Title: The Prophet's Words
Author: broken mind
Rating: PG – PG 13
Notes: This is my very own fictional approach to the Dune Saga. It is set three years after the end of the movie "Children of Dune". I have not read the books.
Disclaimer: Everything in here is fully fictional. No copyright infringement is intended. The characters, except Saellyn, belong to their respective owners. A lack of canon and knowledge of the "Dune"-Saga may be forgiven.
The Prophet's Words
Leto Atreides stood on the balcony, looking out onto the crowd that had assembled in the streets of Arakeen. It had been three years since the day that his sister Ghanima had married Prince Farad'n of the house of Corrino and the death of his father. His skin itched where the rough plates of worm crust were attached to his very flesh. It had spread, slowly at first, but throughout the last year, it had covered almost every part of his upper body and left leg. His face was only partially covered but he felt that it would not take much longer for him to fully transform into the desert creature that he had seen in his visions.
This was the first day of his return. And Ghanima had been so happy to finally have him back with her. They had exchanged embraces but not after long, Ghanima had returned to Farad'n. Love had developed within a few months, although the princess had anticipated it to take many years. And now, that Saellyn, her childhood friend from the Sietch, had come to accompany her and Farad'n on their trip to Corrino, Ghanima felt happy for the first time since their father died.
---
And Leto felt happy, too. He hadn't seen Saellyn in long years. The only thing he remembered about her was her smile. He had first met her when they arrived in the Sietch Tabr. Of course, Saellyn was too young to understand who he was, or why they had come at first. But when the years passed, all three of them, Ghanima, Leto and Saellyn grew as close as siblings. They grew up together, knowing nothing else. Stilgar, their guardian, and the Princess Irulan watched over them, trying to protect them from harm. But living in the desert was hard and from time to time, they all suffered the harsh storms and dry days. But together, they had endured these times.
Saellyn had been a small girl then, with black hair, cut short like a boy's. Throughout the years, her hair had grown longer and longer. She had grown, too. She had grown into a beautiful young woman, just like Ghanima. But they were so different. His sister had long blond hair and grey eyes, putting aside the effect of Spice. Saellyn had black hair and green eyes. What was most surprising to Leto was the fact that Saellyn never used Spice. Her eyes remained dark green although she inhaled the airborne Spice just like the other Fremen. Leto once asked her about that, but she gave him no answer, only a glance. With this glance she told him more than she had intended, for he had seen parts of her future and of his as well. She seemed to know who he was and what he would become, and didn't show any signs of fright at all. "Are you not afraid?" Leto asked. "Are you?" Saellyn asked back. Leto shook his head. "No, I do not fear this change." "Then I won't fear it, too." She grasped his hand with her own and squeezed it slightly.
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Inama nushif. Al asir hiy ayish. Lia-anni, zaratha zarati. (She is eternal. No malice can touch. Singular and ageless. perpetually bound.)
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And now the three of them were finally united again. Three years after Ghanima had thought Leto dead and returned to Arakis with Irulan to marry Prince Farad'n, three years after Paul Atreides, Muad'Dib had been assassinated, three years after his father's sister had killed herself. More than three years without the captivating smile of his closest friend, without her strength and trust in him. But he knew that in his current condition, he could not see her. She had seen that would become of him, and yet he feared that she might not understand. He recalled her brave words and smiled. At the same time, his heart was heavy with sadness, for he had to go away again. He could not risk getting into the way of the ongoing actions. He had promised his dying father to undo the things that had been done in his name and he would not break this promise. But he hoped that he could return before Saellyn would have to leave again. With one last long glance towards the main house, he turned and left.
Saellyn had been born in a Sietch called Pajt, but during a raid of the Spacing Guild, everyone had been killed, except for her. Stilgar had found her and taken her to the Sietch Tabr, where Irulan, Muad'Dib's wife, wed to him for political reasons, already watched over the twins, who had been taken to this Sietch after the attempted assassination of their father and themselves. Irulan, now completely alone since Muad'Dib went away to die in the desert, had been glad to have this new duty. And she didn't mind raising another child. And for the first time, she felt what it meant to be loved by someone. All three children loved her. Ghanima and Leto, having the knowledge of many generations before them, knew what had happened on the day of their birth and what their father had experienced. But they also knew that Irulan had have reasons for that. Saellyn loved her because she never felt the loving touch of a mother before and thus, did not remember anything else.
