Corinne stepped into the apartment room that she shared with her three best friends.
"Hey girls." She greeted as she walked towards her bed.
Aramina smiled "Hi." Then she sighed dreamily while working on her ballet poses "I love beautiful days. They're so romantic."
Renee rolled her eyes "Aramina, You think it's romantic when it's raining!" then she started mimicking "It's a perfect time for a girl to get her first…" then she shivered "You know."
Corinne laughed. It always marveled her how different they were from each other. If anyone had met each one before they became friends, they would have said there was no way those four girls would ever get along.
Viveca, was tan with chocolate brown hair and brown eyes. Her passion was designing clothes. She was slightly romantic, but not near as much as Aramina. Her favorite color is purple.
Renee, who was dark with black hair and dark brown eyes, was more into music. She could write a whole song in fifteen minutes and have the music to it. She could play anything her hands touched, although the violin was her favorite. Her favorite color is blue.
Aramina, was light with carrot red hair and greyish-green eyes. She was a romance fanatic. It didn't matter what kind of romance, direct, arranged, secret, or forbidden, she loved them all! And anything having to do with romance, such as poetry and ballet. Her favorite is green.
And Corinne was light with white blond hair and blue eyes. She doesn't really have a hobby, besides sword fighting. Her favorite color is pink.
The one thing that they all had in common was their jobs. They were all musketeers!
But even so, their weapons were different. Corinne used a sword; Viveca a set of ribbons, Renee a slingshot or bow and arrow, whichever was available at the time, and Aramina used fans.
Corinne sat down on her bed as her kitten, Miette, jumped up beside her.
"Oh, by the way." Renee said "The people of town are all riled up about some horse, or something."
Viveca nodded "Yes. They say that it's the most beautiful creature anyone has ever seen. They say she's a glittering white and her mane shines like gold in the sunshine."
Aramina's eyes grew wide "Sounds like something from a fairytale!"
"So… Why is everyone talking about it?" Corinne asked.
"They're trying to catch it." Viveca answered "But she keeps escaping. Some are starting to think it's a phantom."
Renee laughed "But we all know the answer to that. It's just a horse that knows how to escape a rope."
Corinne scratched Miette's ear "I'd love to see that horse."
"It'd be magical!" Aramina sat down at her desk.
"Hey, Corinne, have you been to see Louis today?" Viveca asked mischievously.
Louis was the young king of France, and a really close friend of Corinne's. She'd spend hours at a time with him, mainly riding in his hot air balloon.
Corinne shrugged "Yeah. We went up in his balloon earlier."
"And the landing?" Renee asked.
Corinne cringed "Don't even mention the landing. He capsized it. Again!"
"Why do you keep going up there?" Viveca asked "He tips the thing every time you land!"
"Because, she can't stay away." Aramina answered.
Corinne could feel the heat creeping into her face "I just like seeing Paris from the clouds."
"Uh-huh. Sure." Renee rolled her eyes "We all know the real reason."
"Well." Corinne stood up and headed for the door "Don't we have chores to do?"
"Yep." Renee sat aside her violin and sheet music, and then stood "We'd better hurry. You never know when trouble will strike."
The others agreed, and then headed for the castle.
Besides being full time musketeers, they were also full time maids. Which proved to be quite helpful when there was a plot against the king. No one, at first, really suspected the four pretty maids to be four fierce musketeers.
Later on that evening, when they were done with their work, Viveca asked if the others would like to go to town with her. of course they all said yes.
When they reached town, Renee ran into the music store, Viveca into the fabric store, and Aramina went to get some new ballet slippers, leaving Corinne standing alone on the sidewalk. So, she decided to walk around a bit.
"We could sell that creature for a fortune!" One man, standing by the corner of a building said. There were five other guys with him.
"Yeah." Another nodded "I'll bet we could all be millionaires!"
Corinne walked over to them "What's up?"
The six men looked over at her "You mean you haven't heard?"
The girl shook her head "What?"
"That wild horse!" the first man answered.
"I'm telling you! It's a phantom!" A different man said.
Corinne raised an eyebrow "I doubt it's a phantom. Probably just a really smart horse."
The six men grumbled, then went walking off.
Corinne sighed "Real smooth girl. Real smooth."
"What are you doing Corinne?"
The blond spun around to look up into the brown eyes of King Louis.
"Louis!" she exclaimed "What are you doing in town? Don't you know it's dangerous?"
Louis chuckled "I knew you were out. And I know nothing can possibly hurt me when I'm near you."
Corinne blushed slightly, and then turned back around.
"What were you talking to those guys about?" Louis asked.
Corinne shrugged "They're trying to catch a horse that they think is a phantom."
Louis led her over to the city gates and pointed to a hill in the near distance "That horse?"
Corinne looked to where he was indicating and gasped "She's beautiful!"
Standing on top of the hill was an angelic white horse. Her coat was shiny and white. Her mane and tail flew on the breeze. As the sun rays hit it, the mane reflected a brilliant gold.
All in all, the horse was breathtaking.
"I've never seen such a beautiful horse!" Corinne breathed "No wonder they're trying to catch it."
Louis nodded "Yeah. But they never will. She's a free spirit." he looked down at her and smiled "Kind of like you."
Corinne chuckled as she looked back at the horse just as it turned and ran away "She's just so…" she searched for the right word.
"Beautiful?" Louis finished, then he winked at her "Or was entirely gorgeous more appropriate?"
They both jumped and spun around as a loud outburst of laughter sounded behind them.
Corinne's face blanched as she saw her three friends. They were all laughing so hard they could hardly stand.
Corinne groaned. They'd probably heard Louis' last comment, but hadn't seen the horse!
Louis cleared his throat "I'm guessing this isn't good." He whispered.
Corinne rubbed her forehead "Probably not."
When the three's laughter finally subsided, Renee looked at her friend and the king "We should probably be heading back to the castle."
Corinne nodded "Yes. Please."
They all turned and walked away, none of them noticing the arrow that struck the wall three feet behind Louis.