Hey there,
thank you so much for reading & reviewing.
So will they find out in this chapter who has attacked Athos? And can Athos remember what has happened?
Enjoy
xx Kira
To our guest readers:
Tricia: Thank you so much. Well … let's find out if Athos will finally have time to heal.
Lesley: Thank you for your review and thank you for asking where you can find the next chapter. Keep on guessing and here is the next chapter for you.
Chapter 44
Pain … a stabbing pain in my back … where am I?
Who is talking to me …?
My hands are cold … my feet … why am I so cold …?
Someone is touching my back … hands … Aramis … what is he doing?
What is he saying …? His voice sounds relieved.
Who is with me. Other hands … why are they lifting my shirt …?
Someone is calling my name … I want to sleep … my head hurts and I am so cold …
"Athos … Athos, come on … wake up. The doctor is here. He needs to check on you. You are lucky your wound doesn't show any signs of infection. I have put on some new salve with honey. Athos?"
Athos heard Aramis' soft voice which he always used when he didn't feel well, when he was injured, drunk or had a cold. A warm voice, full of care, full of kindness.
Balm for my soul and he knows it.
"Time to wake up, Athos. You need to drink. Athos …"
Athos wanted to ignore the voice.
A soft touch on my shoulder. Another voice younger. More worried. D'Artagnan. No poem today? Why should he say a poem? Why am I lying here? What has happened to me?
"Let me … I wanna … sleep. I am … tired … cold …" Athos half opened his eyes, the light of a candle that was standing on a small table near his head was hurting his eyes. With a pounding ache in his head he closed his eyes again.
"You can sleep again soon, Athos." Doctor Lemay told his patient, bending down over him. "I only have to check you over, decide which medicine you need and then you can rest again." He explained softly.
Athos sighed out loud, before opening his eyes again.
"There you are." Porthos grinned at him, sitting next to him. A bright smile. "Missed those green eyes of yours." He joked as Athos blinked several times. But this time he didn't shut them again.
"What …?" Athos tiredly asked.
"I am going to help you lay on your back again." Porthos stood up and positioned himself next to Athos.
The swordsman was too confused to figure out what Porthos meant.
"We will help you to turn onto your back, so that the doctor can check you over properly." Aramis repeated.
"Alright, how can I help?" Athos heard the voice of his Captain.
"We need to be careful with his wound. We have to lay a pillow here." Lemay showed with his hands and Athos couldn't see what he was explaining. "D'Artagnan this will be your job, be as careful as possible, it must still hurt him." Lemay further remarked. "You Captain will help with his legs and you Porthos with his shoulders. Aramis you know what to do?"
"Yes." Athos heard Aramis saying. Aramis bent down over Athos' ear again.
"We will help you now to lie on your back, please co-operate, don't fight us and tell us, when you feel uncomfortable." Aramis squeezed his right hand. Athos felt a warm pressure on his cold skin.
Funny. He knows exactly that I don't like to be touched, thus I will feel uncomfortable.
Athos had no time to protest. He heard Lemay's order. "Now." He felt his body lifted, the pain in his back was throbbing. He felt a bit dizzy as the others turned him around on his sick bed. He could feel a soft pillow supporting his lower back. The pain eased and he could hear them stepping away from him and then he could see them again. Worried eyes looking down on him. He hated that, he didn't like to be the center of attention. Angrily he groaned. Even worse he couldn't remember why he was lying here, when and where had he been injured? Of course he knew that he was in the infirmary of the garrison. Of course he was aware that his friends, the Captain and the doctor were worried about him, but why had he ended up here … as hard as he tried to remember … he couldn't get a clear picture.
"Don't …"
"Don't what?" Aramis mocked softly when Athos' deadly but milder glare as usual locked with his eyes.
"Don't look at me ... like that … all of you … I am … f …"
No, I am not fine.
"I will be … fine." Athos stated with a weak voice, his throat started to hurt him again.
"That's why I am here." Lemay interrupted him, before Aramis could answer with an angry tirade on Athos using the word fine. "I will roughly check you over." The doctor said to him.
Then Athos could feel a warm hand on his forehead.
"That's good you don't have a fever, but your skin is still cold. Open your mouth please."
He did as asked.
