History has a way of repeating itself. I've traveled the world many times over. I once told this to my friend Jules while we robbed a vineyard in the French country side. Years later I accompanied a young woman named Nellie around the world for 71 days. I left the day before we completed our trip due to letter sent by another friend. Still, I've seen what the world and its many people have to offer. While there is a certain uniqueness with every place I go and every person I meet, there is always a sense of similarity. This similarity has persisted with me ever since I had first spoken to Eve.
I've seen empires rise and fall. Unjust leaders overthrown by just men. Just leaders betrayed by unjust men. People praised as saviors and heroes one day only to be condemned by the same people the next. It's all the same once you’ve seen it happen on all corners of the world. The first time truly sticks with me. The way she looked at me with untainted eyes. Not hating the mere mention of my name. Then the disgust on her face when she knew. The first time sticks with me, but each one after hurts equal to or greater. That’s because I'm reminded of each one.
History is changed by those who've seek to discredit me. They attributed the worst acts of humanity to my name and those same people attributed the best acts to yours. My Joan is sadly one of history's examples. I ran into a young girl while walking through a garden with two other friends of mine. We were discussing what should be done about the English since they had invaded France. One suggested that the French should drive out the English and the other suggested that the Dauphin should be crowned. That’s when I ran into the young girl, who had overheard our conversation. The girl had taken our discussion to heart and in the following years she worked to make our half formed plan into reality.
I was in the room when the young illiterate farm girl, now 16, told Charles VII to let her lead his army. Her figure seemed to shine as she spoke in front of the royal court. In those moments her figure blended with the Eve of my memories. I supported her claim and managed to convince Charles VII since I was his favorite aid. I helped Joan write her letter to the English detailing our demands and I wrote that she had been sent by you. She carried her banner at Orléans and I stood before her not letting any who wished her harm to pass. She took city after city from the English until her army arrived at Reims where Charles VII was crowned. Soon after during the attack on Paris she was stuck by a crossbow bolt. I carried her off the battlefield so that she could be treated. Shortly after a truce was struck between the two armies.
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I spent those few months of peace by her side. Our time together was cut short once the truce was over. Joan was captured by the enemy because I did not accompany her. I waited outside her areas of imprisonment and she would always try to escape. Once she jumped from a tower stretching over ten men. I caught her and we were able to spend a few precious moments in each other's arms before her captors surrounded us. Quickly after she was tried and convicted for heresy by the English. The night before her execution I snuck into her cell.
"You should escape with me."
"They have charged me with heresy and while they did so to discredit me, they are still correct."
She was sitting on the ground chains and cuffs around her arms and legs. I got on my knees and leaned towards grabbing her shoulders.
"They lie about you, please ask me to help you."
"I have fallen in love with you…"
She stared into my eyes and I saw no fear or doubt. I was again reminded of Eve's clear and beautiful eyes. Yes, the only thing in her beautiful eyes was regret.
"I have fallen in love with the Devil and that is heresy. I deserve to be punished."
I had no words for her actions so knowing she would never change her mind I left. The next day I stood in the crowd while they tied her to a pillar and placed firewood at her feet. She looked towards me then asked something of the two men next to her. The two men stood at either side of her and each held up a wooden cross. The fire was lit and she didn’t scream or curse the world. She prayed. She prayed to you…
Once the fire had run its course the executioners raked the coals over to reveal her charred body. Then they proceeded to burn her body twice more and it was reduced to ashes. I carried her ashes and cast her remains into the Seine River. Her enemies tried to rewrite her history, I didn’t let them. I made history remember her for who she was in my eyes. Her figure so dazzling it burned into my eyes. I spread her legend so that others would know her and her accomplishments. I thought I could perhaps prevent such an event from occurring again.
But history has a way of repeating itself.
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Hi, so I was going to go with the french revolution (as suggested) and several of the key figures but then I remembered of Joan of Arc. Her story fits here because the Devil is still talking about Eve and how she affected him. I'm not completely sure where I'll add in the stories of revolution but I think I'll include it when Moses meets the Devil. Also other people mentioned here was Jules Verne and Nellie Bly.
Vern is a very influential author and is considered to be one of the fathers of science fiction.
Nellie Bly atually went around the world in 72 days and pioneered a new kind of investigative journalism.
Any other ideas about who the Devil should talk about next?
Thank you for reading.