The Rose Of The South
Chapter 17: Danse de L'epee

"What?" Anna turned her head and faced Leon who was handing over his sword. Anna received the sword, feeling back the familiar weight of the sword blade in her hand.

"You haven't practiced in a long time. I want to see your development as your sword teacher."

"Why suddenly—“

Leon had already swung his sword, but Anna was able to immediately fend it off.

Unexpectedly, the sword felt extremely light in his hand. Anna had already forgotten when exactly the last time she swung a sword was this easy. Every movement as has been calculated and no one misses.

Leon was extremely fast and seemed to have no hesitation in the slightest as if to believe in Anna's abilities. Leon can attack from any direction and overwhelm any opponent. But Anna could have gone even faster. While swinging his sword, his body felt light and easily moved, as if he had been training every day for several hours. He even felt he could read Leon's movements when no one could ever do it. Anna seemed to know which way Leon would move and could instantly block his attack. The clinking sound of their swords clashing together formed a rhythm in the middle of the forest.

The newly finished Louis filled all the water containers they came to watch. Queen Isabella was observing her daughter and adopted son with a proud smile, not looking worried at all. Xavier on the other hand was studying their movements in silence yet tense. He clearly looked wary whenever Anna almost fell or almost dodged late.

"Have they stopped since?" Ask Louis.

"Not yet." The Queen and Xavier. Xavier took one of the containers from Louis' hands and drank without removing his eyes from Anna and Leon.

"Your Majesty..." Call Louis from a distance, trying to get his voice heard by Anna and Leon in the middle of their fight. "Are you not tired? It's been more than an hour—“

Louis's words stopped just like that as one of the swords flung just inches from his feet. The three of them who had just been watching looked surprised instead of playing. That's Leon's sword.

Not Anna's sword, which was thrown was Leon's sword.

Anna smiled triumphantly. His skin is reddish. He gasped, his hands achy, sweat soaked his clothes, his short hair was a mess around his face, but he smiled with satisfaction and his eyes twinkled. His sword was drawn before him, toward Leon.

Leon laughed with satisfaction. "It's amazing, Your Majesty." Leon said in his laughter. Then he looked down respectfully, smiled proudly at Anna, and took out his sword. The Sword of King Zuidlijk. He then handed the sword to Xavier.

Xavier was startled, yet completely unaware of what he had just witnessed. He did not receive the sword directly from Leon's hand. "You want me to fight it? After he managed to get your sword thrown? After he had defeated the Lion of the South?"

"Pray for your life, Crown Prince." Leon said with a defiant smile.

"Isn't the result clear? I will definitely lose. Or maybe die. Violet wasn't even that fast!"

"Let me advise you not to die at the first minute. When fighting her, don't look at her as Anna, your personal bodyguard. Don't also see her as Princess Anastasia of Schiereiland who trained in swordsmanship with me. See her as the Great Queen of Zhera, and remember her sword techniques and habits. Only you know."

Anna did not seem daunted at all when Xavier came with Leon's sword. The Sword of King Zuidlijk. The sword that is said to be so powerful, can break black magic. And it was Xavier who made the sword. Xavier should have recognized the sword much more than Leon himself. But Anna raised her chin high and prepared in her position.

Fresh wind dried his sweat. Fly the strands of her hair that have begun to extend. It carried the scent of wildflowers in the forest. Anna inhaled the pleasant aroma again and in an instant, the fatigue she had felt after dealing with Leon had disappeared. His body felt refreshed, he felt capable of anything. He had never felt this healthy before. Anna herself wondered how she could move as quickly and smoothly as before. But he started to like the sensation he felt as he swung his sword freely. It feels like dancing.

Xavier obeyed Leon. The sword in his hand was heavier than his sword, but he recognized the weight of the sword in his hand. It felt like it was just yesterday when he held the sword and handed it to the little Zuidlijk who looked extremely happy. The little zuidlijk is very similar to Zhera. He remembered the moment while smiling.

But her smile immediately faded as soon as she saw the familiar pair of red-colored eyes on Anna's face. Now he looks exactly like the Zhera from a thousand years ago. His sharp gaze, his confident demeanor, even his smile. It was truly the Zhenra he had known a thousand years ago.

As soon as it appeared, the Dragon Eye was gone in one blink of Anna's eye.

"Look, I'm not going to fight you. I don't want—“

"I want to." Anna immediately cut Xavier's words before the Crown Prince actually retreated. "And you better not let me down."

"If you get hurt—“

"will not. Come, Xavier. It's just a practice, not a real fight. It's a wildflower field in the middle of a forest, not a battlefield. And I did need to practice after a long time of not holding a sword."

"If it's just practice, we should use a wooden sword."

"I always use a real sword when I train with Leon. There's never been a problem all this time."

