Emi Sue Butts

And for sixteen days the black banner of House Harkonnen had greeted her instead. The sight no longer shocked her, she had to close her eyes to relive the old, happy memories, the scent of salt coming from the open window calmed her, the breeze danced in her hair. 

She heard a knock on her door and the door opened slightly, the old maid Sammi walked in, bowed as usual, ‘’My Lady?’’ 

Y/N opened her eyes and saw the woman, she looked healthy and yet Y/N could see the years hadn’t been kind to her. ‘’Good morning Sammi, I took the liberty to dress myself up. I had woken up earlier.’’ A lie. She had no sleep these past days. Sammi nodded, ‘’Any requests for today, my lady?’’ the old woman asked, of course she had noticed the dark circles under Y/N’s eyes but decided not to comment. ‘’I would like to visit my gardens and take care of them. Alone.’’ 

The castle came with lush gardens and there was a section where she claimed she had been planting and gardening there ever since she was little. Lady Jessica had taught her not to rely on being a noble girl and learn how to survive, know which plants are edible and which are poisonous, learn the soil you occupy and find herbs to grow.

‘’Yes, my Lady.’’ 

‘’Has he-’’ she started before leaving her bedchamber, ‘’requested my presence?’’ 

‘’No, my Lady. Na-Baron locked himself in the strategy room with his men.’’ 

Y/N sighed, ‘’Thank you Sammi.’’ as she walked the halls of the castle she had noticed how the Na-Baron was busy and it had been a few days where he didn’t call upon her to dine or tour anywhere. Not that Y/N was complaining, she liked being alone, it gave her time to think of the days they had spent and analyze his behavior. 

The gardens she had been attending to were on the west wing, sheltered from the harsher sea winds by ancient stone walls covered in ivy. It had always been her favorite place, a sanctuary because here she didn’t have to be the Duchess or the last remaining Atreides. She was just Y/N, a girl who was on her knees, pulling the weeds between her colorful flowers. She had made a pile of weeds, the light blue dress of hers had dirt on it now, she realized she should’ve worn something more practical and comfortable but it was too late. The repetitive work soothed her stormy mind, 

Plant

Trim

Water

Breathe…

For the first time in days she could feel her nervous system calm down, she was even humming a song when she felt it. A sudden presence behind her, she froze, not out of fear though, it was the years of training that made her realize that someone was watching her. Without turning she already knew who it was, no servant or a soldier carried themselves like that. There was something predatory about Na-Baron, the way he occupied space. The silence stretched between them, then came his raspy voice ‘’What are you doing?’’ 

Y/N closed her eyes briefly, clearly annoyed so she didn’t turn to face him. Just continued her work. ‘’Gardening.’’ she replied calmly and yet her hands picked up pace, she heard his heavy combat boots and now he was before her, in his regular jet black uniform, his hands were clasped behind him. ‘’I can see that.’’

‘’Then why ask?’’ she had to clap back, because she never liked being disturbed in her gardens, something flashed in his blue eyes, it wasn’t anger, it was amusement which was more dangerous… he took a step closer, the tall tree leaves were dancing on his pale face under the golden sun, it was a beautiful day, the sun was pleasantly warm on Feyd’s face and he could feel it. It wasn’t like the black sun of his planet which burnt the skin and irritated the vessel. ‘’You enjoy this?’’

‘’Yes.’’ She turned her attention to the plant before her, ‘’You kneel in dirt voluntarily.’’ It wasn’t a question, it was a statement, she could pick up on the disbelief under that statement. ‘’Yes.’’ 

He sighed, ‘’Strange.’’ 

She snorted slightly in a sarcastic tone, ‘’You come from a world where nothing grows Na-Baron.’’ 

His blue eyes narrowed, ‘’You have never seen Giedi-Prime, Duchess.’’ It was true. 

‘’No.’’ she admitted, ‘’Then, how do you know?’’ she carefully brushed soil from her hands, ‘’Because, Na-Baron, if you had gardens like these you would know why people tend to them, and protect them.’’ Her tone was sharper than intended. 

Silence followed after that, Feyd crouched closer to her and examining the flowers, plants before his eyes, he was genuinely staring. It was surprising to her because she had never seen him kneel for anything or anyone voluntarily. His gaze settled on a cluster of flowers, ‘’What are those?’’ he pointed, ‘’See asters.’’ 

‘’They serve a purpose?’’ he asked looking puzzled. A sigh escaped her, ‘’They make people happy.’’ 

‘’That doesn’t answer my question.’’ 

‘’I just answered it. Think harder.’’ Y/N was snappier today, more than usual and she had wondered if she overstepped but looking at his face she saw no warnings or threat, in fact she noticed a ghost of a smirk, was she dreaming? Y/N Atreides got to her feet, her hands now at her waist, looking around, she worked hard today. Na-Baron also bolted to his feet, just like her examining the gardens, colors everywhere, such a stark contrast to his planet, to his home. His eyes were more deep blue here, maybe because he was surrounded by vibrant pigments in Caladan or maybe he enjoyed the Duchesses company. Y/N didn’t want to dwell on that thought. ‘’You’ve been busy.’’ she began, Y/N was actually curious about his plans because she belonged to him now and she would like to know if she had a chance of survival. 

She had profound fears, fears of him destroying this beautiful planet,  heavily industrializing Caladan like Giedi-Prime, or Na-Baron finally deciding what to do with her which involves her being tortured or murdered… her eyes were on him now, directly. 

‘’Yes, I have.’’ Even though there was space between them she could smell his scent, his cologne mixing with his pheromones, just like his presence it was there and strong. 

