A/N: Hello and welcome to my story! This story is going to be primarily revolved around the Dune 2021 movie. Josh Brolin's Gurney Halleck is who I'm going to picture for this story. I've read the books though and I'll be pulling elements from it as well. Some things will be the same. Some will be different. Gurney is one of my favorite Dune characters and I hope I do him justice in this story. Thank you for reading!
When Mildred Atreides was born her mother wept as if she was in mourning. The birth of a child was to be a joyful day particularly to such a prominent family. Her mother felt no ounce of power in her daughter. When the Bene Gesserit convinced that Mildred would never produce the Chosen One due to her lack of power, her mother discarded her. No one knew why the daughter of a woman who belonged to the group of all women lacked the power.
Perhaps Jessica loved Leto Atreides too much. The creation of their daughter had nothing to do with the love between the two of them. It had everything to do with wanting to create the Chosen One. As soon as the realization came to the Imperial Truthsayer, everyone left the room with the exception of the Duke, Lady Jessica, a doctor and a few nurses. Her mother thrusted her into her father's arms and rolled over to weep.
Her mother was so very young. Only fifteen years of age. It seemed unethical to make a woman a mother that young, but it was the prime age for child bearing. More specifically, to bear a child of such great importance. Nothing could go wrong and yet it did. Both Leto and Jessica were excited to have a child. He would have an heir and she would be praised for carrying such a marvelous being. Yet, that didn't happen.
Mildred didn't cry when she was born. She just gaped up at her father with his same dark eyes. In the moment, he was completely engulfed by his new daughter. He had forgotten all about why she had been born. His concubine's sobs alarmed him. No one told him anything. They had just left.
"What's happened?" Leto asked Jessica.
She didn't look at him. Instead, she faced away from him. "I've failed! I've failed! She is powerless. She will be nothing."
Leto drew back slightly. Nothing? Their daughter would be more than nothing even if she didn't posses her mother's power. "Jessica, it's alright. W-We could try again, when she's older."
"No!" She yelled through sobs. "You don't understand. I will be labeled as a failure. They won't allow me to try again."
"We don't exactly need their permission." He attempted to make her feel better.
"Leave me." She said quietly.
"Jessica, you're her mother. She needs-"
"I said leave me!" She cut him off.
Leto looked at her broken-heartedly before standing to his full height with his daughter in his arms. He would give Jessica space as much as it hurt him that she wasn't as in love with their daughter as he was. Perhaps she never intended to see the tiny baby as a child, but as an object. He cradled her close to his chest as he left the room and walked towards the main area of their home.
He stood on the balcony overlooking the vast ocean. He needed the fresh air after being in such stale air for a while. He again looked down at his daughter who was now sleeping. She was wrapped in a white, linen blanket tightly snugged around her body. In addition to her eyes being like her father's, she also had his dark hair. All he wanted to do was stare at her.
He wondered how something so tiny would one day rule over Caladan just as he did. He wondered who she would grow to be. Quiet. Witty. Strong. There were so many possibilities for her to become. Mostly, he wanted her to be happy. Happy. Leto started to wonder if her mother would ever be happy with their daughter. Perhaps the disappointment would wear off and she would be happy. She would cherish their daughter just as he would.
He could feel emotion arising in him and tore his gaze away from the sleeping baby to the waves crashing on the shore. Footsteps were heard from behind him. He did not turn around though. He just kept his gaze out to the horizon.
"Pardon, Duke Leto. I think it's time the new Duchess-to-be eats." It was the voice of a nurse.
"Right. Of course." He spoke as he handed her to whom he presumed would be the wet nurse.
The nurse took the bundle from him and smiled sweetly down at baby. "Does she have a name yet?"
He hadn't even thought of a name yet. In fact, they had never even discussed it before. The nurse was right though. She would need a name. Proclamations would need to be sent out soon and they would need a name put on it. "Mildred."
"Mildred?" The nurse repeated.
"Yes. It means gentle strength." Leto told her.
"Mildred." She spoke. "What a beautiful name. Shall I bring her to her mother after I'm finished?"
"No, you can bring her to me. Thank you."
