Hey there,
thank you so much for reading and leaving a comment.
To Barbara:
"Oh what a good chapter. So pleased they are talking about things. Maybe not everything but it's a start. You portray their love and concern for each other beautifully."
I am so happy you liked it. Yes I had a longer Porthos' part in it ;-) They have to start talking at one point and I figured that Porthos needed to sort some of the things out. Thank you for your lovely review. xx Kira
To Debbie:
"Was anything valuable said coming from that woman's mouth? Or perhaps I missed it.
Though I will say the flashback from Athos was illuminating. I wouldn't put it past the cardinal that he was the one behind the set up for Athos to be killed. But if that were the case why didn't he have all the inseparables and Treville set up. They all know his secret. Then again Queen Anne would be suspicious on their deaths and know very well that Richelieu was behind it and then tell His Majesty. I'm more confused than ever. LOL!"
Thank you for your review, Debbie. Dona Ynes-Mancía will be in this chapter and yes she will reveal something more to Tréville ;-) Well … well is the Cardinal involved? Sorry for confusing you. (lol!) I hope to come to an end with all this confusion in the chapters 46 and 47. During this time keep on guessing. I love to read your speculations. xx Kira
I am back with ch 44. I promised to give it to you as soon as my lovely beta had time to proofread it and she hurried up. Thank you so much Tricia xx Kira. The investigation continues and Tréville can name his men some of the things he has found out so far …
Enjoy
xx Kira
Chapter 44
"Talk or I will order your arrest. This is your last chance!" Tréville's voice shouted at the young noblewoman in front of him.
"I want a written guarantee that you will let me leave unharmed." The young woman answered defiantly.
"My word has to be sufficient." Tréville answered her shortly.
It finally dawned on Dona Ynes-Mancía that she had no other choice left. With a low voice she asked, "What do you want to know?"
"Who ordered the assault on my officer?" he asked in a low, but dangerous voice.
"My uncle was asked to give the order." she admitted.
"By whom?" Tréville breathed in sharply.
"I don't know."
Dona Ynes-Mancía answered defiantly and Tréville wasn't sure if she was telling him the truth. Even if the woman was shaken by her uncle and Juan's deaths she still knew how to trick and con her way out of trouble. In his eyes, this woman was nothing but a spoiled child, but she belonged to the Spanish aristocracy and he knew that Queen Anne would vouch for her, sending her relative back to Spain. He had only a few minutes left with her.
"Why would your uncle accept such a request?" he asked while focusing with his intelligent eyes on the noblewoman's face, trying to read her facial expression.
"He asked for something in exchange? Something he couldn't do on his own. It would have been too obvious." Dona Ynes-Mancía said angrily.
"What?" Tréville thundered, wondering what the woman was talking about.
"I asked him to arrange that my fiancé would have a deadly accident shortly after our marriage."
She quietly admitted, her head bent, her eyes directed on the floor. Tréville jumped out from his chair, staring at her in utter disgust.
"Why?" he mumbled shaking his head in disbelief.
"Because if Fernando had ordered our men, or employed bandits to do it …" she paused. "It would have always fallen back on us. Someone would have figured it out at some point. This way no title, no fortune … It was an easy exchange …"
"But why? … If you didn't want to marry your fiancé you could have always withdrawn and broken the agreement.
"And give up all the benefits this marriage would bring with it?" she laughed out loud.
"My uncle said it would be the perfect plan and I would have been able to live a happy life with Juan." She laughed bitterly, blinking tears away. "See how wrong he was … Now I have nothing … Juan is dead."
She didn't wipe away the tears, which were now running down over her face, mourning the man she had obviously loved.
"That's why he risked his life when the first assault failed?" Tréville's mouth hung open in disbelief. He turned away from her and walked to and fro in the small room. When she started to speak again, he turned around to her.
"After you came to the château and we figured out that your Lieutenant was still alive, Juan told me that he would finish the job. My uncle asked him to stay at the château, he tried to forbid him from doing it, but your appearance convinced Juan that you wouldn't stop investigating until you found out who was behind the attack. It was our last chance … you know the rest of the story."
"Your only chance …" Tréville growled dangerously, "Juan was a fool, thinking that he could attack one of my officers at our garrison and escape undetected." Tréville shook his head.
