Assassin's Quest

I opened my eyes to the dimness inside the tent. Not only Verity, but Kettle sat beside me. Kettle's mouth was set in a flat line of disapproval. Verity's face was stern, but understanding was also there. He spoke before I could. "Did I believe you had sought that, I would be most angry with you. Now I say to you plainly. It is better if you know nothing of them. Nothing at all. Had you heeded me when I first advised you of that, none of them would have been threatened as they were tonight."

"You both were watching?" I asked quietly. For an instant, I was touched. They both cared that much for my child.

"She is my heir, too," Verity pointed out relentlessly. "Do you think I could stand by and do nothing if they had injured her?" He shook his head at me. "Stay away from them, Fitz. For all our sakes. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head. His words could not distress me. I had already decided I would choose not to know where Molly and Burrich took Nettle. But not because she was Verity's heir. Kettle and Verity stood and left the tent. I flung myself back into my blankets. The Fool, who had been propped on one elbow, lay down also. "I will tell you tomorrow," I told him. He nodded mutely, his eyes huge in his pale face. Then he lay back down. I think he went to sleep. I stared up into darkness. Nighteyes came to lie beside me.

He would protect your cub as his own, he pointed out quietly. That is pack.

He meant the words for comfort. I did not need them. Instead I reached to rest a hand on his ruff. Did you see how she stood and faced them down? I demanded with pride.

A most excellent bitch, Nighteyes agreed.

I felt I had not slept at all when Starling woke the Fool and I for our watch. I came out of the tent stretching and yawning, and suspecting that keeping watch was not really a necessity. But the last shard of night was pleasantly mild, and Starling had left meat broth simmering at the fire's edge. I was halfway through a mug when the Fool finally followed me out.

"Starling showed me her harp last night," I said by way of greeting.

He smirked with satisfaction. "A crude bit of work. Ah, this was but one of his early efforts, they shall say of it someday," he added with strained modesty.

"Kettle said you have no caution."

"No, I have not, Fitz. What do we do here?"

"Me? What I'm told. When my watch is over, I'm off to the hills, to gather broom twigs. So that I can sweep the rock chips out of Verity's way."

"Ah. Now there's lofty work for a Catalyst. And what shall a prophet do, do you suppose?"

"You might prophesy when that dragon will be finished. I fear we shall think of nothing else until it is done."

The Fool was shaking his head minutely.

"What?" I demanded.

"I do not feel we were called here to make brooms and harps. This feels like a lull to me, my friend. The lull before the storm."

"Now, there's a cheery thought," I told him glumly. But privately I wondered if he might not be right.

"Are you going to tell me what went on last night?"

When my account was finished, the Fool sat grinning. "A resourceful lass, that one," he observed proudly. Then he cocked his head at me. "Think you the baby will be Witted? Or be able to Skill?"

I had never stopped to consider it. "I hope not," I said immediately. And then wondered at my own words.

Dawn had scarcely broken before both Verity and Kettle arose. They each drank a mug of broth standing, and carried off dried meat as they headed back up to the dragon. Kettricken had also come out of Verity's tent. Her eyes were hollow and defeat was in the set of her mouth. She had but half a mug of broth before setting it aside. She went back into the tent and returned with a blanket fashioned into a carry-sack.

"Firewood," she replied flatly to my raised eyebrow.

"Then Nighteyes and I may as well go with you. I need to gather broom twigs and a stick. And he needs to do something besides sleep and grow fat."

And you fear to go off in the woods without me.

If sows like that abound in these woods, you are absolutely correct.

Perhaps Kettricken would bring her bow?

But even as I turned to make the suggestion, she was ducking back into the tent to fetch it. "In case we meet another pig," she told me as she came out.