by D. J. Holmes
***
Putting his arms around his wife, Jacque makes a statement. “You are beginning to act like you did with our other children just before they were born, Isabelle.”
“What do you mean, Jacque?”
“You’ve been cleaning this cottage, from top to bottom, for the last couple of days.”
“I just have so much energy, I need to keep busy.”
“That’s what I mean, Isabelle. This is the same thing that you did with all of our boys.”
“I hope that it’s soon, Jacque. I don’t think that my stomach can stretch any further.”
The next morning, on January 6, 1412, roosters in Domremy, France and throughout the surrounding area, herald the dawning of a new day, as a strange excitement begins to spread throughout the land… a feeling that the French have not felt for a very long time.
“Is it time to get up already? It seems like I just got to bed,” Jacque says to his wife as he turns over in bed, trying to get a few more minutes of sleep.
“The roosters are announcing the coming birth of our next child, Jacque.”
Quickly sitting up, he says, “What did you say?” wiping the sleep from his eyes.
“Our child will be born today, Jacque,” Isabelle quietly says, as she turns toward her husband.
“How do you know?”
“First of all, from the moment that my pains started, the roosters began crowing.”
“What do the roosters have to do with our child?”
“Roosters crow to let everyone know what belongs to them, to stake their territory. This child will take back the property that the English have taken from us. France will crow with freedom, announcing to the world our boundaries, and the fact that we will never be owned by anyone, but the French. God has willed it to be so.” Lying back down, Isabelle tries to relax.
Jacque begins to ask another question when his wife interrupts him.
“Quiet please, Jacque. I must concentrate…. I must relax…. I need to let my body do its job….”
An answer to the prayers of the French is in the process of being delivered….
A few hours later….
“It’s a little girl, Jacque. Look at how beautiful she is.”
“That she is, Isabelle. Look at all of that beautiful black hair. That’s from my side of the family,” Jacques says with pride. “Her beautiful complexion and captivating smile are from your side of the family. What shall we name her?”
“I have been told that her name is to be Jehanne.”
“Who told you what her name should be?” Jacque questions in shock.
“…The Lord.”
“…The Lord?”
“Yes, Jacque.” Isabelle states with excitement. “This child is the answer to all of our prayers!”
“…A girl? A girl is an answer to our prayers?”
“Yes. Is that so hard to believe?”
“She is a girl. We have been praying for peace with the English, and to have our land returned. What can a girl do? It is men who go to war, not women.”
“I don’t know how it will happen. I just know that it will, and it will be because of her, Jacque…. Do you not believe the Lord?” Isabelle asks, disappointed with her husband’s reaction.
“Yes, I believe in the Lord…but a girl?” Jacque stands up expressively and stretches out his arms. “We need a great leader. One who can lead our armies? Men do that, not girls!”
Quietly, and with a lot of patience, Isabelle asks, “Jacque, have all of your prayers been answered in the way that you thought that they should be?”
Frustrated, Jacque answers, “Some of them have….” Thinking for a moment, he then continues, “but most of them, in my wildest dreams, I would never have guessed would have worked. But, they have been the ones that have been the best solutions of all, working so quickly it made my head spin.”
“Could this be one of those answers, Jacque?”
Sitting down, Jacque says quietly, “It could be. If you said that the Lord told you, then Isabelle, I believe you. We will just take it day by day and see what happens. As always, it is in the hands of the Lord anyway.”
Holding out her hand to take his, Isabelle calmly states, “Thank you, Jacque, for believing in me. We must train her, and help her to be prepared for her time in history. That is why she has been sent to us.”
“Isabelle, you are the best wife a man could have. I will do as you have asked, and together we will raise this child for her day of destiny.”
Concerned, Isabelle pulls Jacque closer to her as she firmly states, “We must not say anything to anyone in our village. Not only would they not believe that a girl would be an answer to their prayers, but they would think that we are crazy. Our whole family would be cast out of the village. Because she is special in the eyes of God, and for our survival, we must make a promise between ourselves to never tell another soul.”
“The promise is made, Isabelle. It is between me and you from this day forward.”
Each day, the snow continues to fall, as Jacque and Isabelle care for their new little daughter. In their warm cozy cottage the boys continue to hone their battle skills on the family war board game.
Three months later, the cold weather has broken, and neighbors come to welcome Isabelle’s and Jacque’s newest child.
“She is so beautiful Isabelle, look at her rosy cheeks. She looks just like you.”
“Yes, she looks like her mother. But she has my brains,” Jacque quips.
Smiling, Isabelle agrees with Jacque, “Yes, she has my husband’s brains.”
“Look at all that black hair.”
“Did you see her sparkling green eyes? Where did she get the green in her eyes, Isabelle? Neither you nor Jacque have green eyes.”
“Actually, many in my family have green eyes.”
“Oh. So she gets her hair from her father and her complexion and eyes from your family.”
“I suppose you are right,” Isabelle answers.
Every neighbor that has come to visit takes a turn holding Jehanne.
