The Golden Fool ttm-2

by Robin Hobb

  I heard a scuffling noise down the passage behind me, and in a moment Chade crept up to join me. ‘Anything important?’ he whispered.

  I set my hand to his wrist and conveyed all I had seen. His face grew thoughtful. After a moment he said softly, ‘Well. That sets my thoughts in a new track. It would not be the first time I had turned an error to an advantage. Keep your watch here, Fitz.’ Then, almost as an afterthought, ‘Are you getting hungry?’

  ‘A bit. But I’ll be fine.’

  ‘And our prince?

  I’ve no reason to think he is otherwise.’

  ‘Ah, but you do. If there may be Piebald informers in that room, then there may be Piebalds amongst those who hold him hostage. Warn him, lad. And keep watch.’

  And then he was gone, shuffling along bent almost double in the passage. I watched him go and wondered what he had in mind. Then I reached for Dutiful.

  All was well with him. He was cold, he was bored, but no one had offered him insult let alone injury. Most of the talk today had been about what might be happening at Buckkeep. Evidently a bird, perhaps Risk or the hawk, had been ferrying notes back and forth. So far, all tidings had been reassuring. But Dutiful said that the air was one of waiting and worry.

  The cow had an easy labor and dropped a fine bull calf. Sally was just as glad that she’d had the benefit of a tight stable and a warm stall, for the calf was born unseasonably early. By the time she and Web returned to the east gathering hall, it was time for another meal. I watched the Old Bloods congregate again as their meal was brought in, and watched them as they unmasked after the servants had left. I studied every face more carefully, but if there were any who had been in Laudwine’s band, I did not recognize them.

  The meal was almost finished when there was a tap at the door.

  Several of the Old Bloods cried out to the supposed servants that they had not yet finished eating. Then a voice at the door said quietly, ‘Let me in. Old Blood greets Old Blood.’

  Web was the one who rose and went to the door and opened it to admit both Civil Bresinga and his cat. The squirrel on the table chittered in panic and then ran up his partner to hide under her hair. Pard didn't bat an eye, but strolled into the room, glanced about, and then went over to the hearth where he made himself comfortable. No one could have watched the cat's entrance and doubted that he was Wit-partnered to the boy who closed the door quietly behind himself and then turned to face the assembly.

  The gazes he met would have daunted anyone. But again Web rose to the challenge, setting a friendly hand to Civil's shoulder and loudly exclaiming, 'Old Blood welcomes Old Blood. Come in and join us, lad. And you might be?

  He took a breath and squared his shoulders. ‘I am Civil Bresinga. Lord Civil Bresinga, now, of Galekeep. I am a loyal subject of Queen Kettricken, and friend and companion to Prince Dutiful Farseer. I am Old Blood. And both my queen and my prince know that I am.’ He let them have a moment to consider that they looked at a Witted noble of the Farseer court. ‘I have come, at Councillor Chade’s behest, to tell you of how I am treated here. And to tell you, too, of my dealings with the Piebalds. And how I would have died at their hands, were it not for Farseer intervention.’

  I watched in a sort of awe. The boy’s story was obviously unrehearsed. He wandered through it, often having to go back and explain earlier events. When he spoke of what her mother had endured and how she had died, he choked on. Web sat him down then and gave him a glass of wine and patted his back soothingly as if he were no more than a child. And I blinked and saw myself at fifteen, plunged into intrigue far beyond my ability to manage. Civil was little more than a child, I saw suddenly. Witted and constantly at risk, maneuvered into spying in a desperate bid to save his mother and his family fortune. He’d failed. Now he was deprived of parent and home; adrift: a very minor noble in a very political court. And the only reason he was alive, truly, was that he possessed the friendship of a Farseer. One that he had betrayed not once, but twice, and yet each time, he had been forgiven.

  ‘They have extended asylum to me,’ he finished his tale. ‘The Queen and the Prince and Councillor Chade are all full aware that I am Old Blood. And they know how I was used against them. And what it cost me.’ He paused and shook his head. ‘I am not skilled with words. I cannot draw all the parallels that I would like you to see. Only… they have not judged me by what I did in the past. They have not judged the Old Bloods by what the Piebalds attempted against the Prince. The Queen has not flinched from her Witted son. Cannot we do as much for them? Deal with the Farseers for who they are now, without looking too deeply into the past?’

