The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc Page #6

-- a real sword impales a soldier through the stomach --

another sword slices through chain-mail -- and a severed

head encased in metal spins lose from armored shoulders...

EXT. HOUSE & FIELD - DAWN

Jeanne looks at Daxart.

JEANNE:

I'm playing.

Once again Jeanne raises her stick-sword -- the head of a

sunflower is violently decapitated --

INT. CHINON - STATE ROOM - DAY

-- and a sword swishes down, trying to hack someone in the

leg. But it is only a wooden sword, and its wielder a

mere boy of five. This is young Prince LOUIS, practicing

his nascent swordsmanship on the castle GUARDS.

VOICES and approaching footsteps alert the Guards, who

quickly stand to attention as a door is swung open...

GUARD:

The Dauphin!

Louis takes advantage of the Guards forced immobility, and

jabs one of them in the leg... he lets out a muffled "Ow!"

The Dauphin CHARLES VII enters, followed by his courtiers.

They include the bloated REGNAULT, Archbishop of Rheims,

and Georges de la TREMOILLE -- a sly and devious diplomat.

CHARLES:

Louis, shouldn't you be learning

your lessons?

LOUIS:

I don't want to learn, I want to

fight!

CHARLES:

You will, you will. But for now,

you must learn... at least to wipe

your nose.

Charles (who speaks with a slight stutter) affectionately

wipes his son's nose with a corner of his shirt. Beyond

them, a young soldier, Jean d'AULON, arrives with a

scroll.

AULON:

A letter for His Majesty.

Tremoille takes it, opens the seal and begins to read.

Charles hands over Louis to a courtier...

TREMOILLE:

Another one from this girl calling

herself the Maiden of Lorraine.

Charles snatches it somewhat testily from Tremoille...

CHARLES:

I can read for myself, you know.

While Charles reads, Tremoille turns aside to Regnault --

TREMOILLE:

She pretends she's been sent by God!

These charlatans -- it's a pity

there isn't enough wood to burn them

all!

CHARLES:

She says she'll be here tomorrow...!

TREMOILLE:

You mustn't see her, my lord. We

know nothing about her... we don't

even know if she is from Lorraine.

CHARLES:

What difference does it make where

she comes from?

TREMOILLE:

If she comes from Burgundy it makes

a difference. It might be a trap...

(takes back letter)

Look... Signed "X". What sort of

name is "X"? Or must we conclude

that a messenger of God can't even

write her own name?

REGNAULT:

My lord Tremoille is correct. She

says she hears voices... she may be

a sorceress... a witch...

CHARLES:

(snatching back

letter)

Regnault -- you see witches

everywhere. She's just a peasant...

a peasant who cares for her king.

Look... all she wants is to help me

win my crown... and permission to

fight for me.

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