Of course he has partaken. But what surprises her is how he makes it clear that it had been in the past. Most curious, for a king. And a conqueror at that, if the songs about him were to be believed.
She's also surprised by the fact that he's chosen not to opt for the wine.
"I have been taught a great deal about partaking," she answers in turn, no shame at all in her voice at having been exposed to such things, "in preparation for this. Father..." She stumbles at that, and for a moment, something dark flashes across her face. She hated having to call Octavian that, after he'd driven her true father to fall on his own sword. "... would not have approved if I'd disgraced myself with a man he did not approve of."
But that isn't all that she has to say. Her freedom might've been limited, as the hostage of a conqueror, but there were things she'd been able to choose for herself, at least. "And I did not want to give myself to a man who only thought of me as a means to an end." She gives Jon a meaningful look, the corners of her lips curling up into a small smile.
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She's also surprised by the fact that he's chosen not to opt for the wine.
"I have been taught a great deal about partaking," she answers in turn, no shame at all in her voice at having been exposed to such things, "in preparation for this. Father..." She stumbles at that, and for a moment, something dark flashes across her face. She hated having to call Octavian that, after he'd driven her true father to fall on his own sword. "... would not have approved if I'd disgraced myself with a man he did not approve of."
But that isn't all that she has to say. Her freedom might've been limited, as the hostage of a conqueror, but there were things she'd been able to choose for herself, at least. "And I did not want to give myself to a man who only thought of me as a means to an end." She gives Jon a meaningful look, the corners of her lips curling up into a small smile.