Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
She had changed into new clothes, though she was so thin that they hung on her frame like a sack, loose and shapeless.
Oscar set her beside the pastries once more, and she curled up again, retreating into herself. The blankets and warm clothes he brought with him were also sent in.
Mabel nodded. “That’s enough. Let’s not make things harder for Mr. Lane. It’s time to go.”
Oscar, his eyes still glistening with tears, stole one last look at Eleanor before reluctantly leaving.
Eleanor watched them until they disappeared beyond the heavy door, and only then did she let out a soft, heartbroken sob.
–
Mabel took the pastries to Arcane Sanctum to have Ivy inspect them. After confirming they contained deadly poison, Mabel returned to report to Rafael and Sophie. “Did she eat them?” Sophie asked.
“She hadn’t eaten when she left, but I’m sure Oscar told her about the poison,” Mabel said. “And then he helped her change into clothes. It’s up to her now-whether she wants to cling to life or seek release.”
“Very well, thank you for your hard work. Go eat something now,” Sophie said gently.
“Understood, Your Grace. I’ll take my leave.” Mabel bowed and turned to exit.
At this point, whether Eleanor lived or died didn’t really matter. If Ruth couldn’t bear to see her suffer and wanted to give her an escape, that was fine too.
For now, it was enough that Kyle had mastered Eleanor’s handwriting to perfection. Once the right moment came and the culprits surfaced, a well-crafted suicide letter from Eleanor would make its grand debut. Eleanor had refused to name names, so her handwriting would do it for her.
Naturally, the letter didn’t need to be written just yet. The right time hadn’t arrived, and Eleanor probably didn’t know the identity of the true mastermind behind it all. But in the suicide note, she would.
In truth, once it was clear that Yuvan wasn’t the true mastermind, Eleanor’s role became irrelevant.
The next day, news came from the Heritage Bureau-Eleanor was dead.
However, the official report didn’t mention poison. Instead, it claimed that, after a period of reflection and guilt, she had taken her own life in despair over her crimes.
The news didn’t stir much of a reaction. A few court officials did hear that Eleanor had left a suicide letter before her death, but the king hadn’t mentioned it and the Heritage Bureau’s officials were tight-lipped. Sono one could find out what it contained.
This caused a stir among the families that had once been closely connected to Eleanor. They were left wondering what she might have written in her final letter. However, as days passed without any further developments, the unease gradually faded and everyone resumed their usual lives.
By November, the snow had fallen.
Silas and Riley had divorced.
After the public scene at Silverstone Estate, both families had called in their elders to mediate. Eventually, Silas’ anger subsided and he sought Riley’s forgiveness.
But some things, once broken, could never fully be mended. No matter how much they tried to move past it, the hurt remained. In the end, it couldn’t last, and Riley requested a divorce. Women were like that. Even heartbroken and disappointed, they would crash into a wall time and time again before they were willing to stop.
Riley had a family to return to, but instead, she threw herself into working at Skye Embroidery. Her needlework was exquisite, so much so that even the ladies in the palace valued it. Salvador’s favored concubine, Sylvia, even personally sent someone to the workshop, requesting Riley to make a garment for her.
It was clear that Sylvia was subtly opposing Kylie, but she also genuinely admired Riley’s skill.
On Midwinter’s Dawn, before the grand banquet for the entire court, the ladies of the inner and outer courts came to the palace to offer their greetings.
Victoria usually preferred quiet. But on this day, she welcomed visitors, chatting with the noblewomen from various families. Kylie stayed to keep her company for a while before returning to Everspring Palace to wait for her family to arrive. Little did she know that after all the waiting, her mother wouldn’t show up. Instead, it was a group of aunts, cousins, and distant relatives.
Upon asking, she learned that Marjorie felt unwell and couldn’t bear to face the wind. As customary, Marjorie would need to offer her greetings to Victoria if she came into the palace. Since she didn’t wish to risk passing on her illness, Marjorie refrained from visiting the palace.
