Concept date: 13th December, 2016
Status: COMPLETED.
Version: STANDARD.
Age recommendation: 15+
Average Reading Time: Approximately 30 Minutes.
Revisions: 6. [Last Edit: October 2019]
Angel-in-charge: Phillipe Team Assigned: Team 74
Human Time: 1814AD-1229AH Mission: 093367 - 3 - 9911
Age 15+
1. A GIFT FROM ONE GOD TO ANOTHER.
Captain Jean Pullaire stared at the crate which had been lowered with great care onto the polished wooden floor. He rubbed his chin in puzzlement and spoke quietly to the two footmen standing next to him; “Fetch Colonel Le Grande and inform his majesty that the gift from the Chinese Emperor has arrived – and get some labourers to open the damn crate.”
He turned and smiled at the three strange little men with feathers adorning their small black hats; he had to admit that he had never seen a real China man before and these three resembled exactly the drawings he had viewed in his youth. “I have sent for men to open the crate Lord Yin.” He nodded at the smallest of the trio, who bowed and in prefect French thanked the Captain for his assistance.
From around his neck, Lord Yin produced a gold key fixed upon a gold chain and spoke directly to Captain Pullaire; “I need to place this key directly into your God’s hand – it was placed directly into mine by my God Emperor Yongyan and must be passed on in the same manner.” The little China man bowed yet again and smiled.
Several burly labourer’s had arrived with removed hats, accompanied by Monsieur Cission; the Emperors Chief Carpenter who viewed the heavy crate with an expert eye. “Use the bloody bars carefully you morons.” He said, wiping his face with a clean polishing rag. The old man sighed; not more bloody pieces of expensive wood to maintain – the Palace of Fontainebleau was full of the stuff and now bloody foreigners from the other side of the world were sending their gilded crap!
He stared at the three China amen and blew his nose hard into the polishing cloth; “We’ll undress her gently Captain.” Monsieur Cission smiled at Pullaire with a mouthful of yellow teeth and wiped snot from his heavy grey moustache, adding; “Will his majesty be present when we open her?”
That question was answered by the regulated stamp of army boots upon the shining wooden floor and through the doors, hurriedly opened by a sweaty Footman, came a dozen of the ‘Old Guard’. With precision they took up positions around the room and snapped to attention at the command of their young Lieutenant. Pullaire and Cissions exchanged glances; Lieutenant Vaccaro was not a popular officer or man, who held his Commission directly because of who his father may be: The Emperor.
“I see the little poodle still hasn’t found a hat small enough for his tiny brain.” Cission whispered to the Captain who wagged a disapproving finger at the far too blunt carpenter – but smiled broadly. The Lieutenant’s hat was clearly too large and had been the subject of arguments between him and the Quartermaster of the Regiment – without success it appears.
Quartermaster Possini had informed the young man that Officer’s supply their own uniform and that naturally; included the hat. But Vaccaro had been unable to find a decent Milliner to furnish such a small hat at a reasonable price – his ungenerous nature added to his unpopular character. So in desperation, he had purchased the hat from a another young Lieutenant who was dying in the local infirmary from wounds received in Prussia – the fact that he gave the young widow a handful of centimes for it, really did his popularity no good. To quote many; ‘he was as unpopular as would be finding Wellington in the Emperors bathtub.’
Vaccaro gave Pullaire a clumsy salute and announced that Colonel Le Grande was attending the Emperor and they would appear within minutes. Pullaire returned the salute, but said nothing. The appearance of Marshal Nay in the chamber signalled the arrival of Napoleon. A large gaggle of Officers and Politian’s poured into the small chamber, splitting into little groups and all staring at the strangers who stood quietly by the crate, which was being opened with great care under Cission’s direction.
Napoleon sauntered into the room and all conversations stopped. Le Grande spoke directly to him and pointed at the Chinese group; “The small chink is called Lord Yin, he’s apparently their Emperors Ambassador, I don’t know about the other two, your Majesty."
The three bowed low as Pullaire whispered to Le Grande; “He speaks perfect French.” Le Grande shrugged his shoulders and grunted; “Thank you Pullaire, now get on with it – the Emperor is a busy man.” Le Grande was not marked out for a career in Diplomacy. But he was a damn good Officer on the field of battle and possessed a characteristic that Napoleon looked for in all his officers; he was lucky.
Le Grande had been shot off his horse on no less than four occasions and walked away with just scratches, and then during one battle, his churning stomach forced him to find a quiet clump of trees to relieve the pain. Squatting down with liquid fire emerging from his bowels, he saw through the trees that the Austrians had left a gap in their right flank to bring up the supply waggons. Clutching his trousers, Le Grande reported the mistake to Marshal Nay. French troops poured through the gap and the Austrians fled the battlefield in disarray. Napoleon had thanked the Captain himself and promoted him to Headquarters’ staff with the rank of Colonel.
Napoleon gestured to Lord Yin and the little China man approached bowing quite low: "Your brother Emperor Yongyan sends greetings of love and friendship and hopes you will be pleased with this little gift.” He offered the gold key and chain with both hands and Napoleon took it slowly and smiled; "Please inform your Emperor that I will be most pleased to accept any gift from my dear brother and send him my warm regards.”
There were little gasps of admiration from the crowd as the final pieces of the dull grey crate were stripped away; revealing a black and silver cabinet decorated with astronomical symbols and gold dragons – it was tall as a man, wide as a double wardrobe and deep as a card table – it was simply magnificent; a real masterpiece.
Napoleon nodded his approval to Lord Yin who spoke quietly to the Emperor, positioning his back to all others; “My Lord, with such a gift that can only be shared amongst God’s comes a responsibility – a great responsibility. You must never open or enter the cabinet during the hours of darkness and keep her locked at all times. Please keep that key upon your person, no mere mortal must have access to her; only you.”
The Emperor looked quite puzzled by his comments and studied the simple gold key; “What does the cabinet contain my Lord Yin?” He asked and the strange little man smiled and ran his long finger nails through his grey beard; "Darkness and light your majesty.”
Lord Yin bowed low, then walked over to the cabinet and opened the doors; a stunning white light shone from the interior making everyone step back, but Napoleon felt himself drawn to it and peered inside, shielding his eyes a little. The interior panels were decorated with glass and silver and Napoleon realised at once; that none of the ‘mirrors’ showed a reflection.
He turned slowly to Lord Yin and said quietly; “How old is she?” Lord Yin held up his hands and said; “We believe that four such cabinets were created by the God TAI-SUI-XING and given as presents to the early Emperors of the great Chin dynasty; they came into being at the start of human time.” He smiled and added; “The interior panels have been re-housed many times over the Centuries, the present construction is only some four hundred years old and so should last; at least that again.”
Lord Yin bowed again and gestured to his two silent colleagues, who shuffled gracefully into the cabinet and both bowed low. He turned to Napoleon and spoke quietly; “We must now return home and report all is well between the great European God and our father who resides in the Heavens – Farewell my Lord and remember that light is darkness to devils and darkness is light to them.” Lord Yin stepped into the cabinet of TAI-SUI-XING and slowly closed the doors.
Everyone stood in silence for a few moments until Le Grande tapped gently on the doors and called out; “Lord Yin, what the fuck are you doing?” The Emperor smiled and told Le Grande to open the cabinet and help the crazy China men out of his gift.
Everyone was laughing until the doors were opened; the three Chinese men had vanished – completely. There was total silence in the room for some time until Marshal Ney shouted for guards to search the Palace and grounds for the mysterious visitors.
Napoleon and the carpenter Cission examined the cabinet closely and found it solid. He ordered Cission to have it removed to his private study and locked the doors with the gold key; which he hung about his neck. He gripped Cission by the shoulder and said quietly; "I have a task for you my old friend and it must be kept between the two of us." Cission nodded his head - the old carpenter had known the Emperor since the days of the Revolution.
But no trace of the three Chinese ‘Magicians’ were ever found and no-one was allowed near the gift without Napoleon’s express permission - But the Emperor had more pressing matters to contend with; his abdication.
2. A STAR FALLS FROM HEAVEN.
Napoleon quietly unlocked the rear study door and peered out into the corridor; two of his 'Old Guard' were posted at the far end. Napoleon relocked the door and sat down at his large ornate desk and held his head with both hands.
He must have sat for some minutes before he heard the gentle tap from the Chinese cabinet. He rose slowly and walked over to it; carefully unlocking the doors and stepping back.
The doors opened and she stepped from the cabinet into his study. Lady Helena Covington smiled at her lover and they embraced for some minutes. "I do love you in dresses of this time; they suit you much better than those damn tents you wear back there." Napoleon kissed the bare cleavage she was showing in her low cut 'Regency' dress. Her breasts had been pushed well up and if she sneezed; her nipples would escape - along with most of her breasts.
Tall and thin with dark Raven hair and soft brown eyes, Lady Helena was considered a beauty at the Royal Court of Queen Victoria in 1864. She had married the wealthy Lord Covington at just eighteen - he was forty-five, fat and failed to bath regally. But he owned a fabulous Chinese cabinet that, it was rumoured, had belonged to Emperor Napoleon I.
Lady Helena had only been married some six weeks and already had enough of her boring, lethargic husband and she avoided his company, as best she could; Covington House had some seventy rooms and she still felt that wasn't enough space to keep away from him. At least he left her alone in the bedroom - he was as impotent as he was smelly.
Then one day she found a fabulous Chinese cabinet hidden in the attic's, and wondered why such a stunning piece of furniture wasn't on display in the house's main rooms. Her husband wouldn't explain anything; except that she was to keep away from it and he actually ordered her to do so. The very next morning, after Lord Covington had gone to the City of London, she was back in the attic and trying to open the cabinet. It was locked tight with no key apparent.
It took several days before Helena found that the key was kept in her husband's Library, inside a book about Napoleon and she rushed to the attic and triumphally opened the cabinet. She noticed immediately, that there was no reflection showing from the mirrors it contained. Some strange force compelled her to step in and close the door. Lady Helena glanced down to the book she was carrying; 'The life and times of Napoleon Bonaparte.' She chuckled to herself and tried to open the door - it was locked - but she still held the key!
Panicking a little at first, she struggled with the doors until she heard a voice outside; "Please, please help me. I can't get the doors open and strangely enough; there are no dam key-holes inside here." She shouted and heard the door locks being turned; they must have had a key too - but who was it?
She stepped from the cabinet and stared at the man who had rescued her; it was Napoleon Bonaparte, who had been dead some 43 years, but was very much alive. He took her hand and kissed it. He explained about the cabinet and what had happened to her for some minutes and they drank wine together. A walk in the gardens, of Fontainebleau Palace, put her mind to rest about possibly going insane.
Two hours after arriving in 1814 France, Lady Helena Covington was 'cuckolding' her husband with the French Emperor [who had actually died before she was even born] they enjoyed passionate sex on the floor of the Imperial bedroom which included a sexual activity that was frowned upon by the Church and forbidden in law. Helena couldn't actually believe what Napoleon was doing to her bum and she cried through out the ordeal - but made no effort to stop him.
He had told his new lover, that clothes from the 'hereafter' were bloody awful and ugly. So he arranged for some dresses of the 'Regency' period to be made for her - with a particularly low cut bodice and she delighted in wearing the tighter, clinging dresses of his time, than the current fashion [of 1864] which she now considered shapeless, awkward and about sexually attractive as wearing a tent.
Now, almost four months into their 'time-travelling' romance, she had arrived to comfort her lover on a very important day - his abdication. But wrapped tightly in brown paper and string was a modest little book; it contained details of Emperor Napoleon's last 100 days as Emperor - including the all important, world changing Battle of Waterloo. It was hidden in Lady Helena's travelling bag. A little present for her lover that didn't detail his death, but could change his imminent future. She had, wisely, removed the pages that dealt with his final demise.
"I hate those dresses I'm forced to wear, as you say, its like wearing a bloody tent my darling." She kissed him quite passionately and he pushed both hands up the back of her dress and gripped her bum. "I still think it strange that you are not even born yet my little dove." Napoleon muttered and they exchanged kisses again; his excited fingers, reluctantly, left her arse and he pulled at the back of her dress. She slowly began to strip off her clothes; "I want you naked." he whispered and Lady Helena stepped from his arms and pulled her dress down. She was naked apart from her little pink shoes.
