Chapter 93: Maid of Orleans, the Heretic. 1431 CE

[Jeanne’s POV]

The loud sounds of cheering and shouting crowd drills my ears as I was tied to a stake. Below me, a stack of firewood, ready to be burned as soon as the others were ready. I looked around, it was the old marketplace, a beautiful crucifix was standing between the crowd at my request, the man who erected the cross shouting words of salvation towards me, and it made me at peace.

O’ God, I only did what you ask… why must you abandon me? I stayed true to my words, I only did it for the good of the others, yet why am I considered a heretic?

As the Bishop in front of me recited my false crimes, I kept hearing the screams of the crowd. Some prayed for me, some called me a lowly whore, a heretic, some apologised to me.

I tried to be still, I kept staring at the cross, the symbol of my god before me, I prayed to him, begged for forgiveness, begged for salvation.

But no answer came.

A man with a black hood then walked towards my pyre. I flinched, how could I not? I was about to die… Everything I did for this kingdom, for the king… all was thrown away. I was but a mere tool, they didn’t care about my divine visions, they had greed in their eyes, greed for the throne, I was too naive to realise that then, but I could see it as clear as day now… however late it may be.

The executioner then lit up a torch, which made me gulp as I kept praying and praying to God, to the Archangel Michael, to St. Margaret, to St. Catherine… but still, no answer.

The executioner looked grim, the Bishop told him to get on with it, and he finally lit up the firewood below me.

I could already feel the heat from my feet. The crimson fire tickling my toes, as if taunting me. Slowly but surely, the fire spread, I could feel it burning my two legs. I screamed, not knowing what to do, but I didn’t plead, I didn’t beg towards the bishops, I just cried, I prayed loudly, hoping that God would somehow not abandon me.

As the fire was getting bigger and bigger, it started to burn my entire body. It was unbearable, I kept screaming, screeching, I could feel my skin being burned, peeled off by the heat. All just watched, not doing anything.

I kept screaming god’s name, St. Margaret’s name, Michael’s name, but they didn’t come. Maybe the bishop was right… I was a heretic, I was abandoned by God…

I could hear the executioner arguing from beneath me, I heard him asking to put me out of my misery, but the bishop refused.

As the fire burned me thoroughly, and I kept screeching, the crowd noises subdued, I could only hear what’s close to me. And I heard the executioner said:

“God forgive us, for we have burned a saint.”

He crossed his heart in front of me. I kept staring at the crucifix that was standing behind those bishops as my vision blurred.

I don’t know how long I was on that pyre… it kept burning me non stop… the pain, the grief, the anger, it was all overwhelming.

As I closed my eyes, not having the strength to scream anymore, my bodies charred, almost unrecognisable, I saw a faint blue light surrounding me… nobody seemed to notice… and I can almost feel that the fire was no longer lit below me, I saw the blue sky, and I feel grass touching my seared back.

As my visions kept getting darker and darker, I saw a heavenly woman, examining me, she was giving me something, a… jewellery? I looked around again, and I saw a beautiful and majestic man, staring at me with pity…

Perhaps I was not abandoned after all? Perhaps the Archangel Michael and St. Margaret saved me? Perhaps god did not forget about me?

I smiled as they did something to me, before my vision darkened wholly.

—

[3rd POV]

In the middle of the forest, a pair of men and women were sitting in front of a fire, they were toasting some rabbit that they hunted. Near them, a young and beautiful woman, not even reaching 20, was sleeping soundly, she was covered in a thick blanket, she looked pale, tired, haunted.

As the pair of men and women continued to cook silently in each other’s company, the young woman suddenly jolted awake, as if she just had a nightmare. She was sweating profusely, she looked around, and saw the man and the woman.

“I- I’m alive?” she murmured, examining her own body, she dropped the blanket, and her body was naked, clear of wounds.

The woman near the fire quickly got up and walked towards the young woman. “Don’t move too much Jeanne, you’re still healing.”

Jeanne’s head snapped towards the woman. “S-Saint?”

The woman sighed as she covered Jeanne’s naked body with a blanket again. “I am no saint.”

“T-Then… how can you–”

“Shhh…” shushed the woman. “Just rest a little, we’ll answer your questions after you recover.”

Jeanne somehow meekly nodded, she felt a sense of safety from this woman… like that when she prayed…

Jeanne then lay on the ground again, the woman smiled at her, before standing, and walking away. It felt empty when she walked away… the warmth… it was that of a saint… or an angel…

She then turned her body away from the fire, as if thinking she wasn’t worthy of facing them, and she closed her eyes, trying to sleep.

—

[Next evening]

Jeanne had woken up, the sky was crimson in colour, a sign of the evening, she had slept for so long… she then looked around, only to find those two heavenly beings missing. She frantically looked around, to no avail. She stood up, her body still naked, and started to run around the place. She ran through the forest, she didn’t realise how fast she ran, how functional her body became, but she kept searching, looking for those who saved her.

Then, as soon as she arrived at a small river, she found them fishing, while also cleaning their clothes. They turned to her, and saw her naked body. The woman then quickly stood up, taking a large cloth with her, and wrapped her body with it.

“What are you doing?” asked the woman. “You’re running around this indecent… I thought you’re better than this.”

Jeanne then realised that she was naked all along. She blushed a bit, but waved it off, she then kneels in front of the woman.

“O’ saint, thank you for not abandoning me in my darkest times, I- Forgive me if I ever thought that I was abandoned by god… please, I beg for forgiveness…” she announced to the woman.

