Dune_ House Atreides - Brian Herbert [131]
The following morning, the three refugees sat in uncomfortable but efficient suspensor chairs, eating energy bars and drinking Ixap juice. And waiting.
Kailea said little, as if she had lost her energy for fighting the circumstances. Her older brother tried to cheer her up, but to no avail. Isolated here, walled off, they had heard no word from outside, didn’t know if reinforcements had arrived, or if the city continued to burn. . . .
Kailea had cleaned herself up, made a valiant effort to reconstruct her damaged gown and torn lace, and then wore her altered appearance like a badge. “I should have been attending a ball this week,” she said, her voice empty as if all the emotion had been scrubbed from it. “The Solstice of Dur, one of the largest social events on Kaitain. My mother said I could attend one when I was old enough.” She looked over at Leto and gave a mirthless laugh. “Since I could have gotten betrothed to an appropriate husband this year, I must be old enough to attend a dance. Don’t you think?”
She plucked at her torn lace sleeve. Leto didn’t know what to say to her. He tried to think of what Helena would have said to the Vernius daughter. “When we get to Caladan, I’ll have my mother throw a grand ball to welcome you there. Would you like that, Kailea?” He knew the Lady Helena resented the two Ixian children because of her religious bias, but surely his mother would soften her heart, considering the situation. If nothing else, she would never be seen committing a social faux pas.
Kailea’s eyes flared at his suggestion, and Leto shrank back. “What, with fishermen dancing a bawdy jig and rice farmers performing some fertility rite?” Her words cut deep, and Leto felt his world and his heritage to be inadequate for someone like her.
Kailea softened, though, and rested her fingers on Leto’s forearm. “I’m sorry, Leto. Very sorry. It’s just that I wanted so badly to go to Kaitain, to see the Imperial Palace, the wonders of the Court.”
Rhombur sat sullen. “Elrood never would have allowed it, if only because he’s still angry at Mother.”
Kailea got up and paced the small, algae-smelling chamber. “Why did she ever have to leave him? She could have stayed in the Palace, lived her life in luxury—but instead she came here to this . . . cave. A cave that’s now overrun with vermin. If Father really cared for her, would he have asked her to sacrifice so much? It makes no sense.”
Leto tried to console her. “Don’t you believe in love, Kailea? I’ve seen the way your parents look at each other.”
“Of course I believe in love, Leto. But I also believe in common sense, and you have to weigh one against the other.”
Kailea turned her back on them and rummaged in the entertainment files for something to amuse herself. Leto decided not to pursue the matter. Instead, he turned to Rhombur with a suggestion. “We should each take the time to learn how to operate the orship. Just in case.”
“No need. I can run it myself,” Rhombur said.
After taking a drink of the tart, preserved juice, Leto puckered his lips. “But what if you’re injured—or worse? What do we do then?”
“He’s right, you know,” Kailea said, not even lifting her emerald eyes from the entertainment files. Her voice sounded weary and brittle. “Let’s show him, Rhombur.”
He stared across the table at Leto. “Well, you know how an ornithopter works? Or a shuttle?”
“I learned to pilot a ’thopter by the time I was ten. But the only shuttles I’ve seen were robo-controlled.”
“Brainless machines, performing set functions the same way every time. I hate those things . . . even though we manufacture them.” He took a bite of energy bar. “Well, we used to, anyway. Before the Tleilaxu came.” He lifted his right hand overhead and rubbed the fire-jewel ring that designated him as heir of the Ixian House.
At his signal, a large square in the ceiling dropped smoothly and came to rest on the floor. Looking up through the aperture, Leto saw a sleek silver shape stored above.