Corrine and Louis were walking back towards the castle from one of their many balloon rides.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Louis laughed as they walked up the castle steps.
Corinne chuckled slightly "Don't worry, Louis. I'm fine. As many times as I've hit my head on missions, the ground isn't going to hurt it much."
When they stepped in the door, Grand Visor Jameston was waiting, his arms crossed and a frown on his face.
"Good morning, Jameston." Louis greeted "Lovely day."
"I must discuss something with you." Jameston said without so much as a nod.
Louis sighed. Jameston had a habit of ruining a perfectly good day "Of course."
Corinne sent him a reassuring smile "I'll see you later, Your Highness."
"Just one moment!" Jameston snapped "I need to speak with you too, Young Lady."
Corinne's eyebrows lurched "Me?"
"Yes."
Louis frowned at the Visor "What does she have to do with anything?"
"Follow me and you'll find out." Jameston led the two to Louis' office and sat down behind the desk like he owned it "Please. Sit."
Louis crossed his arms "My desk."
"But I need to discuss this matter with both of you evenly."
Louis sighed and took the seat next to Corinne "What is it, Jameston?"
"I'll get right to the point." Jameston said "You two are spending too much time together."
"What!?" Louis and Corinne exclaimed in unison.
"You are together all the time."
"I'm a musketeer." Corinne said, her eyes sparking "If it's his safety you fear, don't worry."
"It's not his safety." Jameston snapped "It's his sanity!"
"Sanity?" Louis raised an eyebrow "I am perfectly fine. Corinne's not going to make me go insane."
"That's not what I meant." Jameston leaned forward and put his elbows on the desk "I think you are getting too close with this young lady." Louis opened his mouth to say something, but Jameston cut him off "You're constantly going up in that balloon. Your kingdom needs you!"
"And they have me." Louis said evenly "Just every once in a while, I need a break. So, I ask Corinne, who happens to be the only musketeer not afraid of heights, to go with me. What's the problem with that?"
"Your Highness, You need to keep your head out of the clouds and keep your feet on the ground!" Jameston stood up "There's only one way to take care of this problem. I forbid you two from seeing each other!"
Louis and Corinne both jumped to their feet "But…!"
"No talking!" Jameston interrupted "I don't want to see or hear of any interaction between you two!" he pointed at Corinne "Or someone's going to be going back home!"
Louis glared "And since when did you tell me what to do?"
Corinne shook her head and turned to face the king "It's okay, Louis." She said quietly "He's right."
Louis and the Visor looked at her in shock.
Jameston was sure that Corinne would have been his biggest problem. But no, she was giving up… peacefully?
Louis shook his head "But…"
"He's right." Corinne repeated "You need to take care of France. Not waste your time on me." She stepped away from the desk, turned back to face Louis and curtsied slightly "Your Highness." Then she left the room.
Louis sighed and his shoulder's drooped. Had she really just… walked away?
Jameston dusted a piece of invisible lint off of his jacket "Well, my business here is done."
The next couple of weeks were long and, kind of boring.
Corinne kept her distance, even though it was really hard. Especially when the girls were doing their maid jobs.
When Louis would pass them, Corinne would glance at him then look away quickly.
Aramina, Viveca, and Renee, who had been told nothing of what Jameston had said, became extremely confused.
As soon as Louis was gone, the three girls turned to face their blond friend.
"Okay." Renee said "Spill."
Corinne sat back on her heels and dropped her scrub brush onto the floor "Grand Visor Jameston forbade us to speak to each other."
"When did this happen?" Viveca asked.
"A couple weeks ago."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Aramina asked, almost pouting.
"It wasn't important." Corinne answered "It's what had to be done."
"Why?"
"Because, He's got responsibilities and…"
Viveca cut her off "Is it that, 'He's the king and I'm just a farm girl' thing again?"
Corinne shrugged "Well, it's true." She smiled "And besides, Jameston threatened my job as a musketeer! I've worked too hard to get here and there's no way I'm leaving now!"
Renee shook her head "You never cease to amaze me."
"Well," Aramina sighed "Well, I guess you need to move forward."
Corinne raised an eyebrow "Meaning?"
"Oh, you'll find out." Aramina giggled, glancing a something behind the blond.
Corinne's eyebrows furrowed "Aramina Lecour, what are you…?"
"Hello, Corinne." A voice said, cutting her off.
Corinne whipped around, a smile spreading across her face "Christopher!"
Christopher was a tall, extremely good looking, blond haired blue eyed musketeer.
Aramina sighed dreamily.
"Finally got back." Chris laughed "And I was wondering if you'd like to get a bite to eaT with me."
Corinne bit her bottom lip "Um… I don…"
"She'd love to!" Aramina piped up "We're just about done here!"
"Aramina, we just started." Corinne hissed.
"Oh, go on." Viveca waved at her "We're fine."
Chris chuckled "You know what they say. Never deny the orders of a musketeer."
Corinne rolled her eyes "Okay. I'm coming." Then she smiled "Come on."
