A/N: I'm really enjoying writing this story. It's so much fun!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but Ellie.
They left the road and pulled up outside an abandoned building. 'If we stay off the road, we should lose them.' Ellie dismounted her horse, tying it up to a post. She stopped as she heard a faint clatter. She froze, and looked at Aramis who had also frozen. They weren't the only ones who had heard the noise. Athos pulled his gun out, walking towards the two.
'What is it?' He asked.
'No idea.' Ellie whispered, pulling her sword out. Aramis did the same, as did Athos and D'Artagnan. 'I don't like this.' Ellie muttered, looking behind her. The horses whined, and Ellie's heart started beating even faster.
'Come out and state your business!' Aramis yelled, walking backwards.
'That was very formal.' Athos noted with a smirk.
'I like to be polite.' Aramis replied. Suddenly a man ran out from nowhere towards him. Athos shot him with his gun, as Aramis turned around.
'Ambush!' Athos yelled as dozens of men charged towards them from the building and fields.
'Get Bonnaire!' One of the men screamed as he charged towards them with a stick. Ellie moved to stand in front of Bonnaire, swing her sword around.
'Porthos, Ellie stay with him!' Athos ordered them. One of the men charged at them, and Ellie blocked his blow, pushing him away with her foot. Another man came towards them, a chain in his hand. He whipped around and smacked it on her back, causing her to groan. She slashed her sword through him before he could whack with the chain anymore. Bonnaire had rolled under the wagon as Porthos and Ellie fought against the men trying to get to him. Porthos brought his sword down on one man's stick, for another man to break the end of it. Porthos stabbed him with the broken end of the sword as Bonnaire brought out a dagger. Ellie didn't see a man sneak up on Porthos and bring down his axe on Porthos' shoulder. Ellie turned around at Porthos' scream, only for the axe to go in her arm as well. Ignoring the pain, she stabbed the man, kicking him to the ground. Her shirt quickly turned red, but she knew that Porthos was more important. Aramis turned around and saw Porthos on the ground, and ran towards him as another man went to attack him, chain in hand. He put the chain around the man's neck, throwing him to the ground.
'Anyone else?' He asked, before throwing down his chain and kneeling next to Porthos. Ellie knelt down opposite him, more worried about her friend then herself. 'You alright?' Aramis asked, and Ellie nodded.
'That's enough.' A man walked out of the building and the fighting ceased. 'I've no argument with you.' He pointed at Bonnaire. 'Only with him.'
'Gentlemen, allow me to introduce my business partner, Paul Meunier.' Meunier stopped in front of Bonnaire. He was a rather large man, with long hair and he wore decent clothes.
'On the face of it, I'd say your partnership isn't going well.' Aramis called from where he was tending to Porthos' wound.
'I funded Emile's expeditions for eight years, and yet I discover his ship has arrived, my cargo is nowhere to be found, and he's made no contact with me.' Meunier growled.
'There was no…there was no time, Paul. I was forced to travel to Paris without warning.' Bonnaire replied, sending a look to Athos.
'Hand him over and we will be on our way.' Meunier stated.
'I sympathise with your grievances, monsieur. No doubt your partner is a cheat and a swindler. However, it is our duty to deliver him safely to Paris. So you must wait to seek justice there.' Athos told him.
'I'm not leaving without him.'
'That is unfortunate because neither are we.' Athos replied bluntly.
'I don't suppose I have a say in this, do I?' Bonnaire asked. Aramis cocked his gun and pointed it at Meunier.
'Tell your men to lay down their weapons.' Meunier looked at Aramis, who raised his eyebrows. Meunier nodded.
'I will inform the cardinal of your claims against Bonnaire.' Athos said.
'How do I know you won't betray me?'Meunier asked.
'I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that.' Athos told him. Meunier looked at him. 'If I see your scouts on the road again, there won't be any second chances.'
'What scouts?' Meunier asked.
'Two men in black. They've been on our tail since Le Havre.' Athos replied.
'They're not mine.' Meunier told him, making Athos stop and turn around. 'I'm not the only man with an account to settle with Emile Bonnaire.' Meunier walked off and Athos and D'Artagnan stared, annoyed, at Bonnaire.
Ellie was still kneeling down next to Porthos, holding his hand as the man groaned.
'Will I lose my arm?' He asked Aramis.
'No, but you might lose your life.' He replied as he got up and went over to the wagon.
'That bad?' Athos asked.
'It requires needlework, and soon.' He answered as he got the jug of wine from the wagon.
'Will he make it to Paris?' Athos asked, watching him. Porthos groaned.
'He won't make it to the next village unless I get a chance to sew up that wound.'
'We should leave the road and look for shelter.' D'Artagnan spoke, the first he'd said in a while.
'Not here. We will ride on for a few miles and then find somewhere.' Athos said.
'Porthos isn't fit to ride anywhere.' Aramis told him.
Get him on the cart.' Athos order D'Artagnan. Aramis looked up.
'Didn't you hear what I said?' Aramis asked storming over to Athos. 'If we don't operate soon, he'll die.'
'We'll wait till it's dark.' Athos shot back, not backing down. Aramis grabbed Athos by his jacket and shook him.
'What's the matter with you?' Aramis demanded. 'Don't you care about Porthos?' Athos looked at him for a moment.
'All right.' Aramis let go of him. 'I know somewhere, nearby.'
'Why didn't you mention it before?' D'Artagnan asked. Athos didn't answer.
They rode through a forest, the sun filtering through the leaves. Ellie's arm still hurt, but it was bearable. Athos stopped in front of a mansion, which looked as though it had been abandoned. He dismounted and unlocked the door, Aramis helping Porthos inside. It looked as though no one had lived here for a while. Some cobwebs fell down as the doors opened, and Ellie looked around at the once magnificent house. They went into a room off of the main corridor, and Athos walked over to the windows. He opened the shutters, letting some light into the room. Ellie pulled the cover off of one of the seats and Porthos sat down, panting.
'I'll tell you something.' Bonnaire spoke as he walked in. Ellie rolled her eyes. 'If this place is for sale, I might be interested.'
'It's not.' Athos replied opening some more windows.
'No, your right. It is a bit dark.'
'I don't think that's what he meant.' Ellie told him.
'I don't suppose there's anything to take the edge off?' Porthos asked.
'There's wine.' Athos said.
'Oh, I have something better.' Bonnaire pulled out a bottle. 'A bottle of rum bouillon. Colonists make it out of sugar molasses. So potent they call it kill devil.'
'We'd best get acquainted.' Porthos groaned. Bonnaire walked over to him, handing him the bottle. Porthos took a big swig from it.
'So how did you know about this place?' D'Artagnan asked.
Athos hesitated for a minute. 'I own it.' He replied before walking out the room. Everyone in the room stopped and looked at him.