Chapter 38

Jeanne and Rémy agreed to take turns being responsible for the security of the campsite during the night, while the other soldiers rested in their tents. The night passed without incident, but both remained alert, watching the surroundings closely and ready for any eventuality.

At the beginning of the day, Rémy noticed that Jeanne was still sleeping and did not want to wake her. He sat quietly, observing the scene around him as the silhouettes of the other soldiers began to rise at their respective times. Rémy also watched the dawn, the seemingly endless rain clouds, the sprawling woodland landscape ahead, always attentive and attending to his duties.

Suddenly, he felt something warm and soft in his lap, looking down to investigate what it was. Jeanne, who had fallen asleep on her watch, had ended up lying on him. Instead of waking her, Rémy smiled, appreciating the peace her presence brought. He sat for hours, watching Jeanne sleep and reflecting on his mission.

Finally, light began to break on the horizon and Rémy called out to wake Jeanne with care, so as not to startle her. She woke up groggily, getting out of his lap and looking around, still sleepy. "Is it morning already?" she asked.

Rémy smiled, nodded, and confirmed that it was. He decided to take a nap while Jeanne took care of the camp. He thanked her for letting him sleep and praised the vigilance she had maintained during the night.

"It's our only option, Jeanne. We need to stay one step ahead, prepared for any eventuality," explained Rémy, looking at Jeanne in a deep and serious tone that made the young woman feel even more determined because of his wise words.

Then, they bid farewell, with Rémy leaving the camp and Jeanne moving forward in search of Gilles de Rais, taking all precautions to avoid a confrontation with any English contingents that might approach the area.

Gilles looked at Jeanne with concern and asked if she was okay. "Yes, I'm fine," Jeanne replied. She then asked if he was ready to lead his soldiers to her camp. Gilles agreed, but asked that they be careful not to attract attention from the English. "We'll have to split up into smaller groups," he suggested, "to make it easier for the English not to notice our arrival."

Jeanne nodded and agreed to the idea. "Divide your men into groups of five or six, and I'll do the same with mine. That way, we can reach the camp without being detected." Gilles agreed and quickly began organizing his men into smaller groups.

Meanwhile, Jeanne approached one of Gilles' soldiers and whispered, "How did you manage to get through here without being seen by the English?" The soldier shrugged. "We were lucky, I guess. And we were also traveling at night, which helped to avoid detection."

Jeanne nodded and joined a group of soldiers led by Gilles. They began to move silently along the road, staying in the shadows and avoiding any contact with the English. After some time, they arrived at Jeanne's camp without being detected.

"Excellent work, Gilles," said Jeanne as they entered the camp. "Your men are true professionals." Gilles smiled modestly and said, "It was a team effort. Everyone was very committed to ensuring that we got here safely."

Jeanne agreed and thanked Gilles and his men again for their help. Now, with the arrival of reinforcements, she felt much more confident in her ability to lead her soldiers into battle against the English.

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Rémy had finally reached the banks of the Loire River. The sun was shining brightly, and the sound of the running water was quite comforting. He sat down near the shore and watched the moving water while he focused on his thoughts. Suddenly, he noticed several fish starting to appear nearby.

Intrigued, Rémy approached the water and began talking to the fish. "Hello, friends. How are you doing? Are you feeling well today?" he asked, observing the fish's smooth movements. The fish seemed to respond to him, releasing several bubbles from their mouths. "Hmm, I wonder if they understand what I'm saying," he wondered.

Even though he wasn't sure if the fish understood him, Rémy continued talking to them. "Have you seen any soldiers passing through the river today or yesterday night?" he asked, hoping for a response. The fish didn't emit any sound in reply, but the bubbles they released seemed to indicate that they were trying to communicate.

Rémy felt a bit relieved to see that the fish were apparently doing well, and he decided to continue the conversation. "You know I'm a traveler, right? I'm here looking for information about the situation in the country. If you have any useful information, please share it with me," he asked the fish.

Although he couldn't be sure if the fish understood his words, Rémy felt better for having someone to talk to. He continued talking to the fish for a while, enjoying the warm sun and the comforting sound of the running water. It might not have been the most useful conversation in the world, but at least it was a temporary relief from his loneliness.

"Did you like the snack I gave you yesterday?" Rémy asked the fish curiously, watching them carefully. Although the fish didn't make any sound, they released several bubbles in response, as if trying to communicate something. "I apologize for the inferior food. Next time, I'll look for something better for you," Rémy said, embarrassed for what he had given the fish to eat. The fish didn't seem to care much about the food's quality but continued responding to Rémy's questions with bubbles from their mouths.

During the conversation, one of the fish jumped out of the water and fell back, releasing a bubble underwater as if trying to get Rémy's attention. Surprised, Rémy noticed the movement and grabbed the spear that was next to him with his right hand, walking slowly towards the fish. His gaze was serious, but there was a small smile on the corners of his lips, indicating that he was intrigued by what was happening. He waited to see what was to come, ready to act if necessary.

