The White Fox

This is the sequel to Summon Your Dragons and is a gritty fantasy with no elves anywhere and, strangely, no foxes.

Even a privileged palace boy gets punished if he tries to sneak into the room of Tarlin's best wife.
Olcish finds himself tending smelly old people in the infirmary and being bossed about by the priestesses.
But one of the old men dies and that changes everything, sending him to the worst place in the world with little chance of coming back.
But by then he wants to go, even if it kills him.

Don't forget to check the map & appendices. See the link on the title page of the book.