The Knight's Mysterious Maid
Chapter 196: The ride home (1)

Chapter 196: The ride home (1)

Annalise didn’t know at the moment if it was good that Rafael was seen as a suspect since it meant there would be town guards entering his home to look for evidence.

There was nothing in her room that could connect her to the border, but she would rather not have the town and border guards snooping around the place she was staying.

"Don’t worry about it. I would know if Rafael had someone kidnapped or killed and he didn’t. If he did, he would have killed all three guards," Logan said to reassure Annalise that there was nothing to worry about. Her employer would not be imprisoned.

"Unless you come into his home and threaten someone he cares for, he will send you out of his home instead of killing you so he doesn’t have to deal with the palace sending him letters about his actions," Logan further explained.

Someone would have to get Rafael really angry for him to disregard how the palace would react and kill someone.

"I don’t think he killed or kidnapped anyone," Annalise replied.

"Good. This issue will be over with fast since no one can prove that Rafael did anything. He only spoke with them. You were there. I heard a little bit of what they spoke of and Rafael mentioned that two maids saw him kick out the guards. The third guard is saying that Rafael might have done it."

’I should have killed him too,’ Annalise thought. The only reason she didn’t search for him was that he was the only one not saying nasty things about women. If she had known that he would have lied right now by pointing fingers at Rafael when Rafael was just as calm as him that day, she would have killed him.

Annalise was ready to go back inside the tent with Beatrice, but as she turned, she saw Rafael coming toward her, and he did not look happy. She didn’t know if it was because she was outside or because of his discussion about the two dead men.

Rafael wasn’t happy to see Annalise outside the tent when he had told her to stay. He only relaxed because of Logan being with her, but when his eyes went to the red charm in Logan’s hand, his anger increased again.

The only thing that calmed his thoughts back down was the fact Annalise had no charms which was why she had to offer him her ribbon. Unless she disobeyed him and walked around to end up buying one, it had not come from Annalise.

"Logan, join the other knights with packing up so we can reach home in time for dinner. Keep an eye out for movement from Martin and his men. Do not get into a fight with them. It is what he wants to place me or one of the knights as a suspect," Rafael said.

"Good. Thank you," Logan said, shaking the charm at Annalise as he walked backward.

"I only came out of the tent a moment ago to talk to Logan because your mother wanted to leave to give us some privacy. I didn’t think it would be right to let her leave and before you misunderstand, the charm in his hand was given to me by your mother so I could give it away to anyone. I was not lying about not having one," Annalise said, wanting that out the way so she didn’t have to deal with any jealousy.

"You did not need to explain that to me," Rafael answered, walking past her to go into the tent. This was a day she could give anyone a charm.

Annalise watched him enter the tent. There was nothing in the world he could pay her to convince her that he was not curious about the charm. She saw the way his face changed for a split second when Logan thanked her for it.

She addressed it so there would be no misunderstandings. It was something she didn’t need to do since she didn’t need to explain the things she did to not hurt his feelings, but she did it. Shouldn’t he have a better response than what he gave her?

"I should have kept my mouth shut and let him overthink it," Annalise muttered, walking toward the tent to start packing up his things.

From now on, she was not going to think about his feelings and torture him.

"Your talk with Logan was fast, Annalise. I hope it wasn’t disturbed," Beatrice said, looking at Rafael who seemed to be in a foul mood. "I think it is time I go find your father for the two-"

"He is coming to get you. It is dangerous for you to go alone and Annalise cannot escort you since she is to help me pack up," Rafael interjected. The competition was over and now, all he wanted to do was go home in peace.

His uncle, whom he had never seen before, could be somewhere in the crowd so Rafael was not going to let his mother out of his sight. It took a lot of convincing to send her here to the tent to be with Annalise.

"But I don’t want to be here," Beatrice whispered, disliking the strange feeling in the tent. She didn’t know what was happening for Rafael to feel so off.

From what she saw, the competition was going well. The ending she missed could not have been terrible unless the guards did something.

"Beatrice," River said as he entered the tent. His eyes immediately went to his wife.

"There he is. I would have loved to have dinner with you tonight Rafael, but I must finish packing for our trip out of town. Maybe tomorrow I will come to visit you for breakfast. Well done for this year’s competition," Beatrice congratulated him.

Before she left with River, she went to Rafael’s side and pulled on his left arm for him to bend down so she could kiss him on the cheek. "I don’t care who has pissed you off. Remember that I have taught you not to take that emotion out on anyone who doesn’t deserve it. I will see you tomorrow."

Beatrice patted Rafael’s back and as she left she gave Annalise a hug. Whatever had made Rafael upset, she hoped that it would not ruin the ending of a good day.

Annalise watched Beatrice leave with River and when it was only her and Rafael left, she slowly walked to the table to start gathering his swords to put them back in the sack they came in. "Logan told me about what the guards are accusing you of. I know you didn’t do it. If you need me to speak about what happened-"

"You are not going to speak with anyone. Neither will the other maid speak. Try to stay away from those guards. Your position as my maid will have them trying to approach you with bribes to get information about me. You do not want to get caught up in our feud," Rafael advised her.

He wasn’t annoyed by anyone on his side. He was annoyed that Martin revealed he had already sent a letter to the palace claiming him as one of the suspects and wanting the manor to be searched. No one was going to step foot on his manor because of Martin trying to use this as a chance to tarnish his name instead of looking for where his guards were.

"Have you eaten?" Rafael asked.

"Not since this morning for breakfast. You told me not to leave and I did just that. I will eat dinner with everyone when I go back to the manor. There will be a lot for the servants to talk about as we eat," Annalise answered.

"I don’t believe in these silly things, but for one day, I will believe that I had some extra good luck. I am going to keep it a little longer," Rafael said, looking at the ribbon on his sword. The other charm placed on his sword had fallen off at some point while the ribbon remained.

"Please tell me you knocked Christian on his ass," Annalise said, clasping her hands as she awaited the answer.

"He put up a good fight, but he lost. I wouldn’t tease him about it since he did well."

"Right, right," Annalise pretended to agree by nodding her head. However, as soon as she saw Christian she was not going to let him forget that he lost.

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