What I went through in Castel Avril wasn't quite torture but it felt like it came close. I was in the tender care of the hussars who'd escorted me, an aristocrat's life certainly teaches them how to exquisitely mix pleasure and pain, but I was eventually released from their clutches.
---
The night was cold when I was shoved from the cavalry barracks, my trousers and vest thrown into the mud. I glared at the closing door as I scrambled to collect my clothing, grimacing as I pulled each article on. It had rained whilst I'd been inside and the mud gripped my bare feet as I trudged towards the nearest of the infantry barracks, my mood turning black.
The door was locked and the building was either empty or I was being ignored as I stood there for some time banging on the wood. Eventually a window above the door was opened, a young woman who appeared to be in just her overcoat leaning out.
"Stop banging! What you want?"
"Let me in! It's cold and I want a bed!"
The trooper disappeared for a moment before sticking her head back out.
"Barracks is full. Go find someone else to annoy!"
I was glad that the hussars hadn't advertised their beliefs about me, or even announced my presence, but I was still pissed by the trooper's dismissal of me.
It was about this time that I started shivering, envious of the trooper for her overcoat. Glancing over at the other three infantry barracks I rubbed at my bare arms before hurrying towards the closest one positioned by the western wall, groaning in dismay when the door refused to budge. I knew though it was policy to keep a fire going in the attached storeroom, in case the barracks had to be swiftly prepared for habitation, and went to the small chamber, collapsing against a pile of logs before quickly falling asleep.
I was woken the next morning, curling up into the foetal position as pain radiated from my stomach. A hussar was standing over me, a stout baton in hand, and she sneered.
"Get up. You're being taken to see the commander."
I blinked when the hussar stepped back and then rolled in the other direction, putting some of the logs between me and her. After nothing happened I cautiously made my way to the storeroom door, keeping an eye on that baton, and inwardly groaned upon seeing two more hussars.
"You found her then."
"I did. She was sleeping on the wood like an animal. And she knows what'll happen if she doesn't agree to the captain's version of events."
I was escorted across the yard, navigating around the units of troopers as they formed up to begin drills, and was ushered into the commander's residence. The cavalry squadron was lounging on richly decorated furniture but I was directed straight into the office. Colonel Fontaine was seated behind a desk, the senior hussar standing next to her.
"Private Bonhomme, as requested."
Fontaine looked up from an open book after a moment, tapping at a two-word sentence and a symbol.
"A Camille Bonhomme signed this book with a cross two months ago. Is that you?"
I remembered making the mark, remembering that I was comforted by the number of other simple signatures.
"Yes ma'am."
"Captain Rousseau tells me you turned up yesterday, speaking of being the only survivor of Captain De Lisle's unit. Care to explain what happened? And Rousseau, why didn't you bring her to me straight away?"
"I told you Colonel. The private needed to recuperate after her journey."
Fontaine frowned, clearly not believing the captain, but didn't press the matter any further, instead turning her attention on me.
"I asked a question trooper."
And so I told the colonel of the march, of the skirmishes on the edge of her jurisdiction, and then of the battle at Fifth Ridge.
I also spoke of my pursuit of the rebels in the battle's aftermath and when I was done Fontaine ordered Rousseau from the office.
"You did well making it back here." She pulled a sheet of paper from underneath the book. "The Marshals are creating a new type of soldier aimed at long-term infiltration of the rebels' territory, for the purposes of attaining information. I'm recommending you to be one of them."
I wasn't quite sure how to respond and just stood there for a moment before slowly nodding in acceptance.
"Thank you ma'am."
Fontaine stood and moved to get a fuller look at me, taking in my disheveled appearance with a raised eyebrow before sighing.
"Get yourself cleaned up and request new equipment from the stores. I'll put you on my staff for the time being."
The hussars were gone when I left the office, and they weren't in the yard either. The troopers who were training were curious as to my identity and I skirted around the edges of the formations as I made my way to the quartermistress' chambers. She was an old veteran, the empty right sleeve of her overcoat demonstrating why she was in the position.
"I gave you equipment already."
We were both locals to the region and I'd developed a friendship with her whilst training at Castel Avril.
"I'm afraid to say it's been mostly misplaced. The cavalry-bitches have my boots, rifle and ammunition. I had to abandon the overcoat."
The quartermistress scoffed and went into a backroom, reappearing with a rifle and a single box of ammunition in her grasp.
"Overcoats are in the room to your left. Take one that fits."
I accepted the firearm, slinging it onto my shoulder and stepped through a doorway into a room filled with blue overcoats on ranks.
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