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The men in the garrison had sparred with Athos during training sessions, and knew the superiority of his skills. But until tonight, they had never seen the truly unleashed brilliance they were witnessing.

He was clearly toying with Albert. He would drive him back, then flick his sword to make a cut on his arm. They he would back up, letting Albert think he was retreating. As soon as Courtain moved forward, Athos made a lightning fast move, and again made a cut lightly across Albert's chest, drawing blood this time. It was cat and mouse, and Albert was clearly the unwilling mouse.

After several moments, Albert had cuts in numerous places on his body, but Athos had not moved in for the kill. Albert's mind was in a whirl trying to think of anything he could do to to delay the inevitable, and maybe have a chance to get away. He didn't want to die. But Athos was ahead of him every step of the way. When Albert attempted to feint to his right, Athos was already there, parrying his move and again nicking him in the arm. He drove him back against a wall, keeping him there with the blade against his throat.

Then, he released him, and went back to his game, taking his time with him. The men watching were almost mesmerized watching Athos fight, and learning moves they would practice during the next sparring time.

But, at some point, it occurred to Athos, in the middle of the duel, to wonder what had happened to Jean-Marc. Without moving his eyes from Albert, he thundered,

"Porthos, guard Aramis. Courtain's brother is still on the loose." With that, he stepped up his attack, parrying every move Albert tried without seeming to even break a sweat.

Porthos, in the meanwhile, had heard Athos' command, and turned back into the room. He froze, as he saw a man aiming a pistol at Aramis' head. Aramis had broken out in a sweat, memories flooding his mind when he saw one of his tormentors coming across the room.

Porthos couldn't do anything, as he would risk the man's pistol going off before he could get two steps. He could see the fear in Aramis' eyes, fear that under other circumstances he would never see,and knew without a doubt, that this was one of his kidnappers.

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Courtain, exhausted by the fight, watched Athos warily. The man was prowling around Albert like a great cat about to pounce. Albert kept his sword up in a defensive stance, looking for any way to forestall another attack.

Athos suddenly moved rapidly, driving Albert back and against the wall. Athos ended the attack abruptly, by driving his blade straight into Courtain's chest so hard it came out his back and pinned him to the wood of the building behind him. Moving close to Albert's face, Athos growled in a low menacing voice, "That was for all the pain and suffering my brother has had to endure from you. Your whole family are nothing but animals, treating the world as if it's yours to do with what you like. Your brother was in the process of savagely raping a woman when Aramis tried to stop it. He warned him, then fired when he wouldn't stop. And you nearly caused his death not once, but twice. You sealed him in, and left him to suffocate to death. You die today, but it isn't nearly enough punishment for the evil you ..."

The sound of a pistol going off sounded in the compound and Athos froze. "Aramis!" He spun on his heel, leaving Albert pinned to the wall, and raced across the courtyard towards Aramis' room, his heart clenching inside of him in fear for his beleaguered brother.

When he reached the room, he came to a complete standstill at the scene before him. There was a man lying across Aramis, who was prone on the bed. Both men and the bed were covered in blood.

Porthos saw Athos in the doorway, and said,"Don't worry. It isn't his."

Porthos had crossed the room, and now pulled the man off Aramis. Next, he gently lifted Aramis from the blood-soaked bed, and brought him over to a chair near the wall, setting him down on it. Aramis promptly rolled up his eyes, and began to slide off the chair. Porthos caught him before he made it to the floor, confused by Aramis' passing out.

Porthos lifted Aramis up and sat down in the chair with him cradled in his arms. "Come on, Aramis, wake up." But Aramis' eyes remained shut.

Athos said,"What happened here, Porthos?"

Porthos replied, "I had foolishly gone out in front of the door when the commotion began in the compound. Someone climbed in the window, and when I turned around, had a gun pointed at Aramis' head. Aramis had frozen, and the look on his face told me exactly who this was, even if I hadn't heard your warning. I couldn't do anything, as the gun would have gone off, killing Aramis. But Aramis, weak and injured as he was, shot him right through the blanket with one of the guns he had just got working! The man landed on top of him, pinning him to the bed, and then you came in."

