La Chanson de la Victoire (The Song of Victory): La Petite Arpenteuse (Non, SV, you are a General of France in the Napoleonic War!)

7.4 Life Will Change; La Vie Volonté évolution






Severin was quiet as you looked up from the paperwork. "Severin, what brings you to my tent?" The yawn you let out was unbecoming, but he didn't seem to mind.

You were exhausted from the work and it was starting to become a noticeable trend that you were falling asleep on your desk, and Charlotte was carrying you back to your bed to sleep. His empathy for you was comforting.

"I was just going to give my report on the training of the recruits and of our own men." He stated, sitting across the table, and pouring a cup of wine, the bottle opened and uncorked. His glance to you was evident that he wanted you to have it "Jourdan seems to be very eager to send every piece of paperwork to your desk?"

"Indeed he is." You sighed as you took the cup from his hands and drank it. "I find it reassuring that he has so much faith in me."

Severin gave a small chuckle. "With respect Generale, you are wasting your abilities being his over-glorified secretary. You are an officer in the Army, whom he decided to foist all paperwork onto you."

"If I must be a Secretary for him, I will do as he orders." You replied as you finished, putting your signature onto the page. "My thoughts on the matter are secondary."

Severin stood. "General Auclair, I've seen you lead men into battle, and plan great victories."

"With Advantageous positions that allowed us to exploit the enemy… and I am not invincible Severin, I have wounds to show for it." You replied. The pain was no longer there on your side anymore, but sometimes in the middle of the night, you felt tingling there.

The Captain nodded."Yes, but that should not detract from your personal leadership abilities."

Was he praising you for a reason? Or was he hiding something? There was nothing obvious you could see in his eyes to discern what he wanted to lie to you.

You raised an eyebrow. "Your report captain?"

Severin stood at attention. "The recruits have been fully trained and our units have passed many of my drills with flying colors. The Rifles that are in units are capable of hitting targets at 100 yards."

"Anything else?" You asked.

Severin nodded. "No Mademoiselle." He replied with a salute.

"Then you are dismissed." You replied.

Severin turned around and left.

You then looked back to the paperwork and slammed your head onto the desk. How did Chamans do it without wanting to shoot himself?

You poured another cup of wine. This was going to be a long day.

Reward: 6,000 Infantry are now Veterans. 2000 riflemen are now Veterans.

20,000 untrained soldiers in your army are now Regulars.

The entire 100,000 man force Jourdan brought are now Regulars.
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Murat got his wish for a greater cavalry focus, with funds brought forth from the Army's coffers to make things better, to recruit men, buy horses and other equipment.

You just didn't expect…Whatever the hell he did.

Murat excelled at his training. After all, you expected nothing at all from the Man, other than how supremely talented at commanding Calvary.

As it turns out, he excelled at everything involving the cavalry. In Training, finding the perfect horses and stables to maintain the population in war time, and making sure the horses would not be frightened by gunfire and explosions.

All it cost was Chamans losing out on his cannons.

But the rewards were fantastic.

Murat claimed he had the finest unit of cavalry ever assembled in the French Army.

You believed him.

Reward: The Great Joachim Murat has created a unit of fantastic cavalry, the backbone of any future cavalry units in the Army of the Rhine..

+2000 Lancers (Old Guard)
+1000 Dragoons (Old Guard)
+3000 Lancers (Veterans)
+1000 Dragoon (Veterans)

Murat Gains Trait: The Finest Horseman of France: There are stories of the Great Knights of France who battled her enemies for centuries, atop the noblest of steed, with hearts of steel. You join the stories, as one of the greatest Cavalrymen of France. (+15 to all Calvary Rolls in combat.)

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The Noblemen smelled of perfume and powder. That was not a smell you particularly liked. Too much powder made you sneeze and the perfume just felt off-putting. Disarming even.

"Mademoiselle Générale, I am honored to be in the presence of one of Europe's foremost canonniers." He said with a smile that was unnerving. His teeth were white, too white like they were painted over, his breath reeking of booze.

