Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Wasn’t that tragic?
Terrified, she quickly kicked off her shoes and crouched down, stuffing her hands into them. With her body pressed against the icy surface, she followed after him.
Skiing was second nature to her. She had been doing it for years at Meadow Ridge. While wearing shoes made it awkward, she could channel her inner strength to glide straight down if she held them in her hands.
It was both frustrating and amusing.
Sophie supported the limping Rafael as they slowly made their way down the mountain. His hair was a mess, sticking up in a strange, wet clump after hitting the snow, creating an odd, wild look.
His face was a patchwork of bruises-blue, purple, and red. The red came from a cut that had bled, luckily, the wounds were shallow and, combined with the cold, had stopped bleeding quickly. A lump the size of an egg swelled on his forehead, a sight that was both pitiful and funny.
Fighting, strategizing, and governing were all his strengths, but games like this? He was utterly lost. Sliding down the slope had turned into a comical disaster.
Who knew skiing could be so hazardous?
Everyone knew not to underestimate water, but mountains could be just as treacherous- especially mountains that only got covered with snow during the coldest days of winter, hiding sharp rocks just beneath the surface. The terrain here was nothing like the Southern Frontier, and back then he at least had armor. Here, he had none.
Rafael was mortified. He never expected that a simple act of skiing could result in such a humiliating tumble. He had hoped for a rare day off to bond with Sophie and create some meaningful memories they could cherish when they were older.
Well, this was certainly unforgettable. Sophie would likely remember this day for the rest of her life.
“Your foot hurts, doesn’t it?” she asked, noticing his worsening limp.
“It’s not too bad,” he replied, turning his head slightly. “Honestly, you don’t need to help me. I can manage on my own. Having you support me makes it seem like I’m disabled.”
Sophie held on tighter, a playful pout in her tone. “No, I want to walk with you like this.”
If this had been any other time, Rafael would have been thrilled. But right now, he felt defeated and utterly helpless, plus there was an excruciating pain in his foot. He suspected he might have fractured a bone. Otherwise, it wouldn’t hurt this much.
With Sophie supporting him, at least he could lean on her a little, making the trek down the mountain a bit more bearable.
He couldn’t help but wonder why he hadn’t reacted in time to stabilize himself and leverage that moment to spring up. His once-proud Lightfoot Skill had utterly failed him.
In that instant of chaos, all he could think about was how embarrassing it would be for Sophie to witness him fall. Then, his reflexes had betrayed him, and he had rolled down the slope instead.
Rafael lifted his heavy gaze to the equally heavy sky. The only thing he felt grateful for was that the trek up the mountain had taken so long, while the descent was swift-though perhaps a bit too swift for comfort.
Lightning and Skyhawk waited for them at the base of the mountain. Rafael kept his eyes downcast, and as he caught sight of his trusty mount, a wave of frustration washed over him. He wanted to bury his face in Skyhawk’s mane and weep.
Alas, he couldn’t do that. He felt the sting of tears welling up in his eyes as he swung himself onto the horse, trying in vain to tame his wild hair. The more he struggled, the worse his mood became.
Sophie glanced at him, wanting to offer some words of comfort-but nothing seemed appropriate given how ridiculous he had looked during his fall.
“Maybe we should come back in the spring. I bet this place will be filled with blooming flowers then,’ she suggested.
“Yeah.” Rafael nodded, though a thousand thoughts of refusal chumed in his mind.
Tonight would be perfect for a thunderstorm to strike Richspire Peak and erase it from existence. He never wanted to set foot here again.
As they entered the city, Rafael became acutely aware of the curious stares he received due to his bizarre hairstyle and the colorful bruises on his face. He felt a swell of indignation, but forced himself to act nonchalant as he rode alongside Sophie back to Hell Monarch Estate.
Upon their arrival, Dylan happened to walk out just as they approached. The moment he saw Rafael, his jaw dropped in disbelief. As realization struck him, he burst out laughing.
“Oh my god! Your Highness, what happened to you? This… Hahaha!”
Though Dylan felt a twinge of sympathy for Rafael, the sight was too comical to resist. He swore he was trying to hold it together, but it was impossible not to laugh.
Rafael shot him a dark look, his expression thunderous. Dylan’s laughter quickly faded from hearty chuckles to awkward silence as he clammed up.
Sophie shot Dylan a glare of disappointment.
Seriously? Couldn’t he show a little awareness?
After Jacob had sent Dylan off to sweep the courtyard as punishment, Livius from Arcane Sanctum arrived. He was Sebastian’s sixth apprentice a young, exceptionally skilled physician. He usually stayed at Arcane Sanctum and seldom made house calls.
Since Rafael was injured, Sebastian had specifically dispatched Livius to conduct a thorough examination to ensure that nothing vital had been harmed. Rafael was young and still without children. On top of that, he was taking contraceptive medication. How could Sebastian not be worried for him?
As Helen and Violet returned from shopping, they heard the news about Rafaels injury, prompting Helen to hurry over.
Livius was already treating the prince when Sophie noticed Helen’s arrival and quickly greeted the older woman.
“Hello, Mother.”
Helen responded with a brief acknowledgment, her eyes immediately searching for her son. Rafael hadn’t had a chance to bathe after returning home, so his hair remained tousled. Upon seeing his bruised face and the swollen lump on his forehead, Helen couldn’t help but laugh despite her concem.
“How…how did you end up looking like this? Weren’t you just going up the mountain to enjoy the snow?”
Sophie spoke softly, “Mother, Raf had a little accident and fell.”
“I see,” Helen said, taking another look at her son’s face. That… really does sound quite careless.”
Violet hadn’t entered the room, Jacob had said that Rafael’s leg was injured, which meant he would have to roll up his trousers for Livius to treat him. It wouldn’t be appropriate for Violet to see the bare legs of her friend’s man.
Why didn’t you call for the household physician?” Helen asked.
“He’s out today,” Sophie replied.
“Is that so? We should have at least two physicians available at all times in the estate, Helen noted as she observed the swelling of Rafael’s leg, which the young physician was wrapping a bandage around. “Is the injury serious?”
“His Highness has a fractured bone in his calf, but it’s not a major issue, Livius answered. After applying medicine and resting for 10 days, he should be fine. As for the other injuries, those are just superficial wounds that will heal in a few days. However, he should avoid getting the injured foot wet for now.”
Sophie expressed her gratitude, “Understood. Thank you, Livius.”
Livius nodded slightly, then suddenly said softly, “Rest assured, Your Grace. I just checked His Highness’ heart rate, and there doesn’t seem to be any damage elsewhere.”
“Elsewhere?” Sophie didn’t quite grasp it at first. “You can tell that from checking his heart rate? If there’s an injury, can’t you just ask him where it hurts? He should know where else pains him, right?”
Livius smiled. “Some injuries might not cause immediate pain, so a check like this is necessary. Of course, it doesn’t catch everything. If His Highness feels uncomfortable anywhere, he should let me know.”
“I see.” Sophie found that a bit odd. She glanced at Rafael. ‘Do you feel any discomfort anywhere?”
“Not at all.”