Story [Dune] - A Fleeting Joy - vignette, Usul/Chani

Title: A Fleeting Joy
Author: VaderLVR64
Characters: Paul Muad?Dib and Chani
Summary: In the Dune verse, the first son of Usul and Chan is born.


A Fleeting Joy

The only sound that could be heard in the small chamber was the harsh exhalation of a woman. Even the far away sounds of the sietch seemed to have faded into nothing. Then a man?s voice was whispering to her.

?You?re almost there, Chani,? he said and she felt the comfort of his tender caress on her cheek.

He had scandalized the midwife when he insisted on being in the birthing chamber. A Fremen father was kept in his place outside, to wait for news with the others. Even now, her eyes shot to him uneasily as she attended to her task. Chani leaned back against him, grateful for his presence, no matter how much talk it caused. She had been afraid for a moment that the midwife would refuse even Muad?Dib, but in the end, her Usul was with her, as he had always said he would be.

Now his mouth was at her ear, murmuring encouraging words of love and praise for her courage. She would not cry out, she had promised herself.

It was a promise she had kept so far. Looking up, she could see the pain in Usul?s eyes as he watched her struggle to bring their child into the world. Reaching up, she used the moment of calm to comfort him.

?It is a happy pain, my beloved.? It was all she had time to say, for her body demanded her attention once more.

?It won?t be long now, Muad?Dib,? the midwife said after a quick exam. ?Your son will be here soon.?

?Or daughter,? Chani hissed and she heard Usul laughed.

Usul nodded, letting his hands support Chani?s shoulders and his body support her back. She flashed an apologetic smile as she struggled to sit up. ?My back?? she muttered, unable to voice her thought clearly. The contraction was fading, but she knew another was lurking right behind it. The rest period between them had gotten shorter and shorter, until it almost seemed non-existent. If it had not been for Usul, she might have given into the pain and cried out.

But Usul understood and helped her to a more upright position. He placed a quick and tender kiss at her temple, ignoring the incredulous look the midwife shot him. As the contraction eased still more, she realized that the hush which had fallen over the sietch was expectant now. They all sensed that the moment was close.

Soon, their Mahdi would be a father. The Fremen had great expectations of their messiah, and his child would bear part of that burden in the years to come. Chani sent up a quick prayer for this baby who meant so much to so many.

Then her body began pushing, without thought on Chani?s part and she saw that Usul?s eyes were locked on the midwife, watching her face for signs of trouble. For a moment, Chani knew fear. Had Muad?Dib seen something that caused him concern? Then he flashed her a reassuring smile and she got down to the work at hand.

Her body knew what to do and did it. Each push brought relief. The strain was a relief after the countless hours of just submissively enduring the pain. One slicing moment of burning agony and the outraged screams of an infant broke through the silence. From a distance, she heard the shouts of joy from the sietch.

The child was born and lived!

That was cause enough for celebration. ?It?s a boy!? the midwife called out to the unseen Fremen who waited beyond the curtain of the birthing chamber.

More shouts of joy rose up and she even heard the sound of men clapping each other on the back. She could well imagine their happiness, though it was but a pale reflection of her own. Impatiently, she reached out for their son. Then he was a warm and beloved weight in her arms, still screaming, still waving his arms in protest at his new place outside his mother?s womb.

Usul?s hand was trembling as he ran his fingers over the baby?s wet, dark hair. Chani looked up at him in perfect happiness. ?Our son,? she whispered.

Then she saw the tear that traced down his cheek, heard the midwife?s sof