Sorrow | Dune | Gurney Halleck

Chapter Eleven

It was late when Mildred's party finally ended. She stayed up until every last guest had left and everyone returned to their respective rooms. Lucky for her, no one suspected anything between Gurney and her. At least if they did they kept it to themselves. Most importantly, her parents didn't say anything to her. They found it kind that Gurney danced with her.

Upon entering her room and removing the dress from her body, she found herself not tired. Her body felt tired, but her mind was not. She tried everything she could have. Reading. Meditating. Requesting a sleep aide from Dr. Yueh. Nothing would work. There was only thing that she hadn't tried. A walk. Walks always seemed to clear her head. Particularly walking on the beach.

Her parents and the guards preferred that she stay in her room at night for her own safety, but she could often sneak out without being detected. She slipped her thick robe on over her nightgown, but didn't put any shoes on. She wanted to feel the sand between her toes. She wanted the cold water to rush over her without a barrier.

It was dark, probably even the middle of the night, as she snuck out of the castle. She knew which hallways, corridors, and doors to take where she wouldn't be caught by servants or guards. When she finally opened the last door that led to outside she was hit with a cold, salty breeze. Instantly she could feel her body relaxing. The moon hung low casting a mirror of itself across the calm ocean.

She stood at the very edge of the water and allowed the waves to crash against her bare feet. She wasn't alone though. She knew it the instant she walked out. It was probably some guard watching over her to make sure she didn't get hurt. Then the footsteps grew closer. Panic rose inside her. She had no weapon if this person intended to hurt her. She doubted the person coming up behind her was weaponless.

"You know it's dangerous being out here alone." A low, male voice said.

Gurney. She was safe. She pulled her robe around her body tighter as the cold air seeped into her clothes. She craned her head ever so slightly to look over at Gurney as he approached her. He had changed out of his formal uniform and into his everyday one.

"I'm hardly alone." She said amused. "If I were to scream forty men would be running out here in an instant. What are you doing out here? Following me?"

"No. Can't sleep. You?" He asked.

"Can't sleep." She said in agreement.

Silence passed over them. It was a comfortable silence. The kind when you were with someone whom you didn't need to speak to to understand how you were feeling. They both stood there listening to waves crash against the sand.

"When I was a baby and couldn't sleep, my father would bring me out here. I would instantly fall asleep in his arms. The ocean calms me for some reason. The water. The sand. The way the sun sinks down behind the water like an illusion." She explained and glanced down at his feet that were covered in his shoes. "Tell me, Gurney, have you ever walked barefoot in the sand?"

"I have not." He admitted. It seemed almost childish, but there Mildred was in her sleepwear, barefoot in the sand. Her hair whipped wildly around her relaxed face.

"You should try it." She suggested. "I promise you'll find it nice."

At first, he was going to protest. However, what harm could come from him trying? There were alone. She certainly wasn't going to judge him. He reached down to remove the boots from his feet. When the water first touched his feet he was quite taken back from the chill of it. A wave washed over him causing him to sink slightly.

"See? Not that bad." Mildred said with a teasing tone.

"Not that bad." He agreed and watched her shiver. It was awfully cold, but it was safe to assume that the robe wasn't good at keep the air out. "Would you like my jacket?"