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Returns
May 25, 2012 12:17:50 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on May 25, 2012 12:17:50 GMT -5
"Sir, if I take this assignment I will be unable to support my large family! That's why I came to this country in the first place! We were burned out of our home on Personza, and you know full-well why! I've served this country for the past several years now! I can't be asked to do this!" the meerkat spat, his body starting to shake as he argued his case.
The tall, thin Minister of War behind the desk only continued giving him that odd half-smile he was prone to showing. Lazare Carnot was not a particular fan of anybeast but himself, but he still was an ardent republican at heart, and played by the rules. He was a badger, but one that was incredibly thin for his species. He had just turned 42, and it was clear he regarded the meerkat general with an air of superiority.
"General Lantzer, while your service has been invaluable, you are simply a soldier. You were the most recent to be promoted to your post, and we can no longer afford to pay all the generals we have on staff! You know how hard these economic times are! If there was some other way I would do it. We've been having this back and forth row now for the past thirty minutes and have gotten nowhere. I'm not going to debate this topic with you any further. Your choices are simple. Serve in the Army of the West under Lazare Hoche, or be placed on half-pay."
"It's the same damn choice for me sir, why can't you see that?" the meerkat huffed, flustered. "Taking this demotion to the infantry will mean a pay cut..."
Carnot cut him off. "Yes it will... a 25% reduction in pay. It's better than half pay, wouldn't you say?" the badger asked.
Boneparte shook his head. "Sir, I have a family to feed, a fiancee to marry..." he motioned to the engagement ring around his finger "and my younger brother to maintain on my staff. Most of my family aren't of age to work, and many of them are female!"
"Then perhaps your mother shouldn't have produced so many children." Carnot stated simply, causing Boneparte to return the smile the smarmy badger was giving him, but with an equal show of sarcasm.
"Sir we grew up in a time when things were different than they are now! My father worked his tail off in the court of Augustine XVI, though I'm sure you'll point out some hidden royalist leanings in me for saying that but sir, I have no royalist inclinations whatsoever! The young king can rot in his cell in the Temple for all I care! If I were a royalist, I would've joined the Welkinite and Ferlusanian navies when they withdrew from Toulon! All I'm asking is that my hard work not come to nothing, sir. I've been in three engagements now..." he held up three claws. "One of them the retaking of Toulon from the Welkinite and Ferlusanian forces."
"Yes... you have. The last one in September was in direct defiance of my orders to not move the troops on the Calgarian front."
"Sir, I have already explained why I did that. The Kostritzers were threatening our supply lines, and I was NOT going to sit and let them cut our link to Savona and undo all the hard work we put into in crossing the Alps. No... we were NOT going to abandon our pawhold and recross those mountains! It would've been a complete waste! I only urged General Dumerbion to attack in order to preserve our supply chain." Boneparte persisted. "I don't back down when something threatens to undo my hard work. I meet the challenge head on."
"Yes you do, General Lantzer. Yes you do." Carnot said, nodding slowly. "But you're asking me to be unfair and to demote those senior to you to lesser posts so that you can maintain your way of life. Not gonna do it." the badger shook his head now. "Stop debating me on this!"
"Sir I don't WANT to fight rebels! Killing an enemy is one thing, but our own countrybeasts? I go to serve under Hoche, I'll have that stigma and stain with me for the rest of my life! Not a single general has escaped it so far! The royalists are traitors, yes, but can you blame them for being so harsh with executing our prisoners? We do the same damn thing to them! We show them no mercy and act like they aren't even living creatures when we take them as prisoners! I want no part of that! THIS government chose to suppress their god and their religion! THIS government sir. By banning the Catholic Church you have only incensed those devout westerners into revolt! If this is such a republic, why has freedom of worship only JUST been restored to us?" the meerkat demanded to know. He himself was a full-blown atheist, having lost his faith at 13, but at the same time he could hardly fault those Rosferians in the west for waging civil war with the republican governmnet in Cosnair, a government they saw as illegitimate at any rate. "The only reason Hoche even took that post is because he's just gotten out of prison, had no active commands, and ENJOYS killing. That's why!" Boneparte pointed out.
"Oh spare me this General Lantzer!" Carnot shot back. "You're a soldier! You signed up to go where you're assigned, and right now, I'm assigning you to the Army of the West. You are to fight rebels and defend our western shores until I deem otherwise. THAT'S what you signed up for!"
"I signed up to partly feed my family as well sir, and NOT to fight in civil wars. I signed up to defeat the likes of Welkin and Kostritz."
"Two choices general, that's all." Carnot insisted. "You have two choices right now. Serve where I assigned you, or take half-pay and go on the retired list until I need you again... which at this rate will probably be awhile." the badger snorted.
Boneparte stamped his boot on the floor, and hung his head, desperately trying to think of an alternative as he ground his teeth. He only had one card left to play... and it wasn't a great one. "There is... a third option, sir." the meerkat stated softly now.
"And that is?" Carnot asked.
"Every general gets an annual leave of absence during a time of their choosing. I put mine off last year because I was too busy protecting my nation. But you know what? I think I'm long overdue for a break. I'm requesting my three weeks' leave now, sir."
"Three weeks?" Carnot asked, mumbling something. "What day is it?"
"The 25th, sir." Boneparte responded.
"25th... that would give you until the 15th of June then, yes?" Boneparte nodded again. "Hmph... my opinion will not bend in three weeks, general. You want your leave? Go ahead and take it. I hope you enjoy your three weeks' vacation, because at its expiration, I expect you to report immediately to General Hoche's command, or not report at all, in which case I will make the decision for you and place you on half-pay. Is that understand?"
"Perfectly, sir." Boneparte replied.
"Then get the hell out of my office, please. You're on leave. Go!" the badger snapped. Boneparte nodded tersely, and turned on his heel to walk out of the Minister's office. Welcome to Cosnair... he thought bitterly as he trudged into the lobby.
