Itās cute, he thinks, how the young man portrays and behaves himself before him. It should be something a king is more than used to, but Richard the Lionheart has always been more of a knight than a king - such formalities he had long ago banished from the vocabulary of his closest peers. To be called King RichardĀ once again brings back a wave of nostalgia that is certainly not bad, not at all. He may have always wished to be more casual with those around him, always shrugging such important title off his shoulder like it mattered little, solely because it was neverĀ supposed to be his, but at the end of the day, itās definitely welcoming.
Richard is not king anymore. As a Heroic Spirit he may be fragments of the past, of the memory of King Richard I of England, but current day he is truly just that - memories. A page in the thick book called human history. Ah, but really⦠it feels good. To be spoken with so respectfully by someone else other than William Marshal himself.
āEstr dālannde, huh.āĀ A sweet taste to his tongue, is how it feels to speak a language so common to him in the past. He may have been King of England, but itās only one of his many faults, the fact the man had always been fonder of spending time in his lands in France or in their capital itself than anywhere in his kingdom. Richard crosses his arms, the term certainly not weird on his tongue, less so on his ears. He has heard that before.
āI have heard of it before, a rumor. From soberĀ minstrels, no less - theĀ veracity of their words arenāt to be trusted as much. Some said it had been the Churchās idea to spread the stories, but I hardly think they would engage in such a thing.ā Because they were boring, he thinks, but itās not something Richard would come to say out loud for now. Despite all they had gone through, he was still remembered as a Crusader before a King.Ā āMostly what I have heard was how they are fae who take the shape of humans to watch over their people. Immortal, of course, and as old as the land itself. Mostly a tale for kids to learn to be kind and respectful of others, in case one of those turned out to be the land they are so patriot about. Honestly, I have never been much interested in those stories.ā
The reason for it being obvious, of course. First and foremost he has always been much more worried about his own affairs, both ears willing to listen only for any and all rumors involving King Arthur Pendragon and his knights. And secondly, what manner of patriotismĀ is Richard allowed to engage in when for all the titles he is known for, he is also known as The Wandering King, who spent not even six months of his reign in his own birthplace?Ā āSo? You found King Richard himself to speak of an old rumor? I feel almost pressured, truly. Like Iām about to be scolded. I can hardly remember the last time someone wanted to scold me for the things I did while alive - though I donāt blame you in the least. People of modern day really enjoy talking back to royalty, donāt they?āĀ WhatĀ happened toĀ āheās more of a knight than a kingā? Well, in the end⦠Richard I isĀ a king through and through.
Ā Ā Ā āA-ah, no, Iā that was not my intention, Your Majestyā¦!ā England couldnāt help reverting back to the formal title of address as he answered hastily. It was unsurprising, when he really thought about it, that his king would take his question as a veiled, allegorical condemnation of sorts, as though he would follow up with a comment that his Nation would be disappointed in his lack of patriotism. England knew Richard the Lionheart had not set foot in his own lands for very long, of course - neither had he himself during the kingās reign, for that matter. To be a Nation, especially in days of unrest, meant following the sounds of battle wherever they led, and England had not sat around idly during the Third Crusade. Heād remembered being homesick out in the battlefield back then, lonely even, due to having to keep his distance from the humans, lest his physical age raise unexplainable concerns.
Ā Ā Ā And yet, perhaps in part influenced by the feelings of his people, in part his own somewhat idealised view of a hero-king heād never come to know, he hadnāt ever really thought of faulting the king at all for that long stretch of isolation. Certainly didnāt fault him for it now, as it were. Even if the general opinion of King Richard I werenāt as positive as they were today, Englandās firsthand experience alone could testify that ānever being aroundā was by far not the worst thing one of his monarchs had ever done.
Ā Ā Ā āI meant no disrespect by bringing up the legend,ā he said, once he regained his composure, āI bring it up because⦠because itās true. Partially, anyhow. The estr dālannde ā just āNationsā, nowadays ā are immortal beings, their existence and fate bound to that of their territory and those who occupy it. They share in their struggles, their triumphs, in war and peace⦠More than any human could claim to love their homeland, they would do well to know that their Nation loves them infinitely in turn.ā Englandās voice was full of emotion as he spoke, the feeling of pride in his identity, solidified by his land and his people, not at all diminished by the current separation in this city. However, he did fall silent for a moment after, mentally bracing himself for what he was about to say next. Talking passionately in support of this supported ālegendā was one thing, but actually touching on his identity ran the risk of ending this conversation and precluding the possibility of any further ones, if the king thought him a liar, or mad. Still, he reasoned, it was now or never, and even if he werenāt believed straight away, heād stop at nothing to try to persuade the other. England took a deep breath.
Ā Ā Ā āā¦Iāve told you all this⦠because I am one such Nation, King Richard. Yours.ā