Hello everyone. Over the last two months, I and a group of randoms over from Mount & Blade war band: Napoleonic wars, FSE forums have written this story. Of course it wasn't as great as it is now, that's because I put the story together, edited the bad bits out, Fixed the grammar & spelling, then added some more content to make it more interesting.
Enjoy!
WARNING: The following story contains mature subject matter, and foul language. If you are easily offended, or under-age do NOT read this story. James had new orders; they were to assault an enemy camp.
He and the rest of his company started to move into position, As the Lieutenant gave the go to move up.
They proceeded to march as bullets where whizzing past their ears, and men being shot dead, or badly wounded by the hot metallic balls; discharged into their flesh. As the company advanced James heard a thump to his left, the man to his right, was shot cold dead. He was a good man, a comrade of James during the long hours of training.
James looked over at the rest of the line to notice that he was one of the last few men standing in the first row, the rest had been gunned down in the last volley. "Close up!" a sergeant shouted, and the company visibly shrank around James as the men pressed together. The scene was unbearable, with the sight of guns blazing, and grown men whining & crying like feeble little girls, The nauseating smell of blood, and the metallic taste of gunpowder in the air, James couldn't help but vomit.
Second after, James raised his head to see that the enemy cavalry were charging on the flank, he tried to warn his comrades, however he saw that the flanking cavalry was sucked into the ground, as his comrades were attempting to rip him apart. As his comrades pulled him into a rough rally square; James was slapped by his comrades, and was able to shake off the mad hallucinations that were induced by the shock of seeing his comrades die around him.
Suddenly they heard the sound of a horn, it was British dragoons coming to help, they seen the smoke fly in the distances and set them forth. Then cannonballs hurled through the sky, fired by the french's 3 operational 6 ponders guns that were firing directly into James' company causing widespread havoc, and despair amongst the ranks..
Luckily, the first two missed, but the third directly hit a few soldiers and the musicians. There was nothing to keep spirits up, but the colors and the lieutenant's words. Suddenly, James realized that they were nearly 100 feet from the enemy's camp. The company remained quiet, and waited for the lieutenant's orders to advance and seize the camp, thereby taking the pressure off the other companies who were in dire straits.
The company was back into a line. They were walking slowly, undaunted by death running through and around them. The order was given and the company charged towards the camp, left and right men collapsed on the ground dying lonely and painful deaths, they reached the encampment and James engaged in melee with a corporal of the Vistula legion, the corporal got the best of James, injuring him, and then taking him prisoner.
The attack ended in disaster, with almost no survivors from his company. as a prisoner James managed to escape his badly guarded cell and fled to the nearest village, where he met up with a deserter of his unit. two deserters of a rifles regiment, who directed them to a pub. Once seated, they discussed and laughed about ideas of being enlisted into new regiments under new names (to avoid punishment for desertion), wild ideas about forming a rebel army "just for the bloody hell of it" as one of the riflemen described it, and other similar ideas. Hours later, the four of them decided to Drink as much as they can, and while they were drinking. A man feel onto one of the Riflemen. With the intoxication of the alcohol. The riflemen threw his fist and hit the man over the face, within seconds the pub was a riot. James and the rest of the Riflemen stayed together and fought of the others, although they were drunk. They still remembered some of their training and fought back. They ran out giggling, then went to the nearest brothel. James hadn't drank much, he decided to sleep, on his way to bed at his room in the tavern he found Colonel Betty naked on his bed, ready and waiting then he quickly shut the door and continued moving down the hallway. Upon the reaching the end of the hallway, he ran into the Captain of A company in his old regiment.
He told the Captain of the journey he had been on, and joined the Captain on his return in the morning. Upon arriving back to camp. Upon returning to the regimental camp, James was in a terrible condition as he had forgotten to clean himself up. James was ordered to be given a regimental bath, and was given a new uniform: It was slightly too small for him, although it was soft, He was glad as he didn't like his normal uniform, it would always be itchy and uncomfortable. He got his uniform ready, his musket over his back, with many spare bullets and one loaded one. He remembered his knifes, either for throwing or cooking. And sometimes to even sharpen the bayonet. He was ready to get his mission briefing.
It was guard duty, although it was not as he expected. He was to guard the Captains Daughter, as her personal guard. He headed on to meet her, upon entry he noticed that she was in the middle of taking a bath with her friends. James stopped, in awe he turned to his right for some reason like he was in marching order. The Captain's daughter saw that James saw her and her friends and immediately put a robe on.
She went to confront James, "How dare you enter my quarters without knocking!" she said.
"I'm sorry milady, my name is James, your father had ordered me to personally guard you with my life" James responded, in attention.
"Very well, I'm Fiona. Please watch the door while I get into some fitting clothes" as she walked off. James followed, and stopped at her bathroom door. He thought she was safe while her maids got her ready.
