The next morning, Henri and his two friends left the small cozy inn that they were staying at and headed into town for a meeting with the fully assembled force that was going to stand guard over Donrmey. By all accounts, it was a very small number, perhaps fifty at the most. There were a handful of hired mercenaries, a small group of royal army reserves, and a token group of the town militia. As there was no need for fighting just yet, Henri and his friends had dressed down to their simple blue and while tunics while leaving their armor and gear back at the inn. They had instead opted to carry only their personal weapons and a few bags to load up on supplies while in town.

As the troops gathered in the square, they listened to a young herald of the French army as he stood atop some wooden crates and read aloud from a parchment of the latest developments from the fighting further north, "An English force under the Duke of Bedford has met the royal army at Vaucouleurs and prepares to strike. Bands of Danish and Saxon mercenaries hired by the English are believed to be pushing south to test our defenses and the garrison here is to be watchful of them..."

After hearing the news, the royal troops that were present went off to stand at their assigned posts while Henri and the mercenaries took some time to do some drills with the local volunteer militia. Much to their chagrin, the peasant defenders who belonged to the town watch were ill equipped and poorly trained making their morning practice session long and trying.

As noon rolled around, the three friends took a break to rest and assess their situation. Roger wiped his brow as he sat on a crate and began to wipe down his halberd with a cloth, "I'm not sure about you two but I almost think that if the English attacked, it would be better if the militia stayed out of the way. They might get themselves killed along with the rest of us if we have to babysit them in battle."

"Oh come on now Roger. We all started out that way too," Henri replied with an idle chuckle as he sat beside him and sharpened the edge of his sword with a whetstone. "Those volunteers just want to protect their homes and Jacques had a hard enough time coaxing them to take a stand."

"Speak for yourself. You two seemed to get on fairly well last night during the meal and strategy session," Angie remarked as she reclined alongside them and combed out some knots from her long dark hair.

"He just seemed like a good man," Henri shrugged as he continued to work, "He cares about his home and seems to have his heart in the right place. I can respect that."

Roger gave Henri a light elbow to the ribs and grinned, "Well my friend, play your cards right with him and you might walk away from this job with more than you bargained for."

Angie raised a curious eyebrow as Henri glared at Roger before he explained to his sister, "I was under the impression that the doyen's daughter Joan might have taken a little bit of a shine to our friend here. Or that maybe it went both ways?"

"Don't be absurd. It doesn't," Henri frowned as he ran his whetstone across his blade a little harder, "And even if that was the case, how would that possibly work between a wandering sell-sword and a farm girl?"

"Oh, I think it could be very romantic," Angie teased as she playfully patted Henri's cheek, "The money you earn here could substitute as a dowry and she could join our merry band of misfits too."

"Gives new meaning to the term war booty, doesn't it?" Roger joked causing the two siblings to erupt into fits of laughter at the lewdness.

Henri sighed and mockingly pointed his sword toward them, "Quit clowning around. You two have taken leave of your senses and you're imagining things."

"Oh... I wouldn't be too sure of that," Angie replied as she looked beyond Henri and gave a friendly wave to someone approaching from behind him, "Joan! Hello, nice to see you again!"

Henri turned quickly in surprise and sheathed his sword as the blonde peasant girl approached with a friendly smile and a large covered basket of food. She addressed the three mercenaries with a polite nod, "Hello Henri, Roger, and Angie. I'm glad I found you here."

Henri gave his two friends a quick reproving scowl as they stifled some laughter before Roger asked, "To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit, miss?"

Joan offered the large basket toward them and removed the cover revealing some fresh bread, fruits, nuts, and a wedge of cheese. "My mother and I were bringing some food to my father and the other troops. I thought you might like some too."

Joan gestured over to a small cart where several other women from the village began to distribute some lunch to the troops who were present.

"That's very kind of you. Thank you!" Angie smiled as she gave Joan an appreciative nod and picked up an apple from the basket.

After they had eaten lunch, Joan gathered the leftovers into her basket before giving the three a hopeful look, "I know you three will be getting back to drilling with the town guardsmen soon, but I was hoping I could ask you for a favor too?"

Roger patted his full stomach and gave a little satisfied burp, "I guess it's only fair, right? You did give us a nice lunch after all."

Henri nodded in agreement, "How can we help you Joan?"