  Silvereye gave a contemptuous snort. But Boyo, perhaps seeing a kinship in this Witted noble and the title he hoped to reclaim, nodded thoughtfully. Civil suddenly looked at Web, and I sensed that something had just come into his mind, some idea of his own. As if in answer to my fervent wish, I heard the scuff of Chade’s tread again. I motioned to him frantically to join me at the spy-post, even as I signalled silence to him. The boy was speaking to Web, His words barely carried to us.

  ‘Councillor Chade told me what you suggested. That if Old Bloods could come to Buckkeep and live openly here alongside these ungifted folk, they might discover that we are not monsters to be feared. He also told me what you said. “A man with nothing to lose is often in the best position to sacrifice himself for the gain of others.” I have not had much time to ponder that, but I do not think I need much time to see that I am truly a man with nothing to lose. The only threat that remains is to me alone. I have no family left to suffer consequences for what I do.’ He glanced around the room. ‘I know that many of you fear that if you venture out of hiding your neighbours kill you. For long and long, it has been a valid fear. And one I have shared, as did my mother.’ His words died suddenly. Then he forced himself to go on, his voice cracking. ‘And so we stayed in hiding. And by doing so, we made it possible for our “friends” to kill us instead. I see no point in hiding any more.’ I could not decide if emotion choked him or if he paused to consider what he would say next. He glanced at Web again and then nodded as if to himself.

  ‘All in the keep have heard now of Web the Witted, who walks amongst us unafraid and unthreatening. I feel almost shamed that he, a stranger here, has stepped out into the light while I, who know Prince Dutiful best, have crept along in the shadows at the edge of the room. Tomorrow, I will change that. I will proudly declare my Old Blood and vow that I will demonstrate that such a one as I can be completely devoted to my prince, as he well deserves of me.

  ‘I have taught him of our ways, and willingly has Prince Dutiful learned. He has said that when he goes in the spring to the Out Islands, to slay a dragon and claim a bride, that I may go with him. When I do, I shall go as his Witted companion. There is no Skillmaster at Buckkeep, and my prince will go alone, with no Skill-coterie such as Farseer kings of old had to aid them. Bereft of that magic, I will instead put ours at his service, and prove it every bit as able, I warrant. I will put my Old Blood magic before them all, proudly.’

  Chade’s tight grip on my wrist told me that all of this was new to him, not just that Civil planned to reveal himself but also that Dutiful had said his friend might accompany him on his quest. His Skilling was erratic, but it reached me. Did I say I would turn an error to an advantage? I may have succeeded too well, and our advantage overshot into yet another error. I merely wanted the boy to say the Queen had treated him well and fairly, not make himself the ambassador for Old Blood at court.

  I joined my thoughts to his. He does not perceive it is a risk for the Prince to admit to an Old Blood friend. He sees only the danger to himself, and that he would gladly risk it for Dutiful. Do you think you can talk him out of it?

  I’m not sure I’d be wise to, Chade conveyed to me. His spirit has captured their imagination. Look.

  It was not an overwhelming outpouring of support. Web was the only one who was grinning wildly and proclaiming how proud he was of young Lord Bresing
a. The others, with the notable exception of the scowling Silvereye, were more reserved in their approval, and it varied over a wide spectrum of levels. Both the minstrel and Boyo looked enthused. Sally, partly won over already by how her beast had been treated, was smiling gently. Others were discussing it more pragmatically. The Queen couldn’t very well let him be put to death, not when he’d already claimed asylum and she had promised that no Witted ones would be killed solely because of their magic. Likely he was as safe as he could possibly be. And well it might be that a young man both noble and handsome might win some hearts over to the Old Blood side. His declaration could not hurt their cause.

  Then the town man, Bosk, came to stand before Civil. He was twisting his fingers together as if he might unscrew them from his hands. Then, in an uncertain voice, he asked, ‘Farseers killed Piebalds. Are you sure?’

  ‘I’m very sure,’ Civil said softly. His hand went up and touched his throat. ‘Very sure indeed.’

  ‘Their names,’ the man whispered. ‘Do you know their names?’

  Civil stood still and silent for a moment. Then, ‘Keppler. Padget. And Swoskin. Those were the names I knew them by. But Prince Dutiful called Keppler by another name, from his time amongst the Piebalds. He called him Laudwine.’