"Take me." Was all Lady Helena said - and Napoleon didn't need to be told twice. Their passion was satisfied some hours later and both lay on the bed, staring at each other. The Emperor rose and threw a dressing gown about himself; "I have an unpleasant meeting with my ministers in a few minutes. I will be back in
about an hour." Lady Helena grabbed a sheet and half covered herself, she
leaned back on two pillows and closed her eyes. The little bedroom clock was chiming one o'clock. She sat upright and stared at the private doorway to the bedroom. The Emperor, in uniform, stood smiling at her.
Lady Helena grinned and pulled the sheet from her naked body and lay back, opening her legs. She said nothing and neither did the Emperor. They made love for another hour before the Emperor, yet again, had to go. She lay breathing heavy for a few minutes and then heard the clock chiming above the fireplace. She stared at it for a few seconds; then realised it must be losing time. It was still only two o'clock, she was a little puzzeled by that.
She lay in the bed and watched Napoleon dress and go. She leaned back and sat upright - again. This time surprised; The Emperor was in the doorway; why had he returned so quick? She pushed her hair from her face and smiled a little. He was pulling off his jacket; "I told you I wouldn't be long, my darling." She just stared at him; utterly amazed at his stamina. But laid back on the covers and watched him undress.
That afternoon Napoleon finished his bath and dressed slowly. The meeting with his Marshal's had not ended happily; every single one had demanded he abdicate to prevent the Allied armies swarming into Paris. He had been particularly hurt by the apparent betrayal of Marshall Nay. He stared at the colourful calendar hanging on his dressing room wall; April 11th 1814. If only he had more time...a little more time, but time was so precious now and trickling through his fingers like beach sand. He had run out of that most vital commodity: time.
Napoleon had dressed without a servant and walked slowly to his study. He sat at his desk and stared at the single, large piece of paper, that was the only item upon the large ornate table: The Abdication document. He rested his head on his hands and memories and thoughts clouded into his very troubled mind. He must have sat for some minutes like that and then slowly lifted his head; staring at the Chinese cabinet - the Emperor smiled.
3. WHAT COULD BE.
Alex looked quite stunning; even Wilson and Owen had to admit that. She smiled at Jericho and nodded her head; "You really do carry an uniform well. I'm quite pleasantly surprised." She also grinned at Wilson who really did look resplendent in his servant's livery, but he didn't smile; "Why do I always have to play the bloody loyal black servant to his white master?" He groaned - then smiled.
Alex chuckled; "Because you do it so well!" Wilson shook his head and stuck up a single finger, then muttered; "Why can't I, just for once, play the master and Jericho the servant?" Alex patted the big man; "You know it really doesn't bother you - you don't have his enormous ego to please!" Jericho just sighed and finished checking his costume.
Owen looked himself up and down; he really didn't appreciate his young gentleman's outfit of the time. "The bleeding trousers are far too tight, no wonder they were always at war." He muttered and adjusted the crotch of his trousers - again. Wilson slapped his hand away; "Jesus, any excuse to play with yourself." Owen stuck up a single finger and pulled at his trousers yet again.
Everyone chuckled and Jericho placed his Colonel's hat upon his head; "Now, now children, we ALL look really good in our new play clothes. Let's get going, Supplies have everything ready." He smiled at Alex; "How's your French Madame?" Alex curtsied; "Mon français va bien, à toi? " Jericho just nodded and stared at himself in the mirror; "Not bad. Maybe I should have been a Military man - like my father wanted - and not a bloody lawyer." He said softly to no-one. They all headed for the light room and then had to wait - much to the amusement of Alex - for young Ruth to appear. She was to be Alex's Lady Maid. No woman of quality would dare travel without one, in the time period that the team was heading for.
Ruth arrived - apologising to everyone - and received a 'wolf whistle' from Owen. She too, looked quite beautiful in his eyes. "I love the clothes of this period!" She exclaimed and joined the team. Jericho just sighed and the little group departed for France in 1814.
The carriage moved quite slowly through the mud of the Fontainebleau road and rocked steadily. Ruth had her head against Alex's shoulder - she was a little tired - Ruth wasn't use to jumping into the light - and like many who weren't accustomed to travelling in that way, felt tiredness sweep over her. Alex patted her hand and smiled at Jericho and Owen, who sat opposite. "A few hours and she'll be fine. In the 20th century they would have called it 'jet-lag'." Owen nodded; "Yep, our young Ruthie has 'Time-lag'."
Wilson leaned through the small window above their heads - he was riding with the driver - and said quietly; "About another twenty minutes." Jericho waved his hand in acknowledgement and turned to Alex; "Napoleon has acquired a new young mistress who is a total mystery to everyone at the Palace. Even Marshall Nay doesn't have a clue who she is. The place has hundreds of servant's and Imperial staff, yet none has caught, as much as a glance of her. How she come's and goes is another mystery, considering the security around the Emperor. "
Owen sighed; "We know she exists because Napoleon's boot maker mentions her in a letter to his brother in 1816. He was convinced she was an English spy and he mentioned, but didn't elaborate, about what happened to poor Colonel Durand. So you had better watch yourself Jericho!" He smiled as Ruth roused herself and sat up; "Who's an English spy?" She asked. Owen said quietly; "Napoleon's mysterious mistress." Ruth nodded; "How many did he have - mysterious or not?"
Owen chuckled; "At this time and place, he had about nine." Ruth looked a little amazed and turned to Alex; "How did he find the bloody time to conquer Europe?" That did make Alex chuckle - she didn't know the answer to that.
"And I believe she could be the ley to the strange changes that the current time-line is suffering. I've seen the alternative versions of history and they all directly start here at this time and place. The only difference IS the Emperor's new mistress. We need to find and identify her - urgently." Jericho said and checked his mirror for any mission updates. Alex adjusted her breasts and groaned; "The dresses are gorgeous, but don't suit women with ample breasts." She said to Ruth, who just grinned.
Alex stuck up a single finger and adjusted her dress - she was almost hanging out of it. "With those beauties staring at him, the young lieutenant won't be too interested in us or our travel papers." Owen chuckled and watched the cavalry troop approach.
5. THE LADY COMES OUT.
Lady Helena paused and threw a glance at Alex and then walked on, accepting champagne with a slight smile. She clearly was not happy. Madame Aglae - Duchess of Elchingen turned quietly to her friend and said softly; "I think we have all been fooled. There is no contest between the two, I suspect our Emperor has finally brought his real mysterious mistress to court and cleverly covered it with her husbands presence. Why else would a mere Colonel attend such an important dinner?" The other lady nodded her agreement and the whispers ran around the assembled Court who exactly, the Emperor's new mistress really was.
Napoleon stood in the doorway, until joined by Marshal Nay and then slowly made his entrance. The ladies curtsied and the men bowed; several men in uniform came to attention. A dozen of the Emperor 'Old Guard' followed him and took up positions around the room. Nay introduced him to several officers and Politicians [and their wives] then stopped in front of Colonel Durand, who bowed again. "Well Durand." was all the Emperor said and Jericho gestured to Alex; "May I introduce my wife Alexandra, your Majesty." Alex curtsied quite low and her nipples popped above her bodice- she made no attempt to cover them.
A little, quiet gasp rolled around the room. The lady maid slapped thirty Franc's into her friends hand - well disappointed. Alex modestly held her fan over her breasts and half smiled at the Emperor, but said nothing. The Emperor actually smiled; well, no, it was a grin and he bowed a little; "Madame, your husband is a very, very lucky man and I always reward men of luck." He took her hand and kissed it, pushing the fan up, getting another look at her heaving breasts. "I will have the honour of a dance with you Madame." Alex smiled; "No your Majesty; the honour will be all mine." She curtsied again, revealing more of her ample bosom. Napoleon nodded and stepped a little back, staring at her dress or rather through it. He really did smile and walked away - a little awkwardly, it must be said!
Wilson restrained his smile, but muttered to himself; "Straight into the flames."
Owen slowly joined Jericho and Alex and they found a quiet corner. He folded his arms and spoke softly; "Lady Helena Covington, who is from Victorian Times. By her age and knowing her birth date, we can work out that she travelled here from 1864." Wilson nodded and asked; "The big question, of course, is how?"
Owen grinned; "Her husband is Lord Covington and guess what piece of furniture he owns that once belonged to Napoleon?" Wilson sighed; "A Chinese cabinet?" Owen nodded; "A gift rom the Chinese Emperor in 1814. The story or legend is that the Chinese ambassadors simply vanished from inside it. But we know that the damn thing contains a time portal. It must be in his study, which is next to his bedroom."
Jericho nodded and smiled; "So we need to get into the study, which is only available from his bedroom. So a distraction is in order. One which allows us into his bedroom and then the study." He then noticed Alex was struggling with her magnificent breasts; "I need some safety pins." She muttered to Owen.
"And I know how we can do that." Jericho rubbed his chin and glanced across the ballroom to see the Emperor talking to 'Lady Guisse of Picardy' - you could have frozen pea's with the atmosphere between the two. "He's official mistress will jump at the chance to get back in his favour now and I think we can give her an offer she simply won't refuse." Jericho actually chuckled; Alex will go nuts at this one, he thought.
"We need to get into the Emperors study and put that particular time portal out of commission. We can return Lady Helena to her own time and she won't be able to return, because if the cabinet's time travelling ability is removed here and now, the cabinet won't posses the ability in 1864."
Jericho rubbed his face; "I think the Emperor should be diverted by an irate and betrayed husband, whilst another gets to work on the cabinet and Lady Helena. I think its time to use our very reliable honey-trap." They all looked at Alex, who just sighed; "Playing the bloody tart again." was all she said.
Owen waited in the corridor outside the door to Madame Margaret Du Loupe's rooms; her ladies maid opened it and waved Ruth in, shutting the door firmly on Owen; this was for women only. He stood outside, arms folded and a little bored. Several staff members and servants passed him; none said a word or even acknowledged that he was there. He straightened up as the door opened and Ruth appeared; a little smile of satisfaction on her face.
"Well?" Was all Owen whispered and Ruth slowly nodded, then smiled broadly. She pushed her arm through his and the happy couple headed for the Ball Room; the plan was now in action. They stood by the door and Ruth opened the palm of her hand and said quietly; "I now just have words with Alex and everything is underway. Oh, and make sure these are fitted correctly; that's really important." She showed Owen her hand, who just rubbed his chin in puzzlement; "Safety pins?" He asked. Ruth nodded; "I'll fix my lady's bodice so that her nipples don't pop out whilst she's dancing. They've done their job." she grinned.
Owen sighed and muttered; "Pity about that. But what about that bloody see through dress? Do you have anything to fix that?" Ruth shook her head; "There are no strong lights in the ball room; she'll be fine." Owen nodded his head, now he knew, why Alex greeted the Emperor in front of the fire place; it was like placing a lamp behind her. "I now realise, what Jericho's been saying about you bloody women and the way you operate is quite true. I shall listen very carefully to him in the future." He grunted; Ruth just shook her head, but still smiled.
The guests were now starting to fill the Ball Room and Alex, with Ruth, disappeared to a side room. Jericho smiled at Owen, who simply nodded; indicating the plan was on. Wilson joined them and informed him that Marshall Nay will make up some excuse, to pull Jericho [Colonel Durand] from the dancing; leaving the field open for his majesty to go after Alex. Jericho really smiled at that; "Good luck to the poor twat." Was all he said - much to Wilson's and Owen's amusement.
"What was the important announcement he made at dinner about?" Wilson quietly asked Jericho - who did not smile - and looked about before answering; "He's not going to resign. His time travelling mistress must have supplied him with information, that he believes, can change his destiny. We really must put an end to this - by any means." He glanced back at the doorway; Ruth signalled that Alex was ready and that meant that Madame Margaret Du Loupe was also ready.
