Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
“Of course,” Evelyn replied, still smiling.
Everyone echoed her sentiment.
While Molly and Fiona hadn’t achieved their original goal, the sun was setting, and it was time to leave.
Jane supported Zoey as they escorted the departing guests, and the latter only let out a sigh of relief once the carriage was out of sight.
“Everyone, let’s head inside. I have something important to say,” Zoey announced.
With the elders from all branches present, it was a good opportunity to clarify some matters. The family was large, so news could leak out they weren’t careful. It would be disastrous if one side of the family spoke of something without the other knowing. They needed to make sure that didn’t happen.
Back in the main hall, Zoey spoke seriously, “From now on, any invitation coming from Prince Yuvan’s family must be declined with a plausible excuse. If they host gatherings for notable figures from the capital, we can attend as a group. But remember-never go alone.”
Everyone exchanged glances.
“What’s going on? If we can’t go, doesn’t that mean we can’t meet Mr. Wayne?” Evelyn asked, sensing that something was amiss.
Maintaining her serious demeanor,
Zoey said, “We can’t meet him, el.m
Mother. Everyone, we’re not well acquainted with Prince Yuvan and we don’t understand him. We’re the second family his people have visited since returning to the capital. We all know the implications of that. It’s not the big risks we should worry about, but the small ones. I hope all of you will take this seriously. Just remember what I said today, and don’t talk nonsense when you’re outside.”
The room fell into a contemplative silence as they grasped the situation.
Zoey was right. There were many other noble families in the capital, so why were they the first to have received a visit? And why were they given such lavish gifts? Something didn’t add up.
While the Earl of Silverstone’s family managed to navigate through the situation, chaos had erupted in
Gracehold,
Estate. Samuel’s arreste had prompted Dorothy to throw a fit. She demanded that the family intervene to secure his release, or she would go on a hunger strike.
However, Samuel had been taken to the Supreme Court. It would be no easy feat to get him out.
If word of Dorothy’s hunger strike were to spread, it would make the Earl of Gracehold’s family seem like they were neglecting her. So, even though they knew the chances were slim, they still pulled strings and asked people to plead with the king on their behalf. Noah had some connections of his own. They told him that if Leona forgave Samuel and was willing to let him off, there was a possibility of him being released.
However, who would dare approach Leona at this point? They weren’t shameless enough to do so, nor did they dare to, especially since Sophie was standing guard over her.
In the end, Noah went to Harvey, who had spoken out in Samuel’s defense when he was arrested. It was clear that he didn’t want Leona and Samuel to get divorced, so Noah could only seek out Harvey in this situation. Harvey agreed to help, but whether he would actually go to the Supreme Court was a different matter altogether. It wasn’t like the Earl of Gracehold’s family knew either.
Meanwhile, Heather was eager to see Leona. Given that a royal edict had already been issued, the divorce was imminent and there was no room for negotiation. So, Heather planned on bringing her daughter back home.
Just as she was about to set off, she noticed Sophie arriving with Frederick and Lily, bringing a carriage full of items. They had come to return the gifts Heather had given Melanie over the years. It was an entire carriage filled with both ordinary and precious items. These gifts bore witness to their long-standing relationship as sisters.
According to what Frederick and Lily remembered, the gifts Melanie had given Heather included gold, silver, common items, and many valuable medicinal herbs. Most of the herbs had been provided by Sebastian to the Duke of Northwatch’s family back then. They were likely meant for treating injuries, especially since Sophie’s father and brothers had been on the battlefield, so it was wise to have extra supplies.
Apart from the medicinal herbs, there were also supplements and emergency remedies, including several bottles of Snowdrop Pills and Energy Pills, which were meant to strengthen the heart and restore energy.
Lily mentioned that Heather had personally asked Melanie for the pills and had taken multiple bottles. The pills could be stored for a long time, but Heather hadn’t offered any to be used when Leona was in a dire situation.
That left Sophie deeply puzzled.
After all, Leona was Heather’s daughter. It seemed implausible for
?
a mother to completely disregard her daughter’s well-being. When Heather was informed of Leona’s plight, she surely would have gathered the best medicine available from the estate, right?
Even if she had forgotten due to her panicked state, surely someone by her side would have reminded her. Yet, Heather had arrived empty-handed. The most likely.
explanation was that she had used up all the medicine or had given it away. But the latter option didn’t make sense either. Over the years, Harvey and his family hadn’t been in close contact with anyone.