"Hmm … it is still swollen, but much better than before. Nevertheless talking is still hurting you. Am I right?" Athos nodded sluggishly. "More honey will ease the pain." Lemay pressed his right shoulder.
Then the doctor lifted his shirt and Athos assumed, he inspected the rash. "It's much better. Aramis you should put on your salve again." Then he put his palm on his chest feeling and listening to his heartbeat. Athos was irritated, somehow his heartbeat seemed to have slowed down. Different than before, but he still felt a tight grip in his chest.
"Aramis, do you feel that too?" Lemay asked the medic, while stepping aside to make room for Aramis, so that he could have a better look. Athos then felt Aramis' hand on his chest. Resting a little bit longer over his heart, then he bent down and put his ear on his chest.
The silence made Athos insecure.
"What … what's wrong?" He swallowed hard, starting to grab for air.
Aramis raised his head and smiled at him.
"Shhh … Everything is fine, Athos. No worries." He gave him a reassuring smile. As Athos closed his eyes for a short moment Aramis' look changed. His eyes full of concern he looked at Lemay.
"It's alright Athos." The swordsman now heard Lemay. "Your heart is beating slower because of the blood loss and your hypothermia. I think that another coffee potion will help your heart." Lemay explained. Aramis sighed silently.
Athos opened his eyes again.
"Do I really have to ... ?" He wasn't really happy to taste the bitter medicine again.
"Yes you have and you need to eat at least some hot broth." Lemay pressed his cold hand.
"And d'Artagnan if you still have your magic somewhere …" He smiled secretly … "You could help warming his body later."
The Gascon nodded eagerly.
"I have to leave you now. Rest, sleep, drink and eat and no wandering around. Your body needs rest!" He emphasised. Then he fetched his brown leather bag and left.
Funny, I am not strong enough to even turn around on my own.
Aramis had already switched into doctor mode.
"D'Artagnan, can you help me with the coffee. And Porthos can you ask Serge to bring our patient some broth."
While Athos tried to glare angrily at him, Aramis brought a salve, lifted his shirt and started to cream the rash on his chest. He let his palm rest a little longer on Athos' chest and the swordsman endured it. Knowing that Aramis had to make sure that really everything was alright. Athos was so focused on Aramis fussing around on and over him that he was surprised as suddenly to his left side Tréville appeared, sitting down next to his head.
"Are you up to talking a bit?" He asked softly with a warm smile on his lips. Athos turned his head in the direction of the Captain.
"Ask your questions." He demanded with a slightly trembling voice.
"Athos, do you remember who attacked you?" Tréville asked softly.
The Captain recognised that his Lieutenant was closing his eyes again. Suddenly his breathing started to become faster and more unsteady. Aramis who just had finished with checking his chest put his hand on Athos' right shoulder.
"Easy Athos. Breathe more slowly." Athos listened to Aramis' soothing voice.
His head was spinning. He tried to remember, he himself wanted to know what had happened, but all he recalled was the loud thud of the nobleman who had collapsed in the throne room and after that everything went dark. The imagined loud sound sent another shiver through his spine and Athos moaned softly as he felt the pain gripping his body.
"I … I wish I could … but I can't … I don't … I … sorr …" He started to slur again. His head was spinning and screaming for more air.
Aramis shook his head in the direction of the Captain telling him with his eyes.
"Not now, it's too early."
"Calm Athos … it will come back to you. Now drink your medicine, the broth and then rest." Tréville ordered.
I shouldn't have pushed him. He is still too weak, too vulnerable, too confused and even if he will never admit it I am sure he's in a lot of pain.
While Athos was waiting for his medicine, Tréville stayed next to him, taking his left hand in his and tried to warm it. His Captain had no intention of leaving his side and the soft grip on his hand helped Athos to settle his breathing again.
After d'Artagnan and Porthos came back with the coffee and broth they helped Athos to drink both of them. Then Tréville stood up, pressed the hand of his exhausted officer, and gave Aramis and Porthos a sign to follow him outside, Athos had fallen asleep again.
XXXXX
Outside the infirmary
"Let's go into my office. You must be starving by now and we need to talk!" Tréville told Aramis and Porthos. Both men looked tired. "Serge has promised to bring us some food." Tréville continued, while making his way into the courtyard.
