Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Sophie’s heart tightened as if something had pricked at it.
Though these words were meant to comfort, she and Ryan knew there was little they could do for their family members who were gone. The best way to honor them was to live joyfully and happily-that was what their family wanted to see from them.
The aunt and nephew walked hand in hand for a while.
Then, Ryan said, “I need to see Lady Helen today. I didn’t spend enough time with her at the palace, and I’ll be returning to the academy early tomorrow. I can’t neglect her. I want to spend more time with her.”
Sophie chuckled at his serious tone, as though he were already a little adult. “Alright, I’ll take you to her.”
Helen had been sulking since her return that day. Gillian had tried several times to comfort her but had failed. When Helen saw Ryan eagerly running toward her, something inside her softened. Her nose tingled, and she nearly shed a tear. She quickly reached out to embrace him. “Good boy, you’ve had it rough.”
Ryan nestled in Helen’s arms, waving behind him to signal Sophie to leave. Then, he began to comfort Helen.
“Don’t worry, Your Grace. I’m not upset at all. The king gave me so many gifts! I’ll have Mr. York send them here for you. You can pick out whatever you like, or take it all if you want.”
Helen’s heart, already tender and soft, ached at his words. Tears welled up in her eyes, falling in steady streams. “We’ll go pick them ourselves. When you come back from the academy, we’ll go o together.”
Sophie quietly stepped out. She didn’t realize that Ryan was so good at comforting others now.
Rafael had been following them at a distance. When he saw Sophie emerge, he approached her and softly asked, “Is he alright?”
Sophie looked at his worried expression. Without thinking, she slipped her arm through his. “He seems fine. Let’s go, we’ll leave him to spend time with Mother.”
She gently looped her arm through his, the movement natural. To Rafael, this felt different from holding hands-it was a sign of trust, an unspoken connection that drew her closer to him. Holding hands, after all, still left a certain distance between them.
“Prince Connor’s temperament…” Sophie began slowly, carefully choosing her words. “I didn’t know he was…so spoiled.”
Rafael hummed; he didn’t seem eager to discuss this, but since Ryan had indeed been wronged today, he offered an explanation.
“The queen favors him greatly. She’s certain his position as the crown prince is secure, so she dotes on him even more. As a mother, sometimes it’s hard to see your net child’s faults. Even when she does, she feels it’s not such a big deal.”
Sophie had never been a mother and couldn’t fully empathize, so she analyzed it rationally. “The king must know about this, right?”
“I’m not so sure. Even if he does, I doubt it’s much. How often does the king see him? His Majesty is busy with state affairs and hardly visits the palace. Even when he calls for Connor, it’s only for a few words or to share a meal. In front of the king, Connor would never act out.”
Sophie hummed thoughtfully, her brows furrowing. A seven-year-old could be playful and mischievous, but how could he harbor such malice toward others? And he was to be the future crown prince, too!
Before today, Sophie had never paid much attention to the question of who would succeed the throne.
First, Salvador was still young; it seemed unlikely that he would appoint a crown prince so soon.
Second, the royal family already had a legitimate eldest son, which was rare. Even in noble families, it wasn’t uncommon for a legitimate son to be born after a concubine’s child. There were many women in the king’s harem, and it was always possible for a lesser concubine to bear the first son.
In many noble families, it was customary that before the primary wife entered the household, no other concubines were allowed to bear children. Even during the nights of intimacy, a special medicine was consumed to prevent conception. If a woman were to accidentally become pregnant, a medicinal abortion was a common solution.
However, the royal family was different. Any child born to a concubine, boy or girl, was still considered part of the royal bloodline.
One of Salvador’s concubines, Penelope, who had conceived before Kylie, had once made Kylie anxious. She had feared that Penelope might give birth to the eldest prince. In the end, Penelope bore a princess, and Kylie was relieved.
Sophie had heard these stories from her mother, but she had never really given them much thought since then.
