A/N: There is a brief mention of Ep 2, then this chapter follows EP 3-5
Le Parfum Des Saisons
Being tied to barrels full of gunpowder was not part of the plan, turns out Vadim knew who D'Artagnan was from the beginning, Vadim also didn't care that D'Artagnan was Omega; luckily he was able to untie himself and get away before the barrels exploded. Killing the criminal hadn't been part of the plan, but he was stopped and Paris was safe.
The mission also seem to have settled whatever had been bothering Athos, the Alpha now more inclined to allow D'Artagnan to join in their missions, missions that the Omega was more than happy to take now that it became known that a Omega was staying at the Bonacieux resident; a unmated male Omega. Constance and D'Artagnan enjoyed watching her Bonacieux throw out the pushy suitors, for Constance it was because she enjoyed seeing her mate be all Alpha-like, a sight she rarely saw and made her all hot and wet (much to D'Artagnan's discomfort).
For D'Artagnan, it remained him of his time in Gascony when he was getting close to his heats and his father would be chasing away suitors, while his mother laughed in the background. The only thing missing was the musket. Both he and Constance had started making bets on how long a suitor would last before Bonacieux was throwing them out.
Suitors aside, D'Artagnan was greatly enjoying his time with the three Musketeers, a bond stronger then brotherhood, honorable and a wicked sense of humor. They didn't treat him any differently, though there was some flirtation that was more than welcomed (all four made sure not to do so in front of Bonacieux, after the mission with Vadim that got him thrown in jail, the Famille Alpha barely tolerated the three Alphas now), he was also finding out that he didn't mind it when one of them stepped in to scare off a pushy Alpha or two when they were at the Tavern or out and about in Paris, he welcomed it actually.
Ever since his defeat at the three Musketeers' hands in the Garrison, D'Artagnan wanted nothing more than to roll onto his back, and let the three Alphas scent him, before spreading his legs and letting them fuck, and knot him.
It was very distracting thoughts at times, but it wasn't just that, the more time he spent with them the more he found himself imagining what life would be like as their Omega. Being heavy with their children. Yes, all three, it wasn't uncommon for an Omega to bond with more than one Alpha. Granted, the Alphas in question were usually family members and not friends, but D'Artagnan had a feeling it wouldn't be a problem for the three.
"It sounds like you may be developing feelings for them" Constance said over dinner after the other Omega told her about how he is feelings, "your instincts are just telling you first"
"Was it the same for you with Bonacieux?" D'Artagnan asked.
Constance gives a small smile, "our bonding was arranged," she explained, "I was just lucky that I was bonded to an Alpha like my husband, he may seem gruff, but he is kind"
"That I know" D'Artagnan smiled, "so what should I do? About Aramis, Athos, and Porthos I mean"
"Well, what would you usually have done if you were back in Gascony?" asked Constance, they hadn't gotten a chance to talk about Gascony courting.
"Well, if an Omega shows an interest in a suitor, then they challenge them to a Courting Duel"
"Courting Duel?" Constance said surprised.
She had expected that perhaps the Omega approached the suitor instead of the other way around, not a duel of all things "Why a duel?" she then asked.
"How else can we be sure a mate will be able to protect us" D'Artagnan stated.
It made sense she suppose, an Omega relied on their mate to protect them and their family, "As you know" Constance then said, "it's the suitor who approaches the Omega's family for the Omega's hand in Bonding"
D'Artagnan gives a thoughtful hum as he picks at his chicken, it was still too early to be sure of anything, for all he knew it could be just a passing fancy; perhaps he should just wait and see what happens.
~.~
He had a meeting with the Queen and King, it was both the most frightening and exciting few hours of his life, the Queen was as beautiful and kind as the rumors say. Her presence remained him of his mother, gentle but strong strength nature. The King on the other hand was a bit naive, almost innocent in a way; which stirred his protective and maternal instincts. He was also fascinated with D'Artagnan being an male Omega, apparently there has never been one in Paris before.
