A young girl flashes a hidden signal to a royal guard, prompting him to abruptly halt the parade in stunned disbelief

They taught us what to do if we’re scared and can’t talk. Then your teachers are heroes too, Vale said gently. Bravery isn’t about not being afraid.

It’s about doing what’s right, even when terrified. Lily hugged him fiercely. Over her head, Vale met her parents’ tearful eyes, a silent understanding passing between them.

Some bonds formed in crisis endure a lifetime.

Driving home, Charlotte asked from the back seat, Daddy, did you really break the rules to save that girl?

Vale considered carefully. There are rules that guide us, and duties that define us.

Sometimes we must choose which matters more. I think you chose right, Emma declared with eight-year-old certainty. Vale smiled at his daughters in the rear-view mirror.

So do I, love. So do I.

What would you do if you saw a child in danger? Would you recognise the universal distress signal that Lily used?

Sometimes the difference between tragedy and rescue comes down to one person paying attention when others look away. How far would you go to protect a child who isn’t yours? Staff Sergeant Vale risked his career because he understood that some duties transcend uniform and protocol.