Evening my lovelies :)

We are getting really close to a couple of chapters that i'm really excited about so yay :D

I welcome any ideas you guys may have for Pierre, Jasper and Luca's demise - i have one of them already planned out but not too sure about the other two.

Also do we want Milady to survive this story of does she need to pay for her part in all of this?

Notes On Reviews:

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I'm really glad you like Kara, i figured any relative of Aramis isnt going to be shy lol :) she still has a part to play in this story so she'll be popping up again soon :). D'Artagnan is most definitely having a hard time having to return to this house... and with what i have planned for him its only going to get worse mwhahaha :D

Tidia: Thanks for the review - Things arent going well for D'Artagnan at the moment, even more so in the coming chapters he'll be trying head over heart but how well it works out we'll just have to wait and see

Issai: Thanks for the review - Our boys seem to have a thing for walking straight into traps dont they lol though it does make Treville's job easier (when he eventually gets to leave), We are almost there for those chapters i promise only a couple more days to wait ... i have a sneaking suspicion that i might be being a bit biased towards them seeing as how i wrote them and i've possibly bigged them up to be more than they are... if i have i'm apologising in advance :) Their meeting with Dorian is something i've kinda skipped but they have to go back to him later so he'll actually come up again near the end of the story i should think. I hadnt even thought about how they would go about wrapping her ribs without actually touching anything and the idea of them all embarrassed is too good to pass up so i think i might have to have someone mention it later on in the story - think Aramis's protectiveness might come out in a need to 'protect her honor' lol :) Hope you didnt walk into anything while writing the review :)

Guest: Thanks for the review - Personally i dont see Kara as a mary-sue but i'm probably biased towards her as i wrote her. I see her having her uncle's determination and spirit due to her idolising him and following him around as a child. Her high pain threshold is kinda more down to her fear and worry overpowering her other emotions. But I completely respect your opinion, I'll try to address it if I can but like I said I'm probably a bit biased towards her. I like the secret rooms/doors idea but i dont think D'Artagnan or Dorian would have been allowed to explore the house much to have found them.

Hugs & High Fives to readers/followers/favouriters/reviewers you guys are awesome!

Enjoy

xxx


Chapter Nine: The Rescue

"I'm fine Athos," reiterated D'Artagnan when he noticed his mentor sending him another concerned glance, it was possibly the tenth he'd noticed in the last hour as they rode back to Lucian's old house.

Truth be told D'Artagnan was anything but fine, in fact 'fine' was nowhere in the vicinity at the moment, but he had no intention of leaving his brothers to suffer because he couldn't handle a few bad memories… Okay they were terrible memories but the point still stood.

"Just remember that the man himself is gone" Athos reassured the Gascon, "It's just a house… One I strongly suggest we burn after all this is over."

"So what's the plan?"

"We wait for nightfall" Athos informed, choosing not to comment on his protégé's topic change, "Kara said Porthos entered through a window so I doubt they'd be dumb enough to leave another open again,"

"We are talking about Pierre here 'Thos" D'Artagnan smirked. When Kara had told them that the 'mastermind' behind the plot was the young man who had tried and failed to kill D'Artagnan not too long ago the Gascon didn't know what surprised him more; that the man had the brains to concoct such a plan or that he had the guts to actually go through with it. Either way it cleared up the mystery of why they in particular were targeted.

"True" Athos acknowledge, a small smirk of his own appearing, "but I'd rather not risk it, if they have left any windows open it would probably be an attempt to lure us through those entrances. We'll go through the front door"

"We knocking as well?" D'Artagnan teased, quickly ducking a swift swat to the back of the head from Athos.

"Chances are they've separated Aramis and Porthos as much as possible, I would prefer to get to Aramis first as he's been in their clutches longer and we have confirmation that they have harmed him at some point"

D'Artagnan nodded, that seemed like the logical thing to do but then he remembered all the conversations and insults he had heard from Pierre and he said, "but Pierre absolutely hates Porthos, couldn't even be in the same room with him without scowling at him or muttering insults… Wouldn't he turn the attention to him when they captured him?"

Athos thought about it for a minute, it did make sense, Pierre seemed to have a rather vocal hatred for their large dark-skinned friend and would likely abandon Aramis to physically express that hatred on their brother. "Porthos would want Aramis safe before him" Athos stated through gritted teeth, he hated the idea of choosing between brothers but he had no choice, "besides if the attention has shifted to Porthos then Aramis will be under lighter guard. We'll get him out and hidden in the woods, give him a rifle and some shots given he can still fight then we go back for Porthos"

"Or we could split up and each go after one of them" D'Artagnan suggested

"No… We stick together"

"Athos" D'Artagnan said calmly, understanding fully why he was so adamant about sticking together, "I may not want to go in there but I can handle it, we can cover more ground and have a better chance at finding them if we split up. We can take different floors and if we find them we get them out and meet in the woods"

"D'Artagnan…"

"Please Athos" D'Artagnan begged, "We know they've hurt Aramis bad enough to make him scream and we can only imagine what Pierre's hatred for Porthos is causing him to do to him. We don't have time to argue about this… Trust me. Please. I can handle it… I wouldn't risk them if I didn't think I could."

