Is Fitz Happy?

Duke Brawndy arrives looking for answers that the King cannot provide. Queen-in-Waiting Kettricken seeks to assuage his anger and worry and tries her best to make Brawndy feel heard. She seems to gain an ally, but Brawndy still leaves angry at the crown. When Fitz visits King Shrewd, we learn how bad his disease and awareness really is. Through a haze of pain, and with a Skill connection, Shrewd c...

Suffering letdown after letdown, Fitz learns of the King slowly losing his faculties to drugs, that the kingdom is being slowly taken over by Regal, and that no one can do anything to fix it. We discuss Fitz's failing relationships, his lack of communication, and finally dig into his and Molly's fling. They look to the future and don't like what's in store. We're reading Royal Assassin by Robin Ho...

Verity prepares for and undertakes a quest to beseech the Elderlings for aid giving Fitz a mental break from a renewed ardor between the King-in-Waiting and Queen-in-Waiting Kettricken. All the while, Regal seems to be gathering power. FitzChivalry passively observes a worsening situation at Buckkeep with an increase in rumors badmouthing Verity, parties wasting money, and a breakdown of the coast...

Kettricken's interests have been directed towards the Elderlings by the Fool. She compares knowledge with Fitz and, with prompting from Verity, approach the King-in-Waiting with the plan to go beseach them for help. Verity learns the depth of Kettricken's feelings for him, Fitz learns more about sacrifices Molly makes for their relationship, and both Regal and the Fool end up very happy.   We're r...

This week we talk about how the choices FitzChivalry makes has impact on the world and his refusal to acknowledge it. He writes a vulnerable letter to someone he doesn't love, surprises Molly with a picnic (and finally talks to her), internalizes anger at the King for his marriage situation, and mopes about the consequences of his own procrastination. After a few important conversations, Fitz is l...

We pick up with the crew of the Rurisk sailing to Antler Island. After a bloody victory, Fitz has to deal with the reality of war and his future on the seas. The summer is ultimately fruitless for the Six Duchies and their warships. They have a few more encounters with the Red Ship Raiders, and Fitz comes face to face with Kebel Rawbread and the White Ship. A summer apart also leads to some fricti...

This is part one of our discussion of this chapter. By taking on a lot of new responsibilities, FitzChivalry has to deal with a very busy schedule. He tries to balance all of his tasks and obligations to his loved ones while learning more of the Skill, the ax, his bond with Nighteyes, and eventually how to row. At Verity's behest, Fitz joins the crew of one of the warships and gets even busier, bu...

This episode is our first insight into the Fool's origins, even if they're a watered-down version of events. Fitz, of course, is confused and doesn't believe him even when spoken to plainly. He succumbs to his rash decisions from last chapter, and we also see the consequences of messing with drugs. Exhausted, Fitz finally clicks with Verity and gets the war put into a different perspective. 

Fitz has a list of tasks to accomplish this episode but he is interrupted in the night by Molly, in the morning by Burrich, and finally by the Fool. The last visitor uses all of his wiles to convince Fitz to help him out and let him read Verity's scrolls about the Elderlings and the missing Skill users. After Fitz leaves him, he completes his first axe lesson with Verity riding in his head. Fitz a...

Ringing in the New Year, we discuss the eventful day after Fitz's eventful night with Molly. Our intrepid assassin is determined to hunt Forged Ones, convince Verity to let him quit his night job, and ask the King to be able to marry Molly. However, this plan is delayed by a terrible encounter in the woods. This week we talk more about the Skill, the Farseers desire to help their people, and the h...

A Queen gets her garden and Fitz gets his love. Kettricken is elated at Verity's gift and can't wait to get started. FitzChivalry, on the other hand, spirals downward into loneliness until he can't take it anymore. A confrontation at Patience and Lacey's room leads to a night he won't forget. Happy Holidays everyone!

This week we discuss two important scenes. The first is a moment we've been waiting for, FitzChivalry has a confrontation with Nighteyes that ultimately brings them closer together. They go through a harrowing attack and Fitz is once again injured. Meanwhile, Verity has been feeding his Skill addiction in his tower while also tracking enemy movements across the land. They talk about another task f...

