Alia tramped through the halls in a profound rage, her long dark hair
streaming out behind her.
"I want to know her every movement! My mother is Bene Gesserit, and the Bene Gesserit never change! Why of all times would she choose now?"
Her attendants rushed to keep up with the regent, "My Lady," One approached, "Council is meeting, and it is being held down the opposite hall,"
"Postpone it!" Alia growled loudly. The voices inside her head were getting so loud, screaming and shouting and crying, of only it were quiet, if only she could concentrate.
"Postpone it? But my lady Regent, You yourself called this council. The rest of the council is present and waiting,"
Alia's wide mouth thinned in anger. "I am Alia, sister to Muad'dib, do not presume to tell me that which I already know!"
Alia spun on her heel, moving fast down the opposite wall, towards the council chambers; hand on the hilt of her crysknife.
~*~*~*~ That's right darling*~*~*~*~ a pompous voice inside her cooed, ~*~*~*~Show them your anger, so they shall fear you. They presume to much, these filthy fremen rats*~*~*~
Alia slowly lifted her hand from her weapon, and took deep Memnotic breaths, calming herself in the Prana Bindu trance. It took almost half a second.
She threw the doors wide, and found accusing eyes staring at her.
"Stilgar, Duncan.Irulan." She tagged on, leaving Irulan to last on purpose to show Irulan's lack of contribution to the council, and her contempt for the Bene Gesserit witch.
"Where are the twins?" Alia questioned.
"At the sietch, where they are safe." was Stilgar's stern reply.
Alia glared, "they are only young in body Stil,"
"And even the prescient can die of a lasgun or a knife in the back. The rebel tribes are frequenting the city more often; I would not put them in danger." He stated accusingly.
Duncan Idaho, The Ghola, nodded. "Intelligence suggests they would plan an assassination attempt,"
"And House Corrino?" Alia inquired pointedly, leaving her gaze lingering on Irulan purposefully before turning to listen to Duncan's response.
"Quiet. They would not risk an attack; the Saudakar forces are not strong enough for a campaign."
"The other means?" Alia added.
"They seem to be biding their time, with offers of friendship, and all gifts have a non-harmful Nature. The still-suits they sent for the twins are of fine quality," He answered.
"As we are on the subject of gifts and propositions," Irulan began, "House Utaren has been sending many gifts as well, and has proposed a marriage, with a lavish dowry,"
"For who?" Stilgar questioned, his face dubious.
"For Leto, Ayaneal offers his eldest daughter in marriage. They are close in age, her being the younger if I recall correctly."
"Chaysula, Daughter of Ayaneal's first wife, Daitrey. She was Bene Gesserit." Alia answered, disgusted. "another Bene Gesserit breeding scheme!"
"Chaysula is not Bene Gesserit. Her mother went missing before they could complete her training. Daitrey has been missing for three years." Irulan countered.
Duncan frowned. "there is a chance she had another teacher,"
Irulan shook her head in disagreement. "No, there isn't. Ayaneal has a heavy hand. It was planned that another teacher be sent, but Ayaneal forbid it, after Daitrey left he swore he would have no other Witches in his House. He violently beat both his wife and his daughter often. He almost killed Chaysula after he received the letter of proposal. We thought it best to keep the genes. Her children could be trained even if she was not."
"Ayaneal is power hungry. He seeks fortune in trade if his daughter has a hold on the empire." Duncan announced. He noticed his wife's preoccupation, and called quietly to her, "Alia, Alia, are you alright?"
her head shot up, a disoriented look upon her face for no more than a half a second until it was once more the familiar mask of impassiveness.
"I'm fine. No more than a headache. I will retire to my chambers." She got up abruptly and left.
***Alia, you're slipping.*** Irulan Thought silently as she watched the retreating figure of her sister-in-law.
"I want to know her every movement! My mother is Bene Gesserit, and the Bene Gesserit never change! Why of all times would she choose now?"
Her attendants rushed to keep up with the regent, "My Lady," One approached, "Council is meeting, and it is being held down the opposite hall,"
"Postpone it!" Alia growled loudly. The voices inside her head were getting so loud, screaming and shouting and crying, of only it were quiet, if only she could concentrate.
"Postpone it? But my lady Regent, You yourself called this council. The rest of the council is present and waiting,"
Alia's wide mouth thinned in anger. "I am Alia, sister to Muad'dib, do not presume to tell me that which I already know!"
Alia spun on her heel, moving fast down the opposite wall, towards the council chambers; hand on the hilt of her crysknife.
~*~*~*~ That's right darling*~*~*~*~ a pompous voice inside her cooed, ~*~*~*~Show them your anger, so they shall fear you. They presume to much, these filthy fremen rats*~*~*~
Alia slowly lifted her hand from her weapon, and took deep Memnotic breaths, calming herself in the Prana Bindu trance. It took almost half a second.
She threw the doors wide, and found accusing eyes staring at her.
"Stilgar, Duncan.Irulan." She tagged on, leaving Irulan to last on purpose to show Irulan's lack of contribution to the council, and her contempt for the Bene Gesserit witch.
"Where are the twins?" Alia questioned.
"At the sietch, where they are safe." was Stilgar's stern reply.
Alia glared, "they are only young in body Stil,"
"And even the prescient can die of a lasgun or a knife in the back. The rebel tribes are frequenting the city more often; I would not put them in danger." He stated accusingly.
Duncan Idaho, The Ghola, nodded. "Intelligence suggests they would plan an assassination attempt,"
"And House Corrino?" Alia inquired pointedly, leaving her gaze lingering on Irulan purposefully before turning to listen to Duncan's response.
"Quiet. They would not risk an attack; the Saudakar forces are not strong enough for a campaign."
"The other means?" Alia added.
"They seem to be biding their time, with offers of friendship, and all gifts have a non-harmful Nature. The still-suits they sent for the twins are of fine quality," He answered.
"As we are on the subject of gifts and propositions," Irulan began, "House Utaren has been sending many gifts as well, and has proposed a marriage, with a lavish dowry,"
"For who?" Stilgar questioned, his face dubious.
"For Leto, Ayaneal offers his eldest daughter in marriage. They are close in age, her being the younger if I recall correctly."
"Chaysula, Daughter of Ayaneal's first wife, Daitrey. She was Bene Gesserit." Alia answered, disgusted. "another Bene Gesserit breeding scheme!"
"Chaysula is not Bene Gesserit. Her mother went missing before they could complete her training. Daitrey has been missing for three years." Irulan countered.
Duncan frowned. "there is a chance she had another teacher,"
Irulan shook her head in disagreement. "No, there isn't. Ayaneal has a heavy hand. It was planned that another teacher be sent, but Ayaneal forbid it, after Daitrey left he swore he would have no other Witches in his House. He violently beat both his wife and his daughter often. He almost killed Chaysula after he received the letter of proposal. We thought it best to keep the genes. Her children could be trained even if she was not."
"Ayaneal is power hungry. He seeks fortune in trade if his daughter has a hold on the empire." Duncan announced. He noticed his wife's preoccupation, and called quietly to her, "Alia, Alia, are you alright?"
her head shot up, a disoriented look upon her face for no more than a half a second until it was once more the familiar mask of impassiveness.
"I'm fine. No more than a headache. I will retire to my chambers." She got up abruptly and left.
***Alia, you're slipping.*** Irulan Thought silently as she watched the retreating figure of her sister-in-law.