The girl picked up a quarterstaff that had been lying in the grass nearby and she planted it in the ground while giving a resolved look, "I'd like to ask you to teach me how to fight."

There was a long silence as the three mercenaries exchanged puzzled looks with each other. Since yesterday, everyone had thought Joan was just another sweet mild mannered farm girl who would be more at home with caring for horses and doing needlework. She seemed too gentle and naive to pick up a sword and want to kill people because no one had expected this request. Henri finally cleared his throat and spoke, "I'm sorry... what?"

"I'd like to learn how to fight," she said gripping the staff and giving it a few light swings, "You three are supposed to be skilled fighters, right? I'm asking you to teach me."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea..." Roger began as Angie came over to take the end of the quarterstaff.

"My brother's right. I don't think the art of war generally mixes well with us girls."

"Well... you're a woman too, aren't you?" Joan asked pointing out the hypocrisy to Angie.

"Yeah... but this is different. You have a home and family here. You actually have something to live for."

"Which is exactly why I want to learn to fight," Joan said stubbornly, "The English are coming again and I mean to defend those things."

She turned to Henri and gave him a pleading look, "Please, let me help all of you?"

Henri looked to her for a long moment and then to his two companions who gave helpless shrugs, uncertain of what to do either. He finally relented and gave a sigh before picking up another quarter staff, "All right... maybe we can teach you a few things to defend yourself at home only. Not on a battlefield, okay?"

Joan gave a grateful smile before Henri handed the staff to Angie to act as her opponent. "All right. You can practice on Angie here. I'll walk you through a few simple techniques to protect yourself. Roger? Maybe you could get back to the town watch and start them on their next drills for now?"

A short time later, the town militia continued to drill under Roger while Joan practiced more with Angie and Henri on some simple combat moves. As Angie deflected another thrust and follow-up swing from the other end of the staff, she gave a grin, "Hey... not bad Joan. I think you might be a natural at this."

Joan lowered her guard and took a moment to catch her breath before giving an appreciative smile, "Thank you. I... father?"

Everyone turned to see Jacques d'Arc as he called out his daughter's name and strode over, "Joan! There you are! What do you think you're doing?"

He was accompanied by a couple of royal soldiers and they looked on curiously as the doyen met his daughter with a questioning frown. He saw the staff in her hand and narrowed his gaze even more, "Joan? What is going on here?"

"I'm sorry father," she pleaded, "I asked these mercenaries if they could teach me how to defend myself. Please don't get angry with them. They didn't know..."

Henri and Angie exchanged surprised looks before Henri spoke, "Sir, I apologize. We didn't know..."

Jacques raised his hand calmly to silence him, "It's all right Henri. I'm not upset with you. As for you Joan... I thought we've been over this already. The battlefield is..."

"No place for a woman. Yes I know," Joan grumbled while trying to control her frustration, "But you don't understand! The angels..."

"Were all just a dream," Jacques insisted, "Joan, please don't bring that up all over again. There's no need for you to pick up a sword and be a soldier. We already have these men here to protect the village..."

"No father, you'll still need me! The whole kingdom needs me!" she pleaded but her father angrily took the staff and waved her off.

"Joan, you're embarrassing me. What the kingdom... or what's left of it, needs from you right now is to go home and stay out of the way of these soldiers."

"Father... please," she protested but Jacques gave her an angry look and sternly pointed in the direction of home. Joan simply gave a defeated sigh and held back a few tears of frustration before walking away quickly and keeping her head turned away. Unfortunately that didn't stop the royal soldiers who were present from beginning to laugh amongst each other at the crazy notion of a farm girl wanting to fight alongside them on the battle line.

Henri and Angie remained silent until Jacques took a calming breath and gave them an apologetic look, "I'm sorry you both had to see that. My daughter... she can be a bit stubborn and well... let's just say high-minded... maybe too much for her own good. If you'll excuse me, I should go find her and make sure she gets home."

"Allow me sir," Henri offered diplomatically, "You have more important places to be than I do right now. I'll make sure she gets home safely as a way to make up for earlier, even if we don't have to."

Jacques considered it a moment before giving a nod, "All right. I'll leave you to it Master Sorel."

After he departed with the other soldiers, Angie gave Henri an amused look but he raised his finger toward her, "No. I don't want to hear it, Benoit."

"Fine. Suit yourself," Angie chuckled as she sauntered off to join her brother with the training, "Now excuse me while I go continue to make myself useful."

