Lunise exchanged a look with Meesei. After a moment of wiping the last of the tears from her eyelids with one finger, she had caught her breath enough to answer. "Ah, I did steer the topic away. My apologies." She smiled broadly at the absurdity of it. "For all our bluster, we do not often have the time and space for truly challenging one another, do we not, Meesei? I would dare say the more accurate statement is that we push one another." Lunise put an arm around Meesei's elbow. "At first, yes, it was a matter of pride. It still is. But in my position there are few enough people who push me to do better. And Meesei has to maintain an air of superiority as a matter of course amongst her own people."