The Emperor swept into the ball room; he didn't hide that he was looking for someone and appeared a little disappointed when his official mistress; Madame Du Loupe came up to him. After a few minutes of conversation; the Emperor really did smile and kissed her on the cheek. They strode out and danced the first dance together. The 'Lady of Picardy' stood by the fireplace and sipped her drink; the look on her face betrayed a very unhappy woman.
"Now for my walk on part." Jericho muttered and approached the unhappy lady and wondered if she would care to dance. She smiled and took his arm. "He does actually have the charm and looks that women go after." Owen muttered - a little surprised - but Wilson just chuckled; "Come on baby brother; time to perform for our pay." Owen sighed and then rubbed his chin; "Yeah, but we don't actually get bloody paid." He muttered and followed the big man out.
They nodded and smiled at Alex, as she walked gracefully into the ball room and waved away a glass of champagne offered by an attentive footman. She stood arms on hips and stared at the dancers; she did not appear happy. Despite the dancing, everyone had their eyes on Alex, as she strode across the crowded room and walked straight up to her 'husband' and slapped him hard across the face. He staggered and released the 'lady of Guisse, who screamed in shock.
The ball room went silent - apart from a few stunned gasps from the ladies present, oh, and the Count du Moranle, who was known to be quite squeamish - and the pair [Jericho and Alex] had a shouting match in front of everyone. Alex stormed from the ball room, throwing her fan at the feet of the shocked Emperor with Jericho following her, protesting his 'innocence'.
The 'Lady of Guisse' also fled the chamber by a different door. There was just murmurs of shocked conversation about what just happened. The Emperor leaned down and picked up Alex's fan. He smiled at Madame Margaret Du Loupe and pushed the fan into his pocket. "Beauty and passion is quite a heady mix." He said to her and indicated that the ball should continue - which it did.
The Emperor waved aside demands that the pair should arrested or something. He stood in a quiet corner with just Marshal Nay beside him and pulled the fan from his pocket and read the few lines scrawled on it. He smiled and nodded his head; "Now that is lady worthy of a crown." He muttered and spoke closely in Nay's ear. The Marshall wasn't happy about his instructions; but he would carry them out. Napoleon then nodded at his mistress and the pair began the dancing again, as if nothing had happened.
Marshal Nay danced with his inquisitive wife and whispered to her; "I think this little rendezvous was not made in heaven; but hell." She just smiled and he explained what she had to do. She left the ball some minutes later; her maid trailing behind; totally intrigued.
They were allowed into the Emperor's private suite without question and Madame Aglae - Duchess of Elchingen [Marshal Nay's wife] helped her maid uncover the huge bed. She whispered to her loyal maid; "Our beloved Emperor is going to celebrate staying on the throne, in right royal style with a little party of three. He will be the guest of honour of course." The maid smiled and said softly; "Who are the lucky ladies, my lady?" The Duchess grinned; "Well, Madame Du Loupe and that little firebrand; Lady Alexandra, of course!"
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Angel-in-charge: Phillipe Team Assigned: Team 74
Human Time: 1814AD-1229AH Mission: 093367 - 3 - 9911
MISSION SUMMARY: "Emperor Napoleon receives Ambassadors from the Chinese Emperor and they present him with a very special gift - a magic cabinet! - Napoleon and his staff are cynical about it's magic properties until the three Chinese Ambassadors enter the cabinet and simply disappear - for good. But Napoleon is struggling to retain his crown; will he use the gift to change his fortunes?"
NOTES: This episode contains strong language and horror with very strong sexual references.
"This is a work of fiction about a historical character. Any other resemblances to actual persons, living or dead or actual events is purely coincidental." The Author.
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| 30 Min. |
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| Book Series 3. |
"NAPOLEAON'S CHINESE CABINET OF MAGIC. PART 1."
Captain Jean Pullaire stared at the crate which had been lowered with great care onto the polished wooden floor. He rubbed his chin in puzzlement and spoke quietly to the two footmen standing next to him; “Fetch Colonel Le Grande and inform his majesty that the gift from the Chinese Emperor has arrived – and get some labourers to open the damn crate.”
He turned and smiled at the three strange little men with feathers adorning their small black hats; he had to admit that he had never seen a real China man before and these three resembled exactly the drawings he had viewed in his youth. “I have sent for men to open the crate Lord Yin.” He nodded at the smallest of the trio, who bowed and in prefect French thanked the Captain for his assistance.
From around his neck, Lord Yin produced a gold key fixed upon a gold chain and spoke directly to Captain Pullaire; “I need to place this key directly into your God’s hand – it was placed directly into mine by my God Emperor Yongyan and must be passed on in the same manner.” The little China man bowed yet again and smiled.
Several burly labourer’s had arrived with removed hats, accompanied by Monsieur Cission; the Emperors Chief Carpenter who viewed the heavy crate with an expert eye. “Use the bloody bars carefully you morons.” He said, wiping his face with a clean polishing rag. The old man sighed; not more bloody pieces of expensive wood to maintain – the Palace of Fontainebleau was full of the stuff and now bloody foreigners from the other side of the world were sending their gilded crap!
He stared at the three China amen and blew his nose hard into the polishing cloth; “We’ll undress her gently Captain.” Monsieur Cission smiled at Pullaire with a mouthful of yellow teeth and wiped snot from his heavy grey moustache, adding; “Will his majesty be present when we open her?”
That question was answered by the regulated stamp of army boots upon the shining wooden floor and through the doors, hurriedly opened by a sweaty Footman, came a dozen of the ‘Old Guard’. With precision they took up positions around the room and snapped to attention at the command of their young Lieutenant. Pullaire and Cissions exchanged glances; Lieutenant Vaccaro was not a popular officer or man, who held his Commission directly because of who his father may be: The Emperor.
“I see the little poodle still hasn’t found a hat small enough for his tiny brain.” Cission whispered to the Captain who wagged a disapproving finger at the far too blunt carpenter – but smiled broadly. The Lieutenant’s hat was clearly too large and had been the subject of arguments between him and the Quartermaster of the Regiment – without success it appears.
Quartermaster Possini had informed the young man that Officer’s supply their own uniform and that naturally; included the hat. But Vaccaro had been unable to find a decent Milliner to furnish such a small hat at a reasonable price – his ungenerous nature added to his unpopular character. So in desperation, he had purchased the hat from a another young Lieutenant who was dying in the local infirmary from wounds received in Prussia – the fact that he gave the young widow a handful of centimes for it, really did his popularity no good. To quote many; ‘he was as unpopular as would be finding Wellington in the Emperors bathtub.’
Vaccaro gave Pullaire a clumsy salute and announced that Colonel Le Grande was attending the Emperor and they would appear within minutes. Pullaire returned the salute, but said nothing. The appearance of Marshal Nay in the chamber signalled the arrival of Napoleon. A large gaggle of Officers and Politian’s poured into the small chamber, splitting into little groups and all staring at the strangers who stood quietly by the crate, which was being opened with great care under Cission’s direction.
Napoleon sauntered into the room and all conversations stopped. Le Grande spoke directly to him and pointed at the Chinese group; “The small chink is called Lord Yin, he’s apparently their Emperors Ambassador, I don’t know about the other two, your Majesty."
The three bowed low as Pullaire whispered to Le Grande; “He speaks perfect French.” Le Grande shrugged his shoulders and grunted; “Thank you Pullaire, now get on with it – the Emperor is a busy man.” Le Grande was not marked out for a career in Diplomacy. But he was a damn good Officer on the field of battle and possessed a characteristic that Napoleon looked for in all his officers; he was lucky.
Le Grande had been shot off his horse on no less than four occasions and walked away with just scratches, and then during one battle, his churning stomach forced him to find a quiet clump of trees to relieve the pain. Squatting down with liquid fire emerging from his bowels, he saw through the trees that the Austrians had left a gap in their right flank to bring up the supply waggons. Clutching his trousers, Le Grande reported the mistake to Marshal Nay. French troops poured through the gap and the Austrians fled the battlefield in disarray. Napoleon had thanked the Captain himself and promoted him to Headquarters’ staff with the rank of Colonel.
Napoleon gestured to Lord Yin and the little China man approached bowing quite low: "Your brother Emperor Yongyan sends greetings of love and friendship and hopes you will be pleased with this little gift.” He offered the gold key and chain with both hands and Napoleon took it slowly and smiled; "Please inform your Emperor that I will be most pleased to accept any gift from my dear brother and send him my warm regards.”
There were little gasps of admiration from the crowd as the final pieces of the dull grey crate were stripped away; revealing a black and silver cabinet decorated with astronomical symbols and gold dragons – it was tall as a man, wide as a double wardrobe and deep as a card table – it was simply magnificent; a real masterpiece.
Napoleon nodded his approval to Lord Yin who spoke quietly to the Emperor, positioning his back to all others; “My Lord, with such a gift that can only be shared amongst God’s comes a responsibility – a great responsibility. You must never open or enter the cabinet during the hours of darkness and keep her locked at all times. Please keep that key upon your person, no mere mortal must have access to her; only you.”
The Emperor looked quite puzzled by his comments and studied the simple gold key; “What does the cabinet contain my Lord Yin?” He asked and the strange little man smiled and ran his long finger nails through his grey beard; "Darkness and light your majesty.”
Lord Yin bowed low, then walked over to the cabinet and opened the doors; a stunning white light shone from the interior making everyone step back, but Napoleon felt himself drawn to it and peered inside, shielding his eyes a little. The interior panels were decorated with glass and silver and Napoleon realised at once; that none of the ‘mirrors’ showed a reflection.
He turned slowly to Lord Yin and said quietly; “How old is she?” Lord Yin held up his hands and said; “We believe that four such cabinets were created by the God TAI-SUI-XING and given as presents to the early Emperors of the great Chin dynasty; they came into being at the start of human time.” He smiled and added; “The interior panels have been re-housed many times over the Centuries, the present construction is only some four hundred years old and so should last; at least that again.”
Lord Yin bowed again and gestured to his two silent colleagues, who shuffled gracefully into the cabinet and both bowed low. He turned to Napoleon and spoke quietly; “We must now return home and report all is well between the great European God and our father who resides in the Heavens – Farewell my Lord and remember that light is darkness to devils and darkness is light to them.” Lord Yin stepped into the cabinet of TAI-SUI-XING and slowly closed the doors.
Everyone stood in silence for a few moments until Le Grande tapped gently on the doors and called out; “Lord Yin, what the fuck are you doing?” The Emperor smiled and told Le Grande to open the cabinet and help the crazy China men out of his gift.
Everyone was laughing until the doors were opened; the three Chinese men had vanished – completely. There was total silence in the room for some time until Marshal Ney shouted for guards to search the Palace and grounds for the mysterious visitors.
Napoleon and the carpenter Cission examined the cabinet closely and found it solid. He ordered Cission to have it removed to his private study and locked the doors with the gold key; which he hung about his neck. He gripped Cission by the shoulder and said quietly; "I have a task for you my old friend and it must be kept between the two of us." Cission nodded his head - the old carpenter had known the Emperor since the days of the Revolution.
But no trace of the three Chinese ‘Magicians’ were ever found and no-one was allowed near the gift without Napoleon’s express permission - But the Emperor had more pressing matters to contend with; his abdication.
2. A STAR FALLS FROM HEAVEN.
He must have sat for some minutes before he heard the gentle tap from the Chinese cabinet. He rose slowly and walked over to it; carefully unlocking the doors and stepping back.
The doors opened and she stepped from the cabinet into his study. Lady Helena Covington smiled at her lover and they embraced for some minutes. "I do love you in dresses of this time; they suit you much better than those damn tents you wear back there." Napoleon kissed the bare cleavage she was showing in her low cut 'Regency' dress. Her breasts had been pushed well up and if she sneezed; her nipples would escape - along with most of her breasts.
Tall and thin with dark Raven hair and soft brown eyes, Lady Helena was considered a beauty at the Royal Court of Queen Victoria in 1864. She had married the wealthy Lord Covington at just eighteen - he was forty-five, fat and failed to bath regally. But he owned a fabulous Chinese cabinet that, it was rumoured, had belonged to Emperor Napoleon I.
