Tears of a Rose
By: Aelia O'Hession
Summary: (La Femme Musketeer by Hallmark.) A ficlet about what happened after everything ended. Or does it? When Aria Murphy of Ireland shows up in Paris, a few things change for our dear Etienne.
Chapter 1: My Beginning
Lying in the hayloft, exhausted from a hard day's work just to earn the privilege to sleep here, my mind forces me to remember how I came to be here. Here would be the hayloft next to Planchet's Taverne, Paris, France. The memory of my escape still lingers in my mind as though it was yesterday. In truth, I have only been in Paris for a few months now. Everyone here still knows me as that 'foreign girl.' It's a bit depressing really. However, Planchet and his wife have been very kind to me in allowing me to work in their tavern. However, I feel as though I should relate the nature of my escape to you so that you may know why I am grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Planchet.
My life began in Ireland. That is, I was born and raised there, and am a citizen of that beautiful country. I grew up on a farm in County Cork. Despite the almost picturesque portrait that my family's farm would have made, things were much darker than they seemed. I was an only child, and my mother called me her little rose when I was young. When I was six, she died of a fever, leaving me alone with my drunken father.
Father was terribly abusive towards me after mother died. Daily I would receive a beating for who knows what. That was how my day started. I would receive more lashes depending on how much my father had drunk that day. Some would say that the scars on my back are impressive; I say horridly painful.
One day, when I had reached the point of no return, I decided that was enough. By some stroke of luck, I had managed to survive to my seventeenth birthday. Taking the money my mother had put aside for me and packing what little belongings I had, I took the family horse and fled. I raced over the hills of County Cork for many weeks before I reached Dublin. There, I bought myself passage on a ship headed to France. Anywhere was better than home. After a long journey by ship, I managed to land in Normandy, alive, but slightly seasick. Taking my belongings, and giving my horse to the kindly old gentleman who had called me his daughter to get me on the ship, I began to make my way towards Paris.
When I got there, I started to look for work. My quest led me here, Planchet's Taverne, unofficial headquarters of the King's Musketeers. Mrs. Planchet had hired me as a temporary serving girl for one night, but has kept me on ever since then. She claims that it's because I bring good service with my singing voice.
I have noticed that I have been remiss during my babbling that I have not mentioned my name. Allow me to fix that. My name is Aria Murphy, aged 18 years of age. My appearance is what I consider plain. Hip length auburn hair, blue eyes, typical milk white Irish skin; the standard Irish girl. My appearance is deceiving; many believe that I'm a timid little thing who shies away from a fight. I'm quite the opposite really. I love a good fist fight; I eve have a long dirk that I use in close combat. I've been trying to get some of the Musketeers to teach me how to wield a sword, but they just laugh me off.
"ARIA!! Get down here!"
That would be Mrs. Planchet. She must be opening the Tavern again. So much for a bit of sleep. Maybe I'll get some breakfast out of this.
"Planchet, what it the Missus squawking after now?" My Irish brogue colored my speech.
Planchet merely looks at me. Sighing, I follow him to the Tavern hall where a group of men are standing around, joking with the Missus.
"There you two are. I've been waiting. These hooligans won't leave me alone to make their food." Mrs. Planchet made a good natured swipe at one of the men who were standing near her.
As I walked closer, I realized that it was a group of what seemed to be fathers and their sons. However, there was one young woman amongst the group. She is dressed like the men, and a sword hangs at her side.
One of the men speaks up. "Planchet, when did this beauty appear?" Clearly he is referring to me, and it makes me feel quite uncomfortable.
"She arrived on our doorstep a few months ago. She's our resident serving girl." Planchet turns to look at me. "Aria, I'd like you to meet my dear friends. All of whom are Musketeers I might add. I am pleased to introduce D'Artagnan and his lovely daughter Valentine, Athos and his son Gaston, Porthos and his son Antoine, and Aramis and his son Etienne."
I gave a demure curtsey. "Pleased to meet you all. I am Aria Murphy of Ireland. Now if you'd excuse me, I'm being told to make your meal."
Hurriedly, I went back to the kitchen where Mrs. Planchet was waiting for me. "Sorry, Planchet insisted on introducing me to his friends." When she only smiled at me, I gave her a questioning look.
"Planchet and I have come to think of you as a daughter. We're both very proud of the work that you put in here." She blinked away the threatening tears.
This was a bit more than I expected. "Madame..."
Mrs. Planchet silenced me with her hand. "I won't have you making a fuss. Just finish up the meal and bring it out."
I did as I was told and brought the food out. On one shoulder I had the food tray balanced. On the other shoulder was a tray of ale mugs. The drinks were put down first so I wouldn't spill them all over the place. Then I put the food down. The men attacked the food like wolves. I turned to Valentine. "I've brought ale for the men, what would you like?"