"…Fine" Athos conceded, unable to resist the begging and pleading look the boy sent his way, nor the logic he was spouting. "But you find one of them, you get them out. You don't come looking for me or for the other one understood?"

"Understood"

"Right then we just need to decide who's looking where"

"I'd rather take the basement," D'Artagnan said, surprising his brother

"I figured that would be the last place you'd want to look" Athos commented, though it was phrased slightly like a question as he raised an inquisitive eyebrow at his, still pale, younger brother.

"It's the only place in the house I know my way around" he admitted quietly, his gaze focused downward so he missed the softening of his mentor's face, "only time I saw any of the rest of the house was when I tried to escape and I was too focused on getting out to take note of where things were"

Athos nodded sadly, "then I'll that the top floor, it makes sense that they would have one in the basement and one on the top as it's as far apart as they could probably get"


Having decided on a plan the pair of musketeers found a secluded place close enough to the house that they wouldn't have far to travel yet far enough away that they would not be easily spotted and set to work preparing for the mission ahead, D'Artagnan forced Athos to get a few hours rest as the senior musketeer had not slept since before they found Kara over a day ago. Whilst his mentor slept D'Artagnan busied his hands sharpening his blades and cleaning and prepping his firearms. There was still a small part of his mind that was the terrified eight-year-old boy who feared the house almost as much as he feared the man who used to own it and now that they were close to the house that part of him was screaming at him to run far far away from that place.

It was only the memories and love he held for his brothers that gave him the strength to push that part of his mind away. He thought of Aramis who always scolded him like a protective mother whenever he appeared with even the most minor of injuries, who gave him outlandish flirting advice to help him win Constance's heart… Who sat with him when his nightmares almost destroyed his mind and willing bared his worst memories to him to help him realize that he wasn't alone and that, it may take a while and the memories will never truly leave him, but one day he would be okay again.

He thought of Porthos who had supported his dream about becoming a musketeer from the second he had arrived at the garrison, who place himself in front of anything he deemed as a possible threat to him with no hesitation…Who was the first friendly face he recognized when he had been in Lucian's clutches all those months ago and who had carried him out the house in the first place and had refused to let him wallow in past memories.

Those men were the best men he knew and D'Artagnan would happily sacrifice ever sleeping without a nightmare again if it meant he could save them.

Night fell quicker than D'Artagnan would have liked and with one last steading breath he placed a gentle hand on Athos's shoulder, shaking lightly to wake the man.

"Athos, it's time"

With an aura of courage he truly didn't feel D'Artagnan followed his brother as then snuck into the house that had haunted his dreams since he was boy.


Thankfully Pierre and his friends had either retired for the night or didn't believe that they would brazenly enter through the main door so they encountered no initial resistance – something both men took as a win.

D'Artagnan was about to head to the basement to begin his search when he felt the strong yet gentle grip of his brother's hand on his arm.

"Be careful D'Artagnan" Athos whispered, not bothering to hide the concern for his little brother, "and remember once out do not return"

Smiling softly at his beloved mentor D'Artagnan placed a hand over Athos's and nodded his confirmation before both men went their separate ways in search of their missing brothers.

Athos knew he had to push aside his concerns for D'Artagnan's mental wellbeing at present. He had not been blind to the boy's internal struggle, nor had he missed his paler complexion or the minute tremors that shook his body. But the situation at present required him to be completely focused, the top floor held many rooms, each of which could either contain a missing brother or a room full of armed enemies and he was no good to any of his brothers if he died because of his lack of focus.

He found himself cursing the fact the house was old more than once as he was forced to still whenever a floorboard or door creaked when he touched them, he knew not to tempt fate when the lives of his brothers were on the line. So far he had only encountered a single guard who he was able to render unconscious silently with very little effort on his part.

As he walked the halls he racked his brain to remembered everything Treville had told him about the top floor of the house, after they had rescued D'Artagnan Athos had steadfastly refused to set foot back inside the house, choosing instead to stay by his injured little brother's bedside – fully intent on being there when he awoke to ensure the boy that all would be well and he was amongst family again.

Footsteps in the distance forced the musketeer to quickly abandon his train of thought, alongside all self-preservation instincts as he ducked inside the nearest room, which thankfully was unoccupied, just in time to avoid being seen by two men walking past, one of them Athos remembered as being one of the men who followed Pierre around like sheep. He debated rushing them now, eliminating a third of the threat to his brothers but was frozen in place by their next words.

"That musketeer dog's got balls I'll give him that" a man admitted as he walked the halls with Jasper, Athos didn't know who he was but he felt his hatred for the man growing as he spoke, "to not utter a sound after all Pierre did to him" he whistled his admiration of the man's stubbornness.

