CHAPTER 4

At the garrison, Athos had returned to the office and was trying to sort through all the letters, field reports and inquiries on the captain's desk.

"D'Artagnan, stop!" he barked at the Gascon.

D'Artagnan stopped in his tracks and looked over at his lieutenant, surprised by the harsh tone. For the last half hour or so he had been pacing up and down the small room, not that he had been aware of doing so.

"Wearing a trench in the floorboards does not help the captain, and you're giving me a headache I don't need right now. This paperwork is enough to give anyone a headache." Athos pulled out his comte stare, left eyebrow raised. "Stop pacing or I'll may have to shoot you."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you, but I can't just sit down and wait for Aramis and Porthos to report back. What if they don't succeed?"

Athos saw and sympathized with the desperate look on the young man's face, but he would not allow him to walk another couple of miles in this room. "I know," Athos agreed with a bit more forbearance, "but it won't serve either of them nor expedite things if we drive ourselves to distraction with...", he trailed off waving vaguely towards d'Artagnan, "this."

"There must be something we can do," d'Artagnan pleaded anxiously. "Even if it's just going to see the captain in the chatelet. He's had time to think now, maybe he's thought of another plan or something else that might help us to help him." It felt as though he'd been the one caught and caged, trapped like an animal. Morning, and the mockery of trial their captain faced, was marching toward them at double time; with each passing hour, d'Artagnan's panic was growing by leaps and bounds.

"That occurred to me, too, but it won't help us with anything." Athos let his gaze roam over the desk with all the papers. "I think I have an idea, though, how we might help the captain, at least a little." He reached for the quill and rummaged for a blank sheet among the litter on the desk. "If nothing else, it will at least give the cardinal a headache, which might be helpful for tomorrow's trial." The corners of his mouth twitched with a smirk. "Get our horses ready, we're going to visit the cardinal. Make haste!"

D'Artagnan's face brightened immediately and with a shouted 'consider it done' and a grin he was out the door before Athos had even dipped the quill into the ink. With a shake of his head Athos started scribbling on the sheet of paper he'd finally found.

x-x-x-x-x

After a short but forceful exchange of words with the two Red Guards standing to attention outside Cardinal Richelieu's office, Athos pushed open the doors shaking off the soldier who was still trying to stop him.

"If you wouldn't mind, Your Eminence," he immediately addressed the cardinal, "call off your dogs before I silence their babble by more effective means. I'm not in the mood for this, I have urgent business I need your counsel on." He easily eluded the hand trying to get a grip on him and strode into the office, d'Artagnan following on his heels.

Richelieu, who had been working at his desk, had risen as the doors slammed open. "Fools, all of you!" he barked. With a snap of his fingers and a sharp look he silently ordered his Red Guards out of the room. "How dare you intrude on me like this! But, then again, what else should I expect from a Musketeer," the cardinal sneered with a disgusted look, "Explain yourself! And make it quick."

Athos closed the distance between them in a few quick strides. "Since Captain Tréville is temporarily unavailable, for reasons you are aware of, I need your assistance in handling a few high priority matters."

"As far as I am informed you are his second-in-command. Surely you are capable of conducting affairs. As the Comte de la Fère you administer an estate far more complex than a mere garrison. Do not pester me with such things." Richelieu sat down, the Musketeers dismissed as far as he was concerned.

"Your Eminence, I have a host of underlings who handle the irksome affairs of running an estate for me. I am totally stymied without assistance," Athos countered dryly, his face blank.

Richelieu squinted at him, trying to assess the truth of the words. "Don't play games with me, monsieur, you are in no position to win." And because he was at heart a Machiavellian manipulator and could not pass up an opportunity to get his fingers in another pie, "What is this urgent business?"

"With Tréville away for at least another day, though we're certain this is all a misunderstanding and the captain will be back by noon tomorrow, and since we are already desperately short on a couple of extremely urgent things we need, I must apply to someone who is entitled to acquire goods and assign market traders with deliveries of the necessary supplies. As First Minister of France and Chancellor you have the authorization to sign any such requests without having to bother the king, which otherwise we would have to do, since I have no idea how Captain Tréville handles matters of payment and any further particulars, or even if he has the authority to do so at all. If we do not immediately acquire this list of supplies, I'm afraid we will not be capable of serving the king as is expected of us, though no doubt his majesty would be furious beyond measure if something were to happen to him or – god forbid – the enceinte queen due to our inability to protect them properly, with no one available to assume responsibility and ensure the delivery of essential supplies in order for the Musketeers to execute their duty properly. Especially with all the uprisings Tréville was receiving reports about and where prompt action is required, and again, said action can only be taken if we have the appropriate supplies on hand. And I am not speaking of cloaks or boots for the soldiers." Athos paused to take a breath before he added. "I am sure you, eminence, would be the first person the king would turn to for answers as to why things are in such disarray. Without the authority to order these things, my hands are tied." The comte lifted a shoulder in an eloquent shrug, "Though ... I'm sure the king would understand completely that things are in shambles because his most loyal servant is in the chatalet and there's no one else with the authority or willing to sign for supplies and such. Wouldn't he?" Athos declared with dry sarcasm.

