The English (1)

Once again my eyes fluttered open but this time I could piece together where I was.

This must be somewhere in Jeanne's House.

For some reason my leg didn't hurt but I didn't care about that as much as the girl that was sleeping with her head in my lap…

Okay what the fuck…

This must be Jeanne's room then right? That still won't explain why her head is burried in my lap.

There is a bed two feet away from me, come on now, you couldn't even crawl that far?

I sighed and looked towards my leg, somehow there wasnt anything left except a slight scar where the arrow penetrated but I'd need Jeanne to get off my lap to get a better look.

I'm not complaining though, she looks cute when she's sleeping.

What the hell, am I a fucking creep? Why the hell am I thinking about stuff like that. She's probably just worried that I'd tell the cops or something on her dad.

That'd explain why she was so worried last night but not why she's sleeping in my lap.

I really don't mind though, it isn't uncomfortable but I'd really like for her dad not to see this, I might really be in trouble then.

Wait….

My hands gently shook Jeanne's shoulders back and forth.

"Jeanne, wake up please."

Her eyes twitched as she lifted her head and looked up at me, her eyes went wide when her pupils met mine and she sprang her head off my lap and sat up.

"A-Ahh! Good morning Jack, I was just making sure you were okay an-and I was tired so I thought…"

"Jeanne, how old are you…"

"What? Oh uhm, im 16 why?"

She's older then me, thank god…

"Phew, good, I was just curious."

"How old are you Jack?"

Shit…

"Oh uhm, 15"

She smiled, I guess it wasn't weird that she was older then me.

"You're quite tall for your age."

Really, I'm only 5'9 I'm pretty average height in my class…

"I'm pretty average for an American Jeanne."

"A what?"

Is she dumb?

"I'm from North America Jeanne…"

"Where is that?"

"West of the ocean…"

Her face grew more and more confused as she looked at me and listened to my explanation.

"Jack… There is nothing west of here… It's just water…"

"Pfft, you're funny Jeanne, let me guess we're in the 1500s?"

"…"

Her silence concerned me more then anything, to her it looked like I was crazy.

"Jeanne… what year is it?"

I gently grabbed her shoulders, Jeanne's body jolted at first but she didn't pull away.

"Jeanne, please tell me what year it is."

"Jack, it's 1425, are you okay? Do you need water?"

What the fuck… 1425…

Jeanne kept trying to get my attention but I was frozen. Was it really 1425? There's no way, time travel isn't real, but it did kind of make sense, who raids towns, who uses a bow and arrow to shoot "bandits", why didn't she know what a phone was, it explains why she was so confused about America, it's because it doesn't exsist yet.

"Jack! Please!"

What?

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"Your hands! You're hurting me!"

I didn't even realize but I was gripping Jeanne's shoulder way too hard, I let go as she looked at me with a hint of fear in her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry Jeanne I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay…. I don't know what's on your mind but you don't seem to be doing okay… If you want to say something I'm here."

"No, no it's okay I was just remembering something from back home, but I do want to ask you something Jeanne."

Her eyes lit up as she fixed her posture and looked at me.

"What is it?"

"First off, why is my leg completely fine after having an arrow pierced through it?"

She shrugged slightly and looked apologetically at me.

"I don't know, when my father took the arrow out of your leg it stopped bleeding, I was sitting beside you earlier and I noticed that your leg had almost been fully healed to it's original state, god must've blessed you or something!"

I look down at my leg and felt around, the scar that was there a few moments earlier was now completely gone, there was no pain, no soreness, my leg was perfectly fine.

"Thats weird… Anyways, why were you sleeping in my lap?"

Jeanne's Face started turning red as she pressed her hands together into her thighs.

"I- Uhh… I just thought it might help if you had someone by your side and uhh you m-might get lonely and uh you know…"

She's lying, it's so obvious.

"Are you sure that's why Jeanne?"

"Yes! I just felt compelled to stay by your side as I was the reason you had even got that injury, if you didn't help me then my dad never would've shot you…"

She had her head hung low and I could hear the unease in her voice as a few tears fell onto her dress as her words slurred.

"P-please forgive my father for s-shooting you with an arrow, I promise he isn't a bad man, he just wanted to protect me!"

I didn't blame him in the first place, I would've done the same thing Jeanne, don't be so sad it doesn't suit you…

"Jeanne it's fine, really, the wound is gone so you have nothing to be sorry for, hell if not for you he might've killed me."

I heard her sniffle as she looked up at me.

"It doesn't matter what you say, is there anything I can do to make it up to you? Anything at all?"

Oh Jeanne I can definitely think of a few.

"Uhm, not really, I don't need anything, uhm…"

"How about I show you around town!"

She lifted her head and smiled at me. If she showed me around I'd guess that'd be enough proof to disprove or prove the whole time traveling thing.

"Alright, I'll show you in the morning!"

"Why not now?"

Come on Jeanne don't make me wait, I'd rather not think about something like never being able to go home all night, just take me outside and help me unfold this stupid little prank.

At that moment it finally hit me, how the hell did my leg heal, I clearly saw and felt that arrow pierce my leg, I FELT the blood coming out of my leg and pouring on the ground.

"Jeanne…. Can we please just go now?"

She hesitated but looked at me with eyes full of guilt and remorse.

"Fine… Follow me."

