(Part Two: Caladan's Farewell)
The rain fell with its usual cadence on the dark towers of Atreides Palace. The scent of the sea permeated the air, mingling with the humidity of the hanging gardens. It was the constant heartbeat of Caladan, a planet that breathed water and wind, home to House Atreides for generations.
But that night, the sound of the rain brought no peace. It brought the feeling of a cycle ending.
In his office, lit only by the light from a suspended lamp and the flames from the fireplace, Duke Leto silently observed the floating documents detailing the logistical transfer to Arrakis. The list was endless: troops, supplies, machinery, administrative staff, and above all, the most valuable cargo... forced hope.
A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," he said, without taking his eyes off the data.
The door opened and Paul entered, dressed in a simple robe. His eyes, dark and inquisitive, reflected more maturity than befitted his fifteen years.
Leto looked up and gave a faint smile.
"You can't sleep."
Paul shook his head, approaching the desk.
"The sound of the rain... I know I'll never hear it the same way again."
The Duke studied his son for a moment, then gestured to a chair opposite him.
"Sit, Paul. It's time we spoke, not as father and son... but as Duke and heir."
Paul obeyed, keeping his back straight, attentive.
Leto rested his elbows on the table, interlacing his fingers.
"Tomorrow we depart for a world where water is worth more than gold, where every breath you take could be your last if you disrespect the sand." He paused, searching for the right words. "But what you must understand most is that we are not being rewarded. We are being tested... or marked to fall."
Paul nodded slowly.
"I know it's a trap. Duncan has told me so, Gurney too... even Mother hints at it."
Leto gave a bitter smile.
"You have good teachers." He regarded him with a mixture of pride and concern. "What they want is not just our death, Paul. They want to destroy the Atreides name, erase it as if it had never meant honor, duty, or loyalty."
For a moment, the Duke shifted his gaze to a wall where an ancient family banner hung: a black falcon on a green background.
"They've tried to erase part of our history before..." he murmured, without naming Kael, but Paul caught the reference in the silence.
Leto stood up, walking to the window where drops slid like tears on the glass.
"I'm taking you to Arrakis not just because you are my heir. I'm taking you because you must see how the royal game plays." And you must learn that sometimes, honor is a luxury we can't always afford.
Paul stood up as well, approaching his father.
"Do you think we'll survive?"
Leto smiled slightly, but didn't respond with empty promises.
"We'll do better than survive... we'll make them fear us for having survived."
At Dawn — Main Palace Courtyard
Morning arrived shrouded in mist and drizzle, as if Caladan were bidding farewell to his lords with his most melancholic embrace.
In the main courtyard, columns of soldiers and cargo waited beside the transport ships. The banners of House Atreides waved solemnly, knowing it would be the last time they would see their reflection in the waters of that world.
Jessica oversaw the final preparations, her impassive face hiding the anxiety growing within her. Beside her, Thufir Hawat discussed safety during the embarkation with officials.
Duncan Idaho appeared, dressed in his dress uniform, approaching Jessica with a slight nod.
"All ready, My Lady. We depart in one hour."
Jessica nodded, but her eyes strayed toward the palace towers, where Leto and Paul appeared descending the main staircase.
Gurney Halleck tuned his baliset amidst the din, playing a soft, almost funereal melody.
"Couldn't you play something more cheerful, Gurney?" Duncan asked with a tight smile.
Gurney looked up, his scars further marking his serious expression.
"When I see joy in this game, I will play accordingly."
Leto reached the center of the courtyard, where all movement stopped instantly. His presence alone imposed order.
"Today we leave our home, but we do not leave who we are," he proclaimed, his voice echoing in the humid air. "House Atreides is not made of stone or water. It is made of each of us, of our will to stand firm even when the sand tries to swallow us up."
The soldiers beat their chests in a sign of respect, a martial echo that broke the gloom of the atmosphere.
Jessica watched Leto with silent admiration, knowing that this man led not only with strategy, but with heart... a heart the Empire sought to crush.
Paul, on the other hand, gazed at the horizon, beyond the ocean, imagining the endless dunes that would soon be his reality.
In the depths of his mind, a disturbing feeling accompanied him. It wasn't fear. It was a presence, as if something—or someone—were approaching from the edges of his consciousness. A shadow he couldn't define, but which he knew would change everyone's destiny.
"Someday... you will understand what it means to be an Atreides fully..."
The phrase he had once heard in his dreams, in an unfamiliar but familiar voice, echoed within him.
Takeoff
As the ships ascended, leaving the wet towers of Caladan behind, a heavy silence filled the cockpits. No one spoke for the first few minutes of the journey into orbit.
Leto stared out the window, watching his home planet grow smaller and smaller.
Jessica took his hand, a rare gesture in public, but necessary.
"We'll return," she whispered.
Leto gently squeezed her fingers.
"Or we'll make sure that wherever we go, it's our new home."
Paul, sitting nearby, watched his parents. He felt the weight of history on their shoulders... but also a strange certainty.
He knew Arrakis would be the beginning of the end for many.
But it would also be the place where forgotten names, shadows from the past, and legends yet to be born would converge.
And in some corner of the universe, beyond their understanding, something was moving toward them. Something that had been exiled... and was ready to claim not just a throne, but the entire future.