She couldn’t dare ask directly, so she decided on a different approach, ‘’Would you like to sit?’’ she gestured to the nearby wooden bench, a spot where they could sit and enjoy the view of the garden. She didn’t wait for a response, just walked and sat, and Feyd followed. 

She was seated at one end of the bench, Feyd another. For a while neither of them spoke, they could hear the seagulls calling to one another. Y/N lifted her head to watch the birds above, the sea wind in the air, she took a deep breath and exhaled, knowing for a fact that he was watching her. ‘’You dislike me.’’ His raspy voice reached to her ears, making her skin crawl, she didn’t look at him,  ‘’What gave it away, Na-Baron?’’ she asked sarcastically, ‘’You answer questions with insults.’’ 

‘’You invaded my home.’’ Her voice came harsher than intended but so many unsaid things lied beneath those four words. ‘’You tried to kill me.’’ He retaliated sharper. ‘’You invaded my home.’’ She said again, persistent. Again silence followed. Feyd-Rautha had never met a woman like her, such wit and a  sharp tongue, it unbalanced him more deeply than he would ever admit to himself nor anyone else. 

Y/N used one of the techniques to calm her nerves, she was on a mission here, get information, maybe later reach out the the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam to ask for rescue, she was the head of the Bene Geserits, and Y/N was sure the old lady favored her and would like to help. ‘’How do you find it?’’ She began, looking around, ‘’Caladan I mean..’’ Feyd’s blue eyes wandered up to the sky, so vibrant, and then found her, ‘’Different and..’’ he was telling the truth, Caladan was different from Arakkis and Giedi-Prime or any other planets he had been to, ‘’intriguing.’’ 

Y/N senses noticed the drop of a tone when he spoke, was that intentional? Was he confessing something without realizing? She wanted to go deep into his subconscious and figure him out because to her surprise she found him very much puzzling and just like he said, intriguing. ‘’People here waste land.’’ He continued, ‘’Waste?’’ she raised an eyebrow, didn’t understand his meaning, ‘’Flowers, trees, empty grass…’’ He gestured around them, ‘’None of it produces wealth.’’ Now she understood, a classic Harkonnen brain, use the land to its limit and vaporize. She gave a knowing smile to him, it made him look at her more focused, ‘’It produces peace, Na-Baron.’’ He scoffed to that, ‘’Peace has no market value, Sea-rose.’’ She took the challenge and physically turned towards him on the wooden bench, ‘’Everything doesn’t need one.’’ 

And that drove him insane more, how dare she stood up to him like that, and he finally asked the question he was wondering since day one, ‘’Why do they still bow to you, Duchess?’’ 

An interesting question from the Na-Baron, the one who held the power, she had also noticed, after the invasion, at the docks, among the merchants or in the castle everyone bowed to her first and then him. ‘’Because I never stopped being their Duchess.’’ she simply replied, keeping her voice in check, now Feyd also physically turned towards her, she couldn’t see if he was angry or frustrated… or both. ‘’You lost!’’ he said rather harshly, but it was the truth, she had lost and Y/N didn’t like to be reminded of that. ‘’Titles can be taken, Na-Baron, respect cannot!’’ And she bolted to her feet, smoothening the wrinkles on her now dirty dress, ‘’Is that what your father taught you?’’ he asked curious, he was still sitting, his head tilted to the side slowly, observing her, and he continued, ‘’To mistake affection for weakness?’’ 

‘’No.’’ She said, done with fixing her dress, her hands were clenched into fists, ‘’He taught me that if they fear you, they obey until someone stronger arrives, and if they respect you… they stay.’’ 

The words hanged between them, Feyd was processing, ‘’Respect is unreliable.’’ he spoke again, still challenging the ideology of her house, ‘’Is it?’’ she asked sarcastically, 

‘’Fear isn’t.’’ Feyd was trying to prove his point, that was what he was taught. She studied him, not as Y/N but as a Bene Geserit and she noticed the slightest tension in his sharp jaw, his body looked alert, as if a blow was coming to him and he had to either dodge or attack. 

Someone had taught him that lesson long before he had ever held a blade. For a split second an image came to her mind’s eye, little Feyd-Rautha, and his uncle Baron Vladimir, her heart ached for that little boy but quickly she recovered. 

Feyd got to his feet, hands clasped behind his back, his usual standing posture. ‘’Do they alş have names?’’ He gestured the greenery before them, she blinked, why was he asking a question like that? ‘’The flowers.’’ he spoke again, ‘’Yes.’’ 

‘’Show me.’’

That late afternoon Y/N Atreides introduced the flowers she had, the names, origins, purpose and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen stood a step behind her, listening intently to every word she said. 

For someone raised by the Harkonnens, asking another person, especially a woman to teach him something voluntarily was an act of vulnerability and Y/N noticed that. She explained, Sea asters, white heathers, lavender, whatever she had here. ‘’Which one’s your favorite?’’ 

Y/N didn’t expect a question like that, ‘’My favorite?’’ she raised an eyebrow, one of her hands went to caress the violet petals of sea aster, he nodded only.

‘’These,’’ she replied, ‘’most flowers struggle here but these ones bloom despite the salt wind.’’ 

His azure eyes travelled on the violet petals and her fingers playing with them, same hands tried to kill him weeks ago, ‘’They bend, and survive. Very stubborn I dare say.’’ she added smiling, ‘’So am I.’’ he commented, now looking at her face, she was pretty and Feyd-Rautha kept thinking about it every time he looked at her. ‘’I noticed.’’ She replied with a subtle chuckle and it made Feyd laugh for the first time in weeks, it was the first time she heard him laugh, a deep and wavy sound filling her ears. She hoped and prayed that maybe, just maybe she could make it work. Survive, get information and then choose her route.