"He loved me. He would have done anything for me. The fool was my uncle, not Juan. We should have stuck to our first plan." She looked angrily at Tréville and laughed again bitterly.
"Your first plan?" Tréville wondered aloud.
"Yes. Poison. It's quiet. There is no evidence left. It could have been easily dismissed as a deadly disease, but Fernando disagreed." she added in a firm voice.
Tréville struggled with his own emotions. This woman was pure evil. The way she reported that facts without any emotions, told him that she had no scruples about killing the man she was betrothed to.
"Do you know why my officer was to be killed?" he asked dangerously.
"No, I am sorry, I think it was something personal. My uncle didn't tell me anything about the details. Will you let me go now?" she demanded.
"My men will take you to the palace. Queen Anne will decide what will happen to you."
"You should send me on my way to Italy. My fiancé is still waiting for me ..."
She blinked, a sudden warm smile on her face, but Tréville ignored her attempt at flirting. He was disgusted by this woman. She was even worse than Milady.
"Oh, believe me, I will send a written report to your fiancé informing him about this whole plot. I doubt that he will be willing to marry you anymore."
"You cannot do that!" she screamed in a high pitched voice, trying to jump up, but was restrained by the firm grip of the Musketeer, who had restrained her earlier.
"I can and I will. I am done here."
Tréville told her in a cold voice. He had no sympathy for her when she started to sob aloud trying to beg for mercy. Tréville stepped away from her. He gave his men a sign and ordered them to bring her to the palace, while he himself decided to return to the garrison.
With what he had heard from Milady he now had a better picture. Don Fernando's plan had been an evil one. In exchange for killing one of his Musketeers they had been promised that this Italian nobleman would have be murdered. They nearly had achieved their goal, but they hadn't counted on the fact that Musketeers don't die easily. A grim smile appeared fleetingly on his face.
Outside, in the warm air, Tréville tried to massage with his hand on his temple his headache away. Richelieu had ordered one of his Musketeers the death of one of his Musketeers. He had failed, this time, but what about the next time?
Will he try it again? I need to warn my men? I need to come up with a plan to protect them, but first of all I need to talk a second time to Athos. I hope he is much better by now …
This whole matter is a nightmare …
XXXXX
Whispered voices, silence, walking, steps on the floor, coming and going. Something cool touching his upper arm, being wrapped around it. A soft touch on his arm. Athos drifted in and out for several minutes. Not really asleep, not really awake. He felt tired, his whole body was aching and his only wish was that the pain would finally go away.
A knock on the door. A newcomer? More voices, more silence. Even with his eyes closed he could feel them gazing at him: filled with concern, filled with anxiousness, filled with hoping that he would soon open his eyes again.
Athos felt a movement next to him. A brush of warm air coming from the door and moving over his face and hair. Someone sat down on the chair on his right side, then a soft touch on his upper right shoulder and the hand of the newcomer rested there a little longer.
On his left side he could hear the melodic voice of Aramis, in the distance. His tired mind didn't register the words at first. The words were repeated several times and the sound of them grew louder and louder until he could decipher them.
"Wake … open … eyes … you … can … come …"
Aramis repeated these words over and over again and then Athos felt the soft touch of his warm hand on his forehead. The medic was checking for any signs of a temperature. Of course, the Medic's hand ended up in his hair and rested there longer than necessary but he supposed Aramis required the contact to ground his own unsettled nerves. Athos decided he was safe and could continue to sleep, but another voice stopped him from drifting off again.
"Come on, Athos. You need to drink more fluid."
His Captain's voice. The swordsman figured that he had to open his eyes now. He couldn't ignore a direct order from his commanding officer. Several more minutes passed until he finally managed, with great effort, to half open his eyes. Still weary he let his head roll to the right. His green eyes looked into his Captain's face which greeted him with a gentle smile.
"That's it. You need to drink." Tréville explained quietly.
Athos could feel Aramis' hand still resting on his head.
"How long?" Athos mumbled.
"Several hours." He could hear Porthos in the background.
"Sorry for waking you. The doctor has ordered us to make you drink."
Aramis gently explained and before Athos could protest he felt a cup pressed on his lips and Aramis' hand gently lifting his head.
"I can drink on my own."
Athos protested, his voice gruff and low. Aramis gave him more space while the swordsman reached with his left hand for the cup of broth and took several sips. The medic didn't stop supporting his head.
