User blog comment:Martialmaniac/OOOOOUUUUUUTTTTT!!!!/@comment-10860731-20160414180358/@comment-5780397-20160415212722

I'll probably say things you already know, sorry. Since he had a similar speech with the bodyguards, I think Kurapika's condition is that he be allowed to touch (I say that a lot, I suspect it has to do with a Nen ability) Tserriednich. The fact that Oito speaks about superior wives seems to confirm this (since the oldest four are the superior princes, their mothers would be the superior wives, and I think it was said they have been in power the longest). Kurapika expected Tserriednich to have already his personal army, so he guessed he would not put forward a request. By doing some research on the other princes, it turned out Halkenburg seemed to have a close relationship with him, so while on the ship it is likely the two princes would try to make contact with each other (at least Halkenburg would). So becoming Halkenburg's bodyguard was Kurapika's best shot at getting near Tserriednich. Kurapika ssumed so because he did not know that the succession war actually entailed the princes killing each other off.

As for Oito, I am not too sure, there seems to be conflicting information, unless she thinks she can escape from Nasubi after she flees with Woble. From what I understood, she wants to flee from the ship, and use information to keep at least Halkenburg in check or even earn his protection. Hiring people that know his weak spots may also prove useful if she has no other choice but to fight.