Thanks to Little-Miss-Lat for giving me the inspiration for this and for being my beta!
It had been a tough couple of months for the Musketeer. Kidnapping of the Royal family's, death threats against families of Nobility, training new recruits, even a threat against Paris. Treville finally allowed the Musketeers to enjoy themselves and go to the Tavern. Well, that was the original plan anyway, before they could even make it to the entrance of the tavern, they were summoned by Treville to an execution. An execution of a sodomite. Aramis face fell and a long sigh was released from Porthos' lips. Athos asked for the location and they rode on horseback to the execution site. When they reached the site Aramis suddenly disappeared. D'Artagnan wanted to go and find him but Athos said not to bother about that. He knew how these execution got to Aramis and that he wanted to try and bring comfort to the prisoner.
Aramis was walking the halls of the holding chamber only to see a single man in white clothing sitting on the floor. Aramis walked up to him, pulling out his old Bible, and went to sat on the ground next to him.
"What is your name?"
"Jacques d'Orleans."
"Have you been given last rites?'
"No. They don't give last rites to sodomites."
"Would you like them now?"
"No. I just want to die now."
"May I ask why right now?"
"Because, I miss Phillippe. He was executed last week. I will finally be with him once again," Aramis couldn't help be see the hopefulness in his eyes.
"Do you have any family? Friends?"
"I'm an old child. My parents died years ago. I am loner, so no friends. Only my Phillippe."
"I am truly sorry for your loss. I am truly sorry that you are going to die today. I am truly sorry Paris can not accept your love," he reached his hand to touch Jacques'.
"The fact I will see Phillipe again, and the fact you cared so much to sit and speak with me is all I need. I know what love is; God is love. And if me loving Philippe is ungodly then I do not know what love is anymore."
"I understand your pain. I have watched too many of these executions."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For making it easy for me to go," he smiled to Aramis softly while tears rolled down his cheeks.
Aramis smiled back to him and stood. He spoke several words in Latin softly before making the sign of the cross before him. He said goodbye to Jacques before taking off to find his friends. He wiped the tears in his eyes while the man's words shook his very core. His mind went back to his first time seeing an execution such as this. He will never forget the slurs thrown at the condemned, the rotten food staining his clothes, even his last words: GOD IS LOVE.
He found Porthos motioning to him a few rows of people down. He slung his arms around the smaller man and allowed him to walk back to D'Artagnan and Athos. They stood in silence as the man was walked up to the gallows in chains. Slurs and shouts were thrown at the man like bullets, but he did not flinch at them. The cold air caused Aramis to become even colder than before. He stood while the magistrate stood and spoke.
"Jacques d'Orleans, you have be tried before our King and God and was found guilty against nature and sodomy. Underneath the laws of our King and God Almighty, you have been sentenced to death by gallows. Do you have any last words?"
All Jacques did was look up at the sky, the rain damping his face before looking dead into the magistrate eyes and said loudly, "I am going to my Phillippe now. We died for our forbidden love," causing a loud uproar in the crown while the magistrate motioned for his guard to put the sack over his head and place the noose around his neck.
Aramis wanted to run on that gallow and stop this nonsense but was held back by Athos who had a hand tightly on his arm. The guard pulled the lever and the floor beneath Jacques fell, causing his body to dangle like a fish on a hook. It took no longer than one minute for him to die. The crowd dispersed but Aramis stood still like a statue to see the cloth be draped over the now cut down body. His hot tears were mixed with the cold rain on his face. Porthos was able to pull him away to get them walking to the tavern. Aramis didn't hear a single word of what they were saying.
Once they reached the tavern, Porthos ordered a goblet and glasses for the table. Aramis quickly inhaled his wine.
"Easy 'Mis," Porthos said while refreshing his glass.
All he did was drink this glass slower. He kept his somber eyes on the goblet while his mind kept replaying the execution. He was finally jarred from this memory by Porthos tapping his shoulder.
"Aramis, you okay?" Athos asked.
"Meh."
"The execution really got to you didn't it?" D'Artagnan said in slight surprise.
"I don't wanna be celebrating this poor man's death. No one gave him last rites or condolences for his lovers execution."
"We are not celebrating anything, Aramis,"
"But why should we mourn for him, or his lover? We didn't know him."
"No we did not. But grief should not be subjugated to only the people we know," Athos explained.
