Author's Notes: A few chapters back, I started to include this first section, with the seventeenth century Musketeers watching over their modern-day counterparts and descendents. The chapter kept sputtering on me, so I finally removed it. But, I never let go of the idea, and found a place where it worked, so … ta-da! In this chapter, the original three (d'Artagnan is probably with Vincent and Raoul) watch over their descendents; Athos begins teaching his niece the finer points of dueling with a lightsaber (assuming she stops giggling long enough); while Richelieu sets the first part of his plan into action. Also, the language gets salty at the end of the second section, because Anne wants certain things understood.
Reviewer Responses:
Dg101: I'm so glad you've enjoyed it! Yes, I'm not quite finished with them … any of them!
A reader: Oh, I think you'll be pleased with the Anne/Athos in this chapter, especially since the lightsaber duel is seen through Anne's eyes. Maybe not a boo-boo, but definitely some quality time, that will also lead into the next story. Oh, I want so much to do the Riverwalk. Like I said, I was only eight the last time I was in San Antonio (for the graduation of my childhood best friend's stepfather), and I want to see it through the eyes of an adult. I'm currently trying to outline at least the prologue of the next story, and then there will be at least one more story after that, a one-shot in which Anne and Athos take Tristan to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Epilogue
From a Certain Point of View
Unknown Place
Unknown Time
The children are fine, Athos … stop fretting over them!
Olivier d'Athos didn't bother turning around, said only, Coming from you, old friend, that's amusing. There was an amused snicker, then a warm arm draped around his shoulders. He murmured, They're together now, and that makes things better, but there are still dark days ahead of them. Perhaps if I'd held on after Raoul's death, if I'd … He got no further. The arm turned into a hand, and then he was being turned around to face the Porthos he'd fought alongside for so many years. The other man's dark eyes bored into his grimly.
Stop. Stop right there. You had no way of knowing that Raoul left behind a child, and if you had known, no force would have kept you from that child. You were a good father, Athos, and a good brother, and you would have made an extraordinary grandfather. But you didn't know, and you couldn't be there for that child as a result, Porthos retorted. Athos bowed his head, and Porthos drew him to his chest, holding him tightly. He murmured, Your namesake is so like you, it makes my heart hurt sometimes. But your story will not be his.
It isn't just my namesake, Porthos … it's all three of them. Athos, who sometimes makes me believe partial reincarnation is possible. Tommy, who technically isn't of my bloodline, and yet is mine. And Audelais. If I had a daughter, I would have wanted her to be like Audelais … yes, even in our time. Did I ever thank you for preventing from manifesting myself when that … that infant was touching my Audelais? I would have frightened her terribly, I know that now, was the response. He was the recipient of another fierce hug.
You have, brother … many times. And that is the only reason I prevented you from manifesting. It certainly wasn't to protect that pathetic little worm. However, that didn't prevent Aramis from doing so later. That was most … entertaining, Porthos all but snickered as he stepped back. Athos raised an eyebrow, and Porthos explained merrily, He manifested sometime later as a … growth. Whilst the little worm was with a young mademoiselle of legal age, I should add. Porthos shook his head with mock sadness, adding, she didn't take it well and kneed him in the smalls. Athos winced, but couldn't help grinning in response.
Of course I did. She might not be my descendent, but someone needed to avenge the poor child. And you, my brother, were in no condition to do so, Aramis pointed out. He glanced over Athos' shoulder, smiling as he sighed, Oh, very good. They know most of the truth now and so they can move on with their lives. Perhaps my namesake and descendent will have a chance with the lovely Ana. You do realize that will be what your great-granddaughter will end up calling her, to separate her from her sister-in-law? Athos inclined his head as his own namesake scooped his older sister from her wheelchair and carefully placed her into the van. She would sleep all the way back to the Garrison, her head resting on her brother's shoulder.
So many things were the same, and so many things were different. He thought of his own marriage and his final confrontation with his Milady … and then he thought of his namesake and his Anne. So different, so much the same. Could he trust his namesake's Milady? No. At least, not just yet. Not just because of his memories of his own, who haunted him until his last days on the earth that his descendents now walked, but because of the woman herself. But … but he was willing to grant her the chance to prove him wrong. Whatever else he thought of her, he did know that she loved his Athos. And, she had taken his portrait with her, allowing him to continue to watch over his children from the afterlife.
