Assassin's Apprentice Part 2 - Chapter 6 to 10

[Hanne]

I'm already setting up all threads so people can read at their own speed.

This one is for chapters 6 to 10

[Hanne]

"You're a bastard, Fitz. We're always a risk and a vulnerability. We're always expendable"
so chade is a (royal?) bastard too?

and what's with "Fitz fixes feists fits. Fat suffices"?
is it the fool giving prophecies?
sounds like rambling now, but not sure why it feels like it'll be of importance

[Hanne]

Finished the first 10 chapters.
i guess i got half my answer when Fitz noted that Chade looked like Verity. So i guess that makes him either Shrewd's bastard son or brother. It's a bit hard to estimate Chade's age.

I was pretty impressed with the turn of events, from a bit of luck saving the Duchess's dog to a more dramatical discovery at the town. 'Gold or we save them' was a strange demand to make in the first place. Pretty good if you're goal is to terrorize people.

[[deleted user]]

Agree. What did he use to see the emptiness of the townsfolk was it Wit or Skill?

[David Sven]

Cordelia wrote: "Agree. What did he use to see the emptiness of the townsfolk was it Wit or Skill?"

I was under the impression that it was Wit - an ability to detect life forces

[Rob]

David Sven wrote: "Cordelia wrote: "Agree. What did he use to see the emptiness of the townsfolk was it Wit or Skill?"

I was under the impression that it was Wit - an ability to detect life forces"

That was my recollection as well.

[Hanne]

I have to admit that i'm getting my Skills and Wits confused right now.
Maybe because we haven't had enough explanation about it, I guess when Fitz is going to get some lessons in Skill it might become clear.

So far, if my recollection is correct, what we know is this:
- Skill allows to communicate over long distances, and to 'push' people away somehow. Probably a lot of people have skill, but training is limited to the important people
- Wit allows you to get inside the head of an animal and you can give him orders.

currently unidentified - i guess both could be Wit, but i'm not 100% sure
- the thing Fitz uses to get a guess of people's emotions (this looks related to what he does with animals)
- the thing he uses to see the emptiness

[Rob]

Not exactly.

Think of the Skill as communication between people and the Wit as communication with animals.

You can't command beasts easily with the Wit, it's not really a form of mind control. You can share their thoughts and communicate with them. But they have their own opinions and aren't going to do what commanded unless they want to, without a person completely overtaking their personality (which hasn't happened in this book.)

Many animals may choose to ignore any attempts at communication with the Wit, but younger animals such as Fitz has attached to, don't know any better.

You're right that the Skill works regardless of distance. It's entirely based on a person's power in the Skill and their training of it.

Hanne wrote: " and to 'push' people away somehow"

The pushing that Fitz has done is actually the Wit, not the skill. The Skill does allow you to make suggestions to people, and if they are weak of mind/not protecting themselves from it you can influence their thoughts and deeds.

The perception of people's emotions is indeed the Wit. It's that same thing that allows him to see the emptiness. Those who have been Forged are completely devoid of emotions so Fitz is unable to sense them like he could normal people.

[Hanne]

oops. i said i had my wits and skills are mixed up.
but i didn't think it was this bad :)

[Rob]

Hanne wrote: "oops. i said i had my wits and skills are mixed up.
but i didn't think it was this bad :)"

Well I'm on my 5th book with the Wit and the Skill. You're on your first. It's a bit confusing at the start. I think it becomes more clear as you go on though.

[David Sven]

Hanne wrote: "oops. i said i had my wits and skills are mixed up.
but i didn't think it was this bad :)"

I don't think you are supposed to know as much yet where you are up to. You discover more as you go.

[Candace]

A great example Hobb gave us of Wit was when Fitz helped the dog. Although he was using his Wit to tell the dog to calm down so that he could get the bone out that was lodged in his throat, the dog was in pain and couldn't calm down. So we learned that it doesn't work like a force that he has over animals in that they have to do what he wants, but rather that he can communicate with them like people.

This was one of my favorite scenes in this chapter because we see that Fitz has his father's gift of diplomacy- which could be very important to a boy who doesn't want to kill anyone.

[Candace]

Hanne wrote: "Finished the first 10 chapters.
i guess i got half my answer when Fitz noted that Chade looked like Verity. So i guess that makes him either Shrewd's bastard son or brother. It's a bit hard to esti..."

I totally agree with you Hanne that we need Chade's age. I caught on in chapter four that Chade was a bastard. When Fitz meets Chade and is looking at Chade's face, Chade says "seems familiar,doesn't it?" That combined with his living arrangements hidden in the Keep led me to the conclusion that he was a bastard well before he told Fitz. However, I need his age. We have clues :
1. He tells Fitz that Fitz is important because Chade is "old" . But old means different things in different times and in different professions- does he mean too old to ride in the field and carry out "the King's work" without the assistance of the carris oil? That still would make him older than Verity and Regal- which led me to guess/hypothesize he was the King's bastard brother.
2. Chade speaks of Burrich as a young boy, how he always had a gift with animals. This makes me think he's older than Burrich by at least a few years. Just confirms guess from #1.
3. Chade said he thought the King had forgotten him when he came to him and asked him to train Fitz. This clue told me that a man would not forget a bastard son hiding in the castle, although he might care less for a brother than for a son who has remained out of sight for a long time and has been no trouble. Someone Verity's age would be at the height of planning a coup if he were so inclined. Yes, this last clue, i think is the one that is the most telling. I think he's old as in the King's generation.