The Gentleman had been escorted into the camp by the scouts, with his men staying close behind, with wagons of cargo, wishing to meet you. Beside you was Chamans, who was quietly examining the man with a steely gaze and a reddened face. He had just finished screaming at artillerymen failing during their training and wished to discuss their failures.

"I am going to be very honest sir, you have me at a disadvantage." You responded, looking board, but taking in every word, every action, every movement.

He was noticing it as well. "You have nothing to fear from me, Générale Auclair. I merely, though my agents have reported you are looking for a supply of cannon to supply you latest offensive."

Your eyes narrowed and Chamans nearly drew his pistol, only stopping when you raised a hand. "And where have you heard about such rumors that we are planning an offensive?"

"Do not play coy with me Générale, it's unbecoming of you to try and lie when you clearly have no skill in it." The man stated.

Chamans growled. "And who are you to go claiming such things?"

The man smiled. "A man who wishes for the war to continue a little while longer, for my employer's benefit."

That made your blood feel like ice. "And who do you work for?"

"No one in particular Mademoiselle, I am just an intermediary, someone who is by all accounts, disposable for them. I know not of their operations, or even their reasons for continuing such madness. But they pay me, and I am bound to serve them while the gold flows." The man stated.

"And you have no qualms helping me in my preparations?" you asked.

"I have no qualms in helping anyone who provides me with the gold for my wares." The man stated. "Good French canon is hard to come by, especially since many armories from the Vendee were ransacked by royalists. Finding their way into Switzerland was truly unlikely… but inevitable."

You felt your fingers moving in circles. "And you are returning stolen property?"

"For a fee of course." The man stated.

"And if I just arrest you, and try you for arms smuggling?" You questioned.

"You will find me walking free from the trial, a few days later, shaking the hands of the judges, lawyers, and prominent members of high society." The man replied. "I am very well prepared for such eventualities. And you would gain enemies far more powerful than just those you fight on the battlefield. Those that cannot be killed with guns and bullets."

The man stood. "I have 26 cannons for sale currently for your army, and another 500 as well for other units in the French Army. The remainder to be returned to other units within the army, and for the new units here, for 200,000 Franks. Gold is preferable, but we can work with silver."

"You're robbing us." You stated.

"Well, I did say French cannon was hard to come by my dear, and I'm very sure you would not wish to see your guns pointed at you… unless I should go back to Prussia?"

Chamans traded a look with you, and you gave a small nod. He nodded back. "Done."

You smiled. "And who do I have the pleasure of making such an arrangement with?" You asked.

The man smiled. "They call me 'The Merchant of Death' Générale. But that is just a title I like to tell people. They just call me Frank."
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Chamans was quiet as you both mulled over what the hell just happened.

"I fear we have caught the attention of very powerful people." He stated.

You nodded and drank. "I believe you. But I can't shake the feeling we are in a web we cannot see."

"I don't know Générale. But what I do know is that we cannot ignore such men, especially if we are in the field, forgotten and without support." He drank. "I'll double the watch, and ask around. Find out if this man has agents in the city."

"Good… and tell no one about this. I would rather keep this between us." You ordered.

Reward: Gain 26 Cannon. You have met a mysterious Swiss Arms dealer named 'Frank'

You suspect something sinister is brewing.
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The next nobleman was far more open in his intentions. And instead of Chamans, you were joined by Générale Jourdan, and Charlotte, who acted as, your bait to get what you needed. After all, a Princess would be listened to, even one without a throne. "His Emissary, Karl August von Hardenberg, of the Kingdom of Prussia." A Herald spoke. The coat of arms was well… not like others you had seen, but one you think you recognized from… Valmy maybe? A regiment he must have served in, or was from?

Or maybe it was something else entirely and you were misremembering details again.

You and Jourdan looked to Charlotte, who was trying to hide from the man's gaze. "Is this some sort of joke?"

"What do you mean, Ambassadeur?" Jourdan asked, folding his arms, as he sat on the top of his desk. "I assume peace between our nations is no joking matter."

"Yet you parade around the Princesse like she is just some common secretary!" He stated as he stood.

Charlotte stood behind you. You narrowed your eyes. "Ambassador, the Princess is my ward, one who has never been ill-treated due to her status. Though she clearly has no desire to return to such titles."