No sooner did he finish that meeting was he summoned to the Cardinal's office; it had been a very uncomfortable hour to say the less.
Months and missions go by, and soon the four became inseparable, they were always seen together expect when D'Artagnan had his heats. During those times, he's holed up in his room for three days wrecked with pleasure. However, it was the days before his heats that were the problem, more often than not he found himself under heated stares from his three friends. Heated stares that made it harder to remember that bending over the nearest surface and begging them to knot him was a bad idea.
Also that passing fancy, wasn't a passing fancy, his feelings for the three Musketeers had grown to something he could dare say love, and it seems that those feelings could possibly be returned. It was the possibly that had him pausing and pushing back those Heat induced thoughts, it was also why he decided to go with the Paris's courting tradition of letting them approach Bonacieux in his hand in Bonding, instead of demanding a Courting Duel, so far nothing.
He was beginning to reconsider that decision.
"You're quiet"
D'Artagnan blinks out of his thoughts and looked over at Athos riding next to him, the Alpha was looking at him with curiosity and a bit of concern.
"Merely thinking" D'Artagnan said with a small smile.
"About what?" Athos asked.
"Gascony" he answered, it was more or less true.
"Do you miss it?"
"Sometimes"
"Ever want to go back?"
D'Artagnan wondered what the Alpha's expression would be if he said yes.
"No, I'm having too much fun here"
Athos smirked before turning his attention to the wagon in front of them, he could hear the man they were escorting to Paris and the King, Emile Bonnaire; spinning a tale to Porthos, before looking up at the sky. They still had more time before sun down and they would be forced to stop.
"You know, we could walk to Paris quicker than this" D'Artagnan suddenly said, "ditch that wagon, and we might make process"
"Bonnaire hopes his exotic gifts will soften the King's mood" said Athos.
"Do you think he's right?"
"It's cost us nothing to humor him"
D'Artagnan chuckled.
"We're being followed!" Aramis called as he rides towards them, "the two men dressed in black" he informed as he pulls his horse up alongside Athos, "about a mile behind"
"The men from the inn?"
"Yes" Aramis confirmed
"What are they waiting for?"
They stop an hour before sun-down, Aramis goes with D'Artagnan to collect firewood, while Athos and Porthos remain at their temporary campsite to guard Bonnaire, and watch out for the men in black. When the fire starts burning Bonnaire shares his rich and exotic food supply
"Tell me lad, where are you from?"
D'Artagnan looked up from where he was attending to his horse Belle, she had gotten a bit restless when they had stopped, no doubt spooked by something.
"Gascony" the Omega answered once he got over being startled and stared at the Alpha's grin, the grin reminded him of the stall owners in the market trying to get people to buy their items.
"I've heard of it, a farming village"
D'Artagnan nodded, and wonders what the other was up to, he could also feel the gaze of his three friends watching them.
"I've heard, Omegas over there can own land"
"We can" D'Artagnan confirmed. "or inherit it"
Bonniare doesn't miss the "we", "You're an Omega?"
D'Artagnan nodded, not at all surprised that the Alpha couldn't tell, the scented oils that Bonacieux insisted he put on when on away missions hid his Omega scent. At first the three Musketeers weren't fond of it judging from the way they wrinkled their noses, but once it was explained it was the only way his Famille Alpha would let him go on missions, they welcomed it with open arms.
D'Artagnan jumped and his eyes widen in disbelief when Bonnaire suddenly leans in close and sniffs his neck!
"Ah, there it is" Bonnaire said, then gives a soft pleased rumble, "a pleasantly unique scent too"
He takes another sniffs.
"Oh, and you're unbounded"
There are suddenly three growls, and Bonnaire gives a loud yelp when he's grabbed by the collar, dragged, then dumped next to Athos by Porthos who then sits down next to him. Bonnaire gives a nervous grin at the three glares directed at him, message received.
