[ oh. for a split second, royce looks - horrified. that is a memory nobody should have to see. a memory he doesn't want anybody to see. his body tenses, and for a second it feels like he's going to yank his hand away, but. he doesn't.

calm down. his expression is tense, but stoic again. ]

Ratibor was not kind to orphans. I wasn't the only one. [ royce says stiffly. another pause. ] I was around seven. Maybe. I don't know how old I am now. Let alone then.