You could feel her squeeze your hand, trying to remain calm. You allowed yourself to squeeze it back for a single moment, before letting go and placing a hand on your sword. "Charlotte Capet is a citoyenne of the French Republic, and while she may have once been a princess, under the eyes of the French Republic, those titles are void, with the monarchy being disbanded."

And her father was executed. And her family imprisoned, and her brother and herself suffering abuse from horrid people that would have rather killed them than to treat them with any decency.

It was only luck and lack of evidence that her Aunt was not executed as well, and allowed to the Carpet Chateau in Aquitaine. The only property that still held their name that the Convention hadn't stripped away from the Former Royal Family.

"This is not about the Princess, her brother, or the circumstances surrounding their treatment here. This is about bringing peace between our warring nations." Jourdan stated, taking control of the conversation. "We will assist you to Versailles, and you will be protected by my men while the peace treaty is created."

The Ambassador gave a nod. "Thank you Générale."

"Avec conditions." Générale Jourdan stated, stopping the ambassador in his tracks. The guards were blocked by your men. "I cannot make promises from my government Ambassador, not without assurances that Prussian soldiers will not cross the Rhine. I want them off the Rhine, back into the Prussian heartlands."

"What you are asking is beyond what I am capable of doing Générale." The Ambassador stated. "I do not control the Prussian Army."

"Then maybe you can explain that to your king when French Soldiers cross the Rhine and March to Brandenburg," Charlotte stated. "So send a rider, and send him quickly, before we decide that sitting and waiting would not achieve our objectives."

You could feel the temperature drop, as the Ambassador looked to one of his men. "I will need an afternoon."

"Get it done." Charlotte ordered.

And without another word, the man gave a small bow to Charlotte and left, back to his group, and the small escort that would take them to the old palace.

Reward: You have met Karl August von Hardenberg, leader of the Peace emissary to France.

His intentions, however, seem more locked on the former princess and her brother, than true peace with France.

But he is quickly reminded of the situation and is moving to Paris with haste.
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Charlotte was standing at the edge of the camp, watching Louis batter away at a training dummy.

"Is something wrong?" You asked as you stood next to her.

For a moment, Charlotte was quiet, watching her brother. "Do you think that we will be allowed to live, without your protection?" She asked.

You raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"Men are willing to die for us… kill for us because we are descended from the King's of old, the Ancien Régime." She watched the continued fighting, the breaking of wood and steel. THe Sergeant who was training Louis was impressed that he held a modicum of talent, and when not praising the boy, was working him even harder. "Our very lives are reminders of the days of absolute power in the hands of a single man. People do not want to give up what they knew for something new, and untested. They believe it is best to stick to the old ways."

"And what do you think?" You asked.

The question caught her off guard. "What do I think?" she repeated the question.

"Yes," you stated. "You are entitled to opinions, just as much as I am."

She looked away. "Men are afraid of change. We all are… we retreat into the things we know because we cannot fathom that the new thing might be better." There were words on her lips, but nothing came.

"And?" You pressured quietly.

"That this great experiment would be proven wrong. That man cannot be idealistic enough to trust another to allow such a thing to exist. That man can be good enough to see the value in another person and place faith in them, rather than a king who rules them all." She looked away.

"I believe this experiment can succeed." You replied.

"Why?" She asked, clearly surprised by your statement.

"Because we fear it can fail. And that fear drives up to be better."

You walked away and felt the need to instruct Louis on the finer points of your limited swordsmanship.

Reward: Charlotte's relation increases by 1. She now views you as a Confidant.

Her Republican views increase by 3. Her monarchist sentiment has decreased by 2.
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Générale Jourdan was furious as he sat you down in his tent. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?

You raised an eyebrow. "No not particularly." You responded, facing a glare from your superior. "I'm just trying to prevent other men from getting killed from idiocy."

"You sent High command a letter, expressing your displeasure with the plans for our offensive in Egypt under a Pseudonym." He stated. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

"I realized that, and saw that blindly going to what amounts to a side theater that will only make us more enemies than allies." You replied. "The real danger is why our government still continues to plan and support such a mad venture?"

