Re-Reading Together: Assassin's Apprentice

Covenant is another important chapter. It is a chapter about meeting and about pacts. The covenant between Fitz and Shrewd. The meeting of Fitz and the Fool.

I would like to talk about this, second, meeting. There is something that the Fool doesn't do, here. And it is something that

Ship of Magic [leggi]

Amber did for Anthea, immediatly when she thought of her as her Catalyst

which is to search Fitz and be friend with him. He doesn't. The Fool ignores Fitz, completely or almost so.

We also learn how Fitz's life was. And if you think Fitz is a child, well, it was ghastly. He wasn't physically abused, but emotionally (if with the best intention) he indeed was. In all intent and purposed, Fitz was neglected and unloved as a child, either because any show of love would put him in danger (if done by his royal family) or because there was just no love to begin with, and then little ability to show it (by Burrich). Lets remember that Burrich did not care for Fitzy as a child howermuch. He seemed more interested in preventing Fitz from further bonding than on loving him. There is no hug. No cuddle. No touching. And little words.
This almost break my heart everytime:

Citazione:I lowered my eyes from his. “You live down here,” I pointed out sullenly. “You aren’t a stray pup.”
“I’m not a prince’s bastard, either,” he said tersely. “You’ll live in the keep now, Fitz, and that’s all.”
I dared to look at him. He was speaking to his fingers again.
“I’d rather I was a stray pup,” I made bold to say. And then all my fears broke my voice as I added, “You wouldn’t let them do this to a stray pup, changing everything all at once. When they gave the bloodhound puppy to Lord Grimbsy, you sent your old shirt with it so it would have something that smelled of home until it settled in.”
“Well,” he said, “I didn’t . . . come here, Fitz. Come here, boy.”
And puppylike, I went to him, the only master I had, and he thumped me lightly on the back and rumpled up my hair, very much as if I had been a hound.

Poor Fitzy, less than a pup. All pups have name, but Fitz is still more Nameless the Dog Boy than FitzChivalry, now.

The only one who shows the poor Fitzy any care is clueless Verity, who is oftentime blessedly blind to diplomaci:

Citazione: If he (Verity) noticed me, he would tousle my hair, or offer me a penny. Once a servant brought to Burrich’s quarters some little wooden toys, soldiers and horses and a cart, their paint much worn, with a message that Verity had found them in a corner of his clothing chest and thought I might enjoy them. I cannot think of any other possession I ever valued more.

As far as I can remember, this is the only gift Fitz is ever given without a second meaning, or without burden attached.




Covenant's Relevant Quotes:

Citazione: Is it the nature of the world that all things seek a rhythm, and in that rhythm a sort of peace? Certainly it has always seemed so to me. All events, no matter how earthshaking or bizarre, are diluted within moments of their occurrence by the continuance of the necessary routines of day-to-day living. Men walking a battlefield to search for wounded among the dead will still stop to cough, to blow their noses, still lift their eyes to watch a V of geese in flight. I have seen farmers continue their plowing and planting, heedless of armies clashing but a few miles away.

It is past time for me to answer to your post, even if I have nothing very important to say. XD

Yeah, poor Burrichounet, you got it perfectly well!

Chapter 3: Covenant

This is a big chapter, yes.
Among all the events of this chapter (majors and minors), we can also quote:
- that Fitz, who remembered his mother during the first two chapters, had more difficulties recalling his old life in this one (please, some thoughts for his poor mommy)
- that from now on, Royal has a big red pointer with “future big evil” above his head (no really, what was Shrewd thinking? XD)
- that even with Fitz, Shrewd was wide of the mark. I wonder… Fitz said Shrewd was a little disappointed. Did he secretly expect Fitz would call him by another word than sir?
- that Hod was/is just awesome! XD


The Fool has certainly grown a lot between this chapter and LT. He was quite wild at this age.
More seriously, what could have restrained him from chasing Fitz (like… well, does anyone know Helga Pataki from the old animated series Hey Arnold)?
(I’m very sorry for my stupid yet spontaneous references.)
Ideas:
- he didn’t have the opportunity (because of their duties).
- he didn’t have any reason to do so

Spoiler [leggi]

(the Catalyst has done his purpose (for now) and at that moment, being near Shrewd was more interesting for his purpose than being in the stables)

- Fitz is still a child

Spoiler [leggi]

while he isn’t really one (such a gap is not easy to erase, maybe he didn’t even thought they could become friends at that time, or he simply didn’t find a child interesting enough)

- he couldn’t approach him in fear a precocious meeting would cause “havoc”.
Still, I’m pretty sure the Fool spied on him from time to time.


Child abuse is a recurring theme of the first chapters, methinks. Newboy being the top (began with bullying, followed by Molly’s father and ended with Fitz and Burrich and Noisy). TT
The most disturbing for me is Fitz always thinking of himself as a pup. Or thinking that being one is better than being him. :S Or thinking Burrich cares more for the horse than him.


“Lets remember that Burrich did not care for Fitzy as a child howermuch. He seemed more interested in preventing Fitz from further bonding than on loving him. There is no hug. No cuddle. No touching. And little words.”
Burrich

Spoiler [leggi]

didn’t have a normal childhood either, then for him the one he gave to little Fitzy was, well, a lot better.

I don’t think he truly wanted to be cold to the boy but Fitz was the (not his) first child he (suddenly) had to take care of and the two of them had very good reasons to resent the other (plus the Wit and their personalities…). And once the pace was settled, it was pretty hard for each other to break it for a cuddle, even when the both of them really needed one.
How he’s not happy when Shrewd gave orders about Fitz just said how much he’s worried about what would happen to him now. Even in your citazione, it shows: he was not really delighted to let the child go and he gave in to Fitz’s reasoning pretty easily (for once).