His day had begun in mess. He realized. "I walked into her quarters, and saw her naked. I'm sure to get a few lashings if that was mentioned...".
Fiona, was dressed, and left her room. She instructed Private James to follow her outside, as she had intended to go on a walk.
"Oui mademoiselle" He answered. Fiona stood still, and the other regimental guards glared at him. He didn't know why he spoke French to a British woman, the guards must of thought he was a spy. His cheeks went red, and corrected himself "Yes Milady".
Suddenly James and everyone else in the camp heard the sound of distant gunfire as well as the old French marching tune the "Pas de charge". James decided to Warn Fiona, he tries to open the door. But it was strangely locked, he got his musket, shot the handle and kicked the door in. the Maids were dead, as Fiona was being dragged away by French, James shouted for help, the other guards at the front door.
They ran in with James and chased after her, killing French fighters on their way. They caught up and stabbed, shot and slashed at the enemy. They had now successfully freed Fiona of enemy custody. when they turned around. They saw the fort in flames. The Captain was retreating on his horse, with an entire regiment of horse, Followed by infantry retreating to the woods in fear. They had thought Fiona and her small Guard regiment were long dead.
James led Fiona and the 8 other Guards to the forest, they looked back, and heard distant screaming from the town, they marched in the direction of their army, hoping to catch up with them again.
A straggler from the enemy was waiting in the trees, he stabbed Fiona through the breast, killing her almost instantly. James stood there in shock. He didn't know what to do as one of the guards shot the Frenchman and grabbed James and led him on his way without Fiona's corpse.
James glimpsed back, as he saw another guard running towards Fiona. At first, he thought the guard was helping her, but he quickly realized the guard was taking anything she had on her that would be worth any value.
While he was distracted, a Frenchman suddenly burst out from behind a tree, and stabbed James in the leg. The guard with him managed to overpower the Frenchman, kill him, and call for help. James found himself laying there, bleeding from his leg, and feeling nauseous about the whole ordeal. His eyelids became heavier and heavier, until he blacked out.
when he woke up he didn't know where he was. He asked the badly wounded soldier next to him where they were. The soldier told him that the French had taken them as prisoners, and that he was in the worst prisoner camp the French had to offer.
He looked away from the British soldier on his right, he noticed more British soldiers, from other regiments. At the corner of his eye, there she was. there was Fiona being treated.
There was no way they would of killed her he thought, they wanted a ransom from her. She was worth a lot of money to the British.
Everyone in that room wasn't in fighting condition. He knew that they would either kill them, or sell them along with Fiona. They were mixed units, however he did a quick count. There was barely a platoon in that room, he could only guess how many there was in other rooms.
He pulled over the cheap blanket laying on him to see a thick gash on his leg. Fearful for it worsening, he wrapped the blanket around his leg as well as he could. Laying there, he felt unable to do anything. Then, from outside the building, it seemed, he heard Horses whining and going mad, then French solders shouting and giving orders, guns were being shot. Howitzers were being fired. He didn't know what was going on, after a hour or so. There was a mad cheer, it wasn't the French. He heard the sound of boots walking into the building. It was an army of French & British army deserters! Lead by the two Riflemen he met in the inn about a week ago.
They entered the room after a surge of guards came in, and arrested the remaining French surgeons. To their surprise they saw James, and explained that they would rejoin the army, and hope to be forgiven for desertion by capturing the French fort. James grumbled and complained about his wounds, and went on to explain that he was ordered to protect Fiona with a small group of 20. Some died and others were with him. James promised that he would speak to the Captain of the British barracks (And Fiona's father) that they would be allowed to rejoin if they stay with James and his platoon. So they got supplies and began to look for the Captain.
They left the prison grounds, once the injured were in the carts. They moved slowly, with three platoons worth of men up and down the road. Feeling secure, an old man who was seated on the same cart as James, took out a box that he had kept hidden. James couldn't read what the box had said, but the old man finally opened it with a knife (another item that he had kept secret), to reveal 8 cigars. The lid fell to the bottom of the cart, and James was quick enough to grab it before the old man could. James found that it was old Virginian tobacco, the price of which must have been high at that point. James looked back up at the old man, who was holding the box as if it was about to be taken from him. James asked "Where did you get these?". The old man replied, in a very deep French-accent, "You do not need to know. I- I get around a lot. That is all." The man snatched the lid out of James's hands. James stared at the old man, who was at that point putting a cigar in his mouth, studying him. He appeared to be at least 80-years old, and had thick, white mutton chops across his chin. Atop his head, he wore a fur hat, that would resemble a short grenadier guard cap. He wore a big, bear-fur coat, that went down to his shins. On his feet, he had two large boots, pointed at the end, the likes of which James was not familiar with. James asked "Who are you?". The old man looked up at James, took a long pause to light his cigar, and replied "My name is Audiate. The Fourteenth of France. You do not know me, I do not expect you to. I have been places you never thought to have existed. There, I answered your question, and even more. Now do not ask anything, for that is all I would wish to share." With that, the old man turned to watch the trees by the road as they moved passed. James looked around at the other people sitting on the cart. One in particular.