Athos turned his head away.
"Some more." Aramis insisted and Athos had no choice but to follow his orders. When he had finished the first cup he thought he was finished, but d'Artagnan was busy with giving Aramis a second cup. The medic demanded that he drink that as well. At least it was water and not a bitter pain potion this time.
"If I continue like this I will need …"
Athos tried to protest, but the rest of his sentence couldn't be heard because his three friends burst into loud laughter, while Tréville smiled respectfully.
"Do you need to do it now?" Aramis asked quietly after their laughter had subsided a little.
"No, I am fine for now." he stated shortly.
"You are anything but fine, mon ami, but you will be soon." Aramis gently whispered in his ear.
"We will let you sleep." Tréville ordered, recognising that Athos was still groggy.
"No, please. I guess you have some news. I want to hear all of it, Captain."
Athos said, barely audibly, while trying to find a more comfortable position on the mattress. Before he could ask for help he felt strong arms lifting his upper body and some soft pillows being pushed behind his back: Porthos and Aramis.
"Better?" Aramis asked and Athos quietly nodded.
"How are you Athos?" Tréville asked, trying to figure out if now was the best time to start his report. Athos thought for a while.
"My body is still sore and I'm afraid no improvement regarding my hand." Athos sad eyes wandered to his immobile arm that still rested, heavily bandaged, on his chest.
"Give it time." Aramis said calmly from his other side.
"That's the only thing I can do right now. Sleeping, drinking, waiting. I feel like a little child." Athos stated tiredly.
"Your pain level?" Tréville asked, ignoring the last sentence.
"Less than before." Athos mumbled, honestly.
"Good." Tréville stated. "Are you ready to hear what I have found out so far?" he asked.
"Go ahead. I'll tell you when I cannot follow you anymore. I want to know …" Athos paused.
"We all want to know who has done this to you." d'Artagnan exclaimed. "Captain, what have you found out? What has Dona Ynes-Mancía told you? Why has Juan tried to kill Athos?" d'Artagnan asked.
"One step at a time d'Artagnan." Tréville calmed his youngest Musketeer. His hand was still resting on Athos' shoulder.
On his way back to the Garrison, he had thought about how he should tell his men. He was sure that at one point he would need to talk to Athos alone, but for now he had decided it would be best that he started to give them a short report about what he had found out so far, knowing very well that he had to leave out Milday's name and the extent of her involvement.
Athos needed rest, not further excitement, and when he heard that Milady had been near him when he was attacked the first time, he was certain that it would only upset him.
Tréville cleared his throat and then started his report:
"It all started with the letter I was asked that one of my men should deliver to Dona Ynes-Mancía." Tréville began his report feeling all eyes resting on him.
"At least I managed to deliver this letter." Athos mumbled.
"Yes, you fulfilled the task but, by doing as asked, you stepped into a devilish trap. I had no idea. I am sorry. I should have never sent only one of you. I was careless."
Tréville locked eyes with Athos and the latter smiled briefly to show Tréville that it hadn't been his fault, but the men who had injured him.
"How can an invitation from the Queen lead one of us stepping into a trap?" Aramis asked feeling Athos' uneasiness.
"There was a second letter within the first, I am certain of it. Most probablely to Spain." said d'Artagnan standing up and limping over next to Aramis to be closer to his mentor.
"No, d'Artagnan there wasn't a second letter and yet there was one."
"Now you are confusing me." Porthos looked at his Captain, irritated.
"The second letter was the one I was to deliver back to the palace." Athos answered quietly.
"Yes." Tréville nodded.
"But it never made it to the palace." Athos gulped. "Maybe there was a secret message hidden in the answer to the invitation to the Queen." he mused, while his head beginning to ache.
"The letter made it back to the palace." Tréville answered.
"How?" Athos asked confused and blinked several times.
Now would come the most tricky part. Tréville knew that he had to reveal some of the things he found out through Milady, without saying her name. He decided to stay as close to the truth as possible.
"The letter itself was not very important. The message was that Dona Ynes-Mancía wouldn't be able to attend the Queen's party. Nothing important that couldn't be delivered by one of her valets." Tréville continued. "But Don Fernando had ordered men -let's say mercenaries or poachers- to kill the Musketeer who would return from Château de Fontainebleau with the message for the Queen."
