Fool's Errand
Chapters - Robin Hobb
Prologue: Losses Sustained
In a retrospective frame set on the road back to Buckkeep, Fitz reflects on the losses that have defined his life - above all the death of his wolf-bond Nighteyes, whose absence colours everything that follows. He considers how he chose solitude for years after the events of the Farseers trilogy, retreating to a cliff-side cottage by the sea. The narrative then shifts to a campfire scene on the road home, where Fitz rides alongside the Fool, Prince Dutiful, and Laurel, offering a tantalising glimpse of the journey's end before looping back to its beginning.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Dutiful Farseer, Laurel·Mentioned: Nighteyes, Hap, Patience, Chade Fallstar, Burrich
Chapter 1: Chade Fallstar
Chade Fallstar arrives unannounced at Fitz's isolated cottage, bearing gifts and carefully chosen news about old friends - Burrich and Molly are well in Farrow, and Patience has taken up residence at Tradeford. Over a candlelit evening and a game of Kettle's stone, he gently makes his true purpose clear: he wants Fitz to return to Buckkeep and train young Prince Dutiful in the Skill, and the boy is apparently both Skilled and troubled. Fitz refuses outright and the conversation turns thorny, until Chade's powder flask explodes in the fire - a reminder that the old man's experiments remain as dangerous as ever - and the two part on uneasy terms the following morning.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: Chade Fallstar, Nighteyes·Mentioned: Burrich, Molly Chandler, Patience, Hands, Dutiful Farseer, Thick, Shrewd Farseer, Prince Rurisk, Galen, Regal Farseer
Chapter 2: Starling
Starling rides back to the cottage with Hap after a long absence, and Hap's innocent chatter quickly reveals that she is married - to a young nobleman connected to the royal court. Around the campfire that evening, she and Fitz engage in a bruising truth-telling session, and Hap recounts witnessing the near-stoning of a Witted woman at Hardin's Spit, who was rescued when her companion crows intervened - a striking display of Old Blood solidarity. The chapter ends on an atmosphere of change and unease, with Nighteyes a steady and watchful presence throughout the evening.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: Starling Birdsong, Hap, Nighteyes
Chapter 3: Partings
Morning brings a sharp confrontation between Fitz and Starling in which he ends their long relationship, having deduced she was reporting his whereabouts to Chade all along. Starling confirms she heard a minstrel named Tagsson sing a ballad at Springfest identifying Fitz - the so-called 'Witted Bastard' - as still living, which means the Piebalds and others hostile to the Old Blood now have reason to seek him out. She departs before noon, leaving behind a complicated grief, and Nighteyes and Hap are left to watch Fitz absorb the silence.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: Starling Birdsong, Nighteyes, Hap·Mentioned: Chade Fallstar
Chapter 4: The Hedge-Witch
Summer stretches out at the cottage as Fitz and Hap work through the practical problem of finding money for an apprenticeship. On a second market trip to town, Fitz meets Jinna the hedge-witch, who senses his Wit through one of her predator-repelling charms and visits the cottage to give him a garden charm and read his palms. A tense encounter with the neighbour Baylor, who implies Fitz stole piglets in barely-veiled anti-Witted hostility, underscores the rising danger for those of Old Blood, while Nighteyes watches from the edge of the trees.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: Nighteyes, Hap, Jinna·Mentioned: Vixen, Tallman, Stubtail
Chapter 5: The Tawny Man
The Fool arrives on a white mare named Malta, transformed into the wealthy and golden-skinned Lord Golden, and is reunited with Fitz and Nighteyes after years apart. The reunion is deeply emotional, made richer by Bingtown coffee and apricot brandy shared late into the evening, as the Fool explains that he has returned as a White Prophet who needs his Catalyst once more. When Fitz presses him for his true name, the Fool admits his mother called him 'Beloved' - a name that seems at once intimate and enormous in its implication.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Nighteyes
Chapter 6: The Quiet Years
Days pass pleasantly as the Fool settles into cottage life, and in a long evening by the fire Fitz recounts his wandering years after the Mountains - his failed attempts to reach the Stone Garden, his flight from a Skill-pillar crossroads where Nighteyes stopped him from walking into oblivion. The Fool produces the carved wooden rooster crown he found on his own travels, and they solemnly place it on Fitz's head - nothing happens, and the absurdity of the moment dissolves the weight of the past in shared laughter. The chapter is a breathing space of warmth and renewed friendship before harder events intrude.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Nighteyes·Mentioned: Regal Farseer, Will, Smithy, Pale Woman
Chapter 7: Heart of a Wolf
On the third morning of the Fool's visit, Nighteyes chokes on a fish bone at the beaver pond and Fitz uses both Skill and Wit to enter the wolf's failing body and manually restart his heart, becoming dangerously trapped between two bodies in the process. The Fool draws Fitz back by pressing old Skill fingerprints on his wrist, renewing the silver mark in the process, though both are left exhausted and shaken by the intimacy of what has passed. The difficult aftermath - a conversation about invasion, consent, and the blurring of self - colours the rest of the chapter with a new solemnity.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Nighteyes
