It was in fact midnight on the hour when D'artanyan walked solemnly into the chapel to say his evening prayers. He was only somewhat surprised to see Anne, the love of his life and his hearts treason against France kneeling in front of the suffering Christ praying passionately. He was however, very surprised to see, upon walking closer, that she was weeping.
He walked closer to her, ready to offer any comfort he could. He kneeled beside her. "Anne my love, what's wrong?" He whispered. Anne could not respond as her voice was drowned in sobs, but she leaped up and threw herself into D'artanyan's arms.
D'artanyan began to stroke her silky black hair and tried to calm her. "Anne my darling, please tell me what is wrong, whatever it is, I will make it better."
Anne looked up from his shoulder and gave him a watery smile. "My love, sit with me here. I can not keep this from you any longer."
The 2 sat on a nearby bench. And Anne began to speak.
"D'artanyan, my love, forgive me but I can not keep this from you any longer. The day Louis was born, a second boy was born. A twin."
D'artanyan gasped softly.
"My priest and the king told me that he had died at birth. I believed that for so long.
But 10 years later, when the king was on his death bed, he revealed to Louis and to myself that he was still alive, living with an elderly couple. I was overjoyed, and wanted to bring him to the palace. But Louis..."
She paused and wiped her eyes, fighting to control her emotions so as to not draw to much attention to herself and to D'artanyan. She took a deep breath and continued
"But Louis ordered him imprisoned in the Bastille, and locked him into an iron mask, so as to keep their resemblance forever hidden."
She stopped speaking and allowed herself to break. She broke down into violent sobs which brought her down into D'artanyan's waiting arms. He held her there for a while, soothing her and rocking her back and forth. "Anne my love, you mean to tell me that I am a father of twins?" He said this in a way that was more of a statement than a question.
He felt her nod feebly into his shoulder. "Please don't be angry with me D'artanyan"
"No my love." He replied "I'm not angry with you. But I do however, feel that there is more you wish to tell me." Anne nodded again.
"Yes. There is." She swallowed. "Tonight Louis told me that the boy is extremely ill. He dosen't move much at all and he is not eating. He told me that Our son would not last more than a week."
Anne could not go on, for her emotions overpowered her once again.
"Shhhh" soothed D'artanyan, processing what he had just been told. If one of his sons was in danger, and he obviously was, then it was his job to rescue him, regardless of anything else. Quickly and efficiently, his mind started to formulate a plan.
"Anne, my love" he brought her face up to meet his. "Don't cry my darling, we're going to get him back. Tonight, right now."
Anne wiped her eyes. "But how?" She whispered "Louis refused to let me even visit him, even after I begged on my knees."
D'artanyan shook his head somewhat mischievously despite the circumstances. "Trust me love, I have a plan." And so he began to tell Anne his plan.
The plan was this: Anne would announce that very night that she wished to take a private religious retreat out in the country for 3 months, and while packing, she would take some of her finest jewels. She would then meet D'artanyan at a specific location just outside of the palace. He would be there, waiting with a carriage.
Together, they would ride to the Bastsille, and Anne would wait in the carriage while D'artanyan went inside and bribed the Governer with Anne's jewels and a considerable amount of money.
Surely, knowing the worth of some of the queens royal jewels, the Governer would agree to help them. Once he did, The Governer would lead him to Phillippe's cell and D'artanyan would come to free his son, who he would then carry outside to the waiting carriage. They would travel out into the country into an estate which D'artanyan owned, and after 3 months, they would send word to the palace that the queen had died of fever. Then they could legally marry and in that way, the small family would live together in peace for a lifetime.
Anne stared open mouthed at her forbidden lover. Then she smiled and threw herself into his arms. "You are a genius my love," then she stared at him in pure admiration for a long moment, before D'artanyan gently broke the comfortable silence. "Let's go get our son back."
"Just one more thing my love." Anne whispered with a smile "His name is Phillippe."
D'artanyan smiled, "Philippe." He repeated. He liked that name, it sounded like Honey on his lips. "Phillippe."
And after a quick and discreet kiss, the queen mother and the musketeer parted ways, running off into the night in their separate directions, knowing that the next time they met, their lives would change forever.