The four men, rejoined Philippe, Treville, Dartagnon, and the others in the grand hall.

"We got her outside." One said.

"Finally." Added another.

The one that Corinne had jabbed his foot was limping "That girl sure is feisty!"

Treville rolled his eyes "If you can't handle a seventeen year old girl, how are you going to handle a whole gang of men raiding the castle?"

D'artagnon chuckled "I don't think that's quite fair, Treville." He said "I know Corinne. She's got the determination of a hungry lion." He nodded towards the doorway "All four of those girls do. Be careful. Those four will be a force to reckon with if they get cornered."

Philippe let out a low growl that none of them heard "That girl and her brother. They've ruined too many of my plans! Why didn't my men get her too, instead of just her brother!? But this I promise, if she gets in my way this time, I will get rid of her… Permanently!"

"This is the worst day of my life!" Aramina sighed "We've lost our jobs. We've banned from the castle."

"And we smell like garbage!" Viveca added, spraying herself with perfume.

Corinne had discovered later that the other three had been pushed into a pile of rotten vegetables. She closed her eyes and coughed as the fumes from the perfume reached her.

"What is it?" she asked, waving the smell away.

"Roses and Lavender!" Viveca answered, taking a deep breath.

Corinne shook her head "Could strangle a person."

Viveca giggled "That's the fun of it."

"Well, enjoy the fun now." Renee said sadly "The possibilities of us ever running into each other after this is… slim."

"What do you mean?" Corinne asked.

"We've been fired!" Renee answered "We have to pack and leave!" she shook her head sadly "So much for being musketeers."

Aramina sighed "What are we going to do?"

"We're all going to go back to our homes, and forget about all of this." Viveca said sadly.

"No." Corinne said immediately "We can't leave! There's still a plot against the prince."

"Yes, And Treville and the musketeers will handle it." Renee said.

"But it's what we've been training for!" Corinne said "Why can't we protect the prince?"

"Because, we'll be sent to the dungeon forever if we step into the castle!"

"But we're the only ones who know about the plot!" Corinne placed her right hand on her hip "We have a noble duty, and we're ready! We've trained to protect the prince!"

"Everyone thinks we're wrong." Viveca sighed.

Corinne smiled "But we know we're right."

Aramina nodded her head "Maybe Corinne is right. It would be dramatic! Returning from exile to save the day!"

"Who know the castle better than we do?" Corinne chuckled "We've cleaned every inch of the place."

Renee rolled her eyes. Was there no reasoning with this girl? "The guards will be at the door waiting for us!"

Viveca smiled "So, we'll need costumes, so we're not recognized." She walked over to one of her mannequins and picked up a mask.

"That's right." Corinne said, she was starting to get excited "It's a masquerade ball! No one will recognize us wearing these! We'll need four costumes. Viveca, think you can handle it?"

"Oui!" The brunette nodded "They'll be the most beautiful gowns at the ball!"

"They must be functional." Renee said.

"But of course."

Corinne thought for a second "We'll need new weapons. Ones that blend in with our costumes. Renee, can you handle that?"

"On it." Renee nodded.

"Good." Corinne smiled satisfied "I think that just about covers it."

"Well, everyone does know how to dance, right?" Aramina asked.

Corinne looked down at her feet "Um… no."

"I'll teach you!" the red head squealed "Oh this is wonderful! I've always wanted to go to a royal ball! And save the prince."

"Are we in?" Corinne asked, sticking her hand out.

"I'm in." Viveca said, placing her hand on top of Corinne's.

"I'm in." Aramina added, putting her hand on top of the Viveca's.

"In." Renee also adding her hand to the pile.

"All for one! And one for all!" They said together.

Then they got busy. Viveca measured Corinne while Aramina tried to teach her to dance.

Renee sat on her desk trying to think of ways to blend their weapons into their costumes.

The night was filled with Aramina's dance music and laughter. Mainly from Corinne's many, failed, attempts to get the dance steps right.

"Corinne." Viveca called at one point "What color is your jewelry mainly, so I know what color to make your dress."

Corinne chuckled "Jewelry?"

Viveca gasped "You don't have jewelry!?"

The blond shook her head "It's not something a country girl thinks about."