  Bosk shook his head, plainly disappointed. But someone else in the room asked loudly, ‘Laudwine?’ She pushed to the front and I recognized Silvereye. ‘That can’t be so! He was the leader of the Piebalds. If he’d been killed, I’d have heard of it.’

  ‘Oh, would you?’ the minstrel asked curiously. The look on his face was not pleasant.

  ‘I would,’ she snapped. ‘Make of that what you will. I know folk who know Laudwine, and yes, some of them are Piebalds. I am not one, myself, though my recent conversations here have made me see what drove them to such extreme acts.’ She turned a shoulder to the minstrel, excluding him as she demanded of Civil, ‘How long ago did this happen? And what proof do you have that what you say is true?’

  The lad took a step back from her, but he answered. ‘Well over a month ago. As for proof… what proof can you expect me to give? I saw what I saw, but I fled as soon as I could. It shames me to admit it, but it is so. Still, I doubt what is common talk in Buckkeep Town is false. A one-armed man and his horse were killed, as well as a small dog. And the other two men in the house.’

  ‘His horse, too!’ Silvereye exclaimed, and I saw her take it as a double loss.

  ‘If this is so, it is a major blow to the Piebalds,’ Bosk declared. ‘It might well mean the end of them.’

  ‘No. It will not!’ Silvereye was adamant. ‘The Piebalds are stronger than a single man. They will not give up this fight until we have had justice. Justice and revenge.’

  Bosk stood up and walked towards her slowly, his fists knotted. His threat would have been pathetic if it had not been so sincere. ‘Maybe I should take my revenge where I can get it,’ he suggested breathlessly. His voice nearly broke on the next words. ‘If I posted your name as Witted, and you were hanged and burned, would it scald your Piebald friends? Perhaps I should take your advice. Do to them exactly what was done to me.’

  ‘You are so stupid! Can’t you see they are fighting for all of us, and deserve our support? I had heard rumours that Laudwine had discovered something, something that could topple Farseers from power. Perhaps that secret died with him, but perhaps it did not.’

  ‘Now you are the one being stupid,’ Civil broke determinedly. ‘Topple the Farseers? Now there is a plan! Bring down the only queen who has ever tried to halt the hanging and burning. And what will that gain us? Only widespread persecution, with no fear of reprisals or guardsmen coming to intervene. If Old Blood attempts to overthrow the monarchy, it will be seen as proof that we are as evil and untrustworthy as our enemies have claimed. Are you mad?’

  ‘She is,’ Web said quietly. ‘And for that we should pity her, not condemn her.’

  ‘I don’t want your pity!’ Silvereye spat out. ‘I need no one’s pity. Nor do I need your help. Grovel to this Farseer Queen. Forgive all that has been done to you, and let them use you as their servants. I do NOT forgive, and in my time I will have my revenge. I will.’

  ‘We’ve done it,’ Chade whispered by my ear. ‘Or perhaps I should say that Silvereye has done it for us. She has driven into our fold any who do not dream of blood and burning. And that is most of them, I think. See if I am not right.’

  And with that he left me, scuttling off like a grey spider through the tunnels. It wasn’t until late that night that I finally left my post to go and find food and then to take some sleep. But it went as he had said it would. Civil remained with the Old Bloods, and when the Queen, Chade and the Six Duchies delegates returned, he stood before them and greeted them as a Witted noble. I saw the discomfort on the faces of the delegates as he assured them that in every duchy there were Witted nobility, forced for generations to keep their magic small and silent. Several of the young men he spoke to now knew him well. They had ridden with him, drunk with him and gamed at table with them. They exchanged glances with one another, and their plain message was, ‘if he is Witted, who else might be also?’ But Civil either did not see or ignored their reservations as he pushed on with his proclamation. He intended now to let his magic burn bright for the good of Prince Dutiful and the Farseer reign. He pledged himself to this, and I thought I saw grudging admiration on three of the delegates’ faces. Perhaps this Old Blood youth could act as a proof against their prejudice.

  The last day of Kettricken’s Witted convocation showed solid progress. The minstrel appeared unmasked, and asked her permission to remain at court. The Queen presented to her Six Duchies delegates a proclamation that from this date henceforward, executions could only be carried out legally under the aegis of each of her ducal houses, with the head of each house liable for any injustices which occurred in his own duchy. Each duchy was to have only one gallows, and that was to be under the control of the ruling house. Not only was each duchy to prevent local officials from executing prisoners, but dukes and duchesses must review individually every such execution. Killings carried out otherwise would be seen as murders, and the Queen’s judgement would be available against such killers. It did not solve the problem of how Old Bloods could safely bring such charges without fear of reprisals, but at least it established consequences formally for them.

