Fool's Errand

“The first, because he's a boy trying to learn to be a man in a court that makes neither easy for him. The second, because he's a prince, newly betrothed to a foreign princess, and rumored to be possessed of the Wit. That gives several factions any number of reasons to either control him or destroy him.”

He gave me several silent minutes to digest that. Several - , days would not have been enough. I must have looked as sick as I felt, for Chade finally said, softly, “We think that even if he has been taken, he is most valuable to his kidnappers alive.”

I found a breath and spoke through a dry mouth. “Has anyone claimed to have him? Demanded ransom?” “No.”

I cursed myself for not staying abreast of politics in the Six Duchies. But had not I sworn never to become involved in it again? It suddenly seemed a child's foolish resolve never to get caught in the rain again. I spoke quietly, for I felt ashamed. “You are going to have to educate me, Chade, and swiftly. What factions? How does it benefit their interests to have control of the Prince? What foreign princess? And” Êand this last question near choked meÊ“why would anyone think Prince Dutiful was Witted?”

“Because you were,” Chade said shortly. He reached again for his teapot and replenished his cup. It poured even blacker this time, and I caught a whiff of a treacly yet bitteredged aroma. He gulped down a mouthful, and swiftly followed it with a toss of brandy. He swallowed. His green eyes met mine and he waited. I said nothing. Some secrets still belonged to me alone. At least, I hoped they did.

“You were Witted,” he resumed. “Some say it must have come from your mother, whoever she was, and Eda forgive me, I've encouraged that thinking. But others point back a time, to the Piebald Prince and several other oddlings in the Farseer line, to say, 'No, the taint is there, down in the roots, and Prince Dutiful is a shoot from that line.'” “But the Piebald Prince died without issue; Dutiful is not of his line. What made folk think that the Prince might be Witted?”

Chade narrowed his eyes at me. “Do you play cat and mouse with me, boy?” He set his hands on the edge of the table. Veins and tendons stood up ropily on their backs as he leaned toward me to demand, “Do you think I'm losing my jbs faculties, Fitz? Because I can assure you, I'm not. I may be getting old, boy, but I'm as acute as ever. I promise you that!” Until that moment, I had not doubted it. This outburst was so uncharacteristic of Chade that I found myself leaning back in my chair and regarding him with apprehension. He must have interpreted the look in my eyes, for he sat back in his chair as well and dropped his hands into his lap. When he spoke again, it was my mentor of old that I heard. “Starling told you of the minstrel at Springfest. You know of the unrest in the land among the Witted, yes, and you know of those who call themselves the Piebalds. There is an unkinder name for them. The Cult of the Bastard.” He gave me a baleful look, but gave me no time to absorb that information. He waved a hand, dismissing my shock. “Whatever they call themselves, they have recently taken up a new weapon. They expose families tainted by the Wit. I do not know if they seek to prove how widespread the Wit is, or if their aim is the destruction of their fellows who will not ally with them. Posts appear in public places. 'Gere the Tanner's son is Witted; his beast is a yellow hound.' 'Lady Winsome is Witted; her beast is her merlin.' Each post is signed with their emblem, a piebald horse. Who is Witted and who is not has become Court gossip these days. Some deny the rumors; others flee, to country estates if they are landed, to a distant village and a new name if they are not. If those posts are true, there are far more who possess the Beast Magic than even you might suppose. Or” Êand he cocked his head at meÊ“do you know far more of all this than I do?”

“No,” I replied mildly. “I do not.” I cleared my throat. “Nor was I aware how completely Starling reported to you.”

He steepled his hands under his chin. “I've offended you.”

“No,” I lied. “It's not that, it's that Ê”

“Damn me. I've become a testy old man despite all I've done to avoid it! And I offend you and you lie to me about it and when only you can aid me I drive you away from me. My judgment fails me just when I need it most.”

His eyes suddenly met mine and horror stood in his gaze. Before me, the old man dwindled. His voice became an uncertain whisper. “Fitz, I am terrified for the boy. Terrified. The accusation was not posted publicly. It was sent in a sealed note. It was not signed at all, not even with the Piebalds' sigil. 'Do what is right,' it said, 'and no one else ever need know. Ignore this warning, and we will take action of our own.' But they didn't say what they wanted of us, not specifically, so what could we do? We didn't ignore it; we simply waited to hear more. And then he is gone. The Queen fears . . . the Queen fears too many things to list. She fears most that they will kill him. But what I fear is worse than that. Not just that they will kill Kim, but that they will reduce him to ... to what you were when Burrich and I first pulled you from that false grave. A beast in a man's body.”