He paused, allowing weight to settle behind his words.
"That refusal, that hesitation, that's what becomes unbearable over time. Not the power itself. The failure to use it."
Maelor's hands tightened on the table's edge, his fingers gripping the wood with visible strain.
His knuckles went white from the pressure, revealing the physical manifestation of internal conflict playing out across the span of this conversation.
He was beginning to understand exactly what Jack was suggesting. That his failure wasn't in having power, but in refusing to use it.
"But you must understand something," Jack added, his tone shifting slightly. "Power without constraint becomes tyranny. My father understands that distinction. Power used to protect others, to advance your interests, to ensure your people thrive. That's different from power used simply for its own sake."
"And the burden?" Maelor asked. "Does your father experience burden from that?"