With D'Artagnan, the Omega stands there blinking before turning back to Belle, as he pets the horse, a grin slowly grows on his face.
~.~
Morning came and they were on their way once more, Athos suggesting it was best to keep off the roads to avoid the men in black, soon they find themselves under attack by Bonnaire's business partner, and Porthos is gravely injured. Forcing them to stop in a nearby town, upon entering an empty manor, they discovered that Athos was of nobility.
The next thing anyone knew, Bonnaire's wife was dead, and D'Artagnan was pulling Athos out of the burning manor.
"What happened?" D'Artagnan asked, kneeling down next to the Athos who was on his knees, staring at the burning building.
"Since the moment we arrived, I've felt her presence" said Athos, voice dazed, hair and face dripping wet from when the Omega poured water on his head, "thought I was imagining it"
"Who?" D'Artagnan asked urgently.
Why wouldn't Athos look at him?
"My wife, she died five years ago, she died by my orders"
His dead wife did this? And he still wouldn't look at him.
"She was a murderer." Athos rambled on, "I had her hung by a bunch of a tree"
"Athos look at me, look at me, Athos!"
Confused and frustrated, D'Artagnan grabs the other by his collar and forced the Alpha to look at him, he is shocked to see the broken look in the man's eyes.
"Are you saying" the Omega finally spoke, "the ghost of your dead wife tried to kill you?"
"She's not dead D'Artagnan" Athos said, voice cracking with emotions the Omega has never heard before, "she survived"
"This was her…revenge?"
"It was my duty" Athos said instead of answering, leaning closer to the other, "it was my duty to uphold the law! My duty to condemn the woman I loved to death, I clung to the belief that I had no choice"
Athos's hands take hold of his shirt and shakes him, "Five years!" he nearly sobbed, "five years, learning how to live in a world without her" the Alpha then lets him go, hands falling completely to the ground, looking at the Omega with an expression of lost. "What do I do now?"
D'Artagnan doesn't know what to say, instead he lets instincts take over and pulls Athos into his arms, the Alpha whines and rest his head on the Omega's chest, D'Artagnan's hands cradles him there, as he rocks them back and forth.
He is not sure how long they stay like this, sitting on the ground in front of the burning building, D'Artagnan's clothes becoming wet; though he suspects it isn't because of Athos's wet hair and face, and to be honest it doesn't matter, all that did was the Alpha clinging to him.
"D'Artagnan"
"Hm?" D'Artagnan hummed softly, running his fingers through the now damp hair, having removed his gloves some time ago.
"You can let go now"
D'Artagnan takes in how tightly he was being held before speaking.
"Do you want me to?"
"….No"
The Omega gives a little smile and doesn't let go.
~.~
Athos made him promise not to tell Aramis and Porthos about that night, and he keeps that promise, the promise also seem to had made them closer, and there were times D'Artagnan had caught Athos's hand twitch whenever he was within reach. As though he wanted to touch the Omega, perhaps even pull into his arms.
He arrived at the Garrison after lunch with the Queen and King, it was becoming something of a regular, either the King seem to genuinely like him, or he really found the fact of an Omega trying to become an Musketeer amusing, D'Artagnan was going with the former, but only because of the subtle hints that were thrown into the conversation about available Alpha nobles. He also noted that Queen was asking a lot of questions about Aramis.
He really hoped it was just genuine curiosity and nothing else, for both the Queens' and Aramis' sake.
"D'Artagnan!"
D'Artagnan smiled as he goes over to the usual table; he settled between Porthos and Aramis.
"So how was lunch with the King and Queen?" Porthos asked.
"Nice" D'Artagnan answered, and then a thought came to him.
Ever since the incident with Bonnaire, thoughts that perhaps his feelings for the three Alphas could be returned had plagued him, of course it could be that they were just being protective of him in place of his Famille Alpha. It also didn't help that all three became a bit more affectionate towards him, and making the Omega lean towards the former, he decided to test that theory.
