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English
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Seasons of Drabbles - Spring Round 2025
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Published:
2025-05-15
Completed:
2025-05-15
Words:
200
Chapters:
2/2
Comments:
7
Kudos:
9
Bookmarks:
1
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126

By the Princess Irulan

Summary:

Excerpts from the Princess Irulan‘s writing on Muad‘Dib, specifically “A Child’s History of Muad’Dib” and some private reflections.
(Draws pretty much only on the original Dune.)

Notes:

Written for Seasons of Drabbles - Spring Round 2025.
The request by human_dreamer_etcetera made me immediately think of the small excerpts of Princess Irulan‘s various writings that frame the narrative of Dune, which are often almost Drabbles!
Getting my book back out, I was specifically struck by the excerpts from “A Child’s History of Muad’Dib”, which I cannot imagine as anything else but a work of propaganda put out by Paul‘s imperial household to indoctrinate children across the universe to view the new Atreides rule as benevolent and righteous.
I also wanted to write something that more immediately centres Irulan‘s voice and the shitty situation she finds herself in, hence another small excerpt from what the original novel frames and Private Reflections, which I imagine were not meant for publication.

Chapter 1: From “A Child’s History of Muad’Dib” by the Princess Irulan

Chapter Text

You have heard the story of Muad‘Dib‘s sister. You have read how she, standing alone, conquered Sardaukar as a child of four, and you have wondered: What power guided her knife hand?
From earliest childhood, St. Alia-of-the-Knife stood apart from other children. On Arrakis, they shrank from her ancient wisdom in fear. Yet there was no malice in her: Her very first words were to greet her nurse with tender love, even as the myriad consciousnesses of the old Reverend Mothers roiled within her.
The Lady Jessica thus came to understand that this awakening was a blessing, not a curse.