Lady Helena had only been married some six weeks and already had enough of her boring, lethargic husband and she avoided his company, as best she could; Covington House had some seventy rooms and she still felt that wasn't enough space to keep away from him. At least he left her alone in the bedroom - he was as impotent as he was smelly.
Then one day she found a fabulous Chinese cabinet hidden in the attic's, and wondered why such a stunning piece of furniture wasn't on display in the house's main rooms. Her husband wouldn't explain anything; except that she was to keep away from it and he actually ordered her to do so. The very next morning, after Lord Covington had gone to the City of London, she was back in the attic and trying to open the cabinet. It was locked tight with no key apparent.
It took several days before Helena found that the key was kept in her husband's Library, inside a book about Napoleon and she rushed to the attic and triumphally opened the cabinet. She noticed immediately, that there was no reflection showing from the mirrors it contained. Some strange force compelled her to step in and close the door. Lady Helena glanced down to the book she was carrying; 'The life and times of Napoleon Bonaparte.' She chuckled to herself and tried to open the door - it was locked - but she still held the key!
Panicking a little at first, she struggled with the doors until she heard a voice outside; "Please, please help me. I can't get the doors open and strangely enough; there are no dam key-holes inside here." She shouted and heard the door locks being turned; they must have had a key too - but who was it?
She stepped from the cabinet and stared at the man who had rescued her; it was Napoleon Bonaparte, who had been dead some 43 years, but was very much alive. He took her hand and kissed it. He explained about the cabinet and what had happened to her for some minutes and they drank wine together. A walk in the gardens, of Fontainebleau Palace, put her mind to rest about possibly going insane.
Two hours after arriving in 1814 France, Lady Helena Covington was 'cuckolding' her husband with the French Emperor [who had actually died before she was even born] they enjoyed passionate sex on the floor of the Imperial bedroom which included a sexual activity that was frowned upon by the Church and forbidden in law. Helena couldn't actually believe what Napoleon was doing to her bum and she cried through out the ordeal - but made no effort to stop him.
He had told his new lover, that clothes from the 'hereafter' were bloody awful and ugly. So he arranged for some dresses of the 'Regency' period to be made for her - with a particularly low cut bodice and she delighted in wearing the tighter, clinging dresses of his time, than the current fashion [of 1864] which she now considered shapeless, awkward and about sexually attractive as wearing a tent.
Now, almost four months into their 'time-travelling' romance, she had arrived to comfort her lover on a very important day - his abdication. But wrapped tightly in brown paper and string was a modest little book; it contained details of Emperor Napoleon's last 100 days as Emperor - including the all important, world changing Battle of Waterloo. It was hidden in Lady Helena's travelling bag. A little present for her lover that didn't detail his death, but could change his imminent future. She had, wisely, removed the pages that dealt with his final demise.
"I hate those dresses I'm forced to wear, as you say, its like wearing a bloody tent my darling." She kissed him quite passionately and he pushed both hands up the back of her dress and gripped her bum. "I still think it strange that you are not even born yet my little dove." Napoleon muttered and they exchanged kisses again; his excited fingers, reluctantly, left her arse and he pulled at the back of her dress. She slowly began to strip off her clothes; "I want you naked." he whispered and Lady Helena stepped from his arms and pulled her dress down. She was naked apart from her little pink shoes.
"Take me." Was all Lady Helena said - and Napoleon didn't need to be told twice. Their passion was satisfied some hours later and both lay on the bed, staring at each other. The Emperor rose and threw a dressing gown about himself; "I have an unpleasant meeting with my ministers in a few minutes. I will be back in
leaned back on two pillows and closed her eyes. The little bedroom clock was chiming one o'clock. She sat upright and stared at the private doorway to the bedroom. The Emperor, in uniform, stood smiling at her.
Lady Helena grinned and pulled the sheet from her naked body and lay back, opening her legs. She said nothing and neither did the Emperor. They made love for another hour before the Emperor, yet again, had to go. She lay breathing heavy for a few minutes and then heard the clock chiming above the fireplace. She stared at it for a few seconds; then realised it must be losing time. It was still only two o'clock, she was a little puzzeled by that.
She lay in the bed and watched Napoleon dress and go. She leaned back and sat upright - again. This time surprised; The Emperor was in the doorway; why had he returned so quick? She pushed her hair from her face and smiled a little. He was pulling off his jacket; "I told you I wouldn't be long, my darling." She just stared at him; utterly amazed at his stamina. But laid back on the covers and watched him undress.
That afternoon Napoleon finished his bath and dressed slowly. The meeting with his Marshal's had not ended happily; every single one had demanded he abdicate to prevent the Allied armies swarming into Paris. He had been particularly hurt by the apparent betrayal of Marshall Nay. He stared at the colourful calendar hanging on his dressing room wall; April 11th 1814. If only he had more time...a little more time, but time was so precious now and trickling through his fingers like beach sand. He had run out of that most vital commodity: time.
Napoleon had dressed without a servant and walked slowly to his study. He sat at his desk and stared at the single, large piece of paper, that was the only item upon the large ornate table: The Abdication document. He rested his head on his hands and memories and thoughts clouded into his very troubled mind. He must have sat for some minutes like that and then slowly lifted his head; staring at the Chinese cabinet - the Emperor smiled.
3. WHAT COULD BE.
Alex looked quite stunning; even Wilson and Owen had to admit that. She smiled at Jericho and nodded her head; "You really do carry an uniform well. I'm quite pleasantly surprised." She also grinned at Wilson who really did look resplendent in his servant's livery, but he didn't smile; "Why do I always have to play the bloody loyal black servant to his white master?" He groaned - then smiled.
Alex chuckled; "Because you do it so well!" Wilson shook his head and stuck up a single finger, then muttered; "Why can't I, just for once, play the master and Jericho the servant?" Alex patted the big man; "You know it really doesn't bother you - you don't have his enormous ego to please!" Jericho just sighed and finished checking his costume.
Owen looked himself up and down; he really didn't appreciate his young gentleman's outfit of the time. "The bleeding trousers are far too tight, no wonder they were always at war." He muttered and adjusted the crotch of his trousers - again. Wilson slapped his hand away; "Jesus, any excuse to play with yourself." Owen stuck up a single finger and pulled at his trousers yet again.
Everyone chuckled and Jericho placed his Colonel's hat upon his head; "Now, now children, we ALL look really good in our new play clothes. Let's get going, Supplies have everything ready." He smiled at Alex; "How's your French Madame?" Alex curtsied; "Mon français va bien, à toi? " Jericho just nodded and stared at himself in the mirror; "Not bad. Maybe I should have been a Military man - like my father wanted - and not a bloody lawyer." He said softly to no-one. They all headed for the light room and then had to wait - much to the amusement of Alex - for young Ruth to appear. She was to be Alex's Lady Maid. No woman of quality would dare travel without one, in the time period that the team was heading for.
Ruth arrived - apologising to everyone - and received a 'wolf whistle' from Owen. She too, looked quite beautiful in his eyes. "I love the clothes of this period!" She exclaimed and joined the team. Jericho just sighed and the little group departed for France in 1814.
The carriage moved quite slowly through the mud of the Fontainebleau road and rocked steadily. Ruth had her head against Alex's shoulder - she was a little tired - Ruth wasn't use to jumping into the light - and like many who weren't accustomed to travelling in that way, felt tiredness sweep over her. Alex patted her hand and smiled at Jericho and Owen, who sat opposite. "A few hours and she'll be fine. In the 20th century they would have called it 'jet-lag'." Owen nodded; "Yep, our young Ruthie has 'Time-lag'."
Wilson leaned through the small window above their heads - he was riding with the driver - and said quietly; "About another twenty minutes." Jericho waved his hand in acknowledgement and turned to Alex; "Napoleon has acquired a new young mistress who is a total mystery to everyone at the Palace. Even Marshall Nay doesn't have a clue who she is. The place has hundreds of servant's and Imperial staff, yet none has caught, as much as a glance of her. How she come's and goes is another mystery, considering the security around the Emperor. "
Owen sighed; "We know she exists because Napoleon's boot maker mentions her in a letter to his brother in 1816. He was convinced she was an English spy and he mentioned, but didn't elaborate, about what happened to poor Colonel Durand. So you had better watch yourself Jericho!" He smiled as Ruth roused herself and sat up; "Who's an English spy?" She asked. Owen said quietly; "Napoleon's mysterious mistress." Ruth nodded; "How many did he have - mysterious or not?"
Owen chuckled; "At this time and place, he had about nine." Ruth looked a little amazed and turned to Alex; "How did he find the bloody time to conquer Europe?" That did make Alex chuckle - she didn't know the answer to that.
"And I believe she could be the ley to the strange changes that the current time-line is suffering. I've seen the alternative versions of history and they all directly start here at this time and place. The only difference IS the Emperor's new mistress. We need to find and identify her - urgently." Jericho said and checked his mirror for any mission updates. Alex adjusted her breasts and groaned; "The dresses are gorgeous, but don't suit women with ample breasts." She said to Ruth, who just grinned.
"Yeah, but you won't find a single male complaining about that." Owen muttered and looked out the window, adding; "The palace is bloody gorgeous too." The grand Palace of Fontainebleau had now appeared and they were approaching - slowly because of the mud. Owen pointed out that mud had affected the outcome at Waterloo and exactly a century later; The Western Front.
Wilson's head appeared and he smiled at Alex, fiddling with her bosom; "If either of those lovely big pups need a new home, I'm your man. By the way, we're entering the Palace through the South gate - apparently Jericho's not important enough - as a mere Colonel - to use the Grand Entrance." He wrapped his dark cloak about his big shoulders and chuckled. Jean Hessaine [the driver and a human agent of Jericho's for this time and place] laughed too.
"Steady there Wilson, I wouldn't mind taking both home myself - with Alex attached of course - She's about the most stunning woman I've ever seen and I've seen some real crackers here and at Versailles. Old Boney [nickname of Emperor Napoleon] will be drooling in his soup at her, I can definitely tell you that." Jean smiled and slapped the reins; he didn't think much of Jericho's new team members - Owen and Alex - he had thoroughly enjoyed the company of Jericho's old team; Wilson, little Oscar - the crazy dwarf - and Jericho himself.
Jean recalled that the fourth member of Team 74 had been a real strange and moody bastard - he hardly said a word to Jean; or anybody else to be honest. But there was something about the bloody man that drew you to him - like a moth to a flame. Jean grunted; still Alex was a bonus - he would have fucked her at the drop of a hat - even if it damned his soul for ever. That delicious thought was disturbed by Wilson pointing ahead; a small troop of cavalry was approaching.
"They check everyone and anything that gets within a few miles of old Boney." Jean nodded to Wilson, who leaned through the window again and announced visitors. Jericho was handed an old leather document case by Owen who grinned at the girls; "Best behaviour now ladies - all smiles and bosom's please!"
Alex stuck up a single finger and adjusted her dress - she was almost hanging out of it. "With those beauties staring at him, the young lieutenant won't be too interested in us or our travel papers." Owen chuckled and watched the cavalry troop approach.
Jericho flicked through the papers in his old briefcase and smiled to himself. The briefcase had travelled a few miles and many years with him now. He clearly remembered the first day - with the brand new case under his arm - that he spent at Gray, Ogden & Davis - Solicitors. He was the new Junior partner of the famous old law firm. But his thoughts snapped back to here and now.
He smiled at Alex and Ruth; "Remember ladies, that if anyone will have information or knowledge of this mysterious woman, it will be the female staff and ladies of the court. I'm depending on you two and I know you'll come through." Both Alex and Ruth nodded as the carriage rolled to a stop and Wilson jumped down and opened the carriage door. Jericho stepped out and greeted the young Lieutenant, who dismounted with some grace from his sweating mare.
4. FONTAINEBLEAU PALACE.
Colonel Durand slapped his old briefcase down on the small ornate table and stared out the window at the rear grounds of the palace. He spoke in fluent French to his young Secretary; Monsieur Henri Legaurd. "Make sure you stick to old French - all the time - no slip up's. None." He cautioned Owen, who nodded and helped Wilson - now called Titus - to unpack the suitcases. "Alex and Ruth are just around the corner, in a beautiful suite decorated in the Chinese style. She always gets spoilt." Wilson muttered - in old French - and heaved the case upon the dark foot locker, at the bottom of the huge four poster bed.
