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A boy was born in the Six Duchies, the royal kingdom ruled by King Shrewd. He was the illegitimate son of Prince Chivalry, the heir to the throne. His mother never named him, and people called him Fitz, meaning “bastard.” When he was still a small child, his mother’s family brought him to the royal keep at Buckkeep and left him there. The guards recognized that the boy looked like Prince Chivalry, and word quickly spread that the prince had fathered a child outside marriage. This caused great shame and scandal. Out of guilt and responsibility, Prince Chivalry gave up his claim to the throne and went to live in a distant part of the kingdom, leaving his young son behind at the castle.
At first, Fitz was taken in by Burrich, Chivalry’s loyal stableman. Burrich was strict and honest, and he taught Fitz how to care for animals. Fitz found comfort among the dogs and horses, and he discovered he could silently connect with them through a strange power. He could share their feelings, see through their eyes, and speak to them without words. This gift, called the Wit, was considered shameful and dangerous in the kingdom. Burrich warned him never to use it, and he punished Fitz harshly when he caught him bonding with animals. Though Fitz feared Burrich’s anger, he could not help using his secret gift in moments of loneliness.
King Shrewd eventually took notice of the quiet boy living in his castle. The king saw that Fitz could be useful to him. One night, he summoned Fitz in secret and gave him a new teacher—a man named Chade. Chade was the king’s hidden assassin, a ghost who lived behind secret walls and came out only at night. He became Fitz’s master, teaching him the arts of stealth, poisons, disguise, and observation. Fitz learned how to kill silently and obey without question. Though he was uneasy about these lessons, he longed for approval and belonging. Chade treated him with stern kindness, and Fitz slowly began to feel that he had a purpose.
As Fitz grew, he began to learn more about his royal family. King Shrewd’s younger sons, Prince Verity and Prince Regal, took different views of him. Verity was kind and fair, while Regal was proud and cruel. Regal saw Fitz as a threat and often mocked him, while Verity tried to guide him. Around this time, the kingdom was facing terrible trouble. Raiders from the sea attacked villages, killing many and leaving behind people who returned soulless—empty shells called the Forged. The Six Duchies struggled to defend themselves against these attacks.
To protect the kingdom, King Shrewd ordered his sons to strengthen the use of another ancient magic called the Skill. The Skill allowed people to speak mind-to-mind and influence others across great distances. Verity was strong in this magic, and the king hoped to use it to fight the Raiders. Fitz, being of royal blood, was sent to train in the Skill under a cruel teacher named Galen. Galen despised Fitz for being a bastard and treated him harshly. He forced Fitz into exhausting lessons, mocked his failures, and even tried to break his spirit. Still, Fitz learned a little of the Skill, though he found it painful and dangerous. Galen’s hatred left deep scars on him, and Fitz began to distrust many at court.
During these years, Fitz formed a deep bond with a wolfish dog named Nosy and later with other animals, though Burrich made him give them up. He also grew close to a girl named Molly, the daughter of a candle maker. They were childhood friends, and over time, Fitz’s feelings for her turned into love. But because of his secret life as an assassin and his low birth, he felt he could never be with her openly. His duties to the king always came first. King Shrewd and Chade began sending him on secret missions—spying, gathering information, and sometimes killing enemies of the crown. Fitz obeyed because he wanted to serve his king and earn a place in the world.
As the attacks from the Red Ship Raiders grew worse, Prince Verity worked tirelessly to defend the coasts using the Skill. He became weaker each day from overuse of the magic. Meanwhile, Regal grew more ambitious. He began to charm nobles and sow suspicion at court, spreading rumors about Fitz and Verity. Fitz was sent to the Mountain Kingdom as part of a diplomatic mission to arrange Verity’s marriage to Princess Kettricken. The journey was dangerous, and Fitz faced poison, betrayal, and political traps. Despite these risks, he succeeded in helping Verity win the princess’s hand. Kettricken was brave, honest, and kind, and she brought a sense of hope to Verity’s life.
During their stay in the mountains, Fitz learned more about loyalty and honor. He saw that other lands respected even bastards if they proved their worth. But back at Buckkeep, things grew darker. Prince Regal began plotting against both Verity and Fitz. He sought to make himself the heir by weakening those who stood in his way. Regal flattered King Shrewd and slowly gained control of the court. He manipulated those around him with lies and poisoned words. Fitz often found himself the target of Regal’s cruelty and deceit, but Chade and Burrich kept him alive through cunning and loyalty.
Fitz’s secret work for the king grew more dangerous. He was ordered to spy on Regal’s allies and expose traitors. On one mission, he was poisoned and barely survived. He began to realize that serving the king as an assassin meant constant sacrifice. His love for Molly suffered, as he could never tell her the truth about his life. Despite his hardships, Fitz remained devoted to Verity, who continued to defend the kingdom against the Raiders with the Skill. Verity trusted Fitz more than anyone else, seeing in him the same loyalty and courage that Chivalry once had.
One night, Fitz discovered that Regal was secretly plotting to kill Verity. Regal planned to seize the throne by any means. When Fitz tried to warn the king, Regal accused him of treason. King Shrewd, now weak and confused from age and poison, could no longer see clearly. Regal’s lies spread through the court, and Fitz was captured. In the dungeon, he was tortured and left to die. Chade and Burrich risked their lives to free him. Fitz barely survived, his body and mind broken. During his long recovery, he used both the Wit and the Skill to stay alive, connecting deeply with a wolf that helped heal his spirit.
While Fitz was hiding and regaining strength, Verity decided to leave the castle and search for the mythical Elderlings—ancient beings who might help defend the kingdom. He left Kettricken behind to rule in his place. Fitz wanted to follow him, but his injuries and the king’s death made it impossible. King Shrewd was murdered by Regal’s slow poison, and Regal took power, forcing Verity’s loyal followers to flee. Fitz was betrayed once more, accused again of being mad and untrustworthy. To save Kettricken and the child she carried, Fitz faked his own death. With the help of Chade and Burrich, he escaped into hiding, leaving behind the life he knew.
In his solitude, Fitz found comfort only in his bond with animals. He grew close to the wolf that had once saved him. Through their connection, he began to understand himself in a deeper way. He learned that love and loyalty did not come only from bloodlines or titles, but from the choices one made. Though broken and hunted, he vowed to one day return and bring justice to those who had betrayed the true king. He would protect Verity’s unborn heir and the people who had believed in him.
The seasons passed, and word of Verity’s journey spread across the land. Many thought him dead, but Fitz never lost hope. In the shadows, he continued training, using the skills Chade had taught him and the strength of his Wit and Skill combined. The once-lonely boy who had been left at the gates had become a survivor, a silent guardian of a kingdom in peril. Though the world believed him gone, Fitz’s heart burned with quiet determination.
His story was not one of glory or comfort, but of endurance. He had been born unwanted and used by others, yet he found his own sense of honor. Every betrayal he faced made him stronger, every act of kindness taught him loyalty. Fitz came to see that being an assassin was not only about killing—it was about serving something greater than oneself. The love he felt for Molly, the loyalty he bore for Verity, and the respect he carried for Chade and Burrich became the threads that held him together.
By the end, Fitz had lost everything he once called home, but gained something greater—a purpose that could not be taken away. The boy who had no name, no family, and no place in the world had grown into a man whose life was tied to the fate of the Six Duchies. His journey had only begun, but he knew now that he was no longer just the king’s tool or the bastard prince. He was his own person, with a destiny shaped by the choices he made, and the courage he carried in silence.