Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
“Your Majesty, General Farrell is much older than Jocelyn. He may not be a suitable match. However, Marquis of Glandale’s third son, Hubert Schmitt, is a promising young man. He’s young and talented, and has already passed the provincial examinations last year. Though he won’t inherit a title, with his talent and the support of the Quinton family, he could certainly make a name for himself.”
Hubert was striking and composed. At just 19, he had already passed the provincial exams and was now preparing for the national exams. His future seemed full of promise.
Vera’s words caused Lydia, who was standing nearby, to chuckle. “Madam Vera, do you think the Quinton family has many promising sons?”
Vera couldn’t help but feel proud. “Naturally. There’s not a weakling among them. The third branch may be the weakest, but even Logan has married a high princess.”
Kylie laughed.
“My third uncle isn’t weak-he simply had an accident. Before he fell, he was just as sharp and clever as any of the others. Our family has no weaklings. With such a big family and so many talented sons, many of them already serve in official positions, and even more are about to. What do you think someone like Hubert Schmitt, who’s only supported by his mother’s family, can achieve in his career?”
Kylie glanced at her fingers nonchalantly, then added, “We can’t have him competing with your son for positions, can we?”
Vera immediately grew more serious.
Seeing the change in tone, Lydia quickly added, “Exactly. There are only so many positions to go around. It might be better if Ms. Jocelyn’s husband doesn’t have to compete with the Quinton family’s sons. As for General Farrell-yes, he’s older, but he’s already a third- ranked general. His mom has received an official title as well.
“If Ms. Jocelyn marries him, General Farrell could secure her a title, and she would be a titled lady at such a young age. Why bother with someone else when the path to prestige is already clear?”
Vera took a moment to consider their words. Though she found the idea intriguing, it wasn’t entirely convincing. Still, she began to think that Hubert was not as impressive as she had once believed.
“Your Majesty,” Vera said, “General
Farrell’s household is rather disorderly. Who knows what else the Farrell family has hidden? Besides he was already married once. How could we allow one of our family’s daughters to marry him? Even though military officials are powerful, they still can’t compare to civil service officials in terms of reputation.”
“Aunt Vera, if he wasn’t once married, how would General Farrell ever consider Jocelyn? Have you heard? Ms. Young once admired him. Both families were about to arrange the match, but for some reason, General Farrell didn’t think she was suitable.” Vera had heard the story before, but she found it hard to believe. “How could General Farrell turn down the granddaughter of the royal chancellor? That shows just how arrogant he is.”
“Arrogant, yes, but it’s an arrogance he has every right to possess. Do you know why he can be so confident?” Kylie picked up her coffee, her pale fingers tracing the rim of the cup. A smile lingered at the corners of her lips.
“There are things I shouldn’t be telling you, Aunt Vera, but Jocelyn is my cousin. When there’s something good to be had, I always think of her first. It’s not that I have any special opinion of General Farrell, but His Majesty does.” Kylie took a slow sip of her coffee, watching as Vera’s expression went from stunned to elated. She lowered her gaze, savoring the warmth of her coffee as she allowed the words to settle in.
Vera was indeed tempted.
Lydia seized the moment to stoke the fire. “Earlier, Her Majesty mentioned General Farrell to Ms. Jocelyn. However, Ms. Jocelyn doesn’t like General Farrell and net thinks he’s too old for her. But why didn’t Ms. Young feel the same? Was Mr. Young wise enough to see the bigger picture?
“Mr. Young is a high-ranking official, and he was willing to go so far as to approach General Farrell’s family to propose. That tells you just how desirable General Farrell is. Ms Jocelyn may not understand, but as her mom, you should consider this carefully for her sake.
“There’s also her temperament to consider. Could she tolerate a concubine? General Farrell is very devoted, and Her Majesty even sent someone to test him. He has no intention of taking a concubine. No concubine means a much more peaceful life in the future.” At this point, Vera was no longer merely intrigued she was thoroughly convinced, practically wishing for this marriage to happen.
Indeed, the idea of no concubines in the household was a tremendous comfort-fewer troubles, fewer complications. What could be more desirable than that?
Moreover, Kylie made a very valid point. Vera couldn’t let her son-in-law and her son compete for position. After all, each branch of the family had its own pre-arranged roles and responsibilities.
As soon as Helen entered the palace, she couldn’t wait to take a stroll in the gardens with Dakota and Josephine. The red ruby jewelry set she wore today was so striking against her complexion that she wanted everyone to notice it-preferably on purpose. Meanwhile, Rafael accompanied Sophie to visit Victoria and chat with her. A crowd of noble ladies, both from inside and outside the palace, gathered around to join them.
Just then, Thomas’ mom, Alice, entered the palace to offer her greetings to Victoria. To her surprise, Victoria asked about Thomas’ marriage right in front of so many noble ladies.