But we'll see...
Did i miss a relevant clue Hanne?

Also, it's interesting that you mentioned the comparison to Sanderson in the last thread. As I was reading the material at the beginning of the chapters in italics, and i'm trying to figure out the correlation between drugs and the Skill, ( just more little details storing back for later) it strongly reminded me of Sanderson's chapter beginnings. They were very important to the story. I don't know if Hobb's are as important yet, but they are definitely important

[Candace]

Figuring out who Chade is is very fun, but what I took from these chapters is my mixed emotions for him. He more than anyone understands the position that Fitz is in. They are both very special because they are bastards, carrying both Royal and common blood in them. To me this a great thing, to have it in you to connect with /love all types of people if you keep those roads open -like with Molly, how great that he did not gloat that he could read? But when Fitz discusses becoming a scribe, Chade lets him know, they can only be the "King's men." He is trying to keep him alive, sure I see that. Chade had to come to terms with that years ago. However, when the King asks Chade to put Fitz to the test and Fitz being loyal to his King refuses, Chade does not see him for days and Fitz becomes physically ill. This shows us a lot about Fitz's character, but it also showed me a lot about Chade. Chade allowed Fitz to hurt so much, he became physically ill -from loneliness he told Burrich. Even when it wasn't necessary anymore, Chade let the charade go on. When Fitz had remained loyal to the king despite Chade's threats and promises, and after becoming ill, Chade still did not visit Fitz. It was Burrich in his rough way who did what he could and did not give up until the boy was better.

In summary I learned Chade didn't protect Fitz and he has secrets. Being a bastard and hiding in the castle might be a tip-off that he's used to keeping secrets or rather just not sharing information. Secondly he tells Fitz that he must steal something from the King's rooms or their lessons or over ( all a lie). Finally we find out about Lady Thyme. Despite all these deceptions, Fitz feels very safe with him. He should be wondering what all Chade knows and is not telling him. And watching his back!

[Candace]

The part with the fool was awesome! Fools are great because they are always around the court and know everything! So at first I thought the fool was giving Fitz a secret message. The words , though sounding idiotic, do make a complete sentence. It was a message, but not of past things- of things to come!! Yes, how exciting Hanne, a prophecy-giving fool. I hope there will be more. I hope we find out what the deal is with him being outside while he prophesies. Fitz said he never left the inside of the castle. was it no more than he really needed to find Fitz and he was outside? Does he receive prophecies outside? It must be something because Hobb put it in there. *store for later*

[Hanne]

Candace wrote: "This was one of my favorite scenes in this chapter because we see that Fitz has his father's gift of diplomacy- which could be very important to a boy who doesn't want to kill anyone. "

I really liked that one!
And i agree, he's going to need it. It also would fit very well in the royal house. Shrewd, Verity (and slightly less so) Regal have their talents, but diplomacy and getting people to like them seems not to be one of them. But Fitz does, so that gives him a place.

[Hanne]

Candace wrote: "Chade does not see him for days and Fitz becomes physically ill. This shows us a lot about Fitz's character, but it also showed me a lot about Chade. Chade allowed Fitz to hurt so much, he became physically ill -from loneliness he told Burrich. Even when it wasn't necessary anymore, Chade let the charade go on. "

That actually bothered me too!
At many points it really looked like Chade took some fatherly role taking Fitz under his wings. But then there were so many times in which he just leaves Fitz alone at a time he really needed him.
I was still being optimistic, thinking Chade might have been on a mission or something, but i did think it was odd too.

[Hanne]

Candace wrote: "The part with the fool was awesome! Fools are great because they are always around the court and know everything! So at first I thought the fool was giving Fitz a secret message. The words , though sounding idiotic, do make a complete sentence. It was a message, but not of past things- of things to come!! Yes, how exciting Hanne, a prophecy-giving fool. I hope there will be more. I hope we find out what the deal is with him being outside while he prophesies. Fitz said he never left the inside of the castle. was it no more than he really needed to find Fitz and he was outside? Does he receive prophecies outside? It must be something because Hobb put it in there. *store for later* "

I love the fool (actually, how did not put him in my review? have to go and correct that immediately after this!)
how he gets his prophecies and always manager to appear and dissapear in thin air is big question for me too!

I hope we get to see so much more of him! (I know there's a fool trilogy coming, but i have refused to go read the short content of it, so i don't have a clue but i'm hopeful!)

[David Sven]

The other thing about Chade is, I imagine, he would be a very busy man. He's not always going to be around to watch Fitz' back.