A short while later, Joan trudged down the dirt path just outside of town while riding atop her grayish white horse Celeste. She was in no hurry to get home to her chores and was still feeling a little sore after the argument she had with her father. As she continued to slowly make her way down the road and gaze out over the farm fields, she turned when she heard the sound of an approaching rider from behind. To her complete surprise, she saw that it was Henri atop his own dark brown colored charger named Tempeste.

Upon nearing, he slowed his horse and rode up alongside her giving a polite nod, "Pardon me miss, I hope you don't mind an escort home?"

"Henri? What are you doing here?" Joan asked wiping her face to make sure the last of her tears and redness of the eyes were gone.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay from earlier," he answered honestly, "And... because your father may have asked me to see you home too."

Joan sighed and gave a shrug, "Well thank you. As you can see, I'm fine."

"Ah... I see. Because you didn't look fine earlier," he prompted with a sidelong glance.

She scrutinized him a moment with a mild frown, "If you came to tease me too, then..."

"I didn't come to make fun of you," he said, "Quite the opposite. It's not every day that regular farm girls try to take up weapons of war and ask to stand on the frontlines beside the soldiers. I wanted to ask you again about that."

Joan frowned to herself, "It's silly. You'll laugh at me, just like those soldiers did."

"Try me," Henri said calmly as they rode down the path.

Joan was silent for a time until she gave a nod, "A few years ago... I had a vision in the garden of my home. I was visited by several angels from heaven... especially Saint Michael. It was so beautiful."

Henri regarded her with silent curiosity but let her continue, "I like to believe that God Himself was speaking to me. I was told that it was my duty to help King Charles take back our lands from the English invaders."

"You... actually believed all that?" Henri asked incredulously, "That God and the angels were talking to you and telling you to save all of France?"

"Are you a religious man Henri?"

"Well... I don't know," he admitted, "I guess I still want to believe there's some Almighty power looking down on us from above, but look around Joan. Where is He? All we've had are decades of suffering, wars, and death. Hell, I'm not even sure the royal army can defeat England in battle any more. Those victories have been few and far between."

"Then it's all the more reason for us to believe right now," Joan replied, "Our Lord works in mysterious ways and he's worked through people like you and I in desperate times to light the way for others."

"That's why you wanted us to help teach you to become a soldier today?" Henri asked, "So that you can go help the king and save the whole land?"

"Yes... but more importantly, I want to protect my home and all the people I love from harm," she answered resolutely.

"It's a hell of a story, I'll grant you that. For a minute there, you almost had me believing in that cause too," Henri smiled quietly before she turned to him and looked him in the eyes.

"And what do you believe in Henri? Tell me. What are you willing to fight and die for in this war? Gold? Fame? Earthly pleasure?"

Henri fell silent and looked back toward the road, unsure of how to respond so he decided on erring on the side of honesty, "I... guess I'm not completely sure anymore. I think I'm still trying to figure that one out as I go along."

He gave a slightly sheepish look before he took a steadying breath, "But I do know one thing. I know a little bit about how you feel right now... having felt like the whole world might be against you. You feel they don't believe in you or take you seriously?"

Joan nodded quietly, "So what are you supposed to do about it?"

"You do whatever you have to and make them listen and believe in you... but never at the expense of self preservation. You can't do a whole lot of good for the world or yourself if you just throw your life away either."

Joan gave a small smile, 'Thanks... that almost sounded idealistic for a mercenary... almost."

Henri laughed and echoed her own words, "Believe it or not, we sometimes do good in our own strange ways too."

"I'm sorry again that I don't have anything to give to thank you for all your help today."

Henri shook his head gently. "All I can ask is that you and your family stay somewhere safe during these next few days. If the English army comes, there's no telling how bad the battle might be."

Joan's expression darkened somewhat, "It's a terrible thing, this war. I've listened to the people of our town talking. They say the king's armies have been losing battles and the people of the other provinces are suffering. I wish there was some other way that I could help."

"You really shouldn't need to worry. My friends and I are not going to let the English harm you or your village."

Joan nodded at him quietly for a moment before asking, "You're also from Champagne, aren't you? I can tell by the way you speak."

"I'm from the city of Troyes," he answered with a nod, "Just like Roger and Angie."

Joan continued with a curious look, "You don't speak like a common soldier either. Are you a noble?"