A younger meerkat of 16 and two others were waiting for him. One was a tall, rugged, and very handsome looking otter. His pelt was so dark brown in color it was almost black. At only 20 years of age, he was almost six years the meerkat's junior. Auguste Marmont was one of Boneparte's best friends, their friendship having been started back in their school days when both had attended the same academy of mathematics in their younger years. Serving as a captain in the Army of Calgary now, Marmont had come with Boneparte on his long journey to Cosnair as a companion.
The 16 year old meerkat was Louis, one of Boneparte's younger brothers who was serving as his aide-de-camp. Boneparte provided his younger brother with a job, and Louis was proving adept at pawdling all dispatches and documents that reached his brother's desk. He got on well enough with his brother, and was currently Boneparte's favorite of his numerous siblings.
The third fellow was a dingo, tall and sallow looking. Two years Boneparte's junior, he would turn 24 this year in September. Another of Boneparte's friends, the meerkat had met Jean-Andoche Junot at the Siege of Toulon, where Junot had become his secretary, and had shown remarkable courage under fire.
"So? How did it go?" Louis asked eagerly.
"Not well." Boneparte said, shaking his head. "As expected. I managed to buy us three weeks. I took my annual leave of absence. We've got three weeks to rally support... and if they still don't bend... well... June 15th will be my day of reckoning." the meerkat general stated glumly.
They proceeded out of the Ministry of War's office in the Pavillon de Flore section of the old Louvre Palace. While most of that palace (save for the Tuileries) was being used as a museum now, the southern wing had been converted into offices for the Committee of Public Safety.
They were near the Seine, and Boneparte began turning options over in his head. "OK... I need to gather my thoughts. I still get paid while on leave, so in turn I can pay for you and you." He pointed at Junot and Louis, as their pay came directly from his salary. "So... get us checked into that hotel over there..." he pointed to one that was close by along the banks of the river. "I'll be along shortly. Ask them for their monthly rate, and if it's reasonable, tell them I'll be in shortly to pay for it. I need to take a walk... clear my head." he said, closing his eyes and folding his arms.
Louis walked up to him. "We'll be waiting back at the hotel, brother." he patted his older brother on the shoulder, and walked off with Marmont and Junot to secure their lodgings.
Sighing, the meerkat shoved his paws into his pockets, and began to walk along the Seine in the direction of the Jardin des Tuileries, or the former kings' gardens. The Bourbons had had their royal and private gardens opened to the public in recent years, and now anyone could enjoy their vitality and beauty.
It was certainly the pickle he found himself in now. Threatened with a demotion and a pay cut... he'd need to hope he could find support in this city, and rally some old friends to his cause. If not... it was going to be very difficult from here on out. What other options did he have? There were always the Eastern Hordes in Turkey. The old Ottoman Empire. They might offer employment. Other than that though... things certainly looked grim. He'd need to get his thoughts in order first, and figure out what to do from here.
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Returns
May 26, 2012 8:46:38 GMT -5
Post by Carrow on May 26, 2012 8:46:38 GMT -5
Sciurus Whirlpaw had gone down, last year. He'd gone down so far that he had wondered if he would ever be able to climb back out again. He had seen his two best friends killed before his eyes, and a few days after that had received the news that his would-be fiancée, Saraitha Dirachus, had been killed in a hit-and-run.
The normally cheerful squirrel's life had gone into freefall then. After going through denial, exhausting anger and pointless bargaining, the rodent had fallen into a deep, almost fathomless, depression. He'd spent most of the previous year stuck in the fourth stage of grief, and he still hadn't fully come to accept what had happened.
The death of his love interest had been completely pointless, in his mind. She had done nothing to deserve it, and had merely been an innocent bystander. His best friends Otto Kurtz and Camille Augarde hadn't deserved to be guillotined, either, at least that was how he saw. They had simply been doing what they thought was right. They had taken risks that Sciurus himself had not. Their deaths had come during the tail end of the Reign of Terror, but that was all over now.
Maximillien Robespierre had himself been guillotined two months later - not that the squirrel had noticed. By then, his depression had taken hold, and he'd lain in his bed for days at a time, barely moving, rarely speaking; the only sound he had been prone to making during those pitch-black times had been the sound of crying. On some nights, his crying became hysterical sobbing. Then came the drinking. Sciurus had used alcohol to help him cope, and had hit his lowest point six months after the events which had destroyed his life.
He'd had a gun, he'd had some bullets, and he had sought peace. He'd been under the influence of a heavy night of drinking, as nothing else, not even his self-hypnosis, which had been all but worthless since his world had fallen apart, helped to ease the pain, but with the business end of a revolver in his mouth, he had hesitated. He'd had no-one and next to nothing for six months, but he'd realised, that fateful night, that not wanting to live and wanting to die were two different things. Had he pulled the trigger, he wouldn't have gotten a chance to pick up the pieces and start again.
That was exactly what the squirrel did. He had shut down his hypnosis parlour once the sky had come crashing down on him - leaving a notice on the door that had read 'closed until further notice', but, almost eight months after locking its doors, he re-opened them. A paint job was called in, and he supervised with the tidying up of the place. He'd let it fall into disrepair whilst locked in his depression, but everything soon looked serviceable again.
By the time May 25th came around, Sciurus had been back in business for two months. His cheerful demeanour had returned - even if, for the first week or two, until he realised how much he'd missed his job, he'd had to feign it sometimes. Building from one session a day up to a semi-regular schedule, the squirrel was soon considerably happier than he had been in about a year, even if he was still prone to bouts of anger and frustration. What had happened to him, his jillfriend and his two best friends had been grossly unfair, but then life seemed to have a habit of being like that sometimes.
On this particular day, the rodent was in the Jardin des Tuileries, having come there for some time out after finishing his last session of the day. It had been an especially stressful one. The squirrel's abilities were still not back up to their former standard (but were getting there), so when stumbling blocks - like the particularly difficult vixen he had recently sent on her way, having eventually made considerable progress with her after needing to be more paws-on in his methods than usual - came up, he just dealt with them as best he could.
