When Lady Levina finally left her chambers, Aurelia remained sitting at the edge of her bed, her fingers brushing against the folds of her night robe. The conversation still echoed in her mind...Levina's warmth, her honesty, and her quiet promise that one day Valerian would regret the things he'd said.
For the first time in days, Aurelia felt something light stir inside her chest. Perhaps it was relief. Perhaps the fragile joy of finding a friend in this cold palace. She exhaled softly and leaned her head back, whispering into the empty room,
"Maybe… things will change after all."
The door creaked open a few minutes later. Gwen, her handmaid, stepped in carrying a small candle, her eyes half-drowsy.
"My lady," Gwen murmured, "you should rest. It's late."
"I was just about to," Aurelia said, offering a faint smile. "I suppose you're here to make sure I don't drown in my thoughts again?"
Gwen chuckled lightly, setting the candle by the bedside. "If I don't, who will?
