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♯ ❝ LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS! ❞
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE ✧･ﾟ: *✧
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ACT TWO ── destiny calls 🪐

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        ARRAKIS NEW OF HER REBIRTH, FELT IT THROUGHT THE VERY SAND THOSE WALKED UPON IN THE DESERT. IT WAS LIKE EVERYTHING HAD COME ALIVE AGAIN, ALL IN RESULT OF THE GIRL AWAKENING WHO SHE TRUELY WAS. It was both terrifying for few who dare faced her and uplifting for the majority who believed in it from the moment she was born.

         News did travel fast after the newly changed duo left the sietch, and were not traveling towards the meeting hall in the south. The skies were a pitch black colour, the normal brightness no longer present. It seemed even the natural environment knew of the incoming presences, whom would either shape the world anew or destroy it with a single wave of her hand.

         From a distance their silhouettes looked intimidating, scary even from how they were dressed now, and how the wind was picking up with each step they look. A massive explosion sounded from behind them, out appearing from the sand depths was a Sand Worm, the very one that was following the girl closely behind.

         The thousand plus Fremen all gathered by the entrance of the main hall for their tribes, all watched with wide eyes at the two figures coming towards them. Some felt on edge from the tense aura they were radiating, while the others felt their hope for liberation spike up once more.

         Her sharpened (E/C) gaze looked up from underneath the hood she had one, the material covering her entire body as it followed down her back, and draped along the ground. Paul had a similar one on, but it wasn't as long as she was wearing. Her hand was tightly holding Paul's now since they were closer to the group, and slowed down so he could trail along side her.

         Without a word from any of them, the crowd began to part slowly for the power couple to walk on through. Paul's grip on her hand became tighter spotting all the stares full of wonder on (Y/N), making his already cold expression harden even more. On the other hand, she was giving all the Fremen looks of respect, watching how some bowed their heads to her as they passed.

        She kept her gaze straight ahead after that, hand not slipping from Paul's so they wouldn't lose each other in the crowd. She couldn't explain how she felt in that moment, but one thing she knew was that the Fremen who follow her anywhere. That was very obvious to her now, by how they kept splitting ways for them to get through.

         The fierce wind blew through her longer hair, and flowed through her cloth she was wearing making the drapes of it float behind her. She tried to ignore how uncomfortable she was feeling all the stares on her, and focused on Paul's thumb caressing her knuckles, as they soon reached the end of the massive crowd of Fremen.

         Paul was quick to walk a bit in front of his wife as he saw his mother, and didn't like the way she was proudly staring at them both. It wasn't in a good way either, and he didn't want (Y/N) anywhere near that, at least not now. He may have a different mind set now, but that didn't change his devotion nor unconditional love to his wife.

          She gripped onto Paul's arms with her fingers, a bit harder now since she was a few inches taller then him from the transformation she went through. She only offered a slight nod to Jessica, whom gave a mouth perk back before turning around with the other Bene Gesserit's to lead them inside.

        A prayer session was currently happening in the massive hall, all the Fremen inside wearing hooded drapes also as they bowed their heads on their knees in respect. Chants were being muttered to, it echoing around the room which wasn't surprising from how many Fremen were in there.

         Chani appeared on the left side of a closed eye Stilgar, who was praying also inside the temple, "We must talk." She whispered to him frantically, gaze searching his face when she received no reply, "Stilgar, you can stop this. Do you hear me? You have the power to stop this-"

        "Northern woman!" One of the elder Fremen inside the war council called to Chani, a scolding expression on his face and tone that was directed at her, "You are not allowed to speak inside the circle. If you want to speak, you know what to do."

         Chani only briefly glanced towards the one talking, before shaking her head to look back towards the silent male beside her, "Stilgar, please. If not for Arrakis' sake, for (Y/N)'s." She muttered more furiously, watching as he did tense only the slightest hearing the girl's name, but went back to praying soon afterwards.

          This made her even more mad then she already was, temper rising seeing the Fremen behind her standing up like they were about to pull her out of the temple. She scoffed at Stilgar, before getting up to glare at the others, and stomped her way past them all through the middle pathway.