Valentine flashed a warm smile at me. "Could I get a glass of milk?"
Antoine gaped at her. "Milk? What are you, a cow?"
In response, Valentine merely whacked Antoine on the side of his head.
I left before I could be pulled into the banter. I would rather be solitary than amongst strangers. On my way back to the kitchen, I passed Aramis and his son Etienne pouring over a piece of paper.
"Those are wonderful odds, Father."
"That they are my boy..."
Smiling to myself, I kept walking. After I had retrieved Valentine's milk and gave it to her, I left to get some breakfast of my own. I got as far as the back door before Mrs. Planchet caught me.
"Aria, where do you think you're going?"
"To eat my breakfast."
"Not alone you're not. Come; eat with the rest of us." Mrs. Planchet came over, took me by the elbow and brought me to the table. She sat me down between Etienne and Antoine. "Now, you will stay and be sociable."
The look on her face told me that I had no choice.
Planchet turned to D'Artagnan. "What brings you to Paris?"
D'Artagnan flashed a wide smile that was similar to his daughter's. "Why, the impending marriage of Valentine and Gaston! We're looking for a place to hold the wedding and a handmaiden for Valentine."
I sat listening to the conversation, feeling like a complete outsider. While all of them knew each other and understood certain jokes, I knew nothing. I congratulated Valentine and Gaston, but my adulation felt empty to me. Sighing into my tea, I quietly sat, observing everything around me. It occurred to me that they were a close knit family and I was intruding, despite what Mrs. Planchet said.
"Aria..."
I was forced to come out of my thoughts by someone calling my name. After blinking stupidly for a moment, I found the source of the voice to be D'Artagnan. "Aye, sir?'
"Would you like to share with us how you've come to live in Paris? I hear Ireland is quite lovely. Why did you leave?"
Suddenly, all of my defenses went up. I stiffed in my seat and my every action was guarded. My voice quavered as I answered, "I... don't wish to speak of it." Then, I bolted from my seat and out the front door.
"Aria, where are you going? Aria..?" I barely heard Planchet calling after me. All I could hear was my feet pounding the cobblestone street. Blindly I ran through the crowds of people doing their morning shopping in the market square. My mind rand with the memory of my father's drunken outrage. Salty tears poured down my face, blinding me further. Somehow, my feet led me to the old ruins outside of Paris.
Slumping over an old stone bench, I put my head in my arms and released all of my quelled anguish. I stayed that way for quite some time, allowing the sound of the birds calm me. Like my gentle mother, I had a deep fondness for nature. Presently, the sound of the approaching hooves reached my ears.
I looked up and saw Valentine. "Aria, could I speak with you?"
I drew myself up from the ground and gestured for her to join me on the bench.
"I've come to apologize for what my father said at breakfast. He didn't mean to be inconsiderate..."
"Valentine, hush. It's my fault for over-reacting. Your father was just the first person to ask me that since I've come here. As you probably realize, my reason for coming here is quite painful." Once I began to speak, there was no way to stop the flood of words that came. I would relate my tale once and for all. "To put it plainly, my father was a drunk and abusive towards me. My dear sweet mother had died when I was six years old, leaving me to live alone with the horrid beast. By my seventeenth birthday, I couldn't take anymore. I ran; and all of my running brought me here." I wiped away the tears that steamed down my cheeks.
Valentine sat beside me, eyes wide. "I had no idea..."
Her plain statement sparked my thoughts. "I don't mean to be rude, but you're an idealist, aren't you?" When she merely looked at me, I explained. "You've never seen the cruelty of a true common life, have you? You believe in the honor behind everything. Bless you for your innocence."
Valentine interrupted, "But you can speak like me..."
"The only reason why I know how to speak like you do is because my mother had educated me. She wanted me to have a better life." My tone became slightly wistful as I remembered my time with my mother.
Guiltily, Valentine smiled at me. "You're right. I really am like that. It bothers Gaston terribly sometimes. I suppose I get it from my father. He believes the same things that I do.
Suddenly, I got an idea. Not so much got, as unveiled a growing thought. I was unsure of why I decided to do this, but I needed to ask. "Valentine, I'd like to hire myself out as your servant. I know that planning a wedding requires female attention, and well, as much help as you can get. I have no doubt that your Musketeer friends are willing to help but..." I felt really awkward saying this, but I needed to do it. I could not stay with the Planchets forever.
I then found myself wrapped in her embrace. "Of course! I'd live to have you! And Gaston and I will be looking for land to build a home on; I'll need help to get a home running..."
I cut her off before she could go any further. "Valentine D'Artagnan, I would be honored to serve you." I allowed myself to smile. I felt confident that I was taking the right path towards remaking my life.
