When Arabella awoke, she noticed she was in a very unfamiliar place. She was lying in a bed which was in a room with wooden floors. The walls were stone and wood. The windows had wooden shutters and a wooden chest lay at the corner of the room. It was a bedroom but it certainly wasn't hers. She sat up in bed and looked out the windows next to her. People were bustling all over the streets. Where was she? She groaned and lay back down. Her head started to ache and she held up her hand to that sensitive spot on her head. She figured she probably bruised it, but when?

"Ah, you're awake." A voice said as the door was open.

He walked in.

"I was beginning to think you were never going to wake." D'Artagnan continued and leaned against the doorframe.

Arabella rolled her eyes and sat up again. "Where am I and what happened?"

"Which question would you like me to answer first?" D'Artagnan asked.

Arabella said nothing and looked out the window.

"Well, I'll answer the second question first. What happened was; we were at the monastery and in order to save you from being killed by a blast, I pushed you down to the stone floor but, I'm guessing, I caught you by surprise so you had no time to catch your fall, so you hit your head on the stone floor." D'Artagnan explained.

Arabella looked at him. "Thank you for that." She mumbled.

"Oh, don't mention it! Glad to do it." He smiled.

"Now, where am I?"

"At the house of The Musketeers. You are currently in what used to be Planchet's room, which has since then been my room, which is now your room, for the time being, of course."

"I see." Arabella said as she looked around.

D'Artagnan looked around with her. "Nice, huh? I like keeping my living space neat and tidy."

"It's not that. I was just looking to see if there was anything I could use to bash your head in." Arabella replied.

D'Artagnan laughed. "Why on earth would you do that?"

Arabella got out of bed and stood up; losing her balance for an instant but caught herself.

"Because you kidnapped me! I don't belong here! I belong with-"

"You belong with people who wouldn't care if you were dead at this moment?" D'Artagnan interrupted.

"Yes. I mean no! Stop pretending that you know everything." Arabella said and crossed her arms.

"I can assure you, Mademoiselle, I don't know everything. But I would very much like to."

"Don't be silly. Besides, if my brother ever found out I was here, he'd kill you in an instant." Arabella told him as she quickly made the bed.

"True. Not if I killed him first, though."

"That's nonsense. Don't take this to offence, D'Artagnan, but you really wouldn't stand a chance against my brother."

D'Artagnan smirked. "Would the lady like to make a bet on that statement?"

"A young lady doesn't make bets. Besides, I have no money or anything to bet."

D'Artagnan smiled and said nothing. He just stared at her as she finished making the bed.

Once Arabella was finished she looked at him and noticed his stare. She was unable to ignore it.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked him.

D'Artagnan awoke from his daydreaming and looked at her. "What?"

"Never mind." Arabella said and walked passed him, out the door. D'Artagnan shrugged his shoulders and followed her downstairs.


"Planchet? Where the hell is that man?" Porthos asked as he stared sadly into his empty cup of wine.

"He probably went out for more wine." Aramis said.

Athos sat silently at the table and listened to his friend's conversation.

"And where do you suppose D'Artagnan is?" Porthos asked.

"D'Artagnan, you're stepping on the back of my dress!" Arabella cried as she walked down the last steps of the staircase.

"Well, does that answer your question?" Aramis laughed.

"Sorry! It's not my fault your dress is so long. I didn't do it on purpose." D'Artagnan told her.

"Yes, well, it's the only one I have at the moment so do be careful." Arabella said as she entered the room where the Musketeers were seated.

Her cheeks flushed when she saw all eyes were on her.

"Hello, Mademoiselle." Aramis smiled and stood up to greet her.

Arabella nodded. "Hello."

"My colleagues and I are pleased to meet you. They're just a bit slow at showing a lady and guest some respect." Aramis said through gritted teeth as he looked at Porthos and Athos, who were both still seated.

Athos looked at him. "Hmm? Oh." He said and stood up. "I'm Athos. Pleased to meet you."

Arabella looked at him and nodded again. "Likewise, Athos."

Porthos finally stood. "And I am Porthos."

"Pleasure to meet the three of you, I am Arabella."

Athos walked up to her. "So, you're Buckingham's sister?" He asked.

Arabella took a small step back. "Unfortunately, yes."

Athos's blue eyes stared into her eyes. "And can you be trusted, Arabella?" He asked in a low voice.

Arabella stared at his eyes but showed no fear at his questions. "I would say yes, but you wouldn't believe me. So, I'll leave that for you to decide." She replied.

Athos, satisfied with this answer, sat back down.

D'Artagnan smiled at him and pulled a wooden chair out for Arabella. "Please, make yourself comfortable." He told her.

"Thank you." Arabella said quietly and sat down. D'Artagnan stood, leaning against the wall.

"The king has summoned us to the palace. Once Planchet returns from his errand, we must be on our way." Athos said.

D'Artagnan nodded. "Will Arabella be joining us?'

Porthos glanced at D'Artagnan, then Arabella.

"If she wishes it." Athos said.

D'Artagnan looked at Arabella. "Do you wish it, Arabella?"

"Yes. I'll come along." Arabella said.

D'Artagnan was about to profess how pleased he was at her answer but Planchet burst through the door. He was carrying a crate of wrapped food and bottles of wine.

"It is bloody hot as hell out there, sirs! I couldn't stand to be out there for another minute!" Planchet complained.

"Shut up, Planchet. We are off to see the King. Be careful with the wine bottles and food. I expect a cup of wine for each of us when we return." Athos said as he stood up and grabbed his hat from the table and headed for the door.

Aramis put on his hat and followed Athos.

"Make that two cups of wine for me." Porthos said as he walked out the door.