“She is so precious, Isabelle,” they all state.
“Yes, we think so, my village sisters.”
Leaving some fresh bread, the neighbors return to their homes.
“That was nice of them, Jacque.”
“Yes. They are nice neighbors.”
“We’ll have to get together with them again.”
A week later, the village is ravaged with a sickness that sorely afflicts many of the small children.
“Jacque, Jehanne isn’t feeling very well. All she wants to do is to sleep. Her coloring is pale and her forehead is extremely hot.”
“I just heard that several of the neighbors that came to visit with us, have sick children. In fact, one of them has died.”
“Well, Jehanne is not going to die! I will sleep on the floor by her bed as long as she is sick. I’ll stay awake and tend to her every need.”
“Isabelle…. I don’t know what to do. My men and I have been called to Lyon to help them fight against the English.”
“There is nothing that you can do here Jacque, go to Lyon. I know that the Lord will protect our daughter.”
As hard as it is for him to leave, he understands the wisdom of Isabelle’s words. Jacque goes to Jehanne’s bed. Looking down, he quietly talks to her. “Jehanne, I love you. I have to go, but you will be in my prayers, little one. Please be here when I get back.”
After Jacque and his men have left, Isabelle puts a cool cloth on Jehanne’s forehead. “My little one, the Lord is with you. Do not give up. The Lord needs you here. We need you. Please, Jehanne, stay with us,” her mother pleads.
Hours and days go by. Jacquemin has tried to take care of Pierre and Jean as his mother watches his little sister. Finally exhausted everyone falls asleep, the boys in their room and Isabelle on the floor next to her daughter. Later that night, in her mind, she realizes that she has fallen asleep. Forcing herself to wake up, she opens her eyes. Th
e room is filled with colors. Looking around, she sees a man standing by Jehanne’s bed. Though he is a stranger to her, she doesn’t feel threatened.
“Who are you?” she asks.
“My name is Daniel. Don’t worry. I have come through the Hall of Corridors. I am here to heal Jehanne…. I want you to know that help will always be by her side…. Go back to sleep Isabelle. Everything will be all right.”
Trying to completely wake up so that she can watch Jehanne, Isabelle’s eyes close as she fights desperately to keep them open, “It must be a dream,” she says to herself. “Colors, as beautiful as these, do not fill a cottage in France; they cover the angels of heaven.”
In the morning the rays of the sun wake Jacquemin, Pierre and Jean. Running into the front area of their cottage, they yell, “MOTHER, IS JEHANNE ALL RIGHT?”
Isabelle wakes up, and checks on Jehanne by feeling her forehead. Looking around the room, she remembers the colors, and the feelings of peace and heavenly warmth that she felt last night. “Was it a dream?” she asks herself. “Daniel. He said that his name was Daniel.”
“Mother…” Pierre says, tugging on the sleeve of her dress.
Looking at her son, she realizes the question that he has asked. “Yes, she is going to be all right…. Her fever has broken.”
As the days go by, Jehanne’s appetite begins to return. Her smile is once again bright and shining. Soon she is up, scooting around and getting into everything.
When Jacque finally returns he immediately asks, “Where is Jehanne?”
Jehanne coos as her father walks over to her bed. He looks at his wife. “Isabelle, you did it!”
“No, Jacque, Daniel did it.”
“Who is Daniel?”
“I’ll tell you when we get our children to bed alright?”
“I can’t wait to hear your miracle story,” he answers with bright eyes and a huge smile.
Later in the evening, after all of the children are in bed, Isabelle tells Jacque how Daniel had come through the Hall of Corridors, and healed Jehanne.
“Who is Daniel, Isabelle?”
“I don’t know, Jacque. I only know that I saw him, and that he was here to heal, Jehanne.”
“We will have to remember his name, and keep him in our prayers. Anyone who protects my family deserves to be remembered as we pray.”
“Your suggestion is a good one, Jacque. We will have to remember his name and what he did for, Jehanne.”
Because the weather snows are melting, Jacque and his troops are constantly being called to other cities, to help them in their battles. Or, they are checking the perimeters of their own village, making sure that their families are protected.
As Jehanne continues to grow, she helps her mother feed the chickens, mostly by running after them. She roars with laughter at the flight of the rooster, and the little chicks following their mother are trying to run faster than Jehanne, to get out of her way.
While Jacquemin watches their sheep on the common grazing area, Pierre and Jean scold their little sister for running after the small little chickens.
“Jehanne, don’t do that. You’ll scare them to death,” Jean shouts.
“They’re a lot smaller than you are, Jehanne. Slow down. They can’t run as fast as you can,” Pierre cautions.
Not comprehending what her brothers are saying, little Jehanne continues her games with the small chicks. Still laughing she stops, looking back over her shoulder at her brothers. Suddenly, she sees out of the corner of her eye, a slight movement. Looking in that direction, she sees a small chick running toward its mother. Smiling, she begins running after it.
“Pierre, I don’t think that she’s listening to us.”
