"I think the worry is that if you're seeing each other it's very tempting to cut the waiting."

"Really? Personally, I think I'd find it more tempting to just give up if giving up meant the difference between being married and being completely absent from their life instead of the difference between being married and getting to see them regularly in a nonmarried fashion."

"And yet I think it's pretty rare to cut the engagement period short."

"I guess it's probably the kind of thing that's different when you're experiencing it than when you're imagining it."

"Yes, probably. My grandfather wants me to get married before he retires, so I'll - have more perspective on things."

"Makes a certain amount of sense. Sort of introduces a problematic set of incentives, though. Good thing you're you and not someone I'd trust less to not be influenced by them."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Incentives aside, I'm sure you'll be a great King one day."

"And I am not in a particular hurry for it to be soon."

"All the Ages of Arda," she nods.

"Exactly. Though someday I, too, will presumably be tired of the job and pass it on."

"Presumably."

"Perhaps someone will be born who is even more qualified."

"Gosh, I don't think I have the creativity to model that in advance."

"If I did then I could just copy him. Or her."

"True! Although given how well you get to know people maybe you could do that sort of thing once they were around."

"Probably. But if they're that good and want to run things, maybe when I am very old I'll want to give them the chance."

"Maybe! Although given that you haven't even gotten to try being King yet it seems like speculating about that is probably even less productive than speculating about our siblings' hypothetical trip shenanigans."

"Planning to eventually hand the kingdom on does effect how I mean to govern it. But fair."

"And I sincerely doubt you'll be able to keep from meddling entirely, even if you do retire. You're a very positively meddlesome person."

"Maybe I'll grow out of it."

"Arda would be poorer for it."

"Could grow into something even better."

"That didn't still qualify as meddlesome?"

"Maybe the world would need less meddling."