Of course, Kylie didn’t believe it. The last time Marjorie spoke to her about the workshop, she had turned the latter down. She could see the disappointment and surprise on the older woman’s face, so she suspected her mother was merely throwing a small tantrum. Kylie felt a bit disappointed, but didn’t show it. Instead, she quietly told Lydia to send a message to her mother along with a small gesture of respect.
After the usual pleasantries, Kylie asked Jocelyn to stay for a chat.
Jocelyn was the troublemaker alongside Cassidy and Hailey. The three had been causing havoc in the academy, and Jocelyn had been particularly nasty toward Rosalind. After being put in her place once, she had toned it down a bit.
Every now and then, though, Jocelyn still tried to provoke Rosalind in hopes of angering her and tarnishing her reputation as a temperamental teacher unsuitable for the academy. The standing of Gracewood Women’s Academy would also be damaged. Jocelyn puffed up her cheeks, upset. “Mrs. Ashford is so fierce! Mr. Spencer also scolded me, and I didn’t dare to cause trouble again. Perhaps it’s best to let it go. If the queen dowager hears about it, it wouldn’t be good.” Kylie leaned slightly to one side, casting a cold glance at her.
“Do you think I’m the one who wants to be at odds with the people at the academy? His Majesty feels the same way. When the academy was first founded, he feared Sophie might overshadow him, but he couldn’t outright refuse since the academy was the queen dowager’s idea.
“So, we resorted to more subtle methods to tarnish the academy’s reputation. If the queen dowager ever questioned anything, Sophie would be blamed for failing to manage the academy properly.
“Frankly, I agree with him. Someone with a military background has no business running Gracewood Women’s Academy.”
Jocelyn had just turned 15, still shy of 16. Her scheming was far from refined, and she didn’t really know whether Sophie was fit for the position. She simply did as her cousin instructed, so to her, there was no right or wrong in the matter.
Now, hearing that Salvador wasn’t fond of the academy, she said, “I understand. When we return to the academy, I’ll continue to make things difficult for Ms. Young.”
Kylie nodded, satisfied.
Of all the teachers, the youngest was Rosalind. Though she was talented, she had neither a noble title nor widespread recognition, so it was natural that Kylie would target her first.
Trevor and the Quinton family were considered the leading figures of the scholarly elite, so claiming they weren’t secretly competing with each other would be a lie.
Many of the Quinton family’s sons had entered government service. While they were strictly disciplined, some of their actions had drawn criticism. Malcolm, in particular, had a history of personal misconduct. It was clear now that Trevor had firmly taken the lead as the true representative of the scholarly elite.
Kylie was trying to help her family. If she could weaken the Young family-even better, if some private moral issues came to light-then outsiders couldn’t criticize the Quinton family anymore. “You’ve come of age now,” Kylie said casually. “When we return, I’ll speak with your mom about your marriage. It’s time to start thinking about a match.”
Since Kylie wanted Jocelyn to do something, she offered a big reward powerful families-one of in return. The Quinton family arranged marriages with other daughters had even married
Kendrick, Dakota’s son, and became a princess consort.
A powerful family with ties through marriage was beneficial, especially for Connor’s future.
Jocelyn, embarrassed at the mention of her marriage, lowered her eyes. “I’ll leave everything to you, Your Majesty.”
Traditionally, the Quinton family’s marriages were either with the royal family or noble houses with titles, vel rarely with military officers. However, considering how important the military was to Connor’s future, Kylie had a candidate in mind.
“Have you ever heard of Thomas Farrell? What do you think of him?” she asked tentatively.
Jocelyn wrinkled her nose in disdain. “Not much. He’s older and has already been married once. People say his household is a mess and has no discipline. Who knows what else he’s hiding?”
Kylie smiled. “He’s not that old. Also, it’s not worth paying attention to the gossip people are spreading. I was only asking. If you don’t like him, I would never force you, silly girl.”
Jocelyn’s face brightened with a sweet smile. “I knew you’d be the kindest to me, Your Majesty!”
Kylie simply gazed back at Jocelyn, a knowing smile on her lips.
Kylie instructed that her children should be taken out to play, then called for Jocelyn’s mother, Vera Jansen, to come in for a conversation. When Vera heard Kylie mention Thomas, she frowned slightly.