Chapter 1: Chivalry's Child
Burrich's point of view from Assassin's Apprentice, pages 8 to 19.
Only a few moments ago, I was drinking and eating with my buddies. We didn't have a care in the world. At least, not until I saw him. A young boy, maybe about six years of age, was standing in the doorway with Jason. He looked like Chivalry. I quickly glanced at him before returning to my game, but I could see the resemblance from the door. Jason forced him on me. I tried to refuse, but Jason was having none of it. He knew that I worked closely with Chivalry. Denying the child's heritage did me no good, either. I studied him closely. He would cause Lady Patience to leave, I was sure.
I felt saddened to learn that the boy was simply called "boy". I had been sure that someone would have cared for him, at least. I introduced him to Nosy. I figured that he could use the company while he slept in the stalls. For the next few weeks, I kept him fed and exercised. He was cooperative. It's more than I could say for some other stable boys that I've met.
Regal and Verity stopped by the stables to look over the boy. Disgusted, I stood behind him as they dissected him with their eyes. The boy looked scared as he gazed up as the two unknown men. Regal and Verity discussed the boy as if he was not sitting only a few feet from them. It was like he didn't even exist to the arguing brothers. They didn't care about what he thought of them. They didn't care about what I thought of them. It was just another reason why I preferred to work with Chivalry, I mused. He cared about us low-lifes. It was decided that I would care for the boy, and so I cared for the boy like Chivalry would have wanted me to.
Chapter 2: Fitz's Curse
Burrich's point of view from Assassin's Apprentice, pages 37 to 44.
Stepping out of a shop, I recognized Fitz. He was running along with some poor children that I knew were mischievous beggars. They were passing sausages around each other as they hurtled down the street, away from the man they had stolen from. Quickly, I cuffed Fitz. I paid the sausage man, throwing a look of disgust toward Fitz. I thought that I had been raising him better than that. I ordered him to go home. As soon as he left, I headed for the tavern. I needed a drink.
It was dark by the time I walked home. I didn't want to face Fitz. Although he was the one who stole, I felt guilty, like I was the one responsible for how Fitz was turning out. Fitz had the blood of kings inside him, and he was turning into little more than a beggar. I sought to punish him, when the dog whined. I looked down at Nosy, and then looked at Fitz. Anger overtook my entire body as I realized that Fitz had the Wit. As I tried to calm down, I grabbed the dog whip. I needed to know for sure what I suspected was wrong with him.
I flicked the whip at Nosy, and he flinched. My suspicions confirmed, I sank down onto a bench. In one instant, everything had changed. I almost couldn't believe that something so evil had overtaken this young boy, this child of Chivalry. I refused to let it happen to this boy. I fought to convince him that he must stop the inhuman bonding with Nosy. When that didn't work, I forced Nosy into my arms and left Fitz alone. I spotted an old friend on the road away from my house. She promised to bring Nosy to her home, where he would be cared for. I ambled home. Fitz was upset, and I tried to comfort him. I understood what I had to do. I was obliged to teach Fitz the proper way to be of royal blood. That didn't include becoming one with the animals.
Chapter 3: Righting a Wrong
Burrich's point of view from Assassin's Apprentice, pages 260 to 272
The Fool appeared out of nowhere, took my hand, and led me away from the house. Confused, I asked him multiple times what was going on. He led me up the tower. I trudged up the steps. The Fool tried to encourage me to move faster, but my leg prevented me from doing so. When we reached the tower top, I glimpsed someone lying on the floor. I soon realized that it was Fitz. The Fool held up a torch as I rolled Fitz over to get a better look at his injuries. He was covered in blood. I carried him back to his room and carefully laid him on the bed. He seemed so small, so broken. I felt morose that someone, most likely Galen, would do something like this to him.
I sat, unmoving, by Fitz's bedside until he woke up. As soon as his eyes slowly opened, I asked him what had happened. When I learned exactly what Fitz thought about the incident, I was shocked. Galen had changed him completely through a pattern of abuse. Anger clouded my mind, but I didn't want Fitz to see how upset I was. I tended him carefully. Soon, I noticed a pup, who looked like Patience's dog, roam around the room. My hands shaking, I asked Fitz if he had been using the Wit, that dreaded curse, again. He denied it quickly. Reassured, I left him to seek out Galen. I dragged him out of bed to the Witness Stones to fight. A crowd gathered, but no one dared to stop me. They too remembered how Galen had mistreated them. I won the battle easily. Galen had no experience fighting, and I was out for revenge for Fitz. At the end end, as he lay there bleeding on the stones, I threatened to kill him if he ever harmed Fitz again.
I watched out for Fitz the next few days, trying to make sure that he would be all right. He laid in bed mostly, so it wasn't hard. He seemed so defeated. I almost didn't know what to do. After two days, I forced him to get out of bed. I couldn't leave him in bed, not when he needed to move around to make sure everything would heal properly.
Chapter 4: Fitz's Reveal
Burrich's point of view from Assassin's Apprentice, pages 387 to 389
The thought of my hand killing a small animal, even one unnaturally bonded to Fitz, horrified me. I had no idea that Fitz had believed wholeheartedly that I was capable of doing something like that. When I had first learned of Fitz's gift, I was scared. No, I was terrified. I refused to let him turn into a wild beast. So, I took the puppy from him and gave him to a wandering scribe who I had become friends with a while back. It tormented me to know that Fitz thought I would do something like that. I thought he knew me better than that.
Suddenly, a thought struck me. He mistakenly thought I was capable of murdering small animals, and he still continued to use his Wit. The evil curse must have taken him in sooner and faster than I thought it was capable of. Fitz tried to appease me by telling me that he didn't see his Wit like I did. Shaking my head, I stopped him. I could not stand by him as he made a mistake with his life. I could not help him turn against his human life for animal instincts. It pained me to part with him, but I could not stand by and watch as he destroyed his life. It was better for both of us to be apart.
As I watched, he walked confidently away to see to Prince Regal's needs. He has changed so much in the last few years that I don't even recognize parts of him anymore. I wonder what parts of him are truly him and not the Wit taking over his life. I only wish that his father was here to advise me. Chivalry would have known what to do to stop this madness from happening. I, however, know nothing about how to sway people to understand the true nature of things that have happened. I was never good at that. If I ever had that, it had disappeared after a few years of practically living with animals. I wanted Fitz to become better so that he could reach his fullest potential. Living with this curse would prevent him from being all that he can be. I hate it, but I can't get him to fix it.