The streets of Stormhaven stretched before them, bathed in the golden hues of the late afternoon sun. The city's familiar rhythm pulsed around Aeliana—the steady hum of merchants calling out their wares, the rhythmic clatter of carriage wheels against cobblestone, the occasional laughter of children weaving through the crowd.
And yet…
This felt different.
It had been a long time since she had walked like this.
Freely.
Without carriages. Without attendants trailing behind her. Without the ever-present presence of the Duchy's guards shadowing her every step.
Even before her illness, she had never truly walked the streets of Stormhaven alone.
There had always been someone—a reminder of the status she carried, of the life she was bound to.
But now…
Now, she was here, moving at her own pace, with no one dictating her steps.
No expectations. No watchful eyes monitoring her every movement.
