Chapter 182: Competition (1)
"There is already a large crowd and it has not started yet."
Annalise looked out at the open field where the Callahan knights and men from the town walked around wearing armour and swords in their hands. The long-awaited competition to earn money or join Rafael’s knights was finally here.
She walked with Rafael’s helmet Edwin had misplaced with the helmets belonging to other knights and she volunteered to leave Rafael’s side to get it since Edwin was swamped with work.
Annalise needed a moment to get away from Rafael since he was acting strange after the night she teased him about how she could make him belong to her. Days had passed since then and she was certain he did not like what had happened.
Annalise thought she was overthinking the first time when he avoided her, but after it happened again a second, third, and many more times, she knew that he was avoiding her. She regretted not leaving his room when she had the chance because now it felt like she was going to lose her position as his maid.
She should not have trusted that nothing would change between them and it would be forgotten.
Thanks to Rafael not speaking to her as he usually did, she did not get to ask if the king would be coming to town to watch the competition. She could only wait to see if the king would show up and hope that Thomas was around.
Annalise did not get the chance to leave the manor to meet with him to discuss the king coming or to get the tea from him.
Annalise made her way through the crowd of people who came to watch the competition. Nobles and common townspeople came to take a seat and watch the show. She didn’t think they would be interested in it, but the crowd surprised her.