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Book Two: Muad‘dib
ItwasobviousthatFenringseldomdidanythinghefelttobeunnecessary,orusedtwowordswhereonewoulddo,orheldhimselftoasinglemeaninginasinglephrase.
Theywereseatedinthegoldenboxabovethetriangulararena—hornsblaring,thetiersaboveandaroundthemjammedwithahubbubofpeopleandwavingpennants—whentheanswercametotheBaron.
“MydearBaron,”theCountsaid,leaningclosetohisear,“youknow,don’tyou,thattheEmperorhasnotgivenofficialsanctiontoyourchoiceofheir?”
TheBaronfelthimselftobewithinasuddenpersonalconeofsilenceproducedbyhisownshock.HestaredatFenring,barelyseeingtheCount’sladycomethroughtheguardsbeyondtojointhepartyinthegoldenbox.
“That’sreallywhyI’mheretoday,”theCountsaid.“TheEmperorwishesmetoreportonwhetheryou’vechosenaworthysuccessor.There’snothinglikethearenatoexposethetruepersonfrombeneaththemask,eh?”
“TheEmperorpromisedmefreechoiceofheir!”theBarongrated.
“Weshallsee,”Fenringsaid,andturnedawaytogreethislady.Shesatdown,smilingattheBaron,thengivingherattentiontothesandfloorbeneaththemwhereFeyd-Rauthawasemergingingilesandtights—theblackgloveandthelongknifeinhisrighthand,thewhitegloveandtheshortknifeinhislefthand.
“Whiteforpoison,blackforpurity,”theLadyFenringsaid.“Acuriouscustom,isn’tit,mylove?”
“Um-m-m-m,”theCountsaid.
