Sorrow | Dune | Gurney Halleck

Chapter Twelve

Avoiding someone that you saw nearly everyday was no easy feat. Doing it for a year, now that grew tiresome. It's not like avoiding Gurney stifled her feelings for him. If anything, it made it much worse. Sometimes it became almost agonizing not to tell anyone, especially him how she really felt about him. The dreams didn't cease. Sometimes she only had a few a week. Other times it was every night. And every dream ended the same: a sense of loss.

She loved Gurney Halleck. She loved Gurney Halleck with every fragment of her being, but he would never know. Perhaps he would wonder why she didn't sit as close to him as she used or glanced at him when she need a reassuring nod. Perhaps he didn't even notice. He probably just saw her as the future Duchess and nothing more.

The meetings felt endless at times. She would sit along a large, rectangle table to the left of her father. Gurney, Thufir, Duncan and the others would sit around the table as well. Lately, even Paul was allowed to join the meetings. Not that they were anything exciting. Usually it had to with finances, what was happening around the planet, plant and fish production. Due to the large amount of rain they received they were able to grow a plethora of plants as well as rice and grapes for wine.

"Onto something a little more important," Leto spoke to the group. "I've received a cryptic transmission from the planet Ocury. They've been receiving refugees from Harkonnen pleasure houses that were able to escape."

Everyone looked visibly uncomfortable at the mention of the Harkonnens, especially Gurney. Mildred couldn't help, but sneak a glance at the man who sat a few seats down from her. Even from a distance she could see that he had tensed.

"While the planet is happy to accommodate the women and children, they don't exactly have the funds to help them. They've requested that we send aide to the refuge camp; food, medical supplies, etc. Just enough until financially they can support the new people and build them homes and jobs." Leto explained. "Mildred?"

Mildred tore her gaze away from Gurney and to her father. "Yes, father?"

"I was thinking this would be the perfect opportunity for you to test your diplomatic skills. The refuges might also respond better to you since you are a woman." Her father proposed.

A mission! Well, it wasn't exactly a mission. It was a way for her to actually help and hopefully make a difference. "I would love to go."

"Good. Gurney will go with you." Her father said.

The smile on her face dropped. She was about to be stuck with the one person she didn't want to be with for days. She tried her best not to react to the news.

"You'll take a two transports; one with a pilot, a doctor supplies and then one with you two of course. This needs to be met with urgency. As soon as the meeting is over, I need you both to get ready. I'll put the request in immediately for the supplies. Any questions?" Leto asked.

Everyone shook their head.

"Good. Everyone can go either the exception of Mildred."

Mildred froze. What did her father need with her? A thousand questions ran through her mind. She hoped that he just wanted to elaborate on the mission further, but if he did, Gurney needed to be in there. Once the final person left and the door shut, she turned her attention back to her father. He had a grim look on his face. Like he was about to say something he didn't want to.

"Mildred, I know you don't want to have this conversation and I don't either, but we have too. It's about you getting...married." He told her.

Every wall around her heart and mind went up when he spoke. He was right, she didn't want to talk about it. "Father, like I said numerous before, I'll marry we I want too."