It was the British Captain. Fiona's father, of whom James was guarding. He kept staring at him, in shock and he felt his spine go cold. Something wasn't right, he wasn't moving and his eyes were closed. When they stopped, he fell out the cart. His Sgt and LCpl ran towards him. James did as well, when they picked him up, there was a poisoned dart on his body, they weren't alone. Orders were shouted out, in less than minutes the place was secure and ready to defend. French & British solders lined up ready to fight, they were in a farm it had seemed. A wrecked farm, they managed all the wounded in the barn, as well as Fiona and the other VIPs. Then guns were fired. It was James Madison & his American regiments, they were outnumbered. Soon they would be out numbered, they would kill them if they got into the defenses....
James still being a private was ordered to stand in line, along his comrades. as the American lines were advancing, with loud footsteps, and drums & cannon thundering, a man was spotted walking towards the enemy. He stood in the middle of the battlefield as cannons landed around him.
An American scout rode towards him, and returned to his general, soon after the American lines grew quiet. They have stopped playing their instruments.
This mysterious figure, started to walk towards James' company. However his officers did not know, who or what he was, and gave the order "MAKE READY!"
James noticed that it was Audiate, as he took out a cigar to his mouth.
James began to yell "NO, NO!", as his officers yelled "Take aim!"
Audiate interrupted by shouted out in a deep, demanding, authoritative voice "Stop, ye rebels! Aye, that's what you are, rebels hoping to make it back into a 'civilized' world. These fine folks here are nothing but hounds, following orders from their leader." Audiate paused to take a long smoke of his cigar. "Sure, you can start a fight here, but neither side will get much from it. You have more supplies, but those men have the spirit and numbers to tear you all apart. All they want is a purpose, and I can see that this can be used to our benefit. If they do not receive one, they're going to continue killing themselves, and killing you, until this road smells of smoke and death." Audiate looked up and down the road, and back at the angry and crazed group of townsfolk. "Those people," he said as he pointed at the mob, "are not experienced in combat. There are a lot of them, though, and with a bit of basic training, and if they are given supplies, they might just serve us-"
"I'd say fuck 'em! They killed the captain, they don't deserve to live!" a British soldier had yelled out.
"I appreciate your loyalty and your... enthusiasm, but would someone else, with a more rational thought, like to address the situation?" replied Audiate, before returning the cigar to his mouth. The men stood there for a moment, listening to the crowd of villagers screaming and hollering for bloodshed. Suddenly the general appeared.
"IT'S HIM!" Shouted a Colour Sgt. Commands were giving, shots were fired. And death was upon them all. The British were heavily outnumbered! They kept dying and retreating. The British Arty were running to the last defenses. The British cavalry were either dismounted or killed. They seen too many Dragoons fall back on foot. The man next to James felt his stomach, and looked to James and said "I just shat myself" James regiment giggled, then laughed out. Until a cannon ball hit the regiment next to them, killing half of them. The Americans were in throwing distances. They shouted demands, telling us to surrender. We did so. We were surrounded until we heard noises.
Galloping and war-cry, James recognized this very easily, he smirked. And began to laugh. The hole of the British continued with him and laughed. The Americans couldn't see what was happening due to the fog and bullet smoke. Until musketoons were fired. It was the Imperial Russian Army!!! Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov himself, he was coming back from England on diplomatic business. Hope was with them all. The British grabbed their weapons and charged....
The British's counter charge was successful with the aid of Kutuzov. James suddenly realized that the Captain's daughter was missing. He was now more scared, and worried than he had ever been; Not even the fear of death.
James hurriedly ran around the defensive section; looking for her, however he couldn't find her, till he faint whimpers from a horse's shed. James entered to find the Captain's daughter chained up, with blood stains on her. She appeared to be desensitized.
James started walking closer to her to assist her until his sergeant appeared behind him and yelled in a stern, thundering voice...
"What have you done to her you malignant little scum! We weren't out there fighting just so you could have your way with the Captain's Daughter!"
The sergeant proceeded to grab James by the back of his shirt, and dragging him out.
"I'm her guard Sergeant, I was only looking for her!", said James.
The Sergeant's facial expression changed..
"How can I believe you Private?"
"Ask the Captain himself! Even the kid, trust me Sergeant! I have no desire for her!" Said James
The Sergeant stuffed him back inside, followed by some extra British Solders, who took up defense in the building. James looked back to see if the Sergeant was still there and he was, he was also keeping an eye on James. Until a Cannon-ball was shot and took off the Sergeant's head. A few British soldiers ran to his body and carried him away, James ran to search for Fiona once more...
