Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Despite the commanding power of the royal edict, no one in the crowd could hear a single word. The citizens’ excited screams never stopped. Fortunately, it was an edict of praise and commendation, not a promotion or elevation of rank, so the details hardly mattered. Violet peeked through the carriage curtains, watching the ecstatic faces and hearing the thunderous cheers.
She turned to Sophie and asked, “Why is the ceremony so grand?”
Sophie smiled. “I’d guess the Ministry of Protocol spread the word ahead of time, and the storytellers in the capitaNikely exaggerated of exploits. They probably spun their deliver vital intelligence, mes to how the soldiers risked their lives to sound so dramatic and touching that the people were moved to tears.”
Violet nodded. It seemed likely.
it
The capital’s storytellers were renowned for their ability to stir emotions, a skill few could match.
Blake was on duty today, tasked with helping the Capital Guard maintain order.
As the eleven young soldiers rode past him one by one, he carefully studied each of their faces. When his gaze fell on Thomas, he noticed that the once-handsome, striking figure seemed less radiant than before. A mix of nostalgia and complex emotions stirred in his chest, along with a fleeting sense of inferiority.
Heroes.
Blake had once been a hero too. When he returned from the Victory Pass battle, the citizens had cheered for him the same way.
But now?
Now, he had been reduced to a mere ninth-rank capital guard, stripped of the glory that once surrounded him. No longer the golden boy, no longer entrusted with important duties. Watching the eleven young soldiers, Blake couldn’t shake the sense of being worlds apart, like a speck of dirt beneath their feet.
If he was ever going to rise again, it would have to be through his brother-in-law’s support. Or perhaps, another war would break out, giving him the chance to earn military merits once more.
How foolish Blake had been back then, always imagining things so idealistically. He had once thought military accomplishments were easily won. After all, back at Victory Pass, Wyatt Sullivan had taken a blade for him, losing an arm in the process.
And on the Southern Frontier battlefield, Blake had witnessed the true horrors of war-the brutal siege, mountains of corpses, and rivers of blood. Only then did he realize that earning glory on the battlefield was not as simple as Freya had once made it sound. How many brave soldiers had died with their ambitions unfulfilled?
And how many, like the eleven young heroes, had been captured and tortured? To escape and form an intelligence network like they had-they were probably the only ones who could pull off such a feat.
As thoughts of captivity and torture filled his mind, a chill ran down Blake’s spine, freezing him to the core.
He didn’t know what would ultimately become of the Victory Pass incident. The king hadn’t pursued the matter yet, but had sent people to keep a close watch on the Jaffe family.
One thing was certain-if Westhaven underwent a shift in power, so too would the Jaffe family. The new crown prince wouldn’t be as concerned with preserving their reputation as the current king of Westhaven.
All the fanfare and glory belonged to someone else now, while Blake could only continue scraping by. Despair settled deep in his bones at that moment, and his mind wandered to something Freya had once said with such conviction: All she wanted was success. Yes, success. But it was far too difficult to obtain the success she wanted.
Blake looked up at the eleven young heroes It almost felt as if he were looking up at a past version of himself and Freya. But in the thick crowd, no one noticed him. Their attention was fully captured by the eleven celebrated heroes and the man who had rescued them, the Hell Monarch.
The Hell Monarch didn’t notice Blake either. His attention was focused on the heartwarming scene unfolding before him-Richard’s three sons stepping forward to embrace Joshua and Benson.
Richard didn’t cry. No, he stood tall, his face filled with pride. In a moment like this, he wouldn’t let tears fall.
He watched as his two sons knelt before him, bowing their heads to the ground, their voices trembling as they said, “Dad, we haven’t been the sons you deserved, but we’ve returned.”
Richard wanted to weep, but he smiled instead. He helped them to their feet and said, “I have always been proud of you.”
All around them, families had come out to greet their loved ones, and each tearful embrace was a sight that tugged at the heartstrings.
Logan was sobbing openly as he clung to his adoptive brother, Felix. Logan was usually playful and easygoing, but he had none of his usual demeanor today. He wept like a child in his elder brother’s arms, entirely forgetting that he was soon to be married. From inside the carriage, Sophie watched it all unfold.
