"Oh, don't be," he assures her in response to her comment about the wine. With a crooked smile he confesses, "I'm a lightweight. Before I got here, I'd tried very little alcohol at all, and most of it was the result of failed experiments from the historical recreation department. You don't need me making a fool of myself in the middle of the day."

Palamedes looks puzzled for a moment, but as soon as Marianne explains what she means, his eyes light up with mirth. "I'm going to have to remember that," he chuckles. "Harrow is the Ninth House heir. Her arrival was, ah, a bit more complex." He purses his lips thoughtfully, considering how best to explain the (literally!) gory details in a setting such as thing one.