Corinne, her friends, and the rest of the musketeers were standing in the castle courtyard listening to Treville talk. He was telling each of them their daily jobs, and talking about things he was thinking about changing, but never would. Corinne glanced over to see the King messing with his flying contraption.

He looked up at her and smiled, then resumed his work.

Corinne turned her attention back to the captain of the musketeers.

"So, that's the schedule for you men." Treville said.

"And us girls?" Renee questioned.

Treville looked at the four girls. He still hadn't gotten use to the fact of there being female musketeers "You can work out your own. Since y'all are also the castle cleaning maids, when you're not cleaning, or having an off day, patrol the town."

"Yes Sir." The four girls said in unison.

"Now, I'd like to discuss…" Treville continued, but Corinne's mind slipped away. She was almost sure all of theirs did.

She was semi listening to the captain when something caught her attention. There was something she couldn't quite make out, sticking out from behind a tree. She stared at it, then realized what it was and where it was pointing.

"Louis!" she shouted, right in the middle of Treville's speech "Look out!"

Louis spun around as the arrow flew towards him at lightning speed. Corinne covered her eyes. She hadn't warned him quick enough!

After a few seconds, which actually seemed like a lifetime, she asked "Did it hit him?"

"No." Renee finally answered "He moved back in time."

Corinne looked at the king, who was staring at an arrow half an inch in front of his face, then he looked at her and sighed with relief.

Corinne ran over to him, leaving the still dumbfounded musketeers watching.

"Are you alright?" She asked as she stopped in front of him.

He nodded "Thanks to you."

She let out a huff of air and looked towards where the arrow had come from "Treville should really cut down his meetings."

Louis chuckled "True. You would have been testing the improvements on my balloon by now."

Corinne smiled "I take it that was an order?"

"Only if you want to think of it as that."

"I'd love to." She looked back at the musketeers, remembering that they were still watching her "But… sometime when there's less of an audience."

Louis nodded "After lunch then?"

"Sure."

"Good. See you then."

Corinne walked over to where the arrow had been shot from. The person was gone, of course, but there were large boot prints in the mud. She was about to leave when something shiny caught her attention.

It was a gold pendant that had a star with a diamond in the middle of it, on it. She looked at it curiously.

"Corinne." Treville called "Are you rejoining us?"

Corinne nodded as she picked up the pendant then walked over to the musketeers.

"Alright," Treville said "Obviously, there's been a new threat to the king's life."

The others musketeers nodded, knowing the urgency of the situation.

"He'll need a guard every hour, day and night." Treville continued "Who will guard him at night?" A musketeer in the back raised his hand "Good. Now what about during the day."

All eyes turned to Corinne.

"What?" Corinne asked, looking around. Then she shook her head "Fine fine fine. I'll do it."

"That's what I was afraid of." Treville mumbled "While we're on the subject, why did you call His Highness by his name?"

Corinne shrugged "Natural reaction?"

"Natural reaction makes you say what you say the most. How often do you call the king, Louis?"

"Um…" Corinne felt the heat start creeping into her face "I think we should all get to our posts."

Treville sighed "Right. Go then. But, Corinne, you and Pierre," he pointed to another musketeer "Will rotate guarding the king so you can continue your cleaning job. Pierre will start today, then you will switch tomorrow."

Corinne nodded and then walked away, Renee, Viveca, and Aramina were right behind her.

"Close call Corinne." Renee smirked.

"Ha ha." Corinne rolled her eyes "You have to admit, it's a lot faster to say Louis than Your Highness or Majesty."

"Can you imagine if his name were like that one poor boy?" Aramina said with a laugh "You'd have to shout. TikkiTikkiTemboNoSayRemboChe rriBerriRuchiPipPerryPembo! Look out!"

"And by then, he'd be dead." Viveca added.

The four girls laughed as they made their way into the castle to do their daily cleaning.

"Good morning girls." Helene, the head maid greeted.

"Good morning, Madame." The four girls said with a slight curtsy.

As they started cleaning, Corinne suddenly remembered the pendant that was in her pocket "Hey guys." She said as she pulled it out "Look at this."

"Ooh!" Viveca ran over to her "What is that? It's so beautiful!"

"I think the person that shot the arrow earlier dropped it."

"So, he'll probably be coming back for it." Renee said "That thing isn't cheap."

Corinne nodded as she stuck it back in her pocket "We're going to have to watch our backs. There's no telling what this was to him."

"Let's get our cleaning done so we can go patrol the town." Viveca said "Maybe we'll get some clues there."

So, when they'd finished their chores, they mounted their horses and rode out to town.

Corinne glanced at the large clock in the middle of town "I have to be back in three hours."

"A date with the king?" Aramina asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

"No!" Corinne answered immediately "I'm just there to make sure he doesn't kill himself."

Her friends just laughed as they rode down the streets.

Corinne shook her head and smiled. She never thought she could have such amazing friends. Even though they were totally different, from their hair color, to their passions.

VIveca was brown haired, brown eyes, loved purple and her passion was Fashion.

Renee was dark with dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, liked blue and loved music.

Aramina was red haired, greened eyed, favorite color green and adored romance.

Corinne was blond haired, blue eyed, liked pink and sword fighting was her life!

I guess the only thing they had in common was that they were musketeers, and best friends.

"Earth to Corinne." Renee said "Earth calling planet Corinne. Do you read?"

Corinne laughed "What?"

"We're going to split at the crossroad." Viveca answered "We can cover more ground that way."

Corinne nodded "Alright."

"We'll meet back here in an hour and a half." Renee said "If you get into trouble, just scream."

"No problem." Aramina smiled, giving her a thumbs up.

"I haven't screamed a day in my life." Corinne said.

"Then shout."

"Okay."

So, the four girls split and headed down different roads.

Corinne asked anyone she saw if they'd seen anything strange or anyone acting suspicious. Everyone said no.

When an hour passed, she was about to turn around, but a sound caught her attention.

It sounded like someone running through the woods. She dismounted Wind Dancer, her white mare, and followed the noise.

When the footsteps got too faraway to hear, she stopped and looked around, then continued. She knew she probably shouldn't be in the woods alone. Especially with a killer on the loose. And since she had the person's pendant in her pocket. But, she kept walking. She was about to give up and turn around when she spotted an old wooden cabin partially hidden by trees.

She slowly crept towards it, making sure not to step on any twigs or dried leaves. She noticed there was smoke coming out the chimney, a sure sign that it was being inhabited.

She slid beneath a window and listened. The only sounds coming from inside was fire cracking, and light footsteps walking around.

She was about to risk a peek in the window, when a twig snapped behind her.

She spun around, her sword drawn, but then backed up in surprise.

Standing before her was a small girl that looked to be about the age of four. Her hair was blond and matted. She had on a torn grey dress, and her feet were bare. Her left thumb was stuck securely in her mouth and in her right hand she held a dirty teddy bear. All of the stuffing, except for in the head, had fallen out. She stared up at the musketeer with wide blue eyes.