bh.houseatreides-第84章

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　〃What's　so　funny　in　here；　hm…m…m…m…ah？〃　Fenring　demanded。　〃I　heard　giggling。〃
　〃The　girls　were　just　enjoying　a　little　joke；〃　Grera　said；　in　a　cautious　tone。　Senior　among　them；　she　often　spoke　for　the　concubines。
　It　was　rumored　that　this　undersized　man　had　stabbed　two　of　his　lovers　to　death；　and　from　his　slithery　demeanor　Grera　believed　it。　Through　her　years　of　experience；　she　had　learned　how　to　recognize　a　man　capable　of　extreme　cruelty。　Fenring's　genitals　were　supposedly　malformed　and　sterile；　though　sexually　functional。　She　had　never　slept　with　him　herself；　nor　did　she　wish　to。
　Fenring　studied　her　with　overlarge；　soulless　eyes；　then　moved　past　her　to　the　two　new　blondes。　The　Crown　Prince　remained　behind　him；　near　the　doorway　to　the　solarium。　Slim　and　red…haired；　Shaddam　wore　a　gray　Sardaukar　uniform　with　silver…and…gold　trim。　Grera　knew　the　Imperial　heir　loved　to　play　military　games。
　〃Please　share　your　little　joke　with　us；〃　Fenring　insisted。　He　addressed　the　smaller　blonde；　a　petite　girl　barely　beyond　her　teens　who　was　only　slightly　shorter　than　he　was。　Her　eyes　resembled　Shando's。　〃Prince　Shaddam　and　I　both　enjoy　humor。〃
　〃It　was　just　a　private　conversation；〃　Grera　responded；　stepping　forward　protectively。　〃Personal　things。〃
　〃Can't　she　speak　for　herself？〃　Fenring　snapped；　glaring　back　at　the　elder　woman。　He　wore　a　black　tunic　trimmed　in　gold；　and　many　rings　on　his　hands。　〃If　this　one's　been　chosen　to　entertain　the　Padishah　Emperor；　I'm　sure　she　knows　how　to　relay　a　simple　joke；　ah…mm…m…m…m？〃
　〃It　was　as　Grera　said；〃　the　young　blonde　insisted。　〃Just　a　girl　thing。　Not　worth　repeating。〃
　Fenring　took　hold　of　one　of　the　edges　of　the　towel　she　had　been　gripping　tightly　about　her　curvaceous　body。　Surprise　and　fear　covered　her　face。　He　jerked　at　the　towel；　exposing　one　of　her　breasts。
　Angrily；　Grera　said；　〃Cease　this　nonsense；　Fenring。　We　are　royal　concubines。　No　one　but　the　Emperor　may　touch　us。〃
　〃Lucky　you。〃　Fenring　gazed　across　the　room　at　Shaddam。
　The　Crown　Prince　nodded　stiffly。　〃She's　right；　Hasimir。　I'll　share　one　of　my　concubines　with　you；　if　you　like。〃
　〃But　I　didn't　touch　her；　my　friend…I　was　only　fixing　her　towel　a　little。〃　He　let　go；　and　the　girl　covered　herself　again。　〃But　has　the　Emperor　been。。。um…m…m…m…ah；　utilizing　your　services　much　lately？　We　hear　that　a　certain　part　of　him　is　already　deceased。〃　Fenring　looked　up　at　Grera　Cary；　who　towered　over　the　Ferret。
　Grera　glanced　over　at　the　Crown　Prince；　seeking　support　and　safety；　but　found　none。　His　cold　eyes　looked　past　her。　For　a　moment　she　wondered　what　this　Imperial　heir　would　be　like　in　bed；　if　he　had　the　sexual　prowess　his　father　had　once　possessed。　She　doubted　it；　though。　From　the　cold…cod　look　of　this　one；　even　the　withered　man　on　his　deathbed　would　still　be　a　superior　lover。
　〃Old　one；　you　will　e　with　me；　and　we　will　talk　more　of　jokes。　Perhaps　we　can　even　exchange　a　few；〃　Fenring　manded。　〃I　can　be　a　funny　man。〃
　〃Now；　sir？〃　With　the　fingers　of　her　free　hand　she　indicated　her　karthan…weave　towel。
　His　gleaming　eyes　narrowed　dangerously。　〃A　person　of　my　station　has　no　time　to　wait　while　a　woman　dresses。　Of　course　I　mean　now！〃　He　grabbed　a　tuft　of　her　towel　and　pulled　her　along。　She　went　with　him；　struggling　to　keep　the　towel　wrapped　around　her。　〃This　way。　e；　e。〃　While　Shaddam　followed　passively；　amused；　Fenring　forced　her　to　the　door。
　〃The　Emperor　will　hear　of　this！〃　she　protested。
　〃Speak　loudly；　he　has　trouble　hearing。〃　Fenring　gave　a　maddening　smile。　〃And　who　will　tell　him？　Some　days　he　doesn't　even　remember　his　own　name　　he　certainly　won't　bother　with　a　crone　like　you。〃　His　tone　sent　a　chill　down　Grera's　spine。　The　other　concubines　milled　about；　confused　and　helpless　as　their　grande　dame　was　unceremoniously　hauled　out　of　their　presence　and　into　the　corridor。
　At　this　early　hour　no　members　of　the　royal　Court　were　in　evidence；　only　Sardaukar　guards　standing　rigidly　at　attention。　And　with　Crown　Prince　Shaddam　here；　the　Sardaukar　guards　saw　nothing　at　all。　Grera　looked　at　them；　but　they　stared　right　through　her。