He had been sitting down for the previous 20 minutes, just trying to relax and unwind, which could, ironically, be quite difficult for him these days, but he decided to get up and stretch his legs. Wearing a navy shirt, a spiral-patterned bow-tie (white on black, of course) and brown pants, he cut a dapper figure as he started back in the direction he had come. He didn't get far before a certain sight stopped him his tracks, however; upon seeing the creature coming the other way, he froze momentarily, rubbing his eyes incredulously. Was that... Boneparte Lantzer?!
He hadn't seen the meerkat in years; in a way, he was the only living remnant of Sciurus's old life. He still had his parlour, but everything else had been changed completely. For a while, he had considered leaving Cosnair and making a fresh start somewhere else, as he had been certain that nothing remained for him in the Rosferian capital. How glad he was that he hadn't made that decision now! Upon seeing Boneparte, the rodent broke into a jog. He was delighted to see him again!
He grinned from ear to ear when he finally came to a halt, holding his paws out before embracing the meerkat. "Boneparte! I didn't think I'd ever see YOU again!," he exclaimed, his tail waving about behind him in an excited manner. "It's been quite a while since we last met, after all!" The bags beneath the rodent's blue eyes betrayed, to some extent, the difficulties he had been having, but he realised that the meerkat would most likely be unaware of the toll the last year had taken on him. Maybe talking about it would help; he knew, of course, that such things were therapeutic for others, so maybe that could work for him. He was definitely stable now, but he still hadn't really opened up to anybeast about the events which had changed his life, mainly because he'd had no creature to really open up to, no friend to be there for him... until now.
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Returns
May 27, 2012 10:56:33 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on May 27, 2012 10:56:33 GMT -5
Boneparte, lost in his own inner melancholies, did not initially notice the red squirrel approaching him at first. He had wandered into the gardens now... the gardens where, three years ago, he'd seen the Swiss Guards massacred by the uprising that had overwhelmed the king's palace. It had been the single worst scene he could ever remember seeing in his life... so many dead bodies, and almost none of them had escaped mutilation in some way by the crazed citizens of Cosnair.
THAT was exactly why Boneparte did NOT want to serve with the Army of the West. It wasn't war out there... it was little better than murder. He wanted NO part of that dirty business. Prisoners were treated with contempt on both sides, and it was a truly horrendous affair all around.
And thus, when the red squirrel started running, Boneparte's mind suddenly shifted. Maybe this wasn't some random squirrel... maybe this was...
But before he could fully focus, he suddenly felt arms about him, squeezing him and causing him to gasp and expel all the air in his lungs. "Sciurus!" he said in a strangled voice, before finally being released. Although his memories of his last visit were vague (he spent much of his time with his friend, Bourrienne, and had seen some rather traumatic events in that time), he still DID remember the red squirrel. "Well." he said, offering his paw to the squirrel now. "Certainly didn't expect this, either! To be honest... I shouldn't even BE here right now... but unfortunately, the Dame of Fortune has tossed some rather unpleasant and unnerving things my way." Boneparte commented, quoting Gervais de Bus.
"I used to joke that I only ever come to Cosnair for the most unpleasant of reasons and well... so far... it hasn't been inaccurate." he chuckled now, shaking his head. "I'm glad to see you survived the Reign of Terror... well that we BOTH did. But yes... I am here for an indeterminate amount of time so..." he raised his arms, then let them fall back to his sides. "Here I am."
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Returns
May 28, 2012 3:46:49 GMT -5
Post by Carrow on May 28, 2012 3:46:49 GMT -5
Sciurus wasn't the strongest of creatures; even if he had been building his physical strength back up since he had recovered from his darkest times, that had only been six months of on-and-off work. Most of his energy went on inductions these days, which were often slow and elaborate. The rodent had always been fond of creative hypnotism methods, and that was the one thing, above all others, that had kickstarted his productivity again once he'd re-opened. He wasn't sure if he was strong in any way, but that didn't stop him gripping Boneparte in a powerful hug.
He then shook the meerkat's paw, nodding understandably as the reasons for his presence were explained to the squirrel. "Oh, I know how that feels. Things haven't gone to plan for you, but in a way they have thrown us back together again, because if MY plans had properly come to fruition, I'd probably be living out in the country and trying to get as far away from all this as I possibly could." It was best not to tell Boneparte about the other plans that had briefly crossed his mind a while back - at least, not yet. It'd all come out in the wash, after all.
"I'd wanted to get away for a while, because as far as I was concerned, there was nothing left here for me." He wasn't going to elaborate for now unless the meerkat asked to hear more. The wounds his losses had left still smarted terribly at times. "I'm glad I never did decide to leave, though. Sometimes I fall at the final hurdle and shy away from doing certain things, but I'm happy to still be here. I'm picking up the pieces and trying to make a fresh start," he explained.
"You're the last link to my old life, Boneparte," he said, voice trembling. "I did indeed survive the Reign of Terror, but... I'm not going to lie and say there WEREN'T times when I wished that I had been taken instead." He lowered his eyes for a moment before fixing them directly upon the meerkat's, finding that eye contact helped him to focus when his emotions threatened to get the better of him. In the end, we both made it through, so I'm thankful for that.
"Do you want to find somewhere that we can sit and talk? We have a lot of catching up to do, you and I. I know you were only here for a short while last time, and that was an unpleasant experience for both of us, but now that we have some time, I say we should talk, because there are things that I need to get off my chest, and I literally can't think of anybeast else who will listen. I've been holding in a lot of frustration, pain and anxiety, you see. I've feared for my life more than I'm willing to admit to most," he told the meerkat, sighing a little. Just because it was over didn't mean it had all suddenly disappeared.
"I know it's been almost a year since Robespierre was executed, but it still took me a long time to so much as come to terms with what had been taken from me," he admitted quietly, before blushing and smiling bashfully. "If I'm talking too much, it's because I've never really said anything about this before." And I haven't even started talking about the worst parts, he added mentally. "Anyway, I'm curious about your recent activity, my meerkat friend. What have you been up to, and why are you here?," he enquired.
