Fool's Errand (novel)

Plot summary

Fifteen years after the Red Ship War ended, Fitz has spent his time traveling with his wolf and Wit-bonded partner, Nighteyes, eventually settling in a remote cottage far from the Farseers and Buckkeep's political affairs. He is raising an adopted son named Hap, who was brought to him by Starling; her visits are his only link to his former life. Fitz now uses the alias Tom Badgerlock. Chade locates Fitz and requests he return to Buckkeep to teach Prince Dutiful, Kettricken's son, the Skill, but Fitz declines. Later, the Fool visits Fitz, alludes to his own travels over the past fifteen years, and says he has foreseen that he must go back to Buckkeep, but Fitz again refuses to go. Shortly after the Fool departs, Fitz receives an urgent message from Chade and travels to Buckkeep. Chade informs him that Dutiful has vanished just before his important diplomatic marriage to an Outislander princess. Fitz is tasked with retrieving the prince in time for the wedding while also concealing the fact that Dutiful is Witted. Using his Tom Badgerlock identity, Fitz becomes the servant of Lord Golden, the Fool's new persona at Buckkeep, in order to find the prince. Fitz and the Fool, along with Queen's Woman Laurel, journey to the home of the Bresingas, nobles suspected of being Witted. There, they discover that Prince Dutiful was given a hunting cat and forced into a bond with it, a practice considered an abomination by the Old Blood, traditional Witted folk. The group also becomes increasingly aware of the threat from the Piebalds, extremist Witted individuals. It comes to light that one of the Piebald leaders, Peladine, is a deceased Witted woman whose consciousness now inhabits the prince's cat. Peladine plans to strengthen her Wit bond with Dutiful and seize control of his body. Dutiful is at first captivated by Peladine and suspicious of Fitz, but eventually realizes the peril he faces. The prince's cat resists Peladine's influence long enough for Fitz to kill her, ending the immediate danger. Nighteyes dies in Fitz's arms from a combination of battle wounds and old age. The prince and Fitz slowly begin to form a closer bond, though the exact nature of their relationship is left unclear.