The sky was dark and gloomy and rain was pouring from the sky. It was eleven forty-five in the morning and almost looked like it was nine at night.
The day had been warm when the four Musketeers had set out at six-thirty. But at nine o' clock, the dark clouds had covered the sun and sent sheets of freezing rain down on them.
The four girls, different as night and day, but the most reliable and successful musketeers in France.
Corinne, a white blond with shiny blue eyes and a spirit and determination that didn't back down easy.
Renee, A dark, brown haired brown eyed who's first love was split between musketeering and music.
Viveca, A chocolate brown haired brown eyed fashionista.
And Aramina, a red haired, green eyed girl who's life was filled with thoughts of Romance, poetry and ballet.
Corinne pushed a sopping strand of hair from her face, only to have the rain push it right back down her forehead. She would have left on her musketeer hat, but it was soaked and heavy.
"Oi." Viveca groaned "My hair is going to be a matted mess!" she poked a limp, chocolate brown curl that was on top of her head "Can't we go back now?"
Corinne shook her head "No. Treville says that through rain, snow and sleet you stay on patrol…"
"Unless you see lightning." Renee finished with her.
The girls laughed, then Renee turned her attention to the unusually quiet, Aramina.
"What's up, Aramina?" Renee asked "It's just water. We're not going to melt."
"And besides." Viveca added "I thought you loved rain!"
Aramina looked at them solemnly "The day started out beautiful, then it suddenly turned dark and gloomy." She looked around warily "It means something bad has happened."
Corinne chuckled silently "Yeah. Viveca's hair got messed up and our hats look more like a beret than a musketeer hat." She held up the blue limp form "The feather is not happy."
That sent them all into another round of laughter just as a large streak of lightning split the sky.
"There's the lightning!" Viveca screeched "Time to head back!"
"Come on, Girls." Corinne said, turning her horse back towards the castle "Let's go."
Thirty minutes passed, and they still hadn't reached the castle. The sky had grown so dark, you would never have guessed it was noon.
Lightning streaked the sky every few seconds and the thunder rumbled through the air.
The horses that the girls were riding kept jumping and shying away from the massive streaks of light.
"It's okay, Wind Dancer." Corinne soothed, rubbing her white mare's neck "We're almost there."
"This is a bad storm!" Renee shouted over the wind.
"Then something really bad must have happened!" Aramina answered.
Renee rolled her eyes and sent Corinne a 'Really?' look.
Then there was a bright flash of lightning that momentarily blinded them. Then the sound of cracking wood echoed around them.
The girls looked around frantically, trying to see through pouring rain.
Corinne rode Wind Dancer forward a little a glanced around. Just then, a large shadow appeared right in front of her and a large oak tree slammed to the ground.
Wind Dancer neighed frantically and rose up on her hind legs so fast, it sent Corinne crashing to the ground.
"Corinne!" Renee called, trying to calm her own horse down "Are you alright?"
"Yeah." Corinne answered, getting back to her feet. She slowly approached her panicked horse "Hey girl, calm down."
The horse snorted, but finally stood still.
"That's my girl." Corinne said softly, rubbing the horse's muzzle "We'll be home soon." She then mounted back up "Come on. The castle can't be too far away."
So, they rode around the tree, and what seemed like a lifetime later, the horses stepped into the shelter of the stables.
Corinne slid off of Wind Dancer's back and leaned against her stall door "That has to be the hardest mission ever." She teased slightly.
"Yeah." Renee nodded, pushing her hair out of her face "Who knew rain could be more challenging than an army with swords?"
Viveca pulled a mirror out of her horse's saddle bag, then looked into it. After a few seconds, she glanced up a Corinne, then back to the mirror.
"What?" Corinne asked, pulling the saddle off her horse.
Viveca snickered "We look bad. You look worse."
Corinne raised an eyebrow "I can imagine."
"We're only covered in water." Viveca continued "You. Water, mud, dirt, leaves, and even a couple of sticks."
Corinne shook her head and smiled "Hey. At least I'm still alive." She looked around "Where is Serge?"
Serge is the stable hand.
"I don't know." Aramina said, grabbing a brush that was hanging on the wall.
As the girls began to get their horses comfortable, the storm got worse and the rain pounded louder and louder. It got so loud, that it did you no good to talk. No one could hear you!
The girls had just put their horses in the stalls when Serge came running in.
"Girls!" He shouted when he saw them "We've been waiting for you!"
"Sorry!" Corinne answered "We got a little delayed by falling trees!"
Serge nodded "We need you in the castle immediately! Something terrible has happened!"
All eyes turned to Aramina who was nodded slowly "I thought so."
"Then what is it?" Renee snorted.
Aramina glared at her "I'm not psychic!"
"What's happened?" Corinne asked.
Serge just looked down at the ground "Treville wants to tell you." When he looked up, he looked straight at Corinne "He thinks it might be better this way."
Corinne glanced back at her friends "Why is he looking at me like that?"
"Come on." Renee said "Let's go see what's wrong."
The girls stepped to the entrance of the stables and looked at the pouring rain.
"Well." Corinne said "We can't look much worse."
Viveca snorted "Let's just get it over with."
The girls laughed, then made a run for the castle.
By time they got in the door, all of them had mud on one part of their dress or another from slipping.
Aramina had slid down the stairs, but luckily, nothing was torn or broken.
They pushed through the door laughing, water pouring off of them.
"That was cold!" Viveca gasped "Really cold!"
Corinne shook her head, sending a spray of water flying everywhere.
"Hey!" The other three shrieked.
Corinne laughed "Sorry."
"Girls." An elderly lady, Madame Helene, said stepping around the corner "They're waiting for you in the throne room."
"Sorry about the water." Aramina smiled sheepishly "We'll mop it up as soon as we're done."
"Don't worry about it." Madame Helene looked over at Corinne "I can take care of it. You may not be up to cleaning when it's over."
Corinne's eyebrows rose in confusion. Once again, the person had looked straight at her. Why?
The four girls headed down the hall. As they walked, Corinne undid the already limp bun that was sagging at the nap of her neck and began to pull the leaves and twigs out of it.
On their way, they passed a few musketeers. They nodded to the girls, but wouldn't make eye contact. Then they'd send Corinne a sympathetic look, shake their heads, then turn their gaze to the ground.
"Something has to be really wrong." Corinne thought, her heart starting to pound in her chest as her feet started moving faster "It must be mom." then she broke into a run, leaving her friends staring after her.
She pushed into the throne room and immediately ran to the captain "Is my mother alright?"
Treville looked at her shocked, then smiled weakly "Yes, Corinne. Your mother is fine."
Corinne sighed with relief "Then what's wrong?"
Treville waited till the other three girls showed up before he spoke. He motioned Count Draco Sournois over to him.
The Count was tall with slicked back black hair and almost black eyes that really stood out against his pale skin.
When no one was around, Renee would tease and call him a vampire. Corinne had to admit, he looked like one.
"Count Sournois had a meeting with King Louis this morning at seven-o-clock." Treville said slowly.
That's when Corinne realized that Louis was not sitting on his throne. Nor was he anywhere in the room. A dread formed in the pit of her stomach, making breathing a challenge. Surely not.
Treville turned his hat in his hands "At seven fifteen, he went up to see if the King was in his room and found him… Dead."
(WARNING: This story and Fit For Royalty have a lot in common. I was writing them at the same time and didn't realize their similarities until a few weeks ago. But, they're also very different, so please read! Oh yeah, and some parts are going to be a little Out-Of-Character for Corinne. But please, bear with me. Thanks!)