"Had an interesting conversation with the King" the Omega then said, keeping his voice light and conversational.
"What about?" Aramis asked glancing up from where he was cleaning his gun.
"Bonding"
All three Alphas tensed up.
"He was very focus on talking about available Alpha nobles"
"Ah" Aramis mumbled, and goes back to cleaning his firearm, movements now stiff.
"He even offered to introduce me to a few"
That had surprised the Omega, and he had nearly choked on his wine when the King had offered to be his Famille Alpha instead of Bonacieux, thankfully the Queen had taken the Alpha King's attention before the Gascon could answer.
"You don't say" said Porthos, before stuffing his mouth with the rest of the food he had been eating.
"Fascinating" Athos mumbled, the look on his face said it was anything but fascinating.
It took all of D'Artagnan's willpower not grin. At least that answered his question.
Before he could continue on, Treville called them up to his office.
"It was broken when I got there!" is the first thing Aramis blurted out when they entered the room and the door closed.
Treville gives him a look, Porthos snickered, Athos looked exasperated, and D'Artagnan wondered how one man could get into so much trouble by himself.
"I'm sure there is a headache induced story to go along with that statement" Treville finally sighed, "one I will hear about later, at the moment I'm informing the four of you that you'll be doing guard duty for the meeting with the Duke of Savoy in two days"
D'Artagnan noticed how the air in the office goes tight and Aramis's eyes dimmed, he was tempted to ask, but, a) had a feeling such a question was best asked in privacy, and b) has some doubt he would get an answer. Instead he nodded to the Captain and then leaves to train with Porthos.
Two days later, the three Musketeers and D'Artagnan are standing in the hot sun (D'Artagnan politely declined the offer to sit with the King and Queen, the Cardinal had not looked happy about that) waiting for the Duke to arrive. He noted that Aramis was oddly quiet, Savoy was brought up, curious and slightly worried, he had quietly asked. He never got his answer for the Duke chose the moment to arrive, along with an assassin.
~.~
He probably would have ran by them if it wasn't for the rope and smashed pot, he's surprised to find Aramis talking with the assassin, even more surprised to find the assassin was a Musketeer! Shocked D'Artagnan listens as the one called Marsac begs Aramis for a chance to prove what he knew.
"Knew what?" D'Artagnan thought, then Aramis turned to him, a look in his eyes that spoke of trouble as he motioned to him to have a word in private, "uh-oh".
"I need you to keep quiet about this" asked Aramis, confirming the Gascon's worry, "for now"
"Have you gone mad?"
"Possibly, but…I owe him my life"
Looking back at the former Musketeer then back a Aramis, the Alpha's expression begging for him to say yes, D'Artagnan sighed. Inwardly cursing himself for not being able to say no to those he cared about.
"If this gets me hanged" the Omega then grumbled, pointing at Aramis, "I'm going to take it very personal"
And no, the fact that Aramis gives him a most charming smile made him any less annoyed.
"So what are we going to do with him now?" D'Artagnan then asked glancing out at the yard to make sure no guards or their friends were coming.
"We have to hide him" Aramis said looking back at the man.
D'Artagnan too looked at the man, who was now leaning against the palace pillar, and didn't seem to be in much of a hurry, the Omega wondered if the man knew that Aramis would say yes to his request, the thought didn't sit well with the Gascon.
"Where exactly?"
Aramis thinks about it, a thought comes to him and he looked at his friend.
"Oh no. No, no, no! I am not letting that man anywhere near her, and besides what makes you think Constance will let a criminal stay in her house?"
"She doesn't have to know"
"You want to keep this a secret from her?! Are you crazy, she will kill me if her Alpha doesn't or worse, kick me out the house!"
"How is getting kicked out the house worse than you being killed?"
D'Artagnan growled at him.
"D'Artagnan, please"
He really needed to learn how to say no.
