Audentes Fortuna Luvat

The day had been arduous. Henri realized he needed to breath after his exchange with general Volk. Charles put a hand on him. “Looks like you somehow brought more time for the army to reform, sir.” Henri shook his head. “No, Charles, you did wonderfully. I was not too sure that if I said the exact same, general Volk would agree.” Charles simply shrugged. “I guess this means we should get our dress uniforms ready?” Henri agreed and went towards their baggage.

Thinking about how to use the time allotted to them to improve their situation. The brigade quickly set camp. The men in the trees creating breastworks while having companies search the ground for their wounded comrades.

Henri entered his tent where his aid stood at attention. “At ease Tim.” The young corporal, probably no older than fourteen, relaxed. Looking about the tent to grab the many accoutrements needed for the dinner dress uniform. He began to strip Henri of his dirtied uniform. Henri in kind took a hastily prepared bath. He shuddered as he lowered himself into the quickly cooling bath.

After a moment or so. Henri began to be dressed. He quickly put on his grey trousers, long black boots, and simple cotton shirt. He waited for Tim to grab the ornate grey coat that was placed over his shoulders. Then quickly buttoned around the neck. Tim stood in front of Henri and gave a wide smile. “There you go, sir, you look like rather dashing.” Henri thanked Tim and began to exit his tent. He spotted Charles who wore the same uniform save for the three medals on his chest.

He made out two of those medals. The first being the order of Merit, given to those who had done some heroic deed during campaign. The second being the order of Valor, a higher medal than the order of Merit, given if Henri recalls for his actions at the council's office. Henri remember reading in a newspaper that the colonel had defended the council from a pro-imperial force that overwhelmed the councilor’s guards. Something about Charles riding along with some artillery guns and firing grapeshot. A whiff if Henri recalled.

The third medal though was a mystery. He wasn’t too familiar with it. The medal was a copper eagle about the size of a lapel button. Attached to the eagle is a simple cross of swords. He tried to recall the medals of the republic to no avail.

Charles seeing Henri staring at the medals chuckled. “This thing. The first medal I received. I cherish it simply because of the meaning. I got this when I was in the imperial army. Under Duke Morganstein in the highlands. During the ‘84 revolt. Received it when my regiment and I were the last members on the field of battle.” Henri recalled the revolt of ‘84. He had just graduated from university. He recalled the disastrous defeat of the duke and his death. Along with the independence of the Highland clans.

Henri was unaware that Charles was even on that side of the continent. Charles simply smiled as if he interpreted what Henri was thinking. “I was born there. The city of Greenwich. Imagine my surprise when they revolted against the empire. At the time I was a captain in the service of the duke and in one of his household regiments. The Campbell regiment. We were a highland regiment that served the duke and his family. During the revolt many within the regiment defected along with its colonel. I along with maybe a hundred or so remained. We were relegated to frontline duties. Let’s just say, not a lot of us survived.”

Charles looked towards the sky as if he was remembering the faces of times long gone. “During the battle that would be later called Millard’s heights, the army was marching in column. A thick fog surrounded us. All we could hear was the sounds of drums and footsteps. However, a single noise cut through the air. The sound of pipes. They came down from all around. Cutting our attempts to flee. The duke tried to push from the rear, but he fell. I still don’t know how. Regardless, the fog had diminished our views. I ordered the regiment to form square and prepare to fire at will.”

This time Charles had a sorrow look to him. Before he could speak Henri stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder. “Next time, Charles, we have a dinner to attend.” In the hour or so from the meeting a runner came to inform Henri and Charles that they are to dine at the village headman’s house. They are to bring a guard of ten men. Henri and Charles chose their men. Mostly from their staff from the days battle along with Tim and Charle’s batman. They rode out shortly after. Riding to the bridge.

Waiting for them was general Volk sitting atop a grey charger. “Colonel.” The general saluted. Henri doing so in kind. He looked at the bodyguards of the general. His personal household based on the flag they flew. In contrast Henri’s band was no more than enlisted men who happened to be drafted to Henri’s staff. Some couldn’t even ride their horses properly. The general felt the awkwardness in the air. Coughed into his handkerchief and showed the way to the village. Crossing the bridge. Henri felt the eyes of his men staring at their leader going across the river.

Upon arriving at the village. He saw the casualties of the day. Near the entrance was a mass grave and several men pouring lime into the mass grave. Near the tavern that Henri stayed at the previous days. He saw the surgeon at work. A pile of limbs placed into a rather heaping pile. He was surprised to see women so close to the field though. This time the general stopped calling over two women.

“Colonel, I want you to meet my daughters, Sophia and Juliet. My wife sadly is indisposed at the moment. One of the doctors, you see.” At that the two girls curtsied and the colonel tipped his cap towards them. Henri greeted them with a simple “ladies.” A light chuckle came from the general. “I see that you are a cavalier. Are you sure you are an infantry commander and not a cavalry one?” Charles laughed at that which elicited laughter from the small band.

They rode forth towards a small but opulent house. Standing in front was the brigade commander and several infantrymen. They saluted the general and Henri as they dismounted. “Colonel, I believe I forgot to introduce general Stanford. He was the fellow you challenged today.” The Stanford reached out for a handshake; his jaw shut tight. Henri shook it and followed the motions.

Henri thought it odd. What did General Volk wish to accomplish with his attempts to mingle with enemy officers. In particular one who thrashed his own brigade commanders. At that Henri saw a flash of anger fade away from Stanford’s eyes. “Colonel, you led a brilliant defense. I got to say though. I nearly had you at the ford.”

