Evening My Lovelies! :)

Happy New Year! :D Hope 2016 is good to you all!

Sorry this is a little bit later than usual I completely forgot that I hadn't uploaded it yet as I got a bit too absorbed in trying to write a later chapter that's being annoying.

There's a bit of Spanish in today's chapter. I don't speak a word of Spanish so I've had to rely on Google Translate so if it's wrong I do apologize. Also if you're like me and don't speak it I've put the English translation next to it in brackets.

Notes On Reviews:

CaroH: Thanks for the review - It's definitely not good. How Ortiz knows about our boys is alluded to slightly today but it'll be a little while until there's confirmation. Enjoy the new chapter! x

romirola: Thanks for the review - You're welcome :) Things are about to get pretty hairy for our boys now. Enjoy the new chapter! x

lluviayui: Thanks for the review - Hehe your review made me smile :) So glad you liked it. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Tidia: Thanks for the review - I seem to have a thing lately of having notes left behind... think i've done it at least once in my last three stories. Anyways... Whilst the warning was somewhat helpful it's probably not much help for what's about to come. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the reviews - I figured something probably happened when I didnt get a review from you yesterday as your always lovely enough to review every chapter... On the plus side you did get two chapters to read :) Glad you liked the background story bit. D'Arts having a bit of a rough time as that injury isnt his only one nor will it be his only one. Plus like you said he has his brothers to worry about... especially after today... Hope this updates properly for you. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Deana: Thanks for the review - Yeah D'Arts not having a good time lol. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - You asked for one of our boys to roar at Ortiz? Here you go :) ... Though it's in spanish it hopefully wont detract from the flow. I'm quite happy you liked the idea of the Porthos/D'Art moment coz as soon as I had published yesterday's chapter where I mentioned it to you my mind started planning how that conversation could go and then I got quite excited to write it... Probably wont be coming for a little while as we have PLENTY more whumpage coming our boy's way first. Reviews seem to be coming through fine to my email... Though they aren't showing up here which is strange... the counters correct though which is a littler weird but oh well. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Violet Eternity (Guest): Thanks for the review - Enjoy the new chapter! x

Hugs & high fives to you lovely people who continue to support this story by following/favouriting/reviewing/reading. You guys rock!

Enjoy!

xxx


Chapter Seven: Lupiac

"I don't like this," grumbled Porthos as the three men walked through the village. D'Artagnan's warning was still ringing loud in each of the musketeer's minds and so they each found themselves intently watching any people they passed for signs of trouble.

A couple of people had tried to approach them, offering them food or wine. Normally they wouldn't have seen anything wrong with this friendly gesture but now they all saw deceit and danger underlying every act.

Thankfully Athos's typical stern face and stoic nature quickly deterred further attempts from the townsfolk.

"What's a group of musketeer's doing so far from Paris?" enquired a voice, instantly garnering the men's attention. Though it was more from his tone of voice then the words spoken. The man had sounded angry and hateful and it instantly put the men on edge.

Turning to face the speaker who was currently glaring at the three musketeers as he awaited an answer, Aramis plastered on his best charming smile and nodded his greetings to the man, "We are doing a patrol of the back roads" he explained, the lie slipping off his tongue with ease as he remembered just who he was lying for. "The main road has seen an increase in bandit attacks lately so our Captain has tasked us with ensuring that none of Paris's outlying villages have suffered losses due to bandits on the less traveled paths."

"Well we eint so the lot of ya can just be on your merry way" dismissed the gentleman, still glaring daggers at the three armed men on horseback.

While Aramis attempted to talk to the man Porthos and Athos allowed their eyes to flicker to small group of people who had abandoned their tasks to come and see what was going on. Anger grew in the pit of their stomachs as they realized that these were the people who tormented their little brother in his youth and who did nothing to stop the almost rape of a young woman. The only thing that stopped the men voicing their anger was the thought of what repercussions it might have for their missing brother. Their anger also dissipated ever so slightly at the fear they could see in several people's eyes.

"Are ya friends of Charles's?" piped up a voice, completely interrupting the first man's continued attempts to dismiss the musketeers.

Looking at the source of the voice Athos saw it belonged to a young man, easily several years younger than D'Artagnan. Forcing himself not to react too much at D'Artagnan's name Athos spoke. "We have seen him about the garrison and done the odd mission together but no we do not know him especially well" he explained, hating the feeling in his stomach as he spoke.

Seeing the strange look in the younger man's eyes Athos decided to take a risk and said, "I am aware however that he is from here, are you perhaps a friend of his?"

The guilt that flashed over the young man's face almost had the three men demanding answers but they knew they had to play their cards right if they wanted answers. They knew that all it would take is one wrong question or one question too many and they would be shut out.

"We only ask" Aramis interrupted before the young man could say anything in response, "as we're aware he was finally able to get some time off to see what remains of his home and we figured we might as well inform him of the trouble we've seen on our way here so he doesn't get injured on his return to Paris"

Silence reigned for several seconds as the townspeople struggled to decide what to do. Clearly these men knew that D'Artagnan had not left Lupiac but they couldn't deny him arriving either without causing more trouble.

"His house is down there" offered a voice with an ever so subtle Spanish lilt to it that only Aramis's sharp ears caught, though his brothers didn't miss their sharpshooter tense ever so slightly at the man's voice.

