Set near the end of the first season.
I like Treville's character and while later seasons are fitting I like to write a longer life for him. Please let me know what you think. I am no historian I just thought this might be an interesting plot line.
No copyright infringement intended, all characters from the show belong to the producers and writers; I write for fun
A Husband of Duty
He followed orders, even when he knew them to be more tedious than they were worth. The King wished to visit a local magistrate's court and observe his business. The King could be difficult at times and even foolish but his duty was not judge; only to keep his majesty alive and well.
Treville watched as matters were discussed and judged, punishment meted out. His eyes roved those who stood waiting to be heard and others listening to the matters. Athos and D'Artagnan stood nearby, both were also on guard; in a place like this there were many avenues to watch.
One face drew his, a young woman dragged forward by a man; he supposed to be her father. The woman looked terrified and the way the man shoved at her disgusted him. No matter what she had done there was no cause to embarrass her further and publicly.
As he listened his anger grew, the man had no proof and no one in this court seemed to care; and he asked a steep price of the girl. The man viewed his daughter as his property, and cheap at that; it was no way to treat a woman. Fifty lashes would break a woman, permanently mark her. Even the king who usually was entertained by proceedings looked cautious.
Treville took a step forward, struggling to maintain his calm, trying to figure out why he had this reaction. This was not the first time a father accused his daughter of improper conduct, it would not be the last; but he asked a severe punishment.
Already promised the man was angry at an investment lost but did he not remember the girl he raised. The woman with pretty blue eyes now full of tears. He heard the Queen whispering a protest, demanding the King intervene. He wasn't sure what he expected but the King stepped past him, taking command in two steps and making a declaration that made his head spin. "I propose a solution. Give the woman to my Musketeer Captain as a bride, let him settle the matter of her propriety and deal with it within his own house."
Of all the lines, the boundaries of propriety the King crossed often without thought this was the farthest he had gone. Treville had never married, the life of a career soldier was not a fair one for a wife, a wife waiting to hear whether her husband was alive or not. And yet now he was approaching retirement, likely closer in age to the woman's father than her. He did not need a wife, and yet it was not worth going against the King on the matter.
"Sire the matter of conduct cannot be proven here, monetary compensation does not replace the loss of honor. If you wish your Captain to take her as wife then he will take her punishment." The magistrate countered, nodding to the father; a fair court this was.
"Fine. Tomorrow, we will return, today they will marry to avoid any misconduct." The King dismissed the issue, a quick gesture of his hand had the father stepping back; the woman crumbled to the floor.
He allowed his disgust to show as he strode forward to lift her up, he was to marry her and he didn't even know her name but perhaps she would be better off with him. She was of noble birth or her father would not be at court over her conduct, marrying a soldier was a harsh step down in the world; though perhaps more than this court would have allowed her had the King not interfered.
She was a delicate little thing from the feel of her, however carrying her made it somewhat more difficult to watch over the King. He trusted his musketeers but glared at the smirks he saw, this was going to spread through the garrison faster than fire.
On the way back to the palace the King simply indicated a church, the carriages stopped and he waited for Athos to dismount, handing the woman down to him before dismounting himself. A servant was dispatched for rings and numbly he handed over the coin. The King and Queen strode into the church and in a few moments Treville was a married man who didn't quite know what to do.
When the royal family was safely back in the palace he turned his horse for the garrison, his musketeers smirking as the rode alongside him, stealing glances at the woman holding onto his waist. The yard became oddly quiet as he held his reigns steady to halt the horse.
Again he allowed Athos to help her dismount, her name was Magdalene at least he knew that much now; but little more. Dismounting after her Treville handed off the reigns to the waiting stable hand, generally he preferred to see to his own mount but today he had other things.
Leading her up the stairs he ignored the looks from musketeers and cadets, he shut the door to his office and quarters. He hated the way she cowered, flinched away when ever he was close. It was early evening and he had work yet to do, he doubted he would be allowed to go to the magistrate's court in peace tomorrow; it would likely be a spectacle the King would enjoy.
He didn't much care what she had or hadn't done, in many cases noble men used these laws as excuses anyway. Men allowed to live as they pleased and their women punished harshly for the slightest infractions. Either way he would enjoy wiping the smug look off that vile man's face, and it was a simple matter to deal with.
"You do not need to be afraid of me, I do not hurt women." He had been a soldier a long time and in all the things he had done he had never treated women or children with malice; he would not begin now.
"Why did you do it?" The first words she had spoken directly to him; the second phrase he had heard her say.
"It was the King's choice." He sat behind his desk, as she realized he wasn't going to control her she was beginning to look around. "I understand you were promised."
"My father arranged the marriage when I was a child." She murmured her eye swept the office, she peered to the small sectioned off quarters where he lived. "It was a business arrangement, part of the dowry was to secure their partnership."
Perhaps a lower level of nobility but all the same a much higher level than he should have ever wed. Blood did not necessarily mean honor as her own father had proved. It was hard to look at this young woman and think of her as his wife. What did this change?
He had not been a celibate man, but he had never had a woman he had been with fear him; he didn't want her to be afraid of him. Respect was one thing, but this woman had been pushed to the point of breaking; fear was almost conditioned in her.
He was an honorable man, and he considered himself to be fair but as a captain he always had to be firm; with her he couldn't. Perhaps she would feel free to explore her new home if he turned his attention to his work for a time.
