Her Graceful War Song

Avis gripped Carissa's wrist tightly, glancing anxiously outside. Her breathing was rapid, and she struggled to keep her voice steady.

"Listen to me. Prince Yuvan is not a good man. He has been conspiring with Grand Princess Eleanor."

Carissa was stunned. "What?"

She hurriedly sent everyone out, instructing Violet to stand guard at the door.

"Aunt Avis, what do you mean by that?"

Avis' head sank, her voice filled with fear and cold dread as she continued, "Over the years, he has been secretly raising troops in Valken, funded by Grand Princess Eleanor and Lady Fiona. Those soldiers are hidden in Stonebridge County."

Carissa knew Stonebridge County. It was Eleanor's fief, the dowry the late king had given her.

"Do not offend him. Do not become his enemy. He is not as simple as outsiders think," Avis said, her breath growing weaker.

Perhaps the revelation of this secret had frightened her deeply.

"Over the years, he has caused a scandal with his favoritism and abandoning his wife. Do you really think he favors Lady Fiona? It's just a ploy to create a bad reputation and deceive the current king," Avis added.

Carissa was horrified.

Everyone believed Yuvan to be a worthless, idle man-at least, Carissa had thought so.

Salvador might have had spies in Valken, but Stonebridge County was Eleanor's territory, and she hadn't even settled there. So, why would Salvador keep an eye on Stonebridge County?

No wonder Eleanor was so brazenly amassing wealth.

After revealing this, Avis lost strength and drifted into a deep, exhausted sleep.

On the twenty-eighth day of December, Avis seemed slightly better, eating half a bowl of oatmeal for lunch and another half for dinner. She even asked if there was more, and ended up eating an additional half bowl.

Carissa was overjoyed at her aunt's improvement. She urged Avis to rest well, hoping that after the harsh winter, everything would be better with the arrival of spring.

Avis' eyes shone as she smiled faintly. "Alright."

Carissa was wrapped up in her own joy, oblivious to the silent exchange of glances between Ivy and Jasmine, both of whom sighed quietly.

In the middle of the night, Carissa and Violet heard Jasmine's frantic knocking at the door and her choked voice coming through, "Lady Avis has passed away!"

Carissa shot up, gasping for breath as if she had just emerged from drowning. "No!"

Jasmine, who had been keeping watch through the night, discovered that Avis had stopped breathing when she got up to offer her some water.

Avis had passed away peacefully in her sleep. She had not survived the year, dying quietly in the stillness of Verdant Monastery.

Rafael arrived early on the twenty-ninth day of December. Upon hearing the news of Avis' death, he held Carissa tightly. He expected her to cry, but she remained remarkably composed, with not a single tear in her eyes.

Nestled in his arms, her voice was faint, "She's gone. Perhaps it's a release."

Rafael looked around at the withered trees of Verdant Monastery. The desolation they exuded seemed to carry a faint aura of despair.

Avis had died in such grim

circumstances, without her husband or children by her side. Thankfully, Carissa Kad come. Otherwise, when Avis passed, she would have been entirely alone. And with her exalted status as a princess consort, it

seemed all the more tragic.© NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

The few maids who had accompanied her were from Yuvan's household. They would send someone to report the death, and the arrangements for Avis' funeral were not Carissa's responsibility.

However, Carissa personally washed

Avis' face and wiped her hands. With no luxurious garments available, she could only dress her aunt in simple clothing while waiting for Yuvan's people to come and take her body for burial.

Throughout the journey back to the capital, Rafael stayed with Carissa in the carriage, while Violet rode Rafael's horse and Travis drove the carriage. In the somber atmosphere, silence hung heavily over them

all.

Rafael kept Carissa in his arms, never letting her go. Meanwhile, she remained still, not even uttering a word.

As they approached the city, she

spoke softly, Aunt Avis told me that Grand Princess Eleanor and Prince Yuvan had frequent dealings, and that Prince Yuvan has been raising troops in Stonebridge County with funds from Grand Princess Eleanor and Lady Fiona."

"I never would have guessed that," Rafael said, his brow furrowed.

Who could have imagined that someone so weak and incapable of managing his own household harbored such grand ambitions?