"Our thanks" grumbled Porthos with as much politeness as he could muster for these people before he and his brothers took off into the direction of D'Artagnan's home.


The sight that greeted then sent their anger to new heights. LaBarge had destroyed their brother's home, this they had know but it had been months since the attack and it appeared as though not one of the villages had tried to salvage what few personal possessions survived the fire, leaving the weather and animas to do what the fire missed.

As they explored the shell of a house Athos noticed what once must have been a small portrait of D'Artagnan when he was a small toddler in his mother's arms hanging in one of the less damaged rooms. He could tell the fire had thankfully barely touched the piece, with only the smallest signs of burning on the frame of the picture. But the piece itself was riddled with damp from the nearly nonstop rain the country had suffered the last month. LaBarge's fire had weakened the roof, even destroying it in places, allowing the rain to seep into the house and ruin the clearly treasured piece of D'Artagnan's childhood. The faded parchment now looked so fragile that even the lightest touch upon it would cause it to disintegrate.

"One of the outhouses looks in stable condition" Porthos announced as he returned from his surveillance of the outside of the property, "Makes sense the whelp would set up shop there if he needed somewhere to stay in this town."

At this piece of information the three men left the remains of D'Artagnan's home and headed to the last of the outbuildings that appeared to have been completely spared from the fire, only for the small building to explode as soon as they opened the door.


ORTIZ'S MANSION

D'Artagnan was painfully jolted out of a fretful sleep by the sound of an explosion.

Ignoring all the pain in his body that was threatening to overpower him, he forced himself to limp over to the door in the desperate hopes of hearing something from one of the guards.

In his heart he knew that the explosion had been for his brothers and tears sprung from his eyes as he realized that he might have just lost the three men he cherished more than his own life… and if they were still alive they were now prisoners of Ortiz just like he was and would most likely suffer a similar fate to his own.

Dropping to his knees and not even bothering to hide the whimper of pain the action caused him, D'Artagnan allowed his silent tears to turn into quiet sobs as he whispered up a multitude of prayers for his brothers.

Several hours later the three musketeers had all awoken in a cell similar to D'Artagnan's own. They had spent their first moments of wakefulness checking each other over for injuries, though thankfully they had not suffered anything more than impressive bruising and a few minor cuts – Porthos had one that could possibly do with stitching but it was on his shoulder so was causing the medic no immediate cause for concern.

Once the assessment was over they tried to work out both where they were and how to get out. It was a good hour later when they finally gave up trying to get out of their chains and simply sat on the cold ground awaiting the eventual appearance of their captor.

They didn't have to wait long as within an hour of them giving up on the chains they could hear the sound of footsteps coming towards them.

"Ah, estás despierto." (Ah, you're awake) sneered the apparent leader of the small group who had entered their cell.

The man was very tall and had muscles to match Porthos's own. He had lightly tanned skin and shoulder length gloss black hair and a short goatee. He was dressed in finery rarely seen in a village such as Lupiac. That coupled with the man's fluent Spanish told the three men that they were likely in the company of Ortiz.

Ortiz had noticed how only one of the three men before him seemed to understand what he had just said, whereas the others simply reacted to him speaking rather than what he spoke.

"Señor Aramis supongo?" (Monsieur Aramis I presume?) Ortiz asked, though it came out as more of a sneer as he knelt before the chained, yet defiant, musketeer.

Despite not understanding the language both Athos and Porthos understood when Ortiz addressed Aramis by name and both went ridged as they realized what that meant.

All three of the musketeers knew that D'Artagnan would rather die before giving up any information on his brothers, even information so seemingly harmless as their names. This would be even more so to a man such as Ortiz, so for him to know their names it either meant that D'Artagnan had been tortured to the point where he had broken and given the information… or the Spaniard had eyes and ears in the country's capital.

Aramis had opened his mouth to respond to the Ortiz when the man interrupted, his words making anger grow within the sharpshooter as quickly as his skin blanched with the implications.

"El cachorro será más le alegra saber que estás bien ... él ha estado muy preocupado." (The pup will be most glad to know that you're well... he has been very worried.)

Both Athos and Porthos grew worried at the look of pure rage that had appeared on their brother's face.

"¿¡DONDE ESTA EL!?" (Where is he!?) Roared the medic, unknowingly slipping into his native tongue as he tried to launch himself at the smirking man before him. "Si lo has hecho daño!" (If you've hurt him!)

"ENOUGH!" bellowed Porthos, having had enough with not being able to fully understand what was going on but knowing that it must be something bad for Aramis to react the way he did. "Speak words we can all understand, now why are we here!?"

Ortiz blinked, seemingly having forgotten there were others in the room during his taunting of the marksman. Turning on his heels he sneered down at the larger musketeer. "You're here musketeer" spat Ortiz, a clear Spanish lilt to his voice even as he spoke French so all could understand him, "to participate in a trade"

"And what do we have that you want?" asked Athos somehow managing to sound bored whilst glaring daggers at the Spanish man, his eyebrows rising slightly when the man began to chuckle darkly.

"You" scoffed Ortiz, "Have nothing I want… You are merely… the commodity I am offering that stubborn musketeer brat"

"D'Artagnan" Aramis whispered brokenly before he could stop himself as he realized they were being used as leverage against their brother.