~.~
D'Artagnan was glad his Famille Alpha was away on business, they probably wouldn't have even made it through the door, though the Omega wondered if they were really good a lying or Constance was just that trusting of them, neither thought made him feel any good.
"He can stay in D'Artagnan's room" said Constance as she leaves the room to finish up her task, a customer was coming to pick some fabric soon, and she needed to get it ready.
Great.
Looking to tell Aramis how much he hated this plan, he finds Marsac (a Beta) watching Constance in a way that was definitely not gentlemen like at all.
"She's Bonded" D'Artagnan told him, pushing up from the table he was leaning on and started to leave the room, "and a friend"
"I was merely admiring from a distance"
"Make it as far away as possible" the Omega warned as he paused by the two men.
Marsac' nose flared, and his eyes widen when the Beta discovers the Omega scent, before the man could say anything, Aramis is dragging him up the stairs.
"He is really—" he heard Marsac start to ask.
"Yes" he heard Aramis answer, "and I wouldn't take his warning lightly, I've seen him with a sword"
D'Artagnan smirked and goes to see if Constance needed any help.
After Marsac is tied up, both Aramis and D'Artagnan say goodbye to Constance and head out the door, they had to head back to the Garrison to report back to Treville, but first.
"What happened in Savoy?" D'Artagnan asked as they headed to their horses.
Aramis looked at him, and for a moment it looks like the Musketeer wasn't going to answer, and to be honest, D'Artagnan's not sure he wants one.
Aramis tells him.
The border of France, and twenty-two Musketeers camping, training. No reason to be on their guard, then they were attacked in the middle of the night, twenty men killed as they slept, and despite knowing they were going to die; Aramis and Marsac fought side by side. Aramis was wounded, surviving only because Marsac dragged him into the woods, neither went back. Instead, Aramis said, Marsac had watched the massacre, and was sitting among the dead come morning. Overcome with shame and remorse, feeling that he should have been among the dead.
"He ripped off his uniform and rode away," said Aramis, they had moved towards the well that was in front of the Bonacieux home, "I should have stopped him, told him he hadn't done anything wrong, that throwing his own life away would have archived nothing. He saved my life, and I let him ruin his own. In his own eyes he is a coward and a deserter, not in mind"
There was nothing more to say.
~.~
When all this was over, he was making Aramis buy him drinks for a month, he never again wants to be on the receiving end of Treville's angry. He's nerves, and Omega instincts can't take it. After Athos and Porthos were informed that they were guarding to the Duke in the morning, all four left Treville's office.
"Wet grass, really?" Aramis whispered as they headed for the exit.
"It was the best I could come up with" D'Artagnan whispered back.
"When all this is over remain me—"
"Hey!"
"Nearly made it" the Omega thought giving a longing look to freedom before turning to look at Porthos and Athos as they approached.
"You're hiding something" said Athos looking at Aramis.
"No idea what you mean" Aramis denied.
Athos looked at D'Artagnan, "You too"
He caved, not because he couldn't lie to Athos, but more because he was worried about what Aramis would do. Ever since all this had started, the dim look in the Alpha's eyes sat wrong with the Omega. It made him want to wrap the man in sheets, and hide him away in his room, away from whatever that was harming him.
"If you don't tell them, I will" the Omega said, giving the Alpha a chance to come clean.
Aramis does tell them, both Athos and Porthos are understandable not happy, D'Artagnan gets that, but making them tell Constance was just down right cruel.
"You brought a wanted man into my house?! A deserter!?"
"Deserter and assassin" Athos oh so helpfully added.
"Thanks Athos" D'Artagnan thought sarcastically.
"I'm guessing they didn't mention that part" Porthos inputted in.
D'Artagnan is staring to consider changing his choice in Alphas.
"Failed assassin technically" Marsac piped up.
"Quiet!" Constance snapped at him, before turning to D'Artagnan, "I trusted you".
"D'Artagnan is not to blame" Aramis tried to help, "he behaved with honor".
"Honorable people don't lie to their friends!"
