Bellonda/XD

Bellonda was a Bene Gesserit Mentat Reverend Mother at the time of the attack on Rakis by the Honored matres and was amongst Mother Superior Darwi Odrade's advisors. Bellonda was also in charge of the Bene Gesserit Archives on the Chapterhouse planet.

An overweight woman who could have easily adjusted her metabolism to control her girth, Bellonda, or Bell, as she was referred to by Odrade, chose to maintain a plump figure (as well as use spectacles) so that she could make a statement of sorts. Bellonda was an acerbic and bitter woman, who always spoke her mind to the Mother Superior. Despite often expressing very strong and different opinions that could have had her banished, Odrade kept Bellonda as close counsel as a form of conscience.

Bellonda is also revealed as a descendant of Reverend Mother Eileen Tertius Eileen Anteac.

As Murbella's Assistant
Bellonda was tapped by Murbella to be one of her main assistants during the merger of the Bene Gesserit and Honored Matres into the New Sisterhood organization. Bell was opposed by the former Matre leader Doria, who regarded Bell as fat and uncouth, and her advice as too slow and cautious; as Doria usually wanted to strike fast and hard against the Sisterhood's enemies.

Bellonda always urged the conservative way of dealing with issues. When Rinya Idaho, one of the twin daughters of Murbella, wished to partake of the Water of Life ritual at the early age of 14, Doria advocated Rinya being allowed to do so. Bell, spoke harshly against the idea, saying that Rinya was too young, as she turned out to be correct, when Rinya died.

Two years later, Bellonda learned that her muttering against the unification produced bad fruit when Gesserit sister Osafa Chram attempted to stab and kill Murbella with a Crysknife. Murbella had called a planet-wide gathering of all personnel of the Sisterhood in the Chapterhouse Keep. All the attendants were seated and Chram appeared to have entered late. As Murbella was about to chastise Osafa, Chram lunged at the Mother Commander with the tooth-blade. Murbella quickly dispatched Osafa, and crushed her larynx. Murbella could not learn the extent of the plans against her, as Chram had taken shere just before the incident, and resisted sharing with Bellonda.

Co-Director of Spice Operations
A short time later, Murbella decided to make Doria and Bellonda co-directors of Spice Operations overseeing the transformation of Chapterhouse into another Dune-like planet. Despite the sarcastic nature that Doria and Bellonda treated each other with, under their guidance, the flow of melange increased into the Sisterhood's coffers.

Thirteen years into the merger of the Sisterhoood, Doria and Bellonda's hatred for each other erupted into a fight to the death, with Doria barely coming out the winner. Murbella, visiting the two as overseer, was outraged over the just-occurred death of Bell; and demanded that Doria share with Bellonda's dying corpse. Bell continued on in the Other Memory of Doria for years afterwards, and continued to give sarcastic and biting advice.

A few years afterwards, however, while observing the latest spice production levels, Doria was caught off-guard on a sand dune as a giant sandworm approached. The giant beast engulfed Doria, as sarcastic Bell from Other Memory admonished her, "Idiot...Now you've killed me twice." This ended Doria's life, and Bellonda's contribution to the Universe.

Appearances

 * Heretics of Dune (mentioned only).
 * Chapterhouse: Dune.
 * Hunters of Dune.