"Zara, what's wrong?"
"Can you tell me something, Ash?"
"Of course."
I looked around, but I couldn't take anything in, couldn't see faces. "How would… how does the Queen… whoever gets put in that position… does she really—could she break the Kingdom? Weaken it, I mean?"
He frowned. "Of course," he said as if he was surprised I was asking.
"But… how? If she's the right woman for the King—"
"The right woman for the King will be an asset to him, Zara—she'll help smooth lines of communication with allies and neighbors whose loyalties might waver. She'll understand the issues the Kingdom faces and advise the King in private. She will be approached by countless people—citizens, merchants, anyone with power, asking for her assistance to be heard by the King. If she isn't discerning, she could bring the wrong people into his sphere… and of course… she'll be central to raising his children."
