Doing a Captive Prince re-reading and I'm struck by how the Regent, while no longer sexually abusing Laurent as a young adult, still keeps him terrorised by the very same threat and is particularly obsessed by it.
It goes from spreading all these rumors about Laurent, sexualizing him so much in the eyes of the Court and the soldiers that even Damen at the start is shocked by how they talk about him ; to making plans of having him raped before being killed (very much not needed for his overall plan to work) ; to send Govart, who talks at length about what he wants to do to Laurent and apparently "behind the door" as his Captain ; to making him kneel before him several times, making him relive his worst trauma again and again ; and, ofc, asking Damen to bed him.
He never ceased his predatory attitude towards Laurent, and Laurent was stuck enduring that for years, even beyond the age threshold of 15. Once again, I'm in awe and so proud that he managed to retain so many qualities, sound judgement and mental health in that context. He really is a fighter.
