A/N: Who thinks Part of Me by Katy Perry would be a great theme song for Corinne? I do.
Corinne woke up around seven a.m. when the sun was just above the horizon. Louis had insisted on her going to sleep for a couple hours although it had very little help on her insomnia.
She sat up and yawned. The other four girls were also just waking up too. They all had a big day ahead of them.
Renee was the first to speak. "Are you guys ready?"
Viveca groans, "No."
"Well, we're doing this for France, so we have to be ready." Says the always optimistic, Aramina. The red-head stands up and walks to her trunk where her clothes are. She opens it and takes out her Musketeer dress.
"You know," Viveca sits up and looks at them all, "If we ever get to meet that King Charles II, he will be running for his life." The brunette stands up and warily walks over to her own trunk of clothes. "By the way, I'm guessing that we'll have new uniforms considering this is the army." She sighs.
Layla yawns, "Okay, your point."
Viveca grabs her own dress and closes the trunk, "My point is that it's not fair considering I had so little time to mentally prepare myself for dressing like-like" She shutters, "like men."
Corinne laughs, "Sorry, Viveca." She stands up and starts unpinning her hair. Pieces were falling out because she never got around taking it out of her bun from last night. The blonde winces after accidentally pulling some of her locks, "Hey Layla," She asks the raven-haired girl, "Where is Isabel?"
Layla looks around confused, "She was here last night. She's a deep sleeper so she wasn't woken up when Pierre came barreling through the apartment."
Renee smiles, "Let me guess." The girl stood up and started cleaning up her desk. "She woke up, found out about the war, and is now pestering Treville and the King to enlist." The girls shared a laugh.
"Pretty close."
The five girls were ready by seven thirty. They all walked down to the palace and entered through the side entrance. As soon as the five walked inside they heard a lot of talking, no, arguing, with both voices known.
"Please, please, please!"
"No."
They walked over to the doorway leading to one of the halls of the palace and saw what appeared to be Louis and, sure enough, a pestering Isabel.
"But why?" She complains.
Corinne laughs, "Louis!" She runs over to him and grabs his arm.
Isabel lights up. "Great, Corinne, it's you. Tell the King to let me enlist in the army." The younger blonde crosses her arm and stares Corinne down.
Corinne does exactly the same thing. "Nah, I'm good."
"But, why not?"
"Because it is not in my place to boss around the king." Louis laughs. The blonde turns to him, "What's so funny?"
He shook his head, "You."
Corinne rolls her eyes. "Whatever. Isabel, go and clean something, will you?" Isabel huffs and begrudgingly stomps away.
Viveca, Aramina, Renee, and Layla all step away for a moment giving the two some space for the last moments they have together.
After the four left, the remaining duo stood awkwardly together.
Corinne looked at the floor, "Um…" She sighed, "Louis, I-I-I'm really sorry."
"For what?" He asks her startled, yet amused. She never apologizes for anything.
The blonde forced herself to look at him. Tears streamed down her face.
"Are you crying?" Louis took a step towards her and pulled the girl into his arms. She sniffled. "Hey, don't cry, Corinne."
She couldn't help it. "I-I just don't want to go anymore."
"Why?"
The blonde sighed. "I'm afraid…I'm afraid of what might happen to you if I leave."
Louis held her out at arm's length, "Don't change your mind because of me." She wasn't convinced. "Okay, Corinne, you are strong, capable, a really good kisser, etc.," Corinne laughs slightly, "And, if I had to leave the fate of my country in someone's hands, it would be yours, but if you don't fight because of me I have a feeling that the rest of those idiots are going to either let the Redcoats come to Paris or kill themselves in the process. We need you."
It was those eyes. It was the eyes that could cut into her soul. It's his eyes, filled with intensity yet love and adoration.
She nods, "I know, but I just can't get over the fact that I could lose you."
He smiles at her, "Hey, we managed before you came."
"You 'managed' until your psychopathic cousin tried to literally stab you in the back to get the throne." She scoffed, "'Managed'"
Louis laughed. "See? All better. Now, go. You're late for sign-ins."
Corinne nodded, backed up, and ran to the castle courtyard without another word.
As Corinne left the palace, it was only then that she could see the line of men, half a mile long, extending through the courtyard. She approached the desk where Treville and Zac sat, enlisting the men.
Zac, before he was sent to Artois, had been a respectable captain for the French army. He is going to help lead the newly-enlisted recruits with Treville. Even Corinne thought that was somewhat impressive for a seventeen year old German immigrant to lead an army, although not as impressive as being seventeen year old girl who became a Musketeer after she and her best friends defeated a psychopath and his army after the 'big boys' were so oblivious to reality, but that's just her.
