On the evening of November 10th, 1799, Napoleon and his allies successfully executed their planned coup, with only minor obstacles along the way. As a result, Napoleon secured the position of the first consul of France, mirroring the real historical events.
The Orangery, previously the meeting place for the deputies of the Council of the Five Hundreds, had been transformed into a lively ballroom. The celebration was not directed towards the absent deputies, who had already left, but rather to honor Napoleon's allies, including generals, politicians, and soldiers.
Joseph raised his wine glass in a toast, congratulating his brother Napoleon. In return, Napoleon raised his glass as well and thanked Joseph for his role in calming down the Council of the Ancients.
"It was nothing, really. The real credit goes to Lucien, our brother," Joseph remarked, gesturing towards Lucien, who was engaged in a conversation with Cambaceres, Talleyrand, and Fouche while enjoying a drink.
Napoleon followed Joseph's gaze to Lucien and his companions. "I'll express my gratitude to him later," Napoleon said casually before picking up a macaron from the assortment of delicacies laid out on the table.
He took a bite of the macaron, savoring the sweet taste as he continued to observe the jubilant atmosphere around him. The ballroom was abuzz with excitement and chatter, with everyone reveling in the success of the coup.
As Napoleon mingled with his allies, he exchanged hearty handshakes and received congratulations from those who were present. The room echoed discussions about the future of France and the possibilities that lay ahead under the new government.
Lucien approached Napoleon with a smile on his face, clearly pleased with the outcome of their bold move.
"Congratulations brother…imagine you were born from a minor nobility, became a general of Italy and the Orient, and now the First Consul of the French Republic. What an astonishing rise."
"Thank you, my dear brother, I wouldn't be able to do it alone without your help," Napoleon replied genuinely. "Though I can't help but notice, where is Sieyes?"
"He is reading the constitution we drafted as we speak," Lucien answered and continued. "And all I can tell you now is get ready because, at any moment, he'll burst out in this ballroom and demand an explanation from all of us—" he trailed off when he noticed Sieyes advancing towards them with furious strides. "Oh speaking of the devil."
"Call the others," Napoleon ordered Lucien.
Lucien immediately left to get Fouche, Talleyrand, and Cambacérès.
Moments later, Sieyes arrived in front of Napoleon who was fuming with anger.
"What's wrong with you?" Napoleon asked, feigning ignorance as to what caused his anger.
"According to article 2, all executive power is vested exclusively in the hands of the First Consul," Sieyes exclaimed in frustration. "You've made yourself the center of power, Bonaparte! This is not what we agreed upon."
Napoleon calmly took the papers from Sieyes and glanced at the article in question. He then looked up, meeting Sieyes' intense gaze with a cool and collected expression.
"Uhm…well the constitution that you drafted for us a week earlier didn't satisfy me or our allies. And it's not like we did it first, it was you. Why, you don't think we won't realize? You are going to make yourself more powerful than the other consul, making you the de facto ruler. Otherwise, why would you approach us with this plan of yours and expect that we'll all collaborate together like you imagined?"
"He is right, Sieyes," Talleyrand said the moment he arrived in front of them. "We considered other factors as to why we made Napoleon the center of the new government. The people and the soldiers liked him and the second one is that the people don't like the repetition of the Directory."
"You were part of this, Talleyrand?" Sieyes glared at Talleyrand, and the latter remained unfazed.
"Not just Talleyrand, including me, Joseph, Fouche, Cambaceres, and Ducos," Lucien interjected.
"Napoleon had shown himself capable in administering a territory, Sieyes," Joseph added. "Look at how prosperous Northern Italy was before the Austrians and the Russians took it again. Look how prosperous Egypt is. The people of France wanted to experience what those people experienced under the reins of Napoleon."
"Just accept it, Sieyes," Ducos interjected.' "We still hold the post of consuls of the French Republic."
"Yeah, but as figureheads," Sieyes muttered, his frustration evident. He glanced around, realizing that the majority of the room was in support of Napoleon's position. The jubilant atmosphere seemed to mock his concerns.
He had been planning this coup, way longer than those people could imagine. And yet, here he stood, confronted by the very man he had chosen to help him elevate to the position of First Consul. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
"Enough of the bickering," Napoleon finally chimed in and placed a hand on Sieyes's shoulder. "Sieyes, one fact that I accept is that you were instrumental in making this coup possible. You were the one who formed the team and acted accordingly based on our roles. But, let me ask you this, are the people going to like another unpopular politician such as you rise to power? I have hated the government, starting from the National Assembly, Convention, and Directory. All they did was do their own politics instead of focusing on the welfare of the people. It is also because of the past government that France has destabilized too much. I won't let you repeat it again. It's time for France to rise up and become respected among nations. So I'm going to give you a choice, you work with me, or you stand against me."
Napoleon's voice was low and filled with an intimidating resolve that sent a shiver down Sieyes' spine. Should he choose to work with Napoleon, he'll be able to retain his position in the government but should he choose the latter, he would risk losing everything he had fought for and potentially facing the consequences of opposing the charismatic and powerful Napoleon Bonaparte.
Sieyes took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves, but the pressure in the room seemed suffocating. He glanced at the faces of his fellow allies, and for a moment, doubt crept into his mind. Could he truly stand against the tide of support for Napoleon?
The answer was no. Therefore, he made his decision.
"Your…Excellency," Sieyes stammered. "I choose not to defy you."
Napoleon's intense gaze softened, and he gave Sieyes a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"That's the wise choice, Sieyes," he said with a faint smile. "You've shown yourself to be a valuable ally, and I believe we can achieve great things together for France. For now, let's enjoy this evening, and tomorrow, we will get back on the business."
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