ACT ONE ━━ CHAPTER TEN
Reluctant Welcome

     LOVISA WOKE UP NAKED AND AFRAID. She shot up in alarm, only for hands to immediately push her back onto the large, flat rock she was laying on. Lovisa looked around, taking in her surroundings. Fremen women peered down at Lovisa from all angles, making her self-conscious of her unclothed body.

"Stay still." Lovisa looked at her mother crouching down beside her, addressing her wound.

"Where is my stillsuit?" Lovisa asked, glancing around.

"Damaged," her mother, Taika, informed her. "We'll use its viable parts for other suits, but the damage sustained is too great." She glanced at her daughter, "That suit saved your life." Lovisa opened her mouth to speak again, but as if sensing the uncomfortable conversation to come, Taika pierced Lovisa's skin again with the needle, prompting her to hiss in pain.

Lovisa sucked in a breath, "How are you here?"

"Stop talking," Taika spoke off-handedly, focused on suturing her daughter's wound. "Conserve your water. I'll explain when we return to the sietch.." Lovisa disregarded her mother's words. After all, who was she to tell Lovisa what to do after abandoning her for all of these years?

"I didn't best the Fremen," Lovisa began. She gently shook her head, "I don't deserve to be taken to the sietch —"

Taika momentarily ceased the sutures and ordered sharply, "Stop. Talking." Lovisa instinctively cowered back into the rock, subconsciously reacting like a child being scolded. The woman beside her didn't resemble the mother she remembered at all. Her mother was gentle, and had a healing touch. One of Lovisa's earliest memories is stumbling onto all fours as she tried to walk by herself for the first time. She had fallen onto a hard rocky surface and skinned her knees. When she inevitably ran crying to her mother, she didn't hesitate before taking Lovisa into her arms and singing to her, taking her mind off the stinging pain radiating from her wounds.

Aside from her voice and the bare bones of her face, this woman was unrecognizable to Lovisa. Hardened from all that she has witnessed.

Lovisa remained quiet as her mother finished stitching up the wound, creating a slightly swollen line of flesh from underneath her right breast to the left side of her navel. The pink-brown thread of an indecipherable make blended into her skin almost seamlessly. Lovisa lightly trailed her fingers along the impeccable stitching, slightly wincing at the tenderness.

"Here," a new voice said from behind Lovisa. Another silhouette entered her field of vision, revealing Lovisa's earlier attacker — Chani — holding a bundle of off-white cloth. Lovisa sat up, careful of her stitches, and hesitantly accepted the clothing.

"I didn't want to kill you," Chani informed Lovisa as she handed off the fabric.

Lovisa's eyes narrowed slightly, "But you would have." Chani's eyebrows flinched inwards, reflecting on Lovisa's words. Lovisa figured that was the difference between her and the Fremen. Lovisa thought of how she was sent here by the Emperor, but ultimately went against his command since she disagreed with the morals — or lack thereof — behind his order. If their naib had commanded it, the Fremen would kill without a second thought.

Lovisa couldn't see herself doing the same.

Chani backed away and disappeared below the rock to where the rest of the tribe waited. Taika extended her hand towards her daughter to help her stand. Lovisa used her remaining strength to push herself off of the rock, and stand up herself.

"Where are my friends?" Lovisa asked Taika as she unraveled the fabric and held it in front of her, immediately noticing the silhouette of a gown that appeared to be completely sheer. Lovisa figured it would be better than being naked for all to see, so she shrugged the gown over her head. The fabric fell to her feet and its sleeves completely covered her arms. Lovisa felt awkward with the excess fabric, but was grateful that it wasn't as see-through as she originally thought. However, she was sure that her figure underneath could be clearly seen if someone looked close enough.

At Taika's lack of response, Lovisa asked again, "Where are my friends?"

"Jamis invoked the Amtal Rule," a new voice spoke. Lovisa turned and a chill ran up her spine. She came face-to-face with a Fremen girl who could've easily been mistaken for Lovisa, with the stillsuit and shawl wrapped loosely around her hair that was brunette instead of Lovisa's characteristic red. Lovisa stumbled slightly, taken aback at her near doppelgänger.

The Fremen girl continued, "Now, they must face each other in a Tahaddi Challenge. Since the woman is a Sayyadina, Jamis called for the woman's champion."

Paul.

Lovisa immediately walked to the edge of the rock and peered over the edge, noticing that the Fremen had scattered to the edges of the flat stone, allowing for Jamis and Paul to take up the open space in the center. Paul was facing a wall as Chani spoke to him. She handed him a crysknife.

Lovisa averted her gaze towards her bare feet, closing her eyes in disbelief at the knot tying in her stomach. She is Lovisa Koskinen, Ginaz Swordsmaster, Sardaukar. She had taken on an entire battalion of Sardaukar warriors and yet here she was, jealous that the boy she...was fond of...talking to another girl?

