Klaus and Kari walked towards the loch as they talked about what had happened. Neither believed that Connor would give up on her if the king didn't punish him for violating the rules of the duel. Tidas could've declared a ruling, but with how connected he and Skye were to Klaus; it was better for the king to make the final judgement for many reasons..
Klaus already appeared to be favored by the Third Prince and his wife. Klaus Bower was a noble by birth, but his family held a low rank. The Arnold family were old and prominent nobles that had supported the MacArthur family for generations. The Bowers had only held their for the past four generations, including Klaus.
Women were seen as property if they didn't hold the favor of a high-ranking noble to protect them. There were a handful like Skye, Marie, and Lidia that Magnus held in high esteem, and were allowed to speak freely regardless of whom they were speaking to..
