Chapter XXI
Her body ached. It was a glorious kind of ache. A strong arm rested over her waist when she awoke. In the night, they had joined together twice. She turned her head to face him and saw her husband fast asleep. She bit her lower lip when she reached forward and ran her fingers down his cheek. His coarse beard scratching the tips of her fingers. She traced his features; his eyebrows, his cheekbones, his lips. "I'm trying to sleep, wife."
She laughed and moved forward. Now tracing his features with her lips. "Good morning."
"I like this morning wake up." His arm wrapping around her. Fingers running up and down her bare back. Marie pushed his hand away to move further down his body. Her lips leaving kisses in her path. "Hmmmm... Very good." He lifted his head and placed his arm behind his head. Watching her every move. He watched as she crawled back up his body. "Good morning," whispering when she reached him. She said nothing. She answered with a kiss. He rolled them over and he lay over her. "Now, Comptesse," he murmured as he brought his hand to her neck and running it down her bare torso. "Do you intend on keeping me in bed or are we to rise and greet our guests?"
"As tempting as remaining in bed sounds, I believe we must go to them." Raising herself on him, her knees either side of his hips. "I love you, Athos. More than I can say."
Athos pulled himself up and kissed her softly, wrapping his arms around her. "You say it and show it enough. I cannot ask for more."
Marie dipped her head and kissed him softly, cupping the back of his head with one hand. He was just about to turn them over when the distance sound of running feet. She laughed. "You did lock the door?"
The door handle rattled. "Yes," laughing as two pairs of hands knocked on the door rapidly. "Thank goodness, I did."
She climbed off him and the bed. She quickly donned her nightgown and dressing gown. Athos put on his leather breeches before she could open the door and let in her eldest children. "Good morning." She laughed as they ran passed her and jumped onto her large bed.
"Raoul was crying all night," grumbled Louis. "When can I leave the nursery, maman?"
Marie looked to Athos, who just chuckled as he dressed into his uniform. It was such a habit for him to dress into his uniform, even though he was not on duty. "Soon, my darling. It was something Athos and I were discussing a few days ago."
"Really?" His young eyes wide with excitement. "When?"
"Soon." Marie smiled down at him. "Now, you need to take your sister and dress for the day." She ushered him towards the door. She turned to see Athos carrying Anne. "I am believing that you are taking her?"
He kissed his wife's cheek. "Yes. She will not let go of me." Holding the young girl on his side. Anne's little fists were gripping hard onto Athos' coat collar. "Don't be long. I want to wake up Aramis and Porthos."
Marie let out a laugh as she kissed her daughter on the head. "Go. I will get Raoul. Louis, go and make lots of noise to wake Aramis and Porthos." The young boy laughed and ran off shouting and stamping his feet. "Takes after his father."
Athos gave a small smile before turning and leaving the room. Marie knew that she had hit a nerve. Her first husband was a gentle soul and she was genuinely unhappy when he died. She thought she would be happy with her second husband. It changed the moment she gave him a daughter. He was manipulative and dangerous. To be fair, she was glad he was caught and hung or she would not be married to Athos right now. She called her maid and dressed in a violet dress with white lace on the sleeves. Her long hair left down loose.
-XXI-
Upon hearing voices coming from the library, Marie stood outside the door. "Are you expecting me to leave the day after my wedding?" She heard Athos say angrily.
"I need my best men to come with me." Treville spoke to Athos. "I had the note this morning. We have to go."
"I don't want to go." Aramis spoke up. "Captain, I have only just become used to being a father. I do not want to abandon my daughter."
"I am not abandoning my wife!" Athos shouted. "I will not go on your suicide mission!" Marie swiftly moved away from the door when she heard heavy boot steps stride to the door. "Marie. You heard that?"
She nodded. "I did." She reached out to him and rested her hands on his shoulders. "Go, if you really wish to. I am not going anywhere."
He pulled her close. "Not yet. It's too soon."
"It must be very important if Treville asked you."
"We have just married after nearly two years of not being able to." His thumbs rubbing her back and holding her close. The voices in the library stopped. The other men were listening to them. "I do not want to go."
