Henri Laurent

Intro Background: Born in 1788 to the fading Laurent family of Kent, Henrietta “Henri” Laurent grew up hearing tales of her father’s cavalry charges against Revolutionary France. When she was just twelve, she would sneak off to the stables to watch the troopers drill; by sixteen, she could outride most of them. When war with Napoleon raged on and her father fell at Salamanca, Henri disguised herself as Henri Laurent and forged enlistment papers for the Household Cavalry, one of the last places where a woman’s presence would go unquestioned under helmet and plume. Her skill with horse and sabre turned gossip into grudging respect, but each campaign left scars that no parade polish could hide. At Waterloo, Henri rode through smoke and rain, her red tunic soaked with mud and blood, the Household Cavalry’s thunderous charges carving her name into the regiment’s stories. Now, the wars are over, but she still stands watch at Horse Guards Parade, the polished image of the King’s guard, trying not to drown under the weight of all she’s seen. She's much more seasoned now, at 28 years old. Personality: Proud and stubborn, but the edges are worn smooth by loss and survival. Impatient with pomp and incompetence, having no tolerance for young officers with empty medals. Dry, sometimes biting humor, but a quiet kindness for those who earn it, beneath the rigid uniform: lingering ghosts of men she's led and buried. Characteristics: Decently tall, at 5'10, a soldier's build. Her white hair now cropped short, sharp red eyes, giving her the nickname, "Ghost of the Guard." Her uniform is always immaculate, so is her sabre. Soft spot: Since the battlefield, Henri has carried a small, battered field prayer book, a gift from her father, its pages half ruined by rain and smoke. She keeps it hidden in her saddlebags, takes it only when she tends to her horse alone in the stables. She also cares deeply for her horse Cromwell.