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Returns
May 29, 2012 11:33:11 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on May 29, 2012 11:33:11 GMT -5
Boneparte listened to the squirrel's hints at his inner woes. Hmm... it almost sounded like he'd wanted to die. Boneparte could remember a few times in his own life when thoughts like that had occurred. They were usually times he tried to forget. He knew the depths of despair, and what it could do to one's soul. He was only confident, self-assured, and poised when things were going his way. When they weren't, he became sullen, withdrawn, and reserved.
Boneparte considered the rodent's offer now. Sit and talk... hmmm. Yes, he could probably do that. It might be good, after all. He wasn't exactly sure he wanted to come out with his own problems just yet until they became ACTUAL problems but... if they did... then... he'd have plenty to talk about. He nodded then, as the squirrel seemed like he needed it. "Very well... there are plenty of places around the park." the meerkat commented. "Just find a place and we'll get to doing that."
"Robespierre?" Boneparte asked, smiling now. "Surely you mean a Mr. Dragonis, do you not?" he asked, winking at him. "But yes... well... I've had mixed feelings about him. He was my patron for a time, and because of his brother, I was able to keep on the good side of things, as he may have been a demagogue and a monster, but he certainly recognized military talent when he saw it. I guess you could say that he saved Rosferia from everything but himself, with his selection of excellent front line commanders for our armies. At the same time however, his killing of thousands of our own citizens was not a positive thing. This revolution has taken on varying extremes at certain points in time. First the Girondins dominated everything, then the Jacobins, and now it's back to the right once again." the meerkat pointed out.
"Once Dragonis fell, I was imprisoned briefly for two weeks, as anti-Dragonis forces were rife everywhere, and they suspected that thanks to his patronage of me, I may have been in league with him but... such was not the case. I only really met him once, back when I was in Cosnair three years ago. I was more friends with his brother than with him." Boneparte confessed. "Fortunately, this current regime is not quite as bloodthirsty as his. While they are reacting strongly to the Jacobins, and the poor are once again starving in the streets, our own government at least is not going out of its way to butcher us in order to preserve the republic."
He thought of something now. "I heard General Pichegru is in town, and that he's helped to suppress an uprising in the streets only a few days ago. Starving poor invaded the Convention, and tried to get bread and food passed out, but the middle class does seem to be firmly in control of things now, as they control the military. This revolt did NOT work, and it's one of the first instances I can think of where the uprising has not gotten its way." the meerkat commented thoughtfully.
"I don't really think we've found that ideal government just yet." he shook his head. "No... we're still stumbling our way through that, though I hear the Convention is FINALLY doing what it's SUPPOSED to be doing... drawing up a constitution for us at long last, and creating a more permanent government with an executive branch; something we've been conspicuously lacking." he shook his head as he found a bench and sat himself down.
"At least we've been crowned with particular military success last year. The Battle of Fleurus certainly shifted the offensive over to us. As for what I've been doing well... I was getting to that in a roundabout way. Now that Dragonis is gone, Lazare Carnot has the run of the War Ministry, and he's been holding the front I'm working on, the Calgarian one, in check. My career has pretty much stalled, and I've had to face the boredom and uncertainty of a front that may not become active until much later this year, when the troops from the Ferlusanian front can be transferred if we get peace with Ferlusan. However... I may not be around to see it." he added, glumly.
"You see, only a few weeks ago, at the end of April, I received the most unpleasant news that I was to transfer to the Army of the West and face a demotion from the artillery to the infantry. The Army of the West as you know is engaged in a brutal war with royalist rebels along our Atlantic coast. It's not really war out there... it's more like murder. I'd rather have no part of that and besides... a demotion means a pay cut, and I have a large family to support. It also means being away from my fiancee... for as you can see..." he showed off his paw with his engagement ring on it. "I am to be wed hopefully sometime this year."
"So I've come to Cosnair to protest this and try and sway the Minister's mind but... as usual, Carnot is being inflexible on the issue. He's always been an opponent of my plans to strike at Kostritz via Calgary, and is primarily the reason why I've gone from being the hero of the Siege of Toulon to a virtual nobody this past year. I've been brushed aside and forgotten just as easily as a pile of refuse, and I really can't face this pay cut." he said, shaking his head.
"Thus, I'm finding myself facing an unpleasant series of choices. Either get transferred or get placed into retirement on half pay. I played my last card, and that was to request a three weeks' leave of absence. I'm going to try and rally support to change the Minister's mind but... I'm afraid many of those I previously knew here are off fighting on the front lines or carrying out posts abroad."
"I face quite the uncertain time until June 15th." Boneparte stated. "These three weeks will go by much faster than I will like, I'm sure." he paused here, clasping his paws together and slouching in the bench as he watched passersby walk about them through the tranquil gardens. "So that's what I've been doing. Came up with the plan to retake our naval base at Toulon, enjoyed a brief period as a hero, then got stuck in the doldrums of inactivity for about a year until I found myself threatened with transfer to the worst theater of the war." he explained, cracking a wry smile as he rubbed his paws together. White gloves graced them, as he still wore his impressive general's uniform, having of course his full pay while on leave.
It had been his turn to talk a lot now, and the meerkat could be quite garrulous when pressed, if only because he loved commiserating, and knew that if things got any worse, he'd be barely talkative at all. Sciurus should do well to remember him like this, as it could all change with his fortunes. He hoped he wouldn't have to sink into that pit once again, but knew it would be forthcoming if things did not go his way in three weeks.
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Returns
May 30, 2012 16:26:51 GMT -5
Post by Carrow on May 30, 2012 16:26:51 GMT -5
Sciurus wasn't ready to open up about his issues. He'd skirted around them, but had not confronted them head-on, and this was what he had been doing for the best part of a year, once he'd started to realise that Otto, Camille and Sara really were gone. He felt as though he could do this with his meerkat friend, but didn't want to run the risk of being reduced to a blubbering mess in public, so he'd have to approach things carefully even when he did get around to telling Boneparte what his life had been like since the Reign of Terror had ripped it to shreds.
