Departure Joan's heart was racing as she ran towards the English castle, unarmed and without weapons. She heard an agonising cry of a French swordsman behind her, and she turned around to see what had happened to him. He was struck by an arrow! The warm-hearted girl wanted to help him, but St. Catherine kept saying "Run, Joan, run, I am with you!" The rest of the French army rushed past her, the horses were whinnying, and above her the sky was raining with arrows. All of a sudden, Joan caught sight of a screaming brown-haired woman, who was struggling to be free against a hideous-looking English soldier. Joan thought she recognised her because she looked so familiar. She stared at her as that she ran closer, it was her mother! "Maman!" she yelled. Then all of a sudden, the whole world froze, except her, who was now standing right in front of her mother and the soldier, who were still struggling. The soldier caught her eye, "Don't you come one step closer, peasant girl, or I'll kill your mother right in front of your eyes!" he snarled. Joan did not move a single muscle, but she watched in horror as he reached for his petrifying sword and brought it up to her mother's neck... Joan woke up, trying to catch her breath back again. She was scared of this mission, but God gave her strength and faith in proceeding. She was now 17 years old, and for the past 4 years she had been hearing the voices of her saints, but this time the dream was an unusual sign telling her that it was time to move on. And indeed it was, once again St Catherine spoke to her, but this time briefly, for the moment was coming when Joan had to leave. "Go now, child, there is a merchant's carriage beside the Church. Hop into it and hide yourself among the wool. I will be with you, remember." So Joan got dressed quickly, wrapping the red cloak her mother had given her when it was her twelfth birthday around herself, for outside it was chilly, and the piercing wind whirled around every house in the village. As she stepped out of the farmhouse she muttered, " Au revoir, Papa, Maman." she turned back to look at her home once more, then ran down the cold, deserted streets of Domrémy, heading for the village Church, driving her cold fingers deep into her warm, red cloak.