         She lifted up her gloved hand to push off her hoodie covering her head, only getting halfway done the path until she was spinning back around, "This prophecy is how they enslave us!" She yelled to them all, pointing a finger up for emphasis, "It's how they enslave our savoir, we've all been praying for-!"

          Someone had grabbed onto her leg to yank her down, causing her words to stop mid way as she lands roughly onto the floor. She grunts at the sudden movement, breathing heavily as she scowled at the person who did it. But it softened a bit realising who it was, and who that person was important too.

          "You'll get yourself into trouble." Gurney was sat there blending in with the other Fremen, his voice low and gravelly like it always was, and he wore a material that had a hood like everyone else did. He glanced at the fuming Chani, and then looked on ahead to the middle where all he could see was heads.

         Chani rolled her eyes at his attempt to save her, a scoff leaving her parted lips once more, as she fixed up her lose boot that was almost knocked off from her fall before, grunting out, "This is none of your business-"

         "Rabban Harkonnen himself killed my family. His uncle also wants the only one I have left." He snapped back in a harsh tone, lifting up his finger to point at the side of his face as he glares at the younger girl, "He gave me this scar to remember him by. This is all of my business."

          Chani didn't understand the second sentence very well, and it left a horrible feeling churning in her stomach having a feeling she knew who that was. But before she could question Gurney anymore, the sound of the horn blowing stopped her from doing so, and they both turned back to see more Fremen guard walking in.

          Jessica was in front of the pack walking in through the middle, the rest of the Bene Gesserit's behind her being covered on either side by the Fremen guards. They were all lead to sit near the front of the many there, as now the attention wasn't on them, but something else appearing next.

          The Fremen held their breath as they knelt up a bit, now seeing who was coming towards them in all her glory. Her longer (H/C) hair was flowing down her back, hoodie off to reveal her changed face and figure. Her footsteps were silence, almost like she weighed nothing as Paul lead her down the path and all the way to the center in the middle of temple.

         Paul, sensing the incoming commotion soon by how the mutters were picking up, leant down to press his mouth directly by (Y/N)'s ear, "Stay close to me, sweetheart." He rasped in Fremen tongue, making her shiver a bit feeling him so close to her.

         She nodded her head with a small hum, squeezing his hand that she was holding as she pressed her side against his hearing the whispers among the crowd about them. His blue eyes and her (E/C) ones both turned hearing someone talk to them, but didn't stop their walk towards the center.

         "Only tribe leaders can speak. If you wish to share your voices," The same Fremen elder from before spoke to them, and pointed his fingers at Stilgar making (Y/N)'s shoulders tense up hearing what he said, "you must take his place by defeating him and returning his water to the well."

         They came to a stop just before the platform in the middle of the crowd, as Paul chuckled bitterly through his teeth, "You think I'm stupid enough to deprive myself of the best of us?" He questioned in a sneer at the shocked male, his hand coming to rest on (Y/N)'s hip as they stood, "Do you smash a knife before battle?"

         Stilgar was now stood up, and threw off the material around him to proudly look at the couple in front, "Take my life, Sureyi, Usul." He slipped out the crysknife that was placed behind him on his stillsuit, and held it up for battle, "It is the only way."

         Hearing the man whom she greatly looked up to as a mentor, and a father figure begging for them to kill him, switched something inside her mind. Her face was now one of pure rage, but it was confined one that projected through her voice and the way she carried herself, "I'm pointing the way! Just like my husband is!"

        Collective gasps echoed through the temple now at her sudden shift in demeanor, as her voice had forcefully made all the Fremen stand up against their own will. The walls blocking them from the harsh sun seemed to shake, and tremble also, but it didn't alert them as much as the girl was currently doing.

         "Slow down..." Jessica muttered to herself in a warning, even though the two couldn't hear her saying it, and glanced towards Paul to get him to control the girl, but only saw him smirking proudly as he watched her from his spot.

