SAVOY DESOLATION.
Brown Boar Inn
Outskirts of Paris.
"You fool...he noticed blood on your cloak, you have been careless cousin." murmered Jorge as he sat opposite Leon.
Leon glared."Me careless...you were supposed to kill Aramis...what happened? Anyhow...he only has Piérre's word for that...and he is now dead."
That moment both men were prompted into silence as a figure neared them.
"There you go gentlemen." Came the sudden voice from the serving girl as she placed down two more tankards of ale.
They paused as the girl moved away.
Jorge picked up his tankard and swigged back some ale, before continuing.
"Some bloody boy got in my way...I left him to bleed to death.
"He is not dead...you failed."
"What?
"A physician and Aramis saved his life, he lies in the infirmary as we speak." replied Leon tersely.
Jorge gritted his teeth.
"I had to get out of there in haste...damn musketeers, I am certain they are imortal."
"If I were you cousin I would lay low for a while...Tréville has men searching for you, and Richelieu has the red guard all over Paris. I doubt if this place is that safe either."
Jorge scanned the inn chamber discreetly before answering.
"I will do as I see fit...do not even attempt to advise me cousin. They will not see me coming."
Leon eyed him and swigged back the rest of his ale.
"I must go...I do not want to stir any suspicion on myself."
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Garrison Infirmary:
Porthos held d'Artagnan's head up gently whilst Athos spooned the juices of Serges stew into his mouth. The young musketeer was still unconscious due to blood loss. The swordsman held a cloth to his brothers chin as he watched him swallow.
"d'Artagnan...can you hear me mon ami? whispered Athos into his ear.
Porthos stroked back his young brothers hair from his face as Athos whispered.
Athos put down the bowl on the night stand.
"Do yer think he can 'ear you 'thos? murmered the big man laying him back against the pillow.
Athos pulled the blanket up over d'Artagnan's chest.
"Aramis has always said that he reckons unconscious patients can hear something...I am not certain...I would like to think so."
"Aramis said what? came the sleepy voice of the marksman from one of the beds.
Both men glanced over.
"Thought you were asleep? growled Porthos with a grin.
Aramis sat up and yawned, he slowly stood and walked over to d'Artagnan's bedside.
"How has he been?
"I have just given him some stew...but apart from that he hasn't stirred." replied Athos.
Aramis nodded as he felt the Gascons forehead.
"Good at least he is getting some sustenance. Where is Lemay?
"He had to go back to the palace mon ami...do not fret...he said he will return later." murmered Porthos.
That moment the men heard footfalls on the wooden floor.
Porthos and Athos both grabbed their pistols as the door opened slowly.
"Constance! gasped Aramis grabbing his breeches and pulling them on rapidly in slight embarrassment as he stood there in his night gown.
"Don't mind me...you haven't got anything I have not seen before." she muttered flatly.
Both Athos and Porthos grinned at the markman as they placed their pistols back on the table.
The young woman was by the Gascons beside in an instant, tears had welled in her eyes. Her blue dress catching the light from the window.
"I have only just heard." she whimpered. "What happened?
"He was stabbed and left for dead...but he is doing well...no fever." answered Athos.
Constance hadn't taken her eyes off the wounded musketeer for a moment.
"Is this the same menace that attacked you Aramis? she asked glancing up at the marksman.
"Looks that way."
Constance put her hand to the Gascons forehead.
"He looks so pallid and frail." she said softly. "He will be alright won't he?
"He is strong Constance...you know d'Artagnan." answered Porthos.
The young woman nodded.
"I must go...Bonacieux will think I have gotten lost. He would be angered it if he found out I had been visiting d'Artagnan."
She paused as she reached the door and turned.
"Please keep me informed of his condition." she said, a hint of emotion in her voice.
Aramis smiled.
"Do not worry Constance...we will."
The men watched as she hitched up her gown and scurried off.
"Lets hope he heard her voice." commented Athos.
"Indeed...I am most certain he did." replied Aramis.
Porthos chuckled.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Captain Tréville's Office Chamber.
Late Afternoon.
Athos rolled up the parchments and returned them to their rightful places in the cabinet. The swordsman sighed as he noticed the heap he had still yet to go through, so far he had found nothing untoward to even suggest any of the men were involved in any deceit. But something niggled at him and he couldn't quite get a grip of it.
A light rap roused him from his muse as he glanced towards the door.
"Yes?