It didn't help.
"I apologize for the deception" Marsac spoke up, "I'll leave right away" he moves to get up, but Aramis stops him.
"You can stay" Constance told the Beta, "but you" she then said to D'Artagnan as she leaves the kitchen, "can pack your things".
"That hardly seems fair!" the Omega called after her.
All he got was the slamming of a door.
"Well at least she didn't kill you" Aramis helpfully pointed out.
Yep, new Alphas were sounding good by the minute.
~.~
In the end many secrets were revealed (and no, he didn't have to pack his things), such as Captain Treville unknowingly sending his men to their dooms when he sent them for training in Savoy, that it was the Duke himself who led the massacre. The Duke's wife, and sister to the King was a spy, and that the Duke's Counsellor was in their very own prison. In the end they were able to keep the Duchess's secret, the treaty was signed, the Duke and his family were back in Savoy and Marsac was now dead.
Night had now fallen, and D'Artagnan was now making his way to Aramis's apartment after spending a full day teaching Constance how to shoot and swordplay (after all, why should all the Alpha and Beta men have all the fun?), Aramis had wondered off on his own before D'Artagnan had his appointment with Constance. The Omega had made to follow, but both Athos and Porthos told him to leave the Alpha be.
What they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.
"D'Artagnan?"
The Gascon smiled before making his way inside, he takes in the small room for a moment before going over to the bed.
"What are doing?!" Aramis squeaked as the Omega began to strip out of his clothing.
"Getting ready for bed" D'Artagnan answered, leaving on his undershirt and the loose trousers he had put on before coming here.
Aramis watched, making a strained noise when the Omega settled into his bed, eyes widening when D'Artagnan patted at the empty space next to him. Even in Gascony, an unbounded Omega and Alpha sharing a bed together for even just sleep was scandalous, but D'Artagnan had a feeling that Aramis needed someone tonight, so here he was.
Scandalous be damned.
"Does your Famille Alpha know you're here?" Aramis finally managed to ask.
The Alpha groaned when D'Artagnan grinned.
"D'Artagnan—"
"I'm not leaving until morning, you can run away if you like, but I'll just tell Bonacieux that you tried to have your way with me. With your reputation, I'm sure he'll have no trouble believing me"
Aramis gaped at him.
The Gascon patiently waited, humming quietly to himself, finally after much grumbling. Aramis gets into bed, keeping as much distance between the two without falling off the mattress. Rolling his eyes, D'Artagnan moves closer and rested his head on the man's chest, there is an awkward silence until finally Aramis exhaled and the tension in his body leaves him.
"Marsac," Aramis finally said, "is finally at peace"
"You're not"
"I'll cope, always have"
D'Artagnan wondered if that was the problem, as far as he knew, Athos and Porthos knew only the basics of what happened that night, and he's sure that their two friends knew that it still pained Aramis. He also had a feeling that, try as they might, they couldn't give Aramis comfort. Mostly because Aramis did not ask for it, and they did not push.
"I know," D'Artagnan then said, "but you don't have to tonight"
There is a hesitation before Aramis's hand comes up and placed itself on the back of D'Artagnan's head.
"Thank you"
The next morning, Aramis escorted D'Artagnan back to his home. Before leaving, the Musketeer takes the Omega's hand and placed a chaste kiss on the back of it.
~.~
Porthos was arrested, charged with murder, and the worst part; was that the Alpha couldn't remember if he did it or not. D'Artagnan was sure he didn't, Porthos may look fierce and certainly acted like towards their enemies, but with friends and other people he cared for; the Alpha was as deadly as a stuffed toy.
"I think it's very clear what happened here!"
D'Artagnan had a feeling this judge didn't share the same opinion, nor did it seem liked he would care either way, as Porthos told said judge what he could remember that night.
"And what happened next?" the Judge asked after Porthos finished telling the court how he spent last night drinking with an old woman, after celebrating his birthday in the Garrison with his fellow Musketeers.