Sophie made quite a spectacle of her arrival. She had specifically requested Travis to be the driver. It was overkill, but his loud voice was perfect for the occasion. “The Hell Monarch’s princess consort and Lady Heather are severing ties as aunt and niece, and are now returning the gifts exchanged between the two families!” Travis had been announcing the same sentence all the way until they reached Hartstone Estate, where they encountered Heather, who was just about to step out. Heather’s face turned ashen with rage.
Sophie dismounted and stood directly before her aunt. “Lady Heather, I’ve come to follow through with what we discussed yesterday. Have you prepared the items?”
“Sophie, are you crazy? Do you really intend to cut ties between us?” Heather asked, her voice dripping with suppressed rage.
Sophie’s expression remained flat.
“Once something is said, it can’t be taken back. Travis, please assist in unloading the items. If anything is amiss, I’m sure Lady Heather will point Dout, and we’ll make up for it. After all, they gave each other many gifts over the years due to their sisterly bond, so it might not all match up.”
There was a crowd gathering at the estate’s entrance, so Heather grabbed Sophie’s arm and dragged her inside.
“Since you mentioned the sisterly bond I had with your mom, how can it be something you can just cut off? What right do you have to decide for your mom? And if you sever our ties, how will you explain it to your ancestors when you see them beyond the grave?” Heather hissed.
“How I’ll do that is my own business. There’s no need for you to worry, Lady Heather,” Sophie replied calmly before calling over her shoulder, “Bring it in.”
The contents of the carriage were unloaded and arranged outside the main hall of Hartstone Estate. Heather didn’t even glance at the items, her expression dark and thunderous.
“If you don’t want to look at it now, you can take your time and look at it later. If anything is missing, feel free to send someone to let me know. As for the items my mom gifted you, they should be returned as well. I remember there were quite a few medicines from Arcane Sanctum among them,” said Sophie. Heather turned on her heel and walked away as she coldly remarked, “Those have long since been used up. How do you expect me to return them to you? Aren’t you afraid that your mom’s feelings would be hurt with this stunt?”
“My mom always cared for Leona. If she knew how you treated your daughter, I’m sure she would sever ties with you too,” Sophie replied.
Tears brimmed in Heather’s eyes. “Sophie, how did you become like this? You refuse to acknowledge me as your aunt and push your cousin to get a divorce. What have I ever done to you? Was it because I didn’t help you when you divorced Blake?” “Let’s not dwell on the past. I hope you can be decisive about this, Lady Heather.”
Heather looked at her niece, heartbreak evident on her face. “Can’t we just have a civil conversation? There’s no need to escalate things like this. What would others think? Do you know how sad your grandparents would be if they were here?” Sophie remained unmoved. She said nothing as she waited for her aunt to send someone for the items. Heather studied Sophie for a long moment before finally realizing she was getting nowhere with her pleas.
Gritting her teeth, she finally ordered, “Get the cloud-patterned satin shoes with pearls my sister gifted me. As for the rest, it’s mostly medicine. I’ve used it all up over the years since I haven’t been well, so I can’t return those to you.” After a while, a servant returned. She held out a pair of pale pink satin shoes embroidered with green threads. They looked brand new and meticulously maintained-free from any dust and with pristine soles. “Only this pair of shoes are left. You can take it or leave it,” Heather said coldly.
“I remember there were quite a few valuable pieces of jewelry as well,” Sophie replied.
“They’ve all gone missing!” Heather exclaimed in frustration. “Are you really determined to settle things so clearly with your own aunt? Sophie, you were in the wrong first! Do you even understand the rules? You meddled in Leona’s household matters! My husband and are still alive! It’s not your place to interfere! You did such a major thing, but you don’t care!”
“What does it matter whose place it is? Lives are what truly matter. Also, don’t twist the truth! When you had your falling out with Prince Harvey didn’t you turn to my mom for help? Why didn’t you think to go to your parents instead of troubling my mom?” Sophie retorted.
Heather was left speechless. All that was from years ago, and her marriage was now in a much better place.
Sophieng for relatives and discussing matters among themselves was common in large families. It was through this kind of mutual support that they maintained their ties and built powerful alliances. However, Sophie had overstepped by meddling in Leona’s affairs against Harvey and Heather’s wishes. That rubbed Heather the wrong way.
“Since you only have this pair of shoes left, I’ll take it then,” Sophie said, not wishing to linger any longer.