As soon as they were out of sight, Aramina giggled "See? Moving forward."
"But what about Louis?" Viveca asked "He'll be heartbroken!"
Aramina sighed again "Ooh! Life is too complicated!"
Over the next few weeks, Corinne spent quite a lot of time with Chris. When she wasn't musketeering, cleaning the castle, or helping her friends, she was strolling around with the handsome musketeer.
Louis watched them. He couldn't help the jealous feeling he got when he saw them together, talking and laughing.
One evening, when he was watching them stroll around the castle, Corinne stood up on her tip-toes and kissed the boy on the cheek, then with one last smile, walked away.
Chris waved goodbye as he left, smiling brightly as he did.
Louis groaned "Okay. I need advice." He went and sought out Aramina "Excuse me, Aramina?"
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"Corinne and the musketeer, Chris."
Aramina giggled "Aren't they adorable!"
Louis backed up shocked "Yeah." Then he walked away "Well, there went that theory." He had been hoping that the Queen-of-all-things-romantic would just say that it was nothing. They were just really good friends.
He walked into his office and closed the door "Maybe… maybe Chris is better for her. I mean, he's a musketeer. He can go on missions with her, can sword fight with her." He huffed "She doesn't have to rescue him every time she turns around." He sat down at his desk "He's… perfect for her."
But it still egged him. He had to know for sure, and he had to hear it from her.
So the next day, Louis went and tracked down Corinne. She was strolling around the castle grounds with Chris.
"Excuse me." Louis said "But I must speak with Miss D'artagnon, alone."
Corinne's eyebrows furrowed "But we're not supposed to speak to each other."
"It's official business."
"Okay then." Corinne said slowly, then she turned to Chris "I'll see you later."
The musketeer nodded, then jogged away.
Louis led Corinne to a more out-of-the-way place, then just stood there quietly.
Corinne cocked her head "Louis? What did you need to talk to me about?"
"I…it's… Chris." Louis said quietly "What's… between you two."
Corinne's eyebrows shot up "Wait. You pulled me away, just to ask what was going on between me and Chris?"
"Yes?" Louis smiled sheepishly.
Corinne laughed. She couldn't help it! "I thought this was official business."
"Well… It's a matter of…" Louis thought for a second, then continued "Easing my conscience."
The smile on Corinne's face grew "Louis, are you… jealous?"
"Not really." Louis answered, sticking his hands into his pockets "Just concerned."
"For what?"
He looked up at her, his face completely sincere and honest "Of losing you."
Corinne stared at him, then shook her head "Louis. Have you ever heard the expression, Forever Yours?"
Louis nodded "Yeah."
"Well, there you go." Corinne could feel the heat creeping up her face, but she had to get it out "There is no one in this universe that can take me away."
Louis stared at her confused "But you really seem to like that Chris guy."
"Our fathers were close friends." Corinne pushed a piece of hair away from her face "We grew up together. He's like my brother!" she laughed softly "And besides, he's got a girl."
"But… you kissed him!"
"On the cheek!" The blond put her hands on her hips "You have been paying attention, haven't you?"
Louis nodded "Can I ask why you kissed him?"
Corinne smiled "He asked his girl to marry him and she said yes." She shoved his shoulder a little "Like I said, he's like a brother."
Louis sighed with relief and a bit of regret "I guess I really messed that up."
"No." Corinne shook her head "It's nice to know that you were worried. As far as I knew, I had been completely removed from your mind."
Louis took one of her hands "Never. No one could do that. Ever."
Corinne smiled "Good."
"Now, this is precious."
Louis and Corinne spun around to see Chris and the other three girls standing there smiling.
Corinne shook her head, walked over to Chris and laid a punch into his arm.
"Ow." Chris wined, rubbing his arm, then he walked over to Louis "By the way, Louis. I don't think you have to worry about any of the musketeers. No one wants a wife that can beat them in a sword fight."
Louis chuckled slightly "I'll remember that."
"Your Majesty!"
"Jameston." Corinne and Louis mumbled in unison.
"You are forbidden from seeing that girl!" Jameston snapped.
Louis shook his head "Forget it." Then he turned to the blond "My balloon is getting tired of being grounded. Want to go for ride?"
Corinne nodded quickly "Who am I to say no?"
"No!" Jameston shouted "No! No! NO!"
"Jameston!" Louis snapped, then he crossed his arms and smiled smugly "I can fire you."
Jameston's mouth opened then closed again "Fine." Then he turned around and stomped off.
"Ebenezer Scrooge." Chris chuckled "That is the kind of guy that comes into your dreams and turns them to nightmares."
Everyone laughed, then Corinne and Louis headed around to the back of the castle.
Aramina giggled "I knew if someone started showing interest he'd have to talk to her."
Viveca and Renee looked at her "You planned this?"
"Well, how else were they going to talk?" Aramina winked "It was all part of the plan."
(Short, sweet, simple… lame? What do you think? I'm hoping to do one of these based off of each of the Barbie movies! So, any suggestions or requests will be accepted! Laterz! Happy Reading!)
