"I'm quite confident that it is not, in fact, telling the truth. I have plenty of other suspicions about it's intentions but it wouldn't do to discuss them here, so close to it's primary location." He gives her a reassuring smile, squeezing her lightly.

"Besides, from what I recall we've won the war months ago and begun the process of rebuilding. So if I were to fall it would be no fault of yours. You weren't even in Derdriu last I knew." See? It's silly, Marianne. It couldn't possibly be your fault.