OOC- Dave collaboration
Abigail was rather surprised, they didn't expect to be recieving money from anyone. The Bene Gesserit sisterhood was wealthy enough, its major noble houses had seen the impending collapse of their homeland and moved early enough to ensure their considerable wealth went with them. Since then they'd invested well and the Sisterhood had fingers in many financial pies. They'd been able to fund much of the Truthsayer activities out of the donations they recieved from those well connected nobles and the schools themselves managed to do rather well on the charity of the rest of the community. "Please pass on our thanks to His Majesty" Abigail and her husband shook her hand warmly.
Once the spice chest was placed in the centre of the room things returned to normal with people having food and drinks while mingling. Many of the Truthsayers were gathering around Kirstin keen to hear about what was going on in Seitch. Alisha was busy telling the more senior Missionara of her success perhaps with the Tamorans and a buzz of anticipation was beginning to fill the room. It was as though most people knew each other and a friendly atmosphere was building as most couldn't believe what they were about to see. A fanfare of bugles played and the door at the far end swung open. The room fell silent as a woman wearing a long black robe with a large gold chain around her neck entered. Her hood was pulled up, it was green and deep hiding her face. "The Reverned Mother" a few voices whispered around the room.
"WOOO!!" A voice bellowed through the hall, "The Reverned Mother, the main lady" a single set of hands applauded, "Come on folks, its the boss lady, the big cheese, the top dog." It was
Alex Redfern the King of East Moreland's brother in law. He walked towards the human corridor that had been made for the Reverned Mother. "This stuff is lovely" he took a glass of wine off a stunned steward, "and I must say Duke Niklaus, what a lovely place you have" he was speaking loudly before draining the wine glass. "Now I'm here to bring a message from the King of East Moreland." he reached into his suit pocket and brought out a piece of paper, "Have you seen this
man?" he showed a few people the picture as he approached the Reverned Mother, a pair of Truthsayers stood in front of him blocking his path. "Good evening ladies" Alex said calmly as he once more reached into his pocket. "If you wouldn't mind giving Her Holiness, or Her Evilness, whatever you want to call her this." he handed a creamy enevelope over, "Its an arrest warrant for the man we call James Gillespie. Helus only knows what you guys call him. We want him, he's technically absent without leave and that is not on." Alex shook his head. " I had plans for him, we had a weekend skiing booked and he owes me his depost" Alex was glancing around the room seeing who was present. "Duchess Alys" Alex spotted the former Duchess of Marseille, "Seems you just find yourself attracted to terrorist religions don't you" He asked rhetorically as he turned away from the Reverned Mother. "Anyway my purpose here is done" he bowed in a circle towards everyone before heading towards the door, "Please enjoy your evenings" and with that the Morelander was gone leaving the room in a kind of stunned silence.
Erin hadn't expected a scene and wondered exactly how Redfern had got in, but it was always a chance someone would make an uninvited appearence, the state was vast and Ui Cenneslaig was a rather open country, espeically for their fellow CNN members. She regained her composure as the hushed talking around the hall began. " Sadly we have no time to help the Morelanders with their game of hide and seek" Erin said trying her best to seem calm, the procession continued, she had four columns of people behind her, one made up of each of the branches of the Sisterhood. The women ranged from an old wrinkled woman in black walking with a stick to some recent graduates lined up in order of seniority, the more senior woman closest to the Reverned Mother.
