Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Why hadn’t anyone come to help?
Icarus didn’t know how many attacks he had blocked, but with each one, he was pushed further back. Desperately, he tried to create some distance, but Sophie kept the pressure on, her whip striking relentlessly. He had already been hit several times, each lash leaving his body burning with pain.
At that moment, the pride and confidence of Westhaven’s greatest fighter was shattered, destroyed by the relentless, almost insulting way Sophie wielded her whip.
And now, Icarus feared he might not escape tonight. If they got their hands on him… the consequences for tomorrow’s negotiations were too dire to even consider.
As his thoughts grew more frantic, his focus slipped. He made more and more mistakes, and eventually, there was no way to dodge the whip. It wrapped around him like a serpent, tightening around his neck. With one sharp pull, Sophie yanked him forward. Her hand moved like lightning, ripping the tattered black cloth off his face. His entire face was exposed under the dim glow of the carriage’s lantern.
“Commander Icarus,” Sophie said, flashing him a smile. “I appreciate the challenge.”
She tightened the whip again, spun him around, and forced him to look at the fallen suicide soldiers behind him. Most of them were down, with only three or four still standing, struggling in vain to escape. Meanwhile, the coachman and the swordswoman moved with ease, as if waiting for something.
Fear wrapped around Icarus like the dark night itself, suffocating and cold. He barely had time to process this when the sound of hooves shattered the silence of the night, breaking through the lingering bloodlust. His face turned pale and he could barely breathe.
“Commander Devin!”
A horse galloped toward them, its rider quickly dismounting. Behind him, more than twenty horses followed, each carrying a member of the Capital Guard.
“What happened?”
It was Michael, the deputy commander of the Capital Guard. The soldiers trailing behind him were naturally the guards who patrolled the streets at night.
When Lisandra returned to Concord Lodge, she realized that neither Leroy nor Icarus had come back. A sense of unease gripped her heart; she felt that something had gone terribly wrong.
Her uncle, Leroy, was the most reckless and troublesome member of the Stellwyn family. It wasn’t that he lacked ability on the contrary, he was bold and skilled-but his arrogance and impulsive, reckless behavior often led him to act without thinking.
Lisandra turned to one of the female officials, Penny Durham, and ordered sharply in a firm tone, “Bring Amos to me! Immediately!”
Amos was one of Westhaven’s Secretaries of State and also Leroy’s brother-in-law. The two had been in close discussion throughout the journey, so he certainly knew what Leroy and Icarus had planned for tonight.
After retuming to his room, Amos had been waiting for news. He knew exactly what Leroy was up to. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. Everything had been carefully arranged. When Amos had last seen Leroy, the mission was already half-complete, with the latter successfully luring the Hell Monarch away.
Once Rafael was out of the way, capturing Sophie would be easy. After all, when they came tonight, the couple had only brought a coachman and a maid with them. As long as the prince was out of the picture, it didn’t matter how skilled Sophie was in martial arts. She would have no chance against Icarus and the elite suicide soldiers Harvey had dispatched.
The operation was bound to succeed.
“Mr. Bailey, Her Highness requests your presence,’ came Penny’s voice from outside the door.
Amos stood up and opened the door. While this plan had been kept secret from Lisandra, now that it was in motion and sure to succeed, it was time to inform her.
The grand princess had always been against starting a war. She only wanted justice from Starhaven, but the truth could only be revealed on the battlefield. Without military action, how could they renegotiate borders or receive the apologies and reparations they were owed?
Amos followed Penny into the side hall where Lisandra resided. Under the dim light, the grand princess’ expression was cold and stern, a far cry from the gentle demeanor she had shown at the palace banquet earlier that evening.
Without waiting for his greeting, Lisandra’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and accusatory, “Where are Leroy and Icarus? What are you lot plotting behind my back?”
Amos bowed and answered, “Your Highness, Mr. Stellwyn is responsible for luring the Hell Monarch away, while Commander Icarus and the suicide soldiers are tasked with capturing Lady Sophie.”
*Nonsense!” Lisandra slammed her hand on the table, her face red with anger. “How dare you? This is Starhaven, not Westhaven! You’ve taken it upon yourselves to abduct the Hell Monarch’s wife? If this fails, have you considered the consequences?”
Amos confidently replied, “Your Highness, please do not worry. Failure is impossible. Even if something goes wrong, it will not be our fault.”
‘How could it not be our fault? Icarus went personally,” Lisandra snapped.
“Your Highness, please remain calm,” Amos replied, trying to soothe her. ‘Do you remember that man who accompanied us to Starhaven? The one next to Mr. Stellwyn? He’s Prince Harvey. He was part of the plan tonight. He sent those suicide soldiers, who are all from Starhaven. Even if tonight’s mission fails and we cannot abduct the Hell Monarch’s wife, Commander Icarus can still walk away unscathed.”
Lisandra shook her head, disappointment filling her eyes. “You’ve underestimated everything. The Hell Monarch’s wife spent her youth learning martial arts at Meadow Ridge. Her skills are likely no less than Icarus’. ‘Before you tried to capture anyone, did you bother to find out who you were dealing with? And let’s assume, for a moment, that you succeed. What happens when the Hell Monarch realizes his wife is missing? Do you think he won’t suspect us? Tomorrow is the day of the negotiations…”
The grand princess paused, taking a deep breath before glaring at him. “I see now. You all have been so focused on the idea of war that you’ve forgotten about diplomacy entirely.”