Jeanne stood up and waited for me to get up, once again it surprised me that I could even walk after what happened but it did really seem like my injury had vanished as if it'd never been there.

I followed Jeanne around the small town of Domremy, she pointed out every house, every building, and every pathway.

Jeez, if I really was a bandit this town would be screwed because of her.

Jeanne said her father was one of many farmers that inhabited this town, she also mentioned how every day early in the morning the people would gather at the church.

"You could come with me tomorrow if you'd like!~ The church always welcomes new faces!"

"Alright then, I'll come with you to church tomorrow Jeanne."

"Oh great! The preist is going to love you Jack!"

Jeanne was so cheerful and happy it was hard to feel anything other then joy when she was beside you, it felt like I could listen to her rambling for hours, she loved church, she had a strained relationship with her father because of how authoritative he was over her life, and she wanted to work for the church when she grew older.

I told her a little about my life, she seemed happy to listen to any nonsense story I told her, I told her all the good moments of my life, I didn't want to ruin her mood with the bad side of my childhood or the whole self-harm part of it. I told her of my mother's passing to a disease and how my brother had left to pursue a job I didn't know about, which was a lie but how would Jeanne know what a mechanic was?

We talked for what felt like hours but was more likely 45minutes or so.

"I'd love to meet your father someday!"

"You really wouldn't Jeanne, he's just like your dad if I'm being honest."

"That doesn't change anything! I'd like to meet the man that raised you!"

"Maybe one day Jeanne."

Maybe one day…

On the way back to Jeanne's house an alarm went off inside me, I don't know what compelled me to do what I did but I grabbed Jeanne's body, covered her mouth, and ducked behind some old barrels left on the street.

I could feel her breathing on my hand, thankfully she was smart enough not to scream. That didn't stop me from holding my hand over her mouth, the sudden urge that made me hide her got stronger as I heard sets of boots running throughout the path beside us.

I could feel Jeanne's breathing tense up as she tried to bury herself into me, her body was pressed tightly against mine as the footsteps passed us, but the feeling I had before did not vanish.

"Jeanne, please don't move."

She didn't say anything but I could feel her head nodding against my chest, she heard the steps too, and from her reaction I'd guess it was the bastards who raided her village days before I showed up.

Once again my instincts kicked in as I held Jeanne as close as I could to my chest as I layed fully down along the dirt, another set of boots came stomping by the barrels and stopped, he was checking them, I looked down and saw Jeanne staring directly into my eyes as I held her ontop of me making sure not to dirty her clothes, she knew someone was close so she didn't move an inch, her eyes were filled with worry, she was shaking, she was scared.

I took my hands off her head and mouth and instead wrapped one of my arms around her and held her tightly as my other arm was free incase someone found us.

Please Jeanne, please don't talk, don't move, please just stay still.

Thats when we heard them, the screams, dozens of them, dozens of people were screaming, I could hear metal clashing in the distance towards Jeanne's home, she could too.

"Jack, those are my parents screaming!"

Jeanne you idiot…

The man checking the barrels suddenly threw one of the ones I was hidden behind backwards as he stared down at me and Jeanne, his hand reached onto his side as a long broadsword unsheathed and was aimed at Jeanne.

Protect her.

My body seemed to be on autopilot, with the spare hand I had I cupped the bottom of one of the barrels and slammed it upwards at the man who momentarily moved out of the way, in that moment I kicked the stone building we were hiding besides and slid along the dirt ground, Jeanne clinged tightly to my shirt as I kicked the last barrel towards the man, the barrel hit him in the leg but he was completely unphased.

Fuck fuck fuck, get up Jack, get the hell up.

The man smiled and moved towards me, he raised his blade high up.

First Mistake

"You ready kid?"

Second Mistake

"If you hand over the girl I'll let you go, what do ya say?"

Anddddddd, Third Mistake

"Okay okay fuck, you can have her."

Jeanne looked up at me with horrorified expression on her face.

You poor thing, just trust me Jeanne, I would never let them get you.

I stood up, still holding Jeanne as the burly man approached, he was easily atleast six feet tall and way stronger then me, but he had already struck out.

"Jack, why…?"

Jeanne started to tear up as I let go of her, the man grabbed her with one arm and pointed his sword at me with the other.

"Get lost kid."

"Yes sir!"

With Jeanne out of the way I now had both my hands free, and the second the man turned away, I grabbed a piece of broken wood from the barrel he had thrown back with one swift motion drove it into the back of his neck.

Protect Jeanne.

"AH WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Shit, it didn't kill him…

"You little bastard, I was gonna let you live!"

Before he could fully turn around I already had another piece of shattered wood in my hand and was already aiming for his now exposed throat, he tried to back away but with Jeanne in one of his arm his movement was choppy, therefore my second piece pierced his throat.

It was horrifying, I could hear him struggling to breathe, I could hear the blood coming up his throat and pouring out, but I felt nothing expect regret, regret that I'd even let him touch Jeanne.

Jeanne was staring horrified down at the man choking on his own blood, her mortified face met my calm gaze, I stepped towards her but she backed away slightly.

Jeanne don't do this now.

I stepper closer and grabbed her as she gasped and started to shake, but she quickly stopped as I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry I scared you Jeanne."

She said nothing, but I felt her small arms wrap around my back and hug me aswell.