Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Lately, he found himself recalling the first time he had met Sophie. Her beauty was unlike anything he had ever seen; her demeanor was dignified and graceful, and every smile and frown was imbued with the elegance of a noblewoman. At that time, he thought that if he could marry Sophie, he would want for nothing else in life.
He did marry her, but on their wedding night, he was urgently called to serve the court and lead troops into battle. Although he had been reluctant to leave Sophie, he also believed that she was his and that his career demanded his focus.
When he met Freya on the battlefield, he was struck by her bravery and resolve. He began to think that while there were numerous noblewomen like Sophie in the capital, someone like Freya was truly one of a kind.
He developed feelings for Freya, completely forgetting his promise to Sophie’s mother about not taking a concubine if he married her.
At that time, he had rationalized that she was already his wife. Even if he took Freya as a wife, Sophie would throw a tantrum for a while, but would eventually have to relent.
His feelings for Freya were deep and strong, and he saw Sophie as somewhat rigid and uninteresting in comparison. He even convinced himself that his initial fascination with Sophie had been superficial, and that his true affection lay with Freya.
Yet, when Sophie left him with such finality, he felt a sudden emptiness in his heart. Even now, recalling her departure still brought a sense of panic in him.
Everyone was busy preparing for battle, and Sophie had been focused on training formations for several days.
The fifteen thousand soldiers from the Mystic Army were divided into two groups: one for offense, and one for defense. Each group was further split into ten squads, making a total of twenty squads for both attack and defense.
Sophie’s battle plan was straightforward: start with five squads on the offense, then quickly rotate in five defensive squads. Once the defense was solidified, they would rotate back to offense, and so on. This method of rotation would push their advance.
After several days of training, the results were already noticeable.
The weapons were now in place: shields and short swords for the defenders, and long spears for the attackers.
Rafael had announced that the siege would begin in just a few days. As the vanguard, the Mystic Army needed to finalize their assault plans.
During this period, Blake would lead ten thousand men to set up siege ladders and operate catapults. In the days leading up to the battle, Sophie and Blake needed to discuss coordination.
Rafael had already devised the overall strategy, so their discussions were mostly about fine-tuning and addressing any potential issues that might arise. They went through the scenarios on a sand table, bringing up and correcting any foreseeable problems.
Blake had initially thought Sophie was merely a skilled warrior, but their strategic discussions astounded him. Sophie’s deep understanding of tactics and her quick resolution of minor errors were impressive, ensuring that every aspect of the siege was flawlessly planned.
Several times during the exercises, he found himself lost in thought, captivated by her earnest explanations. Her presence was even more striking than when he first met her, her bright eyes radiating an almost mesmerizing charm.
Regret churned in his heart more times than he could count.
After the exercises were completed, Sophie stood up, her expression returning to its usual cool demeanor. “That should be all for now. If you think of any additional issues, you can come and discuss them with me, General Jaffe.”
Blake, still seated, looked up and was met with the elegant curve of her jawline. His voice was hoarse as he asked, “I have one question.”
“Please go ahead,” Sophie replied.
He slowly stood up and faced her, his gaze fixed intently on her. “Why did you hide your martial skills from me at the beginning?” Sophie raised an eyebrow, her eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement. “Does it really matter?”
Blake pondered for a moment, looking somewhat despondent. “It doesn’t. It’s just that, it wasn’t until the day we parted that I learned about your martial skills. What puzzles me is, given your understanding of military strategy and your formidable skills, why did you choose to marry me instead of continuing your family’s military influence?”
Sophie remained silent, her expression as impassive as ever.
Blake watched her, his smile tinged with bitterness.
“Forget it. I suppose I have no right to question you. You don’t need to answer. I was just confused. Clearly, you’re so exceptional and had any pick of the prominent families in the capital. Yet, you and your mother chose me. I’ve never really understood you, but what does it matter now? I chose Freya, and she’s also good. I shouldn’t dwell on the past. I’m losing my mind. Freya treats me well. I shouldn’t be telling you this…”
Sophie frowned, and interrupted his ramblings. “You’re right. You shouldn’t.”
Blake was taken aback, and met her cold gaze. Something seemed to be blocking his heart, making him uncomfortable.
“I was being foolish.”
Sophie’s eyes were dark and serious as said quickly, “I’ll answer one question for you as to why I chose marriage over the battlefield. My father and brothers were dead. Naturally, I wanted to go to the Southern Frontier to avenge them. But my mother opposed it.
“She feared I would also die on the battlefield. She wanted me to give up martial arts, marry, and live a stable life. I followed her wishes and chose to marry, but since my husband turned out to be less than ideal, I naturally chose to return to the battlefield after our divorce. It wasn’t to compete with Freya.”
Blake was surprised by Sophie’s sudden willingness to explain. As he listened, he understood her words.
Freya had always said Sophie went to the battlefield to overshadow her, but Sophie wanted to clarify that her true purpose was to avenge her father and brothers, not to compete with Freya.
“So, did you marry me because you truly liked me, or simply because your mother chose me for you?” Blake asked softly.
Sophie replied, “That question is pointless.”
“I want to know,” he insisted quickly.
Sophie’s brow furrowed again. “Blake, you’ve never understood your place. When you were my husband, you didn’t get it. You’re Freya’s husband now, and you still don’t get it.”
Blake’s eyes darkened as he looked at her, his tone turning cold.
“So, you never really liked me. You married me only because your mother told you to. I knew it! I just wanted to have another wife, but you immediately went to the palace to request a divorce. You never had any feelings for me. You were the one who was heartless first, but you made it seem like I wronged you!”
Hearing that, Sophie grew exasperated.
“Whether I had feelings for you or not is beside the point. From the day I entered the Jaffe family, I served your parents without a single day of neglect.
“I did my duty. I was devoted and respectful, and I waited for your triumphant return. And you? You promised me when you proposed, and before you left for battle, you told me to wait. I waited a year, only for you to come back and inform me that you had used your military achievements to take Freya as a wife.
“Blake, I fulfilled my duties as a daughter-in-law and a wife. From the moment I married into your family to the day I left, I have a clear conscience. And you? Can you look me in the eye today and tell me, with a clear conscience, that you kept your promises to me and my mother?”
Blake was left speechless.
Seeing his expression, Sophie felt the suffocating weight of the moment and turned to leave.
She had intended to go over the siege plan one more time, but with a great battle looming, she couldn’t bear to be entangled in such personal matters.
She had to leave.
Blake stared blankly at her retreating figure.
She was right. What right did he have to accuse her? What right did he have to demand her affection?
Some wounds had already been inflicted. What was the point in dwelling on them?
Her words rang true-he had never understood his place. He was now Freya’s husband, and his words and actions must be worthy of Freya. Sophie was an outsider now. He couldn’t afford to fail Freya, too.
Freya had her flaws, but nobody was perfect. At her core, she was kind, upright, and loyal to both the king and the people. He could tolerate some minor imperfections.