Cham could take comfort only from Paul's presence, not his triumph with their Leto dead, a casualty of mat battle, she could take no joy in the victory When she brought die news of the boy's death to her Usul-who knew it already, and shared her grief-she reduced the Fremen waiting with him to silence The loss of her son had broken a reserve that had withstood the deaths of her mother, her father, and sietchmates past counting Cham gave water to the dead, letting the tears flow as if such a precious sacrifice could persuade Shai Hulud to free her from her pain During the three years of negotiations proceeding Paul's formal acceptance by the Landsraad and the Spacing Guild, Cham assisted Lady Jessica in bargaining with the outgoing emperor (Jessica often said, after the seemingly endless round of talks drew to a close, that she hoped never to have to negotiate any kind of terms against a Freman, since their ferocity in battle paled before their determination at a conference table While Jessica's own skills in such matters were not to be doubted, we can safely as sume that many of the concessions were won for the new Fmperor by his Fremen concubine ) Chani had other worries during these years beyond those of a negotiator Five times during this period, attempts were made on the Royal Concubine s life, once the would-be assassin managed to infiltrate her apartments and might have succeeded m his aim had his knifcwork been just a fraction more expert Chani managed to dispatch him with her cryskmfe and stormed into the Council Chamber without pausing to change her robe The sight of her bursting into the room, stained with her assailant's blood, her hand still poised on the sheathed cryskmfc's handle, threw the table into an uproar Amid the confusion, Lady Jessica-as Cham had antici pated she would-focused her attention on Irulan, soon to be Paul's Consort-m-name The Princess was genuinely stunned, but what convinced Jessica of Irulan's innocence was the brief expression of surprised pleasure that escaped her before her Bene Gessent training could conceal it Although this was none of Irulan's doing, she was enough angered by her secondary place that she was delighted the attempt had been made For twelve years after the beginning of her mate's legal reign m 10196 Cham served him as wife, companion, and advisor-but never, in spite of their efforts as mother of his royal heirs That neither of them were ATREIDES LADY CHANT 50 ATREIDES LADY CHANI sterile was certain Cham's pregnancy with Leto had been initiated quickly and free of complications that might have rendered her barren And while (hey had practiced contraception in the Fremen way during the years when Cham's full attention was required for the negotiations, they had not done so since, and their continued childlessness was a source of mystery and much pain So distressed was Chain by her inability to provide an heir for House Atreides that she at last