Chapter 8: Old Blood
Fitz recounts to the Fool the year he and Nighteyes spent living among the Old Blood community near Crowsneck, under the harsh tutelage of Black Rolf and the quiet kindness of Holly. Rolf taught him cautionary lessons about over-bonding through tragic examples - a man who lost himself to his swallow, a woman named Delayna who now lived permanently inside the deer Parala - and made clear that the Old Blood community knew Fitz was alive, a vulnerability neither can easily dismiss. The chapter closes with the Fool drinking heavily and singing in an unknown tongue, a rare and unsettling glimpse beneath his composure.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Nighteyes·Mentioned: Holly, Black Rolf, Hilda, Sleet
Chapter 9: Dead Man's Regrets
Fitz wakes in the night and opens his Wit to the darkness, accidentally brushing the bright consciousness of a boy running with a bonded hunting cat - a contact he closes off quickly but cannot forget. In the morning the Fool teases him about his haggard looks, and Fitz resumes his tale of wandering years: Bingtown, the Rain Wilds, Chalced slavery, and finally a Skill-dream that carried him to a hillside above Burrich and Molly's farm, where he watched from a distance but could not bring himself to go down. The Fool gently probes about Prince Dutiful's origins and advises Fitz to come to Buckkeep once Hap is settled.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Nighteyes, Dutiful Farseer·Mentioned: Burrich, Molly Chandler
Chapter 10: A Sword and a Summons
The Fool announces he must leave Fitz's cottage and return to his duties as Lord Golden at Buckkeep, and in the days after his departure Fitz feels the emptiness acutely. Hap returns from his summer work having earned too little to cover an apprenticeship fee, forcing Fitz to consider going to Buckkeep to borrow money from Chade. Before he can set out, a deaf-mute messenger arrives with an urgent sealed summons bearing Fitz's own Farseer buck device, commanding him to come at once - and he tells Hap to follow by cart with Nighteyes and arrange lodging at Jinna's.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Hap, Nighteyes·Mentioned: Chade Fallstar, Jinna
Chapter 11: Chade's Tower
A series of horse relays and fish-smelling boats deliver Fitz to a changed Buckkeep, where the Fool - in full Lord Golden character - meets him at the repaired hidden entrance and installs him as 'Tom Badgerlock, manservant' before leading him in through the main gate. In the opulent Lord Golden rooms, a concealed panel opens to Chade's tower workroom, where a visibly aged Chade reveals the crisis: Prince Dutiful has been missing for over six days, is Witted and bonded to a hunting cat, and the Out Islands betrothal delegation arrives in a fortnight. Chade shows signs of memory fragility and emotional strain, and the two men discuss the accidental Skill-dream connection between Fitz and the prince.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Chade Fallstar·Mentioned: Hands, Kettricken, Dutiful Farseer, Thick, Arkon Bloodblade, Galen
Chapter 12: Charms
Fitz wakes in Lord Golden's servant's cell and spends the day moving through Buckkeep as Tom Badgerlock, briefly glimpsing Kettricken on a staircase and being struck by a nobleman for staring. In Buckkeep Town he collects new clothes from the tailor Scrandon, visits a weapons dealer named Croy, and calls on Jinna, who gives him a 'well-disposed' charm and introduces her niece Miskya - and whose cat Fennel speaks to him through the Wit. Back at the castle, he spars with a guard named Delleree to loosen her tongue about Dutiful, searches the prince's rooms without result, and accidentally glimpses disturbing charm sketches in the Fool's private room before being pulled out.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Kettricken, Jinna, Miskya, Fennel·Mentioned: Chade Fallstar, Hap, Dutiful Farseer
Chapter 13: Bargains
Fitz wakes in Chade's tower chamber to find Lord Golden has already arranged a cover story - a hunt for rare feathers - and secured an invitation to Lady Bresinga's manor at Galeton, the area closest to where Dutiful was last tracked. Fitz hurries through Buckkeep Town to leave word for Hap at Jinna's shop, where Miskya reassures him and Fennel demands a farewell cuddle before he collects new tack and a difficult black mare. The party sets out - Fitz as Tom Badgerlock, Lord Golden, and Laurel, Queen's Huntswoman, whose steady competence and careful conversation promise a useful travelling companion - and they gallop to reach the last ferry before dark.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Chade Fallstar, Laurel, Miskya, Fennel, Nighteyes, Hands·Mentioned: Hap, Kettricken, Dutiful Farseer, Burrich
Chapter 14: Laurel
Chade leads Fitz through secret passages to Kettricken's private sitting room for an emotional reunion, where the queen listens composedly as Fitz confirms he suspects Prince Dutiful is Witted and bonded to a cat, and advises keeping the absence quiet for another day or two. Kettricken reveals that the Out Islands delegation arrives within a fortnight and the betrothal cannot be cancelled, pressing the urgency of finding the boy. Fitz recommends discretion above all, and leaves the meeting with a new weight of obligation and a sharper understanding of what failure would mean for the Six Duchies.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: Chade Fallstar, Kettricken·Mentioned: Dutiful Farseer
