France, the city of Rouen next to Paris.

In the gloomy prison, the passages are lined with sporadic fires, where many prisoners are held, thieves, robbers, murderers, infidels, troublemakers...... There are different kinds of people, and the fundamental crimes are different, some are only held for a few days, and some may be held until death, or even executed.

However, there was only one cell that was particularly special because there was only one person in it.

Moreover, the other cells, even if they were dozens of people, were only patrolled by a few jailers, but this one was guarded by a few heavily armed soldiers outside the door, and it was obvious that the prison was afraid of letting this person escape, so it was strictly guarded.

But in the cell, he was not a muscular strong man, nor a scheming nobleman who had lost power, but a young girl.

In the dimly lit cell, the floor was carefully cleaned, and in the corner there was only a crucifix on the table, and tall candles on both sides, which was the only request the maiden made.

And facing the cross in front of her, the young girl knelt before the cross, her hands clenched, and she murmured prayers, her calm eyes with a certain unshakable firmness.

In all fairness, she is not a very beautiful type, but the youthful vigor on her face, and the strange calmness she has cultivated due to repeated hardships, make her look inexplicably solemn and solemn, even if she is in prison, it has not shaken her determination.

"It's like a saint......

A soldier beside the cell stole a glance at the young girl in the candlelight, and his heart couldn't help but admire. Even as an enemy, the woman in front of her was still awe-inspiring, not only because she became the commander of the French army at the age of seventeen, but also because she was regarded as a saint.

Who does not respect the holy woman of Orleans?

......

Six months ago, no one could have imagined that the saints of Orleans, who had become an icon of France, would be captured by the Burgundians.

While leading his army to southeastern France to fight the Burgundians, for some reason, the whereabouts of the army led by Jeanne were exposed, and they were surrounded by a large army led by the Burgundians, who rushed to hear the news. Although Jeanne took the lead, waving the flag in her hand to boost the morale of the soldiers, and twice repelled the Burgundian army, after all, the number was scarce, only a few hundred, and she had to choose to retreat.

When retreating to the city of Compiègne, Jeanne insisted on covering the retreat for the soldiers, and she was the last to evacuate, but just as she was cut off for the soldiers, the terrified inhabitants of Compiègne raised the drawbridge first, and Jeanne, surrounded by the Burgundians, was captured.

The French generals tried to ransom Jeanne, but the Burgundian refused, because the angry English king, when he learned that Jeanne had been captured, bought Jeanne from the Burgundians for 60,000 francs.

Among them, King Charles, who was single-handedly supported by Jeanne on the throne, did not try to rescue, because his finances were already extremely embarrassed and he was really unable to redeem them.

After four months in captivity by the Burgundians, Jeanne was sold to the English, who imprisoned Jeanne in Rouen, near Paris, to try Jeanne.

The young girl, who saved the life and death of France, was now resold to each other by several countries like a piece of goods, but the girl did not complain, but silently endured her fate and prayed to God. Occasionally, the guards were asked about the current situation in France.

When she knew the battles of her comrades, those French generals, she would always listen carefully, smile when she won, and bless her comrades for their victory, and worry about their safety when she lost.

But from beginning to end, she never thought about her own safety, but always cared about her motherland.

"Don't you ever think about yourself?"

Once, the Duke of Burgundy couldn't help but say, and in the face of the Burgundian monarch, Jeanne opened her eyes wide and said seriously.

"For the sake of France, I regard death as home. ”

......

"Rolling ......"

Suddenly, with a heavy creak, it was as if a door had been opened.

Jeanne was locked in a cell, unable to see what was happening outside, but she could guess from the noisy footsteps that it seemed that some big man was coming, which was why there were so many hugging footsteps.

But what does that have to do with her?

Looking at the cross in front of her, Jeanne still murmured a prayer.

"Ahem...... It smells terrible here. ”

In the distance, the owner of the shrill voice coughed and complained, his voice was thin, it didn't sound very old, like a little boy, and then it seemed that someone else was next to him.

"Blessed by God...... The King of England and France to ......"

