Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
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After all, palace affairs had nothing to do with her.
At Everspring Palace, Kylie learned of Jeanette’s words and let out a cold laugh. “So, the little minx dares to deceive me?”
Lydia frowned. “It seems she’s throwing her lot in with Lady Sylvia. In that case, why would she have agreed with your request? She’s just a two-faced, treacherous little thing.”
The comment Jeanette made today seemed like praise for Sophie. But in reality, it was a way to elevate Sylvia, making her move to a new palace even more celebrated.
Sylvia’s rising prestige in the palace would soon overshadow Kylie and Grace.
Kylie was furious and said, “These despicable people see that I’m under house arrest, and now they all flock to Lady Sylvia’s palace like they think I’m beneath them. Well, I’ll see how long Lady Sylvia’s good fortune lasts.”
After venting, she sighed deeply. “In the end, it all comes down to Connor returning to my side. Only then will these people start treating me with the respect I deserve.”
Salvador now regularly summoned Sophie to the royal study to discuss military matters, granting her a seat at the table where battle strategies were planned and debated. Her place in these discussions was earned by leading the Mystic Army to crush the rebels.
It was a position forged in blood and sweat, with no one daring to challenge her right to it.
The reports that shaped their discussions came from Victory Pass and the Southern Frontier. These dispatches provided the foundation for the court’s analysis of the situation, guiding decisions on logistical support and strategies.
Yet, even when strategies were drafted, Salvador refrained from issuing direct commands. Instead, he offered suggestions, a gesture that showed his trust in Rafael and the Sullivan family-though that trust extended only as far as their abilities on the battlefield.
With winter approaching, the soldiers needed winter clothing and more weapons. Most of their discussions revolved around supplies.
Leroy and Victor faced similar predicaments, though their circumstances were not identical. Victor was backed into a corner with no escape and had little choice but to fight. On the other hand, Leroy still had Edmund as his ally, though that alliance was tenuous.
Edmund and Lisandra clashed on many issues, dividing the court into factions. In short, things were chaotic, and there wasn’t much real help that could be given to Leroy. Still, having a potential fallback was better than none at all.
But this escape route was a humiliation for Leroy. He originally planned to use his cooperation with Nicholas to push back the people from Starhaven and take over Victory Pass. That way, he and Edmund could gain the people’s praise and win their support.
Leroy’s obsession with outshining Liam had become an all-consuming fixation. This drove him to fight with unmatched ferocity on the battlefield, refusing to retreat no matter the cost.
Blake and his companions had initially traveled to deliver birthday gifts to Dominic. However, due to Oliver’s evident disdain for them, they found themselves unable to return to the Southern Frontier. They were left strategizing on how to persuade Dominic to allow them to remain at Victory Pass.
However, before Blake and his companions could devise any plan, Westhaven launched an attack. There wasn’t much to think about after that. They grabbed their weapons and prepared for battle. Blake was no stranger to war at Victory Pass, and he owed an arm to the Sullivan family.
It was during one of the fiercest battles that fate seemed to intervene. While trying to rescue Wyatt, Blake had his arm severed by an enemy blade. The prolonged stalemate on the battlefield left him bleeding out; he nearly didn’t make it. Unconscious for five or six days, he barely clung to life and considered himself lucky to have survived at all.
Blake had traveled to Victory Pass from the Southern Frontier with three others-Glen Yoder, Joel Conway, and Huxley Russell. They were seasoned fighters from the Southern Frontier, so they were able to kill many enemy soldiers at Victory Pass, earning credit for their achievements.
Still, the war wasn’t over.
Leroy refused to retreat. As long as he stood firm, the conflict dragged on.
When Blake recovered from his injury, he picked up a blade with his remaining hand and returned to the battlefield. He had no choice. To leave without proving his worth would disgrace his ancestors.
The Sullivan family’s attitude toward him shifted somewhat-they began to respect his determination. Still, there was no deeper sentiment in their regard, only a soldier’s appreciation for another’s grit.
Blake often found his thoughts wandering back to his first battle at Victory Pass. He couldn’t help but regret that time couldn’t be rewound. If only he had focused on earning merit back then instead of ning getting entangled with Freya, perhaps his life would have turned out differently.
But life offered no second chances, and there was no magical cure for regrets.
He couldn’t measure how much a wrong decision had cost him in life. He had made his decisions, and the consequences that followed were his alone to bear.
Sophie had also made mistakes, chief among them marrying a man like Blake. She had endured so much suffering and countless grievances because of that choice. Yet, she rarely brought it up. Instead, she focused on building her own life and career, moving forward without looking back.
“Damn that Leroy. He’s one tough bastard.”
Glen collapsed onto the ground beside Blake, his face windburned and darkened by the biting cold. The winds at Victory Pass were every bit as brutal as those at the Southern Frontier.
“He keeps losing battles, yet he won’t retreat. And those peace talks? He acts like they never happened. What a shameless coward.”
Blake set aside his swirling thoughts and replied, “Then, we’ll fight until he retreats.”
“Exactly. And now we’ve got the six-barrel matchlocks,” Glen said with pride. “By the way, do you know who modified those matchlocks?”
“Who?” Blake asked.
He had heard the court had sent the weapons to them and had personally tested their effectiveness, but didn’t know who was responsible for their design.
“The Pathfinders Guild’s leader,” Glen revealed, grinning. “And get this-he’s the mentor of the Hell Monarch’s princess consort. Lady Sophie used to be your wife, right? But let’s be honest, you were never good enough for her. The divorce was for the best.”
Blake didn’t flinch at the jab. Long ago, he had come to terms with the truth. He was never a match for Sophie.
Sophie had known for some time that Blake had lost an arm while saving Wyatt. Cindy had mentioned it in a letter-not intentionally, but while talking about the Sullivan family’s situation and the battle, it came up briefly.
When Sophie read it, she didn’t dwell on the matter, nor did she mention it in her reply.
In the chaos of war, it was often impossible to distinguish who saved whom.
She naturally wished for every soldier to return home whole and unharmed, but war was brutal and unrelenting. Blood and sacrifice were inevitable.
While Sophie had acknowledged Blake’s actions, Salvador had only recently learned of them. The latest victory report from Victory Pass detailed Blake’s courageous efforts how he had fought valiantly, saved lives, and lost an arm in the process.
The earlier reports that came back on horseback had contained only critical updates on the battle’s progress, with no mention of individual achievements. Only the detailed victory reports included a list of commendations.
Salvador was pleased by the news and took the opportunity to commend Blake’s valor during a military council meeting. It almost seemed as though he was proving to the court, and perhaps to himself, that promoting Blake had been the right decision.
Then, as if worried that praising him might upset Sophie, Salvador deliberately kept her back after the meeting and said, “People need to look forward. The grudges between you and him should be let go. Holding onto them will only make you suffer.”
Sophie nodded politely. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
She said no more.
Thinking she still harbored resentment, Salvador smiled and added, “If you’re still angry, I won’t recognize his contributions. I’ll keep him at Victory Pass for another ten years or so. That should suffice as punishment.”
Sophie blinked, startled by his suggestion.
First of all, personal grievances had no place in matters of military merit. If Blake had earned recognition, he deserved to be rewarded. If he had committed a mistake, he should be dealt with according to the rules.
Secondly, was being stationed at Victory Pass truly a punishment? The Sullivan family had guarded Victory Pass for years. Would that be considered a punishment as well?