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have withdrawn from our council...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