“It was a benefit though, hm?” He watched the guard go on his way, even dipped his head to him as he went past, but gave no indication he would be continuing on the supposed “off-limits” path. He would veer that way again when they were alone with a conspiratorial whisper assigned to his words now. There wasn’t much risk, in truth, but the illusion of it was fun. It was really a wonder he had never tried sneaking here before. But then, with her influence, he may well have back then when it really was forbidden. Even early on, he wasn’t likely to have been banned from the palace. Sidonie would certainly not have had it, though odds were good she was regretting that now.
He was smart enough not to veer the conversation more toward those “other options”, though he was unshaken by the mention. There was no shame in what he was or the choices he’d made, even when Sidonie had tried to make it into something to be used against him. He had honored his commitments in that regard, which had surprised everyone well enough, but he had made precious few to have to concern himself with. “This way first, then we need to make a choice of whether we stay on the path and risk an awkward situation where I have to be smug and demanding with guards, which seems pointless if you will remain stubbornly unimpressed, or we veer off and you have to try to be elusive in that wonderfully snug dress of yours. And I would take some smug enjoyment in seeing how you handle returning later in the evening all disheveled from the ordeal.”