubts shared by Madhavi to Thufir only hastened its inevitable exposure.

Leto wished he had more time to see the truth revealed, but fate had other plans, dictated by the Emperor himself.

He knew she would accomplish great things.

With a heavy heart, Duke Atreides spoke again, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "I sometimes wonder if I made the right choice."

Taken aback by his unexpected candor, Madhavi furrowed her brow, turning her gaze back to him.

"We both know that Arrakis was handed to me as a poisoned gift. It's all a trap, orchestrated by the Emperor and the Harkonnens, even the Bene Gesserit."