Contents
Twenty-Six: Skilling
Overview
Fitz persuades King Shrewd to Skill, lending strength and briefly contacting Verity, proving he lives, but nearly killing Shrewd. They disguise the act as illness when Regal intrudes. As Buckkeep is looted and Inland allies flood in, Chade orders concealment, Fitz adopts mourning, and plans begin to spirit Shrewd and Kettricken away.
Will covertly stalks Fitz with subtle Skill, Serene and Justin harry his mind, and an attempt to fell Kettricken on greased steps is uncovered. The Fool is beaten as Regal goads Shrewd; Fitz moves to create a diversion.
Summary
Fitz forces entry to King Shrewd’s chambers, argues that Shrewd could Skill to Verity if Fitz lends strength, and overcomes the Fool’s objections. Shrewd chooses to try. In the Skill-current Fitz opens, Verity answers, confirms he lives, and shoves Fitz away to save Shrewd, who is left gasping. Burrich doses Shrewd and Fitz with elfbark, reviving them just as Regal storms in; Kettricken and the Fool mask events by calling Fitz drunk, and Burrich hustles him out.
In Fitz’s room, Burrich warns about addiction to the Skill and Fitz’s reckless self-neglect. They confirm Verity’s survival but lack proof to halt Regal’s imminent claim. Later, Fitz is followed toward Molly’s door; Nighteyes alerts him, and he detects Will’s subtle Skill-shadowing, more dangerous than Serene and Justin’s blunt harrying. Fitz retreats and resolves to heighten his mental guards.
Chade rebukes Fitz for acting alone and orders a strategy of salvage: publicly accept Verity’s “death,” placate Regal, and prepare Shrewd and Kettricken’s covert flight. Fitz cuts his hair in mourning to fit the ruse while Chade seeks safe havens. Meanwhile, Inland nobles flood Buckkeep as the keep is stripped of goods for Tradeford; Buckkeep’s people bristle.
Losses mount: Hands is sent off with seized horses; Burrich secretly hides Sooty. Patience and Lacey are left behind and dispossessed of furniture. Fitz learns Kettricken recently fell on the Queen’s Garden stairs; investigating, he finds a greased, blacked step—sabotage meant to cause a miscarriage. The Fool appears, battered and favoring a shoulder, thrown out after Regal denied Shrewd’s drugs and ranted about conspiracies while pressing Shrewd to speak.
Realizing Regal will exploit Shrewd’s pain, Fitz decides to draw Regal away with a diversion. The Fool demands to accompany Shrewd if he is taken, threatening to betray Fitz’s secrets otherwise. Fitz departs to act, while Chade’s escape plan for Shrewd and Kettricken looms.
Who Appears
- FitzChivalry FarseerProposes Skilling through Shrewd, contacts Verity, saves Shrewd with elfbark, adopts mourning ruse, evades Will’s shadowing, uncovers sabotage, moves to distract Regal.
- King Shrewd FarseerAgrees to Skill, briefly reaches Verity, nearly collapses, revived with elfbark; later pressured by Regal without drugs.
- The FoolWarns against Skilling, covers for Fitz before Regal; later beaten and expelled while defending Shrewd; demands to go with the king.
- KettrickenReceives hope Verity lives; protects Fitz from Regal; previously sabotaged on garden steps; becomes open opponent to Regal.
- BurrichAids Fitz, administers elfbark to Shrewd, counsels restraint about Skill; hides Sooty; reports Hands’s removal.
- Prince RegalCrashes in, suspects plots, later rants and withholds drugs from Shrewd; strips Buckkeep; prepares crowning at Tradeford.
- Verity FarseerReplied via Skill, alive; warns Fitz to release Shrewd and conserve strength.
- WillCoterie member; subtly Skills to shadow Fitz, more dangerous than Serene or Justin.
- SereneHarasses Fitz’s mind bluntly, serving as a distraction from Will’s stalking.
- JustinJoins Serene in Skilling at Fitz’s edges to harry and distract him.
- Chade FallstarScolds Fitz, orders a salvage plan, instructs public acceptance of Verity’s ‘death,’ prepares Shrewd and Kettricken’s flight.
- Lady PatienceDispossessed as Buckkeep is looted; informs Fitz of Kettricken’s fall; left behind from Tradeford move.
- LaceyStruggles amid confiscations; remains at Buckkeep with Patience, lacking furniture.
- HandsPressed into escorting seized horses to Tradeford without farewell.
- WallaceKing’s healer; elfbark rival; expelled by Regal during interrogation of Shrewd.
- RosemaryChild attendant present during the confrontation; slips past guards to Kettricken.
- NighteyesWarns Fitz he is followed; asks for ginger cake in quiet exchange.