         Her (E/C) eyes went towards Paul with a feral expression, gaining a nod back from him as she span around to walk up the three stairs leading onto the platform, "There is no one in this room who can stand against us, against me!" She spoke in their language much stronger than usual, and without knowing it was using the voice also that added that deeper tone to it.

           At that sudden declaration Stilgar looked wide eyed and panicked, while the other Fremen became more restless as they pulled out their weapons. Paul saw this which instantly had him pressing his back to her body, keeping her protected from all the Fremen who wanted to do harm. Not to her however, but he didn't know that.

          "Your mother's warned you about our coming." Paul took over the speaking now, voice echoing just as much as his wife's did to everyone as his spice infected eyes glare over the crowd of people, stepping beside the girl's figure once he knew they had calmed down, "Fear the moment."

         (Y/N) bit back a smile at his protectiveness over her, and placed her bare palm against Paul's back, as her eyes latched onto a Fremen out near the front. She moved out from behind her husband, who was already trailing her figure closely as she moved towards the Fremen quietly.

          No sound came from her movement again like before, almost like she was walking on air as she goes to squat down on her boots in front of the male. She stared into his eyes, as hers become a bit brighter trying to read his emotions, "You're afraid, I sense that in you. What if I could really be Earth Walker? The one your kind has been waiting too long for, praying for all your life."

         This time her voice was a silky rasp, almost like she was trying to put everyone in a trance from how soft it sounded even with talking in Fremen mother tongue. She stood back with the help from Paul, her hand being in his gloved one as he pulled her up carefully.

          "You're praying now to your grandmother." She continued on with her talk, head turned towards Paul as she held him by the waist as he stood close to her, but her hypnotizing eyes were on the Fremen male, "She died nine moons ago. She lost an eye. A rock smashed her face as she was crossing the Belt. She was twelve when it happened."

          Briefly leaving Paul's side who crossed his arms over his chest, feeling pride bloom in his chest watching his wife work her magic on the Fremen. She gracefully walked down to stand in front of the male, whom was looking a bit shocked and teary eyed, causing her heart to sink in sympathy.

          "At that time, the Fremen cried helplessly for a saviour and this is where this world got it's name from," She trailed off in a whisper, reaching forward to grasp the male's trembling hand in her own, and stared straight into his eyes as the wind suddenly picked up a bit around them, "Dune."

          That's all the answer the male needed. His once sadden expression turned into a one of hope, and quickly fell to his knees in a bow, "Ardh Waker!" He cried out, holding the back of her hand up to his forehead in respect, as the rest of the Fremen chanted this name and Paul's, getting onto their knees also.

          (Y/N) breathed steadily as she clasped onto the male's hand holding hers, staring down at him kneeling before her and then gazed at the rest of them. A content look crossed her face, wanting nothing more then to help these people in need, but it also didn't help the bad feeling creeping up in effect of this.

         Paul had a clenched jaw when he came up beside his wife, not saying anything as he glared at the Fremen holding onto her, and gripped onto her elbow. He gently pulled her back beside him, and back up to the platform away from anymore hands but his touching her.

         "In your nightmares you give water to the dead, and it brings joy to your heart." He now again took over the integration on the Fremen, his voice much more forceful and harsher then hers, as another elder bows down in respect to them, calling their names.

         The only one whom was not bowing yet was Stilgar, which made (Y/N) look towards him in question as he was smiling a bit happily. She stood up beside her husband, who had an arm around her waist as their drapes flowed behind them, thanks to her powers making the wind blow a bit.

       "Shai-Hulud, Mahdi, what do you
foresee for us?"

         At his question her lips perked up a bit, tilting her head back towards Paul whom stood behind her with his chest pressed against her back, and waited for him to answer their awaiting mentor. She saw what their future held, but not everything as she didn't know what would happen to herself. But that wasn't a worry as of right now.

         "Green paradise." Was Paul's only reply causing Stilgar to release a thankful breath, and drop to his knees with a promising expression, calling out their Fremen name's in respect along with his fellow memebers around him.

