Thank you as always for your kind reviews and messages. Apparently Marie is getting kitted out with her own leather armour and sword, thanks to a reader. I'm thinking she may need it soon!

Chapter Four

"What are you doing here? Stealing from an honest family business?"

The guard glared at him and Albert shook his head in disbelief. "No! This is my bakery! I was just closing up for the night."

The second guard looked skeptical as he listened. "How do we know that's true? We could have just caught you in the act and now you are covering."

Albert slowly held out his hands in front of him. "I have stolen nothing. I can prove this is my business. Ask me about the layout inside and then see for yourself if I am lying."

The two guards looked at each other. The one with the sword slowly lowered it as he nodded towards the shutters. "What's behind that?"

"A wooden bench. Some baskets stacked together. On the far side is my bowls, rollers and other tools. On the left is the oven. A stack of wood is behind it."

One of the guards moved inside and looked around and moved around slowly. It was dark within the bakery, but the faint glow of coals that had been banked for the morning gave him enough light to see that Albert's description matched what he was seeing. As he walked back out, he nodded at the other guard.

Albert felt the tension had still not dissipated and he frowned. The one who appeared to be in charge, walked towards him. "You need to understand, we have been receiving reports of citizens being subjected to extortion demands under the guise of protection. We have been investigating and thought you may have been doing something to this business."

Abert swallowed slowly as he looked between the two men. Something about their demeanor unsettled him, but he nodded slowly. "You can't be too careful, I suppose."

"Exactly. Now I don't suppose you've heard anything of anybody around here having any such problems?"

"No! No. Nothing that I can think of."

"No businesses that have suddenly packed up and gone? Vendors going missing? Supplies mysteriously disappearing or being ruined?"

The other guard shifted on his feet. "Any family members getting strange injuries?"

Albert felt his stomach doing flips as the two men spoke. Their words spoke of concern, but their tone spoke of threats.

"Nothing at all like that. Now, if we are done, I need to be getting home. I have an early start in the morning."

"Of course. Sorry to keep you from your … family. You'll be sure to let us know if there is anything of concern that comes your way."

Albert nodded and turned to walk away. For some irrational reason, he walked in the opposite way from his home. The hair on the back of his neck felt like it was on fire as he walked away from the two men. The memory that the vegetable vendor's family had not opened for trade suddenly took on a whole more sinister feeling to it.

The Red Guards watched the baker walk away from them and they slapped each other on the arm. "Primed and ready. Just enough fear to get him worrying and soften him up for the next stage."

"Hmmm, this bakery has done well over the years. It should be ripe for the pickings."

As the two of them strolled off in search of a tavern, Albert stood tucked into the shadows and watched them leave, before heading back towards his home and his family. His stomach churned at the idea that anybody, let alone the King's men could be capable of such things. And yet, he knew his world was not a safe one and money and power could turn a man's head very easily.

D'Artagnan stared at the map that Treville had laid out before them. It was longer than any of them had expected and it would spread the Musketeers too thin for their liking. Treville had tried to explain that already and the King had made some snide remark about using Red Guards instead. Rochefort had barely contained a smirk as he watched Treville's discomfort and the Captain had assured the King that his men could cover things.

As they stood and surveyed the parade route, it was obvious that a stationary guard was not going to be able to cover it. The men would be forced to overlap each other as the Royal carriage and entourage traversed the streets. Once the group had passed by, that detail would move forward and meet up with the next group ahead of the carriage. It would take well executed movements and the planning was critical.

Athos pointed to a narrow bend on the map. "We need Aramis here. On the roofline."

Aramis scanned the area and nodded in agreement. It was an obvious weak spot and he was surprised that Treville had allowed the Royal procession to travel that way. "We should be avoiding it all together," he muttered.

"We would be, if Rochefort had just kept his mouth shut!" The look that crossed Treville's face spoke volumes and they all knew he had been under great stress trying to keep the King within the bounds of reason while planning his parade.

"What would Rochefort have to gain by forcing the Royal carriage to go that way? It's madness." Athos stared at Treville, awaiting an answer while suspecting he knew it already.

When the Captain did not answer immediately, he shook his head in disgust. It was beginning to come across to both of them that Rochefort was quite all right with seeing the Musketeers looking less than their best. Each time the King chastised Treville, he seemed to simultaneously praise Rochefort. It had happened too many times to be simple co-incidence.

The morning of the Dauphin's parade dawned with a hint of snow on the air. Even though the Royal carriage would not depart from the palace until midday, the men of the garrison were up with the dawn, making the final preparations. Aramis sat at the bench with a line up of muskets and pistols. He double checked each one and then began to count out a store of musket balls and wicks. This was not the day to be found wanting when it came to ammunition. He pulled out a pouch and began pouring the lead balls into it.

"I pray that you do not need to fire any of those today."

"Me too, Captain."

