As the guard passed, a light smile settled over her features as his eyes briefly moved over her. Standing next to Mikino's taller form an just behind him as though trying to keep out of sight, she hardly made an intimidating or suspicious image. The guard would have his own opinions of what they were doing or why he held her hand, but then so would anyone else they came across. It was not such a worrying truth.
She would have to agree, however, that the illusion of risk was a welcome addition to the excitement of the venture. For it's part, it took her out of the palace and away from everything that was happening around them. She could forget her concerns over the progress on the North Western Border. She could even forget her concerns over the shifting dynamics in court. It was sadly temporary, of course, but the brief moment without concerns was appreciate enough for what it was. She had never been much to worry over risk to herself, so even had this venture carried with it a higher risk, it was likely she would still be following after him.
Her comment about being a single option had been meant only as a point of fact and had not been intended to tarnish his choices. Even when he had been making them, she had not held them against him. He benefited from them in time. So when he opted not to further that line of conversation, Ava did not think anything of it and was happy enough to return her focus to the task at hand.
There was a pause in her curiosity over the garden as he spoke of their options, her amusement returning. She did not miss the way he kept mentioning his own smugness. "You will not so easily forget my comment on being smug, will you?" she laughed, the sound light. He did, however, bring to light a good point. Which path would they take? Her eyes shifted from him for a moment to glance ahead of them before returning accompanied by another mischievous look, a hint of challenge lingering around it's edges. "Well, the path less traveled is usually the more interesting. Would you not agree?"