Before the person arrived, the high-spirited voice had already sounded, loudly proclaiming the noble status of the person who came.

"Whoa......

With the sound of chains, the locked iron door opened.

Immediately, as if a light was shining in, even when facing the wall, Jeanne could still feel the bright light behind her, which was illuminated by many torches.

"You're that Jenny. ”

A high-pitched childlike voice sounded, as if it were talking to a slave.

Jeanne is French, and if she speaks in English, it is Jeanne, and it is clear that the people behind her have come to look for her. But Jeanne did not get up immediately, but continued to mumble a prayer, and when she had finished her prayer, she got up unhurriedly and looked behind her.

Surrounded by the firelight and the richly dressed crowd, there was a little boy no taller than Jeanne's waist, who looked no more than ten years old, wearing a relatively large royal robe, and was looking at Jeanne in front of him.

Although his head was held high, the arrogant gesture of empty eyes made it seem that he was not looking at Jeanne at all, because Jeanne was not worth his glance at all.

"If you're talking about the woman whose French name is Jeanne, then yes, I'm Jeanne. ”

Jeanne nodded, she already knew who the person standing in front of her was.

King Henry, who is nine years old this year, but as one of the most powerful monarchs in the whole of Europe, no one dares to despise him because of his age.

"Then you should kneel down to me. ”

The unquestionable child's voice said proudly, and the tone of course seemed as natural as the rising sun.

"Why. ”

Jeanne asked rhetorically.

"Because I am the king of France, your king, you should kneel to me!"

As if annoyed, the little boy spoke aloud, in a voice that was so high and thin that one could not help laughing, but no one present dared to laugh, for the young man of the English king, and those who dared to disobey his will decided that nothing would come to a good end.

But Jeanne shook her head, not at all dissatisfied with the arrogance and imperiousness of the little boy in front of her, but said stubbornly.

"There is only one king of France, and that is Charles of France, who was crowned in Reims. ”

When he heard the name, the little boy in front of him clenched his fists and couldn't help but say loudly.

Charlie...... That deposed crown prince is not qualified to be king at all! France has been defeated, his father has long since transferred the succession to the throne of the French king to my father, and those shameless French nobles have betrayed the agreement! I am the only king of France!"

What Henry said was also after the Battle of Aginco, when the defeated France was forced to sign an agreement with England, and after the death of King Charles VI of France, the throne of France would have been inherited by Henry's father, Henry V, so the Hundred Years' War should have ended long ago.

Strangely, however, the two kings died almost at the same time, only a few days apart, so much so that the French nobility found an excuse to refuse to recognize Henry's succession to the throne.

In the eyes of King Henry, the French were perfidious liars.

However, in the face of his doubts, Jeanne said calmly.

"The French do not need an Englishman to be king, the king of the French can only be French, and must be French. ”

She is not a very strong girl, on the contrary, her character has always been very docile, always the pious and simple shepherdess, but in her bones there is an unexpected fierceness, especially stubborn in important places, and will never give in the slightest.

Henry in front of him was angry, his face was flushed, but he unexpectedly held back his anger, took a deep breath, and then said in an unexpectedly good voice.

"Kneel down to me...... Pledge your allegiance to me, to the King of France, and I will promise you freedom. What Charlie can give you, I can give you, whether it's wealth or fiefdom, anything. ”

"I am a Frenchman, loyal only to King Charles of France, not to King Henry of England. ”

But there was no tactfulness, and Jeanna directly pushed back with a word.

Henry's face turned gloomy, and he said word by word.

"Then you're going to die here, I swear. ”

Jeanne did not answer him again, but turned away, closed her eyes, and silently prayed again to the cross in front of her.

There was silence behind him, then the footsteps and curses of turning away, and after a long time, the angry voice of the young child's voice could be faintly heard in the distance.

"I want that woman dead!"

There was a lot of noise, accompanied by the crowd as the young King departed, leaving only Jeanne in his cell.

When I opened my eyes, there was silence in my bright eyes.

"Dead ...... ? ”