December 31st, 1804

"May you all have good fortune in this new year to come." The crowd cheered and the old man whose name I didn't know sat back down as the dinner conversation continued it's usual roar.

I smiled. Henri was laughing. He had gathered a small dinner party for New Year's Eve. But the party eventually grew to twenty people and we had to move into the ballroom and sit at round tables. I sat next to Henri and Cosette who had her eyes on the soldier Henri had found for her. He came from a rich family and was moving quickly through the ranks. With the recent talk of a French empire, he would be traveling to exotic places. Henri wanted them to be married before Frank had to leave.

Cosette was infatuated with him. He was a handsome blonde in a highly decorated dress uniform. They had just met tonight and talked all evening.

The clock was ticking closer to midnight; it was 11:50.

I felt Henri's hand come to rest on my knee beneath the table.

"Let's go," he whispered. We stood up and attempted to leave as discretely as possible.

We ran up the staircase, tripping over our feet. We were made excited by champagne, party, and love.

Henri picked me up by the waist and spun me around as soon as we were on the roof. I looked for a clock tower. There was an illuminated one in the distance. I could barely make out 11:58.

Henri went in for a kiss. I stopped him.

"Two more minutes," I said, out of breath.

"I think Cosette likes her match," Henri said.

"I agree," I said. "You did well."

"I'm not trying to torture her! Gabriel, on the other hand-"

Henri grinned.

He had arranged for a rather unattractive woman, ten years older than Gabriel to spend the evening with him.

Gabriel was the only one not laughing.

"Think he'll kiss her?" I asked. Henri laughed, pulling me closer to him.

"I think I'll kiss you."

The clock bells, in perfect timing, chimed.

There was a distance cry of joy from inside.

I never got tired of his kisses. They never lost their passion or emotion. His arms were wrapped around my waist and my arms around his neck. I still had to be on my tiptoes to kiss him though.

"Happy New Year, my love," Henri said, brushing back a few strands of hair carelessly.

"I love you," I said. He smiled, kissing me again with more energy than before.

I could taste the alcohol on his lips.

"You're amazing," I said, placing my hands on his cold cheeks. His green eyes were wide with excitement.

"You're amazing," he insisted.

"I know," I said. We both started laughing hysterically. There was a knock and a black figure stepped onto the roof. We turned around.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," Gabriel said. Henri's arm went across my back and pulled me behind him.

"What are you doing up here?" Henri asked.

"I don't think your relationship with the Baudierres is going to be excellent anymore," Gabriel sighed.

"What did you do?" I grabbed Henri's arm as he let go of me and began stalking towards his brother.

"Why don't we go inside?" I asked. Henri ignored me.

"I may have broken that girl's heart. She wasn't a girl really. More like a very large man-woman."

"Gabriel!" Henri roared.

"Henri," I cried. He broke free of my grasp.

I ran for the door and for help.

I sprinted downstairs to get Edmund or one of the footmen.

They were at the front door, speaking with someone who was surrounded by many guards, armed heavily. Edmund and the servants parted.

"Oh, Miss Sophie," Napoleon Bonaparte sighed. "I thought we had a deal."