　Since　her　flustered；　stuttering　voice　seemed　to　irritate　Fenring；　Grera　decided　it　would　be　safest　to　bee　silent。　The　Ferret　was　behaving　strangely；　but　as　an　Imperial　concubine　she　had　nothing　to　fear　from　him。　The　furtive　man　wouldn't　dare　do　anything　so　stupid　as　to　actually　hurt　her。
　Glancing　back　suddenly；　she　found　that　Shaddam　had　disappeared。　He　must　have　scuttled　off　down　another　passageway。　She　was　pletely　alone　with　this　vile　man。
　Fenring　passed　through　a　security　barrier　and　pushed　Grera　ahead　of　him　into　a　room。　She　stumbled　onto　a　black…and…white　marbleplaz　floor。　A　large　chamber　with　a　stonecrete　fireplace　dominating　one　wall；　this　had　once　been　a　visitors'　suite　but　was　now　devoid　of　furnishings。　It　smelled　of　fresh　paint　and　long　abandonment。
　Remaining　where　she　was；　proud　and　fearless　though　wrapped　in　only　a　towel；　Grera　glanced　up　at　him　intermittently。　She　tried　not　to　show　defiance　or　lack　of　respect。　Over　her　years　of　service；　she　had　learned　to　stand　on　her　own。
　The　door　closed　behind　them。　They　were　alone　now；　and　Shaddam　still　hadn't　appeared。　What　did　this　little　man　want　with　her？
　From　his　tunic　Fenring　produced　a　green…jeweled　oval。　After　he　pressed　a　button　on　its　side；　a　long　green　blade　emerged；　glinting　in　the　light　of　a　glowglobe　chandelier。
　〃I　didn't　bring　you　here　for　questions；　crone；〃　he　said　in　a　soft　tone。　He　held　the　weapon　up。　〃Actually；　I　need　to　test　this　on　you。　It's　brand…new；　you　see；　and　I've　never　really　liked　some　of　the　Emperor's　walking　meat。〃
　Fenring　was　no　stranger　to　assassination；　and　killed　with　his　bare　hands　at　least　as　often　as　he　engineered　accidents　or　paid　for　thugs。　Sometimes　he　liked　blood　work；　while　on　other　occasions　he　preferred　subtleties　and　deceptions。　When　he　was　younger；　barely　nineteen；　he　had　slipped　out　of　the　Imperial　Palace　at　night　and　killed　two　civil　servants　at　random；　just　to　prove　he　could　do　it。　He　still　tried　to　keep　in　practice。
　Fenring　had　always　known　he　had　the　iron　will　necessary　for　murder；　but　he　had　been　surprised　at　how　much　he　enjoyed　it。　Killing　the　previous　Crown　Prince　Fafnir　had　been　his　greatest　triumph；　until　now。　Once　old　Elrood　finally　died；　that　would　be　a　new　feather　in　his　cap。　Can't　aim　much　higher　than　that。
　But　he　had　to　keep　himself　current　with　new　techniques　and　new　inventions。　One　never　knew　when　they　might　e　in　handy。　Besides；　this　neuroknife　was　so　intriguing。。。。
　Grera　looked　at　the　shimmering　green　blade；　her　eyes　wide。　〃The　Emperor　loves　me！　You　can't　〃
　〃He　loves　you？　A　long…in…the…tooth　concubine？　He　spends　more　time　moaning　about　his　long…lost　Shando。　Elrood's　so　senile　he'll　never　even　know　you're　missing；　and　all　of　the　other　concubines　will　be　happy　to　move　up　a　rank。〃
　Before　Grera　could　scramble　away；　the　murderous　man　was　on　top　of　her；　showing　tremendous　speed。　〃No　one　will　mourn　your　loss；　Grera　Cary。〃　He　raised　the　pulsing　green　blade　and；　with　a　dark　fire　in　his　flickering　eyes；　stabbed　her　repeatedly　in　the　torso。　The　karthan　towel　fell　away；　and　the　neuroblade　struck　her　freshly　creamed　and　oiled　skin。
　The　concubine　screamed　in　agony；　screamed　again；　then　fell　into　sucking　moans　and　shudders；　and　finally　became　silent。。。。　No　lacerations；　no　blood；　only　imagined　agony。　All　of　the　pain；　but　no　incriminating　marks　　could　murder　get　better　than　this？
　With　pleasure　suffusing　his　brain；　Fenring　knelt　over　the　senior　concubine；　studying　her　shapely　body　crumpled　on　top　of　the　disheveled　towel。　Good　skin　tone；　firm　muscles；　now　slack　with　death。　It　was　hard　to　believe　this　woman　was　as　old　as　they　claimed。　It　must　have　required　a　lot　of　melange；　and　quite　a　bit　of　body　conditioning。　He　felt　Grera's　neck　for　a　pulse；　then　double…checked。　None　remained。　Disappointing。。。in　a　way。
　There　was　no　blood　on　the　body　or　on　the　green　knife　blade；　no　deep　wounds　　but　he　had　stabbed　her　to　death。　Or　so　she　had　thought。
　An　interesting　weapon；　this　neuroblade。　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever　used　one。　Fenring　always　liked　to　test　the　important　tools　of　his　trade　in　nonbat　situations；　since　he　didn't　want　to　be　surprised　in　a　crisis。
　Called　a　〃ponta