Assassin's Quest

There was more, shuffled in with his account, of both major and minor news for me. Sooty and Ruddy were both alive and well. Sooty was in foal to the young stallion despite her years. I shook my head over that. Regal had been doing his best to provoke a war. The roving gangs of bandits that now plagued the Mountain folk were thought to be in his pay. Shipments of grain that had been paid for in spring had never been delivered, nor had the Mountain traders been permitted to cross the border with their wares. Several small villages close to the Six Duchies border had been found looted and burned with no survivors. King Eyod's wrath, slow to stir, was now at white heat. Although the Mountain folk had no standing army as such, there was not one inhabitant who would not take up arms at the word of their Sacrifice. War was imminent.

And he had tales of Patience, the Lady of Buckkeep, brought erratically by word of mouth passed among merchants and on to smugglers. She did all she could to defend Buck's coast. Money was dwindling, but the folk of the land gave to her what they called the Lady's Levy and she disposed of it as best she could amongst her soldiers and sailors. Buckkeep had not fallen yet, though the Raiders now had encampments up and down the whole coastline of the Six Duchies. Winter had quieted the war, but spring would bathe the coast in blood once more. Some of the smaller keeps spoke of treaties with the Red-Ships. Some openly paid tribute in the hopes of avoiding Forging.

The Coastal Duchies would not survive another summer. So said Chade. My tongue was silent as the Fool spoke of him. He had come to Jhaampe by secret ways in high summer, disguised as an old peddler but made himself known to the Queen when he arrived. The Fool had seen him then. "War agrees with him," the Fool observed. "He strides about like a man of twenty. He carries a sword at his hip and there is fire in his eyes. He was pleased to see how her belly swelled with the Farseer heir, and they spoke bravely of Verity's child on the throne. But that was high summer." He sighed. "Now I hear he has returned. I believe because the Queen has sent word of her stillbirth. I have not been to see him yet. What hope he can offer us now, I do not know." He shook his head. "There must be an heir to the Farseer throne," he insisted. "Verity must get one. Otherwise …" He made a helpless gesture.

"Why not Regal? Would not a child from his loins suffice?"

"No." His eyes went afar. "No. I can tell you that quite clearly, yet I cannot tell you why. Only that in all futures I have seen, he makes no child. Not even a bastard. In all times, he reigns as the last Farseer, and ushers in the dark."

A shiver walked over me. He was too strange when he spoke of such things. And his odd words had brought another worry into my mind. "There were two women. A minstrel Starling, and an old woman pilgrim, Kettle. They were on their way here. Kettle said she sought the White-Prophet. I little thought he might be you. Have you heard aught of them? Have they reached Jhaampe town?"

He shook his head slowly. "No one has come seeking the White Prophet since winter closed on us." He halted, reading the worry in my face. "Of course, I do not know of all who come here. They may be in Jhaampe. But I have heard nothing of two such as that." He reluctantly added, "Bandits prey on roadside travelers now. Perhaps they were delayed."

Perhaps they were dead. They had come back for me, and I had sent them on alone.

"Fitz?"

"I'm all right. Fool, a favor?"

"I like not that tone already. What is it?"

"Tell no one I am here. Tell no one I am alive, just yet."

He sighed. "Not even Kettricken? To tell her that Verity lives still?"

"Fool, what I have come to do, I intend to do alone. I would not raise false hopes in her. She has endured the news of his death once. If I can bring him back to her, then will be time enough for true rejoicing. I know I ask much. But let me be a stranger you are aiding. Later, I may need your aid in obtaining an old map from the Jhaampe libraries. But when I leave here, I would go alone. I think this quest is one best accomplished quietly." I glanced aside from him and added, "Let FitzChivalry remain dead. Mostly, it is better so."

"Surely you will at least see Chade?" He was incredulous.

"Not even Chade should know I live." I paused, wondering which would anger the old man more: that I had attempted to kill Regal when he had always forbidden it, or that I had so badly botched the task. "This quest must be mine alone." I watched him and saw a grudging acceptance in his face.