When the IAC began, Animalia was just getting started and Animalians were looking at ways to engage in athletics that would be fit for them. Many of them knew that given how all Animalians were built, even the smaller Animalians would have a series of advantages over most Humans, and particularly with regard to sports that played to certain adaptations. As time went on and the number of Animalian colonies grew, the avenue for competitions for Animalians in the IAC grew with them, and this saw the expansion on where events would be held and what events would be held. Renardville was ultimately no exception to this and despite various increasing tensions between the US and various EU members, which included France, Juliet had found hosting some events for the IAC to be acceptable. It brought in extra money that could be used to keep her school running and had surprisingly brought some of the students back to visit.
"They are all here to be knights?" Charles asked as he looked out over an open area from the stands that were set up and had a sort of canvas top that provided shade for the various Animalians and Humans in attendance.
Most of the viewers were Humans that came from the area around Juliet's chateau, fondly being referred to as "Renardville" because of Juliet's status as a Silver Fox Animalian. Juliet saw this as some interest in Animalians that went beyond just what was reported but in seeing what they had interest in. The field was set up with two sets of rings that had been marked in chalk and were away from the main areas of the vineyard and from the chateau's grounds for the school that she ran. Essentially it was on the same area where the renaissance fair that compared things from Medieval Europe to Medieval Japan had been held earlier. That in turn then fit with the events that would be there, which related various forms of fencing, and that could be seen with the various Animalians that were on the benches on the far side of the marked fields.
"Not knights, son," Charles' father answered for Juliet and motioned to a brochure he had in his lap, "they've got it set up like a sport... like fencing..."
"They're making fences?" Charles asked to Juliet Renee-Argenté, who was seated on the other side and presently holding Raoul's hand.
"Not fences, Charles," Juliet gave a chuckle and noting the young Animalian's curious fixation on the field and noting the various Animalians that were either warming up or moving onto the one of the two ringed areas on the field, "fencing is an aristocratic sport that was developed for "fashionable swordsmanship." Though, I'd suspect it was born out of the training that knights and other Medieval soldiers engaged in and held onto for some time. I'm not sure on where the use of the word "fencing" came from..."
"Possibly from some of the old duels that did happen between knights and where there was the perception on the defense of one's honor," Raoul offered, "though that's just a guess on my part."
"It looks like they've also changed a lot of the rules," Charles' father commented as he continued to look through the brochure, "like they've been adapted to cross fencing with Japanese kendo and other expected forms of combat... and complete with protective padding and armor that would be designed to simulate actual sword fighting."
"And would fit with the comparison between Medieval Europe and Japan that was done," Juliet explained, "Kasumi isn't exactly versed in kendo, but she is familiar with it and we've been able to get adaptations put in that would let some of those that have been on Heiya Island a role to exercise on how that style would compare with other styles. And in using wooden swords, everything should be non-lethal and the worst injury should only be a bruise."
"So they wouldn't be knights?" Charles wondered, his tail hanging limp for a moment.
"Probably not... but then much of the world has changed since the Middle Ages," Raoul told him, "things are more democratized now. You don't have to be of noble birth to fulfill the same role that knights did back then. And with as much as you want to protect people, I'd sense that you could grow up to be fine policeman in the area."
"In the meantime, just enjoy the sport," Juliet said to him and offered a small smile, "as that's part of the fun that agreed to when the request was made. That people would be able to have fun with these things."
They watched quietly as two figures moved out inside the circle. Both were Horse Animalians, one was Archeron IV... or Archy. The male Percheron wore a specially formed plastic helmet that was designed to fit around his head and protect his eyes and face from the potential for splinters. The long straight wooden sword that he carried with him was made of strong enough wood that it wasn't likely to splinter, or at least not splinter easily. His opponent, one of the Kiso-Uma Animalians named Mitsu, wore similar protective gear. Both also wore padded suits that covered their chests, torsos, shoulders, and the upper back.
The only real differences were in their swords. Typically in kendo, the blade was made of bamboo, but the Kiso-Uma Animalians had found that the traditional kendo "swords" couldn't fully stand up to the strength that they'd gained as Animalians. They'd actually broken a couple while practicing on Heiya Island. Thus, things were changed to use a full wooden sword that would be made so as not to break quite so easily. Archy's looked more like a knight's broadsword with a rounded pommel while Mitsu's had a slight curve to his, almost looking like they were trying to copy the Japanese katana. Both swords were also longer than what the equivalent would be for a Human, so as to fit the size that the two Horse Animalians had.
The two approached and lifted their wooden swords up in a salute to the other. From there, then took a step back and moved toward many traditional sword fighting techniques and the related rules that often applied for both kendo and fencing. To Juliet who generally had little personal interest in combat sports of any kind, it wasn't super interesting, though she could respect pot Archy and Mitsu's skill. To Charles and his interest in knighthood and all those related stories and actions, he had the time of his life. Every crack of the two wooden swords making contact with each other, be it a strike at the other word or when the strike happened to a case where it was more an effort to block or deflect a blow or thrust aimed at the padded guards that were worn to protect the body of the combatants had him hopping up and down. It was something where clopping of his hooves on the material of the stands that were set up for the viewing of the bouts. Even if it wasn't real combat and the swords were wooden, Charles had fun watching all of it and that seemed to not only please him but his father as well.
"You may need to check and see if there would be anyone that would be able teach him fencing," Raoul whispered to Juliet while pointing to Charles who watched watched with great interest.
"Shush, you," Juliet replied. Though she did have to admit that some of the point made sense. In a way it also fueled some of her own private sense of pride and growth in some of her latest pupils and their growth.