章 13: Vaucouleurs (5)
My eyes opened as the sun beamed down onto my face. The worst part about staying in this inn is that damn star shining directly onto my face every morning. I sat up and rubbed my fingers against my eyes to better adjust them to the light.
"Good morning Jack!"
"Morning Jeanne."
Jeanne was already up and sitting at the small table in the room. She was looking at the bible we'd been using to help her learn to read.
"Is it getting any easier?"
"I believe so, but it is hard to know if I am even pronouncing them properly."
"We can go over it tonight. Just keep practicing."
I got out of bed and stretched my body. My eyes glanced down at my arm where the cut had been last night, and the cut was still there, so I guess that does mean self-inflicted wounds won't heal. Though it could also mean minor injuries don't heal, but I'm not gonna stab myself in the arm to test that idea.
I made my way out of the room and headed towards the lobby where Gaston started his day. He was leaning on the counter like he always would this early in the morning. His head tilted my way as my footsteps alerted him of my presence.
"Morning kid, sleep well?"
"Yeah, what about you Gaston?"
"It sucks being old. You never really sleep well, but I can't complain much."
I sat down in front of Gaston and leaned on my palm with my elbow against the counter. I talked with him about what had been going on around. He told me the captain had increased the amount of men set to guard the perimeter of the town. Gaston said it was due to what happened in Domremy, something about not wanting to get caught off guard.
"Where would I find the captain? Jeanne and I need to talk to him about something pretty important."
"I've heard that he hangs around the church near the center of town. You should be able to find him there. If you can't find him in the church then stalk around where the soldiers hang out, and you might find him."
"Thanks Gaston."
"Anytime kid!"
I got up and walked back toward the inn room. Jeanne was holding a cross and praying silently to herself when I walked in, so I stood by the door until she was done. She opened her eyes and smiled when she saw me.
"Gaston said that the captain might be at the church. Want to go look for him?"
"I can not think of anything else to do so yes. I would like to go search for him."
"Do you know what you're going to tell him?"
"What do you mean? I am to tell the truth right?"
"Yeah, but have you practiced what you're going to say?"
Jeanne stared at me a little confused.
"Why would I need to do that?"
"Nevermind, just forget it, let's just go find this guy."
People from this time didn't really have social anxiety I guess. If I was going to talk to someone as important as a military captain then I'd at least rehearse what I was going to say. If not then I'd end up stuttering and looking like a fool in front of him.
Jeanne hadn't been outside much since we'd arrived, so when we started heading for the church she kept looking around. I couldn't tell if she was just admiring the town or looking for the man who she'd met at the tavern when we first got here.
"Are you okay Jeanne?"
When I called her name, Jeanne's body jolted slightly before she turned her head back towards me.
"Yes, I am fine."
"When we get there, do you want me to wait outside? I don't think it'll be a good idea if I go in there especially if there are lots of people. I don't really like having tons of people staring at me."
"Oh, I see… Well if you don't wish to stay beside me while I speak, then I would like it if you were to at least accompany me inside."
"I can do that, and once you find that captain guy then I'll leave so you can speak with him."
"Very well."
The church in Vaucouleurs was bigger than the one in Domremy. It looked at least twice as big and seemed to be built much better than Domremy's church. I wasn't an architect, so I couldn't tell what the church was made of, but the building looked to be made with a kind of gray stone. We walked past the giant doors and made our way inside. Multiple massive pillars were holding up the insides, large windows allowed the light to shine inside the building, and a giant cross stood at the end of two long rows of seats. My eyes searched the inside of the building looking for anyone that might stand out.
"Hey Jeanne, what exactly does this guy look like?"
"To be honest, I do not know, I have only ever heard his name. I know nothing about his appearance."
A man wearing a dark robe made his way towards us. I assumed he was the priest since the one in domremy wore a similar robe. He smiled as he got closer, and when Jeanne saw him her eyes lit up while she smiled. She walked forward a few steps to meet the man as he approached.
"Hello father!"
"Good day to you both. You seem to be looking for someone?"
"We're looking for the military captain of this town. I need to talk with him about something important."
"Ahh, I see, you are looking for Captain Robert. I'm afraid he is currently patrolling the outer perimeter of the town. You are welcome to wait here for his return."
"Thank you father."
Jeanne dipped her head down and turned back towards me. The priest looked at me, smiled, and then turned to return back to wherever he had come from.
"He said that we'll have to wait for the captain to return."
"I heard him. Do you think it'll take long? I don't really have anything else to do, but it feels weird being in here. Those two guards are staring at us beside that huge cross, and it's making me feel weird."
Jeanne turned her head around and looked at where I was pointing. Two guards were standing next to each other mumbling. Jeanne raised her hand and waved it slightly before turning back towards me.
"One of them is the man who allowed us entrance into town when we first got here."
I leaned to the side and tried to figure out which of the two she was talking about. I don't know how she remembered either one of those two men or how she was able to figure out one of them was the same as the soldier mumbling in the corner.
"How do you know that?"
"I've always been good at recognizing people. When merchants used to visit Domremy my father used to talk to them and I'd…"
After mentioning her father, Jeanne's voice slowly trailed off. Her lips trembled slightly as her eyes looked away from mine and down at the floor.
"I see, it's amazing that you can memorize people like that."
"Ah, thank you Jack. Something as simple as that does not deserve praise though."
