Chapter 45: Chapter 45
The sounds of horse hooves approaching echoed through the open field. Rémy was practicing with his spear when he heard the sound, and quickly looked in the direction it was coming from. He saw Gilles, a fellow soldier, mounted on his horse with other soldiers by his side. "Jeanne told us to join you," said Gilles, approaching Rémy on his horse.
Rémy already knew the reason for the approach, so he whistled loudly using his fingers in his mouth. The soldiers were confused by the whistle, but soon a reddish horse came running towards them, attracted by the sound. The soldiers were even more confused because they had not seen any horses in the area before, let alone one with such a striking color.
As the horse approached Rémy, he put his hands on the animal's back and skillfully mounted it. "So, are we going or are we going to wait for the English soldiers to leave and deliver their supplies to the other English soldiers?" asked Rémy of the soldiers as he lightly tapped the horse's belly with his feet, making it walk forward.
Gilles mounted his horse next to Rémy, and they began talking about Jeanne. "Has Jeanne always been like this? Has she always wanted to help others?" asked Gilles, curious about the origin of Jeanne's desire to help people. "As far as I know, yes," replied Rémy.
"But does she have a reason for doing this? Or is it just because God commanded her to do so?" asked Gilles, even more curious about Jeanne's motivations. "She does it because she loves helping people, that's why she does it. It's also because of God, I believe," replied Rémy, looking around.
Gilles seemed surprised. "You don't know? I thought she told you everything, since she seems very close to you," said Gilles, with a strange expression on his face. He thought Jeanne shared all her thoughts and desires with Rémy, who seemed to be her closest confidant.
"She tells me whatever she wants. I don't force her to tell me anything," replied Rémy, as he had never asked Jeanne such personal questions. "You've known her since you were little, right?" Gilles asked again, very curious about Jeanne. "You could say that. But then, how are we going to do this?" Rémy changed the subject, wanting to know how Gilles intended to proceed. "I think we can divide into groups, one goes one way and the other goes the other," said Gilles after thinking for a while. "All right, let's go," agreed Rémy, leaving there with his horse, followed by some soldiers. Gilles also went to his destination. Both did what they needed to do and, when they returned with the soldiers, they headed towards the camp.
The soldiers at the camp noticed that they had returned, and one of them went to inform Jeanne. Gilles and Rémy handed the supplies to a nearby soldier, who took them to the warehouse where they were stored. "So, shall we start training?" Rémy asked Jeanne as she approached, her golden hair swaying from side to side. "Now? With everyone here?" Jeanne asked confused. She continued, "Alright, if you think it's not a problem." Gilles, who was standing next to her, overheard the conversation and asked, "Training? Are you training her?" Rémy told Jeanne, "How about we play a game?" Jeanne didn't understand what he meant. "What would that be?" she asked, as she hadn't understood. "How about we train our soldiers to become better?" Rémy responded, knowing that most of the soldiers were serving the king and were there only to help Jeanne rid Orleans of the English.
"How would you do that?" asked Jeanne, raising her eyebrows in curiosity as she watched Rémy, who seemed to have an idea in his head.
"Simple. We're going to have them fight. Of course, they'll fight against me. For you, I'll have you do something else," said Rémy, with an excited gleam in his eyes as he rubbed his hands together, eager for what was to come. The soldiers who were with him when he went to get the supplies trembled in fear because of his smile. Some, however, were enthusiastic and excited about the possibility of seeing Rémy in action, as they liked his intense personality.
"I thought I would also fight. But don't hurt them, okay?" replied Jeanne, looking with concern at the soldiers under her command. She didn't want anyone to get hurt or maimed because of a game.
"As far as I know, you can heal them," said Rémy, snapping his fingers and thinking they might need a doctor afterwards.
"Yes, I can heal physical wounds, but not emotional wounds," replied Jeanne, frowning as she considered the possible consequences of the game.
