No Mercy Chapter Eleven.
Porthos lay still on the ground. He slowly lifted his head and scanned around the courtyard. "JEZZZZUSS! that was bloody close." he murmered to himself as he noticed the spaniard who had hit the ground, blood pooling around his head were the musket ball had embedded itself.
So who the bloody 'ell fired the shot, thought the big man as he carried on watching and waiting...someone has just saved my life.
Another spaniard appeared from nowhere and rushed to his comrades side. Porthos kept very still, he had not noticed him. He could hear the man as he crouched down to his comrade.
"querodo Dios! cried the man. Gaspar tonto...tonto!
Porthos knew he had mentioned God in that sentence but couldn't make out the rest. The man suddenly stood, his face full of rage as he scanned around the courtyard. He stopped as he noticed Porthos laying on his stomach watching him.
"You bastard...you french bastard...I will kill you...
...The spaniard grabbed his pistol and aimed. But the big musketeer was quicker as he fired sending the man backwards with the force of the shot. He fell back clearly hit in the chest.
Porthos had stood and was slowly walking towards the dying man, his head turning to and fro as he watched for other bandits, pistols ready and primed in each hand.
The man looked up at him, blood oozing from his mouth as he tried to speak. " You...musk...et...eers...wo...nt win ...this...baaaa". The man stopped and stared with a vacant glare. He was dead.
Porthos stared down at him, before something caught his eye. Another body of one of the bandits lay at the bottom of the wooden stairwell. The big man wandered over feeling perplexed as to who on earth had killed these men. As far as he knew Treville had sent every musketeer to the palace.
"Monsieur Porthos! Monsieur Porthos! a voice called out...
Porthos turned rapidly still holding onto his pistols and ready for any threat that was lurking.
His eyes widened as he noticed Henri and Elroy appear from the building, both young lads holding pistols and looking as though they were ready for anything.
Porthos stared in awe, a grin starting to develop on his face. " Are you about to inform me that is was one of you two...who just saved my life...and shot that bloody bandit."
Henri and Elroy glanced at one another, expecting a scolding for using the weapons.
"Sorry Monsieur Porthos...we were only trying to help...we thought you might need some help...with...
...Porthos cut him off in mid sentence. "SORRY! SORRY! he growled with mirth...lads you just saved my life...you did something not many young lads would have even thought about even trying...I am so proud of you...we actually have two stable boys who can fight off the bandits...wait until Captain Treville hears of this...he is gonna be one pleased man."
The two boys looked sheepishly at one another, slight smiles on the two young faces, as the big musketeer patted each boy on the shoulder and chuckled.
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Royal Palace:
Gunpowder filled the main hall once again, enabling Treville, Athos and Lucca to return to their vantage points without being seen.
That moment a gasp caught in Trevilles throat as he looked up noticing musketeer Francios being dragged through the main doors by two of Savas' men, his hands shackled behind his back, his face black and bloody after a beating.
Treville glanced towards Athos who was already looking in his direction. Both men showing that of rage on their faces.
"CAPTAIN TREVILLE! I know you are here...and if you do not apprise us as to the wherabout of the the king and queen we will not hesitate to KILL! your musketeer." yelled out Perez as he scanned the hall holding a pistol in each hand.
Athos and Treville began their silent conversation of tactics as Perez spoke.
"YOU WOULD BE A FOOLISH MAN TREVILLE! if you were to disregard my proposal." continued the spaniard.
Suddenly shots rang out hitting the two bandits clean in the head, blood sprayed out into Francois uniform, making the musketeer duck for cover. Perez who had already threw himself to the floor started to slide along on his stomach out of the line of fire, his eyes scanning the hall, and cursing under his breath in his spanish tongue.
"I WOULD SAY YOU ARE THE FOOLISH ONE'S...WE WILL NEVER DIVULGE SUCH INFORMATION! yelled Treville.
"I WOULD SAY IT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS ALL AROUND THAT YOU SURRENDER NOW! continued the musketeer captain.
"WE DO NOT YIELD TO ANYONE...WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS PALACE...AND YOU AND YOUR MEN WILL NOT STOP US!"
"Obstinate little bastards are you not." murmered Athos under his breath as he reloaded his pistols. "We will see about that."
Lucca had managed to drag Francois to safety behind a wall partition, the young man looking bedraggled. Treville had thrown a bungle of shackle keys over to Lucca who caught them and began to release his comrade. The young musketeer began to massage his wrists before Lucca handed him a couple of pistols.
Francois nodded in acknowledgment.
xxxxx
Office of Cardinal Richelieu:
"I do hope those musket shots and bangs are your men Savas...the last thing we want is those bastard musketeers getting in the way." said Rochefort as he eyed the man.
Rochefort had been going through all the cardinals letters and was now looking through the amount of different scrolls that lay strewn on the shelves.
Savas turned from the window he had been staring out of and smirked at the blonde comte.
"I will have you know my friend...my men and I are the best...even better than the regiment themselves...we do not hesitate when it comes to killing...we just do it."
Gaston swigged wine from his goblet and looked across at the spaniard. "Good I am glad to hear it...prey give me notice when you intend to slay my brother...I would not miss that for anything...and make it slow...I want nothing more than to see him suffer."
"You surprise me Gaston...you do not have the look of such a barbarian." smirked Rochefort, he poured himself more wine as he still held onto some of the Cardinals private letters.
"Indeed" added Savas. "Looks can be very deceiving can they not?
