Who of the Veretain court knew what the Regent did to Laurent?
(spoiler warning and trigger warning, you want to strangle people while reading that)
I always wondered if there are people who actually knew about it or at least had a clue, and a few people come to my mind there: Govart, Nicaise, Guion, Audin and Paschal. (And, as always, feel free to let me know what you think about that, who knows, who doesn't know, and why?)
So I thought about it and I came to following conclusion:
I'm still unsure about Govart. Guion and Audin probably did know, and Paschal knew as well. Nicaise is sure about it but Laurent never told him.
And now, for everyone who is interested, I'll give you my thoughts and explanations for this opinion:
Guion: Guion knows the Regent's tastes very well... He has "sold" his own son to the Regent, not for money but for status... A son in a similar age to Laurent, who had no one left but the Regent at the time... So Guion must at least have considered the possibility that the Regent took advantage of the sitiuation.
Govart: Govart is Govart. He is involved in many things the Regent does, and I don't think he'd mind it to happen. We know what he is capable of, and I don't think he has any boundaries, even not when it comes to kids... Dispite all that there is something that speaks against it... I think he would have explicitly mentioned the abuse when he had captured Laurent and was in the cell with him, to provoke him or to hurt him or probably both. So in my first thought, I ruled Govart out because of this. The only thing that makes me suspicious there again is when Laurent says that Govart always wanted to be on the other side of the door, and now he is... (When he is in the cell with Laurent). Maybe I interpreted to much into this because I was looking for hints. Laurent also says there that this is something the Regent hasn't known about Govart, but the Regent does know what Govart would like to do to Laurent... (So please give me your opinion here!)
Audin: Audin knows the Regent's tastes, too. The way he creeps around Nicaise in the first book, and how he offered him to Damen... Disgusting! Does he admire the Regent so much or does he share his tastes... No matter what it is, it makes him a disgusting person as well and I don't see him stepping in to help Laurent, only if it would be to his advantage. And Laurent was a boy there, not ready to rule, and Audin must have known that the Regent hasn't had the intention to give his power away again.
Paschal: I'm a little unsure if I have Paschal's history in my head right. But he was the Regent's physician for a while, wasn't he? And he switched sides because of loyalty to the crown. And what the Regent did to Laurent is disloyalty and a reason for Paschal (and any decent person) to stop working for the Regent. And that he looks after the Regent's pets is a well known theory. I mean why else should Nicaise have trusted him enough to give him the letter out of all people...
Nicaise: Well... I'm so unsure... Accusing Laurent of being jealous (right after he said the Regent loved him better than his former boys) and how they both act around each other... Nicaise isn't stupid. I just can't tell if he knows for sure or if he only considers this option, maybe trying to get an answer by sentences like this. Maybe the Regent even told him, like, that Laurent is jealous of Nicaise because he was with the Regent once, and that Nicaise can't trust him because of that... Maybe that's why Nicaise drops hints, to find out if it is the truth, to see Laurent's reaction... I think in this case it would be helpful to see how Laurent and Nicaise act around each other when no one else is around.


















