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

by Robin Hobb

I lowered my eyes from his. “You live down here,” I pointed out sullenly. “You aren’t a stray pup.” “I’m not a prince’s bastard, either,” he said tersely. “You’ll live in the keep now, Fitz, and that’s all.” I dared to look at him. He was speaking to his fingers again. “I’d rather I was a stray pup,” I made bold to say. And then all my fears broke my voice as I added, “You wouldn’t let them do this to a stray pup, changing everything all at once. When they gave the bloodhound puppy to Lord Grimbsy, you sent your old shirt with it so it would have something that smelled of home until it settled in.” “Well,” he said, “I didn’t…come here, Fitz. Come here, boy.” And puppylike, I went to him, the only master I had, and he thumped me lightly on the back and rumpled up my hair, very much as if I had been a hound.

Poor Fitzy baby