Gaston looked from one man to the other. "Do not take me as a fool gentlemen, my brother did just that...and now he is going to pay the price."
Rochefort's face suddenly changed to mirth as he studied the scroll he had just straightened out on the table top.
"I HAVE FOUND IT...I KNEW IT EXISTED! he gasped out in excitment.
Savas and Gaston glanced across at the man. "What is it this time Rochefort? asked Gaston as he followed the mans gaze down to the scroll. "Prey tell man."
Rochefort looked up, he picked up his goblet and swigged the last of the contents back.
He pointed with his finger. "There is a secret room within the kings chambers...look it is here...I always knew Richelieu knew of it."
Savas and Gaston glanced at one another in awe. Savas snatched up the scroll and looked at it...his face turning into a smirk. "Well! well! well!...I must leave you my friends...it would seem we have a king and queen to apprehend."
xxxxx
Perez lifted his head as he suddenly noticed Savas and some of his own comrades approaching down the passage slowly, they checked each chamber as they walked, weapons primed and ready. Perez signalled catching the attention of Savas, with hand gestures he let his comrades know of the lurking musketeers. Savas nodded in comprehension. Pointing out postitions for his men to take up.
Treville had heard slight voices as he slowly peered around the wall structure. He could tell Athos had also heard them. The swordsman held up his fingers letting his captain know the amount of men they could be dealing with. He turned to Lucca and Francois and did the same. Lucca nodded the understanding and muttered to Francois.
That moment there was a sudden eruption as smoke filled the air from a thrown hand mortar. The musketeers dived for cover coughing and spluttering as bits of debris flew through the dust filled air.
The doors flew open as Savas and a group of his men rushed into the kings chambers. Weapons held high.
Athos looked up from the floor still grasping his pistols in his hands, he fired first with his right and then his left hand hitting two men. One man fell dead to the ground, the other screamed out in pain as he tried to fire back. Treville was quicker on the draw as he hit the man before he fired at his lieutenant.
Another man ran out holding a mortar, he was about to throw it before Lucca's musket ball hit him in the chest and he dropped his weapons before falling down dead. Athos nodded towards the young musketeer. Before rushing head on into the kings chambers followed by Treville.
"You lads stay here...there are bound to be others on thier way." he ordered glancing at Lucca and Francois. The young men nodded.
Savas turned as Athos hastily threw himself down to the floor before the man could fire his pistol. Treville had rushed into the bed chamber and had taken cover. Savas smirked as he watched the swordsman follow his captain.
Savas was pushing the ball down into the breech of his pistiol with the ramrod as he yelled.
"There is NO! hiding place musketeers...you are all wasting your time and energy. You see I now know where it is they hide...the concealed chamber is within this room...and you and the others are not going to stop us from apprehending them."
Treville and Athos exchanged glances of dread. "That has to have come from that bastard Rochefort." mumered the older man, as they leaned up against the wall on either side of the doors.
"But where did he learn that." asked Athos, speculation filled his face. Someone must have told them...only the monarch is told...or am I wrong in my assumption...maybe Gaston knows?
Treville looked at his lieutenant. "You are correct...only the monarch knows...it is my guess we have a spy in our midst. As for Gaston...the king would never divulge that to him."
The two musketeers jumped to alertness as they suddenly heard screams. Followed by the voice of the king as he yelled. "How dare you touch me...get your hands off me."
Athos rushed out first and was about to aim his pistol when Savas yelled out.
"TRY ANYTHING MUSKETEERS AND THE KING AND QUEENS BRAINS WILL PAINT THIS GROUND WE WALK ON! Do I make myself clear? "JUST ONE SHOT TOWARDS ANY OF MY MEN AND THEY BOTH DIE INSTANTLY!
Treville and Athos watched helplessly as the king and queen, Richelieu and
Constance were dragged from the chamber. The two women sobbing as they tried to hold on to each other, but were pulled apart.
Athos noticed Richelieu say something to Perez in a split second. The spaniard nodded slightly as they carried on their disarray.
Savas and Perez had permanent smirks on their faces as they ushered the royals out into the hall. Richelieu and Constance pushed forward by other men. Richelieu glared towards Treville and Athos, Athos eyed the man...why was he not protesting...why was he less restrained than the others...and what was it he said to Perez...the swordmans mind was spinning with suspicions.
Savas had grabbed the kings arm and was nudging the pistol into his back as they meandered along.
Louis gave the man a look of horror as he was pushed forward. "You will not get away with this lunacy...I will have you all hanged." The king caught Treville's look of horror on his face, his eyes had widened.
The queen looked towards Athos. Her face pale and frightened. Her beautiful features sent pleading signs out to the swordsman. HELP US PLEASE! Tears had welled in her eyes as she was dragged by the wrists.
The swordsman was raging inside to see how she was treated by such scum as these.
Savas grabbed Louis by his hair pulling the monarchs head back making him whince. "You are wrong...we will be hanging you...then your whore of a queen."
Constance was bristling as she pulled away from one of the men and glared at him in disgust. "Do you have to be so rough...I cannot walk any faster than I already am." she complained openly.
She glanced towards Athos. "We will get you out of here" he mouthed to her.
Constance nodded slightly. "Make haste! growled her perpetrator pushing her forward.
To be continued...
Well how are the musketeers going to save the monarchs?
Who is the spy?
Will the king and queen hang?
Once again thank you so much for the reviews. I love them.
Hope to update ASAP!
Thanks again
Pippa xxxxx
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