Chapter 4

Upon leaving the palace, D'Artagnan couldn't help but notice an uncomfortable look on Athos face. "Everything alright?" The Captain queried. "Yes" Athos answered "But I do have the feeling that something might not be quite right but I'm not sure what it is yet." "Heard from Milady recently?"D'Artagnan asked changing the subject. "Why would do you ask that?" Athos queried. "No reason it's just no one has heard anything of her in such a long time, one does wonder why?" "Remember what I told you on our way to try and get Aramis from Douai, that she was going to England to start a completely new life. She would have no reason to want to have anything to do with us anymore. I shut the door on that aspect of my life years ago and moved on. I have Raoul and Ninon now". "Good, well I hope your right" D'Artagnan answered. Wanting to change the subject again away from Milady, Athos asked "Where does the Batz part of your name come from? I never heard you refer to that before". "From my mother's side" answered D'Artagnan "I don't really have many memories of her since she died when I was a child, It's my way of thanking her for helping me make myself the person I am today".

Back and the garrison, the four were greeted by Constance and the four D'Artagnan children. "I hear that you are leaving my with this rabble once again my dear" the new Comtesse smiled. "Ah, been communicating with your friends in the court again I see" D'Artagnan joked, kissing his wife on the forehead. "It'll be three weeks this time, I'm sure you can handle it though". "Of course" she laughed "Do remember I handled 4 years of hardly seeing you during the war. Three weeks is nothing". Looking past D'Artagnan, Constance suddenly recognised the three other men who were with her husband. "Athos, Porthos, Aramis" she exclaimed "When did you all arrive?". "This morning" Aramis answered. "The message from the palace arrived before we had the chance to come and see you". "I see you've bought along our 'nieces' and 'nephews' along" grinned Porthos looking down at the children. "Of course" said Constance. "They only come to the garrison when their father leaves or is returning from a mission . It's too dangerous for them normally but they begged so hard to be allowed to come along this time that I relented"."Hmm"smirked D'Artagnan smiling down at the four beaming faces. "Athos, Porthos and Aramis are all coming with me on the mission". "Excellent my dear" Constance exclaimed. "How long do you have before you all leave?" Constance asked. "We depart tomorrow morning" Athos answered. "Well then you three are all invited for a meal at our house". Constance replied "Then you can all fill me in on all your latest news". "We'd be delighted" said Aramis. "Also" put in Athos "We'll need to write letters to our other halves to tell them what's happening. Ninon thinks I'm only away for a week". "Of course, you may use our quills and papers" said Constance smiling. "Thank you" answered Athos.

As soon as the meal was over and the letters were written, Athos, Porthos and Aramis retired to their shared room for the night. Athos still couldn't shake off the strange feeling that he'd had about the mission. "Something wrong Athos?" Aramis asked. "I don't know" Athos answered "I've have a really strange feeling about the mission but I just can't work out what it could be, I've had it ever since the King mentioned Infanta Carmen's hand-maiden, It's probably nothing though". Aramis bit his tongue. Being of Spanish descent, he knew that the word Invierno in Spanish meant Winter, which could only mean that Ana de Invierno, was an alias for Milady.