DUNE-A False Haderach (OC X Shishakli) (OC x Alia)

Part 20

Chapter 11

LADY JESSICA

Jessica led their guest out of the castle, her steps small and measured as he walked behind her. Her mind raced as she thought of her suspicion, as her thoughts churned on how she may bring it up.

In the solar, he had used the Voice. And he had used it masterfully, focusing it only on her, his ability and control over the prowess rivalled that of a Reverend Mother, strengthening her conjecture that this person was none other than the child of Anirul Corrino, a Prince of the realm and heir to the Padishah Emperor.

The names were the same as well. She could still remember Anirul's last whisper as she had laid the little boy in that ship. With tearful eyes and a heavy heart, she apologized for her weakness as Jessica stood guard, and Anirul named the abomination as a last bit of resistance, going against the sisterhood's tradition.

'Inzal' she had whispered, and the little boy had not cried at his fate, nor he had used the Voice as he had previously. He could have tried, she had witnessed him dismantle several members of the sisterhood with her own eyes, yet he would do nothing to them as if recognising Anirul's agony and misery, as she went against everything the order had instilled in her over the years, and Jessica accompanied her in this act of resistance. Anirul would lay him down in the small ship, along with some supplies, before walking away.

'Forgive me for my weakness.' She would whisper to the child, with teary eyes.

And with that, she had sent it into the skies, the pod small enough to evade major security measures as the Queen had turned back towards her and spoken in a heartfelt tone.

'Thank you for this, Jessica.'

The Queen had offered her unsolicited aid in the future, a favor that she could cash in at any time. And she would use it, once she had decided to give Leto a son, she had sought Anirul's aid and had been welcomed at Kaitain, away from the probing eyes of the sisterhood and Leto's enemies.

"It has been quite some time since I last saw you, Lady Jessica," he broke the silence. Her heart leapt at those words, and her step faltered as she glanced back. Yet she did not respond she needed to see more, and perhaps realizing her thought process he continued.

"I do hope you recall me, even though you were but an apprentice at the time," and she stopped at those words, her suspicion now confirmed as she turned around to face him.

"It truly is you," she gasped, and he smiled as he nodded his head.

"It is," he answered. She glanced at the guards and ordered them to take a step back, which they did, leaving them alone.

"How?" she questioned, and he shrugged as he leaned back against the wall.

"Luck, I would say. After languishing in space for days, the pod crashed into this sandy planet. The landing broke the pod, exposing me to its sweltering heat, and just as I had thought all of it over, I was rescued by Fremen, and the rest, well, it's a long story," he said as he smiled at her.

And she could see Anirul's features in him, features of the Queen whom she had called a sister for reasons that went beyond their order, the sister who had died taking a knife meant for her.

"I see you gave birth to a son. The sisterhood wouldn't have been happy about that," he said, and she gulped as she was reminded that this young boy infront of her was not a simple boy. He was blessed with the memories of Reverend Mothers and knew of secrets that even she was not privy to

He knew of her orders and of their powers to determine a child's gender. He knew that she had gone against the sisterhood's orders in giving Leto a son, in denying the order their long sought Kwisatz.