"But look at what he was hung for. I mean, men lying with men is a crime against God. Sodomites know the Law and they simply just ignore it. How could he just flaunt his sin in front of the Guards and not expect to-"
"D'Orleans didn't flaunt anything. He was in his inn room and the Guards were in the room down the hall. They over heard them and kicked down the door and arrested them. A private bedroom is hardly flauting. He was sadly unlucky."
"Unlucky? He committed a crime against God and the law. The term unlucky doesn't describe that criminal."
"Criminal? Seriously? The word criminal is used for those who commit an actual crime such as murder, kidnapping, theft. Actual crimes; falling in love isn't a crime," Aramis explained as his blood began to slowly boil.
"If it isn't a crime then what is it? He went against God's law. I figured you all of people would understand that, Aramis."
"My apologies Brother d'Artagnan, I had no idea you were giving testimony of the evils of homosexuality. Do you follow all of God's laws?
"Alright, I don't go to church every single Sunday but I know sodomy is wrong. It is wrong, it is unnatural, and it is disgusting. I refuse to mourn or even defend a man who is guilty of that crime!"
Aramis stood from his seat with haste and went to strike at their youngest. Porthos stood and held him back and whispered something in his ear. Athos looked at d'Artagnan with a look of sadness and slight anger.
"D'Artagnan I think it would be best if you left. Now."
"Athos-"
"Now d'Artagnan. Don't make me ask twice," He went to talk to Aramis to try and talk him down.
"We are suppose to uphold the law, at least I thought we were suppose to," D'Artagnan left the tavern and headed to the place they were all staying for the evening.
Several hours went by and d'Artagnan went looking for his cloak. He remembered he gave it to Athos before they were sent to the execution. Or at least he thought Athos had it. He hoped they made it safely to their inn for the night. He made his way there, being careful of the litters of small puddles. He made his way into the inn and was motioned by the landlady to go upstairs. She spoke pure French, none of which d'Artagnan could understand, but he gathered they were three people upstairs. He walked quietly upstairs like a thief in the night, only to hear two voice arguing as he approached. He was able to see through a crack in the door. He got to his knees and quietly listened to their conversation.
"I can't believe you allowed him to spew that hate and-"
"What did you expect me to do Aramis? Shoot him?"
"We ain't brutes, 'Mis."
"But that doesn't make it right, Porthos!"
"We know you are frustrated with this. You are always there to defend sodomites no matter the opinions of others. You are a true Musketeer Aramis. So many of them, both gone and alive, thank you for your support."
D'Artagnan was able to see Athos embrace Aramis tightly.
Questions and theories ran through his mind as he watched the scene unfold before him. He moved a centimeter, the floor beneath him creaked loudly, and suddenly the movement in the room stopped to listen. D'Artagnan scrambled backwards only to see the door open widely.
"Would you like to join us?" Aramis said in a demanding voice.
"Not sure I have a choice," he got off the ground and walked in the room.
He sat in the chair while Athos and Aramis stood near the bed and leaned on the desk. Porthos leaned on the wall across the chair.
"How much did you hear?" Aramis demanded.
"The last five minutes."
"So you were spying on us?"
"Aramis, this is not an interrogation," Athos tried to settle him.
"Perhaps it should, Athos. What if he tells the magistrate? Or Treville? Then what happens?"
"Aramis your secret is safe-"
"My secret?!"
"D'Artagnan, the secret was never his. The burden might have been his but it was never his. It is mine," Athos spoke softly.
"Yours?"
"And mine," Porthos came off the wall and walked to Athos.
He took their leader's hand gently into his, entwining their fingers together. Porthos saw his lover's leg start to bounce lightly and he, out of pure instinct, kneeled down next to him, placed his free hand on the bouncing knee, and kissed his cheek softly. Athos' leg stopped, causing Porthos to chuckle softly and pulled away, remembering they have an audience.
"Yo-you're-"
"Disgusting? Criminals?" Porthos said.
"No," D'Artagnan instantly thought back to all the times he called sods those names.
"It's easy to talk about someone when you don't know who you are describing," Athos added.
"But you were married!" he tried to make sense of this situation.
"And I loved her, I love Porthos now."
"I love 'im d'Artagnan, there ain't no way to explain it."
"I-I don't know what to say," he sighed softly while running his hand through his hair in confusion. "When did you two? How? Why?"
"It was a year after he first joined the Musketeers. He was shot, in the shoulder, and I stayed with him. We talked for a while and we ended up kissing. I liked Porthos for a while before that time, but from a distance."
