The Knight's Mysterious Maid
Chapter 187: Let’s be friends (3)

Chapter 187: Let’s be friends (3)

Giselle took a step forward to match when Thomas pulled Annalise back with him. "Can I come with the two of you?"

"Why?" Annalise asked. She wasn’t a lady like Giselle and she had something important to do today.

"Just for us to chat and be friends-"

"I don’t need any more friends," Annalise cut in. Dealing with Thomas and the girls in the manor was enough. "Go friend ladies who like you and stop trying to be where you don’t fit in. Aren’t you worried they’d ridicule you more for being with a maid? Or don’t tell me you’re still trying to get close to Rafael again?"

"Oh, no I am not trying to do that. He’s turned me down for the final time so I am moving on. My brother might kill me if I continue to try to court Rafael. I just need someone to be around for a moment to get away from what is being said. I won’t stay by your side for long. I plan to leave, but I don’t want them to think they made me run. Only for a few minutes," Giselle pleaded.

Thomas didn’t want the woman and her attention to follow Annalise around. They were to keep low especially on a day like this when they needed to look out for who was coming from the palace.

"Just go home," Annalise advised Giselle. "What’s the point in staying when you no longer want to be here? The sooner you realise that if you live your life caring about other people, you won’t be able to fully enjoy this time we have in this world, the sooner you will find happiness. Miserable people focus on others because they are not happy. That’s why they are picking on you."

"That’s easy to say when you aren’t in my shoes. I’ve been dealing with their taunts for years and when I drastically changed my appearance it became worse. I can only pretend to be fine with their words for so long. Please, just let me stay with you a little while and then I will leave," said Giselle.

"Let me speak to my brother in private," Annalise said, pulling on Thomas’s arm to take him out of reach from Giselle hearing them.

When they were more than six arm’s length away from Giselle, Annalise whispered, "Leave us and find who the palace sent. When Giselle leaves, I will try to find you again. Though, I think it’s best we aren’t seen with each other again in case something goes wrong."

"I will deal with the person from the palace. I will follow them on their way out of town. You just need to stay safe. I will come get you if something goes wrong and we will head home. Be careful around that woman. I don’t trust her," Thomas said, glaring at Giselle who smiled at him.

"You don’t trust anyone, Thomas. If I had a pet, you wouldn’t trust it around me. Go quickly," she nudged him to make him leave.

Thomas sighed and then left without another word. He rarely got to spend time with Annalise, but he understood they should not stick around each other for a long time.

Annalise watched Thomas leave like a little angry puppy who wasn’t satisfied with the attention it got. She turned to look at Giselle, who smiled and waved her hand. "I wonder if this counts as getting myself in trouble," she wondered.

"I promise you that I will not bother you. I am pleasant to be around," Giselle promised as she walked over to Annalise. "Come, we should watch the men fighting before I leave."

"You don’t sound like someone who intends to leave soon. It won’t end well for you if you lie to me. I am working today as Rafael’s maid so I don’t have much time to entertain-"

"Did you help him get dressed?" Giselle asked, clinging to Annalise’s arm.

"I only helped with his helmet and even if I did see him naked, I wouldn’t tell you about it. I don’t want to be fired and there’s a nickname I am trying hard to get rid of. I thought you said you didn’t want him anymore. Did I hear you wrong?" Annalise asked.

"I don’t want to court him, but that doesn’t mean I cannot look at him and think about what it would be like to be with a man like him. Can you imagine? His strong arms wrapping around you, the feeling of his muscles, his hot breath-"

"Do you need a moment? Your voice is changing and I don’t want to be next to you for whatever changes," Annalise said, creating more space between her and Giselle. It was bad enough that her mind was already full of what Giselle spoke of and now she had to hear it out loud. "I thought ladies like yourself did not like to talk about a man’s body."

"Around the other ladies, I would not speak of it since we are told it is not something a proper lady should speak about, but it is just you and me here. My brother is a knight so I’ve overheard all kinds of things when he comes home. I envy you. Do you help him get dressed? I’ve been lucky to get a few glimpses of him when he doesn’t wear a shirt. I just want to...." Giselle trailed off, motioning her hands to show how she would touch his chest.

Annalise couldn’t help but wonder if it was Giselle who was the pervert Rafael was looking for. It could be one of the other maids, but Giselle also had access to the manor at one point to visit her brother, and she seemed like a lady who would love to get a good look at Rafael, but she was met by the sight of the other knights bathing.

"Have you ever been with a man, Annalise? I don’t know what the rules are when it comes to servants. If your parents care if you sleep with anyone while not married. I’ve seen it before, but not everyone is so, you know," said Giselle.

"Why would I tell you about my private affairs? So you can one day have something to chat with others about-"

"It sounds like you have!" Giselle exclaimed. She ignored the looks she received from the people around them. "How was it? Was it painful or enjoyable? I am yet to believe my tutor’s words since she looks like she has never been with a man."

"Drop this conversation now before I leave you to suffer the words of the women eyeing you. I know good enough to not have this conversation with you. If it slips out your mouth, then your parents will come looking for me. Just look at the men on the field and enjoy yourself. What have I gotten myself into?" Annalise muttered.

"I heard that. This looks like a good spot. We don’t have something spread on the ground so we must stand. It looks like Rafael has already finished his first match. That ended rather quickly."

"It did," Annalise agreed, annoyed that she missed it. She could only hope that it wasn’t his match against Christian. Rafael defeating Christian quickly was something she did not want to miss.

"Who is that woman going to him? She is quite bold, but she has to be quick to be the first one to congratulate him on his win. He won’t be able to turn down her gift. The winner always gets a special gift or a kiss on the cheek from a lady if there is one willing."

Annalise looked at the same young lady and her maid that she had seen earlier when she was with Rafael. The two were persistent in trying to be near him.

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