She had assumed that as the king’s legitimate eldest son, Connor would be carefully nurtured and trained. What she hadn’t anticipated was that he would grow up with such a character.
Kylie’s actions were also puzzling-she had been a celebrated talent in the capital, accomplished in every art from painting to poetry, and had studied the classics.
How could she not know that indulging a child only harmed the child? Especially when that child was the future crown prince.
“Don’t think about these things. It’s upsetting,” Rafael said, his hand gently massaging her brow. His handsome face was softened by the dim light, making his features appear even more serene.
“Appointing the crown prince is something His Majesty will handle with great care. As for us, we are in no position to interfere with the succession. We can only watch and wait. And though Mother doesn’t currently involve herself in politics, when it comes to appointing the crown prince, she will undoubtedly discuss it with His Majesty.”
Sophie nodded. She had been thinking the same thing. Not only was it beyond her influence, but it would also be unwise for Rafael to interfere. Such actions might invite suspicion from Salvador.
Since Salvador was already wary of Rafael, the best thing to do was to stay out of it. That way, nothing would go wrong and no one could find anything to use against them, which would put them in a vulnerable position.
Having a sense of boundaries was essential-after all, they were brothers in a royal family, and maintaining harmony between ruler and subject was the most basic foundation.
–
As night fell in Fawnrun City, the moon hung in the sky like a silver plate.
Lisandra sat in the courtyard of the marshal’s residence, Warhawk Keep, the tense atmosphere that had gripped her fading. She felt utterly drained, as though she lacked the strength even to speak. Fortunately, her headache hadn’t returned. Otherwise, she feared she wouldn’t have been able to hold on, and the battle would have already begun.
“Your Highness, the wind is strong. You should return and rest,” Aria said, draping a cloak over her shoulders. Her eyes lingered on Lisandra’s pale, gaunt face, and a wave of pity swept over her. Lisandra tightened the cloak around her. “How is Freya now?”
“She’s being held. She’s half-dead already. We’ve severed her tendons, but she’s stubborn-still clinging to life, hoping someone will come to rescue her.”
Lisandra raised an eyebrow. “Still hoping for rescue? Did she say that?”
Aria nodded. “When she was delirious, she kept muttering something like, ‘Since you took my money, you have to save me. Don’t let me down. You won’t disappoint me, right?””” A cold glint flashed in Lisandra’s eyes.
“She won’t get that chance. Send her to Grapevine Village and Melondrop Village tomorrow and let the people exact their vengeance. Keep a close watch on her. When she dies, cut off her head and take it to Westhaven for the ritual sacrifice.”
“Understood!” Aria’s voice was full of grim resolve. “She has no right to keep living. Every day she spends in Fawnrun City is an insult to its people.”
Lisandra’s gaze hardened. “Send word to the army. Anyone who wants to see it can come. The anger has been building for too long, and only when they see Freya’s blood will their resentment be quelled.”
She paused before continuing, her voice colder still. “Take Penny with you. Doesn’t she want to avenge Arthur? Let her witness it.”
Aria nodded sharply. “Yes, Your Highness.”
As they spoke, Yuna stepped forward to help Lisandra inside. She guided the grand princess to lie on the bed before gently massaging her aching scalp.
“It’s nothing. It hasn’t flared up,”
Lisandra murmured, her eyes half-closed in exhaustion. Despite her weariness, she couldn’t allow t herself a moment’s respite, not when there were still battles to fight upon returning to the capital.
Yuna continued to massage Lisandra’s scalp, and asked softly, “Your Highness, General Stellwyn has agreed to retreat his troops. How do you plan to handle Penny?” “Are you trying to plead for her?”
Yuna hesitated, then said, “She tried to harm you, Your Highness, which is an unforgivable crime. But there are so few women in the court, and Penny at least had the potential for promotion. People like us probably won’t get another chance to rise. Is there any way you could give her another opportunity?” Lisandra’s gaze was as cold as ice. “She has no chance left.”
“She only wanted to avenge Prince Arthur-“