The excerpts follow the inner monologue and actions of a character named Tom Badgerlock, who is secretly FitzChivalry Farseer, as he navigates court politics, personal relationships, and secret magical duties. A central thread is his grief over the loss of his Wit-partner, Nighteyes, and his evolving, complicated relationships with Jinna (a woman he desires but avoids intimacy with), and his son, Hap, who is grappling with life as an apprentice in Buckkeep Town. Simultaneously, he is caught up in Farseer intrigue, primarily assisting Prince Dutiful—who is revealed to be Witted and Skilled—with his challenging betrothal to Narcheska Elliania of the God’s Runes, who demands the Prince slay a dragon. Badgerlock, often under the guise of Lord Golden's man, manages covert operations with his mentor, Chade, including training a new Skill coterie, investigating the Piebalds (a hostile group of Witted), and dealing with the political implications of a Bingtown emissary's arrival that threatens the engagement. The text also details the strained but deeply bonded relationship between Badgerlock and Lord Golden (the Fool), who are forced to confront their true identities and the consequences of their emotional distance.