"Shame" Jasper mock sighed dramatically, "I do so love it when we can make musketeer scum scream" he laughed as both men passed by, completely ignorant of the blinding rage that was brewing in the man behind the door.

As soon as the two men were a decent distance from him Athos bolted from his hiding spot and raced to the room he had seen them leaving from… The sight that greeted him grew his rage and anger to whole new levels.

Chained and bound in the middle of the room was Porthos, hanging limply from his chains, a puddle of blood covering the room around him, the stench of burnt flesh hanging in the air.

"Thought… you boys…were done for the day" Porthos grunted defiantly, not moving his head from where it hung limply against his chest.

Athos truly didn't know what possessed him to answer as he did but the sound of his brother's trademark defiance, even in spite of everything he had clearly suffered caused Athos to revert back to their usual banter, "Well… I can come back later if that's what you really want…"

The senior musketeer couldn't contain the grin that formed despite the horrific injuries to his brother when he saw the man's head shoot up the instant he started talking, wasting no time Athos set to work unlocking his friend, muttering a stream of apologies as his actions agitated his brothers many injuries.

"Thought you and the whelp were in Calais" Porthos muttered quietly, desperately trying to stay awake. His body was responding to the pain of his injuries now that Athos was here and was trying to pull him under.

"Kara found us," Athos explained, grinding his teeth in frustration as the locks stayed stubborn.

"She safe?"

"With D'Artagnan's friend in Toulouse, healing from her broken ribs"

"Where's the whelp?"

"Looking for Aramis"

That was all Porthos needed to return to full consciousness and he turned his head to look Athos straight in the eye, panic and concern filling his gaze, "You brought 'im 'ere of all places?!"

Leveling his brother with a simple glare that was rather mollified by the concern burning in his eyes, Athos defended his actions, "he could not be convinced otherwise and we both know he would have followed me in secret had I tried to leave him in Toulouse"

The emotion in Athos voice broke through Porthos's concern for their youngest and he sent the man an apologetic smile for his words, only for it to turn into a grimace when Athos finished unlocking the last lock and he fell into his brother, who said nothing but soothing words as Porthos worked through the pain.

"Can you walk?"

"I'll manage as long as I don't 'ave ta go out the window" Porthos joked, letting Athos swing his arm over his shoulder as he help guide him out of the house.

Dawn was fast approaching and Athos had no plans to stay in this house for longer than absolutely necessary and only hoped that D'Artagnan had found Aramis and was waiting for them at the rendezvous point.


Arriving at their destination Athos's heart sank when he saw no sign of either Aramis or D'Artagnan. He allowed him no time to panic and instead turned his focus onto Porthos, the large man was in a whole world of pain that had only increased as they rushed out of the house and now that they were relatively safe Athos decided it was time to see the extent of his brother's wounds. He was no Aramis and had very minimal supplies but he was willing to give that man the shirt off of his back if he needed it.

"Let me see" he said gesturing to Porthos's back where the worst of the blood seemed to be coming from.

For a moment Athos thought Porthos was going to be difficult and refuse him but eventually the man gave in to his demands and shifted out of what remained of his shirt. The sight that greeted him made Athos's blood boil and freeze at the same time as he realized that if this is what Porthos looked like after only a few days… How would Aramis, who had been in their clutches for so much longer, fair? Was he even still alive?

Athos set to work cleaning and bandaging Porthos's back as best he could, the skin was completely shredded in places and he knew that even Aramis wouldn't be able to stitch all of his wounds. The longer he worked the more his rage outweighed his fear… Those pathetic excuses for human beings had actually had the audacity to flog his brother! It was taking every single piece of his self control not to go on a murderous rampage, how Porthos was even still conscious, let alone able to walk – abet with a bit of help, he would never know.

"Have you seen him?" Athos asked quietly, desperately needing both something to distract him from his murderous thoughts as well as the reassurance that his other brother was still alive.

"No" Porthos said quietly, fatigue, pain and worry draining all his reserves. "Saw the results of some of their 'sessions' with him though" he admitted darkly, at this Athos sent him a questioning look – having moved to face the musketeer so he could tend to the lash marks on his front as well, multiple different whips had been used even Athos could tell that and Athos was sure Porthos would be sporting a range of scars once this was over. Seeing the look he was being sent Porthos tiredly went on to explain the note and 'package' he had received whilst out on a mission, how he had warned Treville and everything else he could remember… everything except Milady's involvement, praying that should Athos ever find out that he would understand his silence was to protect him not to hurt him.

"They'll be here" Porthos reassured tiredly several minutes later as he watched Athos pace about the designated rendezvous point as they anxiously awaited the arrival of D'Artagnan and Aramis who had still yet to make an appearance, "Give the whelp a minute, 'Mis is heavier than he looks" he joked.

Only for all levity and mirth to evaporate into the dawn air when a shot rang out.

"D'ARTAGNAN!"