When the princess played at sorrow Khalida found herself hard pressed to hold back the laughter that wanted to come to her lips, thinning them instead to keep control over herself though the way her dark eyes dance gave her away well enough. Her hand clasped on Cat's shoulder even as the Champion shook her head when the Princess and her Captain of the Guard retorted at once another. She had the feeling the poor Captain would be happy enough when the duty of protecting and training the princess was fully handed over to the Rider's and herself, then perhaps Catáryn would not slip away so much.<br/><br/>"Perhaps if you got in less mischief we would expect less." she said with a grave tone in her voice before that laugh left her lips, a chuckle before it was stifled and the Champion was firmly in control, the young woman who would have laughed and teased readily enough having to give way to the commander that everyone needed so badly.<br/><br/>The question that her younger friend posed her caught her off guard and she glanced at the princess as their even strides carried them down the hall and to the set of stairs that would lead them down to the audience chambers and where the King awaited them. "You really do get into things you shouldn't Cat..." she said, shaking her head and her long braid swinging with the action even as she took the first step and sighed, thinking of the three that were still outside the citadel.<br/><br/>Mihriban Bata, Sevastyan Konstanti and Tavish Kade were all figures that were little known by the Court and for good reason, for they served in ways that would have lifted no few brows and even the whispers of what and who they were roused heated arguments against them. It was her luck that Caolán, the King, trusted her enough to keep such 'questionable' figures in her Riders. But the Rider's were more then just warriors, her father had taught her that and if she took it further then he ever had, well she was female and she followed her gut more then some, her 'gut', feelings that things were meant to be always seemed stronger then what most people felt and she went with it, so far it had only ever paid off.<br/><br/>"Just about everyone has returned, the last will come in tonight or tomorrow." She stopped, turning on the stairs to look at the auburn haired girl, concern in her expression. "Catáryn I know you are curious but I have kept you from a few of my Rider's for good reason, as your father desires. You will need to carry the Sword so I can not do that much longer but...please promise me you will treat them with respect and think carefully before speaking."<br/><br/>It was odd perhaps, the Champion of a country seeking to protect a courtesan, a womanizer and a turn coat of the Lerin Empire. But the three of her Rider's that were the most infamous often gathered her the most precious information. Sevastyan had returned to Solana to scope out the situation of the land that had once been the Kingdom of Aurian, posing as a Imperial Captain, what he had actually once been. He could have died for what she had asked of him and yet he had done it.<br/><br/>Tavish was to the north, scoping out Lin and trying to woo a few of the Council that ruled the Republic.<br/><br/>Mihriban had gone to Dalias to tempt the court of the country to their east with their desires and gather knowledge of their own war plans. All of them had taken risks, going further and farther from the citadel then any others. And yet no one but she herself or the other Rider's would thank them. It was wrong but she could not change the prejudices of the court. She would however not allow anyone to insult them while they were around her. Khalida twitched a smile to Cat before turning and clambering down the stairs quickly, wanting to leave the conversation there before the girl's curiosity got more from her. It was in that haste that she found herself before the door of the smaller audience chamber and she knocked on the door, calling out "Your Majesty?"