Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
“You gave up your military power to marry me. The king knew your intentions, which is why he gave me that edict with a three-month deadline. If I didn’t marry, I would have to enter the palace as a concubine. He was forcing you to give up your military command. You’re such a fool.”
Rafael took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from the corners of Sophie’s eyes.
“I’m not foolish at all. What use is military power? How can it compare to you? With the country at peace, holding onto military power would only provoke jealousy and lead to future troubles. Even if the king hadn’t forced me, I would have given it up.”
Rafael even smiled with a hint of pride. “If he hadn’t pressured me, I’d still be worrying about how to propose to you. With the edict given, I believed you would choose me over becoming a concubine. He actually helped me.”
Sophie shot him a teasing glance. “You’re actually pleased about it? Really, you’re the type who gets scammed and would still thank the scammer for it.”
Her playful reproach seemed to touch his heart deeply, making him feel like he was on cloud nine.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ve achieved what I wished for,” said Rafael.
Sophie lowered her gaze, feeling a sweet satisfaction in her heart.
Achieving what one wished for-wasn’t that exactly how she felt too? It was delightful to realize how well their hearts were aligned.
He served her some food, adding a bit of everything to her plate. “You must be starving.”
“I had some chicken noodle soup earlier. Lily was worried I’d be hungry and had someone prepare it for me. I heard you haven’t eaten at all,” Sophie replied.
“After toasting at table after table, there was indeed no time to eat. I had hoped to return earlier, but then my master pulled me aside to toast with the leaders of other guilds. I ended up drinking too much,” said Rafael.
“My master was the one who dragged you off, wasn’t he?” asked Sophie, taking a bite of the roasted meat.
It was cooked to a perfect tenderness and tasted delicious. The traditional dish combining various meat and vegetables represented the unity of a couple’s hearts. So, she gave a piece to Rafael as well. The food served by his wife tasted even more delicious to him.
Though each had many things they wished to say, they ate in silence. This was their first meal after marriage. Without a suitable way to express their feelings, it was better to say less to avoid mistakes. Sophie ate gracefully, her manners reminiscent of a refined lady.
Rafael couldn’t help but smile as he recalled the time when they conquered Ilyrian City. He had given her a bowl of chicken noodle soup, which she devoured with such enthusiasm that she finished the entire bowl in moments, leaving not a drop of broth behind.
Who could link the Sophie in front of him now with the one from the battlefield? They seemed like entirely different people.
Sophie ate slowly, unaware of the smile in her husband’s eyes. Her mind was occupied with other thoughts.
The night before she married Blake, her mother had invited her aunt to teach Sophie how to serve a husband and what the wedding night would be like. But over time, she had pretty much forgotten her aunt’s advice.
Now, there was no one to guide her. Lily had likely assumed that advice had already been given, so she hadn’t brought it up again.
Sophie struggled to recall her aunt’s words.
Was she supposed to help her husband undress, or was it the other way around? Should she be the one to take initiative, or should she be more passive? Was the concern that her husband might think her too frivolous, or was it that he might find her lacking in interest?
Oh dear, Sophie had forgotten.
Wait, she remembered something. It seemed she shouldn’t be too forward, nor too passive. She shouldn’t make her husband think she was too frivolous, but she also shouldn’t seem too unresponsive. She needed to find the right balance.
After they finished their meal, Rafael stood up first, taking her hand with a tender gaze. “We’ve had a long day. Let’s turn in early tonight.”
“Okay, then…” Her cheeks flushed suddenly. “Do you want to take a bath?”
“Yes, with the alcohol stench on me, I’d rather not have it bother you.”
“Shall I call someone to assist?” Sophie offered.
He smiled. “No need for anyone tonight. The bathing chamber is right next to our bedroom. You… you should change into your nightwear first.”
“Okay!” Sophie lowered her gaze, withdrew her hand, and said softly, “Then, you go ahead. You’ve had too much to drink. Just a quick wash will do.” “Got it!”
Rafael’s heart warmed at her consideration.
In the bathing chamber, Rafael’s nightwear had already been laid out. It was blue, made from a comfortable fabric with only subtle cloud patterns, matching the nightwear Sophie was about to change into in both color and style.
It wasn’t entirely without embroidery, though. The cuffs featured some stitching: one sleeve bore the words “eternal harmony,” while the other sleeve had “blessing of a child,” symbolizing good wishes. Rafael had bathed and groomed himself the previous night, knowing that this evening might extend late into the night.
When he emerged from the bathing chamber, dressed in the blue nightwear, he looked both clean and handsome. After spending some time in the capital, his complexion had become notably fairer. Sophie remembered meeting him on the battlefield. Back then, his face had been covered in a rugged beard, and he looked as unkempt as one could possibly be. It was hard to imagine that the man before her now was the same person.
The candles cast a warm glow on the white wedding quilt, and the draped curtains added to the cozy atmosphere.
As Rafael gently led Sophie by the hand toward the big bed, her heart raced and her palms grew sweaty. She had never been so nervous around anyone in her life.
What she didn’t know was that Rafael was even more anxious.
He felt an overwhelming urge to grab everyone by the collar and shout, “Have you ever waited years to marry the girl of your dreams, only to have her marry someone else? And just when you’re about to give up hope, she gets a divorce and comes back to you, and tonight, you finally get to marry her?”
Was there anyone who could truly understand his excitement and joy?
Anyone at all?!
In his overwhelming emotion, he accidentally stepped on the long hem of her gown. Sophie stumbled forward, but he quickly caught her.
“I’m sorry!”
Holding her soft, fragrant form in his arms, Rafael felt his mind go blank.
The sensation of dizziness struck him again, as if lightning was crashing through his chest again and again. Everything around him seemed to fade into nothingness. He was barely aware of what was happening.
When Rafael’s awareness slowly returned, he found himself already on the bed, with Sophie’s trembling, awkward hands trying to undress him.
She was half-propped on the bed, her face flushed bright red. The front of his nightwear was partially open, exposing his chest. Her nervousness was clear as her hands fumbled, unsure where to place them. Sophie’s heart raced uncontrollably when Rafael suddenly pulled her onto the bed.
Was he taking the lead?
If he made the first move, shouldn’t she at least show some interest and take a bit of initiative herself? So, the usual sequence would be for him to initiate the embrace, then for her to undress him, rather than waiting for him to undress her.
Right?
Now that she had removed his clothing, what should she do next?
She felt a flush spread over her entire body, and her ears burned. She even imagined that her hair was turning red.
Sophie’s delicate eyelashes fluttered as she slowly moved her gaze to his face, tilting her head slightly as if to ask, “What comes next?”