Henri remembered the bodies of horse and men strewn about. “Nearly did.” Henri said with a smile. General Volk nodding along and took the two by the shoulder and begin to usher them into the house. Waiting for them was the headman of the village. His shifty green eyes darted between the general and Henri along with the company that followed in tow.

The dinner started with a course of soup. Henri thought it courteous to bring along the freshly salted pork done in the morning prior to the battle. It was roasted over the roaring fire that warmed the house. The mayor seemed happy to at least not dip into his own food supplies. The general brought up some vintage imperial wine. That Henri remembered to drink from his time in university.

Suddenly a commotion went on outside. Which prompted Volk and Stanford to stand in front of their guests. The staff and guards prepared themselves for whoever entered the room. Instead of some grizzled imperial officer stepping in it was an out of breath general. “Sir, I apologize for the commotion. I’m sorry my brigade couldn’t arrive in time to shatter the enemy forces.” The young general couldn’t say anymore as his eyes met Henri’s and Charle’s eyes.

He stood at attention. “Sir? What is this?” This time Volk spoke “this here is colonel Henri Dubois, in command of the republican defensive line. We agreed that we should have a ceasefire considering the day’s outcome.” Volk then turned to introduce the young man. “Colonel, my apologies. This here is general Alexei Volk-Ober, related to me by marriage. He commands one of my brigades. Speaking of which.” The general turned to Alexei. “Where was your brigade?”

The general turned a shade of red. “My apologies, sir. We were caught up with the bureaucracy at corps headquarters. They prevented my brigade from advancing.” The general released a sigh. “Probably some old count who has a grudge with me.”

At that moment it dawned on Henri the imperials after the defeat of the army were disorganized to say the least. However, he quickly recovered offering his condolences. Volk simply waved it away. Alexei continued on “so general, colonel. I was wondering I only heard rumors and after thoughts of the battle nothing in detail. I was curious how did it actually play out?”

At that Charles took over and recounted the day along with Stanford who gave insight into particular movements. Both men seemed to get into a pattern of countering each other with their moves. Henri seemed to notice and quickly hid a grin. When the door to the room opened. Three ladies had entered. Dress to the nines. Everybody stood to greet them.

Volk introduced them in kind. “My lovely wife Elizabeth.” A woman in her late forties. She wore a satin blue dress, here hair held in a tight bun. Hidden beneath a lovely hat. Volk continued. “This here is Sophia, my eldest daughter. She just turned 20 this year.” Sophia was a beauty in all renown. She wore an intricate green dress. Her hair pinned in the same manner as her mother. However, Henri noticed a lapel similar to an eagle. It seemed familiar. Volk finished introductions with his youngest daughter. “Juliet come here please meet colonel Henri Dubois.” The youngest seemed the shyest. She wore a loose-fitting floral dress that matched her complexion. Her auburn hair flowed freely compared to her mother and sister.

Henri stepped forwards to greet them. The two girls curtsied. He began to speak, “as your father said, the names Henri Dubois. I come from the Dubois Trading Company. I am glad to meet your acquaintance.” The girls shook Henri’s hand. Volk leaned over to Charles. The colonel leaning in to hear what the general was whispering. “Did you know that colonel?” Charles shook his head. “I just met the man today, sir. However, on the battle it felt like I knew him my entire lifetime. He read me like a book.” Volk simply smiled at that. “That’ll do then.”

The night continued on, Volk and his wife enjoying the atmosphere of the dinner, Alexei speaking with both Charles and Stanford inquiring about the battle, and Henri talking in low whispers with Sohpia and Juliet.

Henri upon further contact with the girls realized something. They were reformers at heart. They wanted to improve the rights of the common man, lower nobles, and society as a whole. He particular enjoyed their fiery push towards women suffrage and the rights of women as a whole. Henri pointed out that until universal male rights were achieved then women rights would not be pursued.

Volk looked on this small group of fiery republicans and interceded offering them desert and inviting them to the wider topic. Which was Alexei trying to gleam insight on the battle.

He looked at Stanford with an incredulous smile. “Are you telling Jackson, our Jackson. The fellow who famously soiled himself during the previous battle. Led a cavalry charge across the ford. Then died? I cannot believe it, Stan.”

At that Henri recalled the corpse of a colonel near the ford. Near the pile of bodies. “If he is the same colonel who had a red feather in his wide brim hat then that is the same man. He had wounds towards his front none to his back.” At that Alexei quieted down. He then rose a glass “to Jackson.” At that the entire dinner came together to the toast.

The night wounded on. Charles looked around the table to see the happiness in everyone’s eyes. However, he checked his watch pocket. The hands ticked away without a care. It was closer to midnight than he thought. He went towards Henri and showed him the time.

At that Henri stood to salute the general. “General, I am afraid it is time for us to go.” At that Sophia and Juliet protested. Finding a kindred spirit in the realm of politics they hated the feeling that Henri was to leave. Volk simply shushed them and returned the salute. “If you still remain tomorrow. I would love to invite you again if we are still able too.” His two subordinates shuffled in their seats uncomfortable.

Henri simply smiled and agreed. He said his good nights to the daughters and shook the hand of Elizabeth. He also apologized and thanked the village headman, who seemed to be on the brink of exhaustion.

The two colonels begin to mount their horses along with their staff. Henri noticed the drunken manner in which Tim mounted his horse. He seemed to smile as the young corporal struggled and almost fell from his saddle. Stanford to the dismay of his staff helped the young man up. The parties saluted each other one final time and retired for the night.

Henri rode back noticing the fields being cleared of bodies, however, the scars remained on the earth. He returned to his tent where he dismissed Tim and prepared himself for bed. He knew he had an early morning tomorrow.