Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Warning: Un-betaed. I apologise in advance for the bad grammar and spelling mistakes.
The next morning D'Artagnan woke up with Milady next to him, running her fingers up and down his chest. He yawned and stretched, "I didn't hear you come in last night." He asked her as he got up and sat on side of the bed, grabbing his shirt from the chair next to him.
"You were dead to the world. What were you doing, robbing someone?"
D'Artagnan paused for a moment before answering. "Just out drinking…alone. Someone was too busy for me." He said, looking dejected.
Milady's hands slid over his shoulders and down under his shirt, "I would love to make it up to you, but the Cardinal wants to see me tonight. He is meeting someone of importance just North of the city gates tonight."
"Interesting place for a meeting." D'Artagnan feigned disinterest, turning his head and taking the woman's mouth in his. "Surely it can wait."
Milady smiled and pulled back. "Nobody keeps the Cardinal waiting. He's expecting trouble. He'll have a dozen Red Guards with him. The man he is meeting isn't the most kind hearted."
He pouted as she got off the bed and got ready for her meeting with the Cardinal. He was planning to meet the Musketeers tonight to tell them everything and give them the parchment but this meeting may be another piece of evidence. Could he be meeting the assassin in the parchment? He needed to find out, but he couldn't do it alone. Not if Milady considers the man dangerous, and not when the Cardinal will have a dozen men with him. He needed the Musketeers. He needed to send a message but they didn't trust D'Artagnan right now. They won't believe him but they will believe the Queen.
Mira entered the pub D'Artagnan said his friends frequented. It has been a while since she had stepped foot in a place like this. She spotted Athos, Aramis and Porthos in the corner table in the back. She grabbed a bottle of wine from the bar and headed over.
Aramis, Athos and Porthos frowned but smiled when a bottle of wine and slammed onto the centre of their table. "Courtesy of the Queen and D'Artagnan." Their smiles faded at the mention of D'Artagnan and a little surprise that the name was accompanied by the Queen. "There is a meeting on the outskirts of Paris, just beyond the North gates. The Cardinal is meeting a dangerous man. Be there and stop them, by order of the Queen."
Aramis eyed the woman from head to toe, "And how do we know this isn't a trap. I don't believe I've seen you amongst the Queen's maids."
"This is information D'Artagnan has been risking his life for. Believe it or not. It is your choice. As for who I am, you have no need to know and I answer to the Queen alone." With that she left them to ponder her words.
"It's a trap." Athos said straight away.
"And if it isn't?" Aramis asked.
Athos shrugged, "Who cares? He's a traitor."
"Only if it's a trap. If it's not and we're not there to back him up, he's dead."
"He sent a woman to give the message. Clearly he cannot face us because this is a trap!" Athos argued.
"Are you willing to risk his life because traitor or not, he was our friend and we owe him to at least show up. If it's a trap, then we know once and for all if he is a friend or an enemy. Anyway, you heard the lady, it's the Queen's orders." Aramis was always the calm one. He turned towards the door, "I'm going. You make your own choice, Athos."
"You know he's right." Porthos said before following Aramis out the door. Athos stared at the men leaving for a minute before cursing and following.
Milady's residence…
D'Artagnan armed himself, ready for the confrontation that is to follow. He was sure the Cardinal will be incriminating himself this night. He opened the door to find himself face to face with Milady and four Red Guards. "What's going on?" He asked her, smiling, though he had a bad feeling in his gut. "I thought you had a meeting with the Cardinal tonight?
"Actually, so do you." Milady said, dangerously. Straight away, D'Artagnan knew he was in trouble, but before he could make a move, the Red Guards had him pinned to the floor, restraining his arms behind his back. He struggled and managed to kick a few of them in the shins, hearing a satisfying "oomph" from a couple of them, but he had no chance. "Get him up." She ran her nail up his neck to his chin, "You will regret defying me."
"And you will die a painful death." D'Artagnan spat at her.
Milady wiped away the spit, then slapped him hard across the cheek. "You will tell me where the letter is and then you will die."
D'Artagnan smiled, "I will die first."
Milady shrugged, "If that's what you wish, but not before your friends." She laughed when D'Artagnan glared at her, "Yes, it was a trap. The Cardinal knew what you were up to as soon as he found the letter missing." D'Artagnan struggled to get out of the guards' hold and kill the woman in front of her. "And you know the best thing of all. They will die believing you betrayed them." She watched the fight leave D'Artagnan's eyes before nodding for the guards to take him to the dungeons.
Three hours later…
Aramis, Porthos and Athos stood at the outskirts of Paris with their swords in hand, blood dripping off the tip and ten dead hired men surrounding them. "It was a trap." Athos wiped his sword on one of the bodies.
"It's official." Porthos nodded at him, a deadly look in his eyes.
"D'Artagnan's betrayed us." Aramis finished.
They started walking back to the city, their hearts were heavy. D'Artagnan was a friend and now he is the enemy.