Chapter 19: prepare yourself
" Your men wear the Atredes banner. Are you related to my duke," Duncan asked. He noticed how the man spoke as if he already knew him. " in some ways, I am related to your Duke. His name is Leto, No." said Krelln.
"That is M'lord or noble born or sire for you," said Duncan, his voice laced with a hint of warning. He had respect for the one he served, and he would not allow any man to say the Duke's name in vain. "You ask if I am a noble, and I tell you I am. But the moment I mention his name, you tell me what to say in my home," Krelln said, his tone challenging. A chuckle came to him, but it was a chuckle that held a threat. He looked at Duncan, raised his glass of liquor, and drank, his eyes never leaving Duncan's
"Hmm, that burns just the right spots," Krelln said. As he clasped his hands, the guards came and began to pick up the food, bringing the plates to another room. " You have heard me say I am not from Arrakis, "
Duncan looked at the man across the table. An air had changed about him. He was cold and calculated now. Before, he could get a read on the man, but now he had nothing.
" You have mentioned this," said Duncan as he drank from his glass.
" You see, I was born on Caladan, just like you, Duncan. The difference is that when I was born, I was stripped from my mother, and my older brother stayed with her. As the years went by, I grew up in hardship in Arrakis.
"While my brother grew amongst you, trained by the best, the man called Gurney Halleck, and you, Duncan Idaho." At that, Duncan stood from his seat, his eyes narrowing. " Who are you?" he asked, his voice trembling with curiosity and unease as if he was about to uncover a long-buried secret.
His mind was running as fast as possible. He had heard of Duke Leto's second child but never thought the child was alive. " I know who you are," said Duncan, fearing what his mind was telling him. He tried to deny it, but the thought came to him like a river to a Dam, crashing into the front of his mind.
" I would be surprised if you did not," Krelln said. " I am my father's son. I tried to reach him on multiple occasions. Paul. But it was when I was on the brink of death that I could reach him. "
" Krelln," Duncan said. "Or should I say, Damon Atreides?" As he said that name, Krelln now, Damon tapped the back of his ear, and the mask unfolded. The man looked like the younger Duke Leto. Duncan fell back on his chair and said, " Holy shit ." his heart was beating faster and faster. " I had my suspicions as we spoke, but this confirms them. "
" But how is this possible? How could you possibly know who you are? " Duncan asked. An abyss appeared before Damon; he could see nothing beyond this point; his prescience showed nothing. This was a nexus point in history, one that might very well differentiate the fate of Idaho. Every move, every breath, even standing still, was an action in this nexus point.
He now realized he needed to make a leap of faith, and the following vision of the future would be shown, " I am like my brother, Paul. Except I began to have vision when I was born. I knew who I was the moment I was born. I knew my mother when I saw her lying on the bed and the great physician Dr.Yeuh beside her.
I do not know what occurred that night, but the next thing I knew, I was found lying on the desert sand of Arrakis. I tasted cinnamon in the air—spice. It is everywhere in Arrakis, but luckily, a good woman found me in the desert and took me in as her own.
Duncan stood aloof. He placed his glass on the table, walked to Damon, grabbed his face, and felt the bone structure. " You certainly look like your father, great mother. Your family would be glad to know that I have found you. Please, you must come with me to Arrakeen now," Duncan said.
There was excitement in his voice. The Atreides were like family to him; the Duke was his Beneficiary, and to do this was to return the favor.
" We will go to Arrakeen to meet my family, " Krelln said. This was the plan, after all, but not tonight. It would be best if you slept first, and we go at first light. We will arrive midday and pick up Stilgar on the way. Perhaps I can meet some old comrades I have not seen in years.
But Duncan, that is not why I called you here; there is another reason why you are here. "
" I knew there was more to it, but now I have an idea," Duncan said as he backed away and grabbed the whole bottle of Jack Daniels on the table. This time, he drank from the tip of it. " I have a feeling I am going to need it," said Duncan.
" Duncan, I wish for you to be one of my men," Krelln said. And at this, Duncan spit the alcohol from his mouth. " sorry, M'lord, but I don't swing that way." Krelln laughed at Duncan's action. Despite the man being serious, he had his moments of acting like a Buffon to acquire knowledge, and he had been playing this game with Krelln all this time. But when he said " M'lord," there was a seriousness to it.
Krelln heard Duncan say, " M'lord." Before, he defied the king by not addressing him of his noble status as king of the mountain, but now he recognized him as such—as Damon Atreides.
" No, Duncan, I wish you to be a man under my subordination. I wish for you to be my Lieutenant. I have seen you fight, and you are a fantastic fighter. You have joined sietch tabr under Liet and Stilgar. Now, I ask you to work under me, the king of the mountain. Either way, you will be serving an Atreides. "
" We are Atreides. There is no call we do not answer; there is no faith that we betray," Duncan said. Reciting the words of House Atreides. " Now, I will answer the call again. What do you need of me, m'lord? "
At this, Damon smiled; Duncan Idaho was part of his seitch, the red Sietch. He was a red Freman. His vision had come true: the day his father would arrive, the day Duncan would kill the Fremen man, and the day he Arrived on the mountain. Once again, he saw the man who stood on the throne stretch out his hand, telling him to take it, but he was not close enough.
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