In this week of Robin Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings, Fitz is handed the responsibility for a new Queen's Guard and with the mounting frustration of so many relationships pulling him in different directions, it's only a matter of time before he snaps. Pining after Molly and stressing over cheering Kettricken up, he is beset upon by the Fool. We learn the future and get some foreshadowing in a ball...

Concerned with his loved ones’ safety, FitzChivalry heads to Patience and Lacey’s room to try and safeguard them from potential attacks. They talk about protection and Fitz embarrasses himself, as usual, before he moves on to find Kettricken. What comes next is a wild goose chase around the keep to find his Queen-in-Waiting. An awkward conversation, a mule ride in a snow storm, a jealous look, and...

Kettricken responds to the situation with the Forged Ones by giving something back to the people. She embodies a true leader and shows Buck what she is and what she can be. Tragedy and grieving begets optimism for the future, and in talking with Fitz, Chade revels in that feeling of joy. Finally, Fitz confronts his feelings for Molly and we have some brief but important relationship advice for the...

This week's discussion of Royal Assassin is about a lot of conversations. Nighteyes, Patience, King Shrewd, the Fool, Kettricken, and Verity all demand and need time from FitzChivalry. Our favorite assassin is busy with Verity's task, convincing Nighteyes they aren't pack, and his longing (and dreaming) of Molly. His need for companionship wars with promises made to those he loves, and the ever-lo...

With great relief, FitzChivalry makes his way back to Buckkeep from his task in the northern duchy of Bearns only to see Kettricken and Regal happily riding together through the countryside. He's drawn to Verity with that disturbing image in his mind and reports on his mission. Verity also sets out a new task to protect the countryside and dismisses Fitz, but not before they have a bit of a heart...

Our beloved, if somewhat dense, main character is in a big depressed funk thinking about his inability to see Molly. He can’t keep his mind on any tasks and ends up creeping on Molly’s world, but maintains his word to Patience and Chade. After Burrich snaps him out of it with a night of drinking and conversation, Fitz becomes a better companion and advisor to Queen-in-Waiting Kettricken, regains s...

Continuing his talk with Chade, FitzChivalry is handed the task of keeping Kettricken company. Chade knows that misery loves company and offers the fact that a Queen-in-Waiting can be a powerful ally. However, Fitz also hears the same bad news about Molly from the old assassin as he did from Lady Patience. Discouraged from those talks and angered by the realization that his life isn’t his own to c...

FitzChivalry is still slowly recovering from his poisoning in the Mountain Kingdom, wakes up still weak, and immediately passes out to sleep through the day. A brief reunion with the Fool is the highlight of Fitz’s day before he gets lectured about the proper courting behavior expected of royals. Patience and Lacey take over his room and his health while also steering Fitz straight about his relat...

FitzChivalry wakes up with a renewed hope to find Molly, but before he can really start his day, he finds himself in front of Verity. A day-long, exhausting conversation ensues whereupon he is corralled by Lacey to talk to Patience. He started off ambitious about his strength and ability, but Fitz is shaky and can barely make it up the steps to his room without the help of a familiar servant at th...

FitzChivalry comes home to a new Buckkeep. Decorations, clean walls and stairs, warmth, and an occupied Verity mystify but comfort him. However, he also needs a reminder to regain his caution amongst the court, once more. 

We dive into King Shrewd's mind, his relationship with the Fool, and the troubles of the Six Duchies. FitzChivalry once again Skills erratically to witness a night raid and the discussion that Shrewd and Fool have about it. He finds himself trapped in the sickly body of his grandfather. Does Fitz gain some perspective? Does he learn what it's like to not be able to heal?

The start of a new book, Royal Assassin, and a recap of the last one, all in one chapter. We get a bit more detail on the decisions FitzChivalry had to make after his ordeal in the Mountain Kingdom. He opens up a bit to Burrich and reflects on what it means to start a new life for himself and whether or not he should.

We wrap up Assassin's Apprentice by talking about Robin Hobb's writing, characters, and plot. "Old" FitzChivalry makes a reappearance while accepting help from his adopted son, Hap, and a mysterious voice in his head, who we know as Nighteyes. We talk about Chade's habits, favorite parts of this book, and the Fool's interior designer. Royal Assassin is right around the corner!