(I LIIIIIIIVVVVEEEEE! Okay, and now before you folks officially kill me… I AM SO SO SO SO So x infinity, SORRY! I promise I had absolutely positively no intentions of disappearing like that. Especially not for SIX MONTHS! Gah! It has been driving me bonkers not being able to get on here, you can ask my sisters. They hear about it almost every day. But I just completely ran out of time. And now, here's my excuse. I'll start with the whole, my stupid laptop wouldn't cooperate. Literally, I finally got it traded in for a new one two weeks ago! :p Then, my family's been having A LOT of car troubles… I mean a lot. We still haven't made that big move so, still in one place. I also sprained my wrist… yay.
Now, for my biggest excuse… I HAVE A JOB! Woo-hoo. And it's a job writing stories! I'm a ghost writer, which is awesome and also means I can't tell you for whom I am working, but due to computer problems and deadlines, I haven't had much spare time. My old computer literally deleted a whole story that was due in two days. I had to rewrite the WHOLE THING! D:
But, I am back… hopefully. And I am planning on trying to update at least once a week.
I want to apologize again to all my friends and fans ;) I feel terrible. So, please bear with me while I try to work FF in between my work schedual. And I am hoping to start reading and REVIEWING again!
Wow, that was an insanely long A.N. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
P.s. Sorry for not continuing Another Cinderella Story, but it's been so long that I wasn't really into the flow of it anymore, but I will continue it eventually, Promise! SO, new start, new story.
Laterz!)
Aramina sighed as she sat down in a chair and opened a large, blank paged book in front of her.
She dipped her quill in the ink the slowly started writing:
Well, it's been four years since I last wrote something in a book. It just seems hard to know how to start... or how to finish.
Things changed after that day in the throne room when King Louis broke any bond between himself and Corinne and thus breaking my friend's heart.
Of course it wasn't too long til Corinne's same old fire and spirit came back... much to our relief. She was still stubborn, head strong and prone to not following orders. But her eyes had lost a bit of their light. They still sparked with determination and flashed when she was angry and danced when she was laughing, but that happy sparkle that had become constant, especially at the mention of the king, was gone.
I thought that Louis would finally break and that things would be mended between them but after four years I'm starting to lose hope in that.
We quit our jobs as castle maids, and found Helene some replacements of course, because being in the castle where you run into Louis when you turn the corner was just too painful. For all of us.
Viveca, Renee and I married out sweethearts nearly two years ago and I am now on the road to starting my own family. Yay!
Corinne, however, never gave her heart to another. Many tried to woo and win her. All failed.
The same goes for Louis. Many princesses, Duchesses and Ladies came to the palace over the years, each left disappointed. And each time his advisers were left angry. But he didn't seem to notice or care.
Three years ago Treville was wounded in battle, his left leg left paralyzed so that he limps around on a cane nowadays.
There wasn't a soul surprised when Corinne became his successor... except for Corinne. I'd never seen her look more shocked then the day Louis announced that she would be taking Treville's place. Okay, I was slightly surprised too. Just slightly.
Since then, our horizons have broadened. Us four are no longer just France's Musketeers. We've been all across Europe. We've assisted in Russia and Germany and... well everywhere! But we always return home to Paris. Although sometimes I think Corinne delays our returns as much as possible due to the fact that with the completion of each mission the Captain is to give report to the king. Something I believe Louis forgot about when he deemed her the next captain.
Each meeting is kind of awkward. Corinne says what is needed to be said then leaves... most of the time. But occasionally, once in a while they'll look at each other at just the right time and their eyes will meet. Then of course one of them will look away and Corinne quickly bows and retreats from the room.
As for all of us, of course we are no longer teenagers and time has changed us... of course for the better.
As Viveca put it, "As we matured we became more breathtakingly beautiful." and I believe we did too.
We used to turn heads when we rode through town, now we turn more than a few. But everyone in France knows that the three of us are off limits and that no one was going to be getting anywhere with Corinne.
And the King's looks leave very little to be desired. He'd gotten a bit taller and stronger and SOOO handsome. *sigh*
But so the story goes, we continue to do our duty to protect France and the King. That one thing has not changed... but just that one.
"Home!" Aramina cried happily as they rode through the gates of Paris "It has been too long!"
"It's been three weeks." Corinne responded "How is that too long?"
"Talk to the riding lard barrel." Renee snickered.
Aramina huffed and patted her ever growing middle "Don't worry Renee, it'll happen to you too."
"Eventually." Renee responded "But it's only been two years!"