Owen looked a little puzzled; "It's a strange tradition here that husbands and wives don't share the same rooms - why is that?" He asked Jericho, who chuckled; "So they could entertain their lovers without embarrassing each other. Fidelity was not a large concern in these decadent days."
"Well, Spoilt or not, she certainly got us noticed, even if we came through the tradesman entrance." Jericho smiled and added; "Apparently the Emperor rarely bothers to stick his head out and have a look at visitors arriving, but he did this morning." Wilson chuckled; "Those two footmen almost had a fist fight over who would carry her bloody bags."
Owen had slumped into a high back chair by the door and consulted his mirror. "Colonel Durand was tasked by General Charles Dulauloy to collate the possible numbers of new recruits that Napoleon could expect from the Northern Departments of France. Currently, history dictates that he arrived on the 13th April, 1814 - two days after the abdication. Still, it didn't matter, the news he carried would not have pleased the Emperor."
Jericho sat on the bed and looked around the room; "We'll, we've arrived on the 9th April with the same unwelcome message; very few recruits available. That won't change anything. But we only have a couple of days to discover how that damn woman changes history. I've seen the results of the possible changes to the current time line and it's drastic, really drastic: Napoleon wins at Waterloo and Britain is forced to leave most of Europe under his boot."
Wilson pulled a bottle of brandy from the canvas bag he carried over his shoulder and smiled; "Well, a couple of these won't hurt." Owen jumped from his seat and fetched glasses from the ornate cabinet near the writing desk. They all heard the soft knock at the door. Wilson pulled it open and smiled at Alex and Ruth; "Jesus girl, you must have smelt me opening the damn brandy bottle!"
Alex just grinned and swept majestically into the room followed by her 'maid' and plonked herself down on the big bed next to Jericho. She accepted a glass from Owen and Wilson poured her a large one. "Well, we off to a good start, rather unusually - according to Napoleon's Personal secretary - you have been invited to dinner tonight with the Emperor." Jericho nodded his approval at that and said softly; "I rather think you have been invited and he had to ask me to attend because I'm your husband."
Wilson chuckled at that; "You don't think he has mistress number ten in mind?" Owen offered Ruth a glass of brandy which she declined; "Any lemonade?" She asked and was slightly disappointed that there was none. Jericho lay back on the bed, arms folded, and stared at the canopy of the grand bed. "I want you to play up to him Alexandra, but keep him at arms length. He's used to having beautiful women fall at his feet and I think that one who doesn't play the game will really mess with his ego. Forbidden fruit and all that."
Alex smiled; "I certainly won't find it hard to play the faithful and dutiful wife; I did that for my entire life." Then sighed; "Most of the time!" Everyone laughed at that remark. Ruth eased herself down on the chair that Owen had pulled up for her and rubbed her ankles; "I don't like these high shoes; they rub my feet."
She then turned to Alex; "Don't forget your taking coffee and cake with Madame Nay and some ladies of the Court this afternoon. You'll need to change into an afternoon dress, you can't wear your travelling clothes to that." Jericho sat slowly up and smiled broadly; "Now that's what I call a good start. If anyone will know the court gossip about Napoleon's new mistress; it will be the ladies of the court. All girls together and all that." He was well pleased with that turn of events.
Madame Aglae - Duchess of Elchingen [Marshal Nay's wife] watched Alex carefully over the rim of her delicate coffee cup. She certainly could appreciate the real beauty of another woman and Alex - to her - was something special. She smiled; "Your French is quite flawless my dear, but your Italian origins do appear in your voice." The other ladies all murmured their agreement with Madame Algae's deduction. Madame Margaret Du Loupe [Napoleon's current mistress - the official one] placed her cup down and smiled; "I understand that your from the Italian state of Cappanni?"
Alex nodded; "My father was Count there, but now my brother Phillipe is Count." She sipped her coffee and wondered - strongly - about grabbing another piece of that gorgeous apple pie. She resisted that desire with some reluctance. Madame Margaret tapped her chin; "I am surprised that you are married to a mere Colonel. I mean your a Lady of noble birth and the Colonel - a fine man, I'm sure - is from a family of book-keepers or do I have that wrong?" The other ladies restrained their laughter quietly.
Alex smiled and dabbed her mouth with the lace napkin; "My husband is my best friend and my only lover. Other men would seem....well, inadequate compared to how he pleases me and he really does please me." There were little gasps of mock shock and Madame Algae chuckled outright. "Oh my dear, you will have us filled with envy with such a confession." Everyone laughed at that; but in a very ladylike manner!
Ruth sat in the quiet corner of the large stateroom and drank coffee and played cards with the other 'Ladies Maids'. They were all clearly intrigued with her Mistress; Lady Alex. They were all much older than Ruth and really queried how such a young girl could hold such a position. Ruth explained - with some sincerity in her voice - that her mother had been Lady Alex's childhood nanny and when she died, Alex had made her daughter - Ruth - her maid despite her young age, so that she could stay with the family.
"It's good to see such loyalty running both ways." Madame Anna nodded her head and patted Ruth's hand. She was Madame Margaret's maid and knew nearly everything about her mistress's latest catch; the Emperor himself. The discussion at the Maid's table was lively and quite coarse at times. Ruth actually found herself going a little red at some of the conversation's content. The other maids thought that was just wonderful and cute.
The little coffee and cake party broke up and the ladies retired to their rooms with their maids in tow, to dress for the Evening Dinner party. Alex and Ruth walked back to their suite in silence. There were staff and servants down every corridor and their discussion had only one topic; The Emperor's imminent abdication.
An unsmiling young footman with a pock marked face opened the door to their rooms and bowed a little. He informed Ruth that Colonel Durand had been summoned by Marshal Nay to give his report on the Northern Departments. Ruth thanked him and both girls waited until he closed the door and left the corridor before speaking. Alex sprawled on the bed and chuckled; "That went well, but we learnt sod all about the new mistress." That's when she saw the smile on Ruth's face and sat up. "Go on, spill the beans; your bursting to tell me!"
Jericho's meeting with Marshal Nay didn't go well; he was shouted at - several times, as he explained about the lack of potential new soldiers for the Emperor's armies. Finally, Nay calmed down and muttered an apology for shooting the messenger. He slapped Jericho on the back and said he would [Jericho that is] enjoy tonight's dinner with the Emperor and what a privilege that would be for the lowly Colonel. Jericho just smiled, bowed and left for his rooms.
He found the team assembled in his rooms and Alex really did smile. He threw the Colonel's hat on the table - along with his old briefcase - and folded his arms. "I take it Alexandra that you have something to tell us?" Alex nodded.
Owen looked a little puzzled; "It's a strange tradition here that husbands and wives don't share the same rooms - why is that?" He asked Jericho, who chuckled; "So they could entertain their lovers without embarrassing each other. Fidelity was not a large concern in these decadent days."
"Well, Spoilt or not, she certainly got us noticed, even if we came through the tradesman entrance." Jericho smiled and added; "Apparently the Emperor rarely bothers to stick his head out and have a look at visitors arriving, but he did this morning." Wilson chuckled; "Those two footmen almost had a fist fight over who would carry her bloody bags."
Owen had slumped into a high back chair by the door and consulted his mirror. "Colonel Durand was tasked by General Charles Dulauloy to collate the possible numbers of new recruits that Napoleon could expect from the Northern Departments of France. Currently, history dictates that he arrived on the 13th April, 1814 - two days after the abdication. Still, it didn't matter, the news he carried would not have pleased the Emperor."
Jericho sat on the bed and looked around the room; "We'll, we've arrived on the 9th April with the same unwelcome message; very few recruits available. That won't change anything. But we only have a couple of days to discover how that damn woman changes history. I've seen the results of the possible changes to the current time line and it's drastic, really drastic: Napoleon wins at Waterloo and Britain is forced to leave most of Europe under his boot."
Wilson pulled a bottle of brandy from the canvas bag he carried over his shoulder and smiled; "Well, a couple of these won't hurt." Owen jumped from his seat and fetched glasses from the ornate cabinet near the writing desk. They all heard the soft knock at the door. Wilson pulled it open and smiled at Alex and Ruth; "Jesus girl, you must have smelt me opening the damn brandy bottle!"
Alex just grinned and swept majestically into the room followed by her 'maid' and plonked herself down on the big bed next to Jericho. She accepted a glass from Owen and Wilson poured her a large one. "Well, we off to a good start, rather unusually - according to Napoleon's Personal secretary - you have been invited to dinner tonight with the Emperor." Jericho nodded his approval at that and said softly; "I rather think you have been invited and he had to ask me to attend because I'm your husband."
Wilson chuckled at that; "You don't think he has mistress number ten in mind?" Owen offered Ruth a glass of brandy which she declined; "Any lemonade?" She asked and was slightly disappointed that there was none. Jericho lay back on the bed, arms folded, and stared at the canopy of the grand bed. "I want you to play up to him Alexandra, but keep him at arms length. He's used to having beautiful women fall at his feet and I think that one who doesn't play the game will really mess with his ego. Forbidden fruit and all that."
Alex smiled; "I certainly won't find it hard to play the faithful and dutiful wife; I did that for my entire life." Then sighed; "Most of the time!" Everyone laughed at that remark. Ruth eased herself down on the chair that Owen had pulled up for her and rubbed her ankles; "I don't like these high shoes; they rub my feet."
She then turned to Alex; "Don't forget your taking coffee and cake with Madame Nay and some ladies of the Court this afternoon. You'll need to change into an afternoon dress, you can't wear your travelling clothes to that." Jericho sat slowly up and smiled broadly; "Now that's what I call a good start. If anyone will know the court gossip about Napoleon's new mistress; it will be the ladies of the court. All girls together and all that." He was well pleased with that turn of events.
Madame Aglae - Duchess of Elchingen [Marshal Nay's wife] watched Alex carefully over the rim of her delicate coffee cup. She certainly could appreciate the real beauty of another woman and Alex - to her - was something special. She smiled; "Your French is quite flawless my dear, but your Italian origins do appear in your voice." The other ladies all murmured their agreement with Madame Algae's deduction. Madame Margaret Du Loupe [Napoleon's current mistress - the official one] placed her cup down and smiled; "I understand that your from the Italian state of Cappanni?"
Alex nodded; "My father was Count there, but now my brother Phillipe is Count." She sipped her coffee and wondered - strongly - about grabbing another piece of that gorgeous apple pie. She resisted that desire with some reluctance. Madame Margaret tapped her chin; "I am surprised that you are married to a mere Colonel. I mean your a Lady of noble birth and the Colonel - a fine man, I'm sure - is from a family of book-keepers or do I have that wrong?" The other ladies restrained their laughter quietly.
Alex smiled and dabbed her mouth with the lace napkin; "My husband is my best friend and my only lover. Other men would seem....well, inadequate compared to how he pleases me and he really does please me." There were little gasps of mock shock and Madame Algae chuckled outright. "Oh my dear, you will have us filled with envy with such a confession." Everyone laughed at that; but in a very ladylike manner!
Ruth sat in the quiet corner of the large stateroom and drank coffee and played cards with the other 'Ladies Maids'. They were all clearly intrigued with her Mistress; Lady Alex. They were all much older than Ruth and really queried how such a young girl could hold such a position. Ruth explained - with some sincerity in her voice - that her mother had been Lady Alex's childhood nanny and when she died, Alex had made her daughter - Ruth - her maid despite her young age, so that she could stay with the family.
"It's good to see such loyalty running both ways." Madame Anna nodded her head and patted Ruth's hand. She was Madame Margaret's maid and knew nearly everything about her mistress's latest catch; the Emperor himself. The discussion at the Maid's table was lively and quite coarse at times. Ruth actually found herself going a little red at some of the conversation's content. The other maids thought that was just wonderful and cute.
