Chapter 3: A rescue that goes tragically wrong
When the three Musketeers arrived to the barn, which seemed so old that she could collapse at any time, they had to sneak out it, as it was heavily guarded; being used to this they quickly found an entrance on their own, at the back of it. Luckily they were hidden by shadows and farmer tools, for the inside were even fuller of odds than the outside.
From where they were, they could see the duel that was taking place before their very eyes. As they expected it, D'Artagnan was fighting a tall and cruel-looking man who had to be Leloup. However Athos didn't comment that fact and Aramis was glad for this, as the older man had only stopped mumbling and grumbling at the youngest member of the group to take his breath.
- "He's lucky that Leloup's men didn't take part in the fight", Aramis remarked.
- "I think Leloup will not need them", Porthos replied, seeing the young Gaskin sway.
- "You seem to be a little inexperimented for a Musketeer", D'Artagnan's opponent remarked.
The young man didn't bother to answer. He straightened and resumed fighting.
- "He pretended to be a Musketeer?!" Athos whispered.
- "He must have taken his sense of exaggeration from you, Porthos", Aramis smirked.
- "I don't even see what you mean".
They watched a little more until they saw D'Artagnan falling on the ground, the blade of his opponent pointed at his throat.
- "We must intervene", the former priest declared. "He's going to be killed!"
- "You're right", Athos agreed.
- "Let's go, then," the other man concluded, drawing his sword, readying his daggers.
Leloup was looking at the man he just defeated. He was definitely too young to be what he pretended to be.
- "You're not a Musketeer, are you?"
- "Hmm… Not really, not yet", D'Artagnan replied.
- "But we are!" Athos shouted as the three friends emerged from the back of the barn.
The gang stayed a moment, startled by the sudden appearance of the King's men, and the young Gaskin took advantage of the opportunity to slip away from Leloup's sword before joining the intruders.
The leader of the crooks smiled when he finally recognized the newcomers.
- "And you must be the famous Inseparables", he smirked. "The three best swordsmen in Paris".
- "Thank for the compliment", Athos replied, bowing slightly.
- "Athos, there's no time for this", D'Artagnan said. "We have to arrest them before they are able to steal the taxes! They have planned to do it when it will arrive near Paris, and have already posted some men around!"
- "D'Artagnan, we are grateful for this precious information, but we precisely asked you not to go here!"
- "So, he is your… protégée ?" Leloup interrupted.
- "So?" Porthos replied.
- "Porthos, for God's sake", Aramis sighed. "Shall I remember all of you the reason we came here?"
The four men raised their swords towards the gang.
- "You'd better forget it", one of the men warned. "We're ten times more numerous than you are!"
- "That", Athos commented, taking up a position to fight, "is not a problem."
The other men looked at them, wondering if he was serious, and when they made sure he was, they ran towards them, and the fight begun with the clash of swords.
As Athos said, as many as were their opponents, they were not a problem for the Musketeers. Having defeated his first adversary, he quickly glanced to his friends. Each had already killed one man, and D'Artagnan was quickly finishing another one while Porthos was playing with three more who looked slightly horrified, as the great Musketeer didn't even bother to unsheathe. Aramis, as usual, was dealing with two opponents at the time, effecting a glisé (fencing term : attack of feint that slide along the opponent's blade) killing one of them instantly, then swiftly drawing a dagger to throw it at another crook who was approaching from behind before parrying his second assailant's blow.
The leader of the group smiled seeing his friends' efficiency; then he suddenly remarked a huge man even bigger than Porthos coming towards him; he had no weapon, even a blade, but his eyes reflecting the obvious intention to smash him when he would reach him. He bravely drove his sword, more or less ready to fight this giant.
The man stopped before the Musketeer, and lifted an arm to catch him by the collar. Athos feinted swiftly, and two seconds later his adversary was bleeding of the forearm. Surprised, the creature growled and, passing Athos, he seized a large beam behind him, and snatched it from the rest of the barn, before turning back to the Musketeer, who consedered his sword with a discouraged look.
Aramis was finishing dealing with another opponent when he saw the big guy tearing the piece of wood off, and stepping forward towards Athos with a menacing posture, while his friend was trying to back away.
At that moment, the former priest heard a grim crack over him; looking up slowly, he saw the roof of the building starting to move, as the beams around were breaking. His eyes widened when the struck of revelation hit him.
- "Watch out!" He shouted, before the barn fell on the fighters.