Treville began to head for his office and Aramis observed him as he walked away. He looked as though he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. He knew the man had gone back and forth to the palace multiple times to ensure that all preparations had gone smoothly. It wasn't like the King would be forgiving if anything happened to his son.

His son.

Aramis hung his head and tried not to voice the words. The bitterness behind the thought made him want to shout with rage.

I will lay down my life for him, if need be.

He had made that vow almost a year before and he still meant it. Nothing would stop him from protecting the Dauphin.

His son.

He gathered the rest of his weapons and headed towards the stable. He knew he didn't need to leave for some time in order to get himself in position, but he was too restless to sit around alone. The others had already left for the palace and it felt strange to be the only one at the garrison. It struck him as a cruel kind of irony that because of his skills with a musket, he would be the one that was farthest from the Royal carriage. Perhaps it was the hand of God, denying him access to his son. Perhaps it was just fate at work. Whatever the case, he would be at the palace later in the day and hoped he would have a chance to get close then.

Athos sat astride his horse and waited at the gates for the carriage to draw up behind them. Treville had not managed to convince the King to alter the route in the last few days and it was all going ahead as planned. He looked across the open grass and could see the preparations going on for the gala that would happen there later in the day. Colourful tents and banners dotted the area and he could see an area that had been fenced off with guards on each corner. Fireworks were known to be volatile and unpredictable and nobody was allowed access into the area except for those who knew how to handle them. As much as he normally enjoyed the unusual spectacle, Athos was too concerned about the rest of the day to truly enjoy the anticipation.

He watched as Porthos rode towards him and he knew that meant the carriage was on its way. King Louis had insisted on an open carriage to show his son off to the world. While Athos understood the politics and goodwill such a gesture engendered in the people, he was also a soldier. That meant he saw threats at every turn and an open carriage was the most difficult to guard. It was one of the reasons Treville had assigned the three of them to travel with it. He wanted his most trusted men on the job.

Athos urged his horse forward, out into the open road outside the palace. Directly behind, the entire Royal family was ensconced in one carriage and he was not happy about it. The next hour was going to last an eternity.

Treville had watched as the garrison emptied of men. Serge and Jacques and a handful of civilians who provided services were all that was left by the time he rode out himself. His men had been stationed along the route, with strict instructions of how he wanted them to rotate along the way to cover the distance. He was confident they would do their job exceptionally, as they always did. He knew that Rochefort had given similar instructions to his men, but Treville simply did not have the same level of confidence in them as his own men.

As he rode towards the palace he felt the tension of a headache creeping up on him. It was not unusual for one to present itself when he had such a serious job on his hands, but lately they seemed to be far more common.

"This way, Papa!" Juliette tugged at her father's hand as she spotted a gap in the crowd. Albert smiled at her enthusiasm as he followed her. She had talked for days about seeing the Dauphin and could barely contain herself throughout the morning. By the time they slipped into the gap, Albert pushed Margaux in front of him so she could see before hoisting Juliette onto his shoulder. She gripped Marie tightly as she leaned out into the street, trying to see if anybody was coming. Red Guards made their way along the road, directing people to stay back behind some invisible, arbitrary line and he wondered if this was another excuse for them to throw their weight around. He had not seen any near his bakery for two days, but he was still unsettled by those who had been there. It had not sat well with him and he knew there was something that was very wrong in his neighbourhood. The vegetable vendor and his family had not returned and he felt sick with worry about what could have happened. The rumours were beginning to filter through about others going missing and family businesses being targeted. He decided he would go to the garrison and discuss it with the Musketeers' Captain. Just as soon as the Dauphin's parade was over and done with and they were available to see him.

It was perhaps an hour later that they heard the cheers coming from further up the road and once again Albert lifted his daughter up onto his shoulders. He smiled as he recognised Athos ahead of the carriage and then knew the moment Juliette had spotted d'Artagnan riding along beside it. She squirmed on his shoulder and began waving Marie madly in the air.

"Louis!"

Several people looked at her as though she were being impertinent, but Margaux looked up and smiled at her.

"Louis!"

D'Artagnan heard the cheers of the crowd as they rode along and his eyes kept scanning constantly for danger. On the far side of the carriage he could see Porthos doing the same. It felt both comforting and disconcerting that Athos was riding ahead of them. If anybody was to be targeted first, he was clearly it.

"Louis!"

He turned back towards the crowd on his left and almost burst out laughing. Albert was clearly having trouble holding onto his daughter as she wriggled on his shoulder. D'Artagnan managed to keep a straight face as she waved wildly at him. It wasn't until they were almost past that he allowed her a small smile and dip of his head in acknowledgement before turning back to scanning the crowd. He could see the Red Guards mingling amongst the people, as had been arranged. Every so often he noted the Musketeers. He knew they had horses tethered somewhere nearby in order to quickly move along the line of the crowd and overlap each other. As he scanned along the line nearest him he noted something strange. He swung back in his saddle to take another look, but the man had disappeared into the crowd.

He could have sworn he had never seen that musketeer before.