"It might be simple to you, but I can barely remember anyone in this town. I've never been good with names or anything like that. My brain just doesn't store information like that."
Jeanne looked back up at me. She didn't look as sad as before, but I could tell her father was probably still lingering in her mind. Her eyes quickly changed from looking back at me to looking past me. I turned my head and saw a man with short black hair accompanied by two other men at his sides. The man was tall, taller than me, he had that look that a tired parent had after dealing with a toddler's tantrum. The man bumped into me and pushed me to the side as the other men followed behind. Jeanne was already out of the way of the man when I turned my head back. She stepped forward to talk, but the man saw her open her mouth and positioned his hand between him and Jeanne.
"I have no time for chatting girl, I am far too busy to speak to someone of your caliber."
As she followed the man, Jeanne opened her mouth again to try and speak but the man just waved his hand to shush her. He kept walking and completely ignored any attempt Jeanne made at getting his attention. She looked at me with a frustrated expression. I walked over to her and put my hand on her head.
"I guess that's who we're looking for?"
Jeanne sighed as my hand moved side to side slowly over her head.
"It does seem like that is Captain Robert, but I do not think he will make time for me."
"Do you think the priest could help? You're trying to convince him that you were sent by the lord, so surely the priest would help bring you to the captain, right?
Jeanne closed her eyes as my hand ran along her head. Her tongue was swirling around in her mouth as she thought. She opened her eyes and sighed.
"I will go talk to the priest and explain what's going on. I hope he will be able to grant us an audience with the captain. Stay here for a moment, Jack, while I talk to the priest."
"Alright Jeanne, good luck."
Jeanne made her way over to the priest as I lifted my hand off her head. The priest was having a conversation with another man who was bald and wearing a similar robe to the priest. Jeanne waited patiently beside the priest until he was finished talking.
I leaned on the wall near the entrance as Jeanne and the priest talked. I closed my eyes in order to distract myself from any gazes that might be locked on to me. I hated being looked at, but when you're standing in a church doing nothing but lurking in the back then you're guaranteed to get a few looks. My body shuddered at the idea of what people might be saying. In school I was always worried people were staring at me. No matter what I was doing I always thought someone was staring and judging. The habit never changed even when I found myself here.
"Ahem."
An extremely close voice called out to me. I opened my eyes and saw a man standing a few feet from me. It looked like one of the two men at the gate. Now that I was closer it was easier to tell that the man in front of me was the same man at the gate.
"Oh, uhm, hey?"
"Hey kid, how are you holding up?"
"What do you mean?"
"Are you liking it here in Vaucouleurs? When I was a kid, a little younger than you, My village was burned down, and I was forced to move away with my family. I was just wondering if you needed help with anything."
"Oh, well thank you, this place is a lot bigger than Domremy, and Vaucouleurs does feel a lot safer. What's your name?"
"Sigmund, Sigmund Fosse, nice to meet you..?"
He extended his hand out to offer a handshake. I looked down and took his hand before we both shook each other's hand. His hands were rougher and more firm than mine. He'd probably been a soldier for years and his hand was definite proof of that.
"Jack, just call me Jack, nice to meet you too Sigmund."
"No last name?"
"I'm afraid not."
"How strange, I have yet to meet another man with no last name. How old are you Jack?"
"I turned 16 not too long ago, Why?"
"I see, and what work does a fine young man like yourself do?"
"I currently do not work, but I would like to join the French forces in the battle against the English."
"Hmm, I see, it is quite odd for a man of your age to have no work, but if you wish to join us and battle the French then I wish you luck."
"Thank you Sigmund. If I wanted to join the army, who would I talk with?"
"What a strange man you are. How could you not know such simple things? If you wish to join the army then you must speak with the lord of course! He will determine if you are fit enough to join our ranks."
"I see, thank you."
"It is no problem Jack."
Sigmund pointed his thumb behind him towards Jeanne and the Priest.
"Jack, that woman you are with, Jeanne, was it? Who is she? My comrade and I overheard her briefly speaking about some sort of visions just now. It was quite ridiculous if you were to ask me, but that girl seems to truly believe what plain nonsense she is blabbing."
"I believe she's telling the truth. She tells me that she has been speaking with angels and saints. Those visions are what led us here to Vaucouleurs."
"Did the visions not warn her of her village's impending demise?"
"I-…"
I believed what Jeanne was saying because I'd experienced the same thing, but now that I thought about it, the more it didn't make sense. The voices had told her to go to Vaucouleurs long before Domremy had been attacked though, so maybe that was their way of warning her?
"… She wanted to come here much sooner, but it was my fault we took so long. If not for Domremy's fall, then we'd most likely still be there."
"If that were the case Jack, why would she still not be warned about the attack? She could have been killed, correct? I think she is lying about all of this, or the woman could be deranged."
Maybe I was the only one to actually receive some kind of vision, but it couldn't have been a coincidence that we both received a vision at the same time, could it?
"I really don't know. I'm inclined to believe Jeanne, but I understand why you think she's lying. Just trust in her and what she's saying."
Sigmund had made a good argument for Jeanne's "visions" but thinking about it made my head hurt. I'd rather not think about the possibility of her lying about everything. It's much easier to just believe in her and see how things play out. If her visions were true then Captain Robert would help us. If those saints were real then surely the captain would have no issue lending us an escort.
But if he didn't lend us an escort, could Jeanne's visions just be a hoax?
"Ugh.. My head hurts…"
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