Oh, he's in a bad spot. We get along pretty well, he and I; I actually think he'll make a better Lord Albrecht than I would. He's got the head for it. You know, a numbers and books guy, not a soldier. But Albrecht's pretty tiny, he's taking over more forests and villages than he is armies.

[He sips his tea, seeming to realize that he's gotten off-track, and circles back around to it again.]

He knew he was getting the princely treatment while his mom was taking out all her frustrations on me. There just wasn't much he could do about it, aside from keeping his head down. He couldn't have stopped her.

[For a second, his expression darkens.]

My pops could've, maybe. If he'd tried.