"Next!" Treville called, and a young brunette man came up to him. "State your name." Corinne stood behind Zac's chair and stared at the man. He was somewhat familiar.
"Ave-"
Corinne cut him off, "Avery?"
He looked up at her. "Corinne?" He smiled pulled her into a hug. "What are you doing here, Rinny?"
She laughed, "Well, being a Musketeer kind of requires you be in Paris most of the time, Aves."
Zac cleared his throat, "We need your name, sir."
The man released the blonde, but kept an arm around her shoulders. "Avery D'Artagnan." Zac and Treville looked at him confused so he quickly clarified. "Corinne's uncle, sir."
Treville stared at him for a moment until coming to a realization. "Avery?" Avery nodded, "Ah, Avery D'Artagnan. You must be Charles' youngest brother."
He laughed, "Yes, sir!"
Although Corinne's uncle, Avery is only twenty five. Being the youngest of seven kids, he was only a young boy when Charles, Corinne's father, died.
Zac nodded, "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Monsieur D'Artagnan. We have you enlisted and you'll be called upon when we're done here." He referenced to the line, "And that could be awhile in case you didn't notice."
"We noticed, Zac." Corinne rolled her eyes and led her uncle away.
Once the two were out of the crowded courtyard, they sat down on a bench to talk.
"Uncle Aves, how are you?" She asks him.
"Very well, Rinny. And how about yourself? You look like you kicked by a horse." Corinne smacked him, "No offense."
The blonde hesitated for a moment, "I got into a little scuffle. It's a long story." The man nodded, "How were your travels?"
He shrugged. "Eh, it was good, but then I realized where my home really is." Corinne gave him a 'no you didn't' look. Avery sighed, "Fine, I ran out of money, but Egypt is over-rated anyway."
She laughed. "Good to know, Uncle Aves. Good to know. Wait, but why are you enlisting in the army?"
Avery sighed, "I promised I would repay my debt to France by doing something noble and I thought this was a good opportunity."
Corinne smiled proudly, "A very good one, Avery."
"Enough about me and my sob story, tell me about your life here in the capital!"
"What do you want to know?" She asks politely, "It's not like anything interesting happens here."
Avery smirked, "Well, is there any love interest in there for you, Miss Musketeer?" He waggles his eyebrows.
The blonde blushes, "Erm, no." He gives her a look that says he doesn't believe her one bit. "Okay, fine, yes, but the identity will stay a secret."
The brunette smiles, "Eh, works for me. As long as my Rinny is taken care of, I'm good."
"Oh, you have no idea." She said as her friends spotted her and ran up to the pair.
"Corinne," Renee started, "Who is this?"
Corinne smiles, "Everyone, this is my uncle, Avery D'Artagnan." He stands up and bows to the girls.
Aramina squeals, "That's your uncle? But he's so young and adorable."
Avery laughs while the red-head blushes, "Thanks, I'd like to think so, ma'am."
"Uncle Avery, these are my friends Viveca, Aramina, Renee, and Layla." They all smiled and waved at him.
Avery nodded his head, "Nice to meet you girls!"
"Are you enlisting, Monsieur D'Artagnan?" Layla asks politely, but obviously bored with the conversation.
"Oh, no need with that 'Monsieur' stuff," He said, "And, yes, I am enlisting. I feel as if I have a noble duty to the country."
The raven-haired girl nods understandingly. They all knew what he meant.
Viveca smiles and jumps out in front of them all. "Guess what I have!" She took something out from her satchel.
Corinne gasped, "Where did you get our uniforms?" She grabbed the fabric from the brunette's hands.
Viveca shrugged, "I am just amazing like that."
The uniform consisted of red trousers and a blue overcoat with white ruffles on the sleeves.
"Oh my Lord, this is the gaudiest uniform I have ever seen….And this is for men!" Corinne laughed.
"It fits perfectly, though. And besides, it's not like the Redcoats are any better. They wear powdered in battle." The brunette snickers. "Powdered wigs are so pre-16th century."
Corinne shrugs, "Yeah, I guess so. Aves, would you like to come with us for some breakfast?"
He bowed mockingly, "Why, certainly, Your Highness." It was meant as a joke, but everyone knew that there was some truth in it. She rolled her eyes. Avery's emotions suddenly went from happy to serious in a split second, "Wait, while I remember," He whispered something into her ear while the other girls looked at each other confused.
The blonde nodded and glanced at her friends and Layla. "Uh, yeah, Uncle Avery," She tried to give as little information to them as possible.
The man nodded solemnly, "Very good," He smiled and clapped his hands, "How about that breakfast?" They all nodded and walked to the castle kitchen with three out of six of them trying to figure out what just happened.
