Golden Fool (Tawny Man, #2)

by Robin Hobb

To lose the living creature that one has been linked with is more than the loss of a companion or loved one. It was the sudden amputation of half my physical body. My vision was dimmed, my appetite diminished by the insipid flavor of food.

A burden shared not only can lighten it; it can form a bond between those who share it. So that no one is left to bear it alone.”

I was embracing my solitude, courting my pain. It was not the first time I had chosen such a course.

To be part of a family, or any community, is to have duties and responsibilities, to be bound by the rules of that group.

To recognize you are the source of your own loneliness is not a cure for it. But it is a step toward seeing that it is not inevitable, and that such a choice is not irrevocable.

The Piebalds wanted power. Their intent was to mold all of the Witted folk of the Six Duchies into a united force that would rise up to seize control of the monarchy and put their own people into power.

the Piebalds have also been known as the Cult of the Bastard.