Hey! This is to say that it's my first fic in English (yes, I'm French)! So please don't be too rude with me; otherwise don't hesitate to show me the mistakes I could have made!
Unfortunately, I don't owe Les trois Mousquetaires (it's a French book after all) neither the characters, except the bad guys.
Chapter 1: A new mission
-"So, M. De Tréville didn't say why we've been summoned?" Porthos asked, as he and his friends walked into the King's Musketeers' building. He grinned at a couple of ladies in waiting that they went past.
- "No, he didn't", Athos answered, shortly. "His note just said it was urgent".
- "That's what he always says", Aramis sighed, nervously pawing his golden cross.
His friends stared at him, surprised by his tone.
- "Are you all right?" Porthos asked.
- "Yes", the younger Musketeer merely answered. "I'm just tired".
Athos and Porthos looked at each other. Indeed they didn't even had time to rest properly between the missions, and as themselves were always ready, they knew that the former priest could not sustain a cadency as dense as they did, and due to his frail body compared to theirs, he needed more time to rest.
Only a few months had passed since their triumph over the Duke of Buckingham. D'Artagnan had been admitted into one of the junior guards on a two year probation. Meanwhile the three Inseparables went on some missions for the King together, all successful.
At they return, the young Gaskin would always make them tell their adventures. He dreamed of it, he needed it, and all he get as a guard was night patrols and pickpockets' issues.
- "Ah ! Athos, Porthos and Aramis. Come in", De Tréville said.
The former priest snapped back to present, realizing he had been staring at nothing. With a sigh, he enters the room behind his fellow Musketeers.
De Tréville, Captain of the Musketeers, was quite an old man. He was tall and had pepper-and-salt hair.
However, despite his age, no one would despise him, as all the Musketeers loved him as a father, a bit authoritative, a bit rude, but always making the good decisions, and ready to risk his life just as a simple guard.
Actually sitting at his desk, said Captain was looking the three friends as they saluted him with a bow, hat in hand, before sitting in the chairs facing the piece of furniture. They were his best men, rarely failing in a mission. He thought suddenly, seeing the exhaustion on Aramis' face even if he tried to hide it, that he tended to overwork them. He mentally promised to let them rest after this mission; otherwise there could be an accident.
- "I have a new mission for you, guys, he started. Nothing like "saving France", or this type of great causes you aspire to, Aramis, I am sorry for that. It's actually a quite simple task; we heard that an armed gang made up its mind to rob the next taxes from the country before it comes to Paris. We know for sure that they are based near the city, in an old barn near St Charles, at about twenty five kilometers away. Your mission, if you accept it, will be to arrest these guys, preferably before the theft. But I must warn you: their leader, Leloup, is said to be a dirty player, stopping at nothing to get what he wants; otherwise an excellent swordsman who had never been defeated".
- "Well, there's a first time for everything", Athos mumbled.
De Tréville smiled. That's what he liked to hear from a Musketeer: determination. He had a dismissive motion, and the three King's soldiers started to exit the room.
- "Oh, last thing : the convoy of taxes will arrive next week; take time for rest", he winked at Aramis, who smiled in return. "Remember: it's a simple task".
- "Oh, Athos, let me go with you !" D'Artagnan implored as soon as his friends dutifully told him about the new mission they were entrust to. "I'm sure I could defeat this man in a duel !"
- "Don't start with this, please!" The older man sighed. "If you're in the junior guards and not in the King's Musketeers, it must be for a reason. You are still too young to be with us during the missions.
-"I was with you for the case of the Queen's jewels!"
- "Yes, and what happened? You have almost been killed". "Twice", Athos insisted, seeing the Gaskin opening his mouth to protest. "You had Constance almost killed too".
D'Artagnan closed his mouth reopened it, and then closed it again. Without a single more word, he walked towards the stairs and reached his room on the first floor, slamming the door.
- "Why are you constantly refusing him to go with us, Athos?" The former priest asked.
- "I said it : he's too young. He might be hurt, and I don't want him to die on me!"
- "Was I older when we went on our first mission together?"
- "Yes", Porthos answered. "He's 18; you were 19".
- "Don't be dishonest, Porthos".
- "Okay, but D'Artagnan is too young to handle a group like this one alone!"
- "I agree with It", Aramis said. "Nonetheless I think you should trust him a little more".