Yeah, my decision to introduce him to the heroine, but you're supposed to fake it better than that.
At first I thought hunting, then I thought not. . .
And he's a fairy tale king, thus limiting options all about.
Robbers, I thought. That would justify speed. Though they shall have to be surprised at the inn that word hadn't reached them yet.
and then I started to think of fairy tale robbers. The Robber Bridegroom is right out, since the wedding party kills those robbers. Hmm. . . The Old Woman in the Woods. All the robbers' purpose there is to get the heroine lost in the woods. The king can then dispose of them.