It would veer into dangerous territory rather quickly, so he's relieved she doesn't ask for anything more than that. Even if those details are less relevant to Sonia in particular. Still hard to talk about, still hard to keep Simon out of it, or Ezar ...

That question, though. She knows he's Piotr's heir already, so the most dangerous part is past. He just has to step carefully aroun the rest. "Yes, I am." He pauses a moment to take a sip of that mead. "There are other candidates, but they absolutely do not want the job."

Poor, poor Mark.