"We need to see why he passed out. Keep holding him while I check."

After removing Aramis' nightshirt and examining him, Athos discovered a very large bruise forming right over Aramis' mending broken shoulder. From the position of the dead man's body, the elbow may well have hit Aramis' shoulder, the resulting pain causing Aramis to pass out. They were glad it wasn't anything new, but bruising a broken shoulder was not good either.

Treville came in the door next. "What the blazes has been going on while I was at the palace?"

Athos filled him in on what had happened in the room. Treville had a very wide satisfied smile on his face when he finished. But he asked, "How is Aramis, and why is he unconscious?"

His shoulder is still mending, and having a full-grown man land on it is rather painful. He will come around in a few moments."

Treville commented, "For Aramis to take out one of the men who abused him so terribly is poetic justice. Where is Courtain, by the way?"

"He is dead, Captain."

"How?"

One of the men, a cadet who had been watching the duel, came in the door. "Captain, it was the most brilliant feat with a rapier I have ever seen", filling the captain in on what Athos had done.

Treville turned to Athos, saying, "Modesty speaking again?"

Aramis took that moment to regain his senses, confusion evident in his face. "What..."

Porthos told him, "You just rest a few moments. It's not every day you have a 6-foot man land on you when you're laying in bed."

This brought Aramis' memory flooding back. "He's dead?"

Athos decided to tease him. "You are the best shot in the regiment. Do you seriously think he could still be alive, brother?"

Then, he added, "There are no longer any Courtains left alive, Aramis. The nightmare is finally over."

Aramis asked, "But Albert?"

"While you were taking care of his brother, Albert and I had a rather violent disagreement in the courtyard. He and a wall had a meeting...of sorts."

Aramis' face showed he wasn't getting Athos' humor quite yet.

Treville told him,"Athos and Albert had a disagreement, all right. Athos took Albert apart with a rapier, then nailed him to a wall with it-after it had gone clear through his body and into the wall behind him."

Athos just said, "I told him I didn't take kindly to his treatment of you. And then I proceeded to render justice that was long overdue. You were with me every moment, Aramis. My thoughts were with you, brother."

Then, Athos had another thought. "Aramis, would you like to see Albert before he is taken down?", thinking it might be a very simple way to maybe rid Aramis of his nightmares, once and for all.

Aramis thought about it, and slowly nodded. Athos and Porthos assisted him in standing, and with a hand on each arm in support, they headed through the door. Crossing the courtyard, Aramis' legs failed him, as he had not been on his feet for quite a while. Porthos caught him as his knees buckled, lifting him in his arms as if he weighed no more than a baby.

They halted in front of the wall where the fight had ended. Aramis stared at his nemesis, the man who had caused him such agony while alive, now pinned to the wall in death. Even though the man had viciously sought his death, Aramis silently made the sign of the cross as he always did for someone who had died. He knew it was up to God where Albert ended up now. Aramis just finally felt a sense of peace that had deserted him for much too long.

They were just turning to go back to Aramis' room, when d'Artagnan came through the gates.

"What the... What happened tonight while I was gone?"

Athos related the night's events, and d'Artagnan just shook his head. "I leave for a short visit to Constance, and missed everything! Are you all right, Aramis?"

Aramis quietly nodded, "Yes, d'Artagnan, I believe I am better than I have been in quite some time. If you don't mind, can we go back now? I think I've exhausted myself tonight."

They looked at each other smiling, as they knew that since he was on the mend, Aramis would soon not be as forthcoming with a true assessment of his health. He almost always would deny any injuries or illnesses, so that he might be strength for his brothers.

They crossed the courtyard back to his room, and Aramis later spent the first nightmare-free stretch of sleep in a very long time.