"Mavis and Edwin hired odd people in my absence. I give you three days," Rafael said, looking away from the maid he knew to be named Annalise because her name had been said two times by Mavis.
"To show you my thigh?" Annalise tilted her head, not seeing why he wanted to wait three days to see her thigh.
Rafael once again turned to face Annalise who was undoubtedly insane. "I don't want to see your thigh. I was referring to how many days it will take for you to be fired. I won't help you again."
"Oh," Annalise released her dress. "I was only offering to show you my thigh so you could get over me seeing your sword. I should get back to my job, right?" She added as Rafael just stared at her.
'Sword?' Rafael thought it was a creative way of speaking about a man's manhood. 'I give her a day.'
She was quite different from the other maids, who got silent when he entered a room. Rafael already saw why she was turning the rest of Mavis's hair white. This maid spoke what was on her mind, perhaps to the wrong person many times, but as long as she stayed out of his bedroom, he didn't mind her staying employed. It was up to her to be on her best behaviour around Mavis.
"Sweetheart!"
"Good morning mother," Rafael turned his attention to the second entrance of the dining room where his mother walked in from. His mother, Beatrice Callahan, practically skipped to the table.
"Good morning," Beatrice smiled cheerfully at Rafael and wrapped her arms around him to make up for the time they had lost due to his travels. "It's good to have you back. You are not hurt, right?" She asked, squeezing his cheeks with the palms of her hands as she turned his head left and right to inspect his face. "Good," she sighed in relief.
It was torture to be without her son for almost two months. There was rarely any communication as his letters would take almost a week to reach her. Each day she spent awaiting updates about his battles added a new strand of gray hair to her head.
"You are back safe and sound," Beatrice repeatedly kissed all around his face to make up for lost kisses. She didn't care that he was not a little boy anymore. Rafael would never be too old to receive her kisses.
Like the obedient child he was, Rafael remained still while his mother did her normal ritual to welcome him home. In the corner of his eye, he saw the maid Annalise smiling at the sight before leaving with the others to bring in breakfast.
"I swear I will strangle the King with my own two hands if he does not stop depending on you to always go off on some journey to fight. I love Tobias, but he'll make an enemy out of me if he keeps this up. So," Beatrice let go of Rafael to pull a chair closer to him. "Did you bring home a woman from your travels? A child?"
"You are the only mother that I know who looks forward to her son bringing home a random woman and child. I returned home alone," Rafael said, watching the anticipation oozing from his mother quickly dry up.
Beatrice sighed, mentally scolding herself for thinking Rafael would at least return home with a woman he was smitten with. "How long must I wait to hold a grandchild or have a daughter-in-law to dote on? Everyone speaks about their grandchild taking their first step or their daughter-in-law stopping by to keep them company. I can only talk about your achievements for so long before I am asked about your wedding."
"Be honest and tell them that I am not looking for a wife, or tell them to mind their own family matters," Rafael suggested.
"It is not just that Rafael," Beatrice touched his hand. "I worry about you spending so much time fighting and not enjoying the warmth of a family. You always keep to yourself, and I fear you might not find anyone to spend the rest of your life with when war becomes boring. Your father was the same way."
"Here we go again-"
"Hush! You got your dashing looks from me but inherited your father's personality. By some luck, he was able to express how much he loved me. I don't mind if you hold off getting married, but I want you to one day experience the happiness I felt with your father. It gave me you," Beatrice smiled as she pinched his right cheek. She missed the days when his cheeks were chubby.
"I won't pester you about it any further since you have not been home long, but I want you to promise me that if there is a special young lady in your life, you will introduce her to me. Unless there is something you wish to say to me," Beatrice folded her lips as she couldn't bear to say it.
"Mother," Rafael replied, knowing what she was trying to insinuate.
"My lips are sealed. I hope you don't mind if I join you for breakfast. I came here as soon as I heard you were back. Your father would have joined me, but a rotten tree fell onto our neighbour's home and he's trying to help before he comes to see you. We must celebrate your return with a party," Beatrice randomly decided, ignoring Rafael's obvious disapproval by his frown.
"You know I love a good reason to throw a party. It will be for your friends and the men who returned with you from the long journey. They need a good laugh and a drink before you have them training to their death once more. Enjoy the little things in life and your time with loved ones before you have to leave for weeks again," Beatrice palmed his face. "You are my talented son but I fear you will never return one day."
"Mother, you are trying to guilt me into letting you hold a party here. As long as it is something small for the knights, I will allow it, but you must give Edwin and Mavis some time to prepare for it," Rafael agreed to the party but he was already feeling like he would regret it.
"Oh, Mrs Callahan," Mavis's voice came out higher than usual. She clapped her hands once and said, "You look beautiful today," she commented on the pink dress which made Beatrice look youthful.
"Thank you, Mavis. I hope you have been taking good care of my son. Oh, a new face," Beatrice looked behind Mavis to a maid she never saw before. "Introduce yourself dear."
Mavis looked behind her to see if Beatrice was referring to her newest headache and when she laid eyes on Annalise standing behind her with an innocent smile, she felt a prick of pain in her head. "This is-"
"Is she mute? Let her say her own name. You know I like to keep an eye on the servants coming in and out of this house," Beatrice said, giving the young woman a look over. It was a shame Rafael didn't take an interest in those who worked for him. She wouldn't mind if he fell in love with one of the young ladies here. Some of them were pleasant.
"Annalise Woods," Annalise introduced herself. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Callahan."