The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 434: Why I can’t stay (2)

"Where did your love of mixing poisons come from?" Siena asked, interested in the backstory. She never heard of anyone enjoying playing around with poisons.

"Well, everyone here looks for some way they can help to protect our home during the war. I wasn’t much of a fighter and didn’t enjoy weapons so I looked for other ways and making poisons seemed like something I could do," Celine answered.

"There was someone who used to make the poisons to put on our weapons so I went to her to ask to be taught. It wasn’t long before I fell in love with all the mixes I could put together. Learning about what plants or animals could seriously hurt someone. When I became Phillip’s wife, I was happy to have something to be of use to him," said Celine, happy just as she was in the past to be able to share her love with others.

"And now the two of you clash often about poisons being made inside or having too many weapons around," Annalise said as she joined her mother in taking a seat at the table.

Annalise could hear the next argument coming because she spotted one of her father’s swords when she was coming down to help with cooking.

"Our lives were filled with war, but I don’t like seeing the weapons all over our home when we are here. The least we could do is try to leave everything that has to do with war outside when we come into our homes. Thankfully, the war is coming to an end," Celine said, excited for the years ahead of them.

Celine started to worry less about Phillip not coming home to her as his father and many of the Woods before him did.

"Is Annalise the first woman to become a leader here?" Giselle asked, curious about what women could do.

"She is not. When there is more than one child, we will have a duel to see who is the strongest among them. They don’t try to kill each other," Celine added to ease the three young women of what could have happened if Annalise had a sibling. "We can simply tell who is the weaker one before it comes to anyone dying. There’s been plenty of women before Annalise and even when the leader is a man, the wives will aid them."

"I’ve had my fair share of leading groups to aim arrows at trespassers and if Phillip is out defending, I am here watching over the town in case someone slipped by him. I’ve ridden out to our other towns alone-"

"There are other towns?!" Giselle exclaimed. She smacked her left hand over her mouth because of how she rudely interrupted Celine. "Forgive me, but I am getting used to how big the border is."

Celine smiled, not bothered by Giselle interrupting because she found the reaction to be cute. She loved seeing how an outsider’s world was rocked by learning more about her home. She liked that there were things here to have others curious.

"I do not mind it. This is the main town, but many years ago after fearing what could happen if your king made it here, it was decided that we should be more spread around the border. There have always been farmers off to the side, but now there are many little towns or villages, if you wish to call them, spread out. It is our job to make sure no one gets by us to reach the others," Celine explained.

"When there is a big fight, we’ll send those who can’t fight off to the other towns. Our home is quite large. I’ll take you to see as much as we can before it turns dark. However, you would love the skies here when it is dark. I have had many nights out lying under the sky looking at the stars. It is prettier here on a hill not too far away," said Annalise.

She mostly spent her time there with Thomas and a few friends she needed to speak with since she hadn’t seen them the last time she was here.

"I want to see," Heidi said, putting up her hand. She would have a lot to brag about when she returned to the manor and everyone learned about who Annalise was. Then she would also have a lot of knowledge about the border to make it sound less scary than what the other servants might have heard.

"Will it be safe?" Giselle asked. "Will we need someone to walk around with us?"

"You mean a man? That won’t be necessary since you’ll have Annalise with you. She might not look like it, but she has many of her male peers afraid of her. I blame it on Phillip because he would urge her to beat them till they could not get up when there were duels. And there will be guards, both men and women, walking around where you’ll be going," Celine said, hoping it helped to calm them.

Nothing would happen to any of Annalise’s friends while they were here. She would make sure of it. After dinner, she would inform the guards to stay near the places Annalise and her friends ventured.

"So, one of you was almost married. Is there anyone being courted by a man? Anyone close to getting married?" Celine asked, wanting to hear of the romance among the group. Young love was always exciting. freёweɓnovel.com

"I am still without a man which is upsetting because I wanted to be married before the season was over," Giselle said, sulking now that men were brought up.

"Season? Must they marry before winter is over? There is still some time left before winter is over," Celine said, looking at Annalise for answers.

Annalise opened her mouth to explain to her mother, but then closed her mouth as explaining it to her mother would take someone else down this hole of confusion she sometimes found herself in. When it came to the times everyone likes to get married, Annalise still did not understand it so she shouldn’t bother explaining to her mother.

"Do not try to understand it, mother. We must only know that they rush to marry when they come of age," Annalise replied.

"You do not do that here?" Siena questioned, loving it here even more.

"You marry when you want to get married. Some get married in their early days of becoming a woman or later when they finally find someone they love. I remember Celeste upset with your father for not-"

A knock at the door interrupted Celine. The knock was loud like the person outside was panicking. It was only now that they stopped talking did the women realised there was a lot of chatter and cheering outside.

"Celine! Your husband and the knight leader are fighting!"

"Phillip is what?" Celine yelled, pushing back her chair as she had to go get her crazy husband.

Heidi and Giselle stood up to join Celine in seeing what was happening outside. Siena stood up to join them but didn’t leave the table because she saw Annalise did not move.

"Won’t you come to stop them?" Siena asked. She wouldn’t want the man she loved and her father to be fighting.

"I can hear my father laughing so it is not a serious fight. I do not need to go out because my father will ask who I thought was better. It will only place me in a terrible position. Rafael would not let it show that he is a little upset I didn’t pick him and my father would cry if I picked Rafael. Let them fight," Annalise said, continuing to cut the vegetables.