From the look on Richelieu's face, he was probably only minutes away from a severe migraine.

D'Artagnan, who had listened with ever-widening eyes, now looked back and forth between Richelieu and Athos, attempting to hide his astonishment. He had never heard so many words spoken by Athos in such a short time. In fact, Athos had probably just delivered more words than he had uttered during the whole time d'Artagnan has known him now. Not to mention all the things the Musketeer had listed that d'Artagnan had not once spared a thought about. He certainly hoped all this belonged to whatever plan Athos had developed to help their captain. Not that the lieutenant had shared any of his thoughts on the way to the cardinal's residence, but then no one really expected much talking from Athos, he was a man of action, one who spoke little but accomplished a lot. Well, at least until today, d'Artagnan thought to himself.

"Fine, give me that list and show me where and what you want me to sign." Richelieu barked indignantly, "It can't be that much, Tréville has only been gone half a day," he concluded, making an aborted attempt to grab the sheet of paper from Athos.

"True, but the captain was in the process of handling this and he is a man of great mind. He seldom needs lists or papers to organize the daily routine. I have spent the afternoon making inquiries around the garrison and taking stock of things." Athos' guileless blue eyes met Richelieu's barely checked fury. "I had to make a list."

He looked down at the paper in his hands and seemed surprised about what he saw. "Perhaps I should explain it to you since it's so poorly written and probably not understandable to one who is not familiar with soldiering,"Athos declared in his best sympathetic voice, knowing quite well what a sharp mind Richelieu had and therefore the likelihood of knowing such things. "The first problem is with the stables. Apparently our provisions of hay and oats are down to nothing, there should have been a delivery two days ago according to Jacques, our stable boy. It did not come and we have nothing left to feed the horses. Which, of course is bad, as half of our livestock are already showing signs of malnourishment. The same applies to the stocks on hand in the kitchens. Ahem, not the malnourishment obviously, I mean the provisions. Serge informed me," Athos interrupted himself and looked up, "Serge is responsible for the kitchens and long-serving in the regiment."

Yes, this surely was something the cardinal would like to know on top of all the other ramblings, d'Artagnan mused, trying to suppress a grin due to the variety of unnecessary information Athos was offering.

"As if I would not know who does the cooking for the regiment or who mucks out the stables where and when," Richelieu snapped, "Get to the point!"

"Oh, right, of course you would know those details," Athos muttered. "Anyway, he informed me that he had to throw away all the flour and meat supplies as well as most of the preserved vegetables due to some unknown pest infestation that's befallen all the -"

D'Artagnan had started walking up and down behind Athos while listening to the litany of issues that had apparently befallen the regiment in the last twelve hours. When Athos had begun talking about the stables and the horses already suffering from starvation, he'd realized the lieutenant was at least following some kind of plan, for he himself had seen the stacks of hay just this morning. And his own horse was as hale and hearty as ever. Every so often he glanced towards Richelieu, who looked more and more vexed the longer Athos talked.

The young Gascon had unconsciously begun to pace as he had done before in Tréville's office, but noticing the cardinal occasionally glance his way with a growing look of irritation on his face, d'Artagnan decided it was time to walk up and down on purpose and with as much noise as possible. Accordingly his boot falls became heavier and heavier, each striding step ringing loudly against the marble floor.

"Stand still or LEAVE! I see no reason for you to be here in the first place!" Richelieu was visibly testy now.

D'Artagnan stopped and threw his hands into the air as if to say 'who, me?'.

Athos, who had only briefly halted his flood of words, was already talking to Richelieu again, lamenting on and on about the headaches the garrison had caused him in Tréville's absence.

The cardinal cast a last fulsome look at d'Artagnan, attempting to glare him into submission before he turned his attention to Athos again.