"Why?" Athos asked confused. "And how did the letter find its way back to the palace? Are you sure it was the letter I was to bring back? Maybe another letter was delivered to the Queen instead." Athos interjected confused.
"There was your blood on the letter, Athos. It was the letter you were to deliver. I am certain ..." Tréville assured him.
"There was my blood …" Athos paled. "Please, don't tell me I frightened the Queen." he mumbled, shocked.
"She is stronger than you think, my friend." Aramis calmed him. "I doubt that a letter with some blood spots will scare her."
Aramis added, looking angrily at Tréville silently communicating with a look that Athos was still very weak and shouldn't be bothered with these minor details. Tréville ignored Aramis' glare.
"She was concerned about your well-being Athos and sends you best wishes for a speedy recovery."
Then he repeated what Gauthier had told him about how the letter arrived at the palace, but he didn't mention the fact that a woman brought the letter, but said it was an unknown person wearing dark clothes. Neither Porthos or d'Artagnan dared to ask this time if the person could have been a woman. Athos had already reacted to the blood on the paper. It was best to give him as little information as possible at the moment. Aramis was right.
"So the King wasn't aware that the Cardinal had sent one of us to deliver this letter, neither was the Queen, and we still don't know who this person was who brought back the letter to the palace?" Porthos stated angrily.
"Whoever killed the third raider by cutting his throat must be the person who delivered the letter?"Athos mumbled. "But why?"
"Maybe we will never find out who killed this third raider who tried to murder you, Athos?" Tréville said cautiously, observing the face of his ailing officer.
I am so sorry that I have to lie to you … to all of my men … I hope they don't figure it out. It has to be this way. Sometimes I have to lie to protect them …
Tréville thought and then gave the explanation he had come up with while returning to the garrison.
"If I have to guess, someone at the château witnessed or overheard the plan that there were raiders who were paid to kill a Musketeer. Maybe a loyal servant to the King, who tried to stop them, but he was one against three. He tried to intervene but couldn't without risking his own life."
Tréville paused again. Noticing that his Musketeers were nodding, he continued.
"When Porthos, Aramis and d'Artagnan found you, Athos, the person knew he wouldn't be needed anymore but witnessed that one raider had escaped with the letter. He followed this injured man, punished him for his treacherous deeds and delivered the letter to the palace. But that's only a wild guess." Tréville sighed and ran his hand over his face.
"It's not important then." Athos mumbled, too tired to follow every single word of their conversation although he had a slight feeling that Tréville was leaving something out. He knew his Captain too well. "But why did Don Fernando order me to be killed?" Athos asked the question that really mattered to him now. "I had never met him before that day."
Athos struggled and moved on the sheets of the mattress in order to sit up more. Aramis helped him, while supporting his back.
"It's complicated."
Tréville looked at a very tired Athos who was fighting to keep his eyes open, then at his other men wondering for a moment if he should continue or wait. Feeling all eyes upon him he moved on:
"Don Fernando offered to kill a Musketeer in order that someone else not related to him would kill the fiancé of Dona Ynes-Mancía after their marriage in Italy."
"What?" Porthos exclaimed in disbelief.
"Why?" Aramis and d'Artagnan exclaimed in unison.
Only Athos stayed calm. He was still thinking about the person who had killed his third attacker and delivered the letter to the palace. Something did not fit, but he wasn't able to figure it out at the moment. If he had been more awake, in less pain, he would have noticed how Tréville kept trying to move away from this topic, but his mind was still too clouded.
"According to Dona Ynes-Mancía she was in love with Juan and not this Italian nobleman."
"That figures." Porthos nodded. "But she could have easily asked to annul the engagement. No harm to anyone. Not to Athos, not to this Italian nobleman." Porthos added.
"Let me guess - this woman didn't want to give up the possession of a title, fame, wealth."
Aramis stated firmly speaking with his hands as well and gesticulating wildly.
"Exactly. Her uncle agreed to help her but under the condition that someone else should fulfill this task. So no one would be able to accuse him or his niece or even trace the dreadful deed back to them."
"The perfect crime. At least they thought that …" Athos snorted.
"A devilishly evil one!" d'Artagnan shouted angrily. "So that's why Juan made a second attempt on Athos' life when their first plan failed. He wanted to make sure that the other partner in crime would kill this Italian. This is utterly disgusting."