          (Y/N) felt her husband's arm slip away from her waist briefly, making her glance towards him to see him throwing off his gloves, and taking a his fathers ring out of the pocket in his still suit. She felt her heart clench a bit remembering him, and touched her quarterstaff wrapped around her shoulder, thinking of her father who left them too soon.

         Paul then lifted up their intertwined hands to his lips, hovering his mouth over the back of her hand as her eyes widen at this, becoming flustered from the sudden touch. He keeps strong eye contact with her, as he presses his mouth onto the skin in a kiss, lingering for a few more seconds.

         Once he dropped her hand softly back down by her side, he smirked a bit smugly at her embarrassed look, enjoying how despite she was serious, he could easily make her flustered. Keeping one hand on her shoulder, he lifts his other hand which now had his fingers ring on it.

        "This is my father's ducal signet." He announced proudly to them all which made his wife smile gently, and Gurney to become a bit emotional, once he realised what he was doing. Paul squeezed her shoulder to grab her attention, and they lock eyes once more, communicating through that contact without talking.

           (Y/N) stepped up from beside Paul in a graceful stride, hair flying over her shoulder with the movement, as her eyes become a shader lighter like they were glowing in the darkness of the temple.

"For as long as I've seen in my memories, you've all wanted a savior." She started off in Fremen language, words echoing around the room as she uses the Voice, "I know how much you've all suffered by the hands of someone who shouldn't rule this world. Someone who only takes, but never gives back."

        Collective stuttering gasps sound out around the temple now, them all coming from the Fremen. The group stood in a silent, awe-stricken semicircle, eyes wide and breaths held as if the very air around them had turned sacred. Each face, marked by the ravages of their struggles, reflected a blend of hope and disbelief. But it wasn't just focused on it, it was something happening behind her.

          Without even looking or maybe not even knowing, (Y/N) had made the few rocks placed around the circle in the middle levitate a bit in the air, all circled around her and the crowd. Unlike normal, there was no blood dripping down her nose, and it made Paul unbelievable proud of his wife seeing her using her abilities.

         There, bathed in the soft, golden light that seemed to emanate from somewhere beyond the physical, stood the girl. Her presence was a gentle beacon, an unexpected pillar of strength and serenity. Her smile reached the corner of her eyes, and looked at each Fremen, "That is why I'm here, to give back something that should of been done centuries ago. I will lead you all to liberation, with my abilities and power I shall."

        In her eyes shone an indomitable spirit, a promise of salvation that seemed almost too miraculous to grasp. In that moment, the girl stood not just as a person but as a symbol—a lifeline cast into the stormy sea of their fears and uncertainties. And the Fremen truly believed, they really did that their liberated was finally here to set them free.

          She waved her wrist around in the air when the temple was silent, making the rocks slowly float back down and bowed her head a bit to the Fremen. She span around to face Paul, who was stood behind her watching proudly and took a step up to her smirking, as he now had to add something.

        "I am Paul Muad'dib Atreides, husband of (Y/N) Shai-Hulud Atreides," He began to shout in a deeper voice, lifting up his hand that was intertwined with the girls up in the air, which had her gaping a bit in surprise at what he said. Her heart felt like bursting from it's chest, but kept a calm look on her face even if she was freaking out on the inside.

         "Duke of Arrakis. The Hands of God be by witness," He switches to speak in Fremen language, bringing back down their hands to press them against his chest, to where his heart was, "We are the Voice from the Outer World! Together, we will lead you to Paradise!"

          At this the crowd of Fremen finally went crazy, and began to yell out their names in a chant, "Ardh Waker! Lisan Al Gaib!" They continued to yell their new found hope, weapons raised up as they stood up from the floor. It was rising with each second also, getting louder and louder.

        The couple looked over the crowd now under their control gleefully, being one step closer to destroying what was ruining the planet now that they officially had the Fremen on their side. (Y/N) tried to keep a straight face hearing her name being chanted, but it faltered a bit when she spotted Chani's disappointed expression on the crowd. It caused her heart to break, completely forgetting about how she felt.