The door opened revealing Musketeer Eduard, the man stood there looking anxious.
Athos eyed him.
"If your looking for the captain...he is at the palace."
Suddenly realising that the man should be there himself Athos looked at him perturbed.
"Why are you here so untimely...should you not still be on duty?
Eduard turned slightly and looked back into the courtyard as though looking for someone.
Athos hadn't failed to notice how troubled the man seemed.
"Yes I seen the captain lieutenant...he asked me to join the search for the escaped prisoner...but I had to speak to you in haste."
The swordsman frowned.
"So you thought you would vacate your post to speak with me, the captain will not be pleased. He is your superior officer when you are within his unit."
Eduard swallowed hard and looked back again into the courtyard making Athos feel uneasy, he had never seen the man act so strange.
"I apologize lieutenant...I should not be bothering you."
Athos stared in awe before ushering the despairing musketeer to a chair and closing the door.
The swordsman walked around the desk and sat. He hadn't taken his eyes off the man.
"What troubles you? prey tell me!
Eduard figited in his seat as he toyed with the tie on his cloak, wrapping it around his fingers nervously.
Athos scrutinsed him before reaching for Trévilles fine brandy, he poured out two goblets and slid one towards the man.
Eduard picked up the glass and swallowed the entire contents in one gulp before placing it back on the desk.
Athos furrowed his brow as the man murmered in low tones.
"The night before Piérre was killed he told me he seen blood on Leon's cloak, he remembers him arriving at the Wren rather tardy saying he had business to attend to."
Athos sipped his brandy.
"What business?
"I do not know lieutenant...but the men say he is a strange one."
Eduard caught the swordsmans eye contact suddenly.
"When Antoine was murdered he showed no sympathy...it was as if he was glad he was dead. Marcel says the same, he loaths being on duty with him."
Athos raised an eye brow.
"Did he ask why he had blood on his cloak?
Eduard nodded slightly.
"He told him his horse caught its fetlock on a thorn...his horse was fine when he returned to the garrison."
That instant Athos' mind flashed back to the incident when he scolded Leon for having smudged ink on his cloak. Maybe that was a ruse to conceal the stain. Is Leon our imposter?
Athos was suddenly jolted from his muse as Eduard spoke.
"I may be speaking out of turn lieutenant, and I am sorry for it."
"Always believe in your instincts my friend...I find they tell you more than you may know." murmered Athos with contemplation as he reached for the heap of parchments.
Eduard watched as the swordsman flicked rapidly through the manuscripts, he paused suddenly as he found what he was looking for before opening it up and scanning his eyes over the written work.
"Ahh here we are Leon de Grandu...
Musketeer Leon de Grandu
Born St, Dennis1603
Son of Remi de Grandu and Martha Lennim
Athos read down the page as he ran his finger down the parchment, nothing was filling his mind with any doubt. He turned the page and scrutinised further, he felt suddenly nauseous as his finger paused at the following script.
Relations
Uncle Monsieur Philip de Grandu
Aunt Madame Lila Armond
Cousin Jorge Armond.
Athos stared down at the script, he glanced up at Eduard and nodded.
"Eduard...I do believe you are right. It would seem our musketeer Leon is not whom he says he is."
Eduard stared at the swordsman in awe.
"You mean he is the imposter? shrieked the man.
Athos knew he couldn't say much more, that was Tréville's regulations, to never discuss any intellegence you come by, and he did not really know the man that well."
I want you to remain here at the garrison, stay in your chamber. Keep your door locked and pistols primed."
"What of the captain...he will wonder where I have got to?
Athos stood and rolled up the parchments before reaching for his doublet and putting it on.
"I will speak with the captain...do not fret...now go."
The musketeer was up in an instant.
"Eduard!
"Yes lieutenant!
"You have seved well!
"Eduard nodded with a slight smile."
The swordsman watched as the man raced down the wooden steps before turning back into the office chamber and swallowing down the rest of his brandy.
xxxxxxx
Athos walked across the courtyard towards a group of cadets. The young men sat around a table chatting after their training sessions. The lads glanced up as the swordsman approached, their chatter waning.
"Andre! Perez! I want you both to go to the palace and summon captain Tréville to the garrison. If he asks why, inform him I have something paramount for him to see."
Both cadets stood instantly.
"Yes lieutenant."
xxxxxxx
Infirmary.