He was unable to keep from blushing when his friend corrected him. He'd been unable to fully settle when he'd been a part of the Convention - he'd not attended a session in quite a while, as he'd had to restore his own life to some semblance of order first - and had, at times, felt like he was in well over his head. He'd been clumsy and made a lot of embarrassing mistakes, and he hoped that wouldn't happen again, even if he still felt as though he were out of the loop. "Oh, yes... Dragonis, of course. I don't know where I got that from...," he said softly. How could he have forgotten Dragonis? He was the one responsible for all that had befallen him in the previous year, after all.
"Hmm... it seems that even monsters have their good points," the squirrel said thoughtfully. I've not been able to keep up with happenings over the last while, for various reasons, but I'm glad at least to hear that he recognised that you had potential." He heard the meerkat's comments about the new regime, and couldn't keep from smiling thinly in response. "Well, whatever about the rest of it, Boneparte, even if the poor are starving in the streets - which is terribly unfortunate, and something to which I can relate, to an extent, as I've never been financially well-off, and even now I'm working again, I'm just making enough to support myself, and MAYBE treat myself to some small thing once a month - at least they're not being randomly slaughtered in them, so things have changed for the better in some aspects," he said, a trace of bitterness in his voice.
"It's no wonder they're getting desperate, though. We don't have the ideal government just yet, but we're getting there, slowly but surely. Things could do with some change, but the Convention is, as you say, starting to do its job. We hadn't quite found our feet back when I was involved - and I'm not sure on this particular issue, but I might like to give politics another try, depending on how things go - but things look better now, in that respect. We as a republic are making progress... but unfortunately after suffering some considerable setbacks," he commented ruefully.
The rodent took a seat next to the meerkat as he sat down upon the bench, making sure to stick close to him. He listened closely as Boneparte moved on to talking about Rosferia's military successes, before finally telling him what he had been up to. Sciurus gave his story all the attention he could muster, frowning once he heard about the rough situation Boneparte now found himself in. He didn't sound like he was sure what he was going to do next, and feeling like that was something the red squirrel knew all too well.
"You could be transferred to the Army of the West?," he repeated, just to make sure he'd gotten that down. "That's literally incredible; I can't imagine why anybeast would want to become involved in that, but the fact that you appear to have no choice in the matter just strikes me as strange. I haven't heard as much about the situation out there as some others, and in my case that's probably a good thing -" In two years, one thing definitely hadn't changed within Sciurus; he was still fundamentally a pacifist. "- But from what I've picked up, it sounds like Hell on Earth," he murmured, shaking his head forlornly.
"It seems as though you're caught between a rock and a hard place. I know the feeling. You never know, maybe things will work out for the better," he said, giving Boneparte a warm smile. He wasn't able to look on the bright side as much as he'd used to, but in this case, he had to. "If you don't mind me shifting things onto a more cheerful topic - I don't want to see either of us brought down by the other's affairs, you see," he said gently, knowing that the last thing he needed was to see a friend upset when he was frequently just about managing to hold himself together, "I would just like to say congratulations on getting engaged!," he exclaimed, clapping the meerkat on the back. "Could you tell me about your fianceé, please?," he asked curiously. His time might possibly come again, but for now, he was thankful that one of them had been fortunate enough to have the chance to get one.
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May 31, 2012 10:54:37 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on May 31, 2012 10:54:37 GMT -5
Boneparte nodded, eyes widening a bit as Sciurus mentioned that he might actually want to go back to politics. It seemed he still had faith in this government, much to the meerkat's surprise. While Boneparte wasn't sure if he believed in a true republic anymore, he had little other choice at the moment. The only other thing he'd even remotely consider joining would be the Ottoman Empire, in old Anatolia. Even that was far from ideal. More a romantic dream to see Constantinople than anything else.
"Wow... you're thinking of resuming your seat in the Convention?" Boneparte asked now. "I must admit I wish I'd had YOU at Toulon as one of the representatives for the siege. They were very hard to please at first, and one of them later betrayed me..." he said, growling a little now. "But then again he WAS a Calgarian... and the Calgarians have turned into nothing BUT traitors in my eyes... hence my detestation of my own heritage." He grumbled. "The Rosferians can be crazy and bloodthirsty at times, but at least they won't stab you in the back. They'll always deliver an insult right to your face."
He was of course referring first to Pasquale Paoli, his old mentor, and then Antoine Saliceti, his second mentor. Saliceti had been one of the representatives at Toulon, along with Stanislas Freron, and Paul Barras. Saliceti had been responsible for Boneparte ending up in jail back in August. The stupid fool could've continued using him rather than tossing him aside. Either way, Boneparte was certain Saliceti would live to regret THAT maneuver.
"I am interested to see just WHAT type of republic they're going to create in this constitution." He went on. "I hear we're finally getting a more permanent executive branch that ISN'T the Committee of Public Safety. The Convention will most likely dissolve as well to form whatever legislative branch they're going to be setting up. It's good to see you still have faith in this country, despite the trying times. We ARE at least being crowned by military successes, and keeping the foreign invaders from our soil."
The meerkat was right. Rosferia had pushed back the invasions from the north and east, and had continued pushing into Mordenz, eventually liberating it and delivering it from the clutches of Welkin and Kostritz. While no headway had been made just yet into Kostritz itself, Boneparte felt certain it was only a matter of time. Ferlusan too had ben turned back in the south, and was currently in negotiations with Rosferia for peace. And even though they'd briefly lapsed into dictatorship with Dragonis, they were STILL better off than they had been under the monarchy, at least in Boneparte's eyes. He still opposed the royalist viewpoint.
