The Maid of Orleans

Domrémy

"Everything will be explained to you in time Jehanne." the angel, who's name and appearance I still didn't knew, replied.

After that the light gradually faded until I was all alone again, standing in my dad's corn field while staring straight at Domremy's church.

**

That day four years ago was an eye-opener for me. Before I had had this vision of an angel, I often played with the children from Domrémy. I used to dance, sing and play games with them, most of which were the result of our own imagination.

After the angel told me I had to be a good Christian, I started to see playing with other children as an undesirable distraction, a ‘diversion’ from my faith. So I simply stood aloof from it, much to the surprise of my friends. They didn't understand my sudden change of personality, since I hadn't told them about my visions. They would have simply laughed at me, or worse.

As a result my friends gradually stopped asking me to play with them. Even though they didn't understand it they did accept the 'new' me eventually. Not without asking me questions about it though. Whenever someone asked me about why I suddenly started spending so much time in the church and in the town's small chapel I told them that I realised how much I enjoyed 'devoting time to God', which in a way was part of the truth. It felt like I was lying nonetheless, which is something I hate to do.

The adults, at least those who were observant enough to notice, obviously didn't understand my sudden behavioural change either. Unlike children however they usually didn't talk to me about it, because they either didn't care or didn't feel like it was up to them to question my motives.

The only adults who did question me  were my parents of course, who have always been very protective of me. Parents or not, I didn't tell them the truth about my visions either. Not even the village's priest knew that , I, Jehanne d'Arc, was having visions from the saints. I didn't need the priest, my parents or my old friends to believe me, as long as I believed in myself.

At the end of the day nobody in Domrémy understood my change, but everyone respected me for it, including my former playmates. I gained the reputation of a pious girl. My Mother, who had me baptized and taught me to respect the traditions of the church, couldn't have been prouder of me.

After my first vision the angel started to talk to me more often. Unlike the first time, he usually spoke to me without the bright, almost blinding lights. It took me well over a year to identify him as Michael, the archangel.

Soon after my first vision other saints started to talk to me too. I eventually identified them as Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret. Although the three saints talked to me very often in my head, they rarely showed their  true appearance. It was because of those rare moments when they did that I managed to identify them. I recognised them from the statues in the church.

One day, Saint Michael told me that I must follow the counsel of Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret, since they were appointed to guide and counsel me in what I had to do, and that I must believe what they would tell me, 'for it was in our Lord's command.'

Not that it was necessary for him to tell me, as I wouldn't question the justness of a Saint anyway.

After that certain day in the corn field time passed quickly. Here I was, already sixteen years old, laying in the grass, next to one of my father's fields. The field next to me happened to be the same field that I used as a shortcut four years ago, although the corn that grew here back then was gone. The corn had been replaced by wheat.

I helped my father with his farming work, of which he had plenty now that the harvesting season had recently started. During this time of the year, and during the planting season Domrémy was a very lively village, with people working everywhere.

My father had already gone back home, just like my brothers, who had also helped out in the fields.

The long day of farming work really tired me out, so I decided to just lay down and relax for a while. I slowly ran my fingers through the grass around me, enjoying it's softness.

This was one of the few times that I had nothing better to do than just lay in the grass, watching the sun slowly start to set behind the forest that lay next to the fields, stretching out to the horizon.

Normally I was busy helping my mother with the housekeeping, and during the planting and harvesting seasons I would help my Father out too. Whenever I wasn’t working I usually spent my time attending Mass at our local church, praying and occasionally lighting candles.

This moment was an exception.

It was quiet at the time, the only thing that could be heard were a few birds chirping from time to time. The quietness lasted until a voice spoke to me in my head.

"Jehanne, my child, you must leave for Vaucouleurs tomorrow morning, the time has come."

I immediately recognised the voice as Saint Catherine. I wanted to answer and say something along the lines of me being just a plain girl, but whenever I voiced my thoughts about me being incapacitated and the wrong girl for whatever they needed me to do they replied by telling me that I was chosen by God. They would tell me that God knows what he is doing and that I shouldn't doubt myself, just like God doesn't doubt me.

"But what about my parents, how do I even convince them to let me go?" I questioned aloud. Although the saints spoke to me in my head I always replied to them with my voice, it just felt right to do.

"You will just tell them that you are going to visit your aunt and uncle in Burey-le-Petit. From there you will go to Vaucouleurs. Trust me my child, they will let you leave." She answered without hesitation.

"Isn't that lying?'' I wondered out loud.

''Yes it is, but the goal of your journey justifies it my child. You're going on a mission from God to save France after all.'' She replied, before leaving my mind.

I now knew what I had to do, even though leaving my parents didn't make it any easier to do.

~~~~~~

I hope you liked the first chapter of my first story :) If you ever find a grammar mistake or a typo in my story please let me know so I can change it. English isn't my native language (I'm Dutch) So... Bear with me :P

Anyway, thanks for reading!

- Edited by PerlaEm