Henry was having a lucky night thus far. The quail at supper had been spectacular, there was a lack of unnecessary dinner conversation surrounding what he had been up to, after his dinner his mother didn't make any not-so-sly references to him needing to make her a grandmother, most of the castle was already in bed or on their way to -including the servants, and best of all the threat of rain had moved through and now the sky was crystal clear.
He had just returned from the cellars with a freshly filled leather flagon of wine and was on his way to the kitchen. If chef had been smart -usually was, there should be a small pouch hanging under the aprons near the door with a small amount of bread, cheese and maybe a tart or two waiting for him to take with him. His parents may have disapproved of his regular disappearances, but certain members of the castle staff humored him.
Those small bits of support from the servants were all Henry needed to continue his regular absences. Unlike their Queen, they didn't require him to step up to rule or fill the castle with the pitter-patter of tiny feet. That alone sent a shiver down his spine every time he thought of it. So restrictive, like being in a cage... and Henry would not be caged. Not until he no other choice. For now he was going to live and be free.
And if living his life, enjoying his youth and enjoying freedom meant somewhat shirking certain expectations of him then... wait. Who was still up and about at this hour? Other than him, that was.
Henry paused only a moment in his path because it was only that small moment of hesitation that it took for him to realize that not only was someone there, a female someone, but that she looked remarkably like his... wife. That was the skip-hestiation. She wasn't unpleasant. It was just that... it was rather like a tether... that whole title... thing.
But, now that he'd seen her -if it was her, and she had definitely seen him -since she appeared to be cowering away from him, Henry couldn't exactly just walk passed her to grab the bag and head out the back door without so much as a hello. As he finished approaching, he was trying to figure out what to say. Obviously she was wandering around in the relative dark on her own. Obviously she knew she wasn't supposed to. And obviously she was afraid of some sort of... reprimand. Hmm.
Deciding not to address the fact that she was out doing whatever on her own, at least not yet, he said in a lowered voice that was not quite a whisper, “can you see if Chef left me a bag hanging under the aprons? Should be just around the corner. I have to shift...” Henry's expression was muted, but he focused instead on adjusting the hang of his scabbard.