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Being here on Arrakis, Saellyn remembered things that she could not possibly remember. She had never been anywhere but here, but she remembered the blue width of Caladan and the grey mists of Salusas Secundus where the House of Corrino was. But here on Arrakis, she had never seen anything different than the plain deserts and dunes and the never-ending fight between Fremen and the Spacing Guild. When she had looked at Leto, the Lion of Atreides, she had seen his beautiful mother Chani, and his father, the great prophet Muad'Dib. She had seen him die with his very own eyes and she had seen his father die, as well as he would, soon. These visions frightened her as well as they made her stronger. She had seen things that only he remembered and things that would be forever engrained in her memory until the day the desert would take her water.
She heard his voice speak of things that would soon be done. She heard him talk about a vision of armour. The armour was not his own skin, it was stronger. Nothing could penetrate this armour, not knife or poison or sand, not the dust of the desert or its desiccating heat. In his right hand he carried the power to make the Coriolis storm, to shake the earth and erode it to nothing. His eyes were fixed upon Sacr Nabbai, the Golden Path and in his left hand he carried the sceptre of absolute mastery. And beyond the Golden Path, his eyes looked into eternity, which he knew to be the food of his soul and of his everlasting flesh.
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Saellyn watched Ghanima as she looked out onto the plains of the desert. "We must leave soon, Mylady." She said with her melodious voice. "I am your friend and not your regent, Saellyn. Call me by the name given to me by my father." Saellyn bowed her head to this and stepped closer. She extended her left hand and touched Ghanima's shoulder. The latter was shivering, although the morning was warm. "Leto runs and runs...and when he is exhausted, he'll return to me. He'll put his head in my lap and beg me to find a way for him to die." Ghanima said and from her eyes fell a sparkling tear. "Why is it his wish to die?" Saellyn asked quietly. "To save himself from the sacrifices he must make, sacrifices for the future of us all. He accepted the agony, for he had always been stronger." The Princess' reply was nearly inaudible. "I know...Ghanima...this is his fate and he chose this path." Saellyn said. "I know it, I have seen it in his eyes before we were departed long ago." She paused. "He will return sooner than you expect it. But we really must go now." Ghanima sighed and tilted her head, but followed her friend across the room and out into the long and dark corridors. Farad'n already waited at the spaceship.
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Hatt al-hudad, al-maahn al-baiid, ay-yah idare adamm malum. (Through the tempest, be it deluge or sand, a singular voice speaks through the torrent.)
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The stay on Corrino was boring and nerve-racking, for the people there were still afraid of the reign of the new Holy Regent of the House Atreides. The memory of Alia would forever be engrained in the minds of the people and the thought of the threat was still very prominent. Since the sudden death of the leader of the Spacerguild about twenty-three years, space had become a more peaceful area. But still, only heavily armed ships dared to travel long distances. Their own ship, a first-class freighter, was heavily armed, too. Farad'n had insisted on this. Did he still fear the wrath of his mother who he had banished into exile on the day he asked for Ghanima's hand? She had been missing ever since, but Farad'n knew that she would plot against them in the darkness of her own terrors.
They stayed for 2 days and left in the earliest hours of morning on the third day. Ghanima was anxious to get home. Saellyn's words had been a comfort and now she hoped to find Leto still there, waiting for her. During the flight, all three of them were quiet and in Saellyn's face, Ghanima could read what she so long had suspected. "He will return, Seallyn. But I am not sure if you still like the form he has taken now." "I did not fear this change when he showed me, and I will not fear now." The black-haired girl said. "I know that your brother cannot stay in one place, for he seeks to end the desert's dying, but I hope that his time here includes me as well." Ghanima put a hand onto her shoulder. "I think so, dear friend."
