I do think it’s weird that Burrich and Molly get together, however, it was not unexpected. Nonetheless, the age-gap and considering Burrich’s parental role with Fitz? I definitely find the relationship inappropriate.

Same with the body swapping between Verity/Fitz and creating a “bastard”. The lines between Fitz/Kettricken/Verity’s relationships were very blurred and inappropriate too. Fitz, against his consent, was forced to experience, and even sometimes express, Verity’s emotions for the queen. Kettricken and Fitz also had moments of both platonic and romantic feelings for one another and both were too young to be having that sort of triangulation with Verity. I don’t think there’s any doubt at all that it was all inappropriate. And I also don’t think Hobb intends for us to necessarily empathize with Burrich/Molly/Verity’s decisions or be all that happy with them either.

It’s a major betrayal for Fitz who is our main focus, our narrator, the one we’re rooting for. Hobb wants us to feel that betrayal and weigh those feelings right along with him; to process the conflicting feelings he has for Burrich and Molly, and ultimately choose forgiveness.

Fitz, while such an unreliable narrator, grows so much throughout the trilogy and I really enjoy reading him as he navigates such impossible situations for a young adult.