Evening My Lovelies

So we're in for a bit of a fillerish chapter tonight, apologies for that, but on the plus side its a very D'Art focused chapter :D

Emails regarding reviews haven't been coming though properly to me so I'm hoping that the review counter on this has the accurate amount, if I miss anyone out I do apologize it's not on purpose!

Notes On Reviews:

Pallysd'Artagnan: Thanks for the review - Yeah unfortunately for D'Art I am not quite done with him yet so he should be enjoying the brief respite while he can. I was going to have her fall victim but I decided she needed a break from being the damsel in distress. Enjoy the new chapter! x

criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Haha very true :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yes our stranger is definitely a bit of a welcomed relief for our pup as he's in dire need of help right now. Constance needed a badass moment, glad you seemed to like it :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

MicheeO:Thanks for the review - Haha yeah I thought the same thing when I wrote that scene :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Avioooor: Thanks for the review - We're getting properly introduced to D'Art's savior tonight, I have no plans to make him an OC that returns passed this story though I am already enjoying writing him. Constance needed to not be the damsel and what better way to prove that she wasn't one then kneeing the guy who tried to kill her in the privates :D Haha yeah Alain was definitely proud of her and will be telling D'Art that when they all (eventually) reunite. I was going to have the hallucinations stop but I'm really really enjoying writing them, they wont be around for much longer I don't think so I'm making the most of them while they remain :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I thought you might like that scene... the mental image of that scene was too cute for me not to write :D Hallucination Aramis is a lot of fun, I'm think Hallucination Athos will likely appear again soon but with D'Art getting medic treatment his mind is conjuring Aramis. The hallucinations wont be around for much longer so I'm kinda milking it at the moment, I'm really really enjoying writing them. Haha yep, he knows not to try that again with her :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

WelshEssex (Guest) : Thanks for the review - As much as I love Constance I didn't want to make her into a damsel in distress, hence her badass moment of taking down Phillip, that man will definitely think twice before attacking her again :D Oh yeah, Hallucination Aramis is keeping watch :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Stranger

To have someone that wasn't one of his brothers to help him eat was an experience D'Artagnan wasn't exactly comfortable with, especially when he didn't even know his apparent savior's name but he knew he needed the food if his body was ever going to heal to the point where he could return to his mission, so he pushed down the uncomfortable feeling at instead focused on the heavenly smell of the broth being brought over to him.

"You're going to want to take this slow," instructed the man as he gently lifted D'Artagnan's head so it could rest on a thin pillow sat on his knee, the movement, even as small as it was, had D'Artagnan gasping in pain as it tugged at one of the lashes on his back that was alarmingly close to his neck.

To D'Artagnan's surprise the man seemed angry at this, or at least angry at what had been done to him and the sight of it actually aided the Gascon in relaxing a fraction more in the stranger's presence. He was about to question the man when the smell of food became stronger as the man lifted the small bowl up to his lips.

"Small sips," reminded the man as he gently poured some of the warm liquid into D'Artagnan's mouth, the young musketeer almost moaning in pleasure at the simple taste of food.

This continued for quite a few minutes, the pair of them having to stop numerous times when D'Artagnan's skin turned an alarming shade of white and he looked almost ready to throw up. The first time it almost happened D'Artagnan was ready to call it a day on attempting to eat, knowing from experience how it would feel to throw up what precious food he had in his stomach after the experience he had endured. However it appeared that his host was not so easily deterred, allowing his patient a minute or two to get his stomach and the nausea rolling around in it to settle before offering him the bowl again, reminding him that his body desperately needed the food if he was to have a chance at healing from his injuries.

By the time he had finished the small bowl of broth D'Artagnan was visibly shaking and sweating, his stomach rolling as he fought desperately to keep the food in his stomach.

Noticing the younger man's struggle the stranger lightly squeezed his hand, offering what comfort he could, "Just breathe, it'll pass soon."

True to his word the nausea did eventually pass and D'Artagnan found himself ready to sleep again almost instantaneously but found his curiosity too peaked to sleep, something else the man seemed to notice as he chuckled at the younger man.

