Leaving before the meal probably would have been the better idea, Karl realized. It had been an entire hour of tearful goodbyes, and then another hour of polite goodbyes from the King's Advisors and Ministers, all of whom were anxious to thank Karl for the hard work he had put into getting Rue ready for her role.
After a night of careful consideration, they had all come to the same conclusion. Rue really was one of the best options for Queen.
She was smart, quick to adapt, fast-growing. And, she listened to the King without arguing, and without trying to assert dominance over him or overrule his decisions. A Queen who actually stood at his side and supported him would make the King's life so much easier, and Rue had a bit of a hero complex for her older brother.
When it came to matters of state, she might have her own ideas, but she wasn't the sort of person who would throw a tantrum in public or undermine him to get her way.