*Mr. Stellwyn and I just wanted to be prepared. We never said we wouldn’t negotiate. And frankly, Your Highness, I believe war wouldn’t be such a bad option. Starhaven has been oppressive and you’ve always said you wanted justice. Prince Arthur was your brother. Don’t you want to avenge him?” Amos countered, determined to defend their actions.
Her anger evident, Lisandra responded sharply, “I came to Starhaven to seek justice, not to bring about war. Do you think the only way to achieve justice is through bloodshed and destruction? You all sit comfortably in your high positions, throwing around the idea of war like it’s nothing. Why don’t I see any of you charging into battle, fighting as soldiers?”
Amos didn’t show her the same respect he would have in Westhaven. Instead, he sneered and said, “I’m a civil official, Your Highness. Of course, I can’t fight on the frontlines. But Mr. Stellwyn can. During the battle at Victory Pass, he led the campaign, forcing the Sullivan Army to retreat. He even nearly killed General Sullivan.”
His words made it clear, despite the subtlety, that he was pushing Lisandra to see things his way. His attitude only reinforced the suspicion that Edmund was orchestrating this entire scheme behind the scenes.
Edmund had agreed to the negotiations outwardly, but had never truly given up on the idea of war.
Lisandra’s face paled. She sighed heavily, her voice filled with weariness as she spoke, “I’ve warned you all time and again-never underestimate your enemy. Over the years, my dad and I have worked tirelessly to bring stability to the kingdom. But none of you care about the people.
“Have you seen the national treasury’s records? The famine last year-did you see the devastation? A desire for revenge could lead to the people suffering, being displaced, starving, or even resorting to cannibalism. Those of you in power sit comfortably in your positions, indifferent to the lives of the common folk. In your hands, Westhaven will eventually collapse.”
Knowing that victory was all but assured, and with Edmund’s royal edict backing him, Amos straightened his back, his expression firm.
He furrowed his brow and said, “Your Highness, such words are unflattering. To speak of the fall of Westhaven with such certainty-that’s not something I expect to hear from you. To belittle your own country like that is beneath someone of your position. I don’t think Mr. Stellwyn’s actions are in any way misguided.
“As I’ve said, it’s a two-pronged approach. If they’re willing to negotiate, we’re prepared to talk. But if they refuse, war will be inevitable. Capturing the Hell Monarch’s wife is a move akin to what Freya did to the former crown prince. Should war break out, having the Hell Monarch’s wife as a prisoner on the battlefield at Victory Pass will force the Sullivan family’s forces to retreat. It’ll be just like how Marshal Liam signed that humiliating treaty after Freya captured our crown prince.
Lisandra’s fury ignited as she slammed her hand on the table. “You’re being utterly foolish! When Marshal Liam did that, it was because Freya captured our heir. At the time, the court was in disarray due to my father’s illness, and the country was on the brink of collapse.
“If we hadn’t stabilized the throne, the entire government could have fallen. And now, you compare the Hell Monarch’s wife to an heir to the throne? I was right in saying you are all reckless and naive. Have you ever taken the time to understand Lady Sophie? Do you know anything about the Sullivan family’s generals or their army?”
Amos didn’t see Sophie as much of a threat. Yes, her dad was Grand General Hector and she had fought at the Southern Frontier, but she was still a woman-unprepared for this kind of confrontation. With Icarus leading the charge and Harvey’s suicide soldiers by his side, failure was simply not possible.
“Of course we do,” Amos said, dismissing Lisandra’s concerns. “This wasn’t a rash decision. The plan has been meticulously arranged. Sophie will fall into our hands without fail. As for where she’ll be held, we’ve already secured Hartstone Estate. From there, we’ll find a way to send her out of the city safely. If the negotiations fail, they won’t dare harm an envoy. We’ll retreat to Westhaven safely and declare war.”
Lisandra’s gaze hardened. “So, once we retreat to Westhaven, we’ll officially declare war? Are you telling me that the moment we left for Starhaven, King Edmund already began gathering troops at Fawnrun City?”
Amos met her gaze coldly. ‘Exactly. His Majesty is decisive and wise, a monarch who would never falter out of sentimentality. I believe that men, not women, should rule the world. I’m not suggesting you’re weak, Your Highness, but there are times when retreat is not an option.”
Penny couldn’t hold back any longer and interjected coldly, “It sounds like you’re not only looking down on Her Highness, Mr. Bailey, but also women in general.
Amos gave a faint smile and raised his hand in a small, respectful gesture to Lisandra. ‘Your Highness, I didn’t mean any offense.”
Penny’s eyes flashed with anger. “You say you didn’t mean it, yet your words clearly show otherwise.”
Lisandra raised her hand, signaling for Penny to hold her tongue. Amos shot her a smug look, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.
“If there’s nothing further, I will take my leave,” Amos said, his tone casual, almost dismissive.