บท 26: Cornered (2)

"It's time," Mavis said, clapping her hands to gather the servants. Edwin stood beside her with his hands behind his back, letting Mavis take charge. "You represent the Callahans more than ever tonight. You will serve the Callahans, the knights, and their guests without any failures. I shall fire you if you fail."

Edwin looked at Mavis because of her horrible way of encouraging the servants. It would only make a handful of them, who were working such a party for the first time, even more nervous.

"You know your positions. Those who have to walk around serving, I will be watching you all night long. Go! It is time the guest starts arriving."

"She always does this so late and then blames us when we are not at the doors to greet the guests. Here," Cara said, handing Annalise a tray of drinks to walk around with. She was still sulking over the fact that she had not gotten to dress up at all. She would have liked it if it was a party for all of the Callahan servants.

"Thank you." Annalise took the tray from Cara, careful not to let one of the glasses fall.

"My arms are going to hurt me all night long. Why can't the guests just walk around and get their drink from a table? I thought it wasn't supposed to be this grand of a party," Cara whined.

Annalise did not share the same sentiments as Cara. If her arms could not handle holding a tray with a few drinks for a little while, she needed to train more. Annalise and Cara left the already busy kitchen and walked to the grand hall, where the guests and knights should start gathering.

Annalise was glad Beatrice had planned this party, as she realised it presented her with the opportunity to see the majority of the knights in one room, hear about their travels and what they would be assigned to in the future, and see other influential men involved in the war. All she needed to do was keep handing them drinks so they would keep talking.

"So many handsome men in one room. It's like I am living out one of my dreams," Cara whispered.

"We see handsome men daily. Most of the knights live here," Annalise reminded Cara. "What happened to your interest in Sir Rafael? I thought you only had eyes for him."

Cara looked to her right at Annalise after she referred to Rafael as sir. "I told you that Mavis wants us to call him young master. Anyway, I am not so foolish as to keep eyeing a man with his status when there are others around me. I must not waste a chance. Oh, there's a chance over there. Bye!"

Annalise shook her head at Cara, who was enjoying this party a bit too much. Annalise sighed, looking around the grand hall at the faces she did not know. It would have been helpful if Cara were to be by her side to tell her the names of those in the hall. She would have to do it on her own.

Annalise forced a smile and took a step forward to start walking around the room to serve her drinks.

"Oh, that's scary. I prefer you when you aren't smiling."

Annalise frowned. 'Why?' She gripped the tray.

"Hello, bush girl," Logan greeted her with a wide smile. It was just his luck to almost bump into her and witness her trying to smile.

Annalise folded her lips to refrain from saying something that would get her in trouble and slowly turned to her right, where the annoying man stood with another man by his side.

"Oh, it's you," said the dark-haired man beside Logan. "The one with the snakes and bushes."

Annalise glared at Logan, who seemed hellbent on getting her fired. She had to blame herself for not being more aware of her surroundings, but still, why did he have to go around telling others about her in a bush?"

"I can hear you screaming at me inside your head," Logan said, trying to resist the urge to smile when it looked like she wanted to kill him. "Relax, little lady. Christian here is the only person I told about you. Well, he and Rafael, since Rafael also saw you in the bushes. Hey! Hey!" He exclaimed when Annalise started to walk away.

"Aren't you supposed to be serving us drinks? I should get the head maid-"

Annalise slowly turned around, careful not to let the tray of drinks fall, and held it out to Logan for him to get one, and then she would be on her way. 'If only he could choke on it,' she smiled, imagining it happening before her eyes.

Christian took Logan's glass from his hands before it could touch his lips. He was suspicious of the smile the maid wore. "I don't think you should drink that," he said.

Logan took back his glass from Christian. "A little maid like her isn't going to do anything to me," he replied, taking a sip of the drink.

'Keep thinking that,' Annalise thought.

Christian shook his head at Logan. Logan's weaknesses have always been women and food. He looked around the room to see if Rafael had made his grand appearance yet, but he found someone he didn't expect to see. "I thought you said Connor would not be attending," he said to Logan. "He's here."

"He told me that Rafael disrespected him, so he wasn't going to attend. He changed his mind," Logan shrugged his shoulders, not interested in Connor at the moment. There was a feisty maid who he enjoyed making angry.

Annalise wasn't happy to hear that Connor was here when he was still out to get her. She planned to be on her best behavior tonight and didn't want Connor to approach her to continue where they left off. Nothing said you definitely should not serve the king like kicking a man directly on his special sword. 'Or a little knife in his case,' Annalise humored herself.

All she had to do was stay far away from wherever Connor was, and she would keep herself out of trouble.

"The man of the hour is here. I cannot believe he has shown up with a woman on his arm," she heard Connor say.

Annalise looked at the entrance of the hall where more guests were coming in. All eyes were on Rafael and Delilah, walking hand in hand. In Annalise's opinion, Delilah looked like she was trying her hardest to hold back from shouting, 'Look at me! Chasing after Rafael worked.'

Annalise added Rafael and Delilah to the list of people she wanted to stay away from tonight. She did not want to be asked about snakes or make any mistakes in front of Rafael. He already viewed her as trouble and wouldn't want her serving the king, so she was trying to impress Mavis and Edwin to get them to vouch for her in the future.

"Drink?" Annalise held up the tray for Christian so she could move on to someone else afterwards.

Logan emptied his glass and placed it on the tray. He took up another and said, "Just stay here and keep-"

"We are supposed to walk around. If that is all. Goodbye," Annalise excused herself, going to the next group of knights.

Christian patted Logan's back. "Give up. You'll just get hurt if you keep going after that one."

"I disagree," Logan replied, keeping an eye on Annalise.