The woman sighed again, and also kneeled in front of her. She cupped Jeanne’s cheek, and said, “I told you, I am no saint.”

“I- then how did you save me? I was sure that I died… burned, I could feel my body seared as the fire to-”

“Stop.” murmured the woman softly. “No need to think about it anymore…”

The woman then looked at the man at the river, she smiled at him, and he nodded. The woman then turned to Jeanne again. “Let’s go to the camp again, I will explain everything.”

—

Jeanne was now standing in front of the fire, warming herself as she had worn new clothing. In front of her, were the two heavenly beings that saved her. But it turns out… they weren’t heavenly at all…

“M-Magic?” stuttered Jeanne, her face as pale as snow. “Y-You did w-witchcraft on me? D-Do you know what you have done to me?!” she said as she stood up, scared to death about the consequences.

“We saved you, girl.” said the man calmly, not staring at her directly.

“Y-You condemned me!” shouted Jeanne. “I- God would not accept me anymore!”

“You are already condemned.” said the man again, a cold tone this time. “Burned by the stake by your own religion, your own people betrayed you.”

“I’d rather die, believing that god would accept me in his embrace rather than be resurrected by a demon-fueled witchcraft that you used on me!” refuted Jeanne.

The woman then walked up to Jeanne, trying to calm her down, but before she could touch her, she slapped her hand away from her, glaring daggers at the woman.

“Don’t touch me, you witch!” shrieked Jeanned. She then walked away from them, before talking to herself. “I- I need to report you to the church, and you will be burn at the stake–”

“And then what? You will be burned at the stake too… you are supposed to be dead after all.” stated the man, making Jeanne flinch. The woman then looked at the man with worry. “Pluto, don’t, she’s confused…” 

Jeanne ignored his jab, and started to run away from them, through the forest. She ran much faster than normal humans, she could feel it now. She grit her teeth… this is a demon’s power… she didn’t like it at all.

She kept running, and running, and running… Before she knew it, she saw the light of a campfire in front of her. She kept running there, but then she noticed that it wasn’t what she hoped for.

It was a bandit camp.

As soon as the bandit saw her, the bandits’ eyes filled with lust. A beautiful woman ran into their camp, how good is that?

A rough looking man then walked up to her. “Hello, young lady… what are you doing in the middle of the night like this?” the man grinned madly, as he kept getting closer and closer.

Jeanne gulped, while she had basic training on fighting, she couldn’t fight a group of bandits at once, she could only inspire, not fight. She tried to run, but her hand was already grabbed by the bandit.

“Where are you going, young lady?” sneered the man. “Please, accompany us on this lonely night…”

“Unhand me!” shouted Jeanne, but the man didn’t let go, she kept struggling, making the bandit laugh and laugh more. She tried so hard to let go, but then, she snapped.

“I said, unhand me!” she roared, her eyes suddenly glowed with a bright light, scaring the bandit.

Jeanne realised what she did… What is this? What is happening to her?

“Never mind, you’re quite a scary bitch.” murmured the bandit, but then, he scanned her body, only to find a gold and silver ring resting in Jeanne’s finger. “Although, that ring must’ve cost a fortune.”

“Ring?” Jeanne then looked at her hand, and lo and behold, there was a ring in her finger.

The bandit then unsheathed his sword, and pointed it at Jeanne. The other bandits also did the same, making Jeanne scared shitless.

The bandit then sneered, he then tried to attack Jeanne, and in response, Jeanne tried to run, but she stumbled.

The bandit then laughed. “Running, are we? Not on my watch.”

The bandit then made a stabbing motion, and Jeanne only thought about protecting herself, she tried to cover herself using her hand, looking away from the man. But then, nothing happened.

She then opened her eyes, only to find that she was protected by a light shield, surrounding her completely.

“A witch?” the bandit frowned.

‘I am not a witch!’ shouted Jeanne in her heart.

As she was about to run again, the sound of something piercing the wind could be heard, and the next thing she knew, the bandit was impaled by a spear.

“You’re really stubborn, aren’t you?” said the voice of a man behind Jeanne. He turned around, and saw the man and the woman from before, standing mightily.

Jeanne then saw the woman conjuring some kind of weapon, before leaping towards the bandits. She almost split a bandit in half, before killing the rest of the bandits like it was nothing.

Jeanne saw what the woman was capable of, and gulped. She had thought that that woman was that of an angel… trained by Archangel Michael itself… 

As the woman finished, she looked at Jeanne, which made her flinch, as the woman was covered in blood.

The woman then walked up to her, and offered her hand. “We’re not trying to hurt you Jeanne, we’re trying to help you, so stop running.”

The woman gave her a warm smile, it felt like she was facing an angel, even though the woman was covered in blood, she still felt warm… she felt it again, like she was praying peacefully…

Jeanne then unconsciously took her hand, standing back up.

“You are not condemned, Jeanne, not by a long shot.” said the woman. “You’re a brave girl, you fought for your kingdom, for your family… I don’t care if you lie about the vision or not… to me, you are just a peasant girl, trying to make a difference, tired of all the blood and wars, and that is good enough for me.”

Jeanne then just stood there, tears running down her eyes, she was conflicted… What is the woman saying? She was revived by magic, a demon’s art… she is definitely condemned… her family… even if she came to them, they would not accept her… the kingdom… they had betrayed her, letting her be burned at the stake, not caring about her life…

Jeanne however, unconsciously hugged the woman, not caring about the blood. She wept on the woman’s shoulder, letting out all her emotions, her burden, her grief.