Mildred's mother never grew close to her. In fact, she could hardly stand to be in the same room as her daughter much less speak to her. The young girl tried her best to hide that it hurt her. She was too young to understand why her mother was ashamed of her. She would often ask her father about it, but he would always tell her that it was story that would have to wait until she was older.
Mildred was a bit of a wild thing even at age two. She would often escape the watchful eye of her nanny's and they would find her sitting in her father's office. She was extremely close to her father. She had to be. He was the only parent who truly loved her. She would spend every waking moment with him if she could. And Leto Atreides didn't mind. He actually found it beneficial for his young daughter. When she was with him, she was learning what it would be like to be a leader one day.
Besides being with her father, her second favorite place was walking, well running along the beach. Leto would chuckle as he watched her gather her skirts in one hand and take off running barefoot. Her dark hair flying unruly behind her. However, even with the castle far from them, he could feel Jessica's eyes burning a hole into their daughter. He tried his best to mend the relationship between the two, but every attempt failed.
When Mildred was four, she questioned who she really was. It was one night when her father was tucking her into bed. Just as he was about to leave, she stopped him. "Father?"
Leto turn to look at his daughter. "What is it?"
"Why do I have so many lessons? And live in a big house? Why do you have an army? Why do people call you that's funny word, Duke?" Questions spewed out of her mouth.
"Okay, okay." He attempted to calm her down, but ended up chuckling. He sat down on her bed again and decided that she must be old enough to know her role in life. "You have lessons so that you may learn. You need to know everything. Knowledge if the most important weapon a person could have. Do you know what your last name is?"
"Of course!" She giggled. "It's Atreides."
"Well, the people who have that last name are very important. We've been entrusted with a House. We have more power than most people. We make important decisions. We help people. We fight for those who need it. I have an army to help me. We live in a big house because we earned it through years and years of hard work and fighting. Finally, they call me 'Duke,' because I'm the leader. And guess what?" He asked.
She leaned forward excitedly. "What?"
"You'll be the leader of House of Atreides."
"People will call me Duke?"
Leto chuckled and shook his head. "No, you'll be called Duchess Mildred Atreides."
"That's pretty cool." She admitted as she finally began to lay down. "Will I do a good job?"
"I think you'll do an amazing job, Millie." He said before kissing her forehead.
When Mildred was five, her life began changing in a way she wasn't expecting. Her mother was pregnant again, this time a boy. There was already disappointment that her mother was having a boy instead of a girl like the Bene Gesserit wanted, but her mother had hope that her son would have the power needed and potentially even be the Chosen One.
Her life would change again at age five without her even knowing. She wouldn't understand the significance of the day she met Gurney Halleck until she was much, much older. She had finished her lessons for the day which meant she was able to spend time with her father. Usually, he didn't mind if she busted into his office unannounced. However, she instantly regretted it when she saw the man talking to her father.
The first thing she noticed was the state of him. His clothes were shredded and dirty. His hair was dark, not as dark as Leto or Mildred's, but still dark. It was long, straggling looking. He looked underweight and weak. He had an angry looking scar on his cheek that made him look slightly terrifying. He was older. She wasn't sure how old. Perhaps a little younger than her father. He was only an inch or two taller than her father as well.
"Millie." Her father greeted her.
"S-Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt." She spoke with a small voice
Her father stood from his chair and walked over to his daughter. "It's alright. This is Gurney Halleck. He's going to be joining our military. Mr. Halleck, this is my daughter and heir, Mildred."
Gurney did his best to dip his head at the young girl. He was trying to make a good impression for the Duke after the Duke rescued him from the slave pits on Giedi Prime. He liked the way Gurney fought and knew he needed him in his military. They had been discussing the benefits if he decided to join when the girl ran in. To Gurney, anything was better than the hell hole he had been living.
She had stopped dead in her tracks and looked up at him with wide, dark eyes as if he was some kind of monster. He imagined that she probably had not seen many people look like him in her short lifetime. There was no slavery on Caladan. As the heir, she was also probably incredibly sheltered from any kind of hardship. How he wished he had been born into royalty. Things would change now. Hopefully.