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2 days later found Philippe in the garden with his Mother and Father. They strolled at a leisurely pace together, enjoying each other's company.
At last, D'artanyan broke the comfortable silence. "Philippe, your mother and I want to ask you something."
"Yes Father?"
"Well," D'artanyan cleared his throat. "As you know my son, your Mother and I are not married."
Philippe nodded.
Anne smiled "Well, we have a good friend who happens to be a priest, and we know he would not betray us, so we would like to know if you think it's alright to bring him here and have him marry us."
Phillippe's eyes lit up and his innocent smile spread across his face. "Yes! Yes Mother and Father! I would love that very much."
The 2 parents chuckled. "I'm glad you like the idea Philippe." Said D'artanyan. "Now let us go back to the house at once, and I will write to Aramis immediately."
Philippe grinned and embraced his parents. "I can not believe I am going to be a part of a true family. With a married Mother and Father. Who knows? Perhaps I can have another sibling someday?"
Anne and D'artanyan laughed. "All in good time my son," said Anne. "But yes," she added with a mischievous glance and smile at D'artanyan "Perhaps one day."
Philippe embraced his Mother tightly, and the 3 set off walking to the house.
It was dinner later that night when D'artanyan suddenly thought about something that Philippe had said a few days prior.
"Philippe." He began gently.
"Yes Father?" Replied the boy, looking up from his plate.
"You said a few days ago that you had no friends while living with Perronet and Father Claude."
Philippe nodded sadly in affirmation. "Yes Father. They were kind to me, but at times I would see other children my age run out on the horizon, and I would become so excited. I used to ask Perronet if I could go play with them, but she would always become frightened and then hide me away in my room."
He sighed sadly. "I was often very lonely. I never understood why I had no friends. Until I came here and you explained about my being the Kings twin. I suppose one of the children or their parents perhaps could have recognized my face and, well... It would have been disastrous. Still..."
He looked out the window and sighed longingly. "It would have been nice."
He has almost forgotten his parents where listening to him. He looked up and blushed. "Forgive me, to answer your question Father, yes, I had no friends."
D'artanyan smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry son. However, there are many children in this village. We are far out in the country and no one knows what the king looks like, as they have ever seen him in person of course. If you would like, tomorrow we can go out into the town square and you can meet some of them. You can make some friends."
Philippe's eyes lit up and he thought he might cry. "Yes...I...thank you I don't know what to say. I would love that so much." He stood up and ran around the table to embrace his Father. "Thank you so much Father. I love you very much."
The family finished their dinner with smiles and laughs. When it was over, Anne walked upstairs with Philippe to tuck him into bed.
Left alone in the dining room, D'artanyan sat down at his desk in the study, took a paper and a quill pen, and started to write his letter to Aramis.
Well, he tried anyway. He ended up just staring at the paper for a few long moments. How on earth could he explain this entire ordeal and situation to his friend and at the same time ask him for his priestly services in marrying himself and Anne.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts, and began to write the letter in the best way he could think of: Simply.
"My dear friend..."