The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 278: Loved until the end (1)

"Watch your step," Rafael said to Annalise as he helped her exit the carriage.

Rafael and Annalise were back at the manor while the knights escorted Beatrice and River to their home for Beatrice to start packing to join Rafael in Lockwood.

It was two hours until Rafael and many of his knights would set out to the palace. A few were staying to keep the manor protected and offer River help should he need any with Travis.

Annalise wanted to ask Rafael if he knew where the king wanted to send him, but she already knew that Rafael couldn’t or wouldn’t share that information with her so she didn’t. She could only hope that it had nothing to do with the border. freёweɓnovel.com

"I’ve gotten out of plenty of carriages without your help. Do you remember when I told you to stop opening doors for me? That has changed a lot, hasn’t it?" Annalise asked as she exited the carriage with Rafael’s help.

She looked on at the manor she had come to miss. It was once a place she and Thomas worried about being dangerous for her to enter, but then it became somewhere she liked. There were people inside that she was happy she got to meet. Friends who would try to tie her up to her bed to keep her from leaving.

"You can go to rest if you want to. There is nothing for you to do now since it is early," Rafael said. He went around to the back of the carriage to start taking off the bags since he would need this carriage for his mother to use when they were leaving.

Annalise joined Rafael at the back of the carriage to help him with the bags. There was nothing else for her to do than this. One of her bags was already packed and she only had to gather the last of her things in her room. Like the helmet Rafael gifted to her and the few dresses she left behind.

"I can’t just leave you to take down the bags and thanks to me falling asleep in the carriage, I am not tired. The sky is already becoming lighter. Did it take us longer to return?" Annalise asked as it felt they should have been back earlier than this.

"We had to stop a few times so we arrived later than I planned to. Less time for the knights to get breakfast and rest a little bit before we must ride out. What time do you intend to leave the manor?" Rafael asked.

"As soon as you leave. I need to find my brother and let him know that I am back then we will set out for home. He’ll be happy to finally leave. It is all he spoke of the last few times that I saw him," Annalise answered.

She hoped that Thomas was alright. That he had safely returned. If he wasn’t back in town yet, something bad might have happened to him when meeting the man named Grant, or he got wrapped up in a whole new plan that he was doing without her.

If she couldn’t find Thomas, she would head to Lockwood to search for him. She was not going home without Thomas. Not when it was because of her that he went to Lockwood.

In the midst of their conversation, the front door of the manor opened, revealing Edwin who rushed to help Annalise and Rafael.

"You are back in one piece," Edwin said, inspecting Rafael’s appearance. "Should I wake some maids to help you? It is nearing time for the manor to come alive."

"That won’t be necessary. My mother will be travelling with us to Lockwood. Have the cook pack more food for my mother. Also, inform Mavis that I am giving Annalise time off to leave the manor to visit her family out of town. When she returns, just let her clean around my room from time to time. I’m sorry Edwin, but you’ve lost your job of cleaning my armour and weapons in my absence," said Rafael.

Edwin smiled it warmed inside of him to hear this. He didn’t think there would be a day Rafael would be open to letting anyone other than him tend the armour he kept in his bedroom. "I am happy to hear that I won’t have to try my hardest not to be cut by your swords, but will it be alright for her to clean them? What if she cuts herself?"

Rafael took the last of the bags from the carriage and placed them on the ground. "Annalise will be fine. She knows how to handle a sword."

Annalise snorted, thinking of his words meaning something else. All her nicknames were to blame for why there was a single bad thought filling her mind now. She tried to hold in her laughter, but she could not. Her mouth wasn’t listening to her mind these days.

Edwin was confused by Annalise laughing while Rafael knew what caused her reaction. He didn’t know how long it would take, but he would get her to stop using those ridiculous nicknames.

"Don’t try to understand it, Edwin. The lack of sleep is getting to her," Rafael said to stop Edwin from overthinking. He wished he had been clueless as to why Annalise was laughing.

"Good. I thought I might have been getting old for a moment since I didn’t understand the joke. I will take care of the bags. The knights are out in the yard with their horses and bags ready to leave after breakfast. I will take care of the workers coming to work on clearing down the trees for the expansion of the manor. Oh," Edwin said, remembering something important. "A young fellow came here saying he was your brother, Annalise."

Annalise stopped right as she was about to pick up some of the bags to take inside. "When?" She asked.

"A few hours before you arrived. I wasn’t aware that you had a brother, but I took his message. He asked that you meet him where he is staying as soon as you return. I guess he is impatient to see his family. Have some breakfast before you go," Edwin said, not wanting her to leave on an empty stomach.

She wouldn’t need to buy or make something to eat if she ate breakfast now. Annalise also needed to collect her pay before she left. She would have a little money to offer to her parents.

"I will," Annalise replied. Now her question of if Thomas was back was answered.

She was glad to hear that he was back and was curious about whether or not he got the chance to speak with the man named Grant. Was the poison taken? If it was, she hoped it was used before Rafael got to the palace.

Edwin joined in picking up the bags and taking them to the door for the knights to collect when they returned with Beatrice. After all of the bags were moved from the carriage, Edwin left to have the cook start to prepare breakfast for Rafael and all the knights.

Left alone by the front door, Annalise and Rafael looked at each other, but did not say a word.

After some time passed, Annalise spoke up. "You need to start packing your armour and everything else you will need. Do you need my help? I don’t have much to pack in my room so I have nothing else to do until breakfast is ready."

Rafael held her left hand since there wasn’t anyone around to see them and if there was, he didn’t care. Annalise’s status in the manor would change when he returned as he would make it known that he was courting her. He led her upstairs to his room so they could have a proper goodbye.