The Knight's Mysterious Maid
Chapter 139: Fun (2)

Chapter 139: Fun (2)

Annalise continued to look around the market as she followed Rafael. There were children running around, couples walking hand in hand, and almost couples walking with someone behind them most likely for the young lady.

"Is it like this in other towns? A big gathering like this?" Annalise asked since this was the only town she visited.

"It differs from town to town how grand it can be. We mostly have festivals instead of big balls. There are a few parties held by the nobles and wealthy for the season so their daughters and sons can marry. If you ever go to Lockwood, this little gathering will seem boring. The capital is much more extravagant than all the other towns. They should be having a big ball by now," Rafael answered.

He only kept up with the ball for the king’s birthday around the winter. If there was no trouble, he might be able to attend once again.

"I have never visited the capital. I have heard how interesting it is. You must visit a lot since you are the commander of the great knights," Annalise said, trying to make his title leave her lips as sweetly as possible. As if she was one of his fans.

"I can hear the dislike in your voice. I rarely visit the capital unless I am visiting friends or the palace calls for me. I was there a lot in my youth after I was introduced to the prince. I had only seen him from afar whenever I visited the palace with my father. Then when I officially became a knight, I visited a bit more, but then it stopped when the prince became king," Rafael explained.

He remembered the good memories he had from the palace. Despite the inner battles they were yet to notice, they had fun as children until they grew up and had a role to play. Tobias was finally named king, Edgar took on his title as duke, and Rafael became the commander of knights. The days when they could run around, doing whatever they wanted were gone.

"Did something happen between you and the king?"

Rafael peered down at Annalise. "I don’t like the way your eyes lit up after you asked that. Are you fishing for gossip to tell the other maids?"

Annalise looked away to hide her excitement. "I do not gossip-"

"You were just telling me what the knights said about me and women," Rafael interjected.

"That wasn’t gossip. That was something else," Annalise mumbled, trying to think of a word for it. "Someone like me will never get close to the king and seeing a duke was a good surprise. I am just curious about Lockwood where they are from. I hope to be able to visit it one day."

"There is time for all the maids to leave the manor to visit their family. You should use that time to visit Lockwood, but I must warn you that the town is a bit irritating at times. Status matters most there and the town thrives on gossip. Having someone to tear down until that person kills themselves. It is why I rarely go," Rafael said.

’I like it already,’ Annalise thought.

The people in this town talked about things that did not matter to her. She wanted to go where everyone was so quick to talk. With no news about whether or not the king was coming to watch the knights fight, she was starting to consider going to Lockwood to see the king herself.

"If you have not noticed it yet, words don’t do much to me and I can protect myself. The arguments here are more funny than sad in my opinion. I feel bored instead of having my feelings hurt. I was always told that I am more like a boy than a girl. That must have been an insult, but I didn’t mind it. I said if that is true, when can I have pants to wear? They are easier to run around in than a dress. See," Annalise said, putting her foot out to show how the dress stopped her from placing it far away.

"I see," Rafael answered. "I don’t know when the time will come for women to walk around in pants. There are a few who wear pants to ride horses, but it is on their private land so no one will see. Only a few female knights I have, walk around wearing pants. The queen would have to be caught wearing pants and then everyone else would follow."

"It is like little ducklings behind their mother. No one seems to have their own brain. They follow what someone else is doing and rather than think for themselves, they follow rules that were created by people who are long dead. Like all of your rules for women. I was amazed to learn that many used to get married as soon as they bled. To men far older than them," Annalise said, shuddering from disgust.

"It is something the kingdom needed to change long ago. There are still men in court who wish for it to be made that way again since they claim that the older the women marry, the less chance there is for a child, but there have been so many young girls lost in childbirth. Unfortunately, it still happens today and it goes unnoticed because there are no documents of the marriage sent to the court."

"Men like Edgar’s father have fought for a long time to have laws made to protect children. With marriage, their inheritance, and more. There are many rules from past kings that the king is looking to get rid of since his wife suffered from many of them. I don’t know if you and I will be around to witness big change, but there are many fighting for it," Rafael said.

"There can’t be too many laws to protect children since I have heard of families selling their children to the red light district. They are only supposed to be cleaning, but do you truly think that is all that will happen when there are still men who wish to marry young girls? This kingdom is so strange. You should fix what is happening to the people instead of picking fights," Annalise muttered, adding a new reason why she hated the war.

Why were they trying to make her people bow to a king who should be more focused on his people?

"Those who care are trying their best to make a change. We are trying to change what has been done for years-"

"This is not fun. I feel like I am on the verge of arguing with you and it is not my place as your maid. I get too lost in our conversations at times. You have been walking around this market for a while now and you have not done anything fun. What is something you enjoyed when you came to festivals like this? You must enjoy the night so you will want to come more often," Annalise said, hoping this would drop the conversation about the kingdom.

Rafael didn’t know how many times he had told Annalise before that he liked their conversations and how many times he would have to say it in the future. Whenever he spoke to her, the conversation was always about something random so it helped take his mind off his uncle and everything else weighing him down at this time.

"There is somewhere I used to go as a child. Follow me," Rafael replied, leading her away from the busy market.

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