The cavalry charge was blunted by the skirmishers but only with great cost. I was dodging between tents when I saw Fay get cut down, taking part in the doomed attempt to hold onto her body, and started sprinting upon leaving the tents, a line of troopers in blue overcoats standing in front of me.
---
I could make out various officers and risked glancing backwards, spotting other skirmishers and whitecoat hussars. A score of familiar yells had me running harder but in the end I threw myself to the ground. Hundreds of bullets flew over my head, cutting down friend and foe alike, and I slowly picked myself up. The whistle signalling the advance could be heard and the few of us who'd survived the volley were gratefully swallowed up by our line. Barreau had sent about half the brigade's infantry, as well as at least one cannon, and I reckoned the force was more than capable of turning the skirmishers into a killing ground.
"Bonhomme." The sound of Barreau's voice had me straightening from trying to catch my breath. "Report."
"Three columns of infantry. Several squadrons of horse. Major Rossignol is dead."
"Then you are in command of the skirmishers." Barreau glanced at the bedraggled cluster of women around me. "What's left of them."
"Yes ma'am. Your orders then?"
"My artillery is still pounding the walls of Montpellier but I'm distracted by this rabble, wherever it may have come from. Do whatever you want."
I frowned as Barreau rode off, turning to regard the women I'd just been put in charge of. All were independent types, it's almost a requirement to be a skirmisher, but the cavalry charge had greatly shaken their spirits.
I split the survivors into two groups, sending them to either end of our line, and watched from the safety of trees as the battle really commenced. Whitecoat cavalry led the charge, too quick to be caught by the artillery, and they crashed into the right flank in numbers enough to tear straight through. My group was nearest and I gave them liberty to pick their own targets, looking on as they instinctively targeted officers. My frown returned as the cavalry turned towards the artillery pit and I grabbed for the skirmisher closest to me.
"Go tell Barreau or someone high up..." My voice trailed off at the sound of screaming and I shook my head as the cannon fell silent one by one. "Never mind. We'll stay here and do what we can."
Even without the artillery the brigade put up a fight, slaying what felt like dozens in each volley, but then Barreau's reinforcing line found itself being sandwiched between the marauding cavalry and the unfolding whitecoat formations. We were able to reform the right flank, beginning a strategic withdrawal into the trees, and then Barreau went and got herself killed, any hint of order abandoning us.
Our line of infantry scattered in a dozen different directions, pursued by packs of whitecoats, and I had to watch the cavalry reform in preparation for attacking what remained of the brigade. The occasional puff of smoke drew attention onto us as well, as no doubt did the growing number of troopers I was collecting, and I eventually called for a fighting retreat. Standing as part of the rear-guard I shot the officer of the initial squad sent after us, the young-looking woman stupefied for a moment before collapsing like a de-stringed puppet. The soldiers with me took their own shots, dropping a number of our pursuers, and then it was a vicious melee.
I drew the sword Fontaine had awarded to me upon my return to Castel Avril, grinning wolfishly as the whitecoat rushing had to skitter backwards. A bullet took her off her feet and I glanced around wildly before another whitecoat got my attention. She wielded a sabre, looted from either the battlefield or an armoury, but had no skill with the weapon, sinking to the ground after just a few exchanges. All around me women fought each other, either with bayonets or looted swords, but we seemed to be drawing more whitecoats to us, slowly being pushed back.
The boom of a cannon going off made everyone freeze and then the detonation of the shell spurred action again. My skirmishers and the troopers who'd joined me fled, slipping among the trees with varying amounts of ease, and I joined them. I could feel bullets fly past, saw women ahead of me drop, and prayed that I would be untouched. I paused when I burst from the trees and glanced around, aware that Barreau had stationed some cavalry on the road as part of the siege. They must have been scattered though and I spun, my snapshot putting a bullet through a whitecoat officer's throat, before starting to run again.
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