These people thought they were separated by life and death, but unexpectedly, they experienced the joy of a reunion. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized this joy could never belong to her. She, her dad, and brothers would never see each other again in this life.
The true cruelty of this world lay in how blood ties, once so close, could be severed, with no promise of ever meeting again.
When she returned home, Sophie went straight to her room. After sharing in everyone else’s happiness, she was left with her own sorrow. The weight of her grief settled over her, and she locked herself away, not wanting to Burden anyone else with her emotions.
She stayed alone in her room for nearly two hours, working through her feelings.
Rafael had wanted to stay by her side to comfort her, but understood that she needed this time to process her emotions on her own. So, he sat outside on the stone steps, making sure no one disturbed her.
When Sophie finally emerged, her emotions in check and dressed in fresh clothes, Rafael immediately rose to greet her. He reached for her hand, noticing that although her eyes were dry, the traces of tears were still visible. Gently, he wiped the corners of her eyes with his thumb, his heart aching for her. “Let’s go see Mom.”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I was planning to do,” Sophie replied with a soft smile.
But after her tears, that smile carried a hint of fragility, making Rafael’s heart ache even more.
Helen wiped away her tears as she listened to the servants report on the lively scene outside. She could only lament that she wasn’t an ordinary commoner who was free to join in the festivities. The stories told by the storytellers over the past few days, which had been relayed to her by the servants, had moved her deeply. Yet, the tears she shed now weren’t for the joyful festivities outside.
No, they were because she heard that Sophie had locked herself in her room since returning and hadn’t come out for a long time. Helen didn’t have to guess why Sophie was upset. This grand reunion didn’t include her, for her dad and brothers hadn’t fallen in this same battle.
“Come here,” Helen said, beckoning to her daughter-in-law, who had just bowed to greet her. “Come sit by my side.”
Sophie straightened up and walked over. But before she could properly sit down, Helen reached out and pulled the younger woman into her arms.
As Helen was seated, that tug resulted in Sophie finding herself kneeling, her face buried in her mother-in-law’s embrace. Helen’s arms wrapped tightly around her, and above her head, Sophie heard the older woman’s voice, choked with emotion. “You can always think of me as your mom, your closest family. I will always protect you.”
Sophie had initially felt a burst of resistance, trying to pull her face away from Helen’s chest to catch her breath. But after hearing those words, her heart softened instantly. Each word struck her like a blow to her core, leaving her unable to resist. Her heart felt full, her nose tingled, and her eyes burned.
She had never expected her mother-in-law, who had always relied on the queen dowager for protection, to say something so maternal to her. Remembering a time when Helen had not been particularly fond of her, Sophie felt like crying at her words now. But in all honesty, her forty-something-year-old mother-in-law had such a firm embrace that Sophie was nearly suffocating.
Rafael watched the scene unfold and immediately regretted not being the one to give his wife a hug first. Now, he felt like his mom had stolen this heartfelt moment from him, leaving him frustrated and envious.
Meanwhile, Gillian wiped away her own tears, feeling a deep sense of relief and joy. This was good. Helen had finally learned how to show care and tenderness.
After the embrace, Helen released Sophie and gestured for everyone to sit down.
“Bring the refreshments!” she instructed the servants.
Having expressed her emotions, Helen now felt a deeper connection with her daughter-in-law. But Sophie, on the other hand, seemed a bit awkward and stiff. Eager to change the subject, she quickly brought up more pressing matters. “Mother, did you go to the palace after I left the capital?”
“I did, but I didn’t get to see the king. My sister asked me to visit Lady Ruth, who’s fallen ill. As for what my sister discussed with His Majesty, I wasn’t privy to it.” Rafael looked up. “Lady Ruth is sick?”
“Yes, she’s quite seriously ill. It seems that the summer heat has been too much for her. The royal physicians have said her condition is not looking good. Yuvan has already submitted a report, requesting the king’s permission to return to the capital with his family to attend to her.”
“Has the king granted permission?”
“I heard that he has. A couple of days ago when I went to the palace, my sister said Yuvan should arrive in the capital any day now. Horizon Estate is already undergoing renovations in preparation
What was meant to come would always come.