Augustine's brother, who was also named Augustine, and styling himself Augustine XVIII (as Augustine XVI's son was still imprisoned in the Temple, though his condition was reported to be grave), had committed probably one of the worst blunders ever in Boneparte's eyes. Just a few weeks ago, Augustine had made the announcement from his exile in Verona, part of the Kostritz controlled region in Calgary, that should he be restored to the throne of Rosferia, he would return things to the old ways, before the revolution. This had immediately poisoned whatever standing he may have had with his potential subjects, and only extremely die-hard royalists (many of them former nobles who had everything to gain by his return) supported him now. Augustine XVIII was viewed with little more than contempt from most Rosferians, and many were prepared to give their lives to prevent HIS return.
"Well to be honest..." Boneparte began, addressing his own issue now. "There ARE creatures who like serving in that theater, such as the Army of the West's commander, Lazare Hoche. But Hoche is a sadist, and enjoys killng. That's primarily why I don't wish to serve under him. He's my age, and is extremely ambitious, meaning he'll take any and all credit he can get out there. He's also just as harsh on his subordinates as he is on the enemy, and I doubt he'd tolerate the kind of shenanigans I sometimes pull. He's already shot several of his underlings for the slightest of infractions, after all."
"On top of that..." he went on. "I don't want to involve myself in such fighting as that. It's really just Rosferian murdering Rosferian out there. Prisoners don't stay prisoners for long. They're usually all tortured and shot. Nobody who serves out there will walk away with a clean slate. I DON'T want that kind of stigma on my record." he paused here, thinking. "I could never bring myself to inflict that kind of pain on another, and that's something I'm sure Hoche would find fault with."
"I'm afraid I have no choice in the matter because they have too many brigadier generals of artillery serving currently, and can't afford to pay them all, as you know our economy is teetering rather badly. Generals make barely any more than a regular front line soldier these days, and you really have to be a true patriot to be serving your country on such pay. However, I suspect that the good Minister of War himself is a general of artillery, and HE'S certainly doing NOTHING on the front lines. He should be demoting HIMSELF rather than demoting actual workers, like me." the meerkat said, his face growing sour. "As I'm the most junior of the generals recently promoted, they decided to axe me. I have a family to support, and can't really afford to take this pay cut." he explained to the squirrel.
He shook his head in response to Sciurus's hopeful message. "I can only hope so. I managed to worm my way out of it once before, and even got a promotion to captain, but I'm not sure if lightning can really strike twice. It IS Carnot I'm dealing with, after all. A traditional opponent of mine over the past several years. While I'm trying to look on the bright side, I'm not holding my breath either." he mumbled again.
He did however smile when Sciurus brought up his fiancee. "Ahhh yes... my fiancee. Desiree Clary... though I like calling her by her middle name, Eugenie." the meerkat informed the squirrel. This was because Desiree was just too... erotically charged to be dropped too often in public, at least in his opinion. "And yes, before you ask, she IS of the wealthy merchant Clary family of Marseilles. My older brother Joseph has married her sister in fact, Julie.. We've been close with their family ever since their father died last year, and Joseph managed to secure the release of Eugenie's brother from prison. No, he wasn't a criminal... just another victim of the Reign of Terror." Boneparte explained.
"Julie was so grateful that she began seeing my brother, and Eugenie was presented to me upon my own release from prison. She came to collect me in fact. We've been courting each other ever since August, and I finally made the decision to go through with it and propose. I asked her about a month ago, April 21st, to be my wife." He said, smiling again as he looked down at his ring, running a claw over the band.
"We're a good match I think. She's absolutely taken with me, and her dowry is rather healthy as well." he chuckled. "However, I don't want to live off of her money alone." he added, becoming serious now. "I want to support myself, and make my own way in life. I'm not religious you see, and I feel that a creature lives on after death in how they're remembered by others, and not in some afterlife. That's why I left her side to come here. I did NOT wish to resign my commission and simply live off her good graces. I worked HARD to get to where I am now, and managed to make the rank of general at my age too. That's why I CAN'T just give in now and undo it all with one stroke. I NEED to show I can do it. I need to be a husband who carries his own weight, and not just some slouch who lives off his wife." he said, shaking his head.
"But she's great. Very caring, devoted, and dare I say attractive, she enjoys music and is taking piano lessons as well." He told Sciurus. He didn't say that while she was completely into him, he wasn't positive if he was fully into her. Yes, there was love, but he was... afraid of commitment as well. He saw females as untrustworthy, and being a soldier, there would be periods where she would be alone while he was on the front lines. His own mother had betrayed his father after all... hence his caution. But their relationship had caught fire as of late, and he'd made the decision after much thought. Even if it wasn't perfect, what marriage truly was?
"Sadly, you will be unable to meet her, as she wasn't able to accompany me up here to Cosnair, but if you ever find yourself in the south of Rosferia, stop by Marseilles, and I'll be happy to introduce you to her. I DO plan on wedding her once I return, after all." He told Sciurus with a wide smile. Little did he know, but things would NOT in fact be working out quite as he envisaged them. Things would be taking... interesting turns, that was for sure. "For now I'm here with my younger brother Louis and two of my friends, one of them working as my secretary. We're staying in..." He briefly stood up to look around him. "That hotel over there." He pointed to one on the banks of the Seine, near the Louvre and Tuileries Palaces. "Fortunately I still get paid while on leave, so I can afford such a place at the moment." he chuckled, sitting back down upon the bench beside Sciurus.
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Returns
Jun 1, 2012 17:44:37 GMT -5
Post by Carrow on Jun 1, 2012 17:44:37 GMT -5
Sciurus had picked up on plenty of things to respond to not even ten seconds after his meerkat friend had resumed speaking, but he decided he was going to deal with them one at a time. First came the question of what his future career might be. "It's one possible career out of several. I haven't been involved in any of that for a year, but only recently has it become a viable choice, so I'm going to keep my options open. Maybe it's time I try other things. I've felt... rather isolated for a while, you see," he said, a trace of sadness in his voice. At least the days when he'd been afraid to leave his house were over...
