is desperately lonely and seemingly has no prospects, but he catches the attention of King Shrewd, who sees that a bastard can be either a threat or an asset to the royal line. Fitz swears fealty to the king. He is taken into the castle proper and is schooled, taught combat skills, and develops a sense of loyalty to the Farseer line, especially King-in-Waiting Verity. One night he is introduced to a recluse named Chade, who is a skilled assassin and spy. Fitz agrees to secretly learn Chade's skills and complete minor assassin work for King Shrewd. Meanwhile, Chivalry dies when thrown from a horse, but it is strongly suspected that Queen Desire, King Shrewd's second wife and Regal's mother, has had him assassinated. The widowed Lady Patience arrives at Buckkeep, where she and Fitz become close, and he adopts the name "FitzChivalry." Lady Patience gives Fitz a puppy, which he names Smithy and secretly forms a Wit bond with. The coastal regions of the Six Duchies are being attacked by Outislanders known as the Red-Ship Raiders. The Raiders rampage through villages and towns, killing and taking hostages while stealing little, making their attacks seem to lack a motive. The hostages are returned, reduced to a brutal, emotionless state driven only by desire; they are named the Forged Ones. Forged Ones become robbers that plunder the countryside; Fitz is ordered by Chade to secretly kill many of them, and he finds he cannot sense them with his Wit at all. Verity fights the Raiders with the Skill, a magic found in the Farseer bloodline which allows its users to share thoughts and strength, which weakens him. Fitz becomes "King's Man" to Verity, allowing Verity to link with him to draw out Skill strength for his own use. Fitz is made part of a class of students to be taught in the Skill to help Verity. The teacher, Galen, despises Fitz, treating him without respect and abusing the students. He tries to kill Fitz, then, with more success, sabotages his Skill training with mental blocks. During the last test of Galen's Skill classes, Galen sends Fitz to Forge, ostensibly to see if he can use the Skill to get back. Fitz is attacked by Forged Ones, although he manages to return safely. While he is away, Galen arranges an assassination attempt on Burrich which Fitz witnesses through Smithy's eyes. Smithy saves