The musketeers are faced with a case that they soon realise to be much more complicated than they imagined... A mysterious character makes her apparence and will not allow the musketeers any rest.
-It's a rather rubbish night to be staying outside, said Aramis while the water accumulated on his floppy hat fell in a flat noise on his leather jacket.
Him and Athos were waiting outside of an almost luxury bar where their next mission was waiting. He was almost bald, fat, quite annoying and incredibly rich. He was exactly the kind of men the King liked in his entourage. No one really tried to understand why the King had affair with him, even D'artagnan – in the warmth of the inn – seemed not to care about the men himself. All just wanted to get him to the palace quickly and go on with their nights. The Duke they had to escort seemed to have different plans in mind. The wine was flowing and the stories never ending while Porthos, Athos and Aramis were catching a cold. Porthos was long since sitting and the edge of the bar, half in and half out. He stood up quickly and signaled to his to friends standing in the rain that it was time to interfere. Indeed, the Duke was getting up hardly and going to get more wine. Before, Athos even reached the entrance, a huge fight started. The Duke was the starting point of it and a young man was yelling at him from the top of a chair. The musketeers quickly encircled the Duke to protect him from the flying bottles.
- -Enough! Screamed Athos, We are the King's musketeers and this man is under our protection!
- -Yeah, oh, very well, declared a drunken voice.
It was the man on the chair. He seemed quite young and like he had a fair amount of drinks for the night.
-The King and always the King! While we are left powerless once again.
- -Speaking against the King is an act of treason and is punishable by death, declared Athos wishing for the boy to calm down.
- -Oh, of course! I wasn't talking about the King. I am talking about his musketeers! Above the laws, you parade yourself like some sort of royalty when you're not better than any of us!
- -Yes! some in the bar chanted.
- -We are the ones that make this country live and we get nothing! No honor, poor women and no money!
Some men laughed, mocking one's wife. The boy was starting a riot clearly, but he seemed so drunk and helpless that the musketeers were considering letting him finish or talk until he collapse, whichever comes first.
-You want to know, Duke, you, yes, you want to know my best story? Well, it involves a noble lady.
- -Enough! yelled Aramis who wouldn't allow a lady's virtue to be questioned.
- -You know her very well actually, kept on the boy. It's mademoiselle des Lauriers!
- -What! You piece of shit! Come down here and fight!
The Duke became red and drew his sword with difficulty.
- -Why? So you could kill me on the spot? With your guard of musketeers? That hardly seems fair.
Some people agreed, drawing out their swords as the Duke did. They were all aiming at the musketeers which were starting to understand that it would be no ordinary mission.
- -Meet me tomorrow at noon where we met for the first time! And we will settle this like gentlemen!
The boy jumped down with remarquable agility for someone so drunk and threw an empty wine bottle right to the musketeers.
- -He's leaving! Pointed D'Artagnan.
And so he did : making his way through the heated, crowded bar and into the rain with Porthos and D'artagnan on his tail. The two others stayed to get the Duke to safety. The two men followed the boy through half of Paris it seemed. They tried to shoot him, but mostly to scare him than to hurt him: they could not get a clear line of sight in the weather and the boy was moving more than a wild rat. Which was a perfect metaphor to describe his ways, nothing would stop him. He would go over houses, through yards and indoors. Porthos often had to choose another way but was too stubborn to stop the chase. They arrived in a hotel where the boy stopped and raise his hands above his head obviously out of breath. As the musketeers came in to arrest him, they realised that men and women of all kinds were gathering out to see what was going on.
- -Don't worry, we are the King's musketeers. These are affairs of state, said Porthos.
- -May I have some explanations for this?
- -As we said sir, these are affairs of state. Not of any men, answered D'artagnan.
- -Well, it's fortunate that I'm not any men then. Come in my office and bring the boy.
Probably because of the noble airs of their host, the two men followed him in his richly decorated apartment with the boy, hands tied behind his back.
- -We should have tied his feet, not his hands, said Porthos to his friend who laughed.
- -I am captain de Beaulieux. May I offer you some wine or tea ?
- -No thank you, we are not staying. We have affairs to attend to.
- -Yes, the mysterious affairs of state, said the man with a touch of irony.
- -You said you were a captain Sir. May I ask captain of what? said D'Artagnan.
- -No, you may not actually.
D'Artagnan frowned his long eyebrows. He already hated the man, with his snobbish manners and his ridiculous title.
- -But, you may tell me why you are arresting my employee.
- -He caused public disturbance and almost made us loose the man we need to protect.
- -And who is that?
- -No one you need to worry about, said D'artagnan.
- -It's the Duke of Léant, sir, said the boy quickly before Porthos pushed him slightly.
- -Please, there is no need for violence here. I see why my employee stepped on your grounds, but I assure that it is nothing to punish. He was simply obeying to his orders, like you.
- -Orders you gave him ? asked Porthos.
A silence filled the room while the ''captain'' massages his head and sighs.
- -What were you planning to do with him? asked De Beaulieux.
- -We understand that it bothers you to lose an employee, but we are waited for and need to leave, said Porthos.
- -Great. To see Captain Treville ? I'm coming with you then. Marchand, please go change. I don't want to be seen with you dressed like this.
- -That is going to be hard considering that my hands are tied behind my back, said the boy.
- -Tss, tss. Don't be like that, said the captain.
The musketeers argued about the intelligence of this, but finally settled in because of the very insisting captain. They would allow the boy to change, but he would still be under close guard. While he was doing so, Sir de Beaulieux chatted like nothing was happening out of the ordinary. Finally, a woman got out the room where the boy went to change. Both musketeers' jaws dropped. The familiarity in the face was clear, but one that you find between brother and sister perhaps. The floppy hat, wide shoulders, tiny frame and leather costume were replaced by long hair, women's curves and a corset.
- - You forgot an eyebrow dear, said the captain.
The lady removed a fake piece of hair of her actual eyebrow while biting her lips and placed it in a small box. Then she smiled and said:
- -All ready now.
The two musketeers were still unsure of what to do and the captain smiled. His plan worked, with a woman, the musketeers are going to be much more forgiving and he actually really despised being with Abbygaëlle when she was dressed as a men.