Kailea Vernius is the sister of Rhombur Vernius and the first wife of Duke Leto Atreides I.
Kailea was the mother of Leto I's first child, Victor Atreides. She lived with her family on Ix until its takeover by the Bene Tleilax, when she was in her teens. During the attack on Ix, she escaped with her brother Rhombur and the adolescent Leto I to Caladan to live as a refugee. Over time, she and Leto eventually fell in love and bore their son Victor. After several years, she became less pleased with her life as a refugee of a renegade House and grew jealous over the budding relationship between Bene Gesserit Jessica and Leto I.
Kailea then orchestrated a plot to assassinate Leto in a staged ship crash. The crash, however, resulted in the maiming of Rhombur and the death of her son Victor. After the incident, she was overwhelmed with grief and committed suicide by jumping from a balcony in Castle Caladan.
Behind the Scenes
The plotline of House Vernius and Victor Atreides was meant to add depth to one of the most beloved characters in the Dune Universe, Duke Leto Atreides. However, aside from the continuity issues regarding House Vernius mentioned in its own article in this wiki, there is no mention of Victor Atreides in any of Frank Herbert's Dune novels. All Frank Herbert's works show every indication that Paul was Leto's first and only child. This is further supported by the fact that there is no mention of Victor when Atreides family members are revered by others throughout the Frank Herbert storylines. Moreover, there is every indication that Jessica was Leto's first and only concubine. The plot point of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson that Leto had concubines while being married, is inconsistent with the honourable characteristics bestowed upon him by Frank Herbert.