Kings are not the easiest people to thank. That is for sure...

[Diarmuid laughs softly and then gives Merida a comforting squeeze, rubbing his chin gently against her head as he does.]

Listen, the reason you feel so awful is because you know just how big a thing taking a life is. Even if he was the most horrible person to ever live, he was still a person and you ended his life. This is a feeling you need to remember no matter how many more lives you may need to end during your lifetime. Each life has value and each life has weight. Only take that life if you are willing to take that weight upon your shoulders.