Royal Assassin

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**Royal Assassin**

UK first edition cover (Voyager)
Author	Robin Hobb
Cover Artist	John Howe
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	The Farseer Trilogy
Genre(s)	Fantasy novel
Publisher	Voyager Books (UK) & Spectra (US)
Released	April 1996 (US), 21 March 1996 (UK)
Media Type	Print (Paperback & Hardback in the UK, Paperback in the US)
Pages	580 pp (UK hardback ed.), 752 pp (UK paperback ed.)
ISBN	ISBN 0-00-224607-4
Preceded by	Assassin's Apprentice
Followed by	Assassin's Quest

Royal Assassin is a book by Robin Hobb, the second in her Farseer Trilogy. It was published in 1996.

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

After recovering from being poisoned by Regal, he returns to Buckeep. After Regal's attempted murder of Prince Verity and Fitz. Fitz vows revenge. Early after returning to Buckeep he has a skill dream where he sees molly in a burning village, being raided by the red ship raiders but loses sight of her not knowing if she is dead or alive, Fitz is upset but powerless to act. Fitz decides to take actions into his own hands which eventually leads to a great change of events and increases his enmity with Prince Regal. The start of the book the Six Duchies is under attack from the Redship raiders. Prince Verity trys to defend the Six Duchies by building a fleet of ships to fight and defend the Six Duchies. Fitz is recruited to work on one of those ships because of his ability to communicate with Verity using the skill. He is involved in many land and sea battle against the red ship raiders. Although the Six Duchies cannot afford to build a large enough army to defend the coast. With the six duchies running out of resources and unable to fight the red ships, King-in-waiting Verity decides to go on a quest to save the Six Duchies from the ruthless Red-Ship Raiders, thus leaving Regal the opportunity he needs to usurp the throne. Fitz's use of the Wit continues as he rescues a young wolf from a cage at the town market, names him Nighteyes and bonds with him. Nighteyes provides Fitz with companionship, loyalty and friendship, with the simple explanation "We are pack.". Another companion to Fitz is his childhood friend Molly, now a maid to Lady Patience, who Fitz falls in love with and she with him, but ultimately leaves him for focusing overmuch on his duties to the king.

As King Shrewd is killed by Galen's coterie, Fitz swears to avenge his death (and promptly kills the coterie leader), but is captured by Regal and tortured so he would reveal Verity's location. Finally, in an accomplishment of the Wit, he leaves his body behind and becomes a part of Nighteyes, leaving the impression he had died in Regal's dungeon. He is, however, coaxed back into his body by Burrich and Chade who now have to remind him of how to live like a human again.

Again, as with The Assassin's Apprentice, Fitz's feelings are explored to great extent.

[edit] Editions

An American English paperback edition was issued in New York by Bantam Books in 1996 with ISBN 0-553-37563-6.
A British English hardback edition was issued in London by Voyager/HarperCollins in 1996 with ISBN 0-00-224607-4. This edition's cover is illustrated by John Howe.