Evening My Lovelies :)
I was hoping for a bad-ass feel during the middle of this chapter so I hope I've managed that. Also I'm not sure if Aramis might come across as slightly out of character here as well... If he does, just go with it :)
This story now has 250 reviews! You guys are so awesome and have made me so happy for your continual support and kind words and suggestions so thanks!
Notes On Reviews:
A reader (Guest): Thanks for the review - Your reviews always make my day :D you are super sweet and always have such nice things to say I'm always smiling after reading one your reviews so thank you for that :) As Athos is the subject of Vincent's rage he will end up with some significant whumpage happening to him when we get to it in a couple of chapters time. If there's anything in particular you want to happen to him let me know and I'll try to work it in :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
CaroH: Thanks for the review - Fabien's still hanging around, not in the garrison obviously as that'd be just asking to get caught but he's about. We probably wont really see much of Porthos for at least the next chapter as he'll be recovering, it's quite a large burn. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Tidia: Thanks for the review - I was tempted to have him forced to crawl out of the room but this was just more evil. I'm kinda liking the idea of both D'Art and Porthos having a slight bonding moment or something in the infirmary whilst the others are out doing something else... Maybe Porthos could put in a good word for Athos or something... What do you think? Is it something you'd like to see? Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I might do a flashback/nightmare sort of thing about the moments before Fabien set the fire, I see Fabien as being the kinda guy that'd want to taunt a helpless D'Art for a bit first before he did anything and being tied up as your room's on fire is bound to give anyone nightmares. Enjoy the new chapter! x
romirola: Thanks for the review - I'm glad you thought so :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Guest: Thanks for the review - Well I figured D'Arts still got all his other injuries to deal with so adding more would be quite mean of me, though the fire has made a few of them worse. Porthos and Aramis have been whump free so far this story so they needed some whumpage to happen to them, my evil mind wont let them get off scot-free. Aramis is going to get slightly injured today but he'll be able to see to himself... he'll suffer worse wounds when Vincent returns. I think Aramis might mention to D'Art how protective Athos was of him. I'm loving the idea of a rantyD'Artagnan, I didnt really have time to write it today but i'll bring it in tomorrows chapter :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Hello dear 250th reviewer :D D'Art's just too cute when he's all beaten and helpless lol :) I figured that aside from beating the Duke, Pothos hasnt really had any bad-ass moments so I had to rectify that :D I was getting mixed reviews about the guard, some wanted him to live and others wanted him to die. I originally had planned for him to live but somehow when I wrote it he ended up dying instead... still i thought the moment was cute (sad cute). There's a tiny little D'Art moment at the endish of this chapter that i quite like... Don't ask me what compelled me to put it in, I just couldnt help myself lol. Enjoy the new chapter! x
I know I said it already but thank you to everyone who supports by following/favouriting/reviewing/reading this story
Enjoy
xxx
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Justice/Revenge/Stress Revlief?
Doctor Monroe was not impressed to be rushed into the garrison as soon as he returned to his normal duties, one of the palace physicians had a family emergency and so he had been forced to temporarily fill in, leaving the garrison on its own for a few days.
The original palace physician had returned earlier that morning and Monroe had been about to head home when he bumped into Treville who was about to head back to the garrison himself. The pair had got to talking, mainly Monroe enquiring after the health of those who were healing before he left. During their conversation Félix had appeared, quite out of breath and smelling strangely of smoke. He hurriedly explained what had befallen the inseparables at the garrison and both men followed the musketeer back to check on the injured men.
"What have we got Aramis" Monroe asked as he hung up his jacket on the back of the infirmary door. He was surprised to have been called by the Spaniard, as he was notoriously protective over the three men he cherished as brothers and refused to allow any other person to treat them unless absolutely necessary.
Aramis, despite being quite confused at the doctor's sudden appearance, filled the man in on the condition of his brothers; Athos was in the better condition of the three with his breathing now returning to normal and only being bothered by an irritating cough and sore eyes. D'Artagnan was a bit more worrying as he seemed to be unable to stay awake for more than a minute or so at a time, though whether this was due to the fire or his previous injuries the medic didn't know. The young Gascon was also wracked with coughs, more intense and frequent than his mentor that left the young man gasping in pain and trembling in Athos's hold.
But it was Porthos who had Aramis's full attention at present; Athos had filled him in on how his dear friend had gotten injured and the medic had spent the time since their arrival to the infirmary trying to cool down the burnt area by placing and changing cool rags gently onto the burn and was now working to create enough burn ointment to cover the alarmingly large area of the musketeer's main burn.
"I called him" Athos said, answering the unasked question in Aramis's eyes, "I have no idea how to treat burns as bad as Porthos's and you haven't had a break since myself and D'Artagnan arrived back and practically collapsed on you" he explained, his eyes tired by kind.