D'Artagnan shook his head angrily and reached for Athos' left hand, pressing it gently.
"Not so loud."
Athos gasped and squeezed his eyes shut. He felt the headache reappearing while he had more and more troubles in following their discussion.
"Athos?" Tréville asked gently. "We should let you rest. I can report the rest of what I found out to you later." he stated firmly.
"No, please continue … need to know ..." Athos mumbled sleepy and dazed.
Tréville shared a short look with Aramis who gave him a nod to continue.
He will fall asleep anytime. It will bother him now more if you stop. Aramis told Tréville with his eyes.
"I will keep the rest short." Tréville smiled at Athos, gently pressing his shoulder. "My inquiries have led me to a witness who overheard a talk between Don Fernando and the Cardinal in a shabby tavern earlier that day. The Cardinal told Don Fernando that their deal was off and several hours later Don Fernando was found dead."
"So you assume that the Cardinal was willing to kill or let the Italian nobleman be killed as long as they agreed to kill Athos for him?" Aramis asked quietly.
"If the Cardinal is behind all of this -and I have no doubt about it- how could he know that Athos would deliver the letter?" Porthos asked curiously. "I mean we had no idea which of us would go, neither had you, Captain."
"He must have given Don Fernando ... an exact description of me. Maybe the signal was ... whoever took the letter back ... would be the right target." Athos mused and yawned.
"Why on earth would the Cardinal want to see you dead, Athos? What did you say to him?" Tréville asked him.
"I told you … I threatened ... him ..." The swordsman whispered, fighting to keep his eyes open and blinking heavily.
"When? How? Why? I need to know!"
Tréville asked, but Athos eyes had drooped and he had fallen asleep again, too tired to keep himself upright any longer, Porthos and Aramis gently removed the pillows behind his back and settled their friend in a more comfortable position.
"He told us earlier." Aramis explained while watching the rise and fall of his sleeping friend's chest. Then he quietly informed his Captain about what had happened between Athos and the Cardinal at le Jardin du Luxembourg.
"So you mean the Cardinal wanted to have his revenge on Athos?" Tréville mused aloud.
"What on earth was he thinking endangering his life like that?" Tréville said louder than he intended.
"He was doing his duty, protecting our fellow Musketeers and you. You would have expected him to do nothing less, Captain." Aramis answered in defence of his sleeping brother.
"Well, at least Athos thinks that this could be the reason why the Cardinal might have ordered him killed." Porthos added. "We discussed other theories earlier and he came up with the idea that the Cardinal could be involved because the order to deliver the letter did not come from the Queen, but from him, and he asked only one Musketeer to go."
"And this way, you create your perfect crime. The Cardinal thought in asking someone who has no direct contact with Athos, no one would figure out that he is behind the assault."
Tréville shook his head, unbelieving and snorted aloud.
"Well, I am convinced he made sure that he had the perfect alibi, while the attack on Athos' life occurred." d'Artagnan stood up and stretched his arms.
"You aren't convinced that Athos was the target, are you?" Tréville looked questioningly at his men. First d'Artagnan, then Porthos at last Aramis.
The medic stood slowly up and stepped back to the window needing more fresh air. The dizziness was still bothering him, but it wasn't as bad as before.
"It's reasonable to think that." d'Artagnan said hurriedly. "If he orders one of his spies or one of his Red Guards to kill Athos, we would find that out quickly. It would mean war between the Red Guards and the Musketeers if a Red Guard killed the Lieutenant of the Musketeers and the Cardinal wouldn't want such a fight. It wouldn't be in the interest of the King and France when soldiers of the two regiments, who have sworn to protect their King start to fight against each other."
D'Artagnan limped over to Aramis and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Athos is sleeping for now. You should rest as well, Aramis." d'Artagnan said to the medic.
"Something is not right." Aramis turned around. "Captain, there must be more to it."
"Probably there is, Aramis, but for now this explanation is sufficient for me. I am certain that the Cardinal ordered the attack on one of my Musketeers. I have an eye witness to that and one who overheard the plotters. I have the statement of Dona Ynes-Mancía, but alas she couldn't tell me the name of the partner in crime with whom her uncle met to plan this dreadful deed." Tréville sighed.