"Only!?" Aramina shook her head "Your perspective on time is way warped my friend."
Corinne chuckled "Okay, guys. I think that's enough."
"Ei-yi, Captain." Viveca sent her a teasing salute to which the blond just rolled her eyes.
"Speaking of guys." Aramina suddenly squealed "Look!"
"Perfect timing." Renee said with a smile.
Coming towards them were Aramina's husband, Blond haired, blue eyed, Harvy. Viveca's husband, Black haired, turquoise eyed, Yves and Renee's husband, dark skinned, black haired browned eyed, Terence.
Corinne smiled slightly but said nothing.
"Ah, our leading ladies are home!" Yves called "You were gone so long!"
"Told you." Aramina laughed "And that came from Viveca's husband. Not mine."
"Talk about a lifetime!" Harvy said "It was beginning to feel like forever!"
Renee smirked "But that one was your husband."
Terence sent them a wave "It's good to see you home!"
Corinne pulled her horse to a stop as they reached the boys and the others followed suit "You know we have to make a stop at the castle first."
"Of course." Harvy grinned "But I had to see my wife and son real quick first."
Aramina laughed "Harvy, you know it might be a girl."
"If you're lucky it'll be twins. One of each." Viveca teased.
"Don't even joke!" Aramina gasped.
"Although that would explain why you're so HUGE at only six months." Renee added.
Corinne rolled her eyes "Girls, we really have to get to the castle and get the report over with. We can finish this idle chatter over lunch."
"She's right." Renee said "We'll meet you guys in half an hour."
"Frazoli's?" Yves asked.
"As always." Viveca nodded "We'll see you there."
~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~
Corinne slid out of her saddle and turned to face the doors of the castle. She sighed quietly as she braced herself for another meeting with the king.
"It's been four stinking years, Corinne. Get over it!" She told herself, but it didn't work. It never did. So she sucked in a deep breath and started up the stairs. As they walked through the doors Treville came to meet them.
"Hello, Girls." he said, leaning on his cane "Everything went well, I trust."
"Yes sir." Corinne nodded "As well to be expected. Is the King in his office or the throne room?"
"Throne room." the man answered "We were just talking."
Corinne sent him a quick nod of thanks then started down the hall.
After his unscheduled retirement, Louis had made Treville an honorary member of the council as a gift for all his years of being a loyal captain. The older man also acted as an adviser much of the time.
Corinne pushed open the doors to the throne room and walked in. She instantly spotted Louis standing by one of the windows peering out at the town "Your Majesty."
He turned at her voice and nodded slightly "How was the mission?"
"Everything went according to plan." she answered "Sort of..."
One of Louis' eyebrows rose "Like usual."
"Yes." a soft laugh escaped Corinne's lips "But everything was completed to satisfaction."
"Good." Louis smiled "Once again, well done... Captain."
She bowed, keeping herself from looking up at him "Thank you, Your Highness." then she straightened up, turned and left the room, her friends close behind.
Louis let out a long sigh as he watched them disappear "Well done... Corinne."
Treville shook his head as he stepped into the room "It's been four years since you parted company with her. Why do you have such a hard time letting her go?"
Louis looked back out the window and watched as the four girls mounted their horses and rode out of the yard
~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~
"Ah! Signora Musketeer-as and a-Musketeer-as' Maschi!" the plump Italian cook exclaimed as the group walked through his door "Welcome-a back to a-Frazoli's!"
"Hi Chef Frazloi." Aramina smiled "It's good to see you too."
"Oh!" The man said jubilantly "You want-a Frazoli's a-spaghetti and a-meat-a-ball-as, Si?"
"NO!" The group exclaimed in unison.
"Oh. Zen-a walk-a thees-a way-a."
Viveca groaned quietly "I still haven't recovered from the first time I ate his spaghetti!"
"Weren't you four?" Corinne asked.
"Yeah." Viveca shook her head "Oi."
Aramina giggled "Don't worry. I haven't recovered either. Only I was ten."
Corinne laughed. The reputation of Frazoli's spaghetti was well known around Paris. Luckily for Corinne, she'd never eaten it. The warning from nearly the whole city had driven any desire to try the stuff far from her mind... although she was curious.
"That stuff does something to your immune system." Renee said as they sat down around a large table.
"Here is your drinks." Frazoli said, sitting down the glasses of tea "On-a-ly ze best-a for ze fe-a-male-a musketeer-as. Be-a right-a back-a with your-a orders." then he was gone.
