by D. J. Holmes
***
“Jean, Pierre,” a sad familiar voice calls their names.
Turning in the direction of the voice, Jean and Pierre are surprised. “Jacquemin, what are you doing here?”
“I need your help.”
“What’s wrong?” they both ask anxiously.
“It’s, Jehanne.”
“I knew it. I could feel it in the air, Jacquemin, what’s happened?” Pierre asks.
“Jean de Luxembourg has sold Jehanne to the English.”
“Why would he do that? She became friends with his wife, his daughter and his aunt while she was his prisoner.” Jean asks.
“His wife begged him not to sell her, but the money was too hard to resist.”
“How much did he get for her?”
“10,000 Gold Livres, and an annuity.”
“The English paid that amount? Jehanne must be in big trouble if they paid that much gold for her,” Pierre remarks.
Shocked and dismayed at the extreme danger they could now see that their sister was in, all of the brothers are at a loss for words.
Finally, Jacquemin says, “I am asking if you will ride with me to free her. We can’t let our sister rot in a dirty, cold, damp English cell.”
“I’m with you, Jacquemin,” Pierre announces quickly.
“I want to go with you too, Jacquemin, but what about my troops?” Jean states with concern.
“I’ve thought of that. I’m sure that you have done as I have…the way that father taught us. All of your captains have been in on your war planning haven’t they?”
“Yes, I’ve done that. What about you, Pierre?”
“I’ve done that also.”
“So you have been teaching your captains everything that father taught us, right?”
“Yes, you’re right,” Pierre agreed.
“Then your captains will be able to carry on without you.”
“Jean, Jacquemin is right. Our captains have enough knowledge to carry on without us.”
Thinking for a moment Jean agrees, “You are right.” Turning to his older brother, Jean asks, “Where have they taken her, Jacquemin?”
“…To Rouen. She is on trial in Rouen.”
“…On trial? What are the charges,” Pierre questions knowing how kind his sister is.
“They are trying her as a witch.”
“Jehanne is the furthest thing from being a witch than anyone can be,” Pierre says with a great deal of anger.
“I agree, Brother. But the English needed a reason to put her on trial.”
Feeling extreme concern for his sister’s welfare, Pierre is tired of talking. “Let’s get moving then. Rouen is a long way from here.”
“I’m ready,” Jacquemin says as he grabs the reins of his horse.
“Give us a few minutes to gather our belongings and some food to eat along the way.”
“Don’t forget your older brother when you are gathering that food. I was in such a hurry to get here I forgot to pack anything to eat. I’m starving.”
Looking at his older brother while gathering his belongings, Jean reminisces, “We always brought you food when you were out tending the sheep.”
“Yes. But Mother asked you to bring the food to me.”
Walking over to his brother, Jean waves a freshly baked biscuit just under Jacquemin’s nose, “Does this smell like mother’s cooking?”
Just looking at the biscuit made Jacquemin’s stomach growl… the aroma of this freshly baked biscuit made him want to reach out and grab it from his younger brother. But knowing the strategy of deception that his father had taught him, he says, “Let me taste it, Jean. Then I’ll tell you if it’s like mother’s or not.”
Handing the biscuit to his brother, Jean mumbles, “I can see how this whole trip is going to be. I’ll be the one who cooks, and both of you will be eating it.”
“…Sounds good to me. What do you think, Pierre?” Jacquemin says with a huge smile.
“Can we go now?” Pierre answers, not thinking about food, but feeling a great sense of urgency.
Taking extra horses with them, Jehanne’s brothers ride knowing that the life of their sister depends on how fast they will be able to get to Rouen.