The little coffee and cake party broke up and the ladies retired to their rooms with their maids in tow, to dress for the Evening Dinner party. Alex and Ruth walked back to their suite in silence. There were staff and servants down every corridor and their discussion had only one topic; The Emperor's imminent abdication.
An unsmiling young footman with a pock marked face opened the door to their rooms and bowed a little. He informed Ruth that Colonel Durand had been summoned by Marshal Nay to give his report on the Northern Departments. Ruth thanked him and both girls waited until he closed the door and left the corridor before speaking. Alex sprawled on the bed and chuckled; "That went well, but we learnt sod all about the new mistress." That's when she saw the smile on Ruth's face and sat up. "Go on, spill the beans; your bursting to tell me!"
Jericho's meeting with Marshal Nay didn't go well; he was shouted at - several times, as he explained about the lack of potential new soldiers for the Emperor's armies. Finally, Nay calmed down and muttered an apology for shooting the messenger. He slapped Jericho on the back and said he would [Jericho that is] enjoy tonight's dinner with the Emperor and what a privilege that would be for the lowly Colonel. Jericho just smiled, bowed and left for his rooms.
He found the team assembled in his rooms and Alex really did smile. He threw the Colonel's hat on the table - along with his old briefcase - and folded his arms. "I take it Alexandra that you have something to tell us?" Alex nodded.
5. THE LADY COMES OUT.
Jericho sat deep in thought, rolling his empty brandy glass about in his fingers. He watched the fire in the grate and waited. Owen slumped on the chair opposite and yawned; "How long does it take one woman to dress another woman for bloody dinner?" That made Jericho smile a little; "Had you lived a bit longer, You would have learnt that men waiting for women to get ready, is a time honoured custom between the sexes. But men; must never be late. Ever. Take my word for that." He chuckled at the blank look on young Owen's face.
Ruth opened the bedroom door with a flourish and grinned; "Madame Durand!" She announced with some pride. Jericho and Owen both rose from their chairs as Alex glided into the room and curtsied; she was utterly stunning in a very low cut French Regency gown of white silk and lace. She wore a fabulous pearl necklace and a small, but exquisite, tiara in her hair that was piled up. Her long white gloves reached her elbows and her tiny white shoes had small, jewelled buckles adoring them. Jericho turned to Owen and said simply; "That's why men wait without any real complaint." Owen nodded his understanding without further comment.
Jericho looked Alex up and down, then placed a hand on his chin: "Alexandra, try not to sneeze, otherwise everyone will enjoy the escape of those." She just smiled demurely; "Apparently it's quite acceptable, at an Imperial ball for that to happen on occasion - almost required social etiquette for this time." Jericho nodded, then peered closer; "Alexandra, you've forgotten your bloody underwear I think." She shrugged her shoulders; "If you look as close as that, at the other women, you'll find they have all suffered the same lapse of memory. It's just something that the beloved Emperor likes, and what he likes, he gets. We poor ladies must obey our Emperor and our husbands commands in such matters."
Jericho muttered; "Obey? Like hell they obey men's orders. Perhaps when hell freezes...." Owen actually groaned a little and received a gentle slap from Wilson; "Steady boy or you might really split those trousers you complain so much about!" Even Ruth chuckled at that. Then blushed a little, when she saw the look of disapproval on Owen's face.
Alex pushed her hand through Jericho's arm and grinned; "Shall we go to dinner my darling?" Jericho just smiled and the pair headed for the door, which Wilson opened and nodded to Jericho; "A big Imperial moth is going to head for the flames." He laughed softly and followed the pair, with Ruth and Owen walking behind - chatting quietly. Ruth told Owen what Napoleon's Mistress's maid had told her peers; that the mysterious woman would appear tonight - in disguise - simply because she had heard about the Emperors apparent and sudden interest in Alex.
"Hence, the really low cut bodice. Apparently, if a women is interested in the man, she'll have a little 'nipple slip' when they are together; it's quite acceptable in this Court. A sort of signal that the affair is on." Ruth explained and Owen didn't smile; "Bit of a bloody obvious signal, but I can see why it would work - especially; if Alex falls out of that damn dress in front of him."
Jericho whispered to Alex; "So, the mysterious lady is to make an appearance tonight in disguise, as Lady Guisse of Picardy. She will sit a few seats down from the Emperor; to keep up the charade of not knowing each other?" Alex nodded; "Apparently Napoleon had his wife's dressmaker make her gown for tonight. His official mistress's maid believes that something really important will be announced at dinner. All four of his [Napoleon's] most powerful Marshals will be in attendance." Jericho grunted; "Time to unmask our quarry and find out what the hell is going on."
The little group wandered into the Grand Reception Room and were immediately served champagne by liveried footmen [unfortunately for Wilson and Ruth; that didn't include them!] Ruth joined a gaggle of Ladies Maids by the big bay window and Wilson stood a few feet behind his 'master'. He was actually surprised to see three other African personal servants in attendance.
One of the maids gripped Ruth by the arm and whispered; "I see your mistress has dressed to please him." Ruth just smiled; "Yes, she does love to dress well for her husband." The maid grimaced and released her arm and turned to another maid; "Thirty Franc's that her nipples are out before midnight." The other maid nodded her acceptance.
Alex and Jericho stood quietly by the doorway, sipping their drinks until Alex discretely touched Jericho's arm; "That has to be her." They both watched as the slim, blond woman swept into the room - she wasn't accompanied by a maid and that certainly drew looks from the women of the court. Her gold lace dress was gorgeous and she gently waved a peacock fan across her face. Jericho nodded to Owen, who discretely operated his mirror.
Lady Helena paused and threw a glance at Alex and then walked on, accepting champagne with a slight smile. She clearly was not happy. Madame Aglae - Duchess of Elchingen turned quietly to her friend and said softly; "I think we have all been fooled. There is no contest between the two, I suspect our Emperor has finally brought his real mysterious mistress to court and cleverly covered it with her husbands presence. Why else would a mere Colonel attend such an important dinner?" The other lady nodded her agreement and the whispers ran around the assembled Court who exactly, the Emperor's new mistress really was.
Napoleon stood in the doorway, until joined by Marshal Nay and then slowly made his entrance. The ladies curtsied and the men bowed; several men in uniform came to attention. A dozen of the Emperor 'Old Guard' followed him and took up positions around the room. Nay introduced him to several officers and Politicians [and their wives] then stopped in front of Colonel Durand, who bowed again. "Well Durand." was all the Emperor said and Jericho gestured to Alex; "May I introduce my wife Alexandra, your Majesty." Alex curtsied quite low and her nipples popped above her bodice- she made no attempt to cover them.
A little, quiet gasp rolled around the room. The lady maid slapped thirty Franc's into her friends hand - well disappointed. Alex modestly held her fan over her breasts and half smiled at the Emperor, but said nothing. The Emperor actually smiled; well, no, it was a grin and he bowed a little; "Madame, your husband is a very, very lucky man and I always reward men of luck." He took her hand and kissed it, pushing the fan up, getting another look at her heaving breasts. "I will have the honour of a dance with you Madame." Alex smiled; "No your Majesty; the honour will be all mine." She curtsied again, revealing more of her ample bosom. Napoleon nodded and stepped a little back, staring at her dress or rather through it. He really did smile and walked away - a little awkwardly, it must be said!
Wilson restrained his smile, but muttered to himself; "Straight into the flames."
Owen slowly joined Jericho and Alex and they found a quiet corner. He folded his arms and spoke softly; "Lady Helena Covington, who is from Victorian Times. By her age and knowing her birth date, we can work out that she travelled here from 1864." Wilson nodded and asked; "The big question, of course, is how?"
Owen grinned; "Her husband is Lord Covington and guess what piece of furniture he owns that once belonged to Napoleon?" Wilson sighed; "A Chinese cabinet?" Owen nodded; "A gift rom the Chinese Emperor in 1814. The story or legend is that the Chinese ambassadors simply vanished from inside it. But we know that the damn thing contains a time portal. It must be in his study, which is next to his bedroom."
Jericho nodded and smiled; "So we need to get into the study, which is only available from his bedroom. So a distraction is in order. One which allows us into his bedroom and then the study." He then noticed Alex was struggling with her magnificent breasts; "I need some safety pins." She muttered to Owen.
"And I know how we can do that." Jericho rubbed his chin and glanced across the ballroom to see the Emperor talking to 'Lady Guisse of Picardy' - you could have frozen pea's with the atmosphere between the two. "He's official mistress will jump at the chance to get back in his favour now and I think we can give her an offer she simply won't refuse." Jericho actually chuckled; Alex will go nuts at this one, he thought.
"We need to get into the Emperors study and put that particular time portal out of commission. We can return Lady Helena to her own time and she won't be able to return, because if the cabinet's time travelling ability is removed here and now, the cabinet won't posses the ability in 1864."
Jericho rubbed his face; "I think the Emperor should be diverted by an irate and betrayed husband, whilst another gets to work on the cabinet and Lady Helena. I think its time to use our very reliable honey-trap." They all looked at Alex, who just sighed; "Playing the bloody tart again." was all she said.
6. THE WRONG RENDERVOUS.
Ruth and Owen slipped from the dinning room as the first course was served to the guests, now all seating and enjoying light, polite conversation. Alex and Jericho had been seated just a few chairs down from the Emperor himself; that really did cause some quite lively conversation amongst the guests. With Jericho's rank, he should have been at the far end of the table. Apparently, Napoleon had told his butler to make the changes; but the man was not surprised after seeing the Colonel's wife.
Ruth and Owen slipped from the dinning room as the first course was served to the guests, now all seating and enjoying light, polite conversation. Alex and Jericho had been seated just a few chairs down from the Emperor himself; that really did cause some quite lively conversation amongst the guests. With Jericho's rank, he should have been at the far end of the table. Apparently, Napoleon had told his butler to make the changes; but the man was not surprised after seeing the Colonel's wife.
Owen waited in the corridor outside the door to Madame Margaret Du Loupe's rooms; her ladies maid opened it and waved Ruth in, shutting the door firmly on Owen; this was for women only. He stood outside, arms folded and a little bored. Several staff members and servants passed him; none said a word or even acknowledged that he was there. He straightened up as the door opened and Ruth appeared; a little smile of satisfaction on her face.
"Well?" Was all Owen whispered and Ruth slowly nodded, then smiled broadly. She pushed her arm through his and the happy couple headed for the Ball Room; the plan was now in action. They stood by the door and Ruth opened the palm of her hand and said quietly; "I now just have words with Alex and everything is underway. Oh, and make sure these are fitted correctly; that's really important." She showed Owen her hand, who just rubbed his chin in puzzlement; "Safety pins?" He asked. Ruth nodded; "I'll fix my lady's bodice so that her nipples don't pop out whilst she's dancing. They've done their job." she grinned.
Owen sighed and muttered; "Pity about that. But what about that bloody see through dress? Do you have anything to fix that?" Ruth shook her head; "There are no strong lights in the ball room; she'll be fine." Owen nodded his head, now he knew, why Alex greeted the Emperor in front of the fire place; it was like placing a lamp behind her. "I now realise, what Jericho's been saying about you bloody women and the way you operate is quite true. I shall listen very carefully to him in the future." He grunted; Ruth just shook her head, but still smiled.
The guests were now starting to fill the Ball Room and Alex, with Ruth, disappeared to a side room. Jericho smiled at Owen, who simply nodded; indicating the plan was on. Wilson joined them and informed him that Marshall Nay will make up some excuse, to pull Jericho [Colonel Durand] from the dancing; leaving the field open for his majesty to go after Alex. Jericho really smiled at that; "Good luck to the poor twat." Was all he said - much to Wilson's and Owen's amusement.
"What was the important announcement he made at dinner about?" Wilson quietly asked Jericho - who did not smile - and looked about before answering; "He's not going to resign. His time travelling mistress must have supplied him with information, that he believes, can change his destiny. We really must put an end to this - by any means." He glanced back at the doorway; Ruth signalled that Alex was ready and that meant that Madame Margaret Du Loupe was also ready.