"I don't recall" said Porthos, "I must have fallen asleep"
"And woke up next to a man with a bullet in his head?"
Porthos paused for a moment before answering, "Yes"
"And you claim you have no idea how that happened?"
Porthos doesn't answer.
Captain Treville then speaks in the Alpha's defense, unfortunately it does no good.
"Du Vallon" scoffed the Judge, "another of these fellows who adopt a noble name, so he can play the gentlemen"
"I know many born gentlemen who could not hold a candle to Porthos" Treville said, barely holding back a growl.
"Let me tell you something about what gentlemen life has taught me Captain, you can dress your dog in a fine suit, but once a mongrel, always a mongrel!"
D'Artagnan wondered how much trouble he would be in if he jumped over the post, cut of the Judge's head, and presented it to Porthos as a gift. Probably not a lot, judging from the way Captain Treville's eyes goes cold.
"A man lays dead, an example must be made, Porthos du Vallon, I find you guilty and sentence you to death, sentence to be carried out immediately, take that man to the gallows!"
The two red guards grab hold of Porthos, they strip him of his uniform, and begin to drag him away; both Athos and Aramis grab D'Artagnan and pull him back when the Omega started to climb over the post.
"Delay them" Treville ordered.
None of them need to be told twice, as they quickly make their way out, gun shots are suddenly heard firing. By the time they get out the building and D'Artagnan shoots down a man, Porthos is gone.
Pushing down the urge to run after the now gone cart, D'Artagnan watched as Athos looked over the dead body.
"The mark of a criminal" the Alpha said when he pulled back clothing to reveal a brand burned on the body's skin.
Aramis doesn't look relieved, "I know where they're heading"
D'Artagnan is surprised but not overly so, to learn that Porthos grew up among thieves, it probably had something to do with how the man played cards. Never the less, it didn't do much good. They didn't know their way around the Court of Miracles, and was too dangerous to stay because of it, instead; after leaving Athos to find out more, Aramis and Athos reported back to Treville. Good news, the King had delayed the execution, bad news, the King thinks Porthos ran away to the Court.
"At least Porthos is safe" D'Artagnan thought when Athos arrives in the office and tells them that Porthos is among friends.
Now there was the matter of the dead man.
His name was Jean De Mauvoisin, son of nobility, and it also turns out he was murdered.
A visit to the elder De Mauvoisin told them that Jean had no enemies, and that he was living in apartment on his own. After finding the building and upon entering they find the place ransacked…along with an uninvited guest, the disguised man escaped through the window and disappeared into the crowd. With no point in following, they resume their search of Jean's room and find an order for six thousand pounds of gunpowder.
Next stop was a Protestant church, after listening to the Priest and Aramis trade ill-disguised insults for a few minutes, D'Artagnan gets the Alphas back on the subject at hand, they left a few minutes later with the feeling that the Priest was hiding something. Later that night they find out what it was.
They also found out that not only did Jean's father order the gunpowder, but he was planning to blow up the Court.
~.~
They were able to save the Court and Porthos, and thanks to the Elder De Mauvoisin's letter, the man's name was cleared. They celebrated at the usual Traven, D'Artagnan leaving early because Bonacieux was home from his business trip and his Famille Alpha didn't like it when he was out late with the three Musketeers, Porthos offered to escort him home.
"Did you really not doubt me?" Porthos asked after a few moments of walking in silence.
"No" D'Artagnan answered without hesitation.
Porthos looked at him in surprise.
"I've seen enough to know that you may look scary, but you're about as harmful as a stuffed toy " the Omega continued on, "you're loyal to a fault, a good man and a good Alpha, whoever you bond with will be very lucky"
Porthos's expression was torn between being embarrassed and flattered at the praise.
"I feel a little jealous at the thought" D'Artagnan then said, pouting at the thought of some other Omega taking Porthos, "perhaps I should steal you away while the opportunity is still open"
Porthos stumbled.
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