This day was challenging, as was the entire week before. The meetings of the Lansraad seemed endless and pointless to the Duke, but he could not leave the stuffy halls prematurely - the Emperor insisted on his presence here.

All three suns of the planet Radkaar had already set over the horizon, which meant that twelve hours remained before dawn and the start of the next meeting day.

Leaving the Atreides residence, he headed out into the night to stretch his legs and get some fresh air.

The stone path winded between exotic plants and kept shifting toward the wall. Snow-white fireflies hovered in the air, creating a pleasant sense of solitude that wasn't destined to last.

An uncertain shadow flickered on the rise of the wall. The black silhouette trembled slowly descended down, and then suddenly one of the stones of the ancient wall fell right out of the masonry. And the silhouette flew downward in its wake.

Reflexes were faster than thoughts and Leto found himself under the wall, deftly picking up the figure flying down.

"I hope you have a good reason for such an acrobatic act," grinned the Duke, looking at the girl in his arms.