"Alright, I'll do my best not to hurt them," promised Rémy, determined to keep everyone safe.
"Soldiers! How about we play a game?" exclaimed Rémy, raising his voice so that all the soldiers could hear him. "Of course, it's not without reward. The person who can defeat or knock me down will take my place." Some soldiers who had already seen Rémy in action felt a twinge of fear in their stomachs, while others were excited about the possibility of trying to beat him. However, they didn't know that Rémy had no real authority and that Jeanne allowed him to do whatever he wanted.
"I'll go first. I hope you'll keep your promise if I win," said the soldier who stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Rémy with determination. The other soldiers stepped back to make space, and an improvised arena was created. The air was charged with tension and expectation as the soldier and Rémy faced each other, ready to start the fight.
"Of course, I'll keep my word. So, how shall we do this? Will we fight with swords and spears or just with our hands?" asked Rémy, as he swung and passed the spear between the fingers of his right hand. The moonlight reflected on the tip of the spear, creating a glow that seemed to dance in the air.
"I only know how to use a sword," replied the soldier, getting into a fighting stance and holding his sword in front of him, ready for the confrontation. His breathing became faster and his heart raced at the prospect of an imminent battle.
"I only know how to use the sword," replied the soldier, assuming a fighting stance and holding his sword in front of him, ready for the confrontation. His breathing became faster and his heart raced with the prospect of an imminent battle.
"You seem quite excited," observed Rémy, noticing the soldier's enthusiasm, although he tried to hide it. Rémy's blue eyes shone like stars in the sky, and he gripped his spear tightly in his right hand. "I am excited too." His voice sounded calm and confident, as if the fight was just a passing challenge.
"I'm coming," announced the soldier, running towards Rémy and striking a vertical cut. The sword cut through the air with a sharp metallic sound, and the grass under his feet bent under his weight as he advanced.
"Phew, that was close," exclaimed Rémy, dodging the sword blade that narrowly missed his face and moving away from the soldier. He felt a wave of adrenaline rush through his body, and his heart beat hard in his chest.
"Don't think it's going to be that easy," warned Rémy, as the soldier advanced again to attack him, ignoring Rémy's words. Rémy raised his spear and prepared for the next attack.
The soldier attacked with a low upward cut, but Rémy used the tip of his spear to block the approaching sword. The two weapons collided with a thunderous sound, and Rémy felt a vibration run through his spear and his arm. He pushed hard, and the soldier staggered back, visibly surprised.
"What?!" exclaimed the soldier, feeling pain in his shoulder and being thrown back, which surprised him. Rémy took the opportunity to advance, but stopped in time to avoid seriously injuring the soldier. "You did very well," praised Rémy, smiling. "But there is still much to learn."
"So, do you want to stop here?" Rémy asked the soldier, noticing that the man had felt pain in his shoulder.
"No, I want to continue," laughed the soldiers around them, urging the injured soldier to prove his worth. Laughter echoed across the training fields, leaving the soldier angry, gritting his teeth with hatred as he stared fixedly at Rémy's calm face.
"Alright, let's continue," said Rémy, assuming a defensive posture, but the soldier did not hesitate to attack him with a powerful cut, as if he were cutting down a tree. Rémy was surprised, he did not expect the man to attack without warning.
With the agility of a cat, Rémy jumped over the soldier's sword, avoiding being hit. The soldiers around them were astonished and wondered if they would be able to do the same as Rémy. The answer they gave themselves was: no!
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the soldier charged at Rémy again, but the young warrior was faster. He did a somersault in the air and, using the spear as an extension of his own body, pushed the soldier back with force, preventing the enemy's sword from hitting him.
The crowd of soldiers watched in admiration as Rémy displayed his fluid and precise movements. Even in the face of the soldier's fury and the pressure from the spectators, Rémy remained calm, focusing on his reflexes sharp as a blade and his technique honed like a true master of martial arts.
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