Marie shook her head in disagreement. "No. You need to go." She stood on her toes and kissed him softly. "How long will you be away?" Whispering softly as she stroked his cheek with her left hand.
His jaw clenched and he grumbled, "half a year."
"Half a year?!" She shouted and pushed away from him. "No! No!"
"Why do you think I am saying no?" He argued back. "I do not want to leave you behind!"
Marie softened. She moved past him and into the library. "Captain! You expect your men to follow you for a year just for one mission! You tell Athos this in our home and the day after our wedding! How insensitive of you!" Her wrath increased with each word she spoke to the Captain.
He was hiding his fear for her anger well but also his annoyance with her questioning his decisions. "I am sorry, Comptesse. It is for the safety of the Kingdom. I have no choice."
"But a half a year? Where are you going?" She asked the men, looking around at them. Even Constance was waiting for an answer. "Captain?"
"Tunisia," replied the Captain. "We will leave in a month."
Marie scoffed, "A month?" Shaking her head and storming out of the library. "Not at all fair!" Shouting as she stormed up the staircase, which was followed by a door slamming.
Athos growled in frustration. "As you can see, I was right. She would not like it. I am not leaving her for a half a year."
"We need you, Athos," said Treville as Athos left the room. "We need you too, Aramis."
Aramis shook his head. "No. I am not leaving my daughter alone. What you want us to do is a suicide mission. I am not leaving her alone." He stood from his chair. "I am sorry. I would if she did not exist but she does. My priority is her."
-XXI-
Gently, Athos knocked on Marie's door. "Marie? I do not want to go." He tried turning the doorknob but she had locked the door. "My heart is here with you. With you and the children." He heard her move in the room but the door did not open. "Please Marie."
"I know you want to go. It's in your blood." She spoke from the other side of the door. "My heart wants you to stay but my head is telling me to let you go." The key in the lock turned and the lock clicked. The door opened slowly. "I don't want you to go because..." She stopped and brought his hand to her stomach. "We are to have a child."
He could not help but gasp and press his hand on her a little harder. There was no real evidence of the child but the determination in her eyes told him that she was going to have another child. His child. "When did you know?"
"Two days ago." She stepped away from him. "I was intending on telling you today once everyone had left and we were alone."
He followed her across the room to the window. "I need to go, Marie. But I do not want to."
She stood looking out the window and he stood behind her, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her close. "I know. You should go. Aramis needs to stay more than you."
Athos kissed her neck. "Yes." His hot breath brushing against her neck as he spoke. "He will take care of you."
Marie felt tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. She was heartbroken that this was happening but it was Athos' life. Her body shivered as she suppressed her tears and sobs. "Go. Go and see the children before you leave. Say goodbye to them." She pulled away from him and walked into her side room, where she locked herself in and dissolved into floods of tears and violent sobs. Ignoring his calls from the other side of the wooden door and the constant knocks.
-XXI-
A month later, Marie watched through the window as Treville, D'Artagnan, Portho and, worst of all, Athos rode away from the Château. She held Raoul in her arms with Louis standing at her side and Anne gripping her skirts. All of them were watching the four men riding away. "When is Papa coming back?" Asked Anne with a small voice.
"I don't know, darling. Soon, I hope," her voice soft as a tear trickled down her pale cheek. "Soon." Turning away from the window, once the men were out of view.
-XXI-
Months rolled by and there was no word from Athos or any of the Musketeers. It was frustrating from Aramis' point of view too. He would go to the garrison to get word but would return with none. He hated not knowing about his friends. Only a few Musketeers went to Tunisia. Marie's stomach grew with each passing month. She was glad that Athos knew of their impending child. But she wished that he was here to experience these feelings with her.
"Marie?" Aramis spoke from behind her. His own growing daughter in his arms, perched on his hip. "You need to rest. He may not come home until after the baby is born."
She sighed heavily. She seemed to sigh a lot lately especially when he told her to rest or come away from the window. "You don't know that. He could be riding for home right now."