"I wont leave him!" the medic protested, forcing his eyes away from the intenseness of Athos's stare.
"You're burnt out Aramis" Athos said softly, his hand absent-mindedly running through D'Artagnan's hair as he remained in his spot by the boy's bedside. "Keep it up and it's only a matter of time before you collapse on us and then what do we do?"
Aramis knew there was logic in Athos's words and had it been anyone else but his brothers, especially Porthos, he would be more than willing to follow them. But to leave him, just seemed wrong.
"I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway" Admitted Aramis, gently squeezing Porthos's uninjured hand.
"Then find company"
"What?" Aramis's eyebrows shot up, Athos was always the first one to come down on him for his womanizing ways and now he was actually ordering him to do it? It was a very bizarre moment for the tired marksman.
"If you wont sleep, then at least do something to relax for a few hours, now go! Porthos is in good hands and you have my permission to take it out on me if either of their conditions aren't to your standards when you return." Athos insisted, a small fond smile lighting up his soot-stained face.
"And what of Fabien?"
Sighing Athos pinched the bridge of his nose, silently cursing God for giving him such stubborn brothers, "His rage is centered on D'Artagnan, as far as he is aware, his plan succeeded and D'Artagnan lost his life in that fire. I very much doubt he will be actively looking for more musketeers to hurt… And even if he was, he is still wounded from his bout with D'Artagnan so you would be able to overpower him and win with little trouble"
This argument continued for several minutes before Aramis grudgingly agreed to leave for a few hours.
Aramis had decided to spend his short reprieve in the nearest tavern to the garrison, that way he was following Athos's order to leave whilst also ensuring he was close enough to help if his brothers needed him.
The flirtatious sharpshooter opted against seeking company for once this night as he did not wish to be caught with his trousers down, should anyone come looking for him.
So instead, he ordered a large bottle of wine from the bar and settled himself into a dark corner of the busy tavern, fully intending to drink the stress and worry away for the next few hours before he returned to the garrison. It was during this plan that he caught on to the conversation going on at the bar near him.
"Ya hear bout what 'appened at the garrison?" asked the first man, slurring his words slightly as he spoke. "Fire broke out in one of the rooms," the man elaborated before anyone could speak up.
"Any casualties?" enquired a voice that, to the normal ear would sound concerned and intrigued. But to a man who has to quickly read people and decipher their true intentions in a matter of moments such as Aramis, the voice sounded too intrigued and almost giddy as it spoke.
Subtly looking over at the men speaking at the bar Aramis could feel the rage boiling within him as he saw that the man who had spoken matched Athos's description of Fabien. Clearly the man had been waiting around to hear confirmation that his plan had worked and that he had succeeded in killing the youngest member of the inseparables.
"Dunno" the first, slightly drunk man answered. The small group completely unaware of the musketeer glaring at their newest companion from the shadows, "Them musketeers are keepin' it all hush hush" slurred the man as he gulped a large swig of drink.
For the next few minutes the men at the bar spoke and Aramis found himself using every single ounce of self control he had not to storm over there and fire his pistol into Fabien's stomach for what he had done.
When it became clear the Fabien was planning on heading out soon Aramis, too prepared to leave. Waiting a few moments after Fabien the musketeer stood and followed him out of the tavern.
Fortunately for Aramis, seeing Fabien in the tavern had banished any plans or thoughts of drinking from his mind and so he was clear and sharp of mind as he followed the slightly tipsy man down the street.
As soon as Fabien turned down an isolated alley Aramis made his move
With precision only available to a trained marksman like himself, Aramis launched a dagger at the bandit. The tip of the blade imbedding itself mere millimeters from the tips of Fabien's fingers, startled the bandit spun to face his attacker, his movement to unsheathe his sword slightly slow and heavy as the drink effected him.
"Well if it aint the Spanish slut who likes to play soldier" sneered Fabien, "Shouldn't you be planning a funeral for that Gascon brat?"
"I assure you Monsieur" Aramis spoke, his voice light but very dangerous and promising a world of pain, "There are many, many things I play at but 'soldier' isn't one of them" Raising his blade so it was level at Fabien's heart Aramis took several steps closer, "I also take attempts on my brothers lives very personally. You made a deadly mistake in targeting those I care about"
If Fabien noticed Aramis's near slip up about D'Artagnan's life, he was thankfully too drunk and too focused on the enraged musketeer in front of him to process it.
"I was going to leave you for Vincent to deal with" shrugged Fabien as he raised his own blade to tap against Aramis's, the sound of metal against metal echoing throughout the alley. "After all there's no one he cares more about then his brothers and without his beloved protégé there for Vincent to have fun with, it leaves only you and the big one." Aramis tensed at the mention of Porthos but willed himself to remain calm, or at least appear to be so, while Fabien spoke, "Time to die musketeer!"