Come, Athos … Raoul awaits you. I still know not why he won't join us himself. Perhaps he wishes to reassure Vincent, but he would do better if he was with us, Aramis urged and Athos gave his many-times great-grandchildren one last glance. Audelais, Athos, Thomas, his beautiful children. And then he followed his brothers back to the rest of their own odd little family. It was time for his children to shine or fall. But Athos had faith in them. They would find a way to rise, to meet the darkness that was even now looming.
They were children of the Musketeers. That was what they did, it was what they were.
MMMMMMM
Montreal, Quebec
Ten Days after confrontation with Marina Delmedigo
Her cell phone sat in her lap, ignored for the moment as she watched the … antics in front of her. They would be leaving for San Antonio within the next few days, once Josie was cleared by the doctor. Anne Maurice had already declared that they were all flying first class. She was already in San Antonio, getting the new Garrison set up. Meanwhile, Louis and Tommy were on their way to San Francisco. Louis, especially, was looking forward to visiting the city … he had said on the way to the airport that he had heard quite a few things about San Francisco, and was looking forward to finding out if they were true. Tommy's eyes lit up at that, and Athos had told his younger brother he didn't need to hear anything more. Treville sought to reassure his second, telling him that Nick Boyle would keep an eye on the two of them. And since he used to be something of a wild child, he would be able to keep up with them.
While he trusted his captain, Athos still looked a touch uncomfortable once they dropped off the dynamic duo (or was it terrifying twosome?) … right up until the time Tristan asked on the drive back to the hotel where she and her parents were staying if they could have that lightsaber duel Athos promised when they reached Montreal. Athos, as it was steadily becoming clear, could deny his niece absolutely nothing and he agreed to do just that once they were notified that Tommy and Louis had arrived on Angel Island safely. That was a more than adequate compromise for Tristan … who fell asleep during the vigil, and had only awakened a few hours earlier. Athos was at the current Garrison, finishing up some paperwork at the time. He'd called his sister as soon as he got off, asking her to meet him at his house. They were waiting for him when he got home … and naturally, he got hit with a Tristan-glomp as soon as he walked in the door. Anne grinned to herself … it was worth it, just to see the look on Athos' face when his niece flung her arms around him.
Of course, her father was more than a little jealous, but Anne thought it was good practice for him. He was used to being the only man in both Josie and Tristan's lives … this would be good for him. If nothing else, it would teach him not to take either of his ladies for granted. He'd been doing better, courting Josie in a similar way that Anne had been courting Athos. Of course, Rob didn't have to worry about going through various security measures when taking lunch to Josie, but that was just part of the challenge … finding something that didn't set the security alarms off. She liked challenges. They added a touch of danger to her courtship of Athos.
Athos was, at the moment, fulfilling his promise to his niece. Or, he was trying to. The rest of his brothers, plus Treville, Constance, Josie and Rob, were scattered around his living room, watching in amusement as Athos teased Tristan, "Now, we can't do this if you keep giggling. Or, I suppose we could, but I'll keep winning." They were keeping score? Why hadn't anyone told Anne that? She could have done that, instead of monitoring her phone. On second thought, it was probably best that she continued what she was doing. Adele was eyeballing Richelieu to make sure that bastard didn't take them off guard.
Tristan just collapsed, giggling again, and d'Artagnan leaned forward to pull her to her feet again, shaking his head, muttering, "I get 'head over heart,' and she gets teased. OW!" He glared at his wife, who'd swatted his butt as he leaned forward. Athos ignored them both, focusing only on his niece as she tried to stand up while giggling. He shook his head, lips twitching. If Anne hadn't already loved Tristan, her ability to make her uncle laugh would have won her heart. That was also why she had something of a soft spot for Porthos. He could make Athos smile, while Tristan could make him laugh. Josie … he was still repairing his relationship with Josie. They were still tentative around each other, when they thought about the past. The trick, then, was making sure they didn't start thinking about the past. Easier said than done. Kinda like Tristan not giggling during her 'duel' with her uncle.
