Tia asked Kendare Blake:

With the king consorts in TDC did they have any actual responsibilities/powers and what were they? (As in the oracle novella the king consort seemed to be more like an accessory) Also, as I’m assuming the king consorts home kingdoms were patriarchal unlike the island, why did so many of them go to be suitors when they were essentially giving up their chances to raise any kids/heirs to carry on their family name?

Kendare Blake The Oracle Queen Elsabet’s king-consort was kind of a himbo but yes, normally they did have duties. They served as ambassadors to their home countries and oversaw all trade between the two nations. Over time, as Fennbirn faded into obscurity and then into legend, being a king-consort was less officially diplomatic and more of a brag, but even so they maintained courtly duties, the extent of which depended on the relationship between the king-consort and the Queen Crowned, and the Black Council.

Returning to their lands after being a “king” on Fennbirn was to return in triumph, and since men could often father heirs well into their later years, having a first wife who was royalty (and coming home with a bunch of her money) was no real hardship.

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