He knew more than he had told his men. He still needed a word with Athos in private to consider his next steps. Exhausted, he drew his hand over his face.
"The fact that Don Fernando was murdered last night … it all appears to me as if someone tried to cover his tracks. It is most reasonable that the Cardinal was involved in this whole plot and ordered the attack." Aramis angrily shook his head, knowing that he wouldn't be able to do anything against the churchman.
"What will happen to Dona Ynes-Mancía now?"
D'Artagnan asked still seeing the cold blue eyes in his mind's eye and hearing her mocking laugh when he met her at the château.
"She demanded to be taken to Italy. I told her that I will warn her fiancé. The Queen has to decide, but most probably she will be sent back to Spain." Tréville explained.
"If the Cardinal is behind this attack on Athos' life he will still be in danger from now on. He isn't a man who just stops when a first plan fails." Porthos suddenly exclaimed.
"Maybe … maybe not … Richelieu is not stupid. For now, he knows that Athos is still alive. He knows that I am suspicious and investigating. He has covered all possible traces that would lead back to him. He won't try it again for now. He will withdraw for the moment to consider his next steps. He won't send one of his spies or Red Guards to try it again … he accepted the offer of a stranger in order to be unconnected to this crime." Tréville stated firmly.
"But one day he will …" D'Artagnan interrupted them. "I don't see the Cardinal as someone who accepts not getting his revenge if he fails the first time. We need more evidence to bring him finally to bring him to justice. First the Queen, now Athos, who will be next?"
D'Artagnan had raised his voice again, but luckily Athos was in a deep sleep.
"D'Artagnan be careful!" Tréville addressed the young Gascon. "Right now we have no evidence that Richelieu has done it and we cannot accuse the most powerful man besides the King of France without proof. So don't do anything impulsive. Athos needs you -not in prison or dead in a dark alley- but alive." Tréville warned him, knowing very well how his youngest Musketeer could become when his mentor was in danger.
"What is about your witness? Is he willing to make a statement?" Aramis asked.
"My witness won't be able to do that. To be honest, we all know how these statements always end. One single statement against the Cardinal from one person? The King would never believe that."
Tréville shook his head tiredly, without telling his men who his witness was. He was kind of glad that they thought it was a man. The less people knew that Milady was still in Paris, the less Athos would hear about it and find out she was - and he had sworn to himself to spare Athos at least from this bad news. His Lieutenant had other problems and was suffering enough already. He made this lonely decision in the best interests of his officer.
He would stick to this plan as long as Athos didn't start interrogating him about it.
Tréville had thought for a moment to ask Milady to make an official statement, but he knew that she would never do it. She wasn't a reliable witness. She had worked for the Cardinal as a spy. She was a convicted criminal wearing the bearing of a failed hanging around her neck. Her life would be at risk, if she agreed to make such a statement and he knew that the Cardinal would find ways and means to make her disappear before she could come and address the court.
D'Artagnan let his head drop and looked, disappointed at the wooden floor of the infirmary. Aramis collapsed, exhausted on a mattress of a nearby bed and Porthos sat back on a chair next to Athos' bed watching over his sleeping brother. He turned his head towards Tréville.
"So for now we concentrate on protecting Athos from further harm and help him to recover." Porthos summarised what he thought Tréville had wanted to tell them.
"For now, that's a start." Tréville nodded. "Take good care of him and help him. Be assured I will come up with a plan to stop the Cardinal."
He stated firmly. Then he reached for his hat which he had put on a table next to Athos' bed and walked over to the door.
"Be assured that we will help him and you." Aramis answered for all of them, a grim expression on his face.
Outside of the infirmary Tréville shook his head. He had the uneasy feeling that something important had slipped by him, but he wasn't sure what it was. Athos had been calm, perhaps too calm. Did he know? Had he guessed that his informant was Milady ...
Don't overthink your own assumptions. Athos is still very tired. Lemay has told me that it will take time for Athos' still weakened body to recover. Plenty of rest, of sleep. He is simply too spent to react and think facts through properlyright now. I should be grateful for that otherwise he would have asked more about the person who my witness is.
He needed a moment alone with Athos to put together the last pieces of the puzzle but, for now, it was enough to know that the Cardinal had led Athos into this almost fatal trap. At least now he knew and could start thinking about what precautions to take to protect his Musketeers.
To be continued ...
