"Hello."
Since she had no idea what the man's name was, Lina could only offer a rather dry greeting. She hoped that a brief response would be enough to get them through the formalities without revealing her ignorance, but the messenger had other ideas. After straightening from his bow, he extended one hand toward her and bent forward slightly, as though expecting her to do something in return.
Lina stared at him for a moment before suddenly understanding what he wanted. Remembering the customs she had encountered in stories about European nobility, she tentatively held out her right hand. Sure enough, the man took it gently and lowered his head to press his lips against the back of her hand. The gesture was unfamiliar, but at least she had managed to avoid making another embarrassing mistake.
