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. Messianicvagabonds. 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 Some of the older naibs have withdrawn from our council...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 of this empire. I rule in Paul's name for his children. I am the supreme authority here. You abandoned me... to fend for myself after Paul died. I was only 15, Mother. You had Stilgar. You had Duncan. You had the Council of Naibs. No one could challenge you. You knew how I felt about this place. And yet here you are, after all these years, to judge me. Just like that wicked Bene Gesserit bitch who taught you. - We were right to kill her. - Abomination. Abomination. That's what she called me. - Alia, I can't undo the past. - But I can influence the future. Paul taught me that well enough. That's what you're afraid of, isn't it? You're afraid I have Paul's vision, his power. No, my darling. I am afraid that you will get lost trying to achieve it. I hate you. I love you. I will never forgive you. Blasphemers! Idolaters! You fool yourselves... with images of things you cannot possibly understand. You cripple yourselves with these toads... of ritual and ceremony. They give you only fear. And in return... you give them obedience. But I give you a warning. Those who accept self-deception... shall perish by that self-deception. And those who pray for dew at the desert's edge... shall bring forth the deluge. Milady. Don't torture yourself. He's mad. He's a mere thunderclap in the night, startling for a moment, then gone. And if I asked you to kill him, would you? I
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