"Does a king not have the right to decide whose head his crown should rest upon? Do I really need to discuss such a matter with Lothar? Am I his liege, or is he mine?"
The young King of Jerusalem wore a faint smile as he walked into the garden pavilion and sat down, gesturing toward the seat opposite him.
"You are His Majesty Lothar's liege, but he is also a king. I must remind you that according to the laws of succession, your heir should be Princess Sibylla's son. Even if he is still too young to rule in person, Princess Sibylla should serve as regent. Failing to follow the laws of succession is the source of civil strife."
Baldwin IV could not help but laugh. "Mr. Uldin, you are right. Ignoring the laws of succession is indeed the source of civil strife, but I do not believe anyone would dare cause trouble under Lothar's nose. So long as he inherits the throne, Jerusalem will never descend into chaos."
After defeating Saladin twice in succession, displaying countless miracles since first rising to prominence, and reclaiming Egypt, Lothar of Egypt had now become the sole sovereign in the eyes of the Franks of the East.
If he wanted to sit upon King of Jerusalem's throne, no matter how unwilling Jerusalem's nobles were, they could only accept their fate.
Uldin sighed helplessly. "Even if Your Majesty has already made up your mind, you should at least have Nishaya send word and discuss it with His Majesty Lothar."
It was naturally a good thing for his lord to gain another crown, but Uldin knew his lord's temperament. If he learned that Baldwin IV intended to become a wandering knight, he would certainly never agree.
Baldwin IV's smile faded, and he sighed softly.