Joans Maid

A Chapter by Sam Baxter

It is 1429 and France is on breaking point against the Burgundians and the British during the Hundred Year War. Out of the rubble of the once great monarchy rises a maid of 17, Joan of Arc.

Storm clouds gathered.

I shifted my arm, the sound of the wooden ladder lifting high, giving myself some relief before I put the heavy new siege weapon back on my aching shoulder.

The sky darkened.

A tall broad but thin and underfed man came out from the forming ranks; he sat tall on his brown horse and had a huge plate of armour covering him from head to toe. He wielded a metal shield and a huge axe.

My stomach rumbled.

Since the taking of Orleans, food was a luxury, which separated the rich from the poor. There as barely any food for the low ranking knight’s, I grimaced.

The first crack of light was scary, the horses whining in terror.

Then God bellowed and thunder boomed across the valley.

Then a torrential pour of rain came down upon us.

“I am Sir Lambrecht, duke of Orleans.” The tall man bellowed in a deep guttural voice.

“Fight with me men for our rights, for France. The English dogs think they can waltz in here and take France, well France is still in this war, and while she is, we will fight for her ‘til the end!”

With that he shouted orders to the regiments.

“On my signal charge!”

A dozen more ladders came to swell the ranks.

A giant rock went flying overhead, and crashed into the grey walls of Orleans.

Die English dogs. I thought.

“Charge!” Came the order.

I lifted the heavy ladder.

Then the ladder was lifted by everyone else and we started moving, the ladder clattering.

The army ran as one, getting ready for the carnage.

Then the sky as filled with filled with the screams of the dying.

“Longbowmen!” Shouted someone.

Red liquid splattered everywhere as the arrows found their targets, some bouncing off, some killing or wounding.

“Keep moving men, the battle’s just started!” Came Lambrecht’s bellow.

Then fog descended upon us.

Suddenly it was chaos, men trying to find and rally their comrades.

I kept on moving though, following Lambrecht’s voice.

The fog became thicker.

Another round of screams came from the men as another rain of arrows fell upon us.

Suddenly the ladder became a bit heavier.

I was the only 100 meters from the outer walls.

I reached the walls and instantly got to work, lifting the ladder with all my strength, and then it went out of my reach.

It hit the wall and I think I saw someone start climbing, but it was too hard to see.

Suddenly the ladder was falling, and I ran and jumped.

I stumbled over, and grabbed out my shield.

The ladder came crashing down about 5 meters from me and then another hail of fire came upon me.

I got too my feet instantly and started rallying towards the huge booming voice of our commander.

I tried to look for my team but I couldn’t see them.

“Sir, first assault failed.” I informed grimly.

He cursed “How many men died?”

More men rallied.

“I don’t know sir.”

“Ok, what is your name?”

“Gillis d’Vande of Chinnon sir.”

“Well Gillis, you have the honour of being part of my unit now.”

“Yes sir.”

I rallied behind Lambrecht.

The crows will eat well tonight, I thought grimly.

Then suddenly the fog started to clear, then the torrent of rain that was soaking us stopped.

“Men of France, God is with us and I will lead you to victory!” A woman’s voice echoed through the valley.

I gasped, there’s only one girl in the French army. Jeanette d’Arc, sent by the Lord himself. I swelled in pride. God is truly with us this day.

Then a banner came through our ranks, people bowing down to her and letting her through as more men joined the army.

The banner showed two angels and the word JESUS was sewn there.

Jeanette sat proudly on her horse, but she dismounted, flicking her amazing black as sin hair. Her white armour glittered with elegance, just like her. Everyone stared at her with awe.

“English it is I, Jeanette d’Arc, and by the Lord’s name I demand you give back Orleans or face God’s wrath.” She shouted calmly.

The Englishmen shouted back insults like ‘prostitute’.

A tear came onto Jeanette’s perfect and pure face, and that made me boil with anger. How dare they call her those names! The anger swelled within me and I went over to Jeanette.

“My lady, we will win, you have my word.” I promised. I couldn’t help it, she only is a teenager, but she is France, she is the only ray of sunshine we have in this dark, cruel brutal world. I bowed down.

“God is on our side, so anything is possible.” She whispered.

I stood up and then the momentum picked up, Jeanette unsheathed her sword. She shouted a warcry.

Another wave of arrows came and bit into flesh and steel.

The wooden ladders were being erected.

I raced to the nearest ladder and started climbing it.

I was near the top when a man came from the walls and looked down.

Everything went slow.

The man fired an arrow, and a searing pain went through me.

My eyes widened from surprise, and my grip loosened and suddenly I was falling.

I hit the floor and my vision blackened.

I saw a familiar figure with long flowing hair on the ladder.

Then it fell through the air with an arrow through its chest.