Free Fool's Fate by Hobb Robin Page B

person I was born. Neither are you. I know no one who is. Truly, Fitz, all we ever know are facets of one another. Perhaps we feel as if we know one another well when we know several facets of that person. Father, son, brother, friend, lover, husband...a man can be all of those things, yet no one person knows him in all those roles. I watch you being Hap's father, and yet I do not know you as I knew my father, any more than I knew my father as his brother did. So. When I show myself in a different light, I do not make a pretense. Rather I bare a different aspect to the world than they have seen before. Truly, there is a place in my heart where I am forever the Fool and your playfellow. And within me there is a genuine Lord Golden, fond of good drink and well-prepared food and elegant clothing and witty speech. And so, when I show myself as him, I am deceiving no one, but only sharing a different part of myself.”
        “And Amber?” I asked quietly. Then I wondered that I dared venture the question.
        He met my gaze levelly. “She is a facet of me. No more than that. And no less.”
        I wished I had not brought it up. I levered the conversation back into its old direction. “Well. That solves nothing for me, as far as finding someone to watch over Hap for me.”
        He nodded, and again there was a stiff little silence. I hated that we had become so self-conscious with one another but could not think how to change it. The Fool was still my old friend from my boyhood days. And he wasn't. Knowing that he had other “facets” reordered all my ideas of him. I felt trapped, wanting to stay and ease our friendship back into its old channel, yet also wanting to flee. He sensed it and excused me.
        “Well, I regret that I came at a bad time. I know you have to meet Swift soon. Perhaps we shall have a chance to speak again before we sail.”
        “He can wait for me,” I heard myself say suddenly. “It won't hurt him a bit.”
        “Thank you,” he said.
        And then again our conversation lapsed. He saved it by picking up one of the furled charts. “Is this Aslevjal?” he asked as he unrolled it on the table.
        “No. That's Skyrene. Our first port of call is at Zylig.”
        “What's this over here?” He pointed to a curling bit of scrollwork on one shore of the island.
        “Outislander ornamentation. I think. Or maybe it means a whirlpool, or a switching current or seaweed beds. I don't know. I think they see things differently from us.”
        “Undoubtedly so. Have you a chart of Aslevjal?”
        “The smaller one, with the brown stain at one end.”
        He unrolled it next to the first, and glanced from one to the other. “I see what you mean,” he murmured, tracing an impossibly lacy edge on the shoreline. “What do you think that is?”
        “Melting glacier. At least, that is what Chade thinks.”
        “I wonder why he didn't give you my message.”
        I feigned ignorance. “As I said, perhaps he forgot. When I see him today, I'll ask him.”
        “Actually, I'd like to speak to him, as well. Privately. Perhaps I could come with you to your Skill-lesson today.”
        I felt extremely uncomfortable yet I could think of no way to wriggle out of inviting him. “That's not scheduled until afternoon today, after Swift's lessons and weapons practice.”
        He nodded, unconcerned. “That would be fine. I've things to tidy up in my chamber below.” As if inviting me to ask why, he added, “I've nearly moved out of those rooms completely. There won't be much left for anyone to trouble about.”
        “So you intend to move to the Silver Key permanently?” I asked.
        For a moment, his face went blank. I had surprised him. Then he shook his head slowly at me, smiling gently. “You never believe a thing I tell you, do you, Fitz? Ah, well, perhaps that has sheltered us both through many a