Which makes Sonia the General Count's sister-in-law, likely here along with her sister. Understandable that he'd want to keep them close when the whole planet's besieged; they'd may as well weather the storm together as not. (The scope is beyond his capacity to imagine, but he'd been gladder to have Guinevere by his side after Cenred's men took the citadel than he'd been without.)

"Morale is an important job." God knows he's given his fair share of speeches, made gestures, for the sake of keeping up morale. It's not hard to imagine how the presence of a cheerful, beautiful princess could boost mens' spirits. "There's no war that can be won with soldiers too downtrodden to fight."