Jean-Paul Choiseul

Jean-Paul Choiseul was a French aviator, captain of Praecursoris, who was a Boubon loyalist and had to flee France when Napoleon overthrew the monarchy.

Biography
Jean-Paul Choiseul was an aviator in the French Aerial Corps during the reign of the Boubon Kings, but was forced to flee France during Napoleon's revolution as he was a loyalist.

At first he sought sanctuary with the Austrian Corps, but was forced to move on from them once they took on an offensive against the French, a maneuver he thought doomed to failure as '...the Archdukes are fools, and they will not listen to the few generals of competence they have.' Choiseul and his dragon, Praecursoris, fled to Britain.

They traveled to the Loch Laggan training covert, where they were accepted enthusiastically into Lily's formation as an individual combatant. Here Choiseul made the acquaintance of Captain William Laurence and began to form a close relationship with Lily's captain: Catherine Harcourt.

A short time later, Captain Choiseul and Praecursoris accompanied Lily's formation on the flight to the Dover covert, but were attacked by a trio of French dragons along the way: a Fleur-de-Nuit, a Pecheur Couronne and a Grand Chevalier. Lily, the formation leader, was injured during the battle and Choiseul was forced to take temporary command until the enemy dragons were driven away and Excidium's formation escorted them the rest of the way to Dover. At the covet Choiseul was able to inform the newly arrived Admiral Lenton that the Grand Chevalier who had led the attack was Triumphalis, one of France's most viscous fighters who had been stationed near the Rhine. Choiseul believed that Napoleon would not have moved him were he not confident in his defeat of Austria and set on attacking Britain.

Lily was badly injured during the battle, and Choiseul spent the next few weeks comforting Captain Harcourt as her dragon recovered, strengthening and deepening their relationship. It wasn't until some time later, after Excidium's formation had left Dover, that Choiseul's treachery was revealed. In a failed attempt, Choiseul attempted to abduct Harcourt, planning to use her as a pawn to make Lily fight for France, killing one of Harcourts crew, Midwingman Wilpoys, in the process. Choiseul was foiled by Captain Laurence and taken prisoner. Interrogated by Laurence and Harcourt Choiseul revealed that he had been offered clemency by Napoleon in exchange for stealing Temeraire's egg. Finding out that it had hatched, Choiseul set about killing Temeraire and when he realized that could not be accomplished he settled for abducting Harcourt and making Lily fight for France. In exchange for what little information he provided, Lenton agreed to let Praecursoris live and be transported to the British breeding colony at Newfoundland.

Choiseul was hung several days later, on the orders of Admiral Lenton. His death, and especially the reaction of Praecursoris, had a profound effect on the dragons and aviators of Dover, sending them all into a short lived depression, despite Choiseul's guilt.

Personality
Outwardly Choiseul was charming, becoming fast friends with the Captains of Lily's formation and ingratiating himself to Captain Harcourt, Laurence and Admiral Lenton.

Internally; however, he was driven by a singular instinct to survive, and to save the life of his dragon. Though initially a Royalist, fleeing France out of political opposition to Napoleon, Choiseul eventually became embittered against the chance of victory against his own people and sought any chance to save himself and his dragon. In his own words: 'Ah principles. France is not so under-strength as are you, and Bonaparte has executed dragons for treason before. What do principles matter to me when I see the shadow of the guillotine hanging upon Praecursoris...'