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

INT. CASTLE - GREAT HALL - DAY

The Courtiers talk among themselves, nervously awaiting

Charles to rejoin them. Presently the door opens and

Charles emerges, followed by Jeanne. He is a man

transfigured. Tremoille looks anxious. Charles glances

at them, their expectant eyes awaiting his verdict. He

leads Jeanne across to Aulon.

CHARLES:

Jeanne, this is -- in fact -- my

loyal friend and finest archer, Jean

d'Aulon. Jean... I place her in

your care. Find her suitable

lodgings -- here -- in the castle...

and guard her with your life.

AULON:

Yes, my lord.

JEANNE:

I don't need lodgings if we're to be

marching on Orleans...

CHARLES:

Orleans has held out for six months.

I don't suppose a few days will make

much difference. Take some rest.

Jeanne follows Jean d'Aulon from the Great Hall, watched

in silence by his courtiers. As soon as she's gone, the

whole room is filled with the myriad buzz of opinion.

Gilles gives Charles the eye...

GILLES:

She certainly cast a spell on you.

Charles draws his three Captains aside.

CHARLES:

She'll cast her spell on everyone if

she's given half a chance... and we

must ensure that she gets that

chance.

The Captains look astonished.

CHARLES:

Can you imagine the effect it will

have on the English -- to see a girl

riding at the head of our army?

LA HIRE:

Yes. They'll bleeding wet

themselves! Laughing.

GILLES:

We're not your favorite captains

anymore??

CHARLES:

No -- I mean yes! -- of course...

ALENCON:

Charles... you want to give the

command of our army to a -- woman??

CHARLES:

Of course not! You're the ones in

command, as always... but if she can

put back the fire in our soldiers,

then maybe you, my dear Captains,

will be able to raise the siege of

Orleans. What do you think?

GILLES:

Brilliant idea... but to be really

effective, why not send a whole army

of virgins?

LA HIRE:

That'll put fire in my soldiers!

The Captains laugh -- at Charles' expense.

CHARLES:

Please, my friends... you know me...

you know how certain I am about

everything, but -- maybe for the

first time in my life I -- I don't

know why -- but I feel I have to

trust her... and now I'm asking you

-- I'm begging you -- to trust me...

INT. ROOM - CHINON CASTLE - DAY

Jeanne blows the dust from a wooden crucifix, then

replaces it above a bed. Jean d'Aulon has brought her to

a small room in one of the castle's turrets: clean,

plainly furnished, but hardly hospitable. Jeanne inspects

the room while Aulon stands by the door.

AULON:

Listen, please accept my apologies

for... you know, me pretending to be

the... well it wasn't really my

idea... well, yes it was my idea

but...

JEANNE:

Do you think I could have some

water?

Jeanne smiles sweetly, catching Aulon off guard.

AULON:

Yes, of course... water... anything

else?

Two page boys run into the room, carrying luggage, water,

washing bowl and some food. They are LOUIS and RAYMOND,

both 13, as inseparable as they are loyal. Jeanne looks

up, then sits on the bed, testing the horsehair mattress.

JEANNE:

I would like some fresh straw.

AULON:

Louis... water and fresh straw!

Louis goes running off.

JEANNE:

And I would like to see a priest.

AULON:

Now?

JEANNE:

Yes. I didn't confess today.

AULON:

Right.

(to Raymond)

Raymond... a priest.

Raymond goes running off.

JEANNE:

I shall also be needing a war horse

-- mine is too slow -- and armor --

and a good sword -- and an artist to

make me a banner.

AULON:

Now?

JEANNE:

Better today than tomorrow.

AULON:

Well... uh -- this might take a

little time -- but let me see what I

can do.

He's about to leave when Jeanne adds --

JEANNE:

I also need someone who can read and

write.

AULON:

This I can do.

(Jeanne looks

surprised)

I was studying at the University of

Paris -- till the English invaded

it.

JEANNE:

I thought you were an archer?

AULON:

Yes, I am. I'm an archer who can

read and write. Who do you want to

write to?

JEANNE:

The King of England. I want to give

them the chance to leave Orleans in

peace before I get there.

Aulon just stares at her.

INT. GUARD HOUSE - CHINON - DAWN

Raymond hands a rolled parchment to a Rider, already

mounted and waiting...

EXT. CHINON CASTLE & MEADOW - DAWN

The Rider gallops over the drawbridge and away.

EXT. CHINON - TERRACE - DAY

Tremoille stands on a terrace before Chinon, watching the

rider heading down the dusty highway.

TREMOILLE:

I can't believe you let her send

such a letter...

Charles is a short distance away, watching Jeanne in a

meadow below the castle, swishing a stick from side to

side.

CHARLES:

She's going to do it.

Tremoille exchanges a worried glance with Archbishop

Regnault, who is standing behind Charles.

REGNAULT:

Sire, it's going to take more than a

letter to drive out the English.

TREMOILLE:

An army for instance...

CHARLES:

My captains have sworn their

support.

TREMOILLE:

No doubt your captains will fight

for your fine cause -- but what

about the ordinary soldier? They

don't fight for causes these days.

They fight for money. Who's going

to pay them?

YOLANDE (O.S.)

I am.

Yolande moves forward, accompanied by her daughter Mary

(Charles' wife) and grandson, young Louis.

CHARLES:

You will??

YOLANDE:

For the sake of France, Charles.

And for the sake of my grandson.

She pats Louis on the head.

TREMOILLE:

With respect, my lady -- the

Archbishop and I have begun delicate

negotiations with the Burgundians.

If we can bring them over to our

side...

YOLANDE:

Negotiate by all means, but from a

position of strength. If the

English take Orleans, there'll be

nothing left to negotiate -- the

rest of the country will be theirs.

TREMOILLE:

My lady, it would be the height of

folly to let this... child... lead

our army in the king's name without

first verifying her true motives.

REGNAULT:

Tremoille is right. This girl must

be subjected to a rigorous

examination by the Doctors of the

Church at Poitiers. We need to be

absolutely certain that she is not

an instrument of the devil.

CHARLES:

How can anyone be absolutely certain

about anything? Our intuitions are

sometimes our best counselors...

REGNAULT:

We must listen to Mother Holy Church

before listening to our intuitions.

TREMOILLE:

Wait... she claims to be a virgin...

Well that's something we can examine

-- and be absolutely certain about.

Charles hesitates -- turns to Yolande, who looks somewhat

uneasy at the suggestion.

YOLANDE:

Why not?

Charles looks across to Jeanne in the distance, still

playing with her stick. Suddenly she swipes at a bulrush,

violently decapitating its head. Charles looks worried.

CHARLES:

Let's find out.

INT. POITIERS UNIVERSITY - ROOM - NIGHT

A big, spacious room, into which files a procession of TEN

DOCTORS of THEOLOGY and TEN NOTABLES, walking two-by-two.

They divide either side of CAMERA, then halt and about-

turn, facing inward with military precision. Two PAGE

BOYS set up screens in front of the two rows, preventing

them from viewing Jeanne, who is standing on a low table

between the rows, wearing a laced-up robe.

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