The rumors of Joan and Ardiel's sparring echoed throughout the Sword Valley like wildfire.
Every corner of the valley was filled with whispers, each retelling more exaggerated than the last.
The knights were no exception, fueling the gossip with their own interpretations of the duel.
"I swear, Lady Joan was defeated by that young Dragonheart. I saw it with my own eyes!" a knight with a copper helm exclaimed, his voice carrying over the clattering of armor as he patrolled the left valley.
His companion, clearly irked, rolled his eyes and spat back, "Idiot! She didn't lose. It was a draw! Were you even watching? Or were you too busy looking at your own boots?"
The copper-helmed knight frowned but kept his gaze on the distant horizon, the memory of the fight still vivid in his mind.
"Draw or not, what that Dragonheart did was nothing short of incredible. It stirred something in me."