Henri shook his head with a mild laugh. "Thankfully no. My father was a seneschal to a lesser noble in Troyes. I was working to finish my own schooling when I got pulled into the wars. I was hoping to become a teacher, but it seemed fate had other plans for me."

Joan simply gave a warm smile and reached out to place a gentle hand on his shoulder, "It's a shame then that you were forced to become a soldier. I think some younger students are missing a good influence."

Henri returned the quiet smile before they came upon her family farm. The mercenary pulled away and wheeled his mount back around to head back toward Donremy proper. "I wish you luck in your quest to save the whole kingdom, however you decide to do it."

"You can still join the quest if you like," Joan said as she dismounted and stroked Celeste's mane.

"For now I think I'll just concern myself with my job here and with battles I know I can win," Henri answered as he urged Tempeste back down the road and gave a wave, "And a battle will be coming. Best if you and your family stay close to home for now... and remember what we taught you today."

Joan smiled and returned the wave as he galloped back off down the road. With a resigned sigh, she turned back around and headed back into her farmhouse where the rest of her family and her mundane afternoon chores awaited her.

Later that evening, a warm red fire glowed from the hearth as Joan sat on her bed while her mother braided her hair. The young woman glanced over to the table where the remains of their pot roast dinner stew sat. Nearby, her father stood looking out the window in concern while over in the corner of the small house, her younger brother Pierre sat playing with a carved wooden knight figurine.

"Looks like a storm is coming," Joan's father mumbled as they heard a distant rumble of thunder.

"I wonder if that means the royal army is fighting," Pierre asked aloud earning a stern look from his mother.

"You should hope that they don't if you know what's good for you."

Joan sighed to herself, "I still wish there was a way to end all the fighting and suffering."

Her parents looked doubtfully to each other as Pierre pumped his fist, "It could happen! Maybe the royal army will go out there and beat the English tomorrow!"

Joan smiled in amusement as Jacques rebuked the boy again. She could understand her brother's eagerness to help. She often wondered what it would be like to take up arms and help all the brave men and women already fighting to protect their friends and loved ones. It made her think of the mercenaries who she had recently met and befriended. She had heard many stories of sell-swords usually being like mangy dogs who were cutthroat and dangerous. She was sure that was still generally true, but it seemed like there was something different about Henri and his two friends Roger and Angie. Her own father had spoken well of them and seemed to like them.

In a way, they almost struck her like guardian angels who were now standing guard over Donremy and helping to keep the wolves at bay. Joan spent another moment thinking of the help and the kind encouragement that Henri had offered and she couldn't help but smile quietly to herself.

"I don't care," her mother continued, "Until all those soldiers clear out of here, I don't want any of you straying too far away from the house."

"Not all of them are bad mother," Joan pointed out gently.

Her father shook his head wearily and sat down again. "That may be true, but your mother is right. Until those soldiers leave, we're going to stay indoors for a few days. The town mayor wants us all to gather in the village hall tomorrow while the royal army goes to meet the invaders."

After a moment, he turned to his daughter, "Joan? Can you lock up the stables before the storm? I think Celeste might still be outside."

Joan nodded obediently and gave a sigh as her mother finished and put a white lily in her hair. She put on a light robe and left the warmth of the house to search for her horse in the pen outside. Soon enough, she found the young horse as it whinnied and pawed the ground restlessly turning its head to the evening sky. The horse was so preoccupied it didn't even hear the footsteps of the young woman approaching from the barn. "Celeste! There you are. How did you get out here?"

Joan blew aside a strand of her long golden hair and gently took the harness from the white horse, leading it back to their family ranch. The horse whinnied again and turned its head stubbornly toward the distant horizon. Joan followed the gaze of the horse and turned her blue eyes toward the darkening sky in the north. Despite the fading rays of the evening sun, she could see a large dark front of storm clouds threatening in the far distance. As a faint rumble of thunder was heard, Joan put a calming hand on the horse's nose and whispered. "I know Celeste. I'm worried about the soldiers coming this way too. But that was just thunder. It can't hurt us."

The horse nodded its head as Joan gently led it back toward the stables. As she took one last look to the ominous skies, Joan couldn't help but feel uneasy. She prayed the war would not come to her little village of Donremy, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the clouds predicted otherwise. She turned and saw her father and younger brother waving her in from the door of the barn. With a sigh, she took the reins of the young horse and hurried home to take shelter from the coming storm.