Chapter Four
D'Artagnan had valiantly kept himself conscious on the ride back to the garrison but had passed out as they entered the yard. One of the younger musketeers, Pierre, was sitting at the table as Athos and d'Artagnan rode in, he quickly crossed to them and grabbed the unconscious man before he could hit the floor.
Athos was off his mount in seconds and crouched down beside d'Artagnan. He looked up at Pierre saying, 'help me get him to the infirmary, then I need you to find Treville.'
A few minutes later d'Artagnan was lying on a bed in the infirmary and Athos was checking him for any other injuries.
'What happened?' asked Treville as he entered the room hurriedly.
'We were caught out by one of Daviau's men. I had to shoot him.'
'Is their cover blown?'
'I do not believe so. But it will be harder to grab one of the gang now.'
Satisfied that d'Artagnan was suffering from nothing other than the concussion Athos sat back.
They only had to wait a few minutes for d'Artagnan to come around, he groaned and reached up to touch the back of his head.
'How are you feeling?' asked Athos.
D'Artagnan managed to focus on Athos, 'sorry, I shouldn't have let that happen.'
'Don't be, I had not noticed him either. The man was quick you didn't stand a chance against him.'
'What about Aramis and Porthos?'
'Still there, I do not think our presence had a detrimental effect on their part of the plan.'
'Good,' said d'Artagnan blinking.
Treville stepped forward, 'rest. I need you fit.'
With a nod to Athos, Treville left the room. Athos hoped that Aramis and Porthos were having better luck than they were.
MMMM
The heavy door swung open. Victor pushed it fully open using his shoulder. He was carrying a tray.
'I brought you both some food and water,' he said as he set the tray down next to Porthos.
'Thank you, Victor, you won't get into trouble for this will you?' asked Porthos as he poured water into the two cups.
'No, they don't pay too much attention to me if I keep out of their way.'
Aramis asked, 'are you able to leave here, to buy them provisions?'
'Yes,' said Victor, 'I've got to get some things tomorrow morning.'
Aramis smiled, 'do you still want to help?'
'I can take a message to the other Musketeers. If that's what you need?'
'Please Victor, you could very well save our friends life, not to mention ours…the message is very specific, you must remember all the details.'
'I have a good memory,' said Victor with a smile.
MMMM
D'Artagnan looked up as Barbotin opened the door to the infirmary. The musketeer ushered in a slight man who stood by the door looking a little frightened.
'This is Victor, says he's working at the house where Daviau's gang are. He has a message from Aramis and Porthos,' said Barbotin pushing Victor forward a little.
'How do we know you haven't been sent by Daviau, and that Aramis and Porthos are his prisoners?'
Barbotin smiled, 'I thought the same thing, but you'll believe him when he tells you what the message is.'
'Monsieur Porthos said to say that he is still jealous of Aramis' doublet? He said that would prove that I have not been sent by Daviau.'
D'Artagnan smiled, he nodded to Barbotin who steered Victor to a seat by d'Artagnan's bed. He moved around to the other side and helped the injured man to sit up a bit straighter, although feeling better than he had the night before d'Artagnan was not well enough to be out of bed yet.
'Monsieur Aramis, he said that he is going to have to shoot Athos.'
Both d'Artagnan and Barbotin gasped.
'What?' they both said at the same time.
Victor nodded, 'yes. Daviau knows that Monsieur Athos shot Paul and Aramis has been told to shoot him.'
D'Artagnan turned to Barbotin who was already on his way out of the infirmary, 'I'll get them,' he said as he disappeared through the door.
Athos and Treville returned within a minute. Victor looked quite alarmed when the two men walked into the room.
'It's OK Victor this is Treville, the Captain of the Musketeers…and this is Athos.'
'Aramis had been told he has to shoot me?' asked Athos.
Victor nodded, 'yes Monsieur, he said that it has to look like he has killed you…but he won't kill you…he's very good…I watched his demonstration.'
Treville interrupted the young man, 'we know he is very good. What did he tell you to say to us?'
Victor took a breath then began to recite his message, 'you are to be outside the garrison at three o'clock, Aramis will fire at that time, he will hit you in the left shoulder. You are to stand by the tree near the blue door.'
Athos nodded, he knew where Aramis meant, 'why has he got to do this?'
'Because you killed Paul. And Daviau wants Aramis to do another demonstration…and if he does not they will hurt Porthos.'
Treville sighed, 'this is all going wrong,' he paused when d'Artagnan looked away guiltily, 'this is not your fault.'
D'Artagnan wished he believed that, if he had not allowed himself to be attacked Athos would not have had to defend him. And Aramis would not be in the awkward position he now found himself.
Athos turned to Victor and said, 'tell them I'll be ready. Tell Aramis I trust him.'
MMMM
Neither of them had slept much. Aramis had finally dozed off, leaning against Porthos whilst the big musketeer stared at the windows, watching the light gradually fill the room.
Aramis stirred and sat up with a groan.
'I'm sorry I'm not more comfortable,' said Porthos was a chuckle.
'I wish you would stop making light of our predicament.'
'Sorry…did you sleep at all?'
'A bit I think,' said Aramis with a sigh, 'I just hope it was enough for my aim to be true…if I miss, either missing him completely or…'
'You will be fine. You're the best shot I know.'
'Normally I enjoy being flattered but today I don't.'
'You should make a run for it when you're out there,' said Porthos trying to keep his expression serious to echo Aramis' frequent attempts to get him to leave. Aramis believed he meant what he had said for about two seconds.
'If I did, and they killed you, would you haunt me?'
'Absolutely.'
They lapsed into silence for a while.
'There are so many things that could go wrong…Victor may not get the message to them, Janvier might not let me pick the spot to shoot from…Athos might move at the very moment I need him to be still…'
'Aramis…'
'Yes?'
'Be quiet.'
MMMM
Janvier had his own gun trained on Aramis' back, he could feel it prodding at him. He glanced back at the man. He was in his late twenties, a little shorter than himself and had an evil looking face, Aramis decided the man's eyes were too close together.
'Would you mind not pushing the gun into my back, I need to concentrate, and you are quite distracting. This is why I wanted Porthos with me, he knows what to do.'
'Shut up,' said Janvier, although he did take a step back moving the gun away from him.
'This sort of work takes concentration, we could be here for a while yet, we don't know when your Musketeer will leave,' said Aramis.
Aramis had been lucky with Janvier, he had allowed him to pick his spot. They were hidden from view behind several barrels. The gaps between the barrels afforded him a view of the area in front of the garrison gates but they were both well hidden. He could see the tree where Athos was to stand clearly, it was well within reach of the gun he was going to use. Janvier had told him that as soon as the shot was made they were to return to the gang's hideout. Aramis was pleased with this plan, it meant Janvier would not see that Athos was still alive. At least Aramis hoped Athos would still be alive. Unlike the shots he had taken the previous day where he had to miss Porthos by inches this time he had to hit his friend. Athos was going to be injured, it depended on Aramis' accuracy just how badly injured he was going to be.
Athos and d'Artagnan appeared at the garrison gate. Aramis was pleased that the young musketeer was OK, he and Porthos had been concerned when they heard that he had been knocked down by Paul.
'That's the one,' said Janvier quietly.
Athos and d'Artagnan casually wandered about a little, talking as they went. Eventually they stopped in front of the tree. D'Artagnan positioned himself slightly to the right of Athos so that Athos was exposed.
Aramis took a breath, he levelled the gun.
MMMM
Authors note: Sorry. I'm working an early shift tomorrow to the next chapter will not go up until around 1600 (UK time) – Athos will just have to wait for a bit!
