Disclaimer and Spoilers: See Chapter One
A/N: Just a reminder that each day, I will be adding a few more words to the story's overall quote**. Any guesses yet?
Timeline: Missing scene for Chapter 2 of Family. Takes place after Porthos, Aramis, and d'Artagnan find the dead bodies of Cornet and the other missing Musketeers and the clue of the Spanish doubloon.
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**"What happens if, too early,…"
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Chapter Two: Burning Anger
"His father's death is fresh and he's had little opportunity to mourn. It makes him easy to anger and quick to act."
~~~~~ Aramis, Chapter 2 of "Family" by Celticgal1041.
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As Porthos spurred his horse back towards Paris, he chanced a glance back towards his traveling companions. Aramis caught his eye and smirked, but d'Artagnan seemed to be in his own world.
Riding along the ill-maintained road, he found his thoughts continually straying towards the young Gascon positioned at the back of their group.
Throughout their brief acquaintance, Porthos has noticed that d'Artagnan's every thought and action is shrouded by negative emotion. Frustration, irritation, impatience, and stubbornness seem to be all the younger man was capable of for the time being.
Above all of that has been d'Artagnan's anger. It burns brightly as if it is trying to outshine the sun. If d'Artagnan is not careful, it will consume him until he is only ash drifting along in the breeze – directionless and without purpose.
Porthos recognizes the younger man's anger and knows it intimately. He can remember back to a time when he was just barely old enough to know better. There had been a time when he had been so very angry at his mother for dying and leaving him all alone in the world. He supposes that, as his father might still be out there somewhere, it was possible that d'Artagnan still had family back home, but he doubts it. Underneath all that rage is a grief and devastation so deep that it could only mean one thing – the kid was now alone.
He knew that feeling all too well. Porthos had been very young when his mother had died of a fever. The first time his loneliness had truly gone away was when he met Charon and then Flea a few years later, though his anger had remained for a long time to come.
Years later, it had been the Musketeers who had become his family, primarily Aramis and Athos. The Musketeers were his brothers and cousins, and Captain Tréville was both surrogate father and uncle to many of the men, himself included. Having the Musketeers in his life had leeched the anger out of him bit by bit. He had found a way to enjoy life and live it to its fullest.
The fiery anger that had stayed aflame all those years had been banked by the deep, abiding friendships he had made and redirected towards doing his duty for King and Country as well as protecting his brothers. At the moment, all d'Artagnan could see through the flames of his anger was vengeance, not justice.
Porthos had yet to see anything but darkness in the Gascon's eyes. The man's anger and grief were so intertwined that you couldn't distinguish one from the other. It was obvious in every move the young man made, in every expression on his face, and in everything he said.
His own anger had led him to a life he had not been proud of while he had still lived in the Court of Miracles. Porthos could see d'Artagnan's anger leading him down a darker path that the young man would never be able to come back from.
Saving Athos was their number one priority, but it seemed that d'Artagnan needed someone to help him redirect the fiery vengeance that threatened to wholly consume him.
Athos's life may be at stake, but it seemed d'Artagnan's soul was as well.
Porthos just had to decide whether or not he cared enough to help the young, hot-headed stranger. He would bet that Aramis, beyond his role as healer, was wondering the very same thing.
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The end.
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Next time: Chapter Three: Strength and Shield
Thanks for reading!