Blood of Dragons discussion thread - SPOILERS, obvs

[Farseer]

It was one of those 'sit up and take notice' moments in BoD, that's for sure!

While it added weight to the moment when Amber touched Malta on Paragon's deck (and confirmed a couple of things I have to get back to in the Malta thread), I'm not sure what to make of Fitz and Fool.

I'm still thinking on it (so may swing the other way after more thought!) but, to me, Fitz already had the blood of dragons, the Wit and the ability to wield the Skill - an ability yet to be fully developed in the Keepers-as-Elderlings. Of course, Reyn and Malta had begun to show signs of being able to use it for contact when Reyn touched minds with Malta back in LST, Wintrow had used it with his window etc and Selden had shown signs of being attuned to Fitz and Dutiful's use of it in TM but this seemed prompted more by Tintaglia's ability that Selden's (while at Buckkeep he said something like, "She says you're lying") at that point in time.

As well as his established abilities, Fitz was also already the Catalyst and Changer. Any Skill touch from Fool would likely then not have been needed to call Fitz into an action he'd otherwise not have taken. Malta, on the other hand, though always redisposed/destined for Elderling status, was touched by Fool and then went on to fulfil a purpose (as oer the BoD quote?).

From memory, Fool hesitated slightly prior to placing his fingertips on Fitz when his marks were made in the Memory Stone quarry. At the time, it was Fitz who sought the contact as it was only through his and Fool's joining that Fitz was able to prompt the resurfacing of Kettle/Kestral's Skill ability back in AQ. Without that joining, Verity would never have been able to complete the carving of his simulacra dragon, Dutiful could never have been conceived, Forging and the works of Kebal Rawbread and the Pale Woman would have continued (and thus the stain that ran down the world's shirt would not be stopped) etc etc.

It will be interesting to find out post-RWC if Fitz had been nudged via the Skill at any point during the events of the latter RWC books such as Selden's captivity or the war with Chalced. From what it appears though, the contact with Fitz did nothing more than create an even greater link between he and Fool (one that was already established from their journey up the Skill Road/back at the plaza etc) and enable Kettle's forgiveness and Verity's dragon to rise to push back the advances of Kebal Rawbread and the Pale Woman during the Red Ship War. EDIT: In this, it is a clear example of The White Prophet and Catalyst working together to take time out of its course.END EDIT

One thing is certain. Actually this is one of the things that I will be adding to the Malta thread (!), *but* where Fool's silver touch on Malta prompted her to change physically (it was from that point on her neck that Elderling scaling began on Malta), it did not for Fitz. For all of the years that he had carried those marks on his skin, never did they develop into scaling. Curious is it not? Nor did either Verity or Kettle scale at any point despite being lathed in silver from the Skill River itself. Why?

I believe it may very well have something to do with a 'higher calling' or his being of the House of Farseer. It harks back to that stained-glass window in the Map Tower of Kelsingra's Citadel of Records. I have always interpreted the woman depicted there as having never 'changed' as the Elderlings we know of have changed...which is why I believe there is a distinction and difference in what we have come to know as an 'Elderling'...both currently in the realm and historically. Much more to add but have to think how to express it as I know that I'll have to later answer for my words.

Fool also has a higher calling than what we have come to expect. He is, for me, 'of the gods', as I have noted elsewhere.

Am looking forward to hearing more of everyone's theories for his touching of Malta and more...