Athos had returned to the Infirmary to inform the others of the findings. Countless concepts ran through the musketeer lieutenant's head as he contemplated various notions of how to play the scheme out. He recalled Tréville giving Leon his commission, and how pleased he had looked on receiving it. The times he had sat in the Wren chatting and jesting with the men. He had changed in the past six months, but the swordsman put that down to the late palace duties he had been given amid the Paris revolt that had occured when Anne had married Louis. But he had never suspected this, not in a million years. But why now, why all this barbarism.
xx
"Prey tell me you jest mon ami." asked Aramis standing and joining Athos who was sitting at the table. The marksman picked up the parchment and read.
"Dear God! a relation of Jorge Armond...he must have gotten him into the garrison, its speaks volumns now...he gave him the musketeer cloak and hat, who is going to know in the darkness of the night." continued the marksman.
Porthos shook his head and grimaced. "What a bastard...Leon...well I would never 'ave thought it be 'im. Wait until I see 'im...he will wonder what bloody 'it 'im."
"Tréville should be here very soon...he is not going to take kindly to this."
"Richelieu will thrive on this for years...he will never permit any of us to forget it." murmered Aramis.
That moment a low groan emitted into the air.
The three men turned sharply towards d'Artagnan before rushing to his bedside. Aramis reached him first and sat on the wounded mans bed.
"d'Artagnan! d'Artagnan! murmered the marksman feeling the young musketeers brow. "Can you hear me my friend?
The Gascons eyes fluttered slightly as Aramis spoke.
"W..am..I...wha...'appened? groaned the Gascon.
Athos and Porthos shot each other a grin.
"You are in the infirmary mon ami...you were attacked." answered Aramis stroking back the Gascons hair from his face.
"Come on d'Artagnan...we are all here waiting for you to wake up." growled Porthos squeeezing their youngests arm.
"Yeah about time you roused." added Athos.
"Thirs...ty." gasped the young man.
Aramis picked up the water ewer and poured some into a cup, with the help of Porthos, d'Artagnan managed a couple of mouth fulls before laying back against the pillow with a wince."
"Easy mon ami...you will still be very raw." murmered the medic.
"Th...nk..you." gasped d'Artagnan hoarsly.
"Do you recall what happened to you my friend." asked Athos.
d'Artagnan lay still before speaking. His mind wondering.
"I was...in the...courtyard...I think someone came up...behind me. I can't remember...anything else."
"Do not fret brother, you still need bed rest." murmered Aramis.
That moment the men swapped glances as they heard the sound of horses hooves.
"Bloody hell! growled Porthos...he is gonna be enraged when he finds out what yer found."
Aramis stay with d'Artagnan...Porthos you come with me."
Aramis nodded.
xxxxxxxx
Captain Tréville's
Office Chamber.
Athos and Porthos followed the older man up the wooden steps. The older man not taking too kindly at being summoned away from the palace. He marched into his office and flung down his hat onto the desk.
"This had better be good Athos, I have just left foremost duties to whatever this is you find so interesting." growled Tréville dropping down into his seat and glaring at both musketeers.
Both Athos and Porthos swapped rapid glances before the swordsman put down the parchment in front of the older man.
Tréville frowned with curiosity as he looked from one man to the other before opening up the scroll and reading it.
"What am I supposed to be looking at? he asked
"Read down the page captain." said Athos "The relations."
The two men watched as the older mans features began to twist and frown as he took in the written script. He suddenly glanced up.
"Dear God! he gasped reaching for his fine brandy bottle and pouring it into three goblets.
"It would seem your persistence brought rewards Athos!
"It was Eduard who brought my attention to it captain, he has felt suspicious about him since Piérre informed him he seen blood on his cloak, that same night Piérre was murdered."
Tréville raised his brow. "So that's where he went."
Athos nodded. "He was scared for the men captain...and Leon was in your company."
"How do you want to do this captain? asked Porthos shooting a glance to Athos.
Tréville sighed and stood, he walked over to the window and stared across the Paris rooftops before swigging back the entire contents from his goblet.
He turned back to his two musketeers.
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TBC...
Hi Guys,
Thanks again for the reviews.
So glad you are still enjoying it, I would hate to think I am boring you all. Please say if you think I am.
Well how will they apprehend Leon without him finding out he is well and truly found out?
And what about Jorge, is his time up, or will there be more blood and gore.
Speak soon...
Love yer
Pippa xxxx
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