Her Graceful War Song

The stables had already been thoroughly inspected. The horses were fed and groomed, ready for the day's festivities. The four children chattered excitedly, each tending to their own mount while exchanging lively remarks about the grand occasion.

Despite Sylvia's fall from favor, Cecil seemed entirely unaffected. His face was bright with a cheerful smile.

Naturally, Sylvia was present as well. No matter how she was treated within the harem, she remained, in the eyes of the public, Cecil's mother and an esteemed concubine of the kingdom.

However, Jeanette had been too unwell to make the journey and had remained behind.

Leading their horses out for a short ride, Cecil decided to test himself. Previously, he had always required assistance to mount. Today, he attempted the feat alone. To his delight, he succeeded in swinging himself onto his horse's back without aid.

His face lit up with triumph. "Connor, Caden, Ryan! Look at me! I did it all by myself!"

His exuberance was infectious. The others doubled over with laughter and showered him with praise.

"That's only because your horse is smaller. If you could mount any of ours, then I'd be impressed," Caden said with a smile, clenching his hand inside his pocket.

Cecil's competitive nature flared at once. Sliding off his horse, he strode determinedly toward Ryan's mount.

In truth, there was not much difference in height between their horses, though Ryan's and Connor's were slightly taller. But the challenge lay elsewhere-the other horses did not recognize Cecil as their master and showed signs of resistance.

Still, the young boy refused to be deterred. He made several attempts, undaunted by failure. At last, he managed to hoist himself onto Ryan's horse. His face shone with triumph as he took the reins.

"See? Ryan's horse likes me—I did it!" he announced proudly.

The horse, however, continued to prance about in mild agitation, unaccustomed to the unfamiliar rider.

Worried about a potential disaster, Ryan stepped forward at once. "All right, we acknowledge your skill. You should come down now."

Reaching up, he lifted Cecil from the saddle before any mishap could occur.

Still unsatisfied, Cecil made it his mission to try every horse in turn, leaving Connor's for last. Having successfully mounted each steed, he turned to Caden with an impish grin.

"Well, Caden, do you yield now?" he asked cheekily.

Caden stepped forward, reaching out to lift his brother down. "I concede defeat. Our dear younger brother is nothing if not nimble."noveldrama

He attempted to lower Cecil to the ground, but the boy was heavier than expected. It took Caden two or three tries to manage it properly. Just before Ryan could step in to assist, he finally steadied himself and set Cecil down safely.

"You little imp, you're heavier than you look," Caden said with a chuckle, though his fingers trembled faintly.

Cecil lifted his chin, beaming with pride. "That's because I eat a lot. Mom says the more I eat, the taller I'll grow. One day, I'll be as tall as Uncle Rafael."

Connor nodded eagerly. "I don't just want to be as tall as Uncle Rafael, I want to be as skilled as he is too. T master my martial arts training, learn Strategy from him next. One day, I go to war and lead troops into battle."

To them, Rafael was a hero-a figure of legend. They longed to follow in his

footsteps, to one day prove themselves worthy of the same renown.

Caden turned his gaze toward his elder brother, lips parting slightly as if to speak, but hesitated and cast his eyes downward. He had always thought Connor's talent for combat was middling at best, and that he might never set foot on a battlefield.

But after today, Connor may not even be able to stand.

The thought of his proud, spirited brother being crippled sent a pang of unease through Caden. His fingers curled unconsciously as his eyes flickered toward the saddle. Earlier, when lifting Cecil down, he had taken the opportunity to slip the caltrop into place.

Now, regret gnawed at him. Should he retrieve it?

He had been careful-using his body as a shield when he planted it, ensuring the guards had seen nothing. Connor and Ryan had been too preoccupied with laughter to notice either. But retrieving it now would be far more difficult.

As Caden wavered in indecision, a cheerful voice cut through his thoughts.

"Your Highnesses, my lord." Galen approached with a respectful bow, flanked by attendants. "His Majesty bids you make haste. The riding competition is about to begin."

Connor tensed instinctively, nervousness creeping in once more.

Ryan reached for his hand, offering a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, we've got this."

Connor took a deep breath, nodding firmly. "Right!"