Indeed. Forced plot is unbearable. All he had to say was that the king ordered him to do it, therefore he would not leave. And yet he was made to leave with an extremely flimsy excuse created by others like the f****** idiot the writer is making him out to be. Even more so with the level of magical ability he has, putting a spell or actual protective charm on her should have been easy. We just have to accept that this is written by a young adult or similarly minded person for the same kind of people.