by D. J. Holmes
***
Divine providence saves Jehanne many times as she continues to push her troops forward toward Reims, unaware that an ambush is set by the English. Longbowmen are positioned on each side of an open meadow in the woods. As Jehanne begins to ride through it with Pierre and her troops in preparation for another battle, a stag appears. Instinctively the English archers raise a hunting cry. Realizing it is a trap, Jehanne and her troops quickly ride toward the positioned longbowmen. With their attention on Jehanne as she rides toward them, her infantry circles around and grabs the English longbowmen from behind. As soon as this happens the English cavalry rides away leaving their archers defenseless.
“I wonder if they will fight on our side now that they know that their own cavalry won’t protect them.” Jehanne asks Pierre.
“It wouldn’t hurt to ask them, Jehanne. We can always use men who are skilled with the bow.”
Riding up to them, Jehanne comments, “It looks like you were all left to your own defense.”
“That’s what we were just saying to each other.”
“We would never do that to our men. Would you consider coming to fight on our side?”
“I’ve never seen a woman in battle before. What is your name?” An English archer asks.
“I am, Jehanne d’Arc.”
“Jehanne d’Arc?”
“Yes. Have you heard of me?”
“Of course, it is said that you treat your soldiers like they are your brothers.”
“Yes. We are all brothers and sisters.”
“If you would treat us like that, we would be glad to fight for you.”
“I would be honored to have you,” looking at them with a smile, “Let’s get some different clothes for you to wear. I wouldn’t want my men to think that you are the enemy.”
Within a day’s march another English Castle can be seen.
“Here’s our next conquest, Pierre. First, we will let our troops rest while you and I scout the area.”
“Are we going to use our mud again?” Pierre questions with a wicked smile.
“Why not, it looks like there is plenty around here,” she says still smiling.
Walking a short distance from the castle, they notice rolling hills and large groups of trees dotted here and there covering the landscape.
“This is really beautiful country, Jehanne.”
“It is, Pierre. I hope that the battle won’t ruin it.”
“When will the battle start, Jehanne?”
“Do you remember how father would always say, ‘Don’t let them pick when the battle will start. You be the one in control. You be the one that decides when it will start and how it will end.”’
“Yes. So when do you want this one to start, Jehanne?”
“We will attack tomorrow, just after an early lunch. If we don’t come after them in the morning they will think that we are waiting for another day. While we eat, they will be hungry continually being on guard, waiting for us to attack. By the time that we finally attack they will be in the middle of preparing their meal.”
“Ah, good thinking Jehanne. The smell of food will make it hard to keep their minds on the battle.”
“Yes. But our troops will be attacking on full stomachs so they won’t be thinking about food.”
“Your expertise always amazes me, Jehanne.”
Looking at Pierre, with a teasing look on her face, she asks, “Are you hungry now?”
“After scouting all day you can imagine that I am.”
“We ate some biscuits. Wasn’t that enough?”
“No. I’m a meat man. I need some meat.”
“You had better hurry then because I only see one piece of meat left and I’m going to get it.”
“…Really?”
Running to get the meat, Pierre quickly grabs it.
“Ah, take pity, Pierre I like meat too,” Jehanne pleads making a sad face
Standing tall and strong, Pierre puts his left fist to his hip; with his right hand he brings the meat to his mouth, “Then you should have run a lot faster,” and begins to eat it in front of her.
Rubbing her stomach, Jehanne continues their little game. “Pierre, my stomach is telling me that it won’t have to growl very much longer because you are kind and will share your meat with me.”
Becoming more relaxed in his stance as he begins to laugh, Pierre answers, “Your stomach is right, Jehanne. Here it is.”
Sitting down, Pierre and Jehanne hand the meat back and forth sharing what is left, as the sun fades from the sky. The night is quiet, allowing all to get a good night’s sleep.
The morning light begins to flare above the rolling hills that surround the castle.
“I guess it’s time to prepare for today’s battle, Pierre.” Jehanne comments while she brushes grass from her cloak.
