[ He stops pulling, and the chain snaps back to its proper place. The silence that stretches on passes from awkward into what, for other people, might have gone into unsettling.

He's about to brush it off and say it's nothing or because it wasn't important but that, too, is an evasive answer.

He owes him honesty, if nothing else.

The words is that it? would be so easy to say-- ]

...You were the prince. And then you had her, and then it...well. [ His laugh is weak. ] I thought I had better give you space.

[ So he did. For centuries. ]

I thought it was -- fine, not to say anything, because...nothing would have changed.

[ He's finding it entirely impossible to look at him. Thankfully going red from embarrassment is something he is entirely incapable of. ]

And I didn't want to make it seem like I...expected anything of you. So.