The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 298: Leader (3)

"Who is it and when did you plan on bringing him to me? Is it Thomas?" Celine questioned, turning to Thomas who shook his head. She always had the thought Annalise would settle for him, but seeing him say no, she couldn’t think of anyone else. "Who is it?"

Annalise tried to remove her mother’s strong grip on her shoulder first but failed. "What have you been eating, mother? I need my shoulders."

Celine reluctantly let go of Annalise, but she wasn’t going to let her daughter leave without getting an answer. "Who have you fallen in love with? We should pull out some chairs to get comfortable. I want to know everything about him. When can I meet him?"

Annalise glared at Celeste for putting her in this predicament. Her mother would find out about Rafael eventually but now wasn’t the right time. Still, Annalise had no choice but to answer her mother since she wouldn’t drop this until she found out who.

"You can’t meet him yet. He’s leading his knights here so it will be a while before you get to see him. Excuse me," Annalise said, attempting to walk around her mother. She hoped the shock of what she said would allow her to sneak by her mother.

"You!" Celine exclaimed, grabbing Annalise once again. "What did you just say to me? Please tell me that I misheard you."

"You didn’t," Celeste interjected. She sat back down to enjoy watching Celine lose her mind. "It’s who you think it is."

Celine looked back and forth between Celeste and Annalise. Then she stared at Thomas who wanted to run away. "Annalise, you cannot be serious. That man is our enemy. How could you be so foolish to have feelings for him? You’ve allowed him to fool you."

"Mother, you know me better than most. I was not fooled by him. I came to have feelings for him naturally and he wasn’t fooling me since he didn’t know who I was or where I came from. If anything, he was fooled by me," Annalise answered. She sort of led him on about having a relationship in the future and had to fix that.

Celine placed her right hand on her forehead and started to walk in a circle. This was bad. There was already doubt about Annalise’s interests as leader. Annalise didn’t need this now. Some might say that her interest in a man who wouldn’t think twice about killing them would make her not think straight when leading them and cause them to lose their land and lives.

"Annalise, you know that this isn’t right. Mixing with that side isn’t accepted well and you took it a step further by going for the man leading knights. Everyone won’t be happy to hear about this. Your father will lose his mind and you won’t be leading any time soon. Do you know how hard everyone will be on you? How hard would you have to work to make them think your focus is on them?" Celine asked.

"I am aware," Annalise replied.

Celine stopped walking around in a circle to look at Annalise as she realised something. "Did you suggest your father stay behind so you could see that man?"

"It would be the only way to have a conversation without being disturbed. I’m sorry mother, but I can’t help that I care for him and I would like to take a chance to get to see him again. You can tell father if you wish, but that will not stop me from trying to find my way out of here to speak with Rafael. I would really appreciate it if you said nothing," Annalise said.

If her mother was going to tell her father, Annalise would have a quick change in plans, and run away from home now.

"This presents the opportunity to have a word with their side. It’s been more years than I have been alive since the two sides have spoken. It has always been death communicating our feelings. I have a feeling-"

"For once Celeste, would it kill you to act as her grandmother and not put so many things in her head? This is dangerous. She could lose everything by continuing to be involved with that man. She could lose her life. Can’t you help me sway her from running into danger for once?" Celine pleaded with Celeste.

It was bad enough that she had to worry about them going out to fight, but now she had to worry about Annalise going to speak to a man who was going to find out she was his enemy. Celine had more than she wanted on her plate when it came to her husband and daughter.

"Annalise, couldn’t you just fall in love with someone here? It would be less complicated. Less dangerous. Everyone won’t understand your judgement," Celine said, hoping Annalise understood that news of this relationship wouldn’t be taken well on either side.

Celine had to imagine that the king or simply the knights around the young commander wouldn’t be happy to know he fell in love with someone from here. What would River Callahan think of this? She imagined he would have the same reaction as she knew Phillip would.

"I will make them understand why I am picking him. Rather than sitting around wondering what could have happened, I am going to try speaking with him. Even if I have to sneak away and go to where he is alone. I need to tell him the truth and try to get him to help me put an end to this war. I don’t want my future children to be fighting this war," said Annalise.

It was time they got to live in peace not having to grab their weapons and run out to defend their land when border guards made an attempt to attack. It was a repetitive fight which was starting to bore Annalise.

"I know if he doesn’t attack, I still have a lot of convincing to do with the people here to make them understand my decision and he will need to do the same with his people. Please understand that I won’t be able to focus on anything else if I don’t get to see what will happen after I tell him who I am. Please do not tell father," Annalise said, trying her best to make the saddest face to convince her mother.

Celine was silent for a moment as she thought about her answer. Knowing her stubborn daughter wouldn’t stop until she would see the knight she said, "I am not happy with this. I understand why you did, but I don’t like that you left out an important detail of your trip from me. I have always been the rational parent you can speak to without me blowing up."

"Honestly, I don’t want you going to that man, but I know you won’t listen to what I say. I will keep it a secret from your father until I feel like you are in danger. Don’t sneak away from home, Annalise. Once was enough. If you are spotted coming from this side, they will aim their weapons at you and kill you before you see him. Why couldn’t you have a more normal love life?" Celine asked.

She thought the one thing about her daughter that would not be crazy would be her love life.

"That would be boring, mother. I wish I could stay here to speak, but I must start training our warriors on the moves of the knights. Thomas," Annalise said, calling to him for him to follow her. "This will all work out, mother."

"Will it?" Celine whispered, unable to share Annalise’s confidence. "I hope whatever feeling you got about my daughter and this man is right. I am not ready to lose my child or see her heartbroken."

"My intuition is never wrong. Look at what happened after I told Phillip you were the one," said Celeste.