          However her attention was quickly brought away. Amidst the sea of faces and the overwhelming din, Paul reached out with a confident grace, his fingers gently lifting her chin in his pointer and thumb. The unexpected tenderness in his touch made her breath catch, her wide eyes meeting his as he tilted her face upwards.

           A smirk played at the corners of his mouth, a blend of mischief and undeniable affection. He leaned down, the world around them blurring into a mere backdrop to their moment. Her shock was evident, a brief hesitation as she registered the crowd surrounding them, but it melted away under the intensity of his gaze.

          Then, as if drawn by an invisible force, she responded. Their lips met in a kiss that started gently but quickly deepened, a passionate connection that spoke volumes above the crowd's noise. His ringed hand cupped the back of her neck to keep her in place, as their tongue's fought and massaged each others. She placed a hand against his cheek, lips moving in sync as they savour the feel and taste of each other until their was nothing left.

         "I love you so much," He rasped into her mouth when they parted for a few seconds, lidded blue eyes staring into hers as they blocked out the crowd's chants to focus on each other, "When this is all over baby, I'm going to officially marry you."

          She knew he already understood her answer, so no words were needed, but she rubbed her nose against his gently, "I love you more, my love. I can't wait." She whispered before diving forward to capture his lips against hers once more, making him pull her flushed onto his chest, as the chants around them grew louder.

        "Ardh Waker! Lisan Al Gaib! Ardh Waker! Lisan Al Gaib!"

──── ⋆◖◍◗⋆ ────

          AFTER THE SCENE INSIDE THE TEMPLE WITH THE COUPLE, JESSICA STOOD INSIDE CHANI'S ROOM WATCHING HER CLOSELY, AS THE FREMEN GIRL PACKS HER THINGS QUIT ROUGHLY INTO THE BAG. Jessica was sent in by (Y/N) to go and check on her, as the younger girl knew Chani wouldn't want to talk with her, at least not right now after what happened.

         "You're heading north with the others?" She was the first one to break the silence between them, holding her arms over her pregnant stomach, as her hair was down up and her face marks were seen more visually.

         "I'm Fedaykin." Chani's voice was monotone as she answered, picking up her supplies more faster now and shoved them inside the still bag, wanting to leave the room away from the mother, "I follow my leaders. If fighting goes north, I go north."

         Jessica pursed her lips sensing how upset, and angry the girl was, as she sighed through her nose gently, "Neither of them didn't have a choice, Chani." She tried to come off easy with her words, but it just made Chani even more madder then she already was.

         "I won't be fighting for him. I'm fighting for (Y/N), my people." She sneered out in a exclaim, taking a glance at Jessica who stood there silently before looking away, as she clipped up the bag and finished off the rest of the packing.

        "I came to wish you best of luck."

          Chani clenched her jaw slowly standing up from her knelt position, and picked up the bag handles, "I'd wish you the same," She walked up to Jessica, pausing just at her shoulder to sneer rudely, "but it seems you've won your battle." She finished before storming off, leaving Jessica by herself frowning sadly.

         Outside of the temple now where some of the Fremen had gone outside into the desert, prior to the couple's request, Paul looked through the scope he had, and saw the Emperor's incoming ship from outer space. He passed it to (Y/N) next with a kiss against her temple, making her beam up at him and looked through the scope next.

          "He took the bait." Gurney informs them as he stood beside the two outside, also looking through a scope at the ship that was entering the atmosphere now. It was all apart of the plan, and the heartless, greedy Emperor he is, he couldn't not come down to where they were.

           She hummed in thought feeling a lot of new vibrations through the sand now, causing the scope she had to turn towards the desert. A smirk perked up on her lips seeing the sand storm coming towards them, and tapped her boot onto the sand below her boot, feeling a much bigger vibration back from the sandworm inside the storm.

         "Oh, the Emperor's very obliging." Paul humoured sarcastically, blue eyes trained on his wife who was still staring at the sand storm a few miles in the desert, him enjoying how she had a bright expression on her face, much different from before, "He's right on time."

          Stilgar nodded his head in agreement, lifting up his hand to twist it back and forth in a motion, "As you sensed, Shai-Hulud," He muttered out in his language, moving his hand around a little bit more before dropping it, gazing at the chaos of sand, "A great grandmother of a storm."

