The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 459: Little girl (4)

"You’re going to be a married woman before you know it. Is there something you want to talk about? I know it would be more suited for you to speak with your mother about this, but there’s not much as your father that I can talk to you with you being a woman and I a man. Ask me anything you think I would have the answer to," said Phillip.

"Hmm. I don’t have anything to ask mother at the moment so I don’t know what to ask you. Maybe when the time gets closer I will have some questions for you. I am not worried about becoming his wife. I am yet to see how different it will be from now," Annalise replied, letting go of her father’s arm to get up the small hill they had to climb.

"There is a little difference from now. It’s harder to separate yourself from him unless you run away. Your names will always be attached to him so you’ll share his praise and curses. There is nothing you have to fear. You’ll figure out everything as you go," Phillip said as he did with Celine.

"It is only becoming a parent that I might worry about. I am not exactly like most women. I’ve never been," Annalise paused to look for the right word.

"Nonsense. I’ve seen the way you cared for your friends, and the people here, and how you take special care of your pets. Being a mother will come naturally to you. Don’t worry if there are some things you don’t understand at first. Even those who prepared long for the moment struggle at some point. Your mother and I certainly panicked a few times," Phillip said, remembering the confusion he felt.

"We had to go to our parents for help only to find that the answer was so simple. We learned that we just needed to take a moment to think and then it all worked out. Lucky for you," Phillip said, nudging Annalise with his arm. "You two have a lot of people around you to help you. Two armies at your side."

"Two armies. I never really thought about that," Annalise said, liking the sound of her and Rafael having two armies. The knights and her warriors here. "Our family will be well protected."

"When Rafael and I build our new home, will you stay often in the room I shall make for you and mother? I know that you aren’t fond of leaving home because you worry about what will happen with you gone, but our home won’t be far away and I would love for you to explore their kingdom with me. See his current manor," Annalise proposed.

It was time her family got to move around and see more than just the border. Her eyes were opened to another world and she could not sit still. Even as the leader, Annalise planned not to stay at the border. If she had not travelled around, she would not have known about guns.

They needed to know more about the world around them so they could keep up with the growing dangers and sometimes, it was best to see for yourself what was happening.

Phillip still had his feelings about not leaving the border. He would gladly visit the town Annalise and Rafael were putting together, but going further than that was not something he wanted to do. "I can’t leave, Annalise. Your grandmother won’t be leaving. This is home for me and there is nothing over there that I want to see. I am sorry."

"I will come to see the town. I’m one step ahead of you by getting some workers to start clearing out a space for you. Cutting down the tall grass and some trees. I will help with whatever you need,’" Phillip offered.

Annalise wished her father would be more open to going further than the border, but it was already a big step that he would want to be in a town with people from both sides. "Rafael has a lot of what we need to start because he was expanding his manor. It will all come here soon. Everyone who wishes to live there can start building once the land is cleared away."

"What of the house Rafael bought? Do you need help with that?" Phillip asked.

"We might need your help to lift a few things inside," Annalise said, smiling to convince her father.

"I will be there. Your mother has informed me of your plan to adopt. What is the little girl like?" Phillip questioned, wanting to know more about his granddaughter. "Who do I need to speak to for you to get to adopt her?"

"Relax, father. It sounds like you plan to fight someone so I can get Lydia. I do not know how it all works, but a few people care for the children. We will have to speak to them. Lydia was a bit quiet. She wasn’t playing with the other children, but after we approached her, she came out of her shell," Annalise said, overcome with joy just talking about Lydia.

"I swear when you see her there will be this need to pick her up and just hug her tightly. I didn’t spend a lot of time with her, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her. She is someone you see and wish to protect. I can hardly wait for Rafael and I to leave to go back to the orphanage," said Annalise.

Phillip didn’t like hearing that Annalise had to leave but it was for a good reason and she wouldn’t be away for weeks this time. She’ll be coming back and making him a grandfather soon. "How many more days before you leave?"

"Two. We’ll spend today putting together the house and tomorrow we will gather what we need for the long trip to the orphanage. We’ll spend the day after with you and mother before we leave. Why? Do you intend to cry and ask me not to leave? I might stay for a day longer if you do," Annalise said, but it would be hard to do since they were to go for Lydia before she might be adopted by someone else.

"No. I needed to know how much time I had before I could start cleaning out your room and doing it over for the little one," Phillip replied, walking ahead of Annalise.

Annalise faked a gasp, pretending to be hurt over her father giving away her bedroom. "How could you? There are other rooms in the house to be used. Like the one Heidi and Siena are sharing."

"If I use that room, where would our guests go? You don’t need your room anymore, Annalise. If you did, you wouldn’t be moving away from home. I’ll give you time to gather your things," Phillip said, setting the basket down on the grass as they reached their spot.

"And you said that your grandchildren wouldn’t come before me. Look at you already casting me to the side," Annalise muttered, shaking her head at her father. "It’s been so long since I came here. The view is beautiful," Annalise said, looking out at the land down below.

The hill had always given them a good view over a portion of the town. freēwēbnovel.com

"Father," Annalise said.

"Yes," Phillip replied, lost in the beauty and the memories of this area.

"Never bring my child here to train in secret. This was dangerous. What were you thinking?" Annalise asked, now realising how she could have rolled down the hill if she wasn’t careful.