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Saturday Story: Missing scene to S1E7

Enjoy!

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Cardinal Richelieu lay in his bed, feeling exhausted, ill, and unable to believe how close he'd come to death that day. What shocked him even more, though, was who exactly had saved him.

Musketeers. Rather, a specific one: Aramis…of all people.

Richelieu had plotted more than once to kill the young musketeer during the past five years; the first time was just after the Savoy massacre—which Richelieu had expected no one to survive. He'd planned to kill Aramis to ensure his silence in case he knew that their attacker was the Duke of Savoy, but Aramis had been so addled from a severe concussion that he'd been convinced that Aramis knew nothing.

The second time…that had been when he'd discovered that Aramis and Adele were carrying on a relationship behind his back. He been about to pay Milady to kill him, but then he realized that Adele could've been a plant to spy on him and give information to the musketeers. She knew too much, and therefore was the one who needed to be dealt with, quickly…and it would look suspicious to kill them both. He could no longer trust Adele, and so he had her killed, even though he hadn't wanted to.

Aramis' survival after both incidents had unexpectedly turned out to be for the best; he'd personally saved the king's life more than once since then, and his marksmanship skills were unmatched and very needed. Even though Richelieu wanted Aramis dead, he'd accepted that Paris needed him…for the time being.

A few days prior, Richelieu was again entertaining the thought of killing Aramis, still wanting revenge for Adele—but then Sestini had come from Rome and the situation with Ninon had arisen…and in the middle of it all, someone had poisoned him…

…and Aramis had saved him.

Richelieu closed his eyes. He knew that Aramis was considered to be a medic, but he still couldn't believe that he'd used his skills to save his life. It was no secret that he and the musketeers didn't see eye to eye, and Aramis could've taken this as the perfect opportunity to rid them of him. Instead, he'd taken the necessary action that was the very reason for Richelieu's survival; if Aramis hadn't made him drink that foul concoction, he would surly have died.

Twice, Richelieu had planned to kill Aramis and had been considering it again, but how was he supposed to kill him now? He owed Aramis his life.

Richelieu sighed and closed his eyes. All he knew was one thing: the poison would've killed him if he'd had Aramis murdered. By the time the doctors arrived, it would've been too late. Perhaps he needed to give up his vendetta against Aramis? Could he do that...even for just a while longer?

I've done terrible things; my account with God is not yet balanced. I am afraid...that if I die...I shall go to hell…

Richelieu opened his eyes. Yes, he could do it.

THE END