It was the rodent's turn to look surprised as he briefly considered the possibility of being a representative at a siege. "I must say, though, Boneparte, for you to say that you wish you had me there at Toulon, that... means a lot to me. I'm going to come back to that later, but I can tell you have a lot on your mind, so yes, please continue," he told his friend. Boneparte did so, and Sciurus shook his head sympathetically as he was informed of the betrayal he had suffered at the paws of the Calgarian representative. "I'm quite sorry to hear that... but yes, I've noticed that most Rosferians don't hold back when it comes to delivering insults and such. Most I've met don't, at least," he said with a small frown. He'd been called some rather unpleasant things in his time, but he had principles, and he was planning to stick to them.
"I've heard similar things too," the squirrel said in response to the rumours that had been going around. "It will certainly be interesting to see where things end up. Once we finally get around to having that constitution, well, who knows what might happen? I'm oddly excited about that, actually, because if Rosferia wants to present itself as a real democracy, then it's imperative that it have a constitution. You're right, though: I do still have faith in this country. There were times when I was almost ready to give up on it, I have to admit, but as said, we do seem to be taking some positive steps, even if, in my opinion, they're long overdue," he commented, chuckling a bit.
He shivered slightly as Lazare Hoche was brought up. Creatures like that didn't sit well with him at all. While he understood that killing was obviously necessary during a war, he couldn't imagine one actively enjoying doing so. He listened as Boneparte outlined his reasons for not wanting to get involved in the Army of the West, ones with which the squirrel could certainly agree."No wonder you're not comfortable with the idea of serving under him. He seems to be a real hardliner... that's not good for anybeast," he murmured thoughtfully. The rodent's face fell as Boneparte went on to explain the situation he was in, one which struck him as cruel and grossly unfair. "He just seems to be picking on you for the sake of it. You've done nothing wrong, I... just can't understand where he's coming from," he admitted in a slightly exasperated tone of voice.
Sciurus was expecting the meerkat to go into great detail when the subject of his fiancée came up, but he had quite an excellent way with words, so the rodent found himself unable to respond for a moment or two, so caught up was he in what his friend was relating to him. He once again looked surprised when it was mentioned that Desirée was a member of Marseille's Clary family. He had heard some things about them, and it was great to hear that Boneparte had become engaged to her. His paws clenched into fists momentarily when he heard that Madame Clary's brother had been another victim of the Reign of Terror. Just another creature who was arrested under unfortunate circumstances, it seemed.
Once he had finished, the rodent spoke, having sat in silence for a little while. That had been a lot to take in, but Desirée struck him as a fascinating creature. "She sounds wonderful, yes; I do not know that many creatures who have an active interest in music, so I should very much like to meet Des... oh, I'm sorry, Eugenie," he corrected himself, chuckling. "I think I'll stick to that. Hmm, I've never been down south, but I will certainly try to get down there and meet her, if I can."
A thought struck the red squirrel then, and he smiled, peering at the hotel to which his friend was pointing. "Did I hear you say you were staying here with your brother and some friends? If you don't mind my asking, might I be able to meet them sometime?," he asked his meerkat companion, smile widening slightly. He was always up for meeting new faces, and even if he could be a little nervous at times, that was now something he perceived as normal. He'd have to work on that to get back to anything near his old self, though - he knew he didn't used to be like that.
Right now, the squirrel wanted most of all to steer the conversation towards something Boneparte had mentioned earlier in their conversation. First, however, he needed to stand and stretch a little, so he did just that, glancing over at the hotel again. It looked rather nice. He sat back down, looking quite relaxed at this point, in relative terms at least. "Hmm... you said that you would have liked to have me there with you at Toulon, right? I can't say I've ever considered pursuing that sort of career, but now that you mention it... it sounds very interesting. What sort of things does it entail?," he asked curiously.
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Returns
Jun 3, 2012 10:49:44 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Jun 3, 2012 10:49:44 GMT -5
"Well better jump on that soon." Boneparte said. "Once the constitution is drawn up, I don't think the Convention will be sitting for much longer. Best to seize these opportunities while you can... as SOME of us may not be so fortunate to be receiving payment for their services in the future." the meerkat commented ruefully, but offered a smile to Sciurus all the same, as if to encourage him.
He nodded at the mention of Saliceti again... yes... that Calgarian was one foe he'd rather forget. He'd gone from greatest supporter to greatest antagonist in the space of only about a year or so. And now that he hadn't gotten his way well... Boneparte could only say he hoped their paths never crossed again.
"Yes... long overdue indeed. The damn representatives got so sidetracked trying to force democracy on the country that they forgot what a democracy truly was. We need a REAL government... not this interim thing that's been going on here. At least the moderates have returned to power... I prefer them I suppose over the more stringent Jacobins, even though I enjoyed the patronage of the Jacobins for some time, and without their support, I find myself in dire straits." He narrowed his eyes, thinking about the irony of this for a moment. Something really needed to be done to shake things up... or he'd be facing the most unpleasant of prospects indeed.
"Well it's quite simple, really." Boneparte added when Carnot was brought up. "Our economy is in the latrine currently, to put it nicely, and they just don't have the money to fully pay all these active generals, myself included. As I'm the most junior of them, I've been scheduled for demotion. However, as said, Carnot should be the one demoting himself... he's the same rank as I, and he's NOT serving on the front lines, but he's just so insistent on holding on to his current salary that he's willing to cut back on people like me who ARE actually contributing to things. But yes... I never have enjoyed his support, so I suppose your assessment of his targeting me is fairly accurate. I just... uggh... it's not fair! If I present him with that piece of evidence I'm sure he'll lose his patience and put me on the retired list whether I choose to be there or not. I've really got to use the next three weeks to try and get myself out of this tricky and unpleasant situation." he explained to the squirrel.
The meerkat waited for Sciurus to hear him out on his talk about his fiancee. Fortunately, Desirée's brother had not been guillotined, only imprisoned, and Joseph Lantzer had managed to help them out of that unfortunate circumstance. Not everyone met the blade, after all, and it was very fortunate for Boneparte that he'd managed to dodge such a fate.
