The winter of late 1812 was bitterly cold and dismal. The men of the Grande Armée of the First French Empire were hit by the severe winter. The French forces were withdrawing from Moscow, walking nonstop through the deep snow. The armies of Emperor Napoleon suffered greatly by the cold, starvation, and raids by partisan groups and Russian forces. The army soon reached a village and started building a temporary camp among the residents. While a few troops were delighted to have reached safety, others were wary of the Russian locals. Among the troops was a French captain. With a sigh, the officer was seen taking his frail horse into the stable and giving it a gentle pat.

"Shhh... Shh... Tu peux te reposer, mon ami..."

The officer's breath was chilling in the air. With a long sigh, he turned his back on his horse and pulled out a pipe to smoke on it. As he smoked his pipe, the officer surveyed the soldiers and civilians going about their daily duties with a calculating gaze.