Although, it seemed the girl just scored a hit against Athos, who offered up a mock-yelp, sucking on the back of his wrist where Tristan just struck. Anne briefly considered offering to kiss and make it better, but she was afraid she wouldn't stop with his wrist … and she really didn't want to traumatize Tristan. She covered her eyes the first time she saw her father kiss her mother's hand, something that still had Anne shaking her head. Aramis called, "I think perhaps you should yield, brother … she took your wrist off. Like Anakin did to Dooku." Athos glowered at the field medic and launched a series of wild, exaggerated strikes that Tristan parried with equal exaggeration. Josie listed against Anne, snickering at her daughter and brother's antics. Anne smiled at her friend, who had the specs for the new Garrison in San Antonio in front of her.
After almost literally haunting the city during the last few weeks, Anne Maurice had found the perfect place for her Musketeers (her Musketeers? There would be a few people who would beg to differ with her about that). It was an obsolete fire station, not far from the Bourbon Headquarters in San Antonio … three stories, and would need a minimum of TLC after being out of use for only ten years. The boys were already putting together ideas about what to do with it, with the understanding that one of the floors would be used as barracks. Josie had muttered as she and Anne watched the Inseparables plan out their new Garrison, "The only difference between men and boys, no?"
Anne had snickered, returning, "Price of their toys … whether that's a speedboat, power tools, or a firehouse that needs a bit of fixing up." A mental image of her husband appeared, and it was all she could do to keep from fanning herself, asking, "Will you slap me if I tell you I'm looking forward to seeing your brother in either a wet t-shirt or no shirt at all while they're working on their new home?" Josie's eyebrows merely arched, nearly meeting her hairline, and she smirked. However, she never actually answered Anne's question, which made the former headhunter more than a little nervous. It made Anne wonder what her once and future sister-in-law was planning. She learned the hard way that when Josie smirked like that, things would get … interesting. The question then became, interesting for who.
However, she chose to keep those questions to herself, especially when Athos shucked his McGill sweatshirt (when did he get that?) … and the t-shirt underneath rode up his ribcage, revealing a tantalizing amount of skin. Oh. Anne averted her eyes, because that hint was enough to send her blood racing. Good thing Tristan had turned away to take a sip of her water. Yes, she had an ever-intensifying crush on Porthos, who was very flattered and incredibly sweet to the girl … however, she also told her uncle that he was every bit as hot as prequel Obi-Wan Kenobi (quite a compliment, coming from her, according to Josie). Anne managed to snap a picture of her husband's expression, and how fierce his blush was. She sent it to Adele, who responded with, 'Abjlslidlp! TOO ADORABLE FOR WORDS!' That was followed by, 'not that I'm trying to home in on your territory.' No, of course she wasn't … number one, she'd been attracted to Aramis and number two, she knew what Anne would do to her if she looked at Athos wrong. Scratch that … she knew what Anne would do to her if she looked at Athos, period.
And it was then that Constance said, "You do realize that you're doing this all wrong, don't you?" Athos turned to face his other sister, running his fingers through his hair and raising his eyebrows questioningly. The petite redhead rose to her feet with a smirk (uh-oh, that didn't bode well) and stalked over to what appeared to be the entertainment center (since she was married to d'Artagnan, Anne wouldn't worry about how familiar she was with Athos' home), saying, "You need the right music for something so epic as a lightsaber duel, after all." With those words, she slipped a disk into the CD player and the iconic opening strains of the Star Wars theme filled the room. Athos grinned impishly and turned to face his niece, who was giggling (again). The duel was off again, and Anne could only shake her head, her attention divided between the beautiful man who'd won her heart so long ago and the men who had become his brothers. They'd never seen this side of Athos, and she could tell they couldn't figure out if they should watch in awe or take pictures for later blackmail. Then again, with the Inseparables, there was no reason they couldn't do both.
With her best friend's head resting on her shoulder, Anne returned her attention to the man she loved and the niece she was quickly coming to adore as they thoroughly mangled all six films by mixing up lines and scenes. Whenever her cell phone vibrated, she checked for a message from Adele. And then, as a giggling Tristan collapsed against a sweaty Athos, it came. Eight words that put Anne on edge, 'Richelieu heading for Texas. TELL MUSKETEERS TO BEWARE!' Anne swallowed hard. What was he doing in Texas? She wracked her brain to work out what he hoped to find, what he hoped to do, but came up blank.