"I don't think it'll be long before they arrive, at least I hope so," Rémy said as he moved away from the riverbank. He spotted a nearby tree, well hidden, and easily climbed its branches. Sitting on one of the large branches, the view was privileged, which allowed him to place his spear on his thighs and both hands behind his head, supporting it on the tree. Watching carefully from a distance, he awaited the soldiers' arrival.

Soon the canoes appeared, transporting new soldiers. The canoes were stopped, and everyone got out, taking the supplies that had been brought. "Something's strange. Stay alert, there may be enemy soldiers or bandits," the commander told his soldiers, who had already removed all the supplies.

Relaxed, Rémy let out a silent laugh upon hearing the commander's words. While his eyes were fixed on the direction of the soldiers, he felt a swift movement behind him. The commander had run towards the tree Rémy was in. With an agile leap, the commander approached the tree and drew his sword from his waist. With a precise cut, he struck towards Rémy's neck.

Rémy cursed when he realized the commander had tried to attack him unexpectedly. "Damn it! You almost got me!" he exclaimed, indignant.

He quickly dodged, jumping backwards, and found himself standing on the ground, still holding his spear. With a gasp for air, Rémy looked back and saw the commander staggering, still surprised at Rémy's agility.

As he caught his breath, Rémy thought about what had just happened. "If I hadn't dodged, that would have been the end of me," he reflected, with a mix of relief and fear.

Rémy looked at the commander with a furious expression. "How did you find out where I was hiding?" he asked, still holding his spear firmly.

The commander smiled arrogantly. "That's none of your business. What's important now is that you surrender. We are more than you, Rémy. There's no way you can come out victorious from this situation."

The soldiers who accompanied the commander approached, brandishing their swords. Rémy watched them carefully, but did not let himself be shaken. "The number of soldiers doesn't matter to me," he said, his voice firm and determined. "I won't surrender."

The commander frowned, surprised at Rémy's courage. "You're a fool, Rémy. You don't know when you're at a disadvantage," he said, before signaling his soldiers.

The soldiers advanced towards Rémy, but he was prepared. With skill and agility, he spun his spear around himself, using it to protect himself from the soldiers' blows. With a quick movement, he disarmed one of the soldiers and pushed him to the ground.

The other soldiers hesitated for a moment, surprised by Rémy's skill. But they soon recovered and advanced again.

Rémy dodged another blow from the commander and asked, curious: "How do you know my name?"

The commander gave a smug smile and answered while striking another quick blow towards Rémy: "I've heard of a young man skilled with a spear and red hair. Seems like I'm lucky to finally find you."

Rémy dodged again and let out a laugh: "Well, here I am. Did you expect my hair to be longer?"

The commander laughed while striking another blow: "Actually, I expected it to be longer. Was it hindering your performance?"

Rémy defended himself from several attacks that the commander struck with his sword, using his spear with skill. "Actually, I had to cut my hair. It was hindering me, yes," Rémy replied, joking with the commander's response.

The two continued to fight fiercely, Rémy defending himself against all of the commander's attacks with his spear. Although he was at a numerical disadvantage, Rémy's skill in battle was clear. The soldiers began to hesitate, surprised by Rémy's agility and skill.

One of the soldiers had his guard wide open, ready to attack. Rémy was focused on defending himself from the commander's attacks when he noticed the soldier advancing towards him. With a cold expression on his face, Rémy delivered a swift and precise kick, hitting the soldier's face directly, even though he was wearing a helmet. The soldier didn't have time to react and fell immediately, his head detached from his body.

The commander, who was about to warn the soldier about the imminent danger, saw the scene horrified, but it was already too late. He charged towards Rémy, attempting to wound or kill him, but the young warrior was prepared. With his spear in hand, Rémy grabbed the end of the handle and spun, delivering a strong and precise attack. The commander tried to defend himself, but the force of the blow sent him flying through the air.

The commander, agile as a cat, managed to steady himself on the ground before Rémy could pass him. Surprised by the strength of the young man's attack, the commander pondered his own ability to survive if he had been hit. "I'm really impressed," said Rémy, also surprised by the commander's skill in defending himself. With his left arm extended in front of him and his right pulling the spear towards his chest, Rémy assumed a strange posture. "Let's see if I can still impress you even more," he said with a challenging smile.

The commander, in turn, did not show any weakness and took a fighting stance with confidence and determination. "Come on, kid. Let's see if you're really all that!" shouted the commander with a smile on his face, excited at the prospect of a fight that would allow him to demonstrate his fencing skills. The sword and spear clashed, sparks flying with each touch, as the combatants moved with speed and precision, testing each other in a deadly dance. The tension in the air was palpable, every movement charged with meaning and purpose. The commander knew he was facing a worthy opponent, and the thrill of being in such an intense battle made him even more determined to emerge victorious.

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