Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, #1)

by Robin Hobb

“Stop,” he said quietly. I fell silent. “When you cut pieces out of the truth to avoid looking like a fool, you end up sounding like a moron instead. Let’s start again.”

Now, I’ve had boys of my own, and I know boys aren’t that way. They don’t learn, or grow, or have manners when you’re looking at them. But turn away, and turn back, and there they are, smarter, taller, and charming everyone but their own mothers.”

Men cannot grieve as dogs do. But we grieve for many years.