👑 Yes, Your Majesty
Part 1
Was trying to make a 3D version of this drawing of Henri de Lagardère, the legendary swordsman from Paul Féval's book "The Hunchback" (1857), whose very first gained skill, however, was contortion! Which he did as a kid before he entered the sword fighting school... Interestingly the whole plot of the book is rolling around the fact that Henri never actually gave up on his body-bending skills... 😘
"Say, umm, those rumors... The ease with which you swing the sword in all those seemingly impossible directions... We've been told your mastery by far exceeds swordsmanship, your very body itself being a mere instrument of your will..."
"Wh- who'd tell Your Majesty something like that? Peyrolles, Cocardasse? The bastards!"
"It's not the question who told Us about it but if they told the truth. In the truth, there is no shame!"
"I... Indeed, Your Majesty, I did master some certain... ugh... skills... As embarassing as it may sound, Majesty, the fate had forced me to perform those weird things in the street, back when I was a child."
"Oh? A child? But We've been told you were seen putting those skills to good use, and quite recently!"
"I... might have been practicing... just a little."
"Now, you've made Us curious."
"Majesty, this... a rather lowly sight for peasants, I wouldn't want to disgrace Your Majesty's eyes..."
"Really? And We've been told the sight was quite divine! One would think he saw an angel..."
"I swear I'll kill those two... Ahem! I mean... By Your Majesty's order..."
(Continued in Part 2)