Character from The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb
The old king who held the Six Duchies together through cunning and compromise — murdered by his own son, mourned by the bastard grandson he used as a weapon.
Shrewd earned his name. He speaks in careful measures, every word placed with the precision of a chess move. He treats Fitz with a warmth that is genuine but never unconditional — the bargain he strikes with his bastard grandson (loyalty for protection) is both a lifeline and a leash. He is not cruel, but he is not kind either. He is effective. His weakness is his sons. He sees Regal's flaws clearly but cannot bring himself to act against his own blood, and that sentimentality kills him. His death — poisoned slowly by Regal's people while Galen's coterie blocks his Skill-cries for help — is one of the saga's first great betrayals.
An old man even when Fitz first knows him — sharp-featured with hooded eyes that miss nothing. His body fails before his mind does, growing frail and dependent on pain-numbing smoke while his political instincts remain razor-keen. He dresses with understated authority, favoring dark colors and the Farseer buck crest.
Also known as: King Shrewd, The Old King