Chapter 15: Galeton
Fitz, posing as Lord Golden's servant Tom Badgerlock, arrives at Galeton's ferry crossing with Lord Golden and Laurel, where he is unexpectedly reunited with Nighteyes, who has tracked him from Buckkeep Town. The group crosses the Buck River by ferry and arrives at Bresinga Manor, where Fitz detects a strong Wit presence among the household. At dinner that evening, Lord Golden plays the charming aristocrat while Fitz stands guard, and both observe the hunting cat culture of the Bresingas as they quietly probe for signs of Prince Dutiful's whereabouts. Fitz gathers intelligence in the kitchens and glimpses a basket of food being sent out - likely for the Prince - while Nighteyes scouts the property from outside and discovers the pervasive scent of cats. After returning to their chambers, Laurel reveals she found evidence in the cattery that the Prince had been there, confirming their suspicions.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Laurel, Nighteyes, Lady Bresinga, Civil Bresinga, Avoin, Sydel, Lord Grayling, Lady Grayling
Chapter 16: Claws
At a dinner hosted by Lady Bresinga, Lord Golden skilfully pumps the hunting enthusiasts for information about the Prince's mistcat, and Fitz observes Civil Bresinga and the Grayling girl Sydel both exhibiting Wit-bonds with their cats, confirming his suspicions about the Bresinga household's Old Blood connections. Lord Golden feigns increasing drunkenness to extract information while Fitz makes use of his invisibility as a servant and visits the kitchens, where he glimpses a food basket being delivered - likely to Prince Dutiful in hiding nearby. That night, Nighteyes sends Fitz a disturbing report: the Prince was treed overnight by the wolf in the hills, but just before dawn the mistcat attacked Nighteyes savagely and a rider arrived to carry the Prince away. Fitz finds the wounded wolf at dawn, treats his injuries as best he can, and plans their next move.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Laurel, Nighteyes, Lady Bresinga, Civil Bresinga, Avoin, Sydel, Lord Grayling, Lady Grayling, Tibbits, Lebven·Mentioned: Dutiful Farseer, Black Rolf
Chapter 17: The Hunt
Lord Golden dispatches Fitz on a pretended errand to retrieve a feather-case, freeing him to find Nighteyes in the hills with serious claw wounds from the mistcat's attack. Fitz treats the wolf's injuries with salve and learns that a horseman with a spare mount arrived at precisely the right moment to take the Prince away - suggesting a coordinated plan the Prince himself was unaware of. Back at Galekeep, Lord Golden finds himself entangled in the Bresingas' social web, unable to depart without giving offence, so he devises an indiscreet scheme involving the young woman Sydel and Civil Bresinga to force an awkward exit. Fitz learns the household's cats know of Nighteyes' presence and worries about what intelligence they may pass to their Witted owners.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Laurel, Nighteyes, Civil Bresinga, Avoin, Sydel, Lord Grayling, Lady Grayling·Mentioned: Dutiful Farseer
Chapter 18: Fool's Kiss
Lord Golden's scheme reaches its scandalous conclusion when he kisses Civil Bresinga on the hand in a deliberate provocation to hasten their departure, while Fitz watches the social fallout and maintains his role as oblivious servant. The next morning, Fitz returns to the wounded Nighteyes who is already tracking the Prince's trail northward, applying more salve before the wolf insists on continuing alone. The party departs Galekeep in apparent disgrace, and once hidden from the manor's view, Lord Golden sends Fitz ahead at speed to close the gap with the Prince. Camping that night on the trail, Laurel demonstrates her tracking skill, and the group makes a bare camp, with Nighteyes reluctantly allowing Laurel to assist examining his wounds.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Laurel, Nighteyes, Lady Bresinga, Civil Bresinga, Avoin, Sydel, Lord Grayling, Lady Grayling, Lebven·Mentioned: Dutiful Farseer
Chapter 19: The Inn
Resuming the pursuit at dawn, the tracking party finds where multiple Piebald companions joined the Prince's trail, swelling the group they follow. At midday they find a cold campfire where those companions had waited - and the Prince's number now rides with at least four others. When the trail merges with a road and scent is lost, Fitz attempts a reckless Skill-reach that finds something beckoning but not clearly the Prince, and the group presses north. They reach a village inn called the Piebald Prince and discover from Nighteyes' scouting that there is blood in the street and no dogs - signs of violence. Laurel independently discovers a site of execution: a mob has hanged, quartered and burned a local man known to be Witted, one of the Prince's companions who sacrificed himself so the others could escape. Fitz, Laurel and Lord Golden ride out in the middle of the night to get ahead of the village mob that plans to continue hunting the Piebalds at dawn.
POV: FitzChivalry Farseer·On page: The Fool, Laurel, Nighteyes·Mentioned: Dutiful Farseer