chapter 19

Jeanne and Rémy, along with the soldiers, walked towards the large stable where the horses were housed. Upon entering, the scent of fresh hay and newly cleaned manure filled everyone's nostrils. Rémy, with a determined look, spotted a majestic reddish-skinned horse that seemed to stand out among the others.

His eyes were immediately drawn to that particular equine, which was calmly chewing its food. With gentle steps, Rémy approached the animal and slid his hand over the silky mane. The horse, who noticed the man's presence, turned its head to look him in the eyes.

That was when something surprising happened. The horse seemed to recognize Rémy and, for a moment, a look of familiarity and affection passed through its eyes. Surprised, Rémy stared back at the animal and, for a moment, seemed to forget where he was. The horse, in turn, returned to concentrating on its meal, as if nothing had happened.

With a smile on his face, Rémy easily jumped onto the horse. It was as if the two shared a special connection that transcended verbal or physical communication. It was a union of trust, companionship, and loyalty that can only be found between a man and his animal.

Jeanne, watching Rémy mount the red horse, decided to approach a majestic white mare that was standing in a corner of the stable. The mare, with her shiny coat, looked as elegant as she was powerful. Jeanne slowly approached the mare and ran her hand over the silky mane, feeling the soft texture on her fingers.

The mare, sensing Jeanne's presence, turned her head and looked directly into her eyes. For a moment, the mare studied Jeanne with curiosity, as if evaluating her presence. Jeanne maintained eye contact with the mare, with an expression of calm and confidence. After a while, the mare seemed to relax and allowed Jeanne to continue to stroke her.

Jeanne then decided to try and mount the mare. The mare, initially hesitant, seemed to ponder the idea for a moment before finally allowing Jeanne to easily climb onto her back. The soldiers, who were watching the scene, were surprised to see the mare allowing Jeanne to mount her so easily.

The soldiers quickly grabbed the saddles and placed them on the remaining horses, eager to move forward with their mission. Jeanne, riding the white mare, joined Rémy and the other soldiers, ready to move forward on their journey. It was as if the white mare had recognized Jeanne's inner strength and had chosen her to be her rider.

Rémy left the stable, with his hair blowing in the wind, riding the red horse. Jeanne followed, riding her white mare, with the other soldiers riding their horses behind her.

One of the soldiers, noticing that Jeanne wasn't wearing a saddle, asked in surprise: "Miss Jeanne, aren't you going to use a saddle? Wouldn't that be safer?" Jeanne smiled confidently and replied, "No need, I know I won't fall." The soldier, surprised by Jeanne's decidedly confident response, didn't say anything more.

Jeanne rode confidently on her mare, feeling the fresh breeze on her face as they galloped out of the fort. She looked at her companion and whispered in her ear, confident in her ability to stay steady without the saddle: "I won't fall, will I, my friend?" The mare neighed in response, as if understanding every word Jeanne said.

Meanwhile, Rémy walked ahead, with the soldiers keeping a safe distance from him. Although there was nothing threatening about his appearance, there was something in his aura that kept them away. Perhaps it was the way he seemed lost in thought, or maybe it was the expression on his face that seemed to ask for solitude.

Suddenly, Rémy broke the silence by asking Jeanne, "Do you want to sleep?" She looked at him, even though she had dark circles under her eyes due to lack of sleep, and answered honestly, "I don't think I can stay awake for much longer."

Rémy and Jeanne finally left the fortress behind and headed towards the town of Vaucouleurs. As they rode, Rémy noticed that Jeanne was clearly exhausted and offered his arms so she could rest. "Come on, you'll sleep in my arms," he said gently.

Jeanne hesitated for a moment, worried about the possibility of falling, but finally gave in and allowed Rémy to hold her in his arms. He lifted her gently and placed her on his lap, while she snuggled against his chest.

It didn't take long for Jeanne to fall asleep, lulled by the gentle rhythm of the horse's gallop and the comforting feeling of Rémy's arms around her. The soldiers accompanying them, watching the scene, felt a twinge of envy and wished they were in Rémy's place.

Meanwhile, Rémy rode with Jeanne in his lap, keeping a watchful eye on his protected charge as he safely led her towards the town of Vaucouleurs. Silence reigned between them, broken only by the sound of horse hooves and Jeanne's soft breathing as she slept peacefully.

Jeanne's mare followed Rémy's horse closely, maintaining a steady and safe pace. Meanwhile, Rémy conversed with one of the soldiers accompanying them, asking about the time it would take to reach Vaucouleurs.

"How long until we get to Vaucouleurs?" Rémy asked curiously.

"At most two hours, if we don't have any unforeseen events," the soldier replied in a serious tone.

"What kind of unforeseen events?" Rémy asked, worried about the possibility of something going wrong.

"Bandits," the soldier replied, making it clear that the road was not as safe as they would like.

