Insurgency

Chapter Ten

With Porthos behind him and two vengeful men in front the Colonel was left without any options. Yet for one heart stopping moment Aramis feared for Brother Jerome's life. Would the Colonel, in a last act of defiance, make good on his threat? To his relief the knife was removed from the monk's throat and immediately confiscated by Porthos.

"Your sword," Athos said, retrieving his pistol.

Brother Jerome stumbled away from the Colonel and Aramis moved as quickly as he could to intercept him.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes," Brother Jerome replied, some colour coming back into his cheeks. "You would have let him go to save my life?"

"Without hesitation."

"Foolish young man," Brother Jerome said fondly.

Aramis turned away with a smile and found Francesco watching him. The young Spaniard had left his bed and was standing in the middle of the room looking confused and frightened. Aramis walked over to him.

"No harm will come to you," he said in Spanish.

Francesco looked startled. "You are no monk," he said, allowing Aramis to help him back into bed.

"For a while I was," Aramis replied, knowing with certainty that he could no longer live that life.

"Is he a threat?" Athos asked, coming over to join him and giving Francesco a grim stare.

"No," he said without hesitation. He saw Porthos hustling the Colonel away and knew that his chance for revenge had slipped through his fingers. "I thought Porthos was guarding the gate?"

"My men returned. The Spanish are defeated and none survived to threaten us. He came to help us find the Colonel."

"It's fortunate he did."

"It is. You should stay here until your wounds heal," Athos said.

Now that the Colonel was in custody he felt deathly tired. He nodded and sat on the nearest bed. "You won't leave without me?" he asked, unsure if he would even be welcomed back.

"We didn't come all this way just to leave you here. Rest now. We will talk later." He turned to Brother Jerome. "I leave him in your care, Brother."

"He will be well looked after."

Aramis struggled out of his robe, wincing as the material brushed against his skin. Then he lay down on his side, a small smile on his lips. Finally, he was going home.

TMTMTM

Thanks to a mild soporific slipped into his pain medication Aramis slept until late the next morning. When he woke the throbbing pain in his face and back immediately assailed him. He moved carefully to sit up and stayed for a moment bent forward while the dizziness abated.

Brother Jerome hurried over. "You're awake. Your friends were becoming impatient." He turned to the novice who was working with him. "Find the Musketeer Athos and bring him here. Now, let me check your back." He gently probed the skin eliciting a pained gasp from Aramis. "Yes, yes, it has started to heal and there is no sign of infection."

"Thank you, Brother."

"You must be hungry and thirsty."

Aramis touched his swollen jaw and grimaced. Eating would only add to the pain until the swelling receded. "Just some water please." He looked around the room noting only one other occupied bed. "Leandro?"

"He died in the night. It was a blessing for him. His suffering was beyond my skill to alleviate."

Aramis locked eyes with Francesco. "I am sorry about your friend."

"What about my other friends? Are they dead too?"

"Yes," Aramis said with regret.

"Then why should one more concern you?"

"All life is precious."

The young man looked unconvinced. Aramis knew what he must be feeling having suffered through it after Savoy. Francesco was lost and alone and didn't understand why he had been spared. He wished there was more comfort he could offer but the wound was too raw for empty platitudes.

"What will happen to me?"

"That is for Athos to decide." He knew he shouldn't feel sympathy for the soldier. After all he had been part of the troop that attacked Douai. Yet he couldn't help himself. In war men did terrible things under the orders of their superiors.

Athos strode into the room, his solemn expression turning into a smile when he saw his brother. "How do you feel?"

"Sore," Aramis admitted.

"Brother Jerome says it will be a few days before you can travel. He is upset that you are leaving."

"It's time for me to rejoin the world. I should speak to Father Guillaume."

"That can wait until you are stronger."

Aramis nodded. It wasn't an interview he was looking forward to even if it appeared the Abbot's opinion of him wasn't as low as he had thought. "What of the Colonel?"

"He is locked up under guard. He's an arrogant bastard. I've had to keep Porthos away from him. Our brother is looking for retribution for what happened to you."

That brought a fond smile to his face. He beckoned Athos closer, sneaking a glance at Francesco. "What do you intend to do with him?"

Athos wasn't so subtle. He stared at the young Spanish soldier. "He is of no value to us. Let him recover here and then return home."

Francesco looked at Aramis, not having understood Athos' words.

"You are free to go," Aramis told him in Spanish.

"Gracias. Gracias." The young man's relief was almost palpable.

"We should discuss your future," Athos said, dismissing the soldier from his mind. "Do you intend to seek a return of your commission?"

"If you will take me back."

"Without hesitation but I don't make the final decision. Commissions are bestowed at the pleasure of the King."

Aramis' heart thumped. "Surely he will listen to you and Treville."

"The war has changed him, Aramis. He is no longer the petulant boy we served four years ago. So, yes, he will ask our opinion. However, the decision is his and you know he doesn't like what he sees as disloyalty."

Aramis flushed. "After what happened with Rochefort can he really condemn me for walking away from the life of a soldier?"

"I don't know, my friend. He has never spoken of it to me."

"Without a commission I have nothing," he said miserably. "I would be as well to stay here."

"We will tell him of the brave part you played in capturing the Colonel. I'm sure that will sway him."

"Yes," Aramis said tentatively. "Well, there is nothing I can do until we reach Paris. Tell me, how are the Queen and Dauphin?"

"The Queen is well although war between her husband and brother has been hard on her. The Dauphin grows strong and happy. He is a charming child." Athos gave him a sideways look. "In that he is much like his father."

"You were wise all those years ago. He can never be my son and I am resigned to that."

"It will not be easy for you to see them again."

"It has not been easy living without seeing them. I will endure, my friend."

Their brief peace was shattered when Porthos and d'Artagnan burst in.

"It's about time you woke up," Porthos said, his booming voice filling the entire room. "Thought you were going to sleep all day."

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," Aramis said with a grin. "Ah, I have missed you all."

"As we have missed you," d'Artagnan said. "You're still coming back to Paris with us?"

"I am although Athos tells me there is no surety that I can reclaim my commission."

"Surely the King will honour you for helping to capture Colonel Marquez?"

"I hope so, d'Artagnan."

"He'd be a fool to turn you away," Porthos said fiercely.

"Then let us pray that he isn't a fool," Aramis said, trying to keep the apprehension from his voice. His entire soul yearned to return to the Musketeers and it all depended upon the whim of a capricious man who was known for holding onto a grudge for far longer than was necessary.

Tbc