Jourdan shook his head. "Because our government, for better or for worse, seeks a new avenue of wealth, and that requires an Egyptian ally, a port in the Red sea, and the ability to get to India, unmolested by the Royal Navy. India is that avenue."

You snorted. "With respect sir. India is a fractured land, that we cannot possibly control, even with a hundred thousand men, whose profit is nothing that will justify the starting cost."

You were not an economist, but you were a soldier. The very ability to control India was… expensive in manpower and silver. It was not worth that cost.

Nothing that sending thousands of men across the Mediterranean was.

"Well, our government and High command do not see it this way," he stated, as he removed a letter. "For you, Générale. I hope we meet again someday."

Meet Again?

You looked at the letter, the seal of the Directorate was crisp and unbroken. And you opened it gently, fearful it was your dismissal.

It turned out to be far worse.






Oh.


This was worse. Far worse.

Reward: You have been promoted to Générale de Division. You have been given independent command of the Army of Egypt.

You will have new officers under your command, who will join your staff.

You may now promote men to General in the Army of Egypt without High Commands Approval. Once the Campaign begins.

It seems someone in Government wants you as far as possible from France.

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You have a group of Talented subordinates, men who have proven, on the battlefield and off of it, that they are competent, quick thinking, and brilliant at their jobs.

You wish you could make all of them Chief of Staff. But you needed to choose one.

Who will be your chief of staff:

[]Captain Denis Martin Severin: Your most trusted infantry officer, a man who on more than one occasion has risked life and limb to ensure the men would keep fighting when the odds seemed stacked against them. His continued brilliance in whipping the army into shape is nothing but astounding. But he is well aware he is lacking in the other finer points of Army command. He possessed none of the genius of diplomacy of Chamans or the logistician that De Liste was. But he is reliable, he was strong, and you need that. (Will automatically promote Severin to Colonel.)

[]Captain Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle: When you looked for a man to keep the Army fed, the weapons working, and a place to sleep, you turned to de Lisle. He was a master Engineer, a man who could make a loaf of bread last a week among twenty men with his expert rationing. He is not a man who will question your orders and provide a second opinion, something you desperately need. It is quite a shame that he is also a composer in his spare time, with a horrific singing voice. (Will automatically promote de Lisle to Colonel.)

[]Colonel Antoine Marie Chamans: The Man had been arguably your second in command throughout your first battles. An expert administrator, a competent officer in all fields of fighting, though his strength lied in artillery, and a man who more often than not, quelled the more brash heads of de Lisle and Severin when they both proposed plans that would not accurately and effectively use what you had. He is also a man you know can keep secrets, and that was worth almost as much as cannon on a hill.

[]Colonel Joachim-Napoléon Murat: The latest officer to join you, and he is without question, the most talented cavalryman in France. But while his other command skills are nothing to sneeze at, you are looking for an administrator who can assist you in running an army. And he's not the best man for the job.


What do you do with the Children?:

[]Leave them with their Aunt: They deserve to be with their family after losing so much of it. (You will send them to Chateau Capet, in Aquitaine, and reunite them with their aunt.)

[]Send them to Brian: You think Brian is fully capable of raising children. He raised you well enough after all. (You will send them to Italy, to be cared for by Brian.)

[]Take Them With You: You will not allow them to be pawns within France. It would be safer to take them with you and keep them under your watch. (You will take them with you to Egypt.)

[]Allow them to Live by Themselves: You have enough money to purchase a small apartment in Paris, one that would be comfortable and spacious for them. They are old enough to not waste what has been given to them. (YOu will send them to live alone in Paris. Hopefully without causing trouble.)

[]Send them to the Academy: Louis has expressed a desire to become an officer, if not out loud, then in his actions learning from your men. Charlotte will follow him, care for him, and to learn from the Academies best. (This will send them to the Military School in Brienne, A School Napoleon recommended in a letter.)


AN: Enjoy.

There is a Moratorium for about 15 hours, so please vote in plan format and discuss.

Also, Thank @Plausitivity for some of the great ideas that came as rewards...

and that Army Roll.