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fifty-four
'Listening is as powerful as speaking.'
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Love was a strange thing. A feeling that not many truly understood on a soulful level. A feeling that made you want to be with your partner until the end of time.
A feeling that you can't let go of.
"Will you always be with me?" (Y/N) murmured, smiling as Paul brushed his thumb against her cheek.
"As long as I breathe," he replied.
She chuckled softly, leaning in to place a tender kiss to his lips. "I love you."
"I love you too."
War was approaching. They knew that. They had no time. With Paul's dreams feeling more and more like a nightmare, he knew he needed to wake up.
The Fremen stalked down the sands later that evening, gathering their things to travel across the sands. Paul and (Y/N) stood with Jessica on a cliffside, watching the sun slowly lower onto the horizon.
"Reverend Mother!" one of the Fremen called. "Your palanquin is ready!"
"She says you should be coming with us," Jessica murmured to her children.
"You know I can't," Paul replied.
"She's asking why."
Paul didn't spare a glance at his mother. "Because I must continue in the North to protect you down there in the South."
"She says she can tell when you lie," Jessica said, her tone resolute.
"Tell her that's because our mother keeps spreading dangerous tales," Paul said, glancing down at her protruding stomach. "What is she saying now?"
(Y/N) hadn't said a word the entire time, merely listening to the familiar rhymthic call of a Thumper. She looked lost in thought, letting mother, son, and future daughter have a moment alone.
"She says you're blinded by love," Jessica sighed, and (Y/N)'s brows furrowed.
She heard that one.
"And she reminds you that you must reserve your skills for the most strategic alliance."
Paul turned his head away, his hand finding his wife's, thumb stroking her knuckles.
"She's also wondering why you don't believe in yourself," said his mother.
"I do believe," Paul said without hesitation. "I believe I matter to these people. I believe we're making a difference in this war. We're nearly at the gates of the city."
"That's not what she means," Jessica softly said, her tone stern.
"I know what she means," replied Paul.
"Do you not think that I also feel the weight of the prophecy--"
"It's not a prophecy," (Y/N) cut in with a small shake of her head. "It's a story."
"That you keep telling," Paul continued, "but it's not their story, it's yours. They deserve to be led by one of their own." His gaze landed on the Fremen below, a dark look crossing his features. "What your people did to this world is heartbreaking."
"We gave them something to hope for--"
Paul's voice suddenly became an angry bark, his voice echoing off the rocks. "That's not hope!"
"Reverend Mother! We have to go!" the Fremen called.
Paul chuckled bitterly, and his mother turned to him. "I'll be waiting for you," she said. Her voice suddenly shifted into that of another, as if the spirits had momentarily possessed her. "All of us..."
With that, she scaled down the mountain with a grace that transcended the danger she could bring.
Paul looked down at his hand, intertwined with (Y/N)'s. They knew a storm was brewing, but the direction they had to go into felt like it was blindsided by sands and winds alike.
But as (Y/N) looked into the fading sun, she felt determined. Like something inside was pulling her towards the right direction.
The rocks seemed to whisper, like they had a plan.
This time, she listened.
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I'm alive.
Yes, I know. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WAITING AND IT'S HERE. This was a bad chapter however because I'm not in the groove and currently hyperfixate on like.... four other stories right now.
BUT I'M BAAAAAAACK.
I will be doing some cuts of the movie to make the story flow more smoothly, also because Rabban scenes just SUCK for the plot in this book.