Lovisa opened her eyes and shook her head in disappointment in herself. Coward, she thought to herself.

"You care for the boy," Taika said matter-of-factly from behind Lovisa's back. She whipped her head around, prepared to argue against her mother's nonsense, but when she went to speak,

she couldn't deny it.

Instead, Lovisa closed her mouth and began scaling down the rocks, ignoring the sticking radiating across her torso, to reach the same surface the others were standing on. Chani had left Paul's side, sparing Lovisa the awkwardness of initiating tension over who earned his attention.

"Paul," Lovisa said as she came beside him. Paul turned away from the wall to face her, scanning over her new attire. He blinked and returned his gaze to her eyes, afraid that he had been staring for too long.

"Lovisa," he finally spoke. "How are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay..." Lovisa trailed off, omitting the details of her long-lost mother being here, alive. She shook her head, not interested in wasting time talking about herself. Lovisa stepped closer towards Paul, talking lowly, "You can best him, Paul. You will best him."

Paul instinctively twirled the Atreides ring around his finger, "I have visions..." He glanced towards Lovisa to see her reaction, only to see that she was completely unfazed. She had already gathered that after studying him since she's been on Arrakis. "...I had a vision of this fight." Paul solemnly shook his head, "I didn't win."

"Paul — " Lovisa insisted, grabbing onto either of his arms " — listen to me." She remembered Duncan's words to her. Like he foretold, Paul looked into Lovisa's eyes as he listened intently. "He is a Fremen, he is surely a good fighter. But you are Paul Atreides." Lovisa's hands slid down from Paul's upper arms to his hands, covering his balled-up fists with her own. She squeezed his hands encouragingly, "I believe that you will prevail. I believe in you, Paul."

"Where is the Outworlder?!" Jamis yelled from the opposite side of the rock. Both Lovisa and Paul looked towards him before returning their attention towards one another. Lovisa began to release her grip on Paul's hands and move to the side, allowing for the fight to commence, but Paul grabbed onto hers instead.

This time, he squeezed her hands, speaking lowly, "Thank you, Lovisa." She smiled softly at him, prompting him to let her go. Lovisa walked next to where Jessica was standing.

Noticing Lovisa's grimace that she failed to hide as she rested a hand on her stomach, Jessica asked, "Are you alright?" Lovisa nodded, unfazed by her injury.

"That woman up there is my mother," Lovisa decided to disclose the real thing plaguing her instead. Jessica followed Lovisa's gaze and identified the woman who had helped Lovisa originally. Jessica noticed a girl a few years younger than Lovisa standing directly beside her mother, looking scarily similar to Lovisa herself.

Jessica asked, "And the girl beside her?"

Lovisa voiced her thoughts aloud, "...I think I may have a sister." Jessica blinked and glanced towards Lovisa, trying to gauge her reaction. She didn't have any outward emotions across her face, remaining blank as she tuned into the battle that was about to begin.

"May thy knife chip and shatter," Paul spoke to Jamis as they stood across from one another. Paul did the customary Atreides salute with the crysknife.

"You should welcome my blade," Jamis said, beginning to circle around the makeshift arena. "This world will kill you." Jamis nodded, "Quicker this way." Jamis looked towards Stilgar for instruction, who beat his fist on the rock as a signal to begin.

Jamis advanced towards Paul first, who deflected all of his advances. They returned to their separate ends, crouched in athletic stances. Jamis charged at Paul again, eventually landing on his back. Paul kicked out Jamis' legs and sent him to the ground as well. Both men returned to their feet.

This time, Paul attacked Jamis first, and was able to hold his crysknife directly against the side of Jamis' neck.

"Do you yield?!" Paul yelled out. A round of boos rang throughout the Fremen.

"The boy doesn't know our rule," Stilgar reasoned. Jamis yelled in defiance. "There's no yielding under the Amtal Rule. Only death is the test of it." Jamis managed to escape from Paul's grip, but after each one of his advances that Paul easily deflected, Paul's blade ended up against Jamis' neck once again.

Stilgar turned towards Jessica, "Is he toying with him?"

"No," she replied gravely. "Paul has never killed a man." Jamis took the opportunity to catch Paul off-guard, pushing him onto the ground. Jamis yelled as Paul stood up, and Lovisa noticed the energy change in Paul's demeanor. He readjusted his grip on the handle of the crysknife.

Once again, Jamis charged towards Paul who easily deflected his advance and drove his knife into Jamis' back. Paul removed his knife from Jamis' body, allowing him to kneel to the ground and fall onto his side. The Fremen around them stood. Jessica briefly closed her eyes in relief.