  Of such tiny steps, Chade assured me, would our progress be made. When I rode forth with the Queen’s guard to escort our Old Blood delegates back to their friends and receive our Prince and Laurel in return, I marked a solid change in the folk. There was talk and laughter amongst themselves as they rode, and some interchanges even with the guard. Sally, her cow and her calf trailing her, rode alongside Lord Civil Bresinga, and seemed to feel great honor at this fine young lord’s conversation with her. On his other side rode Boyo. His evident efforts to claim equality with Lord Bresinga were rather undermined by that young man’s egalitarian attitude towards Sally. Civil’s cat rode on his saddle behind him.

  All around us in the forest, the snow had melted down to thin, icy fingers clawing at the soil in the shadows. New green things were beginning to brave the sunlit world, and the breeze that flowed past us indeed seemed the wind of change. Amongst all this, Silvereye rode alone in our midst. Web rode alongside me and made conversation about everything, for both the Queen and Chade had insisted that he must make the journey so that all Old Bloods might witness that he returned to Buckkeep Castle of his own free will.

  When we made our rendezvous, Civil and Pard seemed equally glad to see their Prince. Dutiful professed himself surprised and pleased to have them come to meet him. His warm welcome of his friend and his Wit-beast impressed the Old Bloods, both those who had been to Buckkeep Castle and those who awaited them. He had, of course, known of Civil’s coming through my Skill.

  When we returned to Buckkeep Castle, not only the Prince and Laurel returned with us, but also Web and the minstrel, whose name was Cockle. He
sang as he rode with us, and I gritted my teeth at his rendition of ‘Antler Island Tower’. That stirring and maudlin lay told the tale of the Antler Island defence against the Red Ship raiders, with much emphasis placed on the role that Chivalry’s bastard son had played. It was true that I had been there, but I doubted half the exploits attributed to my axe. Web laughed aloud at my pained expression. ‘Don’t sneer so, Tom Badgerlock. Surely the Witted Bastard is a hero both our folk can share, being both a Buckkeep man and Old Blood.’ And his bass joined the minstrel on the next refrain about ‘Chivalry’s son, with eyes of flame, who shared his blood if not his name.’

  Didn’t Starling write that ballad? Dutiful asked with false concern. She considers it her property. She may not take kindly to Cockle singing it at Buckkeep.

  She wouldn’t be alone in that. I may strangle him myself to save her the time.

  Yet on the next refrain, not only Civil and Dutiful lifted their voices, but half the guardsmen as well. That, I told myself, is the effect a spring day can have on people. I hoped it would wear out soon.

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  Spring Sailing

  In the beginning of the world, there were the Old Blood folk and the beasts of the fields, the fish in the water and the birds of the sky. All lived together in balance if not in harmony. Among the Old Blood folk, there were but two tribes. One was comprised of the blood-takers, who were the people who bonded to creatures who ate flesh of other creatures. And the other folk were the blood-givers, and they bonded to those who ate only plants. The two tribes had nothing to do with each other, no more than a wolf has to do with sheep; that is, they met only in death. Yet each respected the other as an element of the land, just as a man respects both a tree and a fish.

  Now, the laws that separated them were stern laws and just. But there are always people who think they know better than the law, or think that in their special situation, an exception should be made for them. So it was when the daughter of a blood-taker, bonded to a fox, fell in love with the son of a blood-giver, bonded to an ox. What harm, they thought, could come of their love? They would do no injury to one another, neither woman to man nor fox to ox. And so they both went apart from their own peoples, lived in their love and in time brought forth children of their own. But of their children, the first son was a blood-taker and the first daughter was a blood-giver. And the third was a poor witless child, deaf to every animal of every kind and doomed always to walk only in his own skin. Great was the sorrow of the family when their eldest son bonded to a wolf and their eldest daughter to a deer. For his wolf killed her deer, and she took the life of her brother in recompense. Then they knew the wisdom of the oldest ways, for a predator cannot bond with prey. But worse was to come, for their witless child sired only witless children, and thus were born the folk who are deaf to all the beasts of the world.