"But I'm not—“

"Start." said Queen Isabella who somehow became an impromptu referee among them. Anna without hesitation immediately swung her sword towards Xavier who instantly repelled him.

"Want to bet?" The whisper of Leon to Louis. "I even dared to risk that sword that Her Highness the Princess would win."

Louis snorted, "Then don't bet." Said. "I'm also sure Her Highness the Princess will win. I believe in the abilities of Her Highness the Princess."

Meanwhile, Anna and Xavier were already in the middle of their duel. Anna no longer thought of anything weighing on her mind these days. His current thoughts were only focused on his sword, on his movements and on the opponent before him. Xavier. Xavier's movements were no faster than Leon's, but somehow, Anna seemed to have trouble reading his movements. As Anna thought Xavier would attack from the side, it turned out that Xavier was moving forward. It was as if Xavier had already studied his movements earlier when he saw Anna and Leon dueling. It was as if Xavier already knew his secret technique. It was as if Xavier had already predicted Anna's movements.

"And you were not interested in me." Anna said as she continued to swing her sword, looking for a gap to break through. His sword let out a tinkling sound that he thought was very beautiful when it collided with King Zuidlijk's sword in Xavier's hand.

"I never said I wasn't interested, Anna." Xavier said with an involuntary smile, enjoying their fight. "I can't let you down, can I?"

"I'd rather you really attack. Don't hold back. Don't spoil me."

"People you?" Xavier laughed, "I've tried. But you can always fend off every attack."

"As I recall, you used to be better than this."

"As I recall, it was a thousand years ago."

An hour had almost passed, Anna did not feel tired at all. He didn't feel like giving up. He was happy and very alive. He didn't want this to end. He was as if immersed in his focus in their sword dance. It felt like the world around them was disappearing and there were only the two of them. They move in harmony and do not give each other the chance to let their guard down in the slightest. It was as if they were dancing in a wild dance, not a duel with swords. Each attack was successfully repelled and each stalk was successfully resisted with another attack to then be repelled. Keep it that way without end.

A glance of memory appeared in Anna's head. About the two of them in their previous lives.

At that time she was still a princess and not long after the Great Fire Dragon found her. They had not been too close and had yet to meet the other dragons. They practiced swords every day when Zhera was pregnant with Zuidlijk.

"Who taught you to sword?" His voice sounded more haughty than now. But that was his voice.

"I am the one who created the sword art that your people used, man."

"Well, you're so arrogant, the Great Fire Dragon."

"You yourself, a woman, a princess, why is this sword? Who taught you?"

"In this country, women are not allowed to hold weapons. The ancient people around me said women were created to be protected. So I taught myself. I observe people, read their movements, then imitate and resist."

Anna knew why it was so hard to read Xavier's movements. It was because Xavier knew his technique, knew his sword style. Xavier knows this guy. Leon is not.

Leon had difficulty fighting Anna because Anna was faced differently from Anna who was taught. Anna did not use the sword style taught by Leon. The movement is much different. He used the sword style of Great Queen Zhenra whom he could somehow remember. He is back to being his old self. He lived a thousand years ago.

So Anna changed it.

If Leon can be defeated by the sword style of the Great Queen of Zhenra, then perhaps Xavier can be defeated by the sword style of Anna taught by Leon.

"You sure Anastasia's gonna be okay, Leon?" Queen Isabella asked when she saw Anna and Xavier were still engrossed in their duel. The Queen looked worried even though her daughter seemed to be having fun while panting at every step and movement.

"Of course—Oh?" Leon looked surprised as Anna's movement began to change. As he looked at the movements and grafts he was familiar with.

"What's wrong? Why?" Queen Isabella panicked.

Leon smiled calmly. "My disciples are back." Leon muttered as he watched Anna practice the familiar attack. "No. This is better. The speed and flexibility were her own, perhaps from her past as the Great Queen of Zhera, but the technique was learned from me. Her Highness the Princess is an outstanding disciple." Leon said, more to himself.

"But... Isn't the sword of Her Highness the Princess too small and fragile compared to General Leon's?" Louis's Comment.

"really. But it won't be a problem for him."

Just as Leon said that, Anna's sword was cut in half. The sword broke, leaving a small blade like a dagger in his hand. But Anna didn't even stop her movement and kept fighting back. It did not interfere with his focus on attacking.

Meanwhile, Xavier was shocked and caught off guard. Anna took advantage of the moment just for a moment to catch Xavier's hand, twisting his arm to the point where Xavier dropped his sword. Anna dropped Xavier onto the grass below them with a single dings movement and instantly unsheathed the small blade of her sword cut right on Xavier's neck.

They were both panting, tired, yet a smile was painted on the faces of the two.

"Sorry..." Xavier said, the little blade was still inches from his neck. The blade could scratch her skin at any time, but she knew Anna would not do it on purpose. After all he would be able to heal his own wounds. "I'll buy you a new sword." His promise.

