Her Graceful War Song

The queen waited anxiously for two days, but nothing happened.

Lydia secretly went to the Royal Medical Department to see Dorian, but he was on leave due to family matters, so she couldn't find out if he had said anything to Salvador.

However, with no order for house arrest issued, Kylie's concerns were eased considerably.

As days passed without any further developments, she relaxed entirely, convinced that Dorian had said nothing to the king. It seemed unlikely that the royal physician would ever speak up. After all, he had been paid handsomely.

Yet, over time, something began to feel off.

Every day, Kylie had Lydia deliver food to Connor, but he wouldn't touch it. At first, he claimed Victoria had advised him to stick to bland meals because his stomach was still bothering him. Though Kylie found that reasonable, it had been many days since the incident, and there was no sign that the young prince was in poor health.

So, why was he still refusing to eat?

With a sense of unease slowly creeping over the queen, she decided to visit Victoria later that evening. At the same time, she would bring some food for her son herself, hoping to have a word with him.

By the end of the evening, she arrived at Serenity Palace. She knew that at this hour, Connor should have finished his dinner and been preparing to study. Upon arriving at the gates, she encountered Keith, who informed her that the prince had gone to the riding grounds to practice horseback riding.

"His Highness now spends time at the riding grounds every day after lessons. He practices riding before returning for his meals," Keith explained.noveldrama

"He waits until after practice to eat? Won't that starve him?" asked Kylie, taken aback.

"Do not worry, Your Majesty. The queen dowager sent me to bring His Highness refreshments during the late afternoon, so he won't go hungry," Keith reassured her.

The queen furrowed her brow. She had also sent Connor snacks at that hour but he had refused them, claiming stomach discomfort as an excuse.

"Well then, I'll go to the riding grounds to see him."

"Your Majesty, the queen dowager has ordered that His Highness be undisturbed while in the study or at the riding grounds, including by you," said Keith, calmly stopping her.

"Why?" Kylie's brow furrowed further, her tone suddenly sharp.

"This is the order of Her Majesty, the queen dowager," Keith replied, unruffled. "If you wish to know more, you may ask Her Majesty directly."

Since she was already here, it was only natural for Kylie to offer her greetings to Victoria. Yet, the thought of questioning the queen dowager made her uneasy.

Upon entering the hall, she found Victoria holding a scroll of

parchment, her attention absorbed in reading. The dim, yellow light cast an almost haunting glow on the strands of silver in the queen dowager's hair, making her appear much older than Kylie remembered.

She curtsied respectfully, but Victoria made no move to

acknowledge her, acting as if she wasn't aware of the former's presence. The queen dowager wasn typically a harsh

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mother-in-law who enjoyed tormenting her daughter-in-law, so this attitude made Kylie extremely anxious.

Unable to remain calm and wait for Victoria to acknowledge her, Kylie straightened up slightly and asked, "Mother, Cheard from Mr. Finley that from now on, no one is allowed to visit Connor during his studies and training, not even me. Is that truly your wish?"

Victoria's gaze shifted from the parchment in her hands, and a coldness settled on her face as she replied, "Yes, it is my wish."

Hearing that the queen dowager was at least willing to respond, Kylie quickly said, "But when he returns from training, he'll be busy eating and washing up. If I come to talk to him, wouldn't that..."

Before she could finish, Victoria interrupted, "Then, don't come."

Those icy words felt like a bucket of cold water poured over the queen's head.

She blinked rapidly, her eyes welling with tears.

Her voice quivered as she said, "Mother, do you mean to sever my bond with him? You're also a mother. How could you bear to do this?"

Victoria set the scroll aside, her weary gaze settling on her daughter-in-law. "Kylie, have you ever truly listened to a single word I've said to you?"

Tears filled the queen's eyes, and her lips quivered as she struggled to hide her grievance. "I don't know where I've gone wrong. Please, Mother, enlighten me."

"The king will speak to you about your mistakes," Victoria replied.

Unwilling to say more, she waved her hand and dismissed Kylie.