For a man who had consumed a fair amount of alcohol and was nursing a serious healing wound, Fabien moved with an impressive amount of speed and strength. Immediately going for kill spots Fabien launched a series of attacks aimed at the marksman's throat and chest.
Thankfully Aramis had been able to dodge these strikes with relative ease as he was much less influenced by alcohol. The only problem was that the narrowness of the alley prevented much in the way of escape space and so even though he escaped the killing blows, many of Fabien's strikes did land. One cut from his upper chest across to the start of his left shoulder and the other he had been forced to jump out of the way from so ended up with a small gash on his lower torso.
Smirking at the infuriated bandit who was not happy that his attacks had not worked Aramis launched his own offensive.
Unlike Fabien, who had attacked aiming to kill quickly, Aramis was unable to forget the sight of two of his beloved brothers injured by this mans hands and nor was he able to forget learning that the man before him had tied his baby brother to the bed and then set the room on fire. As such he was much less inclined to give the man such a quick and easy death.
Opting instead to cause some pain first he launched a fist at the bandit's nose, feeling his anger being sated somewhat by the crunch of bones beneath his hand. Then while Fabien's automatic response was to clutch at his bleeding nose, Aramis kicked the bandit's legs out from under him.
What he wasn't anticipating however was the speed at which Fabien had recovered from that move. Using the musketeer's surprise to his Fabien re-launched his offensive.
The fight went on for many minutes and the only sounds either man heard over the pumping of blood in their ears were the clash of metal as their blades met and the occasional grunt of pain when one of their blades would meet skin.
After a rather vulgar and offensive comment about his brothers Aramis had had enough and quickly put an end to the fight by grabbing Fabien's blade with his thickly gloved hand, he could already feel the blade through the thick material and knew he needed to be quick. Utilizing Fabien's surprise at such a move, Aramis pushed his own blade through the bandit's chest, mere centimeters away from the wound previously created by D'Artagnan.
"As I said…" growled Aramis as he watched the light leave Fabien's eyes, feeling little to no remorse as he did so, "You made a deadly mistake targeting my brothers"
Once he was sure that Fabien was indeed dead, not about to let the man dupe them a second time, Aramis stumbled his way back to the garrison, all the while bracing himself for the inevitable lecture coming his way from Athos.
"I thought I said find a woman, not a fight" Athos said when Aramis entered the infirmary, stumbling slightly as he did so, the loss of adrenaline from the fight as well as the blood loss from his wounds had left him slightly lightheaded.
"Maybe he found a kinky woman 'Thos" grinned D'Artagnan, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at the medic.
The crudity of the Gascon's statement shocked Aramis into silence, whilst Athos, who had clearly been dealing with him this way for a while, merely chuckled softly under his breath, nodding his head to the empty vial on the bedside. Ah Aramis thought as he recognized the bottle as one that had once contained a strong pain reliever… Apparently their little Gascon pup was having quite the amusing reaction to the medication.
"No" Smirked Aramis as he placed a bowl of water, rags, alcohol and stitching supplies down on the small table beside Porthos's bed as he decided to simply ignore D'Artagnan's suggestion, "You said find something to do to relax" Gesturing to himself he added, "This was most efficient at relieving stress"
Athos shook his head fondly at his brother. He would berate the man for his reckless actions later, now he was simply pleased to see some of that pent up stress, anger and worry gone from his brother's eyes. He had done a cursory visual inspection of the Spaniard and was pleased to find that apart from a few wounds that looked like they needed his fine stitch work, that most of the cuts were superficial at best.
"You won I hope" Sighed Athos as he eyed the man tending to his own wounds
"You wound me my friend. Of course I did" smirked the Spaniard
"And your opponent?"
"Dead" Aramis spat, surprising Athos both by the tone the medic had used as well as the news that he had killed someone. When Aramis arrived Athos had just assumed a red guard had the genius idea of riling up his already wound brother. Now he was nervous. If Aramis had killed a red guard the fall out would impact the regiment greatly.
"It was Fabien," growled the sharpshooter, oblivious to Athos's growing fear for his brother's safety. Before Athos could comment on the revelation Aramis went on to explain the situation that led to the fight and whilst he was more than relieved that the immediate threat to D'Artagnan was taken care off, he was slightly jealous that he had not had the chance to end the man himself.
"At least we now only have Vincent to worry about" Aramis stated, a fake grin on his face as he finished up the last of his stitches.
Unfortunately the medic's attempts at reassurance fell quite flat, as it was Vincent that Athos was greatly worried about…