"Even the few women I was with, Athos felt right," Porthos smiled, their eyes never left each others.
"Y-you really love each other, don't you? I mean it's not just about, you know..."
"Sex?"
"That," he shook his head to keep the mental image out of his mind.
"It never was, not to me, not to us," Athos gripped his hand tightly while Porthos pulled him close.
"What about the law? You are breaking the law by being together."
"I don't believe you!"
"'Mis calm down."
"No Porthos! You two love each more than anyone else in Paris. More than any noble in Paris! Those nobles in court have no clue what real love is. They marry for money and alliances and land but yet you are considered sinners!" Aramis hit the wall while fighting back angry tears.
"We understand Aramis," Athos pulled away but they still kept hold of
Porthos' hand. "We understand what you are feeling. We can not change Paris in a single day. That is simply impossible. Getting angry will not solve the problems we face," he moved to let his hand go and instead moved to hug Aramis tightly. "It is friends like you who so easily give us your support that make it easier to bear."
"Friends? You still don't know what he is going to do."
"That depends on him, 'Mis. We ain't brutes. I refuse to becomes like them."
"D'Artagnan, it is our job, our duty to uphold the law. If our relationship truly hurts your moral compass, please allow me and Porthos one more day in Paris. We will be gone by nightfall. I need time to settle things in order."
"NO! You can't do this! You worked your ass off for years to get Paris and the Musketeers in order. You can't let him ruin everything over his-his hatred!" Aramis shouted angrily while glaring at D'Artagnan.
"Aramis please, we have broken the law, it is d'Artagnan's duty to uphold the law. This will be his choice. We can not pick and choose which law we follow and uphold."
"I'll get packin," Porthos went to the saddle bags and started to pack all of the important things.
"I have to go see about getting you two horses," Aramis went to the door.
"Stop!" D'Artagnan shouted. "All of you stop," all of the movement in the room stopped and Aramis shut the door. "Do you love him? Like truly love him?"
Porthos stopped packing and moved to Athos and held him cheeks in his rough callous hands.
"I would climb the gallows for this man. All those years I suffered from abuse and war, it ain't even close to the pain of having to leave 'im. I love you so much, Athos," Porthos spoke softly so Athos could hear him but also loud enough for D'Artagnan to hear.
Athos, no longer having control over his emotional state, grabbed him and hugged his lover tightly. D'Artagnan noticed that Athos' body began to tremble lightly. He was slightly taken back to see their fearless leader falling apart at the idea of them being separated. Porthos' hand instantly fisted into his lover's dark curls protectively while holding him back just as tight.
"Look at them d'Artagnan," Aramis said while motioning to the lovers. "They love each other more than anyone I have ever met in my entire life. Every single execution of a sod makes me see them. I see my two friends, who's only crime is loving each other, up on the gallows ready to be hung. Please, as their friend, as their brother, please do not separate them. As Musketeers, our lives are not promised, not even guaranteed, their love for each other is."
"I can't break the law. I can't break God's law."
"I-we understand. I am truly sorry to put you in this situation," Athos pulled away from the embrace and calmed himself.
"You simple minded fool."
"Let me finish," they all gave him their attention. "I can not break the law, but you two are the most honorable men in Paris, I can not excute you two. That would kill Paris. Treville and the magistrate will not hear a word from me about your love, that I can promise. I may not understand your love, but if the two most honorable men in Paris can fall in love, maybe I am missing something."
"Thank you d'Artagnan, I know that was not easy for you to do. We truly appreciate this."
"It is going to take some time getting used to it."
"We are the same lads you knew several hours ago, you just know the truth."
"Yeah," he reached his hand out to the two of them and they shook.
Athos gave d'Artagnan his cloak and sent him on his way home. He wasn't going to lie, it was going to take a while for him to get used to his friends being together. Going on missions was somewhat of a challenge since Athos and Porthos did not have to hide their affection as much anymore. They kept it more subtle than they wished for D'Artagnan's sake but slowly they became more affectionate. At first he viewed the world and love as black or white, right or wrong. But if Athos and Porthos can find love for each other, then maybe there is more to the law then he first thought. Love to him now is no long one color, it is now like the rainbow, colorful, bright, and never ending.
In honor of the victims of the Pulse Orlando Shooting and to all of those who are harmed and killed due to who they love. In my eyes, love has no religion, no race or color, no age, or gender. I love you all.