Athos stepped out of Roger's saddle and looked at the burnt out husk that used to be his family home. Even though it had been nearly a decade since he had last been here, the property was in good condition. Some work had even been done around the house to allow entrance to the main floor. He assumed it was by the person wanting to purchase the lands.
The former Comte de la Fere walked along the front of the building, Roger keeping pace with him. "I have a feeling you know something about what's going on, old friend. Would you tell me if you were able?"
As Roger lowered his head a bit and tucked his chin in what Athos had come to recognize over the years as a thinking position, he sensed movement behind them. Trained Musketeer horse that he was, Roger barely twitched an ear, but Athos turned to look. Standing there, watching him was a white mare.
"Hello, beautiful. What are you doing out here by yourself?" Athos asked softly, without trying to approach.
At his words, the mare shook her head and turned it to show a ragged scar on her right cheek. Roger moved past his rider to walk to the mare and touch muzzles with her, making soft snuffling noises. "You're still a beauty." he reassured her. "Would you care to join us? As I'm sure he's already told you,that's Roger, and my name is Athos."
He started walking again and the two horses joined him. The mare walked right up next to him with no fear. As they walked, he carried on a one sided conversation.
"This was my family estate at one time. Many years ago, an - acquaintance - set fire to it in her hatred of what it represented to her. I couldn't blame her, as I had walked away from the place several years before for the same reasons. I swore I would never come back here after that."
The mare whiffled.
With a short laugh, Athos answered, "Yes, it is confusing. I am here on the spur of the moment to make a decision. To decide if I want to let this place rot back into the ground or if I should allow it to be sold to a mystery buyer who wants to put it to good use, I am told.
"My first inclination was not to sell. As much as I don't want to be here, it is my family home, the last connection I have to that name. But, there is no reason to let it all go back to nature if it can be used for a good purpose. And help the people of Pinon, who should not be hurt further than they were by my hatred and memories."
Both horses nodded in response.
At the back pf the property, he could see the small cottage that Catherine had been living in when the people of Pinon had brought him back. He wondered if she had ever moved on after their last confrontation in Paris.
"GET OFF THIS PROPERTY!" came the shouted command, answering his thought. "And take that damn white horse with you!"
"Catherine. It's me, Athos." he called out to her.
"I know who you are, get away from here."
A woman in tattered clothes with long straggly hair stood to one side of the cottage, apparently having come from from the woods. She held a loaded bow pointed at him.
"Catherine. Put the bow down and let's talk. Please."
"You betrayed me - twice. Because of that woman. Where's the white horse?"
Athos looked to the side and realized the mare was gone. He hadn't heard any movement from her.
His green eyes met Roger's brown ones with a silent question, but Roger just blinked.
Seconds later, Catherine was yelling as the mare took hold of her collar from behind, surprising her so she dropped her bow. Athos and Roger rushed over and Roger put his foot down precisely so it was in the bow without breaking it. The mare let go of Catherine and stepped back, out of the way as the woman turned to swing at her. Athos grabbed her arms and held onto her for a few seconds until she calmed down enough to talk.
"That horse is possessed. Just like it's owner." she cried.
"You know who she belongs to."
"I haven't met the woman, but she shows up and all the animals flock to her. She heals them and they follow her like dogs, even the wildest stags in the forest. She goes through the woods and disables all my traps. I've been living on vegetables and the occasional rabbit or pheasant for the last year. If it's not her, it's this blasted horse. Too smart to be normal, tripping my snares."
"This woman, what does she look like?" Athos asked anxiously.
"Why does it matter? I'm the one living here. I should be the one with the rights, not them. As always, you worry more about another than you do about me. When it's your fault, I must live like this in the first place."
"Catherine." Athos used his Musketeer captain tone.
"Fine." she huffed. "She's short, with long white hair. And some mark on her face. I don't know what, I've never seen her close enough."
"I think I know." he mused. "And that woman is most likely going to be the new owner of the property. So you will either have to make your peace with her or find another place to live."
"You can't do that to me. My reputation is - "
"Is of no regard to anybody anymore. If it ever really was. You chose your path of disgrace by staying here. You could have left, gone where nobody knew what happened, but you didn't, choosing to blame myself and my wife. I should have made you go all those years ago, but I felt sorry for you then. No longer. You know your choices. Pick one."
Athos mounted Roger, and they and the mare traveled back to the front of the property and the manor. He dismounted and this time, did move closer to the mare, who just stood there, although he could see she was trembling.
"Trying not to run? Or disappear like you did earlier? Good choice." His voice was cool, but not cold and hard. "Interesting new trick you've learned. We have some talking to do when you're ready. Especially if you want this land. Aramis knows how to reach me."
He reached a hand out and she stood there, her blue eyes wide as he laid it on her scarred cheek. His voice was almost a whisper now, "Do you think this changes anything?" He stepped in and kissed her forehead. "Don't wait too long now that I know. Please. I've waited long enough to have you back."
He got back on Roger and rode away from his former home, thinking that he'd have to go back on his word and would be coming back more often in the future. And he let the tears flow as he looked forward to that future.