Paul waited for Alia in his quarters. When she walked in he greeted her
with a hug.
"How are you?" Paul asked her.
"You saw how me in Council. You should know," Alia said.
"I mean how my sister is. Not how is St Alia of the Knife," Paul said, holding her at arms length.
"I am well. Have you heard from Duncan lately since he went into the desert?"
"He gave a report a little while ago. The Naib he is investigating does not seem to be against us."
"Good."
"And he also said he will back soon and for his wife not to worry."
"I wil try not to. But you asked me to come here for another reason other than to say hello and tell me that."
"You know me too well."
Alia nodded and smiled.
"I wanted to speak with you about Wensicia. I don't think she wants peace either."
"No. Just to have a piece of the Empire to share."
"She will not have that. And you will go to her privately and tell her this."
"You don't wish for me to eliminate her. I'll have her come here. I have other duties here I cannot leave behind."
"I thought that's what you would do. I'm sure you know what to tell her. Now, if you'll excuse me, Chani and I are to meet right after this. We are done here right?" Paul said.
"Yes. But, be safe Paul. The Fremen see you as Muad'dib. I see you as my big brother still. I never wish to change that," Alia said as he turned to go.
"You'll always be my little sister. We know each other well. Probably like twins. But Alia, don't search too hard for the future. Sometimes it hurts to see it too much," Paul said, leaving.
Alia looked in front of her and an expression of pain and fear crossed her face. What had he seen about her? Surely something just now, otherwise he probably wouldn't have said that. She went over to the bed and ran her hands over the hangings on the bed. She yearned to see what he had seen just then.
Stilgar headed down the hall to the princess Irulan's room. He had never spoken to her often, but this was important. He stepped past the guards as he entered.
"Stilgar, what a surprise. What did I do to deserve your presence?" Irulan asked.
"A message for you my lady. From the Bene Gesserit and your sister Wensicia," Stilgar said.
"From them both? My sister does not often send messages to me. I wonder what the Bene Gesserit could want?" Irulan said.
"Something not good. It never is my lady. But if you will excuse me, I will leave. The place where your messages are is with your guards outside. When you wish to see them, ask them to take you there," Stilgar said turning to leave.
"Stilgar wait. I've never spoken to you much, but I know you are a good person. I know you'll tell Paul . . . Muad'dib about this. I don't blame you. He should know if they ask me to do something against him. Tell him I said that will you?"
"I will my lady. I'm glad to hear you don't wish any harm to Muad'dib. I know I don't."
Stilgar left with Irulan staring after him. Why had he been sent to tell her that instead of someone else like a messenger? She ran outside and ran to catch up to him.
"Stilgar, why were you sent to me instead of a messenger?" she asked.
"I had known the messenger was made to kill you for some time now. I only waited for the right time to make my move against him. He is dead now. I did it for your safety my lady," Stilgar responded.
"Thank you. I would think anyone else would not care."
"Goodbye my lady," Stil said, leaving again.
She went back to her room, having her answer.
"How are you?" Paul asked her.
"You saw how me in Council. You should know," Alia said.
"I mean how my sister is. Not how is St Alia of the Knife," Paul said, holding her at arms length.
"I am well. Have you heard from Duncan lately since he went into the desert?"
"He gave a report a little while ago. The Naib he is investigating does not seem to be against us."
"Good."
"And he also said he will back soon and for his wife not to worry."
"I wil try not to. But you asked me to come here for another reason other than to say hello and tell me that."
"You know me too well."
Alia nodded and smiled.
"I wanted to speak with you about Wensicia. I don't think she wants peace either."
"No. Just to have a piece of the Empire to share."
"She will not have that. And you will go to her privately and tell her this."
"You don't wish for me to eliminate her. I'll have her come here. I have other duties here I cannot leave behind."
"I thought that's what you would do. I'm sure you know what to tell her. Now, if you'll excuse me, Chani and I are to meet right after this. We are done here right?" Paul said.
"Yes. But, be safe Paul. The Fremen see you as Muad'dib. I see you as my big brother still. I never wish to change that," Alia said as he turned to go.
"You'll always be my little sister. We know each other well. Probably like twins. But Alia, don't search too hard for the future. Sometimes it hurts to see it too much," Paul said, leaving.
Alia looked in front of her and an expression of pain and fear crossed her face. What had he seen about her? Surely something just now, otherwise he probably wouldn't have said that. She went over to the bed and ran her hands over the hangings on the bed. She yearned to see what he had seen just then.
Stilgar headed down the hall to the princess Irulan's room. He had never spoken to her often, but this was important. He stepped past the guards as he entered.
"Stilgar, what a surprise. What did I do to deserve your presence?" Irulan asked.
"A message for you my lady. From the Bene Gesserit and your sister Wensicia," Stilgar said.
"From them both? My sister does not often send messages to me. I wonder what the Bene Gesserit could want?" Irulan said.
"Something not good. It never is my lady. But if you will excuse me, I will leave. The place where your messages are is with your guards outside. When you wish to see them, ask them to take you there," Stilgar said turning to leave.
"Stilgar wait. I've never spoken to you much, but I know you are a good person. I know you'll tell Paul . . . Muad'dib about this. I don't blame you. He should know if they ask me to do something against him. Tell him I said that will you?"
"I will my lady. I'm glad to hear you don't wish any harm to Muad'dib. I know I don't."
Stilgar left with Irulan staring after him. Why had he been sent to tell her that instead of someone else like a messenger? She ran outside and ran to catch up to him.
"Stilgar, why were you sent to me instead of a messenger?" she asked.
"I had known the messenger was made to kill you for some time now. I only waited for the right time to make my move against him. He is dead now. I did it for your safety my lady," Stilgar responded.
"Thank you. I would think anyone else would not care."
"Goodbye my lady," Stil said, leaving again.
She went back to her room, having her answer.