RICHARD
Uncle, even in the glasses of thine eyes
I see thy grieved heart. Thy sad aspect
Hath from the number of his banished years
Plucked four away. [to BOLINGBROKE.] Six frozen winters spent,
Return with welcome home from banishment.
BOLINGBROKE
How long a time lies in one little word.
Four lagging winters and four wanton springs,
End in a word; such is the breath of kings.

In this poignant scene from Shakespeare's Richard II, the power of a monarch's word is put on full display. Richard II, upon seeing the sorrow in his uncle John of Gaunt's eyes, shortens Bolingbroke's exile from ten years to six. Bolingbroke's response underscores the weight that language carries, especially when wielded by royalty. His reflection, "How long a time lies in one little word," captures the profound impact of Richard's decree. With a single utterance, years are added or subtracted from a man's life. This moment highlights the arbitrary nature of royal power and the deep emotional consequences that can stem from such pronouncements. Bolingbroke's concluding remark, "such is the breath of kings," emphasizes how the whims of those in power can shape destinies, encapsulating the overarching theme of authority and its implications present throughout the play.