Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
But Sebastian forbade anyone from crying, so Julian could only keep wiping his tears away.
Lawrence was asleep, but no one could be sure whether he was in a coma or just sleeping. Since Sebastian said Lawrence was merely asleep, they chose to believe him.
Sebastian observed the disheveled state of the room and its occupants, and shook his head with a wry smile. Despite the many rooms in the relay station that were complete with beds and blankets, everyone insisted on staying in this room to be close to Lawrence.
On the third day, Sebastian announced that Lawrence had made it through another hurdle. He had not had high fever for three consecutive days, and though there was still a low-grade fever, at least he had passed a critical point.
The news brought some cheer, but Sebastian quickly dampened the mood.
“Low-grade fever can still be dangerous.”
His words effectively froze the smiles of those around him.
And Sebastian’s concerns were not unfounded. The low-grade fever persisted for several more days. Lawrence remained in a semi-conscious state, rarely waking up.
It wasn’t until the seventh day after Sebastian’s arrival at the relay station that Sophie and her companions finally arrived.
The journey from the capital to Westglade usually took twelve days, which was considered fast, especially given that they had encountered several rainy days that made travel difficult.
Adding to the complications, Violet, who typically had a robust constitution, fell ill after getting soaked in the rain. She was too afraid to board the carriage, worried that she might pass her illness to Kayla. Kayla had been battling motion sickness throughout the trip, struggling through it with sheer willpower.
Upon arriving at the inn, Kayla collapsed to her knees as soon as she stepped out of the carriage, her legs numb and weak from exhaustion. She had endured so much, both physically and emotionally. Sophie helped her up as Kayla said, “Hurry, take me to him.”
The greatest torment of Kayla’s journey had not been the motion sickness or the jostling of the carriage, but the constant worry about Lawrence’s condition.
Sophie supported her inside, and Rafael approached them. The couple exchanged a glance, and Rafael nodded, a silent assurance that Lawrence was still alive.
Sophie breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she looked at him deeply concerned, noting how much weight he had lost.
She assisted Kayla up the stone steps and to the door of the room. Everyone stepped aside, allowing Kayla to see her husband lying on the bed.
She paused at the door, covering her mouth with her hands. Tears quickly blurred her vision, and they began falling in large, heavy drops.
Just when everyone expected her to break down in tears, Kayla wiped her tears away with determined strokes. She eventually managed a faint, trembling smile as she approached her husband.
She sat at the edge of the bed, first gazing at his face. After all the days of treatment, the swelling had mostly gone down, though bruises remained. The wounds at the corners of his mouth and eyes had largely healed.
His face was covered in bruises, making it hard to recognize him. The sun had darkened his skin, and the bright red medicinal cream smeared across his face stood out against his complexion. His lips were a deep purple, adding to the unsettling look. Seeing his broken appearance, Kayla felt a pang of sadness.
As if sensing her presence, Lawrence stirred from his deep slumber. He opened his eyes, which were initially unfocused. And then, as if something had suddenly grasped his attention, he fixed his gaze on Kayla.
He blinked in disbelief, and only when her hand touched his face did the reality of her presence sink in.
Kayla forced a smile, her trembling hands and lips somehow conveying vulnerability and strength. “My dear, I’m here.”
Lawrence tried to reach for her hand, but he couldn’t lift his arm. Kayla quickly took his hand gently, noticing the fingers coated with medicine. Each finger was dotted with small punctures, and the nails were missing. Her heart ached intensely at the sight.
Before the tears could fall, Kayla quickly raised her head, regaining her composure. When she looked at him again, her smile remained. “I’m here. I’m right here.”
Lawrence had not spoken since arriving at the inn. Now, he moved his lips a few times before managing to utter two words, “I’m sorry…”
His eyes never left Kayla’s face, as if they were pinned there. The dreams he had cherished over the years were now realized, and despite his muddled state, he could still feel the encouragement she brought
She had always been like this seemingly fragile, yet stronger than anyone.
“I will… get better!” he said, each word a struggle.
In the crowd, someone let out a sob.
Although everyone watching this scene was on the verge of tears, Sebastian had been adamant these past few days about not crying.
Who would dare to challenge Sebastian’s order?
The men looked around for who had started crying, only to see Sebastian jogging out of the room.
It took them a moment to realize that the sob they had heard was from Sebastian himself.
With Sebastian breaking the silence, others couldn’t hold back their tears any longer-they began to weep openly.
Sophie stood beside Kayla at the bedside for a moment, feeling the weight of the situation in her chest. Overwhelmed and unable to hold back her tears, she turned and left the room.
Rafael followed her out, taking her hand. They stood in silence for a while before he said softly, “I’ve missed you so much these days, more than ever.” Sophie wiped her tears with one hand and turned to throw herself into his embrace, her voice thick with emotion.
“I’ve imagined myself as Kayla so many times during this journey. I’ve missed you so much. It’s such a relief to know you brought him back. I can’t believe he’s actually O
Septimus!” she cried.
Rafael held her tightly, as if she were the most precious treasure. This was the first time she had openly expressed her feelings for him. Still, he felt the need to clarify. “Lawrence is Septimus, but there are ten more people inside who are also Septimus.”
Sophie pulled back slightly, her eyes wide with surprise. “Wait, do you mean those men standing in the room earlier? I thought they were undercover soldiers escorting him!”
Rafael shook his head, his voice still charged with excitement.
“No, Septimus isn’t just one person, and it wasn’t Thomas either. There are eleven of them… Wait, who’s that?”
He noticed a horse circling nearby, with someone slumped over its back. The person’s hair was cascading wildly, making it hard to tell who it was. Sophie gasped, and hurried over. “It’s Vivi! She’s been ill all the way, and I forgot about her!”
Sophie carefully helped Violet down from the horse. When Violet dismounted, she nearly fell to her knees like Kayla had, cursing as she went.
“You heartless wretch! I accompanied you the whole way, and you forgot about me! Once I’m better, I’ll make you regret it.”
Exhausted, Violet leaned on Sophie’s shoulder.
Sophie apologized, “I’m sorry. Let’s get you inside to rest. I was just rushing to get Kayla inside to see her husband.”
Violet didn’t have the energy to scold Sophie further, and asked urgently, “How is he? Is he alright? I wanted to see their reunion, but I can’t go in with General Ziegler injured and me being ill.”
“He’s not in the best condition, but I believe Sebastian will treat him successfully. I’ll help you inside to lie down. A good rest will make you feel better.”
As she spoke, Sophie addressed Rafael, “Please call Vanda. We have a patient here.”
Violet was settled in an empty room. She was so tired, she fell into a deep sleep before the medicine was even ready after Vanda examined her.