AA: A Question About Shrewd's command -spoilers!

[Bryek]

So in the end August informs us that he spoke with the King via Skill and told Fitz to listen to Regal. To me this seems out of context with Shrewd's character. I was wondering if anyone else thought this.
My thoughts are that August never actually contacted the king and really got his orders from Galen. I am thinking this because Fitz was unable to contact Shrewd when he was in the pool and we do know that Fitz is a lot more strong with the skill than August.
I assume that August asked Galen to ask the king but he never did because he was in league with Regal and also wanted Fitz gone because Fitz was so much stronger in the Skill than Galen was.
So does anyone else think that Shrewd was never contacted about the mountain prince?

[Stan]

Good point.

They do make it a point to mention how Shrewd has been burned out from using the Skill - so how could a low level communicator like August have contacted him ?

[Bryek]

its not so much that Shrewd was burned out from using the skill, it was that he never used it. I was about to try and quote the line but I can't seem to find it. I could have sworn it was when fitz was in the hot spring...

[Valerie]

I just decided to go under the assumption that Shrewd never got the message. It does seem more in character for Shrewd to have given more instruction, The response was so glib that I assumed August made it up to get Fitz off of his back.

[Stan]

Kp wrote: "its not so much that Shrewd was burned out from using the skill, it was that he never used it. I was about to try and quote the line but I can't seem to find it. I could have sworn it was when fitz..."

Page 424 of my Kindle edition

"And Shrewed, in crown and robe upon his throne, was all unknowing, his Skill burned and dulled away years ago by misuse, and him too proud to admit it"

[David Sven]

Shrewd's plan was always to assassinate Rurisk. The question is, why send Fitz and not Lady Thyme? Because I believe Fitz is the patsy. The fall guy, or at least it was kept open as one option. Of course Regal being there made sure that was the only option. Its not implicitly stated, but implied as a possibility leaving the reader wondering if Shrewd isn't trying to kill two birds with one stone.
Fitz is a problem for King Shrewd. A potential traitor. Its why he more than once calls Fitz to reaffirm his loyalty, and why the King keeps him close. The bottom line being Fitz is disposable.

[Ria]

Kp wrote: "My thoughts are that August never actually contacted the king and really got his orders from Galen."

This makes so much sense. I was utterly confused as to why Shrewd would side with Regal, and didn't even cop that August had spoken to Galen and not Shrewd. I'd say you are absolutely right in your thinking.

[Adrienne]

David Sven wrote: "Fitz is a problem for King Shrewd. A potential traitor. [...] The bottom line being Fitz is disposable. "

I don't think that's it. The message probably didn't actually get through to Shrewd. There's pretty strong evidence in the later books that (view spoiler)[Galen Skill-imposed loyalty to Regal on the coterie, and he would have been no reason to impose loyalty on everyone except August (hide spoiler)]. Therefore, I agree with the people who say that August probably sent the message to Galen, who didn't bother to ask Shrewd.

I'm more inclined to think that it's a plot by Regal, not Shrewd, to get rid of Fitz. Even though Fitz is potentially dangerous for the kingdom, Shrewd doesn't have any reason to believe that he currently is -- especially since Chade is very loyal and a bastard himself. Near the beginning of the book, Shrewd specifically states that he might as well use Fitz to help the Farseer monarchy instead of letting someone else turn Fitz against them. We have no evidence that Fitz has done anything to change Shrewd's mind about that. Finally, there's the conversation at the beginning of the second book where (view spoiler)[Shrewd states that he's made Regal apologize and insinuates that Fitz should get past Regal's betrayal as well (hide spoiler)]. So I really don't think there's enough evidence that Shrewd was behind it all. Regal, on the other hand, has wanted to get rid of Fitz since he first saw him (e.g., his conversation with Verity when Fitz is in the stables with Vixen).

The only problem is why Chade doesn't know about Fitz's orders to kill Rurisk. It could be that Regal also suggested that it would be a good test for Fitz on his own, without letting him rely on Chade as a crutch. I don't recall any evidence for that in the text, though, except that Regal has tricked Shrewd about a number of other things.

[David Sven]

@Adrienne - You are probably right. But I never fully trusted Shrewd. My explanation would also make sense of why Chade was kept in the dark. Can't have the patsy tipped off by his master. Or have Chade directly intervene to protect the boy. Anyway, there's enough that goes unsaid as to put doubt in the readers mind. If that was deliberate then it was masterfully done.

[Susan]

It was mentioned in the book that after Queen Desire's death Shrewed was spoiling/trying to buy Regal's loyalty. Maybe he promised Regal full control of the situation to prove to Regal that he had nothing to worry about in terms of loyalty from the throne.

[W.R.]

Stan wrote: "Good point.

They do make it a point to mention how Shrewd has been burned out from using the Skill - so how could a low level communicator like August have contacted him ?"

This was my thought. It seemed to indicate that August did not actually contact Shrewd. I suspect that he didn't actually Skill anyone.

[Joe Informatico]

Valerie wrote: "I just decided to go under the assumption that Shrewd never got the message. It does seem more in character for Shrewd to have given more instruction, The response was so glib that I assumed August made it up to get Fitz off of his back."

I felt the same way. I'm almost certain that's exactly what happened. (It's been so long since I read the sequels, I don't remember if more information on this incident is ever revealed.)

[George]

Joe wrote: "Valerie wrote: "I just decided to go under the assumption that Shrewd never got the message. It does seem more in character for Shrewd to have given more instruction, The response was so glib that ..."

I'm adding some heavy spoiler tags, but it was explained in the sequels.

(view spoiler)[Galen imprinted loyalty onto his coterie to Regal. Verity's coterie is never loyal and is intentionally passing late or incorrect skill messages back and forth to Verity. (hide spoiler)] <- Revealed in Book 3.

Galen's behavior is strange. I don't really understand how he could get away with what he did since (view spoiler)[Chivalry imprinted loyalty to himself and Verity into Galen. Shouldn't that have stopped him from essentially betraying Verity? (hide spoiler)] <- Revealed in book 2.