"Name's Yanis, you're in my home not far from where I found you unconscious and barely breathing. There aren't any doctor's around this part so you're lucky I used to be one. I don't have everything I need to treat you properly but I've done what I can, I didn't want to leave to seek out the other supplies until I was sure you would wake. You've been unconscious a while."

This sent a wave of ice cold fear through D'Artagnan's veins, his breathing picking up, unbeknownst to him, as his mind thought of all that could be happening to his brother and his love during that time if they hadn't managed to already escape.

"Easy kid," exclaimed Yanis, his voice slightly alarmed as he moved to lightly press a hand on D'Artagnan's chest, "You're going to pass out again if you continue, calm down and slow your breathing. Nothing's going to hurt you here, you're safe."

"…H-H-How long?" rasped D'Artagnan as he struggled to do as he was instructed, his eyes no longer on the older man but instead on the vision of Aramis behind him who was taking comically deep breaths in an attempt to guide his brother through what he needed to do.

Understanding flashed in Yanis's eyes as to why the younger man had almost had a full blown panic attack and once he was sure the boy had it under control he sat back, removing his hand once he felt his breathing slow and even out. "Three days," he admitted solemnly, sympathy flashing across his face as he noted the horrified expression on his patient's face.

"You were unconscious for a full day or so when I first found you, probably good on your part as it meant you didn't feel what I was doing as I tended to your wounds, and let me tell you now kid, you've got a lot. You're sporting a couple of broken ribs, which I'm sure you can tell I've wrapped. The muscles around your shoulders are heavily inflamed and swollen, I've had cold compresses on them around the clock which seems to have helped a little but I'd definitely recommend not doing anything too strenuous with those arms of yours anytime soon… Your back…"

D'Artagnan noticed the grimace that the man couldn't hide at the mention of his back and knew it must be as bad as it felt, if not worse. He couldn't even remember how long he had been whipped for but he was sure it had left him looking like a mess.

Clearing his throat Yanis pushed aside images of what the younger man's back had looked like and instead continued his explanation. "Your back was a mess, there's no kinder way of putting it I'm afraid. I don't know what you did to get that done to you but I can promise you that moving is going to be excruciating for you for some time. There was a lot of dirt in the wounds so I'm guessing you took a bit of a tumble before I found you." Despite it not actually being a question Yanis wanted an answer to, D'Artagnan nodded absently, his mind too busy struggling to come up with a plan to would allow him to move through the pain so he could return to his mission. "I've cleaned them and stitched those that were deep enough to require it but I wouldn't be surprised if they got infected, especially with how weak your body must be right now."

Once again D'Artagnan nodded absently, his mind still focused on the beginnings of a plan when a thought struck him, making him look up at the kind, yet clearly tired man above him. "I… I thought I felt fire…"

Confusion appeared on Yanis's face for a second before it changed to sad understanding and he nodded, gesturing to the younger man's torso where his wound from Athos's pistol lay.

"You may have been unconscious but you did try to wake several times, only to pull out those stitches before the pain knocked you back under again, I had to cauterize it simply to stop you bleeding out, that's when you woke up properly, just as I was getting ready to start… The pain of it knocked you out for the next few days."

D'Artagnan grimaced as he remembered the ordeal, his shaking hand moving to rest lightly on the heavily padded bandage that covered the burnt flesh.

Yanis sat silently for a few minutes before glancing out of the window. "There are still some hours of daylight left. If I leave now I can make it to the nearest village before sundown and get the supplies I need to better treat those wounds and get you back on your feet… I likely wont be back until morning though, will you be okay alone."

D'Artagnan wanted to remind him that he wasn't alone, that his brothers were with him but a small, logical, part of his mind reminded him that saying that wouldn't go down well so he settled for weakly nodding. "You… you don't have to, I can't pay you."

Yanis scowled at this, looking somewhat offended. "If I wanted payment I would have sought out the men who did that to you, no doubt they would pay for the return of an escaped captive." D'Artagnan visibly flinched at this, his heart rate increasing as fear filled him, something Yanis noticed as he let out a long sigh before soften his approach. "I became a doctor to help people. I may not actively be one anymore but I'm not about to let you die for the sake of a few coins. Now rest up, I'll be back as soon as I can and you'll need your strength for the next part of your treatment."