The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc Page #2

... her village in the valley below, ablaze.

EXT. DOMREMY VILLAGE - NIGHT

Panic -- screams -- crashing timbers -- animals stampeding

-- wolves drag corpses from gutted buildings -- and

through the midst of the tumult tears Jeanne, still

dragging the sword she found. She runs inside a farm

cottage...

INT. JEANNE'S HOME - NIGHT

The low, dark building we saw earlier -- now empty, lit by

the fires of the houses on the far side of the street.

Jeanne runs in, searching about --

JEANNE:

Mother...?

No response. She begins to panic -- runs through into a

smaller room beyond, calling out --

JEANNE:

Catherine?!

Suddenly a door swings open and a hand reaches out --

Jeanne screams, then turns to see her elder sister,

CATHERINE, who's been hiding in a cupboard...

CATHERINE:

Jeanne!

Catherine embraces her, hugging her in relief --

CATHERINE:

Are you alright? Did they hurt you?

JEANNE:

No no, I'm fine, really...

CATHERINE:

I was so worried -- we've all been

looking for you! The English are

everywhere! O thank you, lord!

She hugs her again -- then freezes, hearing the SOUND of

horses, the clanking of armor. But Jeanne hasn't heard...

JEANNE:

I was in church...

Catherine glances about, ears tuned...

CATHERINE:

Really?

JEANNE:

I was talking to the priest, and do

you know what he said to me?

Catherine puts her hand across Jeanne's mouth --

CATHERINE:

Shhh... tell me later...

She hears the drunken laughter getting closer...

CATHERINE:

Quick -- hide in here...

JEANNE:

What about you?

CATHERINE:

Don't worry about me -- just stay in

here... and don't move!

JEANNE:

But where are you going to be?

CATHERINE:

I'll be right here... I promise.

Catherine quickly lifts Jeanne inside the cupboard, locks

the door, then turns to confront THREE hefty ruffians

calling themselves soldiers. The biggest and ugliest has

a jet black beard.

BLACKBEARD:

Now that's what I call booty!

Blackbeard turns back to his comrades, who are sharing out

a roast chicken between them. Catherine picks up the

sword dropped by Jeanne as Blackbeard swaggers up to

her...

BLACKBEARD:

A woman with a sword?

(to his comrades)

Hey, take a look at this --

Frenchmen are such cowards that

they've left all the fighting to

women!

CATHERINE:

If that's God's will, then so be it!

Blackbeard's comrades start tucking into their food,

leaving Blackbeard to his pleasure.

BLACKBEARD:

Fine with me. I love women.

He undoes his buckle. From her POV behind the cupboard

door, Jeanne can just about see Blackbeard's face through

a crack. Catherine raises the heavy sword as Blackbeard

advances, then brings it sweeping down. But he intercepts

it effortlessly, grasping the blade as though it were a

twig...

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