The Rule
Samarth studied him in silence, and then moved to the window again, letting the shadows hold him.
“Do you think I love blindly?” the king murmured. “Do you think I gaze on her and forget the weight of my crown?”
“I think love is dangerous,” William said, more gently. “And that your heart is fierce enough to love despite danger. But a kingdom—”
“Must be ruled by law, not love,” Samarth finished for him. “Yes, I’ve heard the saying sung a thousand times, though most often by men who lack both.”
That earned a brief blink from William.