D'Artagnan retreated back to the door thinking now would be a good time to fumble with his dagger. Surely it was only his inexperience and youthfulness that caused the dagger to clatter to the floor a couple of times. At least he hoped the cardinal would believe that when the man of the church threw another icy stare in d'Artagnan's direction, which the Gascon countered with an innocent smile and a shrug of his shoulders.

x-x-x-x-x

The walk over to the chatelet had been short and uneventful, and the welcome there was just as Tréville had expected. The guards made fun of him, the more courageous ones giving him a shove here and there when he was not quick enough through a door or along the way. The cell he was pushed into was dirty, dark and smelled as foul as the dung hills he knew from home. He guessed they had just recently transferred the prisoners who had occupied it prior to his arrival, to give him the most disgusting cell. Let them have their fun, he thought, it won't change anything at all.

He had not been approached by anyone since the door of the cell had closed behind him. Somehow he had imagined that Richelieu would insist on coming to see him, gloating over Tréville's misery. But nothing had happened. Neither had he been given anything to eat or drink, and the thirst was starting to turn nasty now. Even though the walls were thick and kept the heat out, going without water for several hours was becoming uncomfortable. He also had had to relieve himself, but after realizing that there was not even a bucket left in the cell for his personal needs, he had stifled it until it became unbearable. So he'd finally walked over to the one corner of his small prison that lay in almost absolute darkness, for he really didn't care if he added more filth to the cell, but in the dark corner he would at least not have to see it.

Now Tréville wondered if it had been smart to let the shimmer of hope that had emerged while talking with the Inseparables, cloud his ability to make rational decisions. After his men had appeared in his office and had heard him out, he had let himself get carried away with their energy and determination. He had to admit he had stupidly made decisions purely out of hope instead of based on his convictions. He should not have trusted Richelieu would really keep his word. He should have known.

But he had wanted it, had wanted to believe that his impulsive choice would not mean the end of his position as captain of the Musketeer's Regiment. If he had informed the king immediately, he could be on his way back to Gascony. Not today, naturally, but by the end of the week. He still had a small estate, though large enough for him to make a living. He could have lived there, but with what prospect? To wait in the hope that the cardinal would not inform King Louis anyway? No, he could not have lived that life, he was a soldier, his place was here, by the side of his king and queen, by his men. He could not imagine doing anything else.

Musing over these things was in vain now, he reminded himself. He had made, as far as he could remember only twice now in his whole life, an emotionally influenced decision when he should have followed the voice of his head. Now he would have to pay for both. The first, he could not bring himself to regret, for it had been the right choice. Today's decision had, in all likelihood, been wrong. He could have saved his regiment as well as his own life. Both were out of his hands now.

x-x-x-x-x

Dawn painted a beautiful blue sky over Paris, dotted with small white clouds, and even the heat was bearable, for a light breeze wafted through the alleys. Rain must have had fallen outside of Paris, leaving the air clear and crisp.

Tréville, however, saw nothing of this. He had not slept well and was tired to the bone. He'd woken long before sunrise, or so he guessed, for he could not judge the time in the ever dim light down in the cellars. He had been awake now for hours and other than a guard who had at last brought some water and a crust of stale bread, he had seen no one. When he stood up it was cumbersome and slow, but nevertheless he picked up his pace as he walked back and forth in the small cell. He was restless and had problems concentrating on the coming trial. Often his thoughts wandered to Marie, wondering what had become of her after he had left her at the convent.

Back at the Musketeer garrison, neither Athos nor d'Artagnan had gotten much sleep either. They had harassed Richelieu well into the evening, to a point where they almost felt pity for the cardinal. Almost. They had separated with loud and angry words and subtly uttered threats. But from the behavior of the cardinal, and if the several glasses of wine, mixed with an indeterminate white powder which Richelieu had downed during their visit, had been anything to go by, they had at least given him a migraine which would hopefully last well into the new day.

Athos had detailed men to those tasks that needed to be accomplished and left any further organization to Bauer. In addition to himself and d'Artagnan, he assigned more men than usual for palace duty. If nothing else, they could at least show their support for the captain with their presence. Athos knew it was unlikely that the king would be available for a trial early in the day, but one never knew, maybe Louis wanted to get it over with since it was the captain of his own personal guard accused of high treason. So Athos decided to leave early, waiting only for the return of Arnaud, whom he had sent to the chatelet earlier to see if he could get any information about their captain or the upcoming trial.