Viveca shook her head "We're going to have to change that."

Corinne shrugged "Whatever." then she was pulled back to the floor to resume the dance lessons.

Standing guard outside the castle, D'artagnon smiled as he listened to the chatter and music coming from the apartment. It had to be two o' clock in the morning.

Treville stepped up beside him and looked towards the apartment "What on earth are they doing at this hour?"

D'artagnon shrugged "Being girls."

"Are you sure they're not up to mischief?" The Captain asked, eyeing the large room where you could see silhouettes of two girls spinning around the room. One smooth and graceful, the other… not so graceful.

"They're girls. Mischief is their specialty."

"You don't think their planning on trying to get into the ball, do you?"

D'artagnon glanced at his longtime friend. If he knew his daughter, which he did, she would be trying to sneak into that ball tomorrow night "No."

"Good." Treville patted him on the back "Just so you know, I have talked to the Regent, and extra precautions have been made. We're going to be on our guard."

D'artagnon nodded "Good." He looked out at the apartment "I've already lost my son."

The morning of the ball, Louis was standing in the ballroom looking out one of the windows. He couldn't help but wonder what Corinne had tried to tell him. Apparently it had been urgent, but for some reason, Philippe didn't think it was. And he knew that Corinne wouldn't cause a disruption for no good reason.

He had just about decided to go talk to her, when Philippe walked up to him.

"Are you ready, Louis?"

Louis rolled his eyes and groaned "It's just another ball."

"Your last." Philippe said. When Louis sent him a curious glance, he quickly added "As Prince! Your next will be as king!"

Louis shrugged "I suppose that's true. But it doesn't make these things any easier though." He turned to his cousin "Are you sure you can't stay for the ceremony?"

"Oh you are grown up now." Philippe said smoothly "My job here is done."

Louis put his hands on his cousin's shoulders "I'll miss you."

Philippe smiled "Well, I'll never be far from the castle."

Louis nodded "I hope not. You're the closest thing to a father I've had since Dad died ten years ago."

That comment could have softened any man's heart. But Philippe's heart had already become so hard, he might as well have not had one.

Corinne spun around the room just the way Aramina had shown her. Only this time, she was wearing a long, light pink dress that went down to her ankles.

"Viveca!" She laughed "The dress is beautiful!"

"Of course they are!" Viveca said, posing in her own, custom made ball gown.

Aramina and Renee were also ready to go.

They practiced with their weapons just to ensure that they'd be able to move in case of emergency.

Then, Miette came flipping across the floor wearing a small pink cape and musketeer hat.

The girls looked at Viveca who shrugged "I couldn't resist."

Corinne looked out the window, it was starting to get dark "We've been up all night and all day."

Aramina laughed "Is anyone tired?"

"Nope." Renee shook her head "To excited."

"Well, it's time." Corinne said, putting her hand out "Let's do this!"

The other girls put their hands on top of her's and then Miette jumped up and put her paw in.

The girls smiled at the kitten, then at each other "All for one, and one for all!"

Renee suddenly cleared her throat "How are we going to get it?"

Corinne scratched her head "Um… front door?"

Viveca sighed "I think the less musketeers we pass the better."

Miette was meowing and spinning in circles.

"What's wrong, Miette?" Corinne asked.

Miette ran towards the door. Corinne looked at her friends "I have a feeling she knows a way in."

"A cat knows a way we don't?" Renee asked.

Corinne shrugged "It's possible. But we'll have to wait until it gets dark, so no one will see us."

As soon as the sun went down, the girls followed the kitten to the back of the stables.

"Great." Renee grumbled "She wants a mouse."

"No, wait." Corinne said "She's been getting into the castle somehow without Madame De' Bosse seeing her. Maybe this is how!"

Miette meowed, then jumped onto a hay bale and leaned against a rake that was stuck in it. A few seconds later, the hay bales moved to the side to reveal a long, dark passageway.

"Miette! You're a genius!" Corinne scooped up her kitten and hugged her "This will get us past most of the guards!"

"What's going on back there!" A voice shouted from around the corner.

The girls quickly ran through the opening and closed it before the man saw them.

"That was close." Aramina whispered.

Corinne nodded and pulled a torch off the wall "Come on. Let's get to that ball!"