Corina Flavia Sokolov did not raise an uncouth young man even if she despairs at him having reached the ripe old age of twenty-eight with no signs of even agreeing to a proposal in sight.

A firm handshake it is since this isn't the formal setting where he'd need to do the sort of hand kissing thing plus when did his face get washed? Maybe Orlais rubbed off on him even if he prefers incense to perfumes y'know? "Isn't that the nature of all things? How would anything change without such chaos? I know, I know, near blasphemy to say such things, I have wrestled with it many a time." He laughs, some of the tension leaving his shoulders, looking a little less lanky and awkward. "Zoology. A bit here and there with draconology but they're living beasts, they fall under the same banner really. And," his gaze darts about to be certain of who might be in the halls, then he lowers his voice carefully - Andraste help him he's bad at looking casual about this. "The Blight. Or rather, the effect the Blight has upon the beasts of the world that come into contact with it."