Filed to story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Rafael cast an irritated look at the entrance. It was obvious someone was eavesdropping. Even if Dylan wanted to do so, couldn’t he have hidden better?
Aware of Dylan’s presence, Sophie sat down and gave Rafael a questioning look, then pointed at the door, wondering why Dylan was still there.
Rafael shook his head with a smile. “Ignore him: What brings you here?”
Sophie straightened and asked earnestly, “Marshal, I know we’re preparing to return to the capital. Before that, may I visit the place. where my father and brothers fell? I’d like to pray for their souls to accompany us back to the capital.”
The remains of her father and brothers had been sent back to the capital after their deaths. However, if their spirits still lingered, they would surely want to witness the Southern Frontier’s reclamation with their own eyes.
Rafael nodded slightly. “Of course, but you needn’t go. I’ve already been there myself. I cut down a large tree from that place and am carving memorial plaques for them. We’ll bring their plaques back with us.”
He lifted a silk cloth to reveal the carved plaques arranged beneath. One of them was already finished, bearing the name ‘Hector Devin’. Sophie’s lips quivered as tears welled up in her eyes.
At the Devin family’s memorial hall, her father and brothers’ plaques were also displayed. When she went ba to pay her respects, she could never bring herself to look directly at them, as if doing that could keep them alive in her memory, rather than reducing them to cold, lifeless plaques.
As tears streamed down her face, she pulled out a handkerchief to wipe them away, only to realize it was the one Rafael had given her.
She quickly returned it, her voice choking with emotion as she said, Thank you.”
Rafael’s gaze lingered on the handkerchief for a moment before he took it back. “It was the least I could do. When I first went into battle, it was your father who led me.”
Sophie nodded silently, her emotions overwhelming her.
After a long pause, she said, “Since you’ve arranged everything, I won’t make the trip myself.”
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go she was simply terrified.
She had learned of her father and brothers’ deaths upon returning home from Meadow Ridge. She had seen her mother weep until she was nearly blind, and had seen the widows and orphans in her family. Since then, Sophie had buried her grief deep within herself and was afraid to confront it.
“What are your plans after we return to the capital? Are you thinking of pursuing a military position, or… “Rafael asked a he resurred carving Sophie’s elder brother’s memorial plaque with a deliberate slowness
He casually continued, “Or perhaps, finding someone else to marry?
“My mother didn’t want me to follow a military path, Sophie replied.
Rafael looked up. “Your mother hoped you would marry someone and lead a stable life.”
Tve followed my mother’s wishes and married before,” Sophie answered.
There was a meaningful look in Rafael’s eyes, but it was subtle and hidden. “If the marriage wasn’t satisfactory, it’s null and void. You can find someone better.”
Sophie’s eyes were slightly reddened as she smiled. “It’s a fact that I’ve been married once. How can it be null and void? As for whether it was good or bad, you only know by living it. Marriage is like a high- stakes gamble. I’ve just lost once, so I have no intention of gambling again.”
Rafael’s smile was warm and reassuring. “That’s a good mindset. Never settle for just anyone. Following your mother’s wishes is one thing, but marrying without thought is another. I haven’t planned to marry either.”
Sophie refrained from commenting on his personal matters but found his words curious. It seemed he hoped she would continue in a military role. The court lacked young, capable generals, and Salvador was troubled by this shortage.
They had managed to take back control of the Southern Frontier. Even though their issues with Westhaven were complicated and not fully resolved, this victory was a relief and allowed Westhaven to get some revenge.
The next day, news that Blake hedisken the punishment next for Freya spread throughout the ente camp, Sere word’s crys rumors about the two of them had grousted widely, and sexxy everyone at the Southern Frontie en doe
At first, Freya tried to ignore the gossip, going out her day as if to silence the criticism with indifference. But as the mormors grew louder and the stares more ourous, she could no longer toeeet and used her lingering injuries as an exove to withdraw and fide away/
On the other hand, Blake bore the brunt of its silently. He heard the whispers, but could offer no response of explanation. He knew the issue involved more then just personal scandal-its connected to the Victory Pass battle, the Westhaven civilians slaughtered by Freya, and…
These were matters that could not be explained away and any attempt to do so would only worsen the situation.
