November 7th, 1799. Two days before the planned coup of Napoleon and his associates.
It was seven o'clock in the evening at Chateau de Chantilly where Napoleon was seated at the head of the dining table. Surrounding the table were Generals that served in Italy: Bernadotte, Jourdan, and Moreau.
The Generals that served him in Italy in Egypt such as Berthier, Lannes, Murat, La Harpe, Victor, and others already pledged their support through letters. Now, the gentlemen who are dining with him are the only ones he needs to solicit and gain their support.
"Our chefs are among the best in France. Are you gentlemen enjoying your meal?" Napoleon asked, casting a glance around the table at them.
General Bernadotte, known for his Jacobin past and military prowess, nodded appreciatively as he savored a bite of the meticulously prepared dish. "Exquisite, General Bonaparte. Your taste in cuisine is as impeccable as your leadership on the battlefield."
General Jourdan, with a thoughtful expression on his face, raised his glass of wine and took a sip before speaking. "I agree with Bernadotte, the meal was sublime."
General Moreau offered a nod of agreement. "I too agree with Bernadotte's comment."
"Is that so, you guys are not just making me feel good, are you?" Napoleon interjected with a mischievous smile.
The Generals chuckled and General Bernadotte raised an eyebrow and replied, "Rest assured, Napoleon, we would not dare deceive you, especially when it comes to matters of taste. If the food was done badly, I would probably spit it out."
Napoleon laughed heartily. "Well then, I am delighted to hear that my esteemed Generals are satisfied. Now, you gentlemen must be wondering why I have called you here."
"Yeah…I'm curious as to why you would call us, General Bonaparte. Normally you would write letters to us two days prior to a meeting," General Jourdan remarked, his curiosity piqued.
Napoleon leaned back in his chair and sighed as if preparing for a battle.
"Gentlemen, I have called you here because I have a proposition that could change the course of our nation. The time has come for us to take action and reshape the destiny of France."
The room fell silent as the Generals exchanged intrigued glances. General Bernadotte leaned forward.
"What is this proposition, Napoleon? We are ready to hear you out."
Napoleon took a deep breath, his eyes flickering with a steely resolve. "On the 18th of Brumaire, my associates and I will conduct a coup to overthrow the government and establish a new governing body. This is our chance to bring stability, prosperity, and unity back to France."
General Jourdan's brows furrowed. "Uhm…General Bonaparte…I admired your military achievements during your time in Italy and Egypt but helping you in this coup is something I would not cross. So I refuse to take part in it."
"Same here, General," Bernadotte said as he wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. "You'll be guillotined for this."
"We'll see about that," Napoleon said confidently.
"I may not support your coup, General Bonaparte but that doesn't mean that I will interfere with it. So you can expect that I will keep my mouth shut," Jourdan assured Napoleon.
"Do I expect the same thing from you, General Bernadotte?" Napoleon's gaze flickered to Bernadotte.
"Well, General Bonaparte, truth be told, my wife's sister Julie Clary, who is the wife of your brother, Joseph, has approached her about this coup of yours. My wife is persuading me to take part in the coup but I still refused. Though I gave her the assurance that I will not hinder it."
"So you are saying that you already know about my intention of asking you to help me in this coup?" Napoleon asked, wishing to be clarified.
"That is correct, General Bonaparte. Why would you invite me for dinner anyways?"
Napoleon's eyes narrowed as he absorbed Bernadotte's words. "Fine, as long as you and General Jourdan don't interfere with our coup, we are all good."
His gaze then flickered to General Moreau, who was silent upon his declaration of performing a coup on the Directory.
"General Moreau, you are the only one who hasn't given your answer. Are you going to support me or not?" Napoleon asked.
"General Bonaparte…I…"
Before Moreau could complete his sentence, Napoleon interrupted.
"Before you give your decision, General Moreau, you must know that you are partly responsible as to why France has lost territories in Northern Italy. Retaken by the Austrians and the Russians. Joining me in this coup would mean you redeeming yourself and having the opportunity to restore your honor and reputation," Napoleon stated and continued. "And also, you were the one who referred me to Sieyes, so based on that, I believe you too hated the government."
General Moreau's gaze met Napoleon's, his eyes filled with contemplation. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding.
"Well, General Bonaparte, I must confess that I share your discontent with the French Directory government. As a general and a Republican, I am greatly dissatisfied with their leadership. Therefore, you don't need to convince me any further. You will have my support for the coup."
Napoleon's lips curled into a smile after hearing his allegiance. Though he knew what their decision would be because he had read it in history but who knows, maybe it might be different here. But as it turns out, it was the same.
"Thank you, General Moreau. You'll be informed of your role in the coup tomorrow. In the meantime, let us resume our dinner."
The Generals, after a hearty round of agreement and acceptance, resumed their dinner.
Thirty minutes later, they had to leave. Napoleon personally led the Generals out of the Chateau de Chantilly and bid them farewell. As he watched the carriage shrank in the distance, Napoleon was startled by someone wrapping their arms around his waist.
"Has anything changed?" Ciela asked.
Napoleon placed his hand atop Ciela's and replied. "Nothing, it was the same."
"I see…it was a shame," Ciela said. "So the coup will start in two days…it is now really happening huh? You, becoming the consul of France."
"I don't want to jinx it, darling. Things might turn out differently here," Napoleon said.
"Just trust your confidants, darling," Ciela whispered.
"I will."
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