          Now when the rest of Baron's army, along with the Emperor's appeared, the Fremen went into hiding to plan and discuss how the attack would proceed. The couple were both squatted side by side under some rock cover, along with Stilgar, Chani, Gurney and a few other Fremen, who all listened to the plan.

          A design of the Emperor's ship was on the sand, thanks to (Y/N)'s abilities who shaped it the way she wanted it to be. She pointed to the edge of the drawing, and talked to the group around her, "When the storm hits this ridge, Gurney will open the way for you, Stilgar, so you can enter the basin from the West." She circled her finger around the middle part in the sand, "and distract their defense systems."

        She glanced up to Stilgar who nodded at her, as she reached her hand up to clasp his arm to which he placed his over her hand, and patted it gently. She then glanced towards Chani, a softer look on her face seeing how upset she still was, but time to fix their friendship would come later on.

         "Chani, I want you and your Fedaykin to then attack from the East, inside the basin." She tells the Fremen girl who briefly stared at her, before glancing away as (Y/N) sighed sadly and touched the spot where Paul's finger was in the middle of the design, "Paul and I will strike from the North, head on, with the Fundamentalist troops."

         "And I'll serve Arrakeen for dessert." Gurney's voice rumbles out after she finished talking, a small smile perked up as he looked to the couple, who smirked back at him a bit and nodded their heads in agreement.

         Paul rubbed his now gloved hand up and down (Y/N)'s arm, as he glanced at those around them seriously, "Remember, we need the Emperor alive." He reminds them all, knowing that was a big part of their plan and it couldn't go wrong, other wise they don't win.

        "Long live the fighters!" Stilgar muttered in his language to show his respect and agreement, placing his left fist onto the other side of his chest, as the other Fremen copied after him, and the couple did it back through wide grins watching them all get up.

        (Y/N) glanced towards Chani who was giving her a half glare, making a frown crease her forehead as the Fremen girl stands up holding a blue cloth, and disappeared from view. She exhaled heavily leaning her side against Paul's, who pressed his lips onto her temple to leave a comforting kiss, and wrapped his arms around her figure tightly.

         After that last meeting the plan to attack was in motion, all parties involved now at their told places to be when the fighting began. The wife and husband were still on the cliff above all the Fremen waiting for them, as they stood side by side while Gurney was behind them with a few more Fremen.

          She looked towards her uncle figure for reassurance, seeing him nodding his head with a small smile. She then turned to Paul, who was already staring at her with a soft look making her flush a bit but still gave the same expression back. Quickly reaching up, she tucked a few pieces of his curls behind his ears, making him lean into the touch like a puppy causing her to giggle a bit.

         Together hand in hand now, fingers intertwined between each others, they walked up towards the edge of the cliff where the rest of the fighters were waiting below, and now looked up spotting the two coming into their view. The wind picked up around their figures, so did the cheers for them.

         She lifted up her other hand in front of her, which caused a gale of wind to flood through the air, that was sent down towards the Fremen's flags they were carrying, and made them flap around faster, as the sand circled around their boots in a small typhoon.

           At the same time, Paul raised their conjected hands above their heads which held a crys knife in between them, and briefly looked to each other confidently before in sync yelling out, "Long live the fighters!"

❪ ✏️ ❫ 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳𝚂 : 5027
─►☆ AUTHOR'S NOTE :
hiii guysss im backkkk 🌝 man im so sorry for the sudden disappearance omg i didn't plan for it but life just has been chaotic for me and my motivation for writing kinda went downwards so that didn't help either but anywayssss im back now with a update so yaayyyyy

however sad news guys cause there's either 2 or 1 chap's left and i don't want it to end :'(( paul and this fic are really special to me so it's gonna be hard letting it go for the second time till part 3 ughhh sobbing already

please PLEASEEE don't be ghost/silent readers cause i wanna see your thoughts in the comments guysss <33 especially since i have written for so long lmfao 😭🙏🏻