The soldiers, however, were unaware of these complexities. They simply believed that Freya had failed to follow orders and left the main force, leading to her capture by the enemy. Moreover, during the siege, she had charged in and disrupted the Mystic Army’s formation, nearly causing Sophie to fail in breaching the city.
As a result, the soldiers held Freya in contempt. They viewed her actions as a grab for credit that backfired. With that assumption in mind, who would feel any sympathy for her?
In contrast, Blake’s act of taking the punishment for his wife earned him the respect of his men. Despite this, neither the Hell Monarch Army nor the Southern Frontier veterans held him regard.
On the battlefield, men fought fiercely and spoke of protecting their country and territory, but everyone prioritized their own families first.
However, after achieving military merits, Blake had used his achievements to request a marriage edict, abandoning a wife who had dutifully served his parents for a year. Any soldier with a sense of honor would despise him for it.
Moreover, many of the Southern Frontier soldiers had once served under Hector, making them naturally inclined to support Sophie.
It was not until the beginning of May that Rafael formulated a defensive plan for the border. After that, he left several generals to guard Simonton City and began leading the Mystic Army and the Hell Monarch Army back to the capital.
As for the troops originally stationed at Victory Pass who had come to help at the Southern Frontier, they were to return to their original post.
The memorial plaques had been carved, and Rafael had arranged for them to be escorted back to the capital. Upon arrival in the city, he and Sophie would carry the plaques together.
The capital city was very far from the Southern Frontier, so the journey back would take a long time. As the army traveled, citizens along the way welcomed them warmly.
Reclaiming the Southern Frontier was a long-cherished wish of the Starhaven people, and at last, Rafael had succeeded. He was a hero, as were all the soldiers who fought at the Southern Frontier, except for one-Freya.
The once-renowned female general had caused the deaths of hundreds of soldiers through her pursuit of personal glory, leading to her and eighteen others being captured and subjected to torture.
This knowledge was not confined to the military. Many Southern
Frontier civilians knew of it as well. Such information had been spread by spies dispatched by Liam. Of course, once Rafael discovered these spies, he sent them back to Westhaven.
After the Southern Frontier was reclaimed, numerous merchants traveled there and learned of the news. Thus, by the time the army began its return to the capital, the information had already spread throughout Starhaven. It was only a matter of time before it reached the capital.
By mid-June, the grand army finally arrived in the capital.
Salvador led the court officials and awaited them at the city gates, which were packed with citizens. They had arranged for dozens of musicians there, playing various instruments.
Rafael got off his horse, holding Hector’s memorial plaque, while Sophie held the plaque for her eldest brother. Timothy and the other generals held the plaques for Sophie’s other brothers, and they all stood solemnly.
At that moment, everyone from the court officials to the welcoming crowd was in tears.
Before the army entered the city, Salvador ordered for fireworks to be ignited. The crackling of fireworks filled the air, and the colorful sparks indicated that Starhaven would be free of war from now on. Salvador stepped down from the carriage and raised his hand, prompting the drums to start beating. At the same time, over a dozen musicians began to play their trumpets.
As the trumpets played, the drummers, wielding drumsticks adorned with white silk, struck their drums in rhythm with the majestic beat. The violins played a melodious introduction, followed by the trumpets and drums coming together in harmony.
The sounds surged like a mighty army charging into battle, with the roar of thousands of troops and the clash of weapons. The stirring notes echoed from the city gates all the way to Royal Street.The melody stirred every heart, making blood surge and eyes blaze with heat. As the drums’ final, heavy beats signaled the end of the performance, silence fell over the crowd.
Carrying Hector’s memorial plaque, Rafael lifted it high as if to let Hector enter the city first. With the plaque raised, he stepped forward into the city, followed by the others. Everyne holding a plaque remained silent and solemn.