Sneaking Around - Blog Posts

The Duke’s Betrothed

Y/N and Paul sneaking around.

Paul Atreides x Fem!reader

word count: 773

warnings: fluff, arranged marriage

requested by: @ekgrooms using A6 and B7

masterlist, Paul masterlist

The first time Y/N laid eyes on Paul Atreides, it was as if the universe itself conspired to halt time. Their gazes locked across the grand hall of Castle Caladan, where their engagement was to be announced, and in that instant, nothing else existed—only him. The weight of duty, the careful maneuvering of noble houses, and the whispers of political alliances all melted away. He was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, all sharp cheekbones and piercing blue eyes, a quiet storm wrapped in nobility.

Paul felt it too. The moment his eyes met Y/N’s, something within him shifted. He had expected another strategic marriage, another lesson in duty—but instead, he found her. And she was radiant, her presence like a force of gravity, pulling him in, making him forget the careful lessons of restraint and propriety.

The announcement had been made with all the pomp and circumstance expected of two great houses uniting, but neither of them had needed it. Theirs was not an arrangement of convenience or power—it was fate.

Y/N’s arrival on Caladan had been an affair of state. Her family, noble and prestigious, had disembarked from their ornithopter with all the grandeur expected of a house worthy of binding itself to the Atreides name. Banners bearing their sigil fluttered in the sea breeze, and a formal procession led them toward the towering castle.

Duke Leto Atreides stood at the forefront, his expression a carefully measured blend of welcome and authority. Lady Jessica stood at his side, her Bene Gesserit training evident in the poised way she assessed the newcomers. Paul, however, stood a step ahead, his heart pounding in his chest as he laid eyes on Y/N for the first time.

Her father spoke first, bowing slightly to Leto before introducing his daughter. “Duke Atreides, my daughter Y/N. May this union bring prosperity and strength to both our houses.”

Y/N inclined her head in graceful acknowledgment, but it was Paul’s gaze she sought, and when their eyes met, the world seemed to still. He took a careful step forward, offering his hand. “It is an honor to meet you,” he said, his voice softer than expected, as if he had already surrendered to whatever force had drawn them together.

Her fingers met his, and a charge passed between them, subtle yet undeniable. The formalities continued around them, but Y/N barely registered them, her attention solely on the young duke-to-be before her. She had heard of Paul Atreides—his intelligence, his sense of duty, the legend already forming around his name—but no account had prepared her for this.

-

“If we get caught, I’m blaming you.” Y/N whispered breathlessly against Paul’s lips as he pressed her against the cold stone wall of the castle’s secluded corridor.

He smirked, his hands framing her face as he leaned in once more, his breath warm against her skin. “I’d take the blame gladly.”

She giggled but it was quickly swallowed by another kiss—deep, urgent, as if they were trying to make up for lost time. They had been forced to endure a night of public appearances, endless toasts and polite conversation, all while their hearts pounded with the knowledge that they’d find a way to steal away, just the two of them. And now, with the moonlight spilling through the high windows, they had.

Paul pulled back just enough to brush his thumb along her cheek, his expression softening. “Do you trust me?”

Y/N exhaled, her fingers tangling in the fabric of his tunic. “With everything.”

His lips found hers again, slow and intoxicating, as he pressed her even closer. The castle was vast, its corridors twisting and labyrinthine, but in that moment, they could have been standing at the edge of the universe, alone in their own world.

Every stolen kiss, soft laugh against skin, whispered name felt like a rebellion against formality, expectation, and time itself. Paul’s hands settled at her waist, his forehead resting against hers as they caught their breath. The air between them charged with something more than just attraction.

Love.

Real, undeniable, unshakable love.

A noise down the hall had them both freezing, their hearts leaping into their throats. Paul grasped her hand without thinking, his reflexes honed from years of training. They dashed down the corridor, barely suppressing their laughter as they slipped into the shadows, breathless and exhilarated.

Y/N squeezed his fingers. “If we keep sneaking around like this, we might actually get in trouble.”

Paul grinned. “Worth it.”

And as he pulled her into another stolen kiss, she had to agree. Worth it, indeed.