Walking toward the strategy tent she observes, “I think that our Captains are anxious for this battle, Pierre, I can hear them talking in the strategy tent.”
Laughing, Pierre states, “We had better get in there then, Jehanne.”
Walking into the tent, Jehanne asks her Captains, “Have you decided what our strategy should be?”
“Not completely, Jehanne. We were waiting for your cunning tactics.”
“Pierre and I have scouted the surrounding area. They can’t have a very large army since the castle isn’t that big. Because of that we will come at them from all four directions. We have enough men to do this and it will make them split their defenses. I’ll attack from the front first and then each of you attack, one after the other from the side that you are assigned.”
Pierre asks, “Jehanne, are you sure that you want to do that? All of their defenses will be directed at you.”
“Not for long, Pierre. The rest of you will attack from your own direction.”
Gathering her forces, Jehanne leads the frontal attack catching the occupants off guard as they sit down for their lunch. As, Jehanne is scaling a ladder into their walled city, a stone projectile is thrown down directly hitting her helmet, breaking the stone into two pieces.
“Ouch, that hurt. What was it?” she wonders. Looking down she sees fragments of a stone still falling to the ground. “Good thing I was wearing a helmet!” she declares.
Soon the focus of the attack shifts from the front of the castle to confront all of the other sides that are now being attacked. Once again, she and her troops are successful.
As Jehanne continues to take all the castles in battle after battle on her way to Reims, many castles give up the moment they find out that they are fighting, Jehanne d’Arc.
Her name is famous. Jehanne d’Arc is praised with having the cunning knowledge of a great general and the protection of her Angels.
Even with her ability to regain their French land, Jehanne continues to experience the lack luster commitment of all the French nobles toward her.
Within their hearts the nobles know that for the sake of their country, they should be commanders like, Jehanne. But their greed keeps shouting so loudly in their ears that the words of truth, honesty, loyalty to their soldiers, and patriotism to their country, coming from their hearts cannot be heard. Though the nobles know what is right, because of greed and wanting to fit in with the other nobles, they choose against it.
On the other hand, with God’s continued guidance, Jehanne’s commitment to her French brothers and sisters makes it possible for Charles VII to be crowned King of France. The mission that her angels had told her was hers alone to accomplish is finally happening. The English had been pushed out of Orleans and now the way is cleared to Reims.
“Pierre, it is time for the coronation of our King,” Jehanne states, hardly believing that the time has come.
“Jehanne, your mission has finally been accomplished,” Pierre says as he hugs her.
“With the Lord’s help we have been able to accomplish what He wanted to happen, Pierre. By the way, what do you think of the coif that I was given to wear to the Coronation?” sh
e questions.
“I like the gold that they added around your shoulders.”
“Do you think that it’s too much?”
“Jehanne, you deserve that, and much more.”
“They brought me new armor with a gold crest on it, a ceremonial sword outlined in jewels and gold, and they wanted me to wear a dress under it.”
“What did you say to them?”
“I told them that I wouldn’t wear a dress. I had to look like a French commander. Like I did in battle…. I wasn’t even going to wear this,” holding her coif, “but they had worked so hard on everything. I told them that I would only wear the coif. And because we were going to be in the Reims Cathedral, I would also wear an ankle length Surcoat. But, Pierre, I feel a little awkward wearing the coif because of the gold on it.”
“Wear it with dignity, Jehanne”
“I want to represent the common people. They don’t have any gold. Why should I be wearing it?”
“It’s fine Jehanne. You still look like a commander. The people will not begrudge you wearing a small amount of gold. It is only because of you that this coronation is even taking place!”
“It is only because of, God that this is happening, Pierre. But, thank you. I will carry in my heart your kind words as we ride through town to the crowning of our King.”
Along with French soldiers and many other French Royals, Jehanne and Pierre ride into the town of Reims next to Charles VII, who because of his societal rank rides in at the end of the procession. Throughout his Coronation, for the Kings protection and because of his trust in them, Jehanne and Pierre continue to stand by his side.