"It's a wonder we always come here after every mission." Aramina said "We're treated like royalty!" as soon as the last word was out of her mouth she gasped then clamped her mouth shut and snuck a glance over at Corinne who simply smiled.
"So!" Yves said quickly "How was the mission?"
"Fine." Renee answered "Of course there were the setbacks and unplanned happenstances, but we still got the job done."
"Like always." Terence smiled, giving her a one armed hug.
"Did any of you get hurt?" Harvy asked.
The table fell quiet as the four girls looked at each other then all simultaneously picked up their glasses of tea and took a sip.
Harvy glanced at the other two then all three crossed their arms.
"Who?" Terence asked.
"Wasn't me!" Aramina said immediately, holding her hands up in surrender.
"I just sprained my ankle." Renee added "But that was about two weeks ago." then she blushed slightly "I fell in a covered well."
Corinne laughed into her glass as she took another sip.
"I thought that was Corinne's job to fall in the holes." Harvy said.
"It normally is. She just allowed me the pleasure." Renee responded "Literally, she said 'After you'. We took two steps, I fell in and she fell in right behind me."
"And you've got nothing to show for it?" Yves asked.
Corinne shrugged "It was just a seven foot well... with a foot of water in the bottom."
Terence started to say something but Frazoli showed up just then sitting their plates down on the table "Your a-regular-a. And here is-a some-a-thing-a new-a for-a you to-a try-a." he sat a platter of bread sticks in the middle of the table that were covered in a white sauce and cheese.
"Thank you." they echoed then they each grabbed one.
"It has-a my es-special-a a-sauce-a."
They all froze mid-bite then slowly returned the bread to its platter.
"How nice of you." Aramina smiled sheepishly.
"Anything-a for my-a favorite-a musketeer-as." then Frazoli left them alone.
"Special sauce?" Harvy whispered "What do you think is special about it?"
"Taste it and find out." Renee said "But you can't pay me to do it! Because his spaghetti 'is-a his-a special-a recipe'."
A round of laughs came from the table then they ate their dinner while talking about this and that.
About halfway through the meal, Harvy put his arm around his wife's shoulders "So how is my son?"
"Or daughter." Aramina corrected "Be honest. Will you be disappointed if it is a girl?"
"Of course not!" Harvy quickly kissed her cheek "I don't care what it is. Boy or girl... or boy. I'll be proud as a peacock."
"But not as proud as we are of our girls." Yves said, putting his arm around Viveca "We're the luckiest men alive!"
Terence took the cue and followed suit "I do believe we are." then he gave Renee a quick kiss on the forehead.
"Hard to believe it's already been two years." Viveca sighed, leaning into Yves.
"I know, right!" Aramina grinned "Best years of my life."
Corinne wiped her mouth with a napkin then stood up from the table "I'll see you later." then she walked away.
"Well... almost the best years of our lives." Viveca said with a slight shake of her head.
Renee shrugged "There's nothing we can do about it. Louis made the decision."
"I know." Aramina said sadly "But I'd give anything just to see her truly happy again."
~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~
Corinne walked up a tall set of stairs to a porch that circled the outside of Frazoli's restaurant. The whole building stood six stories tall. The first two floors were the restaurant, bottom floor for casual meals the second was fancy dining. The third and forth floors were rented apartments and the fifth and sixth were Frazoli's home. Between his famous restaurant and his rooms for rent, Frazoli was one of the richest men in Paris, and also one of the most generous.
The porch circled the sixth floor and was Corinne's favorite place to escape when her friends and their husbands started being more... lovey.
It wasn't that she wasn't happy for her friends being with the love of their lives, because she was. More than anything. But seeing them so happy and... together, still left a pain deep in her heart. A pain that constantly reminded her of how close she'd come to being that happy. Being with that one person that made your heart sing.
She leaned against the railing of the porch that faced the castle "So close." she whispered into the wind.
Just then a set of doors to a balcony on the castle opened and Louis stepped out and walked over to the railing.
He looked around for a little bit til his gaze settled in her direction. Then, almost reluctantly, he lifted a hand and sent her a small wave.
She glanced around quickly before realizing that she was the only person he could possibly be waving at. She slowly waved back.
"How did he see me?" she wondered. The castle was nearly a mile away from the restaurant. Then she looked at the brown wall behind her and realized that he must have seen her pink dress and knew it was her. She looked back at the castle... the king. And even across the distance their eyes met, but only for a moment before he turned and went back inside.
She sighed and resumed her position against the railing "So... so close."