The Arrakeen residency was a labyrinth of cold, ancient stone, but to Anastasia, it was a kingdom of endless wonder. As she moved through the high-arched corridors, her petite frame was flanked by her three shadows: Jia, standing tall and stern at twenty, and the sixteen-year-old twins, Lila and Mina, who hovered nearby like nervous birds.
"Slow down, Little Star," Jia murmured, her hand never more than an inch from Anastasia's elbow. Her eyes scanned every alcove and shadowed tapestry, her yandere-level alertness vibrating in the silent corridors. "The floors are uneven, and the stone is hard."
"But look at the carvings, Jia!" Anastasia chirped, her "naive" face upturned to the vaulted ceilings. She stopped to touch a frieze of a long-dead desert king. "They look so lonely. I think they need someone to talk to."
Lila and Mina shared a glance of pure, fanatical adoration. "The Princess is so thoughtful," Mina whispered, her blue-tinted eyes shimmering. "Even the stones are blessed by her touch."
Jia's jaw tightened. She didn't like the way the twins were beginning to echo her own obsessive thoughts. She stepped between them and Anastasia, reclaiming her position as the primary shield. "Stones do not feel, Princess. Only people do. And many people on this planet have hearts colder than this rock."
The Doctor's SanctuaryThey reached the heavy, reinforced plasteel doors of the Palace Garden—the legendary "Wet Planet" sanctuary. As the doors hissed open, a wave of humid, oxygen-rich air rushed out, smelling of damp earth and blooming jasmine.
Anastasia gasped, her eyes wide with a radiant, "naive" joy. "Flowers! Jia, look! They have flowers here!"
She ran into the greenery, her petite figure disappearing among the towering palms. Standing in the center of the path, tending to a cluster of pale lilies, was a familiar face—the man with the drooping mustache and the diamond tattoo on his forehead.
"Wellington!" Anastasia called out, her voice a soft, melodic chime.
Dr. Yueh looked up, and for the first time since landing on this wretched planet, his weary face broke into a genuine smile. He had been the family's physician for years on Caladan, but seeing the "Gem" here, amidst the dust of Arrakis, felt like a miracle.
"Princess Anastasia," Yueh said, his voice trembling with a sudden, overwhelming surge of protective warmth. He knelt before her, and as she reached out to touch his arm with her usual kindness, the Influence hit him with staggering force. To Yueh, she was the only pure thing left in a universe of shadows.
"I missed you this morning, Wellington," she said, her "naive" concern melting his professional exterior. "Are you sleeping enough? The desert is so loud at night."
"I am fine, Little Pearl," Yueh whispered, his hand lingering near her small shoulder, his Suk conditioning humming with a desperate, yandere-like need to ensure her safety. "I was just preparing these lilies. I know how much you like the scent of the sea-mist flowers."
The Jealous WatchJia stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the Doctor. Even though she had known Yueh for years, her possessiveness was absolute. She didn't trust his diamond tattoo; she didn't trust anyone who stood so close to the Princess. She placed a firm hand on Anastasia's shoulder, pulling her slightly back.
"The Doctor has work to do, Princess," Jia said, her voice a cold, lethal warning. "And the humidity here is too high for your silk gown."
"Oh, Jia, don't be so strict!" Anastasia pleaded, turning her radiant smile back to Yueh. "Wellington, will you show me the seeds later? I want to plant a garden that doesn't feel lonely."
Yueh looked up, his eyes moist with a terrifyingly deep loyalty. The thought of her—so pure—trying to heal the desert made his heart ache. "I will prepare the soil myself, Princess. No hand but mine shall touch the earth where you walk."
The Shadow's WatchAs Anastasia moved deeper into the greenery with the twittering twins, Jia remained behind for a heartbeat, her gaze locked on Yueh.
"She is the only reason this house still breathes, Doctor," Jia hissed, her voice barely audible. "If she sees a single dead leaf that makes her sad... or if you let a single Harkonnen shadow near this wing... I will find out what lies beneath that diamond."
Yueh didn't flinch. He simply watched the petite girl laughing among the ferns. "We are all her servants now, Jia. Whether we know it or not."