here many years ago... Muad'Dib told me his father said... "Beauty has finally arrived... to hold back the wilderness." In his honor, may I borrow your duke's words today. Good friend. The imperial regent, my lady. It's been so long. Of course, you recognize your grandchildren... even after all this time. I hope we can find time to shed formality... and get to know each other again. The mother of Muad'Dib has returned to us. You must offer them your blessing, Grandmother. I see the hypocrisy of ritual still thrives. Sometimes it is necessary to accommodate ritual... In order to survive it. Mother! Reverend Mother. I bring you a warning. The blessings of Muad'Dib have been corrupted. The religion of Muad'Dib is not Muad'Dib. He renounces it... as he renounces you. All of you! Muad'Dib is dead! And sand will cover this place. Sand will cover you. Take them alive! Alive! Get out! Jacarutu! It's impossible to guard against every madman willing to suicide himself. We try to limit Alia's public appearances. Are we sure she was the target? In these times, anyone in the royal family could be vulnerable. I seem to recall times not long ago that were not so different. - And we survived them. - As we will survive them again. I heard the voices in the crowd calling out Muad'Dib. We don't know where he's from or what his motives are. They say he calls himself the Preacher. The people think he's Paul, don't they, Stil, this Preacher? - Some do. Some need to. - What do you think? His kind are blown in from the desert every day. Messianic vagabonds. And Alia's priests tolerate such heresy? Her priests would like to flay him alive for the heresy he spews. But she won't allow it. "Oh," she says, "he's harmless." It's because she thinks it might be true, isn't it? Well, we hope you'll be comfortable. Let us know if you need anything. Paul's gone, my lady. He walked into the desert. Blind. Alone. Shai Hulud came for him. He is gone. I want to supervise the interrogation of those we found on the street. I'd like Gurney to go with you, if that's agreeable. - It would be my honor, Stilgar. - And my pleasure. This was their room. Alia kept it exactly as they did. We used to play here when we were little. It made us feel close to them. For a moment, you almost imagined that's who we were. Didn't you? You almost let yourself believe that we were... father and mother. It was not an unpleasant moment. I've missed so much. You've never been far from us, Grandmother. Your presence is always strong within us both. I thought we agreed to let her rest first. Seeing my grandchildren is all the rest I need. And there will be time enough for our reunion, Grandmother. Now is the time for you and your daughter. - They're complicated. - Yes. What did you expect? They're Paul's children. He would be proud. You've done well. You look... wonderful. I try my best. My people expect it. The greening of the desert is proceeding faster than I ever imagined. Paul used to say the only permanence is change. I wasn't prepared for how much the desert's retreating. Only the great mother wilderness of the south remains untouched. We still meet with some resistance. As I've noticed. Some of the older naibs have withdrawn from our council... and taken their tribes to the far regions. We're better off without them. - Some remain to attack you directly. - We know how to deal with our enemies. It must be so hard, the responsibility. The loneliness. - What can you know of loneliness? - I've had my share. Is that why you're here then, 'cause you're lonely? I came to see my grandchildren, to see you. Don't try to conceal anything from me, Mother. I can read truth in the slightest tick of human behavior. This was your gift to me, remember? It's in my blood. In my blood before I was even born, thanks to you. Don't interrupt me. I am the regent
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