Chapter 362: The talk (3)
"There you two are. I was starting to think I had to eat breakfast alone with River. Not that I mind," Beatrice said, tapping River’s hand before he sulked over her words. "Do you come with gifts?" Beatrice asked, looking at the old box in Annalise’s hands.
"Kind of," Annalise answered, looking at River.
"I left the news up to you to share," Beatrice said, referring to Annalise being the daughter of the man River once fought. She only confirmed River’s suspicion that Annalise was from the border. The rest was for Annalise to share. "Mavis, please have the maids leave us and make sure no one eavesdrops on our conversation. I will call for you when we are ready."
"Understood," Mavis said, clapping her hands for the maids to hurry out. After the incident with Annalise slapped by Aria, she was on the watch for more maids acting a fool.
"Thank you," Annalise said to Beatrice and Rafael for him pulling out her chair. "Do you remember fighting the leader of my people at the border?" Annalise asked River.
She sat on the right side of the table, facing Beatrice while Rafael sat at the head of the table, being in the middle of her and Beatrice. River was seated beside Beatrice like always.
"It was one of my greatest fights and also the one that questioned how good your leader was," River answered. He could never forget the fight which felt like hours because neither he nor the leader were ready to give up and die.
It was still surprising years later that they came to a draw and decided to walk away from the fight. River couldn’t remember how they decided to end the fight and have both sides go home.
"That fight was a story I requested to hear before going to bed. I have always looked forward to seeing the man who fought my father," Annalise confessed. The child in her felt excited each time she looked at River.
Others would see River as a monster when the story was told, but Annalise had always wanted to see the fight with her own eyes. See who matched her father’s skills. She was more a fan of River than she was of Rafael.
River looked to Rafael who nodded his head, confirming that it was true. "You are the leader’s daughter? You are the next person to take over?" He asked, finding it hard to believe someone with so much power was freely walking around the manor. Walking around them.
"Yes. You wouldn’t know it, but my family’s last name is Woods. I will soon take after my father when the truce is done and sealed. He fought hard to kill you because if you succeeded, you would have led the knights to our home where I was with my mother or I would have become the leader far earlier than my father wanted," said Annalise.