Contents
Thirty-Nine: Verity’s Dragon
Overview
Verity sacrifices himself to quicken his dragon, confirms Kettricken’s pregnancy, and flies her and Starling toward Buck. At the quarry, Burl wounds the Fool but is killed by Nighteyes, and his blood awakens Girl-on-a-Dragon. Will, guided by Regal, attacks to seize the quarry’s power, but Fitz and Nighteyes, fueled by Skill and Wit, awaken Realder’s and then many dragons. The Fool departs leading the airborne pack to feed and join Verity, turning the war’s tide.
Summary
As Red Ships near Tradeford, Verity completes his sacrifice, carefully kisses Kettricken goodbye, and declares her pregnant. He quickens his dragon with Kettle, awakening as Verity-as-Dragon, and bears Kettricken and Starling toward Buck. Fitz stays behind with Nighteyes; the Fool lingers, obsessed with Girl-on-a-Dragon.
Burl ambushes the Fool at the green dragon. Nighteyes kills Burl, and Burl’s blood eats into the stone, quickening Girl-on-a-Dragon, who lifts away with the Fool. Will arrives, blasts Fitz with Skill, boasts of new coteries, and reveals Regal’s plan to seize the quarry, not merely stop Verity.
Archers ring the quarry, but Girl-on-a-Dragon disrupts them, snatching men from the walls. Will flees; Fitz and Nighteyes pursue him to the black pillar, where Will escapes through it. They follow and emerge into Regal’s camp, surrounded. Fitz draws deep on the Skill, and with Nighteyes’ pack tactics they hold off soldiers as Will and Regal press them mentally.
At Realder’s dragon, Fitz channels Skill into Nighteyes to break Will’s terror-weaving. Wolf-blood and Fitz’s Wit rouse Realder’s dragon, who immediately feeds on soldiers. Recognizing that blood and Wit awaken the stone, Fitz and Nighteyes swiftly quicken more dragons, including Wisdom’s antlered dragon, binding them loosely by the promise of meat and the notion of pack.
As soldiers are routed and prey dwindles, the Fool lands on Girl-on-a-Dragon and urges Fitz to lead. Fitz instead commands the Fool to guide the airborne pack to Buck and Verity. The Fool mounts and departs, leading a sky-borne host of newly awakened dragons, while Fitz and Nighteyes remain below, the balance of the war abruptly shifted.
Who Appears
- FitzChivalry FarseerNarrator; stays behind, battles Will and soldiers, uses Skill and Wit to awaken dragons.
- NighteyesFitz’s wolf; kills Burl, helps rouse dragons with blood and Wit, fights with pack cunning.
- The FoolWounded by Burl; rides Girl-on-a-Dragon and ultimately leads the awakened dragons toward Buck.
- VerityQuickens into his dragon, confirms Kettricken’s pregnancy, flies her and Starling toward Buck.
- KettrickenRevealed pregnant; mounts Verity-as-Dragon and departs for Buck to safety and claim.
- Starling BirdsongAccompanies Kettricken on the dragon; charged to safeguard Verity’s heir in song and truth.
- KettleMerges with Verity’s dragon at quickening, her essence becoming part of the living dragon.
- BurlWill’s coterie member; wounds the Fool, then is slain by Nighteyes; his blood wakes a dragon.
- WillRegal’s Skilled proxy; attacks Fitz, reveals new coteries, tries to capture the quarry, then flees.
- RegalExerts control through Will; seeks the quarry’s power and commands new coteries and troops.
- Girl-on-a-DragonGreen dragon awakened by Burl’s blood; bears the Fool, slays archers, joins the aerial pack.
- Realder’s DragonAwakened by Fitz and Nighteyes; feeds on soldiers and spurs other dragons to rise.