by D. J. Holmes
***
Jehanne asks Pierre “Would you like something to eat while I tell you this story?”
“That would be wonderful. I love to eat while I hear your stories,” Pierre says raising his arms up and clasping them behind his head, as he leans back, relaxing, with a broad smile on his face.
Knowing that he is playing with her, Jehanne throws a piece of meat toward him. Quickly unclasping his hands, he catches the meat, and begins to eat.
“Anyway, as I was saying,” Jehanne begins again with a smile, “the Muslims had taken Spain. And the next thing they wanted was France. But they knew nothing of Charles Martel. They didn’t realize that he had a standing army of full time soldiers prepared and waiting for them. They didn’t know what a great general he was. In fact, Pierre, everything that father has been teaching us comes from the tactics that Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne used in their battles.”
Holding her meat with her left hand she points her right index finger at Pierre, “You see, both of these men made swift and unexpected movements when they moved their troops; they would move faster than their enemies thought that they could. And they never did what their enemies thought that they would do.”
In her excitement, Jehanne continues, “Charles fought the Muslims, the Saxons, and many others. It was only because they were afraid of him, that the Vikings didn’t come against him.”
Putting her meat down, she wipes her hands, grabs her Sword and stands up raising it as high as she can in her right hand, while proclaiming with pride, “The Lord has given me Charles Martel’s sword. The sword that saved France and our Christian faith from the Muslims and the Muslim faith, will now save France from the tyrannical English!”
Looking at Jehanne, Pierre smiles, “Well if you are going to save France from the English, we had better get a good night’s sleep; we need to leave at first light. Would you like me to put your sword up?”
“No, I’m going to sleep with it,” Jehanne comments, and proudly lays it by her side as she closes her eyes.
Chapter 5