She'd intended to follow Louis and Tommy to San Francisco, just to check on them … and maybe she would do that at a later date … but right now, she was more worried about what Richelieu was doing. And yes, she would tell Treville … Athos was her husband, but these men were part of Treville's family. They were his boys, his Musketeers and if Adele feared for them, he should know. One thing was sure, though … if Richelieu tried to hurt her husband, or anyone else in this extended family, she wouldn't stop at spilling his secrets to the world.
She would fucking well kill him.
MMMMMM
Texas State Penitentiary-Huntsville Unit
Huntsville, TX
One week later
He walked down the halls of the state pen, ignoring the calls from the prisoners. They didn't interest him … while normally he took these walks to find assistance, there was only one prisoner here that fit his criteria. All others could burn, for all he cared. And much as he hated this state, right now, he needed someone who was incarcerated here. It had been more than six weeks since his niece's death, and it had taken him that long not only to find someone who fit his particular needs, but to test the boundaries that were placed around him.
At the end of the hall was the visitor's room, where he would wait for his new associate. There was no doubt in his mind whatsoever that the man would agree to join forces with him … none whatsoever. The only question he had right now was what he would need to do to get him released. He would have to be very careful indeed, but so be it. The musketeers had killed his niece, and if he could not kill them directly, this would be an adequate response. There was also no doubt in his mind that he could control his individual … such people were easily controlled.
His chosen associate was led to the table, and Richelieu offered him a serene smile. The man observed, "Lawyer says you have an offer for me. I find that very interesting. You're obviously no lawyer. In fact, you look a lot like that Bourbon snake, Richelieu. Question is, what offer could you have for me that might interest me? After all, if I behave myself, I'll be out before too much longer. No, there's something else. Something a lot more enticing."
"Oh yes … what I have to offer is something far more enticing. Not many men have the opportunity to gain their heart's desire twice over," Richelieu allowed. The man's eyes narrowed, and Richelieu smiled almost kindly, adding, "What if I were to offer you the chance to kill the man who put you here and the opportunity to win the woman you've loved all this time?" It had been a stroke of pure luck, finding this man … but Catherine was counting on him, and he wasn't about to fail the memory of his precious niece.
The man inhaled sharply, answering, "Well. That is an enticing offer. The chance to kill Rob Maddox and reclaim Anne? You definitely have my attention. But what do you get out of this? I'm not a fool. I know you aren't doing this out of the kindness of your heart, so tell me … what is your stake in this?" Telling the truth was usually a subjective notion, at least so far as Richelieu was concerned. But this time … this time, he would tell the entire, unvarnished truth, because it would bind them even more closely.
"Robert Maddox is married to a woman named Audelais de la Fere. She is the elder sister of Athos de la Fere, one of the Bourbon Musketeers, and a man who is partially responsible for the death of my niece. You take out Maddox, it'll hurt de la Fere's sister, and that in turn hurts de la Fere. It will also distract him. As to Anne Maurice, she's begun a relationship with another of the Bourbon Musketeers, one Rene Aramis d'Herblay. Drive a wedge between the two of them, and the Musketeers will be even more distracted," Richelieu answered.
Now light was dawning in the man's eyes, and he smiled coldly, saying, "Well then. It would seem that you have a partner in this venture. Giles Rochefort, at your service!" Richelieu merely smiled. He would need time to launch this operation … four or five months, but while Rochefort was distracting the Musketeers, Richelieu would start to put his main operation into play. By the time he finished with all of them, they would understand what it meant to cross Armand Richelieu. After he was done with the Musketeers, he would go after Anne de Brueil and remind her that he had made her … he could destroy her just as easily. Then, and only then, would he take his final actions against Mariana Delmedigo.
As ever, he forgot something that Anne learned long ago … destroying the Musketeers was not as easy as he imagined it to be
.
Fin
Additional Notes: And this story is DONE! First, as you probably realized, the chapter title is from the infamous Obi-Wan Kenobi quote in Return of the Jedi, 'the truths we cling to depend very much on our point of view.' Considering what Richelieu is doing in this final section, and the perspective of the 17th century Musketeers as they watched over their descendants, it seemed an appropriate title. As you've probably guessed, the next story picks up six months later. Until then, thank you again SOO MUCH!