`It was a dark night. An eerie mist hovered above the ground casting a strange shadow on the surrounding trees. The moonlight added to the eerie feeling.

There wasn't an animal or cricket awake. There wasn't a sound, save the sound caused by four wagon wheels hurrying along. Four horses running as fast as they could and their owner urging them to go faster.

Positioned in a tree alongside the route was a girl. Her hair white in the moonlight, her ice blue eyes sparking with the intensity of an untamed fire.

As the wagon drew closer, she drew her golden sword from it's sheath and at the last moment leapt from tree and landed in the wagon "Surprise!"

"Halt the wagon!" A man in the back shouted.

As the wagon jerked to a halt, the girl leapt to the ground "Release the Prince or pay the price!" she demanded, holding out her sword.

"Attack!" The leader shouted.

Immediately. Men leapt from the wagon, pulled out thier swords and charged

The girl's sword flew at lightning speed, holding off every weapon around. No one could get close.

"Ha!" She smiled, knocking the men away "You cannot defeat me!" she pointed at the leader "For I am a musketeer!"

The leader held up his hands in surrender "What is your name?"

"Corinne D'artagnon!"

Corinne snapped out of her daydream to see the Captain of the musketeers, Treville, standing in the doorway.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Stay out of the weapon room!"

Corinne cringed and returned the two swords she had been messing with to their proper racks.

"Do not make me forbid you from using bobby pins!" The captain shook his head "Give me the padlock/"

Corinne reached into her pocket, pulled out the lock and threw it to him "Sorry Captain."

"I've heard that one before." He shook his head again "Get out of here. You're late for work."

She gasped "Not again!" then she took off running "Bye, Captain!"

Treville groaned "If it wasn't for her parents, I would ban her from the castle yard."

Corinne ran for the castle at top speed "Madame De' Bosse is going to kill me!" she skid to a stop and looked across the yard to where a large object was laying on the ground.

A giant basket-shaped thing was laying on it's side connected by ropes to a whole bunch of purple fabric.

She cocked her head one way then the other "I still have no idea what that is." then she shrugged and took off for the castle again.

She ran into the front hall and skid to a stop beside her friends.

"You're late!" De' Bosse scowled "Again!"

Corinne smiled "But not as late as I was yesterday."

"I want this castle spotless!" De' Bosse ordered "And, Corinne. Because you are late, you all will be working late! Now get to work... all of you!" then she stormed off.

"Corinne, where were you?" Renee demanded.

"Sorry." Corinne shrugged "I..."

"Don't you dare say you slept in." Viveca interrupted "Because we would have seen you when we woke up."

All the castle maids slept in an apartment located right inside the castle gates. Corinne, Aramina, Viveca, and Renee all shared one large room while Helene, an older maid, and Marie, Corinne's mother shared another. Madame De' Bosse, the head maid, had her own room.

"I just went for a walk." Corinne answered "Getting some air, you know?"

"Oh. Who can blame you?" Aramina sighed dreamily "I love sunrises."

Corinne just smiled and started down the hall. Okay, so the walk wasn't the complete truth, but she didn't think she could tell them the real story.

It wasn't that she didn't trust them, because she did! They were her best friends! But... everyone she'd ever met laughed at the idea of a girl becoming a musketeer, which by the way was her biggest dream! She just didn't want to risk their friendship.

But someday they would know. Because she would be the first female musketeer in history!

"Calling Corinne." Renee said "Dispatch from Mars calling Corinne." she tapped on the blond's head "Is there any intelligent life form on planet earth?"

Corinne frowned "What?"

"Are you sure you weren't late from sleep walking?" Renee asked "You're pretty zoned."

"I'm fine. Just really want to get done cleaning so we're out of here by midnight."

"Good point." Viveca nodded "I agree. Let's get busy. A girl needs her beauty sleep!"

Corinne was washing one of the large windows in the throne room when her mother found her.

"Treville came and talked to me." Marie said "He told me you picked the lock into the weapon storage... again."

Corinne smiled sheepishly "Sorry, Mom. I just can't help it!" she shrugged "All those sword just... call me!"

"Corinne. I know you want to be a musketeer like your father, but you have to be sensible!"

"I am! The training grounds is the only place to train." the girl shrugged her shoulder "How can I be musketeer if I can't train?"

"Honey..."

"I know. You hoped I would grow out of this 'fantasy' when I got older." she shook her head "But I haven't. I believe I can be a musketeer! I just have to train!"

"I believe you can do it too, Corinne." Marie said "But if you keep breaking into the weapon room, Treville's going to have us removed from castle property. We'll lose our jobs."

"Sorry, Mama." Corinne sighed "I'll... stop."

"Thank you." Marie gently touched her daughter's cheek "We've got work to do. The royal family is expecting guests for dinner tonight. Which means..."

"Setting up the large dining room." Corinne finished with her "Oh joy."

Prince Louis stepped into his father's office "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes." King Edward nodded, looking up at the prince "I believe you remember our discussion from yesterday."

"Unfortunately, yes." Louis responded "The whole, find a bride, thing."

"Well, several dignitaries are coming to dinner." the king continued "They're bringing their daughters. I want you to... what is that?"

Louis looked down at the small balloon model in his hand and smiled "Um... nothing?"

"You're not focusing on that ridiculous flying machine again are you?" The king shook his head "Louis. How many times do I have to tell you, man will never fly!"

"Oh, Honey." Queen Anabelle, who was sitting in a chair reading, spoke up "Leave him alone. Everyone has a right to their dreams."

"I believe Uncle Edward is right." Philippe, Louis' cousin, said "Louis should be focusing on the upcoming coronation. Not a silly flying machine."

"But it could work!" Louis started to argue, but his father cut him off.

"Save it for later, Louis. We have guests coming to tonight." He pointed a warning finger at his son "I don't want to hear one word of this mentioned to them. Understand?"

"Yes, Father." Louis nodded slowly then turned and left the room.

Corinne stepped back as the Prince walked by, looking dejected. She frowned "What kind of way is that to treat a dream?"

He was a good thirty feet from her when she'd mumbled that, but somehow her heard her.

He turned and looked back at her, a slight smile on his face "I'm afraid my father never had many dreams beside taking over France." he shrugged "He doesn't understand."

Corinne smiled "Well... maybe you can prove him wrong... when you fly."

He stared at her for a long moment then nodded "Thank you." then walked away.

Corinne slowly turned to return to her work.

Louis stopped and looked over his shoulder just as she disappeared around a bend. A smile crossed his face then he continued on his way.

(Okay... I know that was like a lot to happen in a small chapter, but I thought I would go ahead and get most of the characters introduced. And, believe it or not, I've been playing with this idea for over a year! Turquisea, you convinced me to do it. I know there's someone else on here that has written a 3mus Fanfict kind of like a Cinderella, so (to that writer) if you would rather me not write this, please left me know and I will take it down. I promise. Well, Laterz! Oh yeah... School's in! Now, the reason I'm cheering... My mom needs internet to do her schoolwork so guess what... FASTER UPDATES! WOOHOO!)