The infirmary was situated next to the stables and Aramis who now felt his own exhaustion and the rumbling of his stomach, that protested aloud, quietly followed his commanding officer, but Porthos didn't move. With his dark eyes he looked at the now closed door.
"I am not hungry, Captain." He growled. "Can't we just talk here, I mean outside, we have done that before." Porthos shouted after Tréville.
The Captain paused, turned around and looked in the concerned face of his streetfighter. Before he could say anything, Aramis stood next to Porthos and laid his hand on his shoulder and tried to convince Porthos to come with them.
"Athos is safe. D'Artagnan is with him! And our boy is more than capable of protecting our stubborn Comte, he has proven that today. He has saved …" Aramis stopped and looked down on the floor, the horrible memory of Athos' lying in his own blood was still troubling him.
"It's not that." Porthos silently answered. "It's … I promised Athos not to leave him." Porthos fought his tears back his voice unsteady and his fingers trembling, he looked away.
"I have failed him today, I have broken my rule … one for all … I wasn't there in time … to protect him."
Tréville suddenly realised that the second attack hadn't hurt only Athos, but his brothers as well. His brave, strong men, dealt with the whole situation differently. While Aramis started to search on his own for O'Sullivan and returned very silently, which was very unusual for the talkative marksman, Porthos started to become overprotective and very emotional.
Athos' words must have hit him hard. Don't leave me alone. Porthos knew best the meaning of being left alone. After his mother died he had to fight for himself, not knowing who his father was. I had been too late back then. Tréville thought angrily. He made some further steps back to Porthos.
"I doubled the guards at the gates earlier and every single Musketeer who has already returned from the palace is on high alert. Athos is safe. Promise." Tréville tried to calm him.
"You came to look for me earlier. So you had to leave him alone and nothing happened." Aramis tried to assure him.
"That was different." Porthos grumbled. "Athos asked for you and besides I had to follow a direct order. And the Captain stayed with Athos." He softly explained. "I simply ask if we can talk here. Isn't that possible?" He looked angrily at Tréville.
"I think it is better for all of us that we rest and eat something." He explained in a quiet voice. He heard men leaving the mess, laughing, probably about a joke.
"Henri, Victor, have you already eaten?" He shouted over to them. Both men came over.
"Yes, Captain." Henri nodded. "How is Athos?"
"He is sleeping for now." Tréville explained shortly. "I order you to watch that door. No one, I repeat no one is allowed to pass this door without asking me before. Understood?" He ordered.
"Yes, Captain!" Both men said at the same time standing guard immediately.
Aramis cleared his throat.
"Captain?"
Tréville needed a second then he understood.
"No one, but Aramis, Porthos and d'Artagnan." He smiled in Aramis' direction, who nodded satisfied at him.
"Come Porthos!" Tréville ordered. "We really have to discuss our next steps and I doubt that Athos will be happy if he finds out that you are starving because of him."
Tréville moved nearer to Porthos and with a hand on his back he manoeuvred Porthos further into the courtyard. Reluctantly the streetfighter followed Tréville's order. He looked a last time at the closed door hoping that Athos wouldn't think of his leaving as a betrayal.
Now after they had settled around Tréville's big table in his office eating bread and cheese, Tréville started to inform them.
"Unfortunately O'Sullivan hasn't been arrested yet. But I am moreover convinced that O'Sullivan is the perpetrator." Briefly, he reported what he had found in O'Sullivan's room.
"I spoke to Dr. Lemay before he checked on Athos and he told me that the liquid in the bottle we found is in fact belladonna. It is a concentrate of the berry. He explained to me that it is even more dangerous than the pure juice of the berry."
"But he is dealing with these plants." Aramis intervened, shaking his still hurting head unbelievingly. "This is no evidence that he is really our suspect."
"No, but I found this." ´Tréville stood up and showed them the pin and the ring he had found in O'Sullivan's room.
"The ring, it is identical with the pin I found!" Porthos growled. "Aramis look, it has this Janus head on top of it."
"Indeed." Aramis mumbled silently. "Then I must be wrong."
"What do you mean by then you must be wrong and why do you look like a wet poodle?" Porthos asked his friend.
Aramis sighed deeply and he told them about his encounter with O'Sullivan.
