The Knight's Mysterious Maid
Chapter 69: Together (2)

Chapter 69: Together (2)

The next day, Annalise was washing the outside of the windows on the right side of the home. There was heavy rain and high wind late in the night, which led to grass and bits of dirt being stuck to the windows.

"What is the festival for?" Annalise asked Cara, who stood by the other window, also wiping away the debris.

"Nothing in particular. We have many festivals once the season starts, so couples can walk around and buy something as they get to know each other. The shop owners make a lot of money during this time, so they call for the town to have many festivals. Other towns have their own ways of entertainment for the season. Lockwood has balls in place of festivals," Cara explained.

Cara grimaced at how dirty her hand had become with some of the dirt coating it. "Isn’t there something special your town does?"

"My family doesn’t live near the town. It takes us a long time to get there, and we only go to sell animals or vegetables. We live quietly," Annalise said, hoping Cara would leave it at that. She didn’t want any more lies to keep up with. She was starting to forget all the things she had said before.

"Well, here you will not. We don’t have to work this evening since Rafael has given the knights and maids the time off to enjoy the festival. I don’t know what has put him in a good mood to let the knights join us, but I like it. It will be the perfect time for me to introduce you to the knights I know. I hope you have the dress you will wear picked out," Cara asked, giving Annalise’s appearance a look over.

"I was not even planning to go to this sudden festival," Annalise muttered. The house would be empty for her to venture around again.

"You can’t!" Cara exclaimed, wanting to shake some sense into Annalise. "The next festival for us regular folk to attend is more than a week away. We need to make the most of this opportunity to be away from work and to dress up. I am not going to let you stay home when you have two perfectly good dresses to wear."

Annalise found that Cara was a bit scary when it came to wanting others to dress up. She regretted telling Cara the white dress Rafael gifted her was still in her care and that she had picked a dress Beatrice left behind to keep for herself. "Why can’t you wear one of the dresses and go with Heidi? I have no interest in going to a festival."

Cara sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She didn’t know if it was because Annalise was a farm girl or if she simply lacked the ability to have fun. "Why would you want to stay home alone when everyone is going?"

’To snoop around in Rafael’s study,’ Annalise answered in her head. If there was a chance she could meet with Thomas to tell him that the king might come to town when it was time for the competition for the knights, she would leave, but she only heard of this festival today.

If it was so important, why wasn’t everyone talking about it days before? Who was the fool who woke up this morning and decided to have a festival? Was it intended to be for the wealthy, who could easily prepare for it in a short time while servants had to work?

"Just because everyone is going does not mean I have to. The day is long," Annalise quickly said before Cara could protest. "My decision might change, and after all of you have left, I might rush to catch up to you. It is best you do not push for me to go and let me make my own decision."

"Fine," Cara said, giving up. Annalise would just miss out on a good evening if she stayed home. "I need to plan how much money I intend to spend so I am not left without any until we are paid again. I must send money home to my parents. Have you heard from your family?" Cara asked, only now realising she had not heard of or seen Annalise receiving or sending out letters.

"Not yet. I will send them a letter and money when I have time to sit down to write a letter that will not make them worry about me being here," Annalise replied.

"It must be hard for them to send their daughter far away all alone. You are brave. As much as I want to travel to Lockwood, where there is better work, I am afraid to go where I know no one. If you ever get bored of being here, we should go there together. Travelling together is better than being alone. If not for work, we should travel there for a few days to see what it is like. The kingdom is meant to be explored," said Cara.

Annalise would like to join in on exploring the kingdom, but it was too dangerous for her to go to too many towns, spreading lies about where she came from. If she was not careful, she would run into the others her father had sent out to spy on their enemies, and they would take her back home no matter what reason she had for being there.

If Rafael or anyone else from the king’s side were to capture her, they would have the war in the palm of their hands since she was her father’s weakness, but Annalise cared for her people over her life, so she would kill herself so her father would not give in to save her.

"I am finished," Annalise said, dropping her rag in the bucket. "Do not wait for me. If I decide to go, I will find you in town," she said, picking up the bucket of dirty water to go empty it and then move on to the next job.

"Wait," Cara said, turning to Annalise. "How would you find me? I won’t be staying in one place."

"Simple. You will be with the knights and other maids. I shall look for them to find you," Annalise replied.

Although Annalise said she would open her mind to attending the festival, when the time had come for all the maids and knights who were going to leave, Annalise made no attempt to join them, nor did she have plans to leave later in the night.

When the golden opportunity of the house being somewhat quiet presented itself, she had to take it. So far, Annalise knew that Edwin was still present. A small handful of the maids remained, but most were outside in the yard with the knights that were still here, while the others stayed in their quarters since there was nothing else to do.

Annalise only needed to stay clear of Edwin at this point, and to help with that, she planned a distraction that would get him away from the second floor. While Edwin tried to run after the feisty little chicken that had somehow gotten out, Annalise began her ascent to the second floor.

Before she could make it to the middle of the stairs, Annalise froze when she heard footsteps, and then there was that voice, which surprised her like someone had thrown cold water on her out of nowhere.

Annalise slowly turned around to see Rafael, who stood at the bottom of the stairs with his hands in his pants pockets as he stared at her. Why was he still here?

"What are you doing?" Rafael asked.

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