The corridor was wide and breezy, the tall windows providing ample breeze to cool the castle down. Going around the castle, it provided a beautiful view over the lake of Brightmoon and the Whispering Woods.

As such, it was far from the shortest or safest path between Catra's room and the throne room.

". . . I'm surprised you're still here."

"I'm . . . not sure what you mean, Lady Catrina?"

"Oh come on, like the king would let a guard escort us after what you pulled."

A grin spread on the guard's face, slightly wider than their face. "Aw, I almost thought you fell for it."

"Please, you're slacking off."

"He really did ask for you, though."

". . . wait." Catra giggled. "Did you- you snuck up right under his nose, didn't you?"

The guard grinned again. "Yup, reported myself missing. So, who's been slacking off, kitten?"

Catra stopped and leaned against a pillar, trying not to burst into laughter at the idea of Double Trouble getting their curse lifted, only to sneak right back in to Micah to mess with him. Another guard passed them by in the opposite direction, taking a moment to make sure she was fine, but not bothering further, seeing how she already had an escort. Gods, it really was that easy.

"You know, if you had just told me that you were going to run away the instant we unleashed you from the beginning instead of all that crap about getting better, I would have trusted you more."

"Would you, though?"

". . . nah." She giggled. "So, what's the plan for now?"

"Well . . ." they caressed her shoulder with a disproportionately long finger. "I wasn't joking when I said I was going to trust you. Which is why I came back to tell you I'm leaving for Thaymore, instead of running off first chance I got."

"Oh?"

"Yeees . . ." Gently, they pushed her back into an alcove. "Though, come to think of it . . . I could spare a minute, if you really want me to stay longer?" Their voice had gone from the high and stilted of a guard to the low and sultry Catra remembered from the Horde. And she'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't remember it fondly.

". . . oh, you sly lizard, you know just what to say to me . . ."