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Off-Balance
A Musketeer story by Deana

I planned this story for my 'Aramis Faints' collection, but it got wayyyyy too long to go in there, so here it is separate. I'm sure you don't mind. LOL

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"At least we have perfect weather for a long ride!"

"A very long ride."

"Are you complaining, Athos?"

"Of course not."

"I thought so."

The three musketeers finished saddling their horses and rode out the garrison gate, making their way through the city of Paris on their way towards the countryside.

Aramis couldn't resist stopping to buy some apples from a vendor in the marketplace, and Porthos made a face.

"Hurry up, Aramis, we haven't got all day, ya know."

Aramis looked up after he dismounted. "Hurry up? We have days of travelling ahead of us, will a few minutes make that much of a difference?"

Porthos laughed and looked at Athos. "What do you think?"

Athos gave him an expression that clearly said, 'who cares'?

Porthos sighed dramatically. "Fine, you have two minutes."

Aramis chuckled and headed over to the beautiful red apples and put six in a sack before handing the vendor some coins. He smiled pleasantly before mounting his horse, taking an apple, and tossing it at Porthos. "Was that fast enough?"

Porthos caught it with a grin and took a bite. "Yeah, I guess so," he said.

They were quiet as they rode out of town, and once they'd made it to a long, grassy field, Aramis took out one of his apples and bit into it. "Would you like one, Athos?"

Athos shook his head.

"It's been a while since we've been to Burgundy," said Porthos.

"Indeed," Aramis replied as he chewed. "I think that's why Athos is being so quiet; he's trying to control his excitement over the rare wine that we're picking up for the king."

Athos turned to look at him with an 'excuse me?' expression. "I'm always quiet," he replied.

"That you are, my friend," said Aramis. "The exact opposite of me. It's a good thing that Porthos isn't that way too or I would lose my mind!"

"But Aramis, you know what they say," Porthos told him. "Ya can't lose what ya never had."

Athos made an amused sound at that.

Aramis gave a gasp of mock-shock and put a hand on his chest. "Well, I never!" he exclaimed.

"That's what I just said," Porthos replied.

Aramis laughed.

The day was sunny and warm with a light breeze, and Aramis watched as a rabbit hopped through the grass in front of them.

"Hey," Porthos suddenly said. "You won't be able to visit the orphanage tomorrow."

Aramis nodded. Every Sunday after mass, he would spend a few hours visiting the children. It was always a joy to see the delight on their faces when he walked into the room. "I sent a message letting them know. They asked last week if you would come again and throw them into the Seine like you did the last time."

Porthos smiled and they both looked at Athos, who gave no reaction to his unexpected words.

"Definitely thinking about the wine," Porthos said.

Athos turned to look at them. "I heard every word that you said; I simply know you too well to believe everything I hear."

"Too well? What am I thinkin' right now?" Porthos asked.

In answer, Athos kicked his horse into a gallop and left them in the dust.

Porthos' face displayed shock. "He's right!" With that, he took off after him.

Aramis quickly followed, and all three of them went as fast as their horses could go, neck to neck, until another rabbit suddenly dashed in front of them.

Aramis' horse was startled and reared. He hung on as best he could, but Bella danced backwards and Aramis slipped off. He landed on his feet, but the horse backed up and Aramis scrambled back, tripping himself and landing on his rear end.

Athos jumped off his own horse and grabbed Bella's reins, pulling her away before she could trample her master.

Porthos ran over to Aramis, intending to pull him away, but didn't need to, as Bella quickly settled.

"That was unexpected," said Aramis, still sitting where he'd landed.

"Are you all right?" Porthos asked, kneeling beside him.

Aramis nodded. "Perfectly. My posterior took the full brunt!"

"Better that than your head," said Athos, still holding Bella's reins.

Porthos stood and reached down to help Aramis stand. "That was pretty impressive, how you landed on your feet."

"Yes...if only I hadn't tripped myself after!" said Aramis, grabbing his hand and letting Porthos haul him up.

Porthos chuckled and watched as Aramis walked over to Bella and stroked her nose.

"Didn't like the sight of that rabbit, did you?" Aramis asked.

Bella tossed her head as if saying 'no', making Porthos chuckle again.

Aramis smiled as he mounted, and they were off again.

The three musketeers rode more slowly—keeping aware for more rabbits—and Aramis was surprised when a wave of lightheadedness suddenly swept over him a few hours later. He listed a little to the left in his saddle, before righting himself and blinking it away. With a frown, he tried to figure out what had just happened, wondering if he'd unknowingly dozed off.

The day passed slowly as they rode, and Aramis felt dizzy one more time, after turning his head quickly to laugh at something that Porthos had said. He assumed that it was being caused by having jarred his head when he'd fallen, and decided to ignore it.

They slept under the stars and Aramis felt fine upon waking the next morning.

The day was sunny and a little warmer, and Aramis forgot all about what had happened to him the day before until they dismounted at a river when they stopped for water. Dizziness made his vision cloud over and he had to grab onto his horse to steady himself. It stopped as quickly as it had come, and for a moment, he wasn't even sure if it had really happened.

Porthos walked past him without noticing, and Aramis took his waterskin and followed. He knelt between both of his friends and reached towards the water to fill it…and everything unexpectedly turned black.

Athos watched in shock as Aramis suddenly fell into the water.

Porthos leaped to his feet before jumping in after him, grabbing his friend and lifting him towards Athos. "Tripped yourself again?!" he exclaimed, laughing.

"Porthos!" Athos said, reaching for Aramis but not able to grab him.