D'Artagnan had come up to the office to tell him that their horses were ready and that they could leave as soon as Athos gave the order. Now they both stood on the balcony, looking towards the archway, awaiting the return of Arnaud. Of course, both men also waited for another arrival, but it was unlikely that Porthos and Aramis could have made it all the way to Évreux and back within this short time. That didn't stop them though from glancing towards the entry now and then, hoping to see a familiar face ride through the gate.

It was not Aramis or Porthos who rode into the garrison a couple of minutes later, but Arnaud, who shook his head as soon as he spotted Athos. The lieutenant had not expected anything else, but had hoped nevertheless.

"We ride, d'Artagnan. I have left orders to send Aramis and Porthos over to the Louvre upon their return."

When they arrived at the palace, the Musketeers who had been on duty during the night reported nothing out of the ordinary. Neither the king nor the queen had made an appearance. There was a growing crowd of petitioners gathering in the reception room, but according to the Musketeers neither Cardinal Richelieu nor a messenger had sought an audience with the king yet.

Since Louis was not yet holding court, Athos decided to assign d'Artagnan and himself not to the private quarters or the reception hall but, together with some of the extra men he had brought, nearer to the inner courtyard where he would have a better view of the comings and goings.

They waited through long hours where little happened, then just before noon the clattering of hooves announced the arrival of one or more carriages. Shortly after, the carriage with the cardinal's coat of arms on its side, followed by a smaller prisoner carriage and a half dozen mounted Red Guards, turned into the courtyard and came to a halt. The Red Guards dismounted and Cardinal Richelieu got out of the carriage. Without so much as looking at Athos or d'Artagnan he strode right by them, flanked by four of his men and headed for the great hall. The remaining Red Guards had gathered around the smaller carriage where they now escorted Tréville out of it.

Athos was shocked all over again by how the older man looked, but he knew from personal experience how only one night in the chatelet could wear you out, even more so with the prospect that the coming day might be your last.

When Tréville neared them, Athos stepped in the way of the Red Guards, forcing them to stop. "Captain, how are you?"

Tréville attempted a smile that came out more like a grimace. "I have been better. Any news?"

Athos shook his head slightly; Tréville briefly closed his eyes. He had expected as much.

Before anyone could speak on, one of the Red Guards grabbed Tréville's arm, trying to push him to move on, while another tried to force Athos back.

D'Artagnan was there in an instant, rapier and dagger drawn, shouting furiously at the Red Guards. "Let go of him! Now!"

"D'Artagnan, leave it alone! There's no use in it," Tréville tried to reason with the Gascon. While he was incredibly proud that his men still stood by him, there was no sense fighting the inevitable. And he well knew how rash the young Gascon could be.

With a desperate expression d'Artagnan looked at his captain and lowered his weapons. The Red Guards took the opportunity to push Tréville on and soon were at the bottom of the staircase.

Athos glanced over to d'Artagnan, who stood with both arms hanging, rapier and dagger still in his hands, a look of hopeless despair on his face. Just now Athos realized how very young the Gascon really was and that in this moment he looked every bit the lost puppy Porthos never tired of teasing him with. For a brief moment, Athos looked directly into the abyss of despair and shuddered. Should this go wrong, he knew he would have to keep a wary eye on the young Gascon.

"Let's go," he prompted d'Artagnan, and they followed the Red Guards and their prisoner up the stairs.

It was not until three more hours had passed that the court finally gathered and the accusations against Tréville came up for hearing before the king.

As soon as the jury who would counsel the king had gathered, Richelieu had begun explaining the case to them. Athos and d'Artagnan had not been close enough to hear every word, but Athos had been certain the cardinal had explicitly informed the jury of Captain Tréville's irrefutable guilt.

Finally the king and queen arrived, taking their seats, and the counselors seated themselves again after having risen to greet their majesties.

Richelieu gave orders to his guards to fetch the delinquent from where he had been held for the last hours and then addressed the king and queen. "Your Majesties, we are here today to hold court over Jean-Armand du Peyrer de Tréville, captain of Your Majesty's Musketeer Regiment, who is accused of high treason. I have already informed you of the accusations. We will now give Captain Tréville the chance to confess his crime against Your Majesty and speak concerning his motives for doing so."

"Cardinal, we should give the captain the chance to comment on these accusations before you judge him," the queen spoke. "I cannot believe these accusations you brought forward to be true."

Cardinal Richelieu bowed slightly towards the queen. "Of course, Your Majesty, Captain Tréville will be here any minute now and can speak for himself. Though there can be no doubt about the guilt in this matter. The proof speaks for itself."

