Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
“My lady, I’ll accompany you. There’s no need to worry about my injuries,” Lulu insisted.
“No, I’ll go alone. The horses here aren’t as fast as Lightning,” Sophie said, glancing at Frederick, Lily, and Holly.
Their eyes were filled with tears and carefully hidden hope. They dared not hope too much, fearing that it might lead to even greater disappointment.
As Sophie was about to leave, Lily called out, “My lady, wait a moment,
Lily hurried downstairs, quickly wrapping a starcake up and rushing back to hand it to Sophie.
“Ht, in case… Here, take this for the journey.
Sophie understood what Lily meant. If the child beggar was really Ryan, then give him the starcake.
She accepted the starcake and placed it in her bag, then mounted Lightning. As she turned to look back for a moment, everyone stood at the door. Tears that had been held back for so long were finally streaming down their faces.
A pang of sadness gripped Sophie’s heart, and tears slipped down her cheeks as well. With a quick squeeze of her legs, she urged Lightning forward. The horse reared up and, with a long neigh, burst into a full gallop.
As Lightning raced out of the city, Sophie silently prayed to her parents, second brother, and second sister-in-law.
“Dad, Mom, Nathan, Yvette, please watch over me…. Please let it be Ryan!’
The journey to Eldoria was at least 600 miles.
Lightning could travel at least 300 miles a day and 250 miles by night, but that was under extreme effort. On a typical day, Lightning could manage 150 miles, then rest overnight to recover. The next day, they could cover 120 miles, then 90 miles on the following day. By the fourth day, Lightning could run 150 miles again.
In this manner, they would reach Eldoria in about four or five days, though Lightning would be very exhausted. Once they arrived, the horse would need several days of rest to fully recover.
August was a time of crisp autumn weather, the perfect season for a horse’s performance.
Sophie’s heart raced with anticipation. She wished she could instantly be in Eldoria, beside Rafael, to see that child…!
If… if Ryan were really still alive, he would be nearly seven now.
In the blink of an eye, it had been almost two years since the massacre.
Sophie couldn’t think about it, she couldn’t think of anything. She had to consider the journey as one with no real purpose. She shouldn’t hold onto any hope. It was essential n
After five days, Sophie arrived in Eldoria just past noon.
Although she had stayed in inns along the way, she had barely eaten and limited her intake of water, fearing that frequent stops during the day would waste precious time. In those five short days, she had lost considerable weight.
Following the address Dylan had given her, she led her horse and asked for directions until she found Unit 13 on Verdant Lane.
This was a property owned by the Eldorian governor. Dylan had mentioned that Rafael and the child beggar were staying here.
Sophie was parched and exhausted as she stood outside the gate. The residence was located down a spacious alley. A man was stationed at the gate, dressed in official attire. He must be a guard Rafael had borrowed from the government to stand watch.
Noticing the woman with a horse who hesitated to knock, the guard cautiously asked, “Are you Lady Devin?” Sophie nodded. She was unable to speak, feeling as if something was clogging her throat and chest.
Seeing her nod, the guard knocked on the door. “Your Highness, Lady Devin has arrived.”
Moments later, the door opened to reveal Rafael, who wore a green outfit but looked somewhat haggard. He had clearly lost weight, his eyes were shadowed, and he appeared to be sleep-deprived.
Seeing Sophie, Rafael sighed with relief but then frowned. “How have you lost so much weight?”
Sophie managed a soft sound, her throat choked with emotion, but her eyes were focused on the interior of the house.
“Take the horse and feed it,” Rafael instructed the guard.
“Yes, sir!”
The guard reached for the reins, but Sophie gripped them tightly, her anxiety palpable.
Noticing her distress, Rafael reached out and took her cold hand. “Come inside. Whether or not it’s him, you need to see for yourself.”
Sophie released the reins but removed her bag, taking out the slingshot she had brought.
Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Where is he?”
“He’s locked in a room.” Rafael sighed. “The child… he’s quite strong and somewhat wild.
He led her inside, closed the door behind them, and locked it. Seeing Sophie’s puzzled expression, he smiled ruefully.
‘He’s escaped several times. Though he has a limp, he’s surprisingly agile and stubborn. I feared injuring him, so I had to confine him for now.”
‘Does he look very similar?” Sophie asked, her voice trembling.
As she followed Rafael, her feet felt as though they were sinking into cotton. She didn’t even notice that he was holding her hand.
“He does resemble him, but I can’t be certain since I hadn’t seen the child for several months before I went to the Southern Frontier. He also looks like your second brother,” Rafael said.
Like a marionette, Sophie allowed Rafael to lead her to the door of a small room. From within came a series of loud banging noises, as if things were being smashed.
“He’s been this way since he came here-very agitated. He bangs things whether it’s day or night. Sometimes, he even hits his own head. I’ve had a physician examine him, and it seems that he’s been given medication that can be addictive. If he goes without it, it can lead to violent outbursts, Rafael explained.
Thus, Rafael’s exhaustion was understandable.
The door was locked from the outside with a chain, and the window was boarded up.
Rafael took out a key and unlocked the door. As soon as it creaked open, a small figure rushed forward, trying to escape. Rafael quickly grabbed the child, who struggled violently despite being held securely. The child flailed, biting and making muffled noises of distress.
Sophie couldn’t see his face clearly; he was thrashing or biting Rafael.
In a detached manner, she lifted the slingshot in her hand and numbly called out, “Ryan!”
She had come here to confirm whether this was indeed a false hope, so her call of “Ryan’ was more of a test, lacking emotional depth. She just needed to see this false Ryan for herself.
The struggling child in Rafael’s arms gradually quieted.
He slowly turned his head, his eyes still wild and red from earlier. His face was covered in small injuries, and he looked dirty and emaciated. His mouth hung slightly open as he stared at Sophie.
Sophie gasped, covering her mouth as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.