Verity!
True. Those toys are the only gratuitous gift he had.

You are right, Andromeda... Poor Fitz, he remembers his mother less and less ç__ç I do think that, after three years with Fitz, Burrich had indeed learnt to love him. But at that point their role and relationship was pretty much set

And I agree on Hod

About the Fool... I think he doesn't know how to be friend with somebody. That is something that Fitz himself will teach him. After all, if we think about his early childhood

Fool's Errand [leggi]

he didn't have friends in the school/monastery. He was probably alone even there, the White Prophet. He doesn't know enough of people to be friend of Fitz. He will learn, of course.

The most important part of [b]Apprentiship [/b]is for sure Chade. After all, Assassin Apprentice is kinda the title of the book. And I do believe the most important part of what Chade says is this:

Citazione:. You’re not especially strong, or fast, or bright. Don’t think you are. But you’ll have the stubbornness to wear down anyone stronger, or faster, or brighter than yourself. And that’s more of a danger to you than to anyone else.

When we talk about Fitz, we should always, always remember this. Always.

Also, I am a student of political relationship. May I say that I like the down-to-earth approaches to politic that Chade has? He does politic like a pro.
Also, second reason to like Chade: he has lizards in a cage. Probably he makes experiments. He is the closer think to a scientist we see in ALL THE WORLD OF ROE

This Week To Read: Chapter 5: Loyalties and Chapter 6: Chivalry’s Shadow

Soon enough my own thought. I'll make only one post for both

(I have put an hold this week, because I may have a new reader to introduce soon, stay tuned )

I'm slow, I know! But I'm going to narrow and bridge the gap!
___________________________________________________

~ CH. 1 ~
The Earliest History

Among the countless beautiful expressions used by Robin Hobb in her novels, there is a particular one that remained impressed in my mind since the first reading:

Citazione:Almost, it is like a puppet show beginning. [...] The curtains parted, and there we stood before that great door.

I swear, I’ve never forgotten these words. I’ve always thought they were absolutely perfect to describe that moment: little Fitz suddenly catapulted on stage, in the spotlight, without studying the part, more a spectator than an actor of his own life. The curtains part and we have the feeling that something important is about to begin; and that’s true, if we consider the way that little boy is going to mess up the Farseer court from the start, for the mere fact of existing (“If all I had ever done was to be born and discovered, I would have left a mark across all the land for all time”).

And it’s a strange sensation to see that very young Fitz, defenceless and unaware, described by the bitter voice of the man he would become:

Citazione:I do not even know to whom I try to explain myself. My life has been a web of secrets, secrets that even now are unsafe to share. Shall I set them all down on fine paper, only to create from them flame and ash? Perhaps.

For all these reasons, Robin Hobb is masterful from the very first lines. Furthermore, in the space of one chapter, she shows us Burrich’s big heart — divided between his loyalty to Chivalry and his sweet devotion to Patience — she contrasts Verity’s frankness and simplicity to Regal’s slyness and vanity — Regal who reasonably blames his elder brother for the rashness of not covering up the ‘Fitz scandal’ and frowns upon the child in the stables — and paints offstage a very incisive picture of Prince Chivalry, whom we will never meet but feel like we have always known. Robin introduces the Wit too, in the instinctive embrace between the puppies Nosy and Fitz, and even mentions the Skill as a possible explanation for those vivid memories.

Speaking of memories, I have never worked out why Fitz doesn’t remember anything at all before his arrival in Moonseye. Six years are a lot of time for a child. Can a traumatic event — the separation from his mother? — cause such a strong cancellation? Can it really do it, especially if we consider the indifference with which Fitz listens to the woman’s pleas and watches his grandpa chasing her away with force? In light of what we have read and learned in time, it resembles quite a lot a Forging. It may not be exactly the case, but the effect is terrifyingly similar. And today I still find it disturbing.

About Fitz’s grandfather, his figure is controversial. Implacable, Fitz defines him, in regard at his grip, which was firm and yet warm and not unkind (“It did not let me slip on the icy streets, but it did not let me escape my fate, either”). It is true that he had taken the boy away from his daughter, it is true that he ignores her desperate pleas till the end, but it’s also true that he — quite likely — chooses to miss the target when he throws a chunk of ice to her (“I do not recall a cry, nor the sound of struck flesh”). Probably he wasn’t a mean person. Just a man in front of a hard but unavoidable decision.

There’s another thing I’d like to highlight: have you noticed that giving custody of Fitz to Burrich is not an initiative by Verity? The prince merely requires that the boy be “fed and bedded somewhere” intending to consider the matter better on the next day; instead, it is Jason — the guard who had received Fitz from his grandfather — who takes the child away and gives him to Burrich. Later, at the end of the chapter, Verity takes upon himself the responsibility of that decision in front of his brother — “I turned him over to Burrich. He is Chivalry's man, and as such he's cared for” — but actually it was not his idea, not at the beginning at least. Curious thing, don't you think?

Finally a last, brief consideration. How beautiful is the closure of the first chapter?

Citazione:I grew up fatherless and motherless in a court where all recognized me as a catalyst. And a catalyst I became.

Sharp. Summarizing. Prophetic.
I do love Robin Hobb.

Yes, the whole point of the puppet-show is very telling. Puppets and masks are a stample of this story. I wondered about the symbolism...