Assassin's Quest (The Farseer Trilogy, #3)

by Robin Hobb

I soon found myself caught up in the play of the stones. It was strangely soothing: the stones themselves were red, black, and white, smoothly polished and pleasant to hold. The game involved each player randomly drawing stones from the pouch and then placing them on the intersections of lines on a patterned cloth. It was a game at once simple and complex. Each time I won a game, Kettle immediately introduced me to more complicated strategies. It engrossed me and freed my mind from memories or ponderings. When finally all the others were already drowsing in their sleeping skins, she set up a game on the board and bade me study it. “It can be won decisively in one move of a black stone,” she told me. “But the solution is not easy to see.” I stared at the game layout and shook my head. “How long did it take you to learn to play?” She smiled to herself. “As a child, I was a fast learner. But I will admit you are faster.” “I thought this game came from some far land.” “No, it is an old Buck game.” “I’ve never seen it played before.” “It was not uncommon when I was a girl, but it was not taught to everyone. But that is of no matter now. Study the layout of the pieces. In the morning, tell me the solution.” She left the pieces set up on the cloth by the brazier. Chade’s long training of my memory served me well. When I lay down, I visualized the board and gave myself one black stone with which to win. There were quite a variety of possible moves, as a black stone could also clai...