Chapter 290: Iris (1)
Celine pulled up two chairs for her and Phillip to sit with Annalise to hear the rest of her story. She wasn’t happy to hear her daughter worked as a maid for a knight, but there was nothing she could do at this point.
Annalise decided to leave out the fact she worked as Rafael’s personal maid. If she revealed that, her mother wouldn’t be able to help her hold her father back.
"It was not as bad as you are thinking. I got to listen to some of his conversations and watch him train his knights. I have memorised the way he trains his knights so I can share it with you. Men from the border came to visit him and the reason I killed two of them was because they spoke of wanting to have their way with the women here," said Annalise.
Phillip balled up his right hand as he had all the more reason to gather his men and storm the border. He had been kind in just keeping them away from their land.
"The king has called Rafael to the palace. I am not certain what for, but we should be prepared if the knights will be coming to the border. We need to come up with ways to keep them away from our land. Setting up more traps and calling upon the other groups to join us," Annalise suggested.
Some of them were spread across the land, creating smaller towns, each with enough warriors to protect them. Together, their numbers would match the king’s men.
"Phillip, perhaps she knows enough to help us. It will be different if the knights are coming here. It is just a hunch, but we should still be prepared and have everyone here. It is a little strange that the border guards have not made any attacks like they always do. It seems they are waiting for something," Celine said, finding it strange now that she thought about it.
Phillip thought it over and then decided, "I will send a message for the others to join us. We will have a meeting to discuss new plans to stop them from getting close to us. Celine, tell the scavengers not to go far out, and start working on more poisons."
"See! And you said no one wants to be near poison, but you need it. That corner is mine, Phillip. Place your weapons elsewhere. Now," Celine said, looking at her troublesome daughter. "What will we do about her? You had us worried sick for you, Annalise. It was dangerous for you to leave on your own, and you took Thomas with you."
"I know. I will accept any punishment there is," Annalise said.
"The future leader ran off without a word to her people. It isn’t just a punishment you will have to do. You need to prove to our people that you are serious about your future position. I expect that you will be involved in our meetings, and should there be war, you will join me at the front. I can not continue to leave you behind. You need the experience of leading before something happens to me," Phillip said, standing up as there was much to do.
He wasn’t getting any younger, and each day he joined in protecting the land, there was a risk he might not return home. Before something happened to him, he was going to let Annalise join him. Training her at home was one thing, but having her fight in a war where you needed to be quick on your feet was another.