It was around midday when they got enough enlistments to leave for the Normandy border. Corinne was actually hoping that they would have to delay until tomorrow, but she knew that probably wasn't a good idea considering this is a war.
"Twenty three thousand enlistments from all around Paris in less than twelve hours," Treville gawked, "You really are one-of-a-kind, Corinne."
The blonde rolls her eyes and huffs, "Really, Treville, like I could be anything less."
He chuckled, "You are definitely an interesting person."
Avery walked up just then, "I wouldn't call her interesting, sir. Mad as a hatter, maybe, but interesting is a positive no. She's as boring as they come."
Corinne gasped, "Hey! I am not as boring as they come! Haven't you talked to Zac?"
The young man, who was behind Treville sorting papers, shot up, "I am not!"
Treville shook his head, "Corinne, stop picking on him. He's very sensitive." He added the last part quietly. Corinne laughed, but was interrupted when Treville called out to the people in the courtyard, "Men!" He alerted, "Those of you who have a horse, saddle up, those of you who don't-"
"Start stretching!" She finished for him.
Treville rolled his eyes and pointed at her, "What she said."
There was an array of laughs from around the large group. Corinne sighed, "I'm serious! You're going to regret it if you don't!" Again, the men laugh. She faced Treville, "They never listen to me!"
A hand appeared on her shoulder. "You better listen to her." shouted the owner of it, "If we hadn't, you probably wouldn't be here right now."
Corinne looked at the person and rolled her eyes. Louis. "Exactly."
Louis laughed, "Treville, if you don't mind, before you all leave I would like to say a few words to our soldiers."
Treville agreed of course, because it's not like he could say no.
"Thank you." He nodded to him and looked out to the crowd. They were all talking at once. Louis cleared his throat and whispered, "Uh, Corinne, if you don't mind." He gestured to the gossiping men, "I kind of lost my voice from this morning."
She laughs, "Sure," The blonde took a deep breath, "SHUT IT AND LISTEN TO THE KING!"
The attention occupying the men was immediately turned toward the blonde and Louis.
"Thanks," She nodded and he continued, "Today you are setting off on a journey to defend France from the enemy…."
Corinne tuned him out and started to think about all that she would miss about him. His smile, laugh, and overall dorkiness. She wouldn't see him for months, maybe even years. Maybe….Never again. She shook her head trying to mask the thought.
The blonde spotted her friends over by a corner and waved them over. They walked to her quietly and stood together like a troop.
"And, because I know I won't see all of you back here when this is done with, I want to express my extreme thanks to every single one of you for stepping up and defending your country in its time of need and I have no doubt that we will win this war. We will win for the sake of all of us and France." Louis saluted and the crowd cheered.
After his speech, Corinne and the others saddled up and waited for their descent.
Renee patted the blonde's back, noticing how down she looked. "Corinne, it'll be okay."
She nodded, "I know, but…"
"Well, then go say goodbye!" Viveca said.
The blonde shook her head, "No, I can't."
Renee sighed, "Since when did 'I can't' come into your vocabulary?" She smirked, "You don't follow the rules on anything." Corinne just rolled her eyes and ignored her.
A few minutes later they started riding out. She looked back at Louis and saw him staring at her. He nodded sadly at her and she smiled. Corinne felt a twinge of regret for not saying that goodbye, but she promised herself that she would be back someday. Someday.
A/N: OMG update time! I have been trying to get this chapter right and that's why it took me a week to write. I don't know how these people on here do it! Ugh! I'm pretty sure my brain's messed up after writing this chapter because when I started writing the middle through today, I turned on music and I went from Let it go in French to Let it go German to Taylor Swift to Christina Perri to Iggy Azalea (Fancy, sped up REALLY fast) to Meghan Trainor sped up and Bruno Mars and then back to Let it go French ALL ON REPEAT. Weird mix, I know. So, 'whatcha think gonna happen in da story now? Huh, huh? I know exactly what's happening next because the ending is always the part I think most about. I give no spoilers! Hahaha And, I have no idea who has read this far or has read at all, but I would just like to say, I predict three or four more chapters in this story until on to the next item on my list (And yes, it is partially written so should be up soon!). Thank you so much for reading this awfully long authors note AND REVIEW because that would make me so happy!
Sincerely,
Weatherbug02
P.S: This is what could be happening right now (If my mum wasn't asleep) LOL
My mum: "You do know it's three a.m., right?"
Me: "Yeah."
"You need to sleep."
"Yeah, I know."
"You aren't sleeping today, are you?"
"Nah, I've got better things to do."