Her Graceful War Song



Helen often spoke of Sigmund. Sometimes she praised him, and other times, she complained. But whenever his name came up, she adopted the demeanor of a spoiled little girl, as if she had never really grown up.

She had been the most carefree concubine in the palace, occupying her position without having to navigate any intricate schemes. Even if there were plots against her, they never targeted her directly as Victoria always stood guard on her behalf.

Helen had been pampered growing up, then pampered again while having children. And now, she was pampered by her daughter-in-law. It seemed she never needed to worry about anything.

Yet, she still found trivial matters to fret over, like squabbles with Dakota or Josephine and wanting to compete with them. When she won, she kicked her legs in joy. When she lost, she puffed her cheeks in annoyance for a while. Eventually, those feelings would pass.

Even when Eleanor and Jessica schemed against her, she would only feel anger for a moment before brushing it aside. She wouldn't let negative emotions linger for long.

That was how most of her life had gone.

Now, she was eager to hold her grandchildren. Not that she truly wanted to-but because Dakota's son had a child, Helen felt the urge to have a grandchild too. If she was honest, though, did she really like children? They either cried incessantly or made loud, raucous noises. She hadn't yet discovered any redeeming qualities in them.

But whatever Dakota had, Helen wanted to have as well.

After listening to Helen talk about Sigmund for a while, Carissa returned to her room, where she found Qiana pressing a hot compress against Rafael's forehead. It seemed to be helping the lump looked a bit smaller than before and was now tuming into a blackened bruise.

Lulu brought in some pound cakes, and Rafael ate two pieces. Carissa then instructed them to start preparing dinner. After dinner, the two of them lingered together for a while. Carissa was finally able to look directly at his face without flinching.

Rafael reached out with a large hand, pulling her into his embrace, his gaze deep and intense. "You haven't paid me any attention for several nights now. You just crash into bed."

Carissa smiled and replied, "But your leg is fractured, so it's not very convenient."

His warm fingers brushed against her cheek, moving up to her brow. His eyes, dark and fathomless, brimmed with a natural desire.

"I've heard there are other positions that we can try."

Carissa pressed her hand against his lips, her face flushed. "I-I won't!"

As shameless as ever, Rafael opened his mouth and bit her delicate fingertip, his gaze growing heated. "I've heard that martial artists are best suited for this sort of thing. You practice every morning, so why not put some effort into it in bed as well? Who knows, it might even help you improve your leg techniques."

Carissa wrapped her arms around his neck, her expression softening as she exhaled. "And who did you hear that from? I had no idea someone was coaching you in this area."

He turned his head away, hiding the embarrassment in his eyes. "Never mind that. Just know it's someone who knows a thing or two about it."

Had he inadvertently revealed where he had learned these things? After all, the books he had leamed from were in the bookcase and locked up safely.

Well, if a specialist taught you, then I suppose it's worth a try."

Carissa extinguished all the candles with a flick of her wrist, leaving only a small flame flickering in the dim light.

In the haze of that soft glow, she asked, "Can you walk over here? Should I carry you?" "I'm not completely crippled! I can walk on my own... but you could help a bit. It wasn't this painful before, but after Livius applied the medicine, it hurt even more."

He was acting in an aggrieved manner again. How could she have never known that Rafael could be so unreasonable at times?

The layers of the canopy fell one by one, and their clothes slipped away plece by piece. The faint light couldn't penetrate the thick drapery, and the flickering shadows seemed to whisper to the world not to look, as if they were doing something embarrassing.

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Yet, Rafael was still unsatisfied. He leaned in closer and kissed Carissa's neck. "I think with my stamina, I could go for another round."

Carissa lay in his arms, her legs trembling slightly as she spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, "I think with my stamina, I need a few days to recover."

Feeling a surge of tenderness, he hugged her closer and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. Get some sleep."