PROPHECY | Paul Atreides

CHAPTER 2

My parents were already sitting at the table, waiting for me to have breakfast, when I arrived. We couldn't always do it, but Duke Carson Zartremen had an unspoken rule that everything that was not urgent could be postponed until after the family moment.

A complex man was my father. One whose complexities I had to navigate to affirm the correct future.

-Father -I greeted, sitting next to him and offering my mother a smile.

-Why do I have the feeling that my favorite daughter has something to say? -he commented, taking a sip of his special tea.

-I'm your only daughter -I scoffed as I grabbed my own mug.

-You are disturbed. Those dreams again? -my mother asked with a frown.

Her Bene Gesserit training allowed her to perceive my emotions, since it was not very common for me to try hard to block them. Of course, she didn't know what exactly I was dreaming about, but everyone knew that I had nightmares, it had been like that for as long as I could remember.

-It's nothing, mother -I assured her, trying to reassure her-. Fear kills the mind - I recited, remembering her teachings-. I have faced my fear. They don't affect me as much as they used to.

-But you have changed your decision to accompany your father.

-I have -I confirmed and I could hear my father sigh.

I could feel his emotions. He wasn't surprised, but he was disappointed. It wasn't the first time I changed plans, nor would it be the last. However, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty about it. I knew that I was taking advantage of them and their trust in me, and I also knew that if they knew the truth they would hand me over to Paul Atreides.

They loved me and knew of my commitment to our people. They wanted my happiness and security, and that was why they trusted my decisions. They were aware that these were prophetic visions and believed that I would make the best decision for our family.

The Zartremen control the planet Zarach. Our power rivals that of the Emperor, the Harkonnen, and the Atreides. We have the best military and mentat schools, the devotion of our people and many of the great minds reside under our dominions. Nobody wanted to go to war against us, the risk of losing was too high, but at the same time, unlike the Atreides, the emperor did not see us as a risk to his empire.

My father was admired, but it was also widely known that he did not take political and military risks if he could help it. He liked power, and he would try to earn more, but never if it meant putting at risk what he had already achieved. He made safe bets and going against the emperor was not one of them.

My parents would choose my well-being a thousand times over power, I was more than aware of that. That was why my father had allowed me to choose my future husband, he trusted that I would choose what was best for our town and hopefully someone who would make me happy. He didn't know that I couldn't have children with someone who wasn't my soulmate. If it were up to me, he would never know, because he would never allow me to be the last of our bloodline. If he knew the truth, the only thing he could see would be the power and the fact that the Kwisatz Haderach is the person who will love me like no one else...The only one who could make his daughter happy.

My father had never cared about death and suffering, and he especially wouldn't care when he could tell himself that Paul was to blame and not him. He definitely wouldn't have a problem with that when it assured him the perpetuity of his House and the ability to stand above others without any apparent risk.

He wouldn't understand my position or the pain that fate would cause me, nor would my mother. I was acutely aware that my mother was more like Lady Jessica than she would ever admit. Knowing that she had given birth to the Tamim Alum, and that my soulmate was the Kwisatz Haderach, would fill her with pride.

My mother loved me enough to oppose the Bene Gesserit when they had ordered her to hand me over for training. She was important enough among the sisterhood to achieve her goal. She had trained me herself and it was a good thing because my innate ability could have been seen as a threat. I was more powerful than any other and my mother hadn't had much to teach me. It came naturally to me, which it wasn't. If she hadn't mentioned anything about it to the others, it was because she knew the risk she would put me in by doing so. Her pride in having such an exceptional daughter was not enough to endanger the daughter she had sworn to protect and loved madly. However, she wouldn't be on my side either when she knew the whole truth. Being a proud mother would no longer feel like she was acting against my happiness and security.

They represented a danger. One that I worked tirelessly to eradicate. So far everything had gone perfectly for me, and I hoped it would continue to happen that way.

Paul Atreides could not have the power of the Zartremen on his side.