At this moment the doors opened and Tréville was escorted into the room and brought to stand before the king. Athos and d'Artagnan, who stood on the right side of the king, moved a little closer.

"Your Majesties," Tréville greeted with a courteous bow and then stood with his head held high and a blank mien, facing king and queen. He purposely avoided glancing towards Athos or d'Artagnan.

Before the cardinal could address the captain with a repetition of the charges, King Louis began to speak. "Tréville, we demand to know this minute if any of these outrageous accusations the cardinal had brought up bear any truth! Have you refused to fulfill direct orders given by us?" The king was showing signs of annoyance, but seemed to still be inclined to shrug off the accusations brought forward by Richelieu as idle talk.

Tréville hesitated for a split second before he answered. "I have never neglected my duty to my king and country, Sire, nor acted in any other way than for the benefit of France."

King Louis looked over to Cardinal Richelieu with a look that said 'what say you now', his eyebrow raised in eager arrogance, waiting for a reaction.

Richelieu took a couple of steps towards the thrones, half-turning so he could face both Tréville and the king and queen, and addressed Tréville. "So, you say that it is not true that you spared the Duchesse d'Epernon, married to the Duc d'Epernon, Bernard de Nogaret, who participated in the attempt to dethrone His Majesty King Louis, instigated by Maria de' Medici? That you did not spare her from the imposed verdict sentencing her to be banished from France and sent to the colonies? You deny that you arranged an escape for her by taking her to the Ursuline convent in Évreux, on French soil at that? There are rumors that you are romantically linked with the duchess. Did you disobey the king's direct command because of your love for a traitor? Do you deny these accusations?"

While the cardinal announced the accusations in a voice gradually getting louder, the jurists and the courtiers, who had gathered at the back of the room, started conversing in hushed voices, their murmurs also getting louder by the minute. Athos exchanged quick glances with d'Artagnan, deeply worried by what they had just heard from the cardinal. Athos hoped that for once their captain would not feel obliged to speak the truth, but would deny everything. They still could not be sure Richelieu had any evidence at all, though Athos himself had very little hope left.

While they had waited for the trial to start, he had desperately watched for any signs that Aramis and Porthos had returned to Paris, but no message had come, not from the garrison and not from his brothers. While he knew the time they had had to ride there and back had been very short, he also knew his brothers would go beyond their limits to see the task done. If they were not back by now it could only mean that they had not had success at the convent or had been prevented from returning to Paris by unforeseen obstacles encountered either on the way to or from the convent.

"Well?" The king looked expectantly to Tréville, his face now showing nothing of the goodwill which had been there only moments ago. The queen, too, looked with an earnest mien to Tréville, waiting for his answer.

"These accusations are ridiculous, Sire, I don't know how Cardinal Richelieu came to believe any of these statements, whoever has given them, bear any truth," Tréville stated in a calm voice and without even a flinch at the lies spilling out.

Athos was proud of him, for a moment there he'd been afraid Tréville would outright confess that once in his life he had disobeyed orders from his king. At least this bought them time, though Athos was not sure to what purpose.

"What is this proof you claim to have, Richelieu?" the king asked his First Minister. "Can you prove any accusations at all? Captain Tréville has always been loyal to us, if this is one of your games we insist you stop this right now." Louis looked expectantly to Richelieu, whose behavior now turned from accusatory to submissive. "Besides, we have already planned a hunting trip to the Meudon where we need our loyal Musketeers and their captain by our side, so let us be done with this now. The captain has given his word, this shall be sufficient to us if you cannot bring forward any proof."

Richelieu raised an eyebrow, glancing over to Tréville before he turned his attention back to the king again. "I would not consider bringing charges against someone as honorable as the captain appears if there was no evidence to prove it. Any minute now I am in expectation of my soldiers returning with proof of the accusations. If your majesty allows, I will send one of my men to see if the riders have arrived."

The murmur of the observers, which had almost ceased, now crescendoed again. Richelieu signed to one of his guards who left immediately.

They did not have to wait long until there was a small commotion at the door, and when Tréville turned to look, he almost flinched. Flanked by a pair of Red Guards, two nuns were ushered into the chamber. Marie he recognized immediately. She was still beautiful, despite the veil hiding her once beautiful long black hair, and leaving little of her face to behold. Unconsciously Tréville's mind registered that she wore the habit of those who had taken their vows.

Athos had looked towards the door as well when it opened, but turned towards his captain in time to see the reaction the appearance of the women had on him. He knew instantly that they had lost.