"He could and when he does he will either shout at me or beat me for not making you rest." He walked to stand at her side. "Please, Marie. The children have noticed that you are uneasy. Please love. Rest." He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her to a seat. "Please sit down at least. You can see the road from here." He saw Marie visibly relax in the chair.
"Thank you," she whispered when he walked away from her. "I am glad you are here." Aramis said nothing, only nodded as he left.
-XXI-
Marie groaned as the pain pulsed through her body. Her child was coming and Athos was still not home. It had been nearly 8 months since he left her side. 8 months since they had no word from him or any of the other men. Aramis was getting worried about his friends. Especially since Marie was in the middle of giving birth to her and Athos' child. The midwife had told him to wait outside the room but Marie insisted Aramis to be there. She needed that comfort. She needed a friend.
"I am going to kill him when he comes home," groaning through the pain. Her hand tight in Aramis'. "If he has died, I'll kill him again!"
Aramis could not help but laugh at that. She probably would do that. "He will be home soon. I know it." He watched her as she gave birth to a girl. Sobs shook her body as the wailing infant was placed in her arms. "She is beautiful. Athos will be home soon to meet her."
-XXI-
The small wails of her daughter brought her out of her sleep. She was happy with her new child but she wished Athos was here to enjoy it with her. "Shhhhh..." reassuring her daughter as she lifted her from the cot. She had named her daughter Charlotte but she wanted Athos to have chosen their daughter's name with her. Cradling her daughter against her breast as the child suckled on her. The house was silent. Bringing her daughter to her shoulder to wind her. Marie listened.
Everything was so silent she could hear the crunching of hooves on the gravel outside. Her heart stopped as she strode to the window. Her heart began to beat again when she saw three men on horses approach the house. "Athos," she breathed. Quickly, she placed her daughter back in the cot. Forgetting she was only in her nightgown, Marie ran from the room and through the house. Not caring that she was making so much noise as she pounded down the stairs. "Athos..." She unlocked the main door with fumbling hands. She wrenched open the door to see the three men walking towards the door. "Athos!" She cried when she recognised the middle man who had just dismounted from his horse. She ran towards her husband, forgetting she was barefoot.
"Marie!" Catching her in his arms and holding her tight to him. "Oh! I am so sorry! I am so sorry!" He fell to his knees with her. Her hot tears falling down her cheeks and to his neck. "My wife... My darling wife..."
Porthos and D'Artagnan watched with broad smiles at the couple's reunion. They both knew that Athos missed Marie awfully and it had become exceedingly annoying when Athos continuously spoke about Marie on a daily basis. "Athos," sobbed Marie. She was happy to see him again. So happy that she was expressing it through tears.
"My Marie..." His hand stroking the back of her head. "I am sorry I am late. I came as fast as I could." He sat back and cupped her cheeks. "I am sorry."
"You are here." Her hands on his shoulders in a vice like grip. She did not want to let him go. "Do not ever leave again."
"I promise, my love. I promise." The two of them stood up and he lifted her in his arms. "Are the children well?"
Marie laughed as he carried her into the château. "Just wait and see." Both of them ignoring Porthos and D'Artagnan. Not on purpose. The couple were too wrapped up in themselves to remember their friends.
-XXI-
"She is beautiful," said Athos as he rocked his new daughter in his arms. "I am sorry that I was not here." Marie was sitting on the bed while Athos walked around the room with his slumbering daughter. He had not let her go from the moment Marie had placed Charlotte in his arms.
Marie smiled at him. "I had Aramis with me. He has been wonderful."
He walked to the bed and sat next to her. "I am sorry for leaving for so long. We tried to come back as soon as we could."
"I understand. I just wished you had been here when Charlotte was born and Raoul is growing up so fast." She let out a heavy sigh as she cupped their daughter's head. Feeling the soft hair under her fingers. "Don't go until they are all old enough."
Athos answered with a kiss and a nod. "I promise." Sealing his promise with a kiss.
-XXI-
A/N: Last chapter is coming up. Sad to be ending it.