rolling in the deep

03

"Paul, wake up."

I feel Paul move a little, then he must remember that my arm is draped over his back and my face in buried in his shoulder. I'm still half-asleep, but I move a little so Paul can sit up.

"What's wrong?" he asks his mom as she gets clothes out for him.

"Get dressed and come with me," Jessica says. She gives me a look. "Both of you."

I furrow my brows, running a hand through my hair as she leaves the room.

Paul lays back down and yawns. "You think she knows?"

"By the fact that I don't have any actual pants on, I'm guessing she had an idea," I mumble, then sigh. "I'll go get changed and everything, you do too. I'll come back by."

"Or I could come by your room and be a gentleman," he mumbles, still half asleep.

"How sweet of you," I say, kissing his cheek before getting up and heading to my room.

I hear a knock on my door once I'm done getting ready. When I open my door, Paul nods to his side and we both walk to wherever Jessica went with Paul's lantern following us.

He fixes his collar, and cracks his neck as we walk towards two people. Jessica takes a few steps away from the other person. Paul follows her and stands in front of her while I stay a few feet away.

"What is this?" he asks his mother.

"The Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam is here," Jessica responds. "She was my teacher at the Bene Gesserit school. She's now Truthsayer to the Emperor himself. She would like to meet you, and while she is meeting you, I want Rowan to stay with me."

"Why?" Paul asks.

Jessica looks at the ground, and I furrow my brows slightly. "She wants to know about your dreams," she says.

And Paul's going to be pissed. I tell my Dad almost everything, but if Paul asks me to keep something from him, I will.

Paul clenches his jaw slightly. "How does she know about my dreams?" Jessica finally looks up at him. "And why is Dr. Yueh here?"

"He only needs a moment," Jessica says. "Rowan, come with me."

I follow her a few feet away from Paul and Yueh, and we turn to watch them.

"Hello, young master," Yueh says to Paul as he turns to face him. "Your mother asked me to check your vitals." I glance at Jessica, who has her sights set on the floor. Yueh puts his hand to Paul's head to start checking his vitals. I can hardly make out the whispers they are saying to each other.

I mess with my fingers, glancing around to try and diffuse any anxiety that is building.

"His heart is as strong as ever, my lady," Yueh suddenly says, making Jessica and I both snap our heads towards him.

Jessica nods, then signs, 'Tell no one of this.'

Yueh nods, and Paul turns to the two of us. He furrows his brows slightly, then turns to me, raising his brows. I shrug a little.

Jessica turns and starts walking, so we follow after her. She stops and turns when we get a few feet away from a door. "Paul..." she starts, grabbing his shoulder. She signs to him, 'Remember your training,' before putting her hood on and walking towards the door.

Paul watches her for a moment before turning to me, grabbing my hand, and squeezing it.

I nudge him towards the doors as they open and his mother walks into the room. He follows in after her, and after a moment, Jessica comes back out and closes the doors.

I walk over to her. "What's going on?" I ask her.

"I should have told you to tell him you loved him before he went in there," she says quietly, standing directly in front of the doors.

"Pardon?" I ask, walking over to her. "What are you saying? That he's going to get hurt?"

"I've already said too much."

"No, I don't think you've said enough," I say back. "Him and I don't know what the hell is going on, and you won't bother to give us the slightest heads up? My lady, I don't want him to get hurt."

She pauses, not saying anything for a moment. Then she says, "Go next to the door and lean against the wall. Listen to what is happening in that room. It is what he is, and what has to happen. You will have to see if you can stay with him after you hear the very small part of it."

I obey her, although I'm confused. I get to the door and lean against the wall, trying to listen in. Jessica has her hands on her stomach, sobbing as quietly as possible. What the hell?

I hear a loud grunt of pain from the room, and my head immediately snaps to Jessica, who is shuddering while she tries not to sob. There's another loud grunt, and I wince slightly.

"I must not fear," Jessica whispers, and I try to drown what she is saying out. Not that it's all that hard.

When Paul groans and grunts in pain from the room, it's all I focus on. I can tell he is trying to suppress a groan, and failing. There's another grunt.

"Jessica?"

Jessica turns and opens the door before walking in the room. I don't move a muscle.

"You've been training him in the Way. Tell me about these dreams."

"I had one tonight," I hear Paul say.

"What did you see?"

"A girl," he says, "on Arrakis."

"Have you dreamt of her before?"

"Many times," Paul says after a moment.

"Do you often dream things that happen just as you dreamed them?"

"Not exactly."

"Goodbye, young human. I hope you live."

After the Reverend Mother and Jessica walk out of the room, Paul walks out briskly. There's anger in his stride, I can see it.

Though, I don't realize that I had cried when he was in that room until he stops in front of me and wipes my cheeks with his thumbs. He places a kiss on my forehead.

"Are you okay?" I ask quietly, looking up at him.

He nods. "It's not that big of a deal. Don't be mad, but I have to go after them. I'll meet you once I'm done."

I nod, and he walks after the two quickly.

I pace and pace in the hallway at the main entry, waiting for him to come back. When he does come back, he grabs my hand, and we start walking.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask.

"No," he replies, kissing my temple. "I don't. I'm going to clear my head a little bit. Finish packing, okay? We leave for Arrakis soon."