"I had him, but my anger made me careless. I lost him again as another person knocked me on my head. O'Sullivan ran and …"
"You had him!" Porthos exclaimed angrily.
He was not sure if he wanted to punch Aramis, but as he had a look in his sad eyes full of guilt Porthos decided to leave him alone. Tréville groaned loudly.
"Please, tell me, you had him and …"
"I know … I failed … I failed you all. I am angry with myself but I spoke to him and to be honest I doubt that he is our suspect. He said that he is innocent."
"Maybe he is a good actor!" Tréville shook his head. "All the evidence is leading to him."
"I know." Aramis said, looking up. "He even knew that Athos is responsible for the death of Gallagher, Rochefort has told him."
Silence. Tréville tried to cope with this new information, mouth wide open, catching for breath. Porthos only looked more and more confused.
"Milady told me … she … she saved my life this afternoon."
"How?" Tréville and Porthos asked at the same moment and so Aramis told them the rest of the story.
"You cannot trust Milady!" Porthos angrily shouted. "Who knows what tricks she is playing with you. Maybe she was the person who knocked you out."
"Or a collaborator of O'Sullivan knocked you out, I think this is even more plausible. He noticed that you wanted to arrest O'Sullivan. It explains why O'Sullivan could leave without being attacked as well, as Milady told you. And the Duke of Savoy I really doubt that he is our perpetrator. I don't know why he was looking at plants, but maybe he wanted to buy some for his wife." Tréville paused. His head was swirling. Rochefort had given the information to O'Sullivan and had taken money from him. He should have known that Rochefort had hardly changed over the years.
"A collaborator of O'Sullivan or O'Sullivan himself could have been the person who knifed Athos today. A collaborator would be even more plausible, because Athos saw O'Sullivan in the throne room." Porthos interrupted Tréville's thinking.
"The theory of a second man maybe fits." Aramis murmured. "After Athos said that he felt watched by a man I looked around and checked the crowd. I would have recognised O'Sullivan, maybe the collaborator thought I detected him, but I haven't. Wait there was a man in black leather … but I don't recall if I have seen him before." Aramis said quietly.
"Let's assume O'Sullivan really wants to avenge a brother-in-arms, then he could have another friend with him from his old regiment." Tréville deduced.
"So does this mean we are looking for two suspects?" Porthos angrily stood up. "I won't leave Athos alone any longer, as long as neither of them are captured."
"Porthos sit down!" Tréville shouted. Porthos looked surprised at his Captain.
"You need rest, both of you! I am sure we will capture O'Sullivan tomorrow. If he's still demanding money for his goods, then he will stick around longer. Alright, I will tell you what we are going to do. First both of you try to catch some much needed sleep, I need you fit. Tomorrow morning you will speak to Athos, help him to remember. We have to find out what made him leave the palace. Maybe he has remembered something or the Queen said something to him, which made him work out who is behind the attacks against him, I am sure of it. Otherwise he wouldn't have left the palace on his own. He must have received some shocking news." Tréville stated firmly.
"Or he spotted Milady." Porthos growled. "That woman makes Athos act stupid and emotional."
"Porthos." Aramis tried to calm his brother. "Captain, I can try to talk to the Queen tomorrow."
"That's a good idea. Maybe she can tell us more."
"Alright, then we have to team up to arrest O'Sullivan and we will question him. He will confess or enlighten us who is behind the attacks and why. He has the knowledge, the means and a reason to attack him. So rest now, both of you and in three hours send d'Artagnan to bed and switch guards." Tréville ordered.
After both of his officers left, Tréville leant back in his chair. He closed his eyes. They had to find O'Sullivan and Athos had to remember. The doctor had told him earlier that Athos' confused state could come from the blood loss and the hypothermia his still weak body had to endure. So he had to be patient and to wait and he had to confront Rochefort who was giving confidential information about his regiment to strangers. This had to stop.
XXXXX
"Porthos, where are you going?" Aramis asked outside the Captain's office as he walked straight to the infirmary. "Sleeping? Your room is in the other direction." Aramis asked curiously.
"I can sleep in the infirmary as well." Porthos shrugged.
"You know, you are right. We have blankets there. Wait for me!"
The marksman hurried after Porthos.
To be continued ...
A very special thank you goes out to our betas Beth & Helen xx
