PROPHECY | Paul Atreides

CHAPTER 3

The Kwisatz Haderach should not have been born in this generation. The Bene Gesserit have their plans within plans, and many would swear they do it for power, and in fact they control many matters from the shadows, but the Reverend Mothers remember their true mission. The Kwisatz Haderach must be born at the right time, only then will the world know peace. The vision of that kind man, whom they could advise, has guided the brotherhood through the centuries. But the path to that future is unique, in all the others a dark version lurks. A version of him that must not be born. That is the true goal of the Bene Gesserit.

Lady Jessica had a boy, when she was ordered to have only daughters, and that ruined everything. Born Harkonnen, a fact unknown to her, she united the two Great Houses before the correct time and brought to life the man who would destroy everything in his path.

The Kwisatz Haderach, but not the right one.

Perhaps it was out of love for the duke or the ambition of a powerful Bene Gesserit to be the mother of the chosen one, or perhaps it was simply fate intervening again. What matters is that he was born because of that decision, and I followed him shortly after. Our destinies are intertwined, that is well known to those who know the real visions of the Kwisatz Haderach.

My mother was supposed to have a son and she tried to have one, but I was born. One of the most powerful Bene Gesserit had not been able to control something as simple as that. It wasn't lack of skill on her part, it was fate. I was to be born, heiress to House Zartremen; The Atreides had never been able to have children with those who possessed the blood of my House. The sisterhood had long ago given up and they stopped trying on crossing our bloodlines, even though they considered it a loss, considering the power of the Zartremen and the Atreides.

I was the only one who could give children to Paul Atreides and he was the only one for me. It would be the first union of our houses and it was meant to be. One more sign that he was the Kwisatz Haderach and I was the Tamim Alum, the hidden perfection that should remain that way.

That I existed was a sign of the sisterhood's failure. Some saw the signs, but others, others refused to accept defeat.

There are always dissidents, and the Bene Gesserit are no exception. Some did not see the possibility of this dark version of the chosen one as a problem, they considered him the true savior of the universe. They saw him as the one who would take away the power struggles with his presence. And, in fact, his existence could be considered that way, considering that he would be the only emperor who would reign for eternity. He could not die or be defeated. He would bring suffering to millions, but the wheel of power between the Great Houses would cease to exist and only he would remain. Many saw the stability of an eternal reign as the future to follow and that explained the religions that did not speak of a single chosen one, but also mentioned the woman at his side.

The Fremen believed that Lisan al Gaib would guide them to a green paradise. He was their messiah, but there was also murmuring about the hidden light he would have to find to take them to paradise.

Noor al Gaib, the light hidden between the stars.

Lisan al Gaib would lead them towards a war they saw as necessary, but she represented love to the Fremen. Someone untouchable who should be admired, who would always advocate for the well-being of her people, and who would make their messiah pleased. Unlike the Lisan al Gaib, she would not know their customs as if they were her own, but it was their sacred duty to care for her and protect her as if she were one of their own.

I would never be Noor al Gaib. I couldn't let that happen, so I decided to go to the Reverend Mother with my fears and prophetic visions. That night I didn't dream, and I knew it was the right thing to do. It became clear to me that there were already plans to get rid of the imminent danger, but my warnings would help not to underestimate it.

I was afraid that they would also decide to get rid of me to avoid that future. It wasn't that I was selfish and didn't want to die, I would give my life to avoid that terrible future. The problem was that I had decided to be radical and commit suicide so that he could not access all his prophesied abilities.

Taking away the happiness and love that I would bring him had not been a good idea. That night I went to sleep fully prepared to say goodbye to my family the next day and enjoy it as if it were my last. I woke up screaming, the dreams even worse than they had been before. I knew it was a warning, that he didn't know about me or my decisions yet, but someday he would. If I chose this path, he would leave only ashes. There would not be a life left after he ended his own life. There was no world he wanted to live in if I was gone, but that didn't mean he wouldn't take everyone with him as revenge for my actions.

Sometimes it gave me a headache thinking about it, but it was like a version of him had made those decisions just for me to see them and change my choice. Prophetic abilities were something that should not be analyzed too much, or one would risk losing one's sanity. I only saw things related to him, and that gave me impressive power, but he would see everything... Unless he lost his life first.

Paul Atreides must die. Him being alive was a risk, whether I was still in this world or not.