Without expecting it, Anna laughed. His mood became very good thanks to the two victories he obtained, as if he had forgotten their quarrel in the cave. Anna got up and helped Xavier stand up. "You sure? I want to choose my own sword. If you can, make it special. I like rare luxury items, of course."

Xavier smiled hearing that. "You might forget, I'm a Crown Prince. I can grant you anything you want. You want a sword with lots of gems? Or is it made of pure gold?"

"I want a sword more extraordinary than King Zuidlijk's sword." Said Anna.

"alright. I'll make it from my side." Xavier did not seem to be joking when he said that. He seemed to mean it.

Anna gasped at it, her pupils widening. "Could you?" half a whisper.

"What do you think King Zuidlijk's sword is made of?"

"Stop it. Dragon claw nails? Dragon fangs?"

They laugh back.

Leon came to them, took his once more thrown sword, and handed Anna a bow and a container full of arrows.

"I think I should start retirement. Your Majesty no longer needs a personal bodyguard." Said Leon.

Although Anna knows Leon is only joking, but now after knowing Xavier's plan to ask Leon for help to go to Nordhalbinsel and cut off Selena's black magic on her mother, who wants to help Leon, leon's words sounded like a gesture that he was indeed leaving. Anna immediately brushed that thought off him. At the moment his mood is good because he somehow managed to defeat Leon and Xavier. And his body did not hurt even though he had not practiced for a long time. And Anna assured herself that Xavier would grant her request that day in the cave.

"Don't be crazy, Leon. I still need you. Your retirement plan should be pushed back by at least a hundred years. No, more than that. Maybe another thousand years. Stay loyal to me for another thousand years." Anna observed the bow in her hand. "What's this for?"

"While waiting for this Crown Prince of Nordhalbinsel to buy you a new sword or waiting for the Great Fire Dragon to pluck its scales one by one to make you a sword, it's a good idea to start using this bow, Your Majesty. Just in case."

"But I can't—“

"You can. You just don't know if you can. Just try it." Leon helps Anna put the arrow on her bowstring. "Hint the apple."

"That green one?" Anna pointed at the apple fruit tree not far from them. The apple is referred to as the Westeria apple because its seedlings are from Westeria. The tallest tree only reaches ten meters tall and the fruit is more acidic and green.

Leon laughed cynically, "You should know better, as a teacher I'm not that generous, Your Majesty." He pointed far above the trees higher and farther away from them. "The red one over there is that."

Unlike the Westeria apple, the Schiereiland apple is red and shines like there is sunlight contained in the apple. The fruit is sweet and juicy and the height of the tree can reach five times the height of the Westeria apple tree.

Anna turned to face Leon who still saw the red apple, "Leon—“

"You can do it." Said Leon directly.

"If you're so eager to eat Schiereiland apples, we can buy them at the market. Although it is more expensive than Westeria apple, I'm sure there are those who sell it—“

"Try it first. You haven't even tried it." Persuade Leon.

"That's impossible. Too far and too high. Regarding the Westeria apple over there, of course, I can't. It's even good if I don't hit any of you."

From a distance not too far away, Xavier observed the bow in Anna's hand. The flick fingers of the girl who was holding the bow and arrow seemed to be a sight she had often seen.

The view was often seen long ago.

"General Leon is right." Xavier said, half daydreaming. He then looked into Anna's eyes which had turned red for a moment and immediately returned to normal. "You can."

Anna shook her head, "You're getting weird."

Anna was about to return the bow to Leon, but Leon put his hand on Anna's hand, helping Anna put the arrow back on her bow. The effect of that touch on her hand made Anna's heart pound.

"Sign me, Your Majesty."

Anna sighed, but she obeyed Leon. Anna tried to look at the red apple that was so far away from them that she had to squint. But now as she did so, Anna swore to see the red apple so clearly as if it was in front of her and she could reach it with her hands. Anna took aim at the apple, breathing more slowly and regularly, feeling a gust of wind blowing her hair that was as red as Schiereiland's apple. As she felt the wind around her stop blowing, Anna immediately shot out the arrow.

The sound of apples falling from a distance. Louis immediately ran to the place where the apple had fallen and lifted the red apple that was hit by an arrow shot from Anna.

"Your Majesty did it!" Louis screamed in excitement from a distance.

"Easy right?" Leon said as he smiled a proud smile at her.

Anna still could not believe what she had just managed to do with her own two hands. He saw Queen Isabella who had been watching silently not far from him nodding proudly as if she already knew Anna would succeed. Even Xavier did not seem too surprised at the impossible he had just done as if it was something he was used to.

Anna turned her head back to Leon, still confused, "How—“

"I know you can." Said Leon. "The Great Queen of Zhera is the best archer in history."

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