The Emperor swept into the ball room; he didn't hide that he was looking for someone and appeared a little disappointed when his official mistress; Madame Du Loupe came up to him. After a few minutes of conversation; the Emperor really did smile and kissed her on the cheek. They strode out and danced the first dance together. The 'Lady of Picardy' stood by the fireplace and sipped her drink; the look on her face betrayed a very unhappy woman.
"Now for my walk on part." Jericho muttered and approached the unhappy lady and wondered if she would care to dance. She smiled and took his arm. "He does actually have the charm and looks that women go after." Owen muttered - a little surprised - but Wilson just chuckled; "Come on baby brother; time to perform for our pay." Owen sighed and then rubbed his chin; "Yeah, but we don't actually get bloody paid." He muttered and followed the big man out.
They nodded and smiled at Alex, as she walked gracefully into the ball room and waved away a glass of champagne offered by an attentive footman. She stood arms on hips and stared at the dancers; she did not appear happy. Despite the dancing, everyone had their eyes on Alex, as she strode across the crowded room and walked straight up to her 'husband' and slapped him hard across the face. He staggered and released the 'lady of Guisse, who screamed in shock.
The ball room went silent - apart from a few stunned gasps from the ladies present, oh, and the Count du Moranle, who was known to be quite squeamish - and the pair [Jericho and Alex] had a shouting match in front of everyone. Alex stormed from the ball room, throwing her fan at the feet of the shocked Emperor with Jericho following her, protesting his 'innocence'.
The 'Lady of Guisse' also fled the chamber by a different door. There was just murmurs of shocked conversation about what just happened. The Emperor leaned down and picked up Alex's fan. He smiled at Madame Margaret Du Loupe and pushed the fan into his pocket. "Beauty and passion is quite a heady mix." He said to her and indicated that the ball should continue - which it did.
The Emperor waved aside demands that the pair should arrested or something. He stood in a quiet corner with just Marshal Nay beside him and pulled the fan from his pocket and read the few lines scrawled on it. He smiled and nodded his head; "Now that is lady worthy of a crown." He muttered and spoke closely in Nay's ear. The Marshall wasn't happy about his instructions; but he would carry them out. Napoleon then nodded at his mistress and the pair began the dancing again, as if nothing had happened.
Marshal Nay danced with his inquisitive wife and whispered to her; "I think this little rendezvous was not made in heaven; but hell." She just smiled and he explained what she had to do. She left the ball some minutes later; her maid trailing behind; totally intrigued.
They were allowed into the Emperor's private suite without question and Madame Aglae - Duchess of Elchingen [Marshal Nay's wife] helped her maid uncover the huge bed. She whispered to her loyal maid; "Our beloved Emperor is going to celebrate staying on the throne, in right royal style with a little party of three. He will be the guest of honour of course." The maid smiled and said softly; "Who are the lucky ladies, my lady?" The Duchess grinned; "Well, Madame Du Loupe and that little firebrand; Lady Alexandra, of course!"
The maid chuckled; "I think Colonel Durand will get his wish and don a General's uniform after this." Madame Aglae smiled; "Lady Alexandra is a loving, loyal and obedient wife who will do her husbands bidding. She will open her proud legs and earn her husbands Generals hat on her back - as many women have done!"
They both laughed and straightened the bed clothes. The maid lifted up Napoleon's night shirt, laid out in anticipation of its owners arrival. Madame Algae took it from her and threw it on the floor. "I don't think his majesty will want that." Both women laughed again and finished what they needed to do and left.
Margaret and Alex walked slowly down the corridor to the Emperor's private suite; giggling together in apparent anticipation of what the evening will bring. "He really loved your little performance tonight, to throw the rabid ladies of the court off the scent. Your husband will probably get the Pay Core - no fighting and lots of money. I think he will look quite splendid in his General's uniform and of course, the Title that will go with it. A general will need a title and so will his loyal wife. He will make you a Duchess, when your sadly widowed." Margaret chuckled and the pair swept in the Imperial bedroom.
There was a tray of champagne and wild strawberries placed on the bedroom table. The candles had all been lit and the fire raised into a proper blaze. Madame Du Loupe gripped Alex by the arm and pulled her close, running a finger down her lips; "We'll, enjoy each other first, he really likes that; foreplay that he can enjoy without exerting himself too much." Her finger ran down Alex's chin, then her neck and finally between her breasts; the rest of her fingers on that hand, soon joined it. "Let me undress you first - slowly." She whispered but was interrupted by Napoleon standing in the doorway; jacket unbuttoned and a glass of brandy in his hand.
"Let the party begin." He said softly and placed the brandy glass down on the small table by the door. He pulled off his jacket and threw it down. "You two can play after I've enjoyed my new Lady's arse." He added and really did smile and started to pull at his shirt.
"You fucking betray me... after I gave you all the information about your future...how to change your bloody failure into victory...then you fuck these whores in preference to me!...you fucking bastard!" She clicked the safety off and visibly trembling, took aim. Napoleon pushed Alex to the floor and told her to stay down; Madame Du Loupe was backing away and clutching at her dress with both hands; pleading not to die.
"You wanted to change fucking history! Well, this will do it!" Lady Helena shouted and waved the gun up and down, as if not knowing, who to shoot first; Napoleon or Alexandra. The shot came from the balcony door and slapped into Lady Helena's right shoulder; her pistol went off and fell to the floor. The soldier on guard, on the balcony, had defied orders to keep well away from the glass doors, whilst the Emperor entertained his ladies. But simply couldn't resist taking a peek.
Lady Helena fell backwards, screaming in pain and surprise, blood starting to spread over the floor. Alex leapt forward, ripping the hem of her dress off, and set to work on the now quiet woman. "Get my husband for Christ sake!" She yelled and tried to stem the blood or she would lose the young woman and because she wasn't from this time; her soul.
Jericho and Wilson appeared in the doorway; their plan had gone horribly wrong and Jericho told the Emperor to leave for his own safety. Quite numb from shock, he did so without argument and Madame Du Loupe ran screaming out behind him. Jericho and Alex exchanged a look and Jericho said quietly; "1864 now." He operated his mirror and Alex, with Lady Helena cradled in her arms; disappeared.
Wilson waved the balcony guard away; he was standing with his mouth open and staring at the empty space, where Alex and the girl - he had just shot - once were. Wilson closed the bedroom door and locked it, pulling his mirror from a jacket pocket; "I'll call Owen and Ruth, tell them to get the fuck out of here." Jericho nodded and stared at the study door; "She must have come from there."
There was now shouting outside and muskets were being slammed against the door. Jericho headed for the study, followed by Wilson, who stopped to scoop up the revolver. They ran into the study and stopped; the doors on the Chinese cabinet were open and Jericho's mirror was buzzing - Alex had got Helena back and she would make it - Wilson slammed the study door, as the bedroom door was finally breached by several soldiers. "Into the cabinet!" Jericho yelled and they piled in, slamming the doors behind them. The soldiers of Napoleon's 'Old Guard' crashed through the study door and fired their muskets straight at the cabinet. Wood, glass and silver flew about the room and gun smoke filled the place.
Finally, the Corporal forced open the doors, now riddled with musket fire and to his - and his men's - great surprise, found the damn thing empty; except for broken mirrors - apparently. No-one would be jumping through time in that big Chinese box of magic anymore. The Corporal lowered his musket and said to the man nearest him; "You best fetch Marshal Nay. Those bastards have done what the Chinese ambassadors did. Vanished into thin air." The soldier nodded and disappeared himself.
Captain Jean Pullaire stared at the cabinet and with a gloved hand, lifted a large piece of glass from the wreckage; he looked at his face in the reflection and dropped it back onto the floor. He turned and saw Colonel Le Grande standing behind him; surveying the damage. "Did anyone ever meet Colonel Durand before he appeared here or more importantly; that wife of his?" He asked the grim looking Colonel. Le Grande shook his head; "He was just a Colonel from a small district; never been in battle, as far as I know."
"Yes, but with a wife like that; a noble lady with such beauty, you would have thought she would have been noticed and gossiped about. But no-one appears to know anything about her. Strange that; especially after the Emperor's mysterious new mistress tried to put a pistol ball through his head." Pullaire sighed and the pair walked from the room. That's when Le Grande saw the small brown paper package on the floor. He picked it up; "It's addressed personally to the Emperor. I'll give it to Marshal Nay." He muttered and followed Pullaire out.
8. FINAL DAYS AND STRANGE PLANS.
Napoleon sat in Marshal Nay's study and stared at the fireplace; he gripped a glass of brandy. It was all quite in the room, but outside was chaos and noise. Madame Du Loupe sat at his feet and gripped his leg, her head against his knee.
Nay stood in the doorway, arms folded and unsmiling. "There is no trace whatsoever of Durand, his wife or servants. They have vanished completely, along with the so called 'Lady of Guisse'. All that was found, was this package; addressed to you sire." He handed Napoleon the brown little parcel. Napoleon took it without saying a word. "Like those bloody chinks, they got away without anyone seeing them. The palace was crawling with guards - inside and out - yet they simply disappeared." Napoleon dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
Finally Madame Du Loupe whispered; "What's in the package my dear. What has that insane bitch left you?" Napoleon lifted the little parcel and shook his head; "If its from her, then its just more lies and fairy stories." He threw the parcel into the flames and watched it burn. "Just lies and falsehoods my dear." He said and sipped his brandy. The real disappointment he felt, was missing out on having Madame Alexandra's arse. He had ran his hands over it and it was a real beauty - like the rest of her. He sighed; his abdication was now a certainty - he had ran out of time here and his cabinet was destroyed by his over zealous men.
He smiled at the fire burning in the grate; Young Helena had been an obedient and submissive fuck who had tried to help him survive on the throne of France. But he knew all was lost now; the odds were stacked against him. The Allies could mass troops and replacements despite how many victories he won; they were out to destroy him; not France. But in another time and place, with another big war, everything would be different.
But he couldn't understand Colonel Durand - if that's who he really was? - if he was an assassin; as Nay advocates, then why did Durant tell him to go? he had him there with just one guard, who now had an empty musket - nothing to protect him? it didn't make sense. He patted Madame Du Loupe's head; "Lets get some rest my love. I have a busy day tomorrow." He rose and placed the glass down and took one last look at the burning package. What a narrow escape he just had. The woman was clearly insane with passion for him; but obviously matched the Chinese in the skill of magic or was that bloody Durand and his crew?
Napoleon ran a hand over sweaty face; there was something strange about 'Durand' - almost if he knew about Lady Helena and her visits from the 'hereafter' and had appeared to stop him [the Emperor] from gaining such knowledge of future events. Napoleon nodded to himself; he had an uneasy feeling that he would meet the mysterious - and clever - fellow again.
The pair made their way to the Emperor's private suite; surrounded by his faithful and loyal 'Old Guard'. He stopped and spoke to Colonel Le Grande; he was to inform Marshall Nay, that the Emperor would abdicate and accept the Allies offer of exile on Elba. He stopped momentarily outside the door, to the suite of rooms next to his and almost smiled. By the sounds coming from inside, Monsignor Boucher was entertaining another lady of the court. He sighed; something will have to be done about him.
That's when a thought crossed his mind; Monsignor Boucher could do him a final service; a very final service.
Now back at the lighthouse, Jericho stood by the fireplace in his study and watched Alex pour some well earned brandies for the team. She gave him a glass and smiled, dropping into her favourite armchair by the fire. "If the cabinet was destroyed by musket fire, then Lady Covington - or anyone else - will not be dropping in on Napoleon." She raised her glass and everyone did the same. "Napoleon." was all she said.
"Well, Lady Helena will have scar on her shoulder for life, but Alex certainly saved her soul. Here's to you girl." Wilson raised his glass and everyone agreed with him. "I'd love to know how she explained to her old man, how she got shot with a musket ball?" Owen chuckled and sipped his brandy. "It was a good plan, we just didn't count for the wrath of a women scorned or Napoleon being so desperat6e to have Alex, that he left the ball early and un-noticed. But Lady Helena; Now that came out the blue."
