The Atreides Twins

Chapter 8

We rode through the day and night to reach the sietch where my brother was, barely beating my mother into the room where they had Paul laying. Someone noticed me enter with Duncan and Chani and pulled my mother back to allow us the space we needed. "The fremen say he has gone into a holy trance to see our path for the upcoming war we are to fight," my mother said as Chani leaned down and placed a kiss on his lips. When she pulled back I could see the confused look on her face as she tasted the waters and spice still on his lips from when he had drank. She looked to me and could see the pained look I wore as I stared at him. "They are partially right mother," I said turning to look at her. I whispered something to an attendant I recognized from the day I had take the waters myself and changed them. I turned back to my brother as Chani wiped the sweat from his brow and knelt down beside him. "Why did you do this without me brother," I whispered as the attendant returned with a bowl of the waters still remaining from what Paul had drank. "What are you doing?" my mother asked urgently, but I simply ignored her as I soaked some of the water up with a rag and began letting it drip into his mouth. She began to try and fight her way over to us, but was stopped by Chani as I worked over Paul. After a few moments, he shot up in the air with a gasp staring at the ceiling. His eyes were now the full blue on blue like mine and the fremen, showing that his body was now saturated with spice. I grabbed his hand and whispered to him, gently helping him lay back down. Once he had his breath he looked up to me and carefully wiped away the stray tear that had fallen. "It had to be this way, I'm sorry," he said to me and I knew what he meant to happen now. Duncan helped me move back and our mother took my spot next to him now kneeling. Duncan led me out of the room to allow Paul and my mother to speak about what had just occurred and I knew he would show her his visions. Once out of the sight of everyone I broke down in tears knowing this action he had taken had probably spared my life for now, but it broke my heart knowing one day I would have to let my brother go. 

**Time skip**

We had made it back in time for the council meeting that was to take place, but just barely. Paul and I rushed into the chamber where the council members were gathered as they discussed what the next steps were to be. Everyone went silent though as their faces all turned to where we stood. I took a seat next to Stil remaining silent as was required of me and letting Paul take the lead on what was to happen. Everyone whispered as they watched Paul take a spot on the center dais still watching the naib's of every remaining sietch. They looked expectantly and I knew what they were waiting for, but Paul would be denying them the thing they wanted. I couldn't listen to what was happening knowing this path that Paul chose would lead him to his death, a death I was supposed to share with him. The yells of protest began but still I ignored everyone talking even my brother. Soon yells of cheers rang through the chamber  and I knew the decision had been made. Paul would not call out Stilgar as was expected of him, but he would lead the fighters in taking back Arrakis from not only the Harkonnen but also the emperor. We all knew who ever controlled the spice controlled the empire and Paul had every intention of rewriting history not only on this planet but in every planet under the control of the emperor. Duncan helped me stand once the council had been called to an end and we made our way to where our new quarters were in this sietch. Just as we were about to exit the chamber a pain ripped through my body causing me to double over. Duncan quickly caught me and Paul ran to my side with Chani close behind. "The baby he's coming," I managed to say as I gritted my teeth waiting for the pain to pass. Duncan quickly lifted me and followed Chani to our quarters where only she, Paul, and Duncan would be allowed while I gave birth. My mother stood outside of the door with Stil listening to my cries of pain as I progressed. It had been hours that I laid there waiting for when my body was ready to give birth. Soon Chani told me to begin pushing and as I did I could feel my body begin to give out, "Just a little more my love and he will soon be in our arms." Duncan now sat behind me and when Chani told me to I pushed as hard as I could holding on to Duncan for leverage. Just as the baby cleared I was immediately pulled into a vision and my body went limp in Duncan's arms. Chani was quick to react getting the baby safely out and taking him to be cleaned while Duncan and my brother tried to wake me. My eyes slowly opened and Duncan could see the fear there, Paul came to the realization of what was happening. "So much blood, so much death," I cried out as the vision pulled me deeper and deeper into the place where women were not supposed to go. I began to have visions from all points of view, not just the women who came before me, but the men too. Paul talked to Duncan and Chani letting them know what was happening as my body went limp again and my eyes shut. "She has been awakened," he said stoically, praying that his choices had changed my future. 

Days past but I remained stuck within the visions seeing all possible futures and all the paths that led to them. Searching for even a ray of hope that some how I could stop what was coming. I could hear the voices of those around me in the physical world at times and I knew if I didn't stop this soon, the decision would be made to take my water and Chani would become the next reverend mother once her son was born. Another day passed before I finally opened my eyes, met with a very worried Duncan and my brother who now held his son in his arms while Duncan held ours. "Chani is going filet me for missing his birth," I said hoarsely shocking everyone out of the quiet state they sat in. I gave my brother a knowing and sad look as I was examined and it was determined I was ok. I held my son for the first time and we all, including Chani now, sat in peace for the short time we would have to do so before the chaos would begin to unfold. After some time and once both of the boys were asleep Duncan and Chani both left, allowing Paul and I to speak about what had happened. "Why didn't you tell me," I asked once everyone had left. Paul sat closer to me on the bed and held my hand. "You know why," he said quietly. He knew I would have done everything short of awakening my own child in the womb to stop him. "We were supposed to do this together, I can't live in a world without you in it Paul," I said choking back the tears I felt trying to come forward. He moved to hold me in his arms and whispered to me, "We may be twins, but you are still my baby sister with Alia and its my job to keep you safe, I couldn't let you die." He stayed for awhile longer and I discussed with him the visions that I saw before finally late into the night he left. Duncan returned after that holding our son in his arms still sleeping. I looked at them both adoringly and just hoped we could make it through this all together somehow unscathed. I knew that would be impossible though and over the course of the next year that was proven to me over and over again.