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Back in the palace on Arakeen, Ghanima and Saellyn stood in the chamber that once belonged to Alia, the former Holy Regent. The room was empty and menacing. Ghanima sighed and said: "I sometimes miss Duncan Idaho. He had been a close friend of my mother and my father." "Where is he?" Saellyn asked. "Stilgar killed him three years ago. It was necessary. He was married to my aunt, Alia." Ghanima paused. "He was a kind man and he was faithful to my father, even when he died." Saellyn didn't say anything. She didn't have to. She remained calm and left the room with Ghanima after a while. The tranquillity of Arakeer was indescribable. There were no people out on the streets and no sounds in the air.
A storm was coming...
Saellyn knew what this storm would be like. She knew who this storm would be. She had known from the very first day of her new life. And she did not fear it. But she was not sure if Leto fully understand his task. Could she help him? She did not know the answer to this question, but she felt that she would know it when the time came. They went back to Ghanima's room and had a cup of hot tea. The time was passing by ever so slowly and for a moment, Saellyn thought that even the moon in his orbit around the planet had stopped moving. But this vision lasted only a second, and then a strong wind began to blow over the desert. Ghanima got up and walked over to the window, gazing outside. "Leto..." she whispered, almost inaudible, but Saellyn heard it. Her heartbeat quickened and a feeling thought lost long ago conquered her heart. She was happy.
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Inama nishuf al a sadarr eann zaratha zarati. Kali bakka a tishuf ahatt, al hudad alman dali. (Forever her voice sings through the ages eternally bound. Sacrifice is her gift, one that cannot be equalled.)
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When Leto returned, Ghanima felt that he was not going to stay. Her heart was heavy with fear and regret for her brother, but she understood that Leto had a task to accomplish. And she also knew that she could not stop him. She would not stop him. After she had kissed him and embraced him, she had retreated to another room. Saellyn and Leto were alone. At first, she hesitated to touch him, but the longing was too strong and they embraced. For long moments they stood there, curled up in each other's arms, enjoying the peace of the moment. Then she released him and leant back a little, to look him into the eyes. "Ghani knows that you have to leave..." she said with a low voice. Leto gazed at her. He lifted a hand and brushed a strand of sleek black hair out of her face. Then he touched her face, letting his fingers trail from her forehead down the side of her cheek, over her lips and down her chin where they rested for a few seconds. Saellyn had closed her eyes but now opened them again. She felt Leto's warm breath on her skin.
"I have missed you, Saellyn." He sighed. "You know so many things where others only guess..." "I don't know these things, Leto. You know them, and once shared your knowledge with me. I only know what you know. And it is just now that we both know this one thing. You may have eternity, but I have only now." The young man winced at her words. "My mother said this to my father..." Saellyn quietened him with a glance. She lifted her hand and softly touched the plates of worm crust on his arms, chest and neck. Leto bent his head down and carefully placed his lips on hers. In this moment, both felt that time had stopped in its current flow. "I read your heart and you know that. You can read mine, too, if you just let go." She whispered with her eyes closed, still lingering in the warm feeling of the kiss. Leto held her close and his hands felt her soft and warm skin through the thin fabric that covered her body. His fingers were cold against her skin, but even through the plates of crust he felt her warmness spread through him. Now she opened her eyes and smiled. "One door has closed, but another has opened, and on the other side, I'll be, waiting for you."
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Inama nushif. Al asir hiy ayish. Lia-anni, zaratha zarati. (She is eternal. No malice can touch. Singular and ageless. perpetually bound.)
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Saellyn had let him go. Leto knew that he would always remember her the way she was in the very moment their souls connected. He felt that he could never come back to this place as the person he used to be. The change was nearly complete. And when he came back, all living things that he knew would be already gone. But his duty at hand was something that all living things would be forever thankful for: He would save the desert.
"I hear the wind blowing across the desert and I see the moons of a winter night rising like great ships in the void. To them I make my vow: I will be resolute and make an art of government; I will balance my inherited past and become a perfect storehouse of my relic memories. And I will be known for kindliness more than for knowledge. My face will shine down the corridors of time for as long as humans exist. I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it is past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."
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History is written on the sands of Arrakis. But the story of Leto Atreides, the lion and desert creature, is far from over.