Jericho sighed; "I was looking forward to my big outraged and betrayed husband bit with old 'boney', whilst Wilson took care of that bloody cabinet and dragged Lady Covington back to her own time. In a way, our plan did work; Lady Helena is back in her own time and Napoleon won't be able to use the damn cabinet to find out about his future - then change it."
"If she hadn't turned up with big pistol, I may not have been able to sit properly for a few days. That was a close run thing." Alex sipped her brandy and didn't smile. Jericho took a sip from his glass and rubbed his cheek; "By the way Alexandra; did you have to slap me so hard? we were only play acting you know."
Alex now grinned; "I had to make it look authentic, besides, it was poor old me that had her bum felt up by a horny old man and her breasts fondled by a bisexual nymphomaniac!" Everyone chuckled at that. Then Owen tapped Wilson on the arm and asked quietly; "What's a nymphomaniac?" Wilson groaned and said to Alex; "It's about women, so you can bloody tell him!"
But Jericho sat deep in thought, rolling his brandy glass in his hands; he stared at the fire - he was troubled. Ruth and Owen were almost sure, they didn't see the Emperor leave the ball so early. Lady Helena had been his mistress for some time before that faithful night; if she had told Napoleon anything important about his future; why didn't he act upon it? The current time line is unaltered, apart from a few, acceptable minor changes. Napoleon fails at Waterloo and is exiled; just as history recorded it. Then his suspicious death in 1821.
Jericho sighed; a nagging little thought kept pestering him. Why didn't he [Napoleon] try and change his fate in 1814?
7. THAT WASN'T IN THE PLAN!
Napoleon came up behind Alex, he was now shirtless and ran both hands down her back until they reached her bum. He whispered into her ear; "I will take you naked and sitting backwards on a chair with your arse in the air..." He gripped the cheeks of her arse quite firmly as Margret pulled at Alex's dress and loosed the small silver clasps that held her bodice in place. "These are mine for now." She whispered and pulled Alex's heaving breasts out with both hands. She ran her mouth over one and smiled.
Alex was wondering where the hell was Jericho and Wilson; she was feeling really vulnerable now - Napoleon had showed up way too early. Margaret was enjoying her breasts far too much; for it to be just play for the Emperor. Where were the boys? She wondered again. What has happened?
That's when, they all heard the noise in the study next door. "Thank heaven for that." Alex whispered to herself; Jericho and Wilson were now on scene - so she thought.
The Emperor stopped sipping his champagne and stared, as the study door swung open. The nearest English translation to what he shouted was ; "What the fuck!" Lady Helena Covington stood in the doorway, her face streaked and red from crying, but it was what she held in both hands that really caught everyone's attention. An 186o's revolver and she looked like she would use it.
Alex was wondering where the hell was Jericho and Wilson; she was feeling really vulnerable now - Napoleon had showed up way too early. Margaret was enjoying her breasts far too much; for it to be just play for the Emperor. Where were the boys? She wondered again. What has happened?
That's when, they all heard the noise in the study next door. "Thank heaven for that." Alex whispered to herself; Jericho and Wilson were now on scene - so she thought.
The Emperor stopped sipping his champagne and stared, as the study door swung open. The nearest English translation to what he shouted was ; "What the fuck!" Lady Helena Covington stood in the doorway, her face streaked and red from crying, but it was what she held in both hands that really caught everyone's attention. An 186o's revolver and she looked like she would use it.
"You fucking betray me... after I gave you all the information about your future...how to change your bloody failure into victory...then you fuck these whores in preference to me!...you fucking bastard!" She clicked the safety off and visibly trembling, took aim. Napoleon pushed Alex to the floor and told her to stay down; Madame Du Loupe was backing away and clutching at her dress with both hands; pleading not to die.
"You wanted to change fucking history! Well, this will do it!" Lady Helena shouted and waved the gun up and down, as if not knowing, who to shoot first; Napoleon or Alexandra. The shot came from the balcony door and slapped into Lady Helena's right shoulder; her pistol went off and fell to the floor. The soldier on guard, on the balcony, had defied orders to keep well away from the glass doors, whilst the Emperor entertained his ladies. But simply couldn't resist taking a peek.
Lady Helena fell backwards, screaming in pain and surprise, blood starting to spread over the floor. Alex leapt forward, ripping the hem of her dress off, and set to work on the now quiet woman. "Get my husband for Christ sake!" She yelled and tried to stem the blood or she would lose the young woman and because she wasn't from this time; her soul.
Jericho and Wilson appeared in the doorway; their plan had gone horribly wrong and Jericho told the Emperor to leave for his own safety. Quite numb from shock, he did so without argument and Madame Du Loupe ran screaming out behind him. Jericho and Alex exchanged a look and Jericho said quietly; "1864 now." He operated his mirror and Alex, with Lady Helena cradled in her arms; disappeared.
Wilson waved the balcony guard away; he was standing with his mouth open and staring at the empty space, where Alex and the girl - he had just shot - once were. Wilson closed the bedroom door and locked it, pulling his mirror from a jacket pocket; "I'll call Owen and Ruth, tell them to get the fuck out of here." Jericho nodded and stared at the study door; "She must have come from there."
There was now shouting outside and muskets were being slammed against the door. Jericho headed for the study, followed by Wilson, who stopped to scoop up the revolver. They ran into the study and stopped; the doors on the Chinese cabinet were open and Jericho's mirror was buzzing - Alex had got Helena back and she would make it - Wilson slammed the study door, as the bedroom door was finally breached by several soldiers. "Into the cabinet!" Jericho yelled and they piled in, slamming the doors behind them. The soldiers of Napoleon's 'Old Guard' crashed through the study door and fired their muskets straight at the cabinet. Wood, glass and silver flew about the room and gun smoke filled the place.
Finally, the Corporal forced open the doors, now riddled with musket fire and to his - and his men's - great surprise, found the damn thing empty; except for broken mirrors - apparently. No-one would be jumping through time in that big Chinese box of magic anymore. The Corporal lowered his musket and said to the man nearest him; "You best fetch Marshal Nay. Those bastards have done what the Chinese ambassadors did. Vanished into thin air." The soldier nodded and disappeared himself.
Captain Jean Pullaire stared at the cabinet and with a gloved hand, lifted a large piece of glass from the wreckage; he looked at his face in the reflection and dropped it back onto the floor. He turned and saw Colonel Le Grande standing behind him; surveying the damage. "Did anyone ever meet Colonel Durand before he appeared here or more importantly; that wife of his?" He asked the grim looking Colonel. Le Grande shook his head; "He was just a Colonel from a small district; never been in battle, as far as I know."
"Yes, but with a wife like that; a noble lady with such beauty, you would have thought she would have been noticed and gossiped about. But no-one appears to know anything about her. Strange that; especially after the Emperor's mysterious new mistress tried to put a pistol ball through his head." Pullaire sighed and the pair walked from the room. That's when Le Grande saw the small brown paper package on the floor. He picked it up; "It's addressed personally to the Emperor. I'll give it to Marshal Nay." He muttered and followed Pullaire out.
8. FINAL DAYS AND STRANGE PLANS.
Napoleon sat in Marshal Nay's study and stared at the fireplace; he gripped a glass of brandy. It was all quite in the room, but outside was chaos and noise. Madame Du Loupe sat at his feet and gripped his leg, her head against his knee.
Nay stood in the doorway, arms folded and unsmiling. "There is no trace whatsoever of Durand, his wife or servants. They have vanished completely, along with the so called 'Lady of Guisse'. All that was found, was this package; addressed to you sire." He handed Napoleon the brown little parcel. Napoleon took it without saying a word. "Like those bloody chinks, they got away without anyone seeing them. The palace was crawling with guards - inside and out - yet they simply disappeared." Napoleon dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
Finally Madame Du Loupe whispered; "What's in the package my dear. What has that insane bitch left you?" Napoleon lifted the little parcel and shook his head; "If its from her, then its just more lies and fairy stories." He threw the parcel into the flames and watched it burn. "Just lies and falsehoods my dear." He said and sipped his brandy. The real disappointment he felt, was missing out on having Madame Alexandra's arse. He had ran his hands over it and it was a real beauty - like the rest of her. He sighed; his abdication was now a certainty - he had ran out of time here and his cabinet was destroyed by his over zealous men.
He smiled at the fire burning in the grate; Young Helena had been an obedient and submissive fuck who had tried to help him survive on the throne of France. But he knew all was lost now; the odds were stacked against him. The Allies could mass troops and replacements despite how many victories he won; they were out to destroy him; not France. But in another time and place, with another big war, everything would be different.
But he couldn't understand Colonel Durand - if that's who he really was? - if he was an assassin; as Nay advocates, then why did Durant tell him to go? he had him there with just one guard, who now had an empty musket - nothing to protect him? it didn't make sense. He patted Madame Du Loupe's head; "Lets get some rest my love. I have a busy day tomorrow." He rose and placed the glass down and took one last look at the burning package. What a narrow escape he just had. The woman was clearly insane with passion for him; but obviously matched the Chinese in the skill of magic or was that bloody Durand and his crew?
Napoleon ran a hand over sweaty face; there was something strange about 'Durand' - almost if he knew about Lady Helena and her visits from the 'hereafter' and had appeared to stop him [the Emperor] from gaining such knowledge of future events. Napoleon nodded to himself; he had an uneasy feeling that he would meet the mysterious - and clever - fellow again.
The pair made their way to the Emperor's private suite; surrounded by his faithful and loyal 'Old Guard'. He stopped and spoke to Colonel Le Grande; he was to inform Marshall Nay, that the Emperor would abdicate and accept the Allies offer of exile on Elba. He stopped momentarily outside the door, to the suite of rooms next to his and almost smiled. By the sounds coming from inside, Monsignor Boucher was entertaining another lady of the court. He sighed; something will have to be done about him.
That's when a thought crossed his mind; Monsignor Boucher could do him a final service; a very final service.
Now back at the lighthouse, Jericho stood by the fireplace in his study and watched Alex pour some well earned brandies for the team. She gave him a glass and smiled, dropping into her favourite armchair by the fire. "If the cabinet was destroyed by musket fire, then Lady Covington - or anyone else - will not be dropping in on Napoleon." She raised her glass and everyone did the same. "Napoleon." was all she said.
"Well, Lady Helena will have scar on her shoulder for life, but Alex certainly saved her soul. Here's to you girl." Wilson raised his glass and everyone agreed with him. "I'd love to know how she explained to her old man, how she got shot with a musket ball?" Owen chuckled and sipped his brandy. "It was a good plan, we just didn't count for the wrath of a women scorned or Napoleon being so desperat6e to have Alex, that he left the ball early and un-noticed. But Lady Helena; Now that came out the blue."
Jericho sighed; "I was looking forward to my big outraged and betrayed husband bit with old 'boney', whilst Wilson took care of that bloody cabinet and dragged Lady Covington back to her own time. In a way, our plan did work; Lady Helena is back in her own time and Napoleon won't be able to use the damn cabinet to find out about his future - then change it."
"If she hadn't turned up with big pistol, I may not have been able to sit properly for a few days. That was a close run thing." Alex sipped her brandy and didn't smile. Jericho took a sip from his glass and rubbed his cheek; "By the way Alexandra; did you have to slap me so hard? we were only play acting you know."
Alex now grinned; "I had to make it look authentic, besides, it was poor old me that had her bum felt up by a horny old man and her breasts fondled by a bisexual nymphomaniac!" Everyone chuckled at that. Then Owen tapped Wilson on the arm and asked quietly; "What's a nymphomaniac?" Wilson groaned and said to Alex; "It's about women, so you can bloody tell him!"
But Jericho sat deep in thought, rolling his brandy glass in his hands; he stared at the fire - he was troubled. Ruth and Owen were almost sure, they didn't see the Emperor leave the ball so early. Lady Helena had been his mistress for some time before that faithful night; if she had told Napoleon anything important about his future; why didn't he act upon it? The current time line is unaltered, apart from a few, acceptable minor changes. Napoleon fails at Waterloo and is exiled; just as history recorded it. Then his suspicious death in 1821.
Jericho sighed; a nagging little thought kept pestering him. Why didn't he [Napoleon] try and change his fate in 1814?
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