Henri had a passion for Napoleon, and Napoleon had a passion for chicken. From Boulogne to Moscow Henri butchered for his emperor and never killed a single man.Meanwhile, in Venice, the city of chance and disguises, Villanelle was born with the webbed feet of her boatman father - but in the casinos she gambled her heart and lost. As the soldier-chef''s love for Napoleon turns to hate, he finds the Venetian beauty, and together they flee to the canals of darkness.