Her Graceful War Song

When Rafael saw Carissa on the Southern Frontier battlefield, his emotions were a whirlwind of complexity.

He would often, almost subconsciously, bring up her husband, but she would avoid the topic. That was when he realized that Barrett might not be treating her well.

This thought alone had made his fists clench countless times.

It wasn't until later that he learned she had divorced. Barrett hadn't recognized her worth.

It was absurd!

Rafael committed the name to memory-Barrett Warren, a man unworthy of the gift of sight.

The fury Rafael felt then was so intense that he wished he could gouge out Barrett's eyes for causing her such pain,

After the anger subsided, Rafael felt a surge of selfish joy, though he carefully masked it. He couldn't let anyone know he was secretly celebrating.

During the days they fought side by side, he had to constantly conceal his feelings. He had to remind himself repeatedly not to let even a trace of personal emotion show in his eyes. Three years on the Southern Frontier battlefield saw his emotions rise and fall, only to rise again.

Even when he returned to the capital and faced the manipulations of his elder brother, Rafael didn't mind. There was no war, and he didn't care about military power-he only wanted her.

He understood Savaldor's suspicions, but that was how relationships between royal siblings were-never entirely pure. There would always be a mix of mistrust and brotherly affection. As long as they maintained the appearance of harmony, it was enough.

If things ever deteriorated into nothing but suspicion and resentment, he would simply take Carissa and Ryan to his fief, far from the capital. The king may reign high above, but his authority could only stretch so far, and they would live their days in peace.

As Rafael thought about this, he glanced up at Carissa just in time to catch her gaze.

Their eyes met, and his heart skipped a beat.

Carissa's cheeks flushed with heat, but her heart sank. She realized she had developed feelings for him, while his heart belonged to someone else.

How could this mismatched affection have happened to her? She had originally planned to marry him just

to get by.

She never imagined that after enduring a failed marriage, she would fall for another man so quickly.

Lulu noticed her lady's face suddenly flush as red as a sunset, and asked curiously, "My lady, why is your face so red?"

Carissa quickly lifted her cup, lowering her head to drink in an attempt to hide her flushed face.

Lulu was increasingly oblivious, and she didn't know when to hold her tongue!

Rafael sipped his coffee as well, though the curve of his lips was all too obvious.

Ryan truly was his lucky star. From now on, Rafael would never allow anyone to mistreat Ryan. In fact, if he didn't spoil the boy, it would be a testament to his own lack of heart. Perhaps there really was some divine intervention at play.

That fleeting glimpse when he first spotted Ryan stirred something within him. At that time, he only felt a resemblance, but he probably wouldn't have thought too much about it if things were different. After all, the Duke of Northwatch's family had been wiped out, and Carissa was the only one left. However, because of Rafael's strong obsession, he was convinced that it was indeed Ryan, and he went after the boy without any hesitation. However, the chaotic circumstances eventually caused him to lose track of Ryan. In the end, though, he managed to find Ryan.

Rafael couldn't help but wonder if Melanie had regretted her decision that day, and she had decided to bring him and Carissa together after all from her place in the heavens.

He liked to think that was the case.

Deep down, Rafael would never be able to overcome the fact that Melanie had chosen Barrett over him. He knew, in his heart, that he wasn't inferior to Barrett. Setting aside social status, Rafael knew he surpassed Barrett in martial prowess, character, and even appearance.

Well, maybe he shouldn't dwell on appearance and stature-those weren't things a man should concern himself with.

Casting another glance at Carissa, he set down his cup and said, "It's time for me to return to the Supreme Court, I've just taken up the position, and there's a lot to hand over. I'll come back tomorrow after work to see Ryan."

Carissa stood up. "Alright, I'll walk you out."

Rafael smiled, his eyes gleaming as he softly replied, "Okay."

As they walked slowly towards the door, she noticed that he was lightly dressed and reminded him, "The weather's getting colder. You should wear something warmer."

"Okay. You too-take care of yourself."This is the property of Nô-velDrama.Org.

Her concern warmed his heart. So, this was what it felt like to have someone who cared about his well-

being.

There was a time after she got married when he felt like a lone wolf. But now, his heart was filled with a sweet warmth. The loneliness had vanished, and whenever he had a free moment, all he wanted to do was rush over to Northwatch Estate.

He wanted to give her the best things in the world, to make up for all the hardships she had endured.