Sorrow | Dune | Gurney Halleck

Chapter Nineteen

Hours went by without a single word from her father, Gurney, or the military. She knew communications would cease at one point. It was safer that way. It just did nothing to ease her fears. For a while she sat inside the communications room waiting on the edge of her seat for something. She didn't care what it was. A crackle of the radio. An all clear. Anything would have been fine.

It was growing late and they still had not heard anything. Both her mother and Paul assured her that all would be well. Her father's military was one of the best. Mildred was also worried for the refugees. Most of them could not fight an army of Harkonnens. They would maybe last minutes before they were slaughtered. For the Harkonnens it would be nothing.

She sat curled up in a chair in the back of the dark room. A plate of food laid untouched next to her. Her stomach was in knots therefore making it rather difficult to even think about eating. She was aware of her eyelids growing heavy. She needed sleep, but she couldn't. Not until she knew the ones she loved were safe on Caladan. Thoughts stirred in her mind. How was she going to find the strength to send her husband to war?

She hoped by the time she was Duchess that he would be retired, but her father could die at any moment. It was something she tried not to think about it. It was the reality they lived in though. She drew her knees to her chest and leaned her head back against the wall. Eventually, she drifted off.

"Mildred!" Someone was shaking her.

"Mildred! Wake up." Her body didn't want her to wake up. She was exhausted. She just needed to sleep a few more minutes. There was something familiar about the voice speaking to her though.

"Damnit, Mildred..." the voice spoke quieter as if he didn't want anyone to hear him.

Her eyes began to open slowly. For a moment, she forgot where she was. The room was dark but small lights surrounded her. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the sleep from her eyes. She focused on the figure standing in front of him. Dark hair. Taller. He wore armor. Duncan! She sat straight up and gaped at the soldier.

"Duncan?" She asked confused.

"Good. You're awake. I was about to resort to slapping you to wake you up." He told her.

His face was caked with dirt, or maybe blood. His long hair stuck to his face. His armor was also stained with whatever stained his face. Bags hung under his eyes. She looked around the room. It was mostly empty which was odd. Before she went to sleep, it was full of people.

"What time is it?" She asked. "How long was I asleep?"

"I don't know. It's nearly morning time. The sun is just starting to rise." He answered.

Her eyes widened. "My father? Gurney? What happened on Ocury?"

Duncan helped her stand up. "We got there just in time. Our numbers outnumbered the Harkonnens, but not all lives were saved."

"How many?" Mildred asked.

"Fifteen refugees. Six of our men."

She closed her eyes for a moment and said a small prayer for those they lost. "And the Duke and Gurney?"

"Your father is in his office, I believe." He paused and she noticed a change in his face. Something had happened. "Gurney...he's alive, but he was injured."

"Injured? Injured how?"

"Stabbed, in the abdomen."

Mildred's eyes widened. "Stabbed? How is that even possible? He had his armor on."

"He gave it to a refugee, to keep them safe. He knew he could fight and protect himself, mostly." Duncan explained.

He sacrificed his life for someone else. Part of her was proud, but the other part of her was immensely worried. She needed to see him. She needed to see if he was okay. "Where is he?"