"When you are king," fumed Uncle Albert, "you may do as you will. But until you wear that distant crown, you will do as I tell you!" He paused then shook his head almost sorrowfully. "I am not pleased, Young Prince. No, not at all." Nine-year-old John-William stared up at his elderly uncle, who seemed to tower above him higher than the Yellow Tower itself. He felt shame for his behavior, but he was determined not to show it. He jutted out his chin and glared up at Albert. ********** Uncle Albert Leonardo Alexander Ferdinand de Marco was the younger brother of the late King William II of Lower Saxony. A life-long bachelor, Albert had no experience in dealing with small children, let alone parenting them. Yet in his early sixties, he found himself in charge of raising and training nine year old heir-apparent, Prince John-William. Albert, who had always championed the causes of his older brother, reluctantly accepted the vote of the King's Council to make him Regent for the Throne. Albert approached the task with trepidation and much concern--and no small amount of resentment at being saddled with the boy. At first, he didn't even no how to talk to John-William. However, he learned. He found the boy a bit on the spoiled side but Albert also recognized many good qualities. John-William tended to be a bit headstrong and had a tendency to run rough shod over the servants and his loyal retainers. The one person, who the young prince could not bully or get around was Albert. The prince received many valuable gifts from his Uncle Albert, over the years. John-William modeled his own manhood upon that of his uncle. He was provided with structure, goals, instruction upon the obligations and politics of being a king. He grew up valuing honesty, loyalty, hard work, and impeccability. In time, the pair came to appreciate the other person, developed a lasting affection and respect for each other, and finally loved each other with the devotion of a father and a son. When John-William was crowned as King on his sixteenth birthday, Albert stepped quietly and graciously into the background--although not too far. King John-William I insisted that his Uncle remain his Chief Councilor and confidant. Albert carried retained that position until his death ten years later. Albert's legacy was the King himself. Historians considered King John-William I the kingdom's greatest and most effective ruler, beloved by his people. ___________________________________ My brother and I had our own Uncle Albert--Uncle Ford, the Chevy Guy. Ford came into our lives at about the same time as Albert came into John-William's. Ford was a bachelor at the time, and in his late twenties. He was also somewhat messed up by the war (WWII) and while he tried to contain it, we got hints of bitterness and resentment. In time, though, we grew close. Even our cousins recognized that Uncle Ford had a special relationship with us that was significantly different from what he shared with them (and he was everybody's favorite uncle). We acquired his ways of talking, his body language, his values. Whatever is the better part of my manhood came from him. CREDITS: Palace: "Johanniskirche at Zittau" (Google Warehouse). Figure: "Uncle Albert" by Marieah (DAZ). Clothing: Dyald's "Fable" outfit (DAZ Freepository).