Paul held onto Jamis' arm as he died, before the Fremen came with a large cloth to wrap Jamis' body in. Paul slowly stood up and began walking away from Jamis with his head bowed. The Fremen's hands rested on Paul's shoulder as he passed by, accepting him as the winner of the challenge.

"You're one of us now," Stilgar announced aloud. Paul stopped and looked back towards him. "A life for a life. Come with us to Sietch Tabr."

"No," Jessica protested, walking forward. "Paul needs to get off-world. You must have ways. You have smugglers, you have ships, you have — "

"No," Paul interrupted. Everyone looked towards him. "The Emperor sent us to this place...and my father came not for spice, not for the riches, but for the strength of your people." Stilgar subtly bowed his head in recognition. "My road leads into the desert. I can see it. If you'll have us, we will come."

Stilgar waited a beat, but nodded regardless, "Very well. The sun is upon us, we must hurry." All of the Fremen began moving around in preparation to make the trek back to their sietch. Jessica stared at Paul in shock, but ultimately blinked and directed her gaze towards the ground.

Paul locked eyes with Lovisa, who exhaled a sigh of relief. He took long strides towards her unwavering position on the rock. As he came closer, Lovisa took one step to meet him and wordlessly wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he encircled her waist in the same manner.

Lovisa held onto Paul's shoulders tightly, resting her chin on his shoulder. Paul subconsciously tightened his grip around Lovisa while being mindful of her injury. After coming so close to death within the past few hours, both of them were in need of a strong foundation after what they had just endured.

"I told you," Lovisa said, loud enough only for Paul to hear.

"I listened." Lovisa slowly retracted her head but kept her hands planted on either of Paul's shoulders. Lovisa scanned his face and could tell the turmoil from just the past few minutes was already weighing on his shoulders. She couldn't stop herself from moving her hands to either side of Paul's neck, using her thumb to wipe away the stray splatter of blood by his mouth.

From her peripheral vision, Lovisa could see her mother and her lookalike staring at her. Lovisa was able to ignore those feelings while being occupied with watching Paul's battle, but now, there were no other distractions. The overwhelm sprung tears in her eyes, but as soon as one fell, Paul caught it with his index finger.

He shook his head, "Don't waste your tears, Lovisa." He held his finger against her lips, letting her suck the water back into her body. She hesitantly did so, feeling awkward but simultaneously needing to help quench her newfound thirst since no longer having a working stillsuit. Paul glanced back down at Lovisa's gown, seemingly coming to the same realization, "Where is your stillsuit?"

Lovisa shook her head, "Damaged."

Paul moved to detach the strap from over his shoulder, ignorantly selfless, "Take mine — "

Lovisa immediately stopped him by placing her hand over his, "No, Paul." The corners of her mouth flinched upwards, grateful. She strapped his suit back down, "You just fought for your life." She reasoned, even though she didn't know the truth, "It shouldn't be too long of a travel."

Paul picked up the mask attached to his suit and turned the inside towards Lovisa, "Drink my water when we're traveling, whenever you need it."

"Okay," Lovisa agreed in order to move on from the conversation. She patted his shoulder, "Thank you." She nodded her head in the direction the other Fremen were going, "C'mon."

They filed into the makeshift line the Fremen had made as they walked away from the rock structure and back onto the sand. Lovisa was still in awe of the sprawling dunes, and noticed a sandworm in the distance. As they grew closer, she could see the outline of a Fremen riding it through the desert.

Lovisa smiled fondly to herself, reminiscing of when she, by sheer luck, had ridden one not too long ago.

"Desert power." Lovisa turned to see Paul at her side, looking in the same direction that she was. Lovisa nodded in agreement, continuing to walk behind the others. Every so often, Paul would purposefully brush his hand against Lovisa's if their path was wide enough to walk side by side. Every time, it brought a sheepish smile to her lips, despite how childish she internally found it. Whenever she subtly glanced over at Paul, she found him already looking towards her. These feelings were a new experience for Lovisa, but she would be lying if she said that she wasn't intrigued.

Lovisa Koskinen was sent to Arrakis to assassinate the Duke and the Na-Duke of Atreides by the Emperor and the Baron. She soon realized that she preferred the likes of the Atreides much more than those who ordered her here. Now, she was being accepted into the Fremen where her mother — whom she hasn't seen in thirteen years — resided.

     At Sietch Tabr, Lovisa would learn from her mother what truly happened and the identity of the Fremen girl who looked remarkably similar to Lovisa herself, even if she already had a strong inkling. Sietch Tabr would also be where she, Paul, and Jessica were officially initiated into the Fremen and they would pursue their futures as part of the people.

And this was only the beginning.

woot woot!! we've reached the end of act one!! i hope you enjoyed the beginning of lovisa's development and are excited for what's to come in act two 🤗🥳 thank you for reading 🫶🏼