Sean lifted his brow slightly, clearly surprised."His Grace said you don't need to push yourself, Lady Valerie. If you wish, the dressmakers can be summoned here."
Valerie gave a small smile one that wasn't entirely light.
"I know," she said softly."But that's precisely why I want to go out."
She took a breath, then continued honestly,
"I just want to feel… normal for a while. To see other people, to hear the sounds of the street. Not just castle walls."
Sean fell silent for a moment, studying Valerie's face not as a servant, but as someone who truly cared.
"Very well," he said at last, his tone respectful. "I will prepare a carriage and a suitable escort. Nothing conspicuous."
Valerie nodded in relief.
"Thank you, Sean."
As she turned back toward her room to change, her steps felt a little lighter. Not because all her burdens were gone, but because, for the first time that day, she had chosen something for herself.
The carriage rolled slowly into the heart of the capital.