With a sinking feeling, Porthos realized that Aramis had not reached his hands up to be pulled out of the water, and he realized with shock that he was unconscious. He quickly pulled him back onto land, with Athos helping to drag him away from the edge. "What happened?!"

"I don't know," Athos said. He made sure their friend was breathing before pushing the wet hair out of Aramis' face and tapping his cheek. "Aramis!" he said.

With a gasp, Aramis woke. He started to cough, and the others helped him roll onto his side.

"What…" Aramis gasped. "Happened?"

"Don't you know?" Porthos exclaimed. "For no reason, you passed out and fell into the river!"

Aramis suddenly felt lightheaded again, and groaned, trying to roll onto his back.

The other two helped him, and Athos started removing Aramis' weapons belts. "Talk to us, Aramis," he said, in a commanding tone. "Tell us what's wrong."

Aramis raised an arm and put a hand over his eyes. "I've felt dizzy a few times."

"Since when?"

"Yesterday. It happened twice, but that was it. I thought it was nothing."

Porthos reached over to untie the blue sash around Aramis' waist as Athos placed the weapons aside. "Passin' out and fallin' into a river isn't 'nothing'! You could've drowned! Why you feelin' dizzy?"

"I don't know," said Aramis, nervously. "It seems to be related to moving my head."

"Did it start before or after your mishap with Bella yesterday?" Athos asked.

"After," Aramis answered, hand still over his eyes. "But I can't see a connection…I didn't hit my head, as you saw."

"There's nothin' else you can come up with that could be causin' it?" said Porthos.

Aramis sighed. "No."

Porthos echoed the sigh, as he and Athos together got Aramis' soaked jacket off. "We'll set up camp here," Athos said.

Twenty minutes later, Aramis was changed into dry clothes and was laying on his bedroll, covered with blankets. They'd reclined him slightly upright against his saddle, and sat staring at him.

"You are well-versed in medical matters," said Athos. "Have you any opinion at all of what may be wrong with you?"

Aramis sighed. "It would be easier to diagnose if there were more symptoms, but there are not. I feel fine."

"Except for the dizziness," said Porthos.

"It's not there right now," Aramis replied.

"If you develop anything else, anything," said Athos. "I expect you to tell us immediately."

"I will," Aramis promised.

They ate supper and Athos forced Aramis to go to sleep. It took a while for him to doze off; anxiety filled him more and more as he tried to figure out what had made him pass out. Athos and Porthos alternately kept watch overnight, sitting beside their friend whenever it was their turn.

Aramis woke a couple of times, once to see Athos poking Porthos' snoring form to get him to quiet down. "Too late," he said. "I'm awake."

Athos stopped poking Porthos—who was lying on the other side of Aramis—and went back over to his spot and sat down. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," Aramis told him. "Could I have some water?"

Athos grabbed a waterskin and pulled Aramis upright just high enough to drink.

Aramis drank his fill, sighing tiredly as Athos lowered his back down. "Thank you."

"Of course," Athos said. "Now sleep."

Aramis closed his eyes and obeyed.

The next morning, Aramis woke to an ache in his left ear. It felt like water was in it, and he kept sticking a finger inside and wiggling it around.

"What are you doin'?" Porthos asked him.

"There's water in my ear," Aramis answered.

"That is what usually happens when someone's head goes under water," Athos commented.

Aramis sighed. First he had to suffer the fright of an unexplained loss of consciousness, and now this.

Athos helped him recline against the saddle again and studied his face. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Aramis told him. "Except for this," he said, gesturing to his ear.

"I'm afraid time is the only thing that will help that," said Athos.

"Are we moving on?" Aramis asked, lowering his hand.

"That depends on you," Athos said. "I'm not inclined to think that there was no reason for you to pass out."

"We can't go back to Paris without the king's wine," Aramis told him.

"Burgundy has an inn," said Porthos. "We can get 'im there and then figure out what to do."

"Perhaps it truly was nothing and won't happen again," said Aramis.

Athos sighed. Porthos' words made sense. "We aren't going anywhere until you've eaten and drank enough to satisfy me and are able to confidently sit your horse."

"He can ride with me," Porthos said.

"I can ride myself," Aramis said. "I feel fine."

"We'll see," said Athos.

After they ate and Aramis drank half of Porthos' waterskin—having lost his own when he'd fallen into the river—Athos helped Aramis get his jacket on where he sat and tied the blue sash around his waist while Porthos saddled Bella.

"Ready?" Athos asked when Porthos returned with the horse.

"Yes," Aramis answered.

With that, they both pulled him to his feet and held onto him, watching to see if the upright position made him dizzy again.

It did, but it was minor, so Aramis said nothing, knowing that even normal people could feel that upon standing. "I'm fine," he said.

"No dizziness?" Athos asked.

"Just the barest hint," Aramis replied.

Athos' expression turned stern.

"I swear, just the slightest amount," Aramis told him.

Athos sighed, but said nothing. Getting Aramis to the inn in Burgundy where he could be seen by a doctor was still their best option.

The next step was getting Aramis onto his horse, and he managed fine with their help.

"Well?" Athos demanded as they watched him.

Aramis waited a few seconds before he answered. "No change," he said. "And that's the truth."

"If there is a change while we're ridin', you better say somethin'," Porthos said. "We don't need you to pass out again and break a bone from fallin' off your horse."

"Believe me, I don't want that to happen even more than you," said Aramis.

"Good." Porthos quickly refilled his canteen, and they were again on their way.

TBC