“I don’t think that she is either. Let’s go tell mother!”
Walking over to their mother, they start complaining. “Mother, we tell her and we tell her, but she won’t listen to us.”
“Why don’t you bring her to me, we’ll have a little talk, alright?”
“Yes, Mother.”
Walking back to their little sister, they notice that she has stopped running after the little chicks…that have all but disappeared. In their place, Jehanne is now looking directly at a huge wolf that has walked into their yard from the woods.
Pointing in its direction, Jehanne says, “Pretty.”
Being the oldest, Pierre starts giving directions. “Jean! Go tell mother that a wolf is next to, Jehanne. We need her help. I’ll get a stick.”
Jean runs as fast as he can to his mother, giving her the message.
“Jean, don’t play with me. Can’t you see I’m very busy? I need to get this done before it gets dark, and before your father returns home.”
“Mother, we need you now! Pierre is going to find a stick, but the wolf is close to, Jehanne.” Not waiting for his mother to respond, he turns around and begins to run back.
Seeing his earnest behavior, Isabelle drops everything and begins to run toward her daughter. As she rounds the corner of her cottage, she is horrified at what she sees! Standing next to Jehanne is one of the largest wolves that she has ever seen. Jehanne is giggling as she puts out her small right hand…the wolf has come close enough to touch his nose to her hand, and is sniffing while Jehanne continues to giggle. Isabelle’s heart is pounding so loud that she can hear nothing else.
“What do I do, Father?” She says looking to Heaven. “Help me! My bow is in the cottage. If I leave, the wolf will grab Jehanne while I am gone. Please, Father, I am begging for your help!”
Pierre has found a stick, and takes it to his mother. On the ground, to the right of the end of the stick, she sees a half eaten apple. Motioning to her boys to go inside, they duck around the corner of the cottage, and begin running toward the door. Slowly bending down, she picks up the apple, and throws it a little past the wolf, making a sound as it hits the ground. Turning around to see what has landed on the ground behind him he moves away from Jehanne, toward the apple and begins sniffing. After a few sniffs, he puts the apple in his mouth, and runs back to the woods
Running to her daughter, Isabelle quickly picks her up as Jehanne continues to giggle, not realizing the danger her mother has saved her from. Carrying Jehanne, Isabelle runs for the cottage door. Safely inside, she begins to think about Jacquemin who is out on the common with their sheep.
“Pierre and Jean, do you think that you can watch Jehanne while I go check on Jacquemin, to make sure that he is all right?”
“Yes, Mother. We can watch Jehanne, if you tie her to a rope so that she won’t walk into the fire.”
“I’ll do that, my little men.”
After she ties Jehanne to a short rope so that she will be able to walk around, but won’t be able to walk over to the fire, she puts on a shawl and begins to walk toward the common feeding grounds. Just as she gets to the road, she hears the sound of horse’s hooves and sees her husband’s standards. She stops.
“Where are you going, Isabelle?” he asks.
Still in shock, Isabelle quickly states, “I need to check on Jacquemin.”
“I’ll go for you. Why don’t you go back to the nice warm fire?”
“You are a Godsend, Jacque.”
Riding toward the common grazing area where Jacquemin had taken the sheep to graze, Jacque begins to talk to himself. “I didn’t even ask her what the problem was.”
Finding Jacquemin, he asks, “Are you all right?”
“Yes, Father, why do you ask?”
“I just got home, and your mother was on her way to check on you. She looked like she was frantic.”
“Shall I go home with you then?”
“That sounds like a good idea. Then we can both learn what is going on.”
After arriving home, both Jacque and Jacquemin are told the story of the wolf.
“Jehanne must have angels with her, Isabelle,” Jacque states, as he looks at his peacefully sleeping daughter.
“There is no other reason for that wolf to have left her alone,
he looked like he was extremely hungry, Jacque.”
“It’s been a hard winter. Now that spring is on its way, they can’t wait any longer for something to eat. They are wandering further from their homes to search for food.”
“I am so grateful Jacque that nothing happened. This is the first warm day that we have had in so long. I confess… I became careless.”
Putting his arms around her shoulders, and his forehead down to hers, he softly says, “Nothing happened, my love.”
Isabelle begins to sob as she buries her head into Jacque’s chest. Feeling her pain, Jacque holds her until she is able to calm down. “God has saved us all for another day, Isabelle.”
Through her tears, she expresses, “I am just so upset at what could have happened. He could have taken her so quickly. What would we have done? How would we have been able to find her? So many things could have happened.”
“But they didn’t, Isabelle. We have to concentrate on all the good that happens to us. Not on what could have happened, and only by the grace of God didn’t.”
“You are right, Jacque,” Isabelle says as she wipes the tears from her eyes. “From this day forward, we will only think of the blessings that the Lord has given to us.”
While winter thaws, there is no time to let her guard down. Isabelle continually keeps a watchful eye on her children, knowing that the wolves could still be in the nearby forest.
Chapter 2