Erin was now stood at the box, she removed from around her neck a key on a chain. "Shai Halud you have given us your flesh to allow us to find what was once lost. Through the spice we shall find our way back to the golden path and stand ready to defend humanity. We give extra thanks this day for the Truthsayers, the Defenders of the Faith who have risked much to free your Holy Birthplace from tyranny. We pray that soon we shall all return." with that she ended the box, it was lined with a white linen cloth and upon that sat a mound of spice. Erin turned to the first woman in each line and placed a pinch of the spice on their outstretched right palm, the receiver then bowed in thanks and licked their palm thus consuming the spice. They then each took a pinch and repeated the process for the woman stood behind them, it symbolised the Reverned Mother giving her wisdom and guidance to each of the branches of the Sisterhood and then each Sister in turn passing on their experience and knowledge until after about 20 repetitions of the process the youngest in each of the four services was reached. Some of those involved had tears in their eyes as they tasted the spice, for some of the older ones it had been a very long time where as the younger ones it was a first time experience. Erin herself had once sneaked into Kaitaine and made her own spice, it was a mysterious story that surrounded the Reverned Mother, the first in over 40 years, and added to her exact knowledge of Mother McKey's final words she was deemed to be a strong Reverned Mother. She savoured the taste knowing what was next. Her eyes turned white as two nearby Truthsayers caught her and lowered her to the ground. In an almost mechanical voice she began. "I see blood, a river of blood flowing across the desert" the room had formed a circle around her now. "That blood is seeping deep into the sand, deeper than anything has gone. It has found Shai Halud who now bursts forth from the desert depth roaring and snarling. Above its head I see an Eagle, its talons sharp as it sweeps behind the giant sandworm of death. I see a bear, it is standing in the path of Shai Halud and the eagle, a Jeboah is fighting the bear moving quickly nipping here and there sending the bear into a frenzy before it runs. Now the Eagle and the Sandworm approach and the bear is torn into a hundred pieces.....so much blood.......blood" Erin began muttering.
While she lay there the Truthsayers formed a protective circle around her, each holding the smooth white crystknife in their hand. The Mothers and Missionara formed themselves into little groups each discussing what was being discussed while the Honored Matres stood together, holding hands. Suddenly one of the younger ones broke the quiet muttering with singing and before long the whole Honored Matres were singing and suddenly made a move towards Kirstin hoisting her high on their shoulders and parading her around the room as slowly more and more of the Bene Gesserit began to
sing Niklaus had gathered the foreign visitors together. "In our faith songs and dance are used a lot to remember and retell past events. At the Spice Festival the Reverned Mothers vision is important, but so too is the first song of the Honored Matres. The song they sing tonight tells of the first attempt by any Truthsasyers to take back Kaitaine, it was lead by my great-great aunt or something" she wasn't sure of the full number of generations. She was captured, then escaped and lead the second rebellion against the occupiers, that too failed and she disappeared into the desert. Folklore now says she has gone searching for Shai Halud, the giant sandworm that carries away the souls of the dead and that she will come back when the Spice Harvest comes. It would seem they have determined the young Liutenant there may simply be her reincarnated or something." He knew a few of the girls, his own concubine
Niveden helping toss Kirsten into the air as they sung the chours over and over. She was a member of one of the combireligions which incorporated Mahayana Buddhist practices including a belief in reincarnation. It took a good twenty minutes for the singing to stop and Kirsten now looking rather less smart than she had before her impromptu ride began was back on the floor. Erin was now back on her feet and having been sat on a chair near the box seemed once more composed.
"Ladies and Gentleman" Erin said from her seat. "Tonight we give thanks, please drink, eat , dance, make merry and remember that as we do so here the Truthsayers of Seitch will be lighting beacons in the Red Palace of Seitch, a beacon to guide Shai Halud and the souls he has collected home." The room applauded and people broke off into couples and danced as others sought out food, it was noticable several licked their finger and stuck it in the leather pouches sucking the spice off with a great smile. Niklaus found Niveden on his arm her lips stained slightly with the red dust.
"Did you enjoy my singing?" she asked as she kissed him on the cheek.
"As always" Niklaus returned her smile, "Now though dear we have guests" he motioned to the various foreign guests stood around them.
Spoiler: Song Lyrics show
Hail, oh woman, who was so heroic,
It was our ruin that you were in chains,
Our fine land in the possession of thieves...
While you were left to the foreigners!
Chorus:
Oh-ro, welcome home
Oh-ro, welcome home
Oh-ro, welcome home
Now that the harvest's coming!
Shai Halud is coming over the sea,
Armed warriors their home to guard,
Only Truth they speak, honour their guide...
and they will rout the foreigners!
Chorus
May it please the sisters that we might see,
Although we may live but one week after,
Shai Halud and a thousand warriors...
Dispersing the foreigners!