"Yes! You really should!" Boneparte exclaimed as Sciurus mentioned taking a trip south. "I myself live down there now, as that's where my family was driven to after we fled Personza with our lives. We've settled into the Marseille area, and my mother owns a house in the countryside down there now with most of my family. My older brother Joseph, who is serving as the Army of Calgary's quartermaster, has of course purchased a place for himself and his new wife, and I HOPE to do the same, if I can just sort out this damn unpleasant business here in Cosnair first. I was here for about four months last time, and I expect my current stay to be just as long, if not longer if things aren't resolved quickly. But we would more than welcome you to the south if you ever make it down there." he nodded enthusiastically at the thought, as he rather loved the south of Rosferia now, and liked it much better than Personza, which he'd come to detest. He saw his homeland as nothing but a cesspit of traitors and backstabbers, and no longer supported their independence movement now that they'd sold out to Welkin.
"Ah yes, my brother Louis and my two friends are with me on this trip. I could take you over there soon to meet them, if you like." he suggested. "I have to check in after all, and since I'm basically paying for two of them as both my brother and my one friend are my employees, it's my responsibility to get payment sorted out. I'll try to get a monthly rate if I can... or at least for three weeks. I rather did enjoy traveling by stagecoach up here, even if I knew I wouldn't be having an easy time of it once I reached Cosnair." He said, rubbing his gloved paws together once more. Desirée had kindly paid for his ticket, so that had been taken care of ahead of time.
"Are you talking about being a representative on mission?" he queried now when Sciurus brought it up. "Wouldn't even bother asking, if I were you." he waved his paw dismissively. "The Convention doesn't really send them out anymore, as they aren't constantly looking over our shoulder these days. Basically it was just one of their number who would travel to a particular army and ensure the commanding general was doing his job. If he wasn't, he was arrested and guillotined. They were little better than agents of death, ensuring the utmost efficiency was to be found in our armed forces."
He shook his head. "As said, wouldn't even bother with that. They aren't used so much anymore as they were more a tool of the radicals than anything else. They CAN be nice guys, if you get on their good side. I enjoyed all three of them when they were at Toulon, and all three had my back, but as said... you get on their bad side, they'd execute on the spot." the meerkat liked Sciurus's idea, and stood up to stretch as well. From what he knew, most representatives were with the navy, as the navy still needed to be sorted out.
"Hm... what do you say to heading to the hotel now? Unless of course you wanted to talk about your woes. I've been talking so much about mine that well... I've gotten a little sidetracked. There's nothing I hate more than an uncertain future after all." He said, gritting his teeth as he stood, looking down at the squirrel.
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Returns
Jun 4, 2012 11:15:07 GMT -5
Post by Carrow on Jun 4, 2012 11:15:07 GMT -5
Sciurus stroked his chin thoughtfully as he thought about Boneparte's proposal. "Hmm, I'll certainly think about it some more; I can't say I'm ready to make a decision one way or the other, but if, as you say, the Convention doesn't have much time left, then it would probably be best for me to get back in there while I still have the opportunity." He refrained from mentioning the fact that he thought he had been of little use to the Convention when he had served on it the first time, not to mention frequently out of his depth. He hadn't sat on it for a year, though... maybe the break might have changed things for him.
"I'm glad things have changed again, as they didn't seem to be going well there, for a while," Sciurus said gently. "I'm pleased to see that the moderates are back in power, yes... but then again I suppose I would be, in any case, as I've always had more moderate political views... something that's earned me a considerable amount of criticism," he said, a trace of sadness in his voice. The criticism had been something he'd been just about able to deal with, but there had been other, considerably less pleasant things, too. It hadn't exactly helped him to settle, but then he had never felt himself to have the thickest of pelts, anyway.
A return to politics suited him in some ways, and not so much in others. That situation, much like Boneparte's, would require some thought. He listened as his meerkat friend outlined his current situation, clenching his paws again; he suddenly looked rather distressed. "Who the hell does he even think he is?!," he said desperately. "You're the one doing actual work, while he seems to just be in it for the money and not actually contributing to anything. Money-grubbing little..." He sighed heavily, upset at seeing his friend in dire straits.
The discussion thankfully turned to more cheerful things then, as Boneparte told the red squirrel about the situation down south. He smiled at the meerkat's encouragement. "I shall do that then, if I get the chance. Even if I don't, I could make time for some travelling, because in all honesty I think it would do me some good. There's too much of this country that I still haven't seen. I've been based in Cosnair for the last three years, and haven't travelled much, if at all. Perhaps I could do with a change of scenery," he mused, eyes lighting up as he thought about the idea some more. "What's it like down there?," he asked.
"I would very much like to meet them, yes!," the squirrel responded eagerly as Boneparte suggested that he meet his brother and his friends. Having lived a life of self-imposed isolation for the best part of a year, he wanted to do something different, and he needed to establish more friendships if possible, as his one with Boneparte was the only one that had survived this long. The discussion soon moved on to Sciurus possibly becoming a representative on mission, but Boneparte didn't seem to be that fond of the idea.
"Oh, I... I see," he said softly, whiskers drooping a little as he heard his friend's dismissive response to his idea. Well, that was out, then. "When you put it like that, it probably wouldn't have suited me as well as I thought it would. Granted, I certainly would have liked to be there for you last year, and I'm disappointed that I missed that opportunity... but then again, I probably wouldn't have been of much use. Things didn't start off too well for me in 1794, and then they got worse... a lot worse," he said, shuddering. "I don't do well with having a lot on my mind, so it was probably for the best. As for my current situation, though, don't worry, I'll figure something out, hopefully."
"Hmm, maybe I'll talk about them later," the rodent responded when Boneparte asked his if he wanted to talk about his own troubles. "I think it's better for me if I focus on other things for now, like how I'm quite interested in meeting your brother and his friends," he said with a smile. He still needed to unwind a little more before he could even consider getting into any of that. It wasn't so much talking about it that he found difficult, as it was keeping himself together whilst doing so. "Oh, and as regards you talking a lot, well, that's quite all right. You had a lot to get off your chest, after all. Shall we get going, then?," he asked as he stood up, excited by the prospect of meeting new faces.
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