Alice felt a wave of bitterness rise in her heart but didn’t dare say a word of complaint to Victoria. Instead, she forced a smile and replied, “Your Majesty, matters of marriage cannot be rushed.”
Victoria sighed. “It’s a shame for him to be dragged into all this for no reason. The Farrell family has always been so kind-hearted, yet some people are causing all this chaos.”
Alice then realized why Victoria had suddenly brought up the topic-the queen dowager was trying to clear Thomas and the Farrell family’s name. Her heart swelled with gratitude, and her eyes welled up with tears. Her voice was hoarse as she said, “He’s just a bit unlucky.”
Victoria shook her head. “Nonsense. He is one of Starhaven’s great generals and is deeply favored by the king. How can you say he’s unlucky? His destiny has been written, and his fated match will come in time.” Alice immediately bowed deeply. “Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for your concern.”
The other ladies in the room now looked at Alice differently. Before, there had been a hint of mockery in their gazes after all, the scandal was widely known and involved everyone in some way, and no one dared claim they were innocent. Now that Victoria had spoken, things had shifted. After all, she had just praised Thomas as a great general of Starhaven.
Victoria never spoke about matters from the previous reign, yet today she had taken the time to mention Thomas. The sharp women in the room could easily sense the underlying message. From now on, no one would dare belittle the Farrell family or gossip recklessly about them.
Victoria said little more on the topic, moving on to ask about the affairs of various families. Her gaze swept the room, and she casually inquired about Marjorie’s absence once she noticed. Just then, Lydia’s messenger arrived. She explained that Marjorie was feeling unwell and didn’t want to risk spreading illness to Victoria, so she would come on another day to offer her greetings.
Upon hearing the news, Victoria sighed lightly and raised her hand, signaling for the messenger to withdraw. She said no more.
The sigh and the expression spoke volumes-enough to make the courtiers recall the rumors about Malcolm and his mistress.
Sophie watched from the side, impressed by how skilled Victoria was.
With just a few words and gestures, Victoria had enough influence to keep everyone guessing and talking about something for a long time, from Midwinter’s Dawn all the way to the end of the year.
In one simple sentence, Victoria shut down all the rumors about the Farrell family, turning Thomas and his family into victims who had been dragged into a mess. She pointed out his high standing in the military, and suddenly, no one dared to look down on him.
Then, with a gentle sigh, she subtly reminded the highborn ladies of Malcolm’s affair with a mistress. With that, she cleverly shifted the conversation from the Farrell family to the Quinton family. It was brilliant!
Rafael didn’t linger much longer. After exchanging a few words, he excused himself, leaving Sophie with a group of noblewomen.
The moment he stepped out, the women surrounded Sophie, eager to offer compliments. Some spoke of the couple’s affectionate relationship, others admired her net commanding presence, while a few remarked on how handsome and imposing Rafael looked. A few even asked when Sophie might have news of a pregnancy.
Marriage and children were favorite topics among the noblewomen, and Sophie responded with a smile, “There’s no rush. Having children is something that can’t be forced.”
Her answer seemed a little strained, as if there were some unspoken concerns. Both Sophie and Rafael had been to the battlefield, so it wasn’t surprising if they had some hidden injuries that left lingering effects on their bodies.
The women quickly began suggesting various physicians and remedies, the conversation growing lively and warm.
Sophie couldn’t help but wonder-had they been talking about this behind her back?
Her suspicion wasn’t unfounded. In fact, many had indeed been speculating Some whispered that Rafael’s injuries had damaged his health beyond repair, while others claimed that Sophie had sustained a battlefield injury that made it impossible for her to bear children.
Thus, the remedies offered were mixed-some for men, some for women.
Sophie graciously accepted them all with a smile.
Afterward, when Victoria didn’t say anything, everyone finally stopped talking.
As the ladies were chatting, Ruth sent someone to privately ask Sophie to join her. After receiving the invitation, Sophie checked with Victoria for permission and went. Ruth was Augustus’ concubine, and she was supposed to be living in comfort on her son’s fief. Instead, she remained alone in a secluded palace in the royal palace.
When Sophie followed Oscar into Everlasting Palace, the atmosphere struck her as cold and desolate. There was no sign of festivity or hint of the holiday spirit. It felt as if they were not only separated by a few palace halls, but also by an unbridgeable divide of heaven and earth.
Since winter had set in, Ruth’s health had worsened. Yuvan’s son, Randall, had remained in the capital. Today, he was in the palace, attending to his grandmother.
Upon seeing Sophie, Randall rose and bowed. “Greetings, Your Grace.”
Sophie gave him a cool glance. “Greetings, Your Highness. I see you’ve come to the palace today.”