D'Artagnan gave Planchet a friendly smiled and patted his back. "Thank you, Planchet." He told him.

"Oh, anytime, Sir! Thank you for your, uhh, thanks!" Planchet replied.

Arabella sat up from the table and looked at Planchet as she followed D'Artagnan out the door.

Once they were outside, she saw that Athos, Aramis and Porthos were each on horses.

"I'll be right back." D'Artagnan told her and walked to the side of the house.

"Alright?" Arabella said unsure of what he was doing. She stood there awkwardly as the other Musketeers looked bored and impatient.

"You will be riding with D'Artagnan." Athos told her.

Porthos coulden't help but snicker at Athos's statement, but he was greeted by a glare from Athos. Porthos stopped smiling at cleared his throat, looking the other way.

"So, he has a horse?" Arabella asked.

"Unfortunately. We would gladly make him walk everywhere but he just had to have a horse." Aramis teased.

"I see." Arabella said.

D'Artagnan soon walked out from the side of the house and had a beautiful, spotted horse following behind him.

"Arabella, this is Buttercup." D'Artagnan smiled.

"She's beautiful." Arabella smiled as she pet Buttercup.

D'Artagnan looked at Arabella with that same gaze as earlier. "Yes, she is quite beautiful, isn't she?"

Athos, who was watching the two the whole time, knew D'Artagnan wasn't speaking about the horse anymore.

"Come now, you two. We haven't got all day." Athos said.

D'Artagnan suddenly looked at him. "Right. Sorry." He said and got on his horse.

He extended his hand out to Arabella. "Just hold on and I'll pull you up." He told her.

Arabella didn't want another bruise on her head so she stared at the stone road imagining how painful it would be to fall if he dropped her.

"I won't drop you, I promise." D'Artagnan said as if he read her mind.

Arabella sighed and held on to him and D'Artagnan swiftly helped her onto the horse.

"Hold on." He told her and Buttercup followed the horses of Athos, Porthos and Aramis.

Arabella quickly put his arms around D'Artagnan, afraid she would fall down.

"You have been on a horse, haven't you?" D'Artagnan asked.

"Of course I have… Just not in a while." Arabella answered.

Truthfully, Arabella had only ridden a horse once when she was very young but that was the last time. Her form of transportation was with her brother and Milady in a carriage or in the airship.


When they arrived at the King's palace, Arabella was as curious as ever. She had never been to the palace

The four entered the palace and were told to wait for the King in a large room that amazed Arabella. The architecture was beautiful, the paintings seemed to be alive, and gold décor was mesmerizing.

"Ah, Musketeers!" The King happily said as he entered the room.

The Musketeers and Arabella gave him a low bow instantly. Arabella tried not to look at him and stared at the ground because she knew that if she looked up at the King, she would burst out laughing. He looked absolutely silly in his frilly, purple outfit.

"You may stand up." The King said.

Athos, Porthos, Aramis, D'Artagnan and Arabella all stood up. Arabella tried not to have a huge smile on her face.

"There you are, Darling." The Queen said as she entered the room.

"Oh, hello, dear. The Musketeers have just arrived.

Once again, the Musketeers and Arabella bowed and stood up.

"Welcome back." The Queen smiled.

"It was our pleasure, your Majesty." Athos told her.

The Queen smiled and looked at Arabella. "And who's this?" She asked.

"A friend, your Majesty. Her name is Arabella. She's staying with us for a while." D'Artagnan said.

"Doesn't she have any other dresses? That dress looks like it was in a fire." The King noticed.

Arabella looked down at her dressed and noticed it was no longer light blue, but light blue mixed with charcoal black. The dirt and smoke from the monastery made her dress look absolutely filthy.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't have any other dress." Arabella sighed.

The Queen looked at the King. "Perhaps I can help her with that." She said. "Lady Arabella, my ladies in waiting have dresses that they don't wear anymore because they feel they are out of season. Would you be interested in having those? I'm sure they won't mind."

Arabella smiled at the Queen's request. "Oh, I'd like that very much. Thank you."

The Queen nodded. "Then follow me. We will meet the Musketeers later, when they are finished speaking to my husband." She smiled and slowly walked away from the men.

"Oh, good bye, Dear!" The King called out.

D'Artagnan turned to Arabella. "Looks like the Queen likes you." He told her quietly.

"Looks like it." Arabella said and followed the Queen.

D'Artagnan watched her until she was out of the room.

"Now, about Buckingham." The King said to start conversation.

D'Artagnan looked at The King and began to say, "Well, he-" "Buckingham escaped." Athos interrupted.

"Escaped? Again?" The King asked worried.

"He is a very crafty man and he has help." Aramis said.

"Help? From who?" The King asked.

"Milady De Winter." Athos said.

D'Artagnan looked at Athos.

The King sighed before he spoke again. "And what of the plans?"

"Destroyed. They are neither in Buckingham's hands nor in ours." Athos replied.

"Correct." Porthos added.

"Well…Now, there's not much we can do." The King said.

"The only thing we can do is wait and hope he doesn't try anything disastrous." Aramis said.

"That's terrible. See, I wanted him done for so my wife can have her annual Masquerade ball without a problem, but now, hearing that Buckingham is still alive and missing, I may have to ask her to reconsider."

Aramis spoke up. "You may not have to. If Buckingham doesn't know when the Ball is, you may not have anything to worry about."

"Buckingham knows everything." Porthos said.

"Unless you four are on your guard and are willing to watch for him at all times during the Ball..." The King said.

"So, we are invited to the ball?" D'Artagnan asked.

"Of course!" The King said happily.

"Then you can have the utmost confidence in us. If Buckingham shows up, we'll be ready for him." D'Artagnan smiled.