Rémy sighed, hoping they wouldn't encounter any bandits on their way. He knew Jeanne was exhausted and vulnerable and didn't want to put her in danger. But at the same time, he was determined to protect her at all costs and wouldn't hesitate to face any danger that arose in their path.

As they continued to ride, Rémy kept his senses alert, watching every movement around him, ready to act if anything happened.

The soldiers accompanying Rémy and Jeanne were also vigilant, with their hands firm on their swords and their eyes scanning for any signs of danger.

Meanwhile, Jeanne's mare continued to follow Rémy's horse closely, as if she knew she needed to stay by her "owner's" side. Jeanne slept peacefully in his arms, unconscious of the dangers surrounding them.

As they advanced along the road, the soldiers remained alert, watching every shadow and every movement for any sign of bandits. Rémy remained calm, but knew he needed to be prepared for any eventuality.

Finally, after a few hours of travel, they spotted the town of Vaucouleurs on the horizon. With a sigh of relief, Rémy quickened the pace of his horse, eager to reach their destination.

The soldiers accompanying them also became excited. They kept up the pace, following Rémy towards the town.

As they approached the city of Vaucouleurs, the soldiers stationed in front of it were on high alert, their weapons at the ready. However, as soon as they spotted the flag of France, carried by some soldiers mounted on their horses, tensions dissipated. Advancing ahead of his men, Rémy carried Jeanne in his arms, stripped of her armor, as it was still being repaired by the blacksmith.

As they approached, one of the soldiers guarding the entrance to the city called out to them: "Please wait a moment while I inform the lord that allies have arrived." Aware of the importance of maintaining good relations with the French soldiers, Rémy and his men peacefully stopped to wait for permission to enter the city.

Rémy observed Jeanne in his arms, noticing that she was moving slightly, as if she were about to wake up at any moment. He knew he had to patiently wait until the city official came to meet them. While they waited, one of the soldiers guarding the entrance to the city noticed the scene and commented to the colleague beside him, "Hey, don't you think they could be relatives?"

The second soldier followed his companion's gaze and fixed his eyes on Rémy and Jeanne, surprised by the resemblance between the two. He widened his eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing. Rémy noticed the soldier's gaze and wondered what could have caught the man's attention.

The soldier who had noticed the resemblance between Rémy and Jeanne saw his colleague's surprise and asked, "What happened?" The other soldier, still stunned, replied, "You idiot, they are none other than Joan of Arc, and the divine warrior they call the demon!" The first soldier widened his eyes, unable to believe what he had just heard.

Meanwhile, a soldier who had entered the city to inform the feudal lord about the arrival of the allies returned and approached Rémy, who was at the front of his group. "Excuse me, sir. I have received orders to allow you to enter the city. The feudal lord is waiting for your arrival and wishes to discuss the situation with you." Rémy thanked the soldier and moved forward.

As Rémy and his soldiers entered the city, they could feel the tranquility that hung in the air. Children ran through the streets, playing and laughing, and the local residents seemed to lead a peaceful and quiet life. On the horizon, a large castle rose majestically, and Rémy's soldiers could not help but comment on the beauty of the structure.

"What an impressive castle," said one of the soldiers, admiring the imposing towers and walls.

"Surely it is a place worthy of a feudal lord," said another soldier, looking around with admiration.

Rémy and his soldiers finally arrived at the castle. Carefully, he dismounted from his horse, holding Jeanne in his arms so as not to wake her up. However, his efforts were in vain, as Jeanne soon woke up and rubbed her sleepy eyes. "Are we there yet, Rémy?" she asked. He nodded, replying, "Yes, and now I am going to speak to the feudal lord of this city."

Rémy, with all care, lowered Jeanne to the ground. She was still sleepy, after all, having just woken up. With her right hand, Jeanne leaned on Rémy as she put her legs on the ground. She then delicately removed her hand from his shoulder.

"Are you ready?" asked Rémy, anxious for what was to come.

Jeanne, still confused by sleep, replied, "Why wouldn't I be? I'm fine, just a little sleepy... But I'm fine."

Together, they entered the castle, observing every detail of the magnificence of that place. Upon arriving at the dining room, they were greeted by a castle servant who promptly led them to the main table.

The extensive table was composed of six chairs on each side and an imposing chair at the top, which caught the attention of everyone present. At the other end, an equally imposing chair awaited the other guest who had not yet arrived. The table was full of tasty and aromatic food, capable of making anyone salivate just by looking at it.

An imposing man with black hair and a well-trimmed goatee appeared, accompanied by a servant who followed him with a reverent gaze. The clothes he wore were luxurious, with shiny emblems on the shoulders and some medals that evidenced his elevated status. The color of his eyes was emerald green, and his proud bearing indicated a height of approximately 1.80m.

Without hesitation, the man addressed Rémy and Jeanne, who were standing and with a deep and firm voice said, "Please, sit down." They promptly pulled their chairs and settled, feeling the magnetic presence of the man in front of them. The room fell silent as the man's green eyes attentively scanned the environment, observing every detail with a serious and concentrated expression.

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