Aramis had to find a discreet way to deliver it.

He had spent all his spare hours carving a rifle from a piece of wood for his son's 4th birthday, only to realize he had no way to discreetly give it to him.

He didn't want to just wrap it and leave it anonymously with the palace servants. He needed to see his son's face when he received it.

But how?

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Athos had taken him aside when he had come across his brother hard at work carving, realizing from what it was that it was for his son.

At first, he had tried to tell him not to try getting it to the Dauphin. The hurt that had

instantly flashed across Aramis' face made him back away from that suggestion.

He had come to realize that if he himself had a son, and had not only been unable or go near him, but had not even been able to see the boy take his first step, speak for the first time or any of the other normal firsts of a child, he just may have been a little desperate himself.

"Just be very careful, mon ami," he had strongly cautioned. "Perceived treason take's one's life, and we would be exceedingly heartbroken if that were to happen to you."

Aramis knew that Athos was only cautioning him because loved his brother. Nodding, his focus went back to his endeavor.

A couple of days later, he had finished it. Even though he had never seriously carved anything as an adult, he knew as he looked it over that he had done a great job, which pleased him very much.

Now to find a way to get it to Louis, he thought. He didn't want any Red Guards catching him on the palace grounds when he was off-duty, so either he needed to be exceedingly cautious and try anyway, or else find a way while on-duty, which didn't necessarily make it a lot easier, either.

The Musketeers and Red Guards detested one another, and he knew the Red Guards would have a field day if they spied any unauthorized activity from him.

He ran various ideas through his head as he continued to whittle the wood.

It was the day before the Dauphin's birthday.

Aramis and his brothers had drawn palace guard duty for the day. Athos, surreptiously keeping an eye on Aramis, just instinctively knew his brother was up to something. Aramis was watching his son intently, a little smile playing around the corners of his mouth.

They had not talked again about the gift, but it didn't take a genius, considering the fact that it was also the Dauphin's birthday, to figure out that Aramis had thought of a way to get to his son. Athos wasn't going to let his brother be hung, if he could help it.

He kept an eye on him all day, but Aramis made no suspicious move towards his son, and didn't enter the palace, either. Deciding, against his instincts, that Aramis might have given up making contact, he relaxed a little more.

At the end of their day of duty, the four of them headed back to the garrison, joking and story-telling as they looked forward to a good meal in the refectory and a quiet evening.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Aramis said goodnight to his brothers several hours later, having made a small show of yawning and drowsy eyes for an hour or so beforehand.

Heading for his room, he quickly grabbed the gift, carefully wrapped in some brown paper, which was all he had been able to afford.

Glancing carefully first out his door, he smiled as saw his brothers heading out of the gates. They had tried at dinner to get him to come to their favorite tavern with them, but he gracefully turned them down. The show of tiredness seemed to have convinced them, as they didn't push the suggestion any more after that.

He gave his brother ten minutes before leaving himself. Wearing a nondescript black cloak, and with the brim of his head pulled down over his face, he moved swiftly through the streets towards the palace.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Standing at the edge of the palace gardens under a spreading tree, he studied the building. Watching, he picked up on the pattern of the Red Guards patrolling the outside of the building.

When they had turned the corner of the east wing out-of-sight, he moved. Crossing the last expanse of the gardens in minutes, he headed for the door leading to the remote lower level where he had spoken with Anne several times. It should be a safe route, he thought and prayed. If the Queen had been able to get there unnoticed, he should be able to, as well.

It dark and quiet inside. Finding the stairs she had used, he quickly and quietly headed upstairs. Pausing on the landing before moving onwards to the Royal Family's wing of the palace, he again had recourse to prayer for aid as he tried to make his little happy for his birthday.

Turning and heading down the long and, surprisingly, deserted hallway towards his son's room, Aramis gave thanks for such an uneventful journey, so far.

Hearing booted feet, he hurriedly ducked back around the corner he had turned, just in time to avoid a Red Guard on patrol. Don't get too confident, he chided himself.

When the guard had passed, Aramis, moving soundlessly, headed for his son's room. Reaching the door, he almost couldn't believe his luck so far. He had seen and heard no one in the hallways. Not a Red Guard in sight!

Opening the door, he moved quietly into the room. He gave thanks that no governess was in the room, but told him to stay alert, in case she came in.

Standing next to his son's bed, he felt an overwhelming love envelop him as he beheld his son curled up on his bed in sleep. One hand tucked under his chin, Aramis smiled, recognizing that his son seemed to have inherited one of his own traits, as his hand was often under his chin when he awoke in the morning.

His son was growing into a very handsome young man, Aramis mused. He would have all the ladies after him in a few years, a small grin appearing at the thought.

He knew he didn't coudn't stay very long, no matter how much he longed to. His luck was bound to run out soon.

Laying his gift at the foot of his son's bed, he stopped for a moment for one last long look, then turned around to leave, only to find that he was no longer alone with his son.

Anne stood just inside the door she had silently closed behind her, a beautiful smile gracing her face.

Aramis froze, gazing at his beloved with a raw hunger on his face, as he then slowly began to walk towards her.

Anne moved herself, surprising both him and herself by enveloping him in a swift hug the moment she was near enough.

Almost as soon as she had done so, however, she backed away a step, a question in her eyes.

His voice a soft whisper so that he wouldn't wake their sleeping son, he said, "I had to come. I brought a gift for his birthday, Anne."

Glancing over at her son, she saw the carefully-wrapped gift at the foot of the bed.

Aramis, concerned that she would be upset with him, said, "I have never been able to celebrate any of his other birthdays...and may never be able to do so again," the heartbreak in his voice causing her to ache for the pain her beloved felt.

"Thank you, Aramis, for the gift. I wish with all my heart that things weren't the way they are."

Seeing Aramis start to reach out for her, she sadly shook her head. "We are both prisoners of our circumstances. You probably should go now before his governess comes back, my love."

Aramis hesitated, and then with resignation, started around her for the door. Leaning over as he passed, he swiftly laid a gentle kiss on her cheek.

He was not prepared for her arms to suddenly envelope him and kiss him long and passionately, every ounce of her love for him and their forced separation enfolded within it. Then, pulling herself away, she whispered, "Go with God, my beloved."

Aramis slowly left, his backward-turned gaze never leaving her face until the door closed behind him.

He once again wasn't seen leaving the palace.

He got a few yards away from the building, when he got feeling that he was being followed, however.

Slowing down, all of his senses now on high alert, his hand reached down to the handle of his pistol, beginning to pull it free.

Then, he heard a very familiar voice say to right behind him, "I told you he was almost impossible to trail," followed by a deep-throated laugh.

"Porthos!" Aramis exclaimed.

Whirling around, Aramis now beheld all three of his brothers as they materialized out of the trees to his left.

"What are you doing here?" he asked them.

"Athos recruited us to make sure you got out of the palace alive," d'Artagnan said, merriment lacing his words.

"Athos finally spoke up. "Trouble does tend to find you, brother."

Giving them a theatrically-offended look, Aramis said, "There was no trouble, and if there had been, I am well able to defend myself."

Porthos' face was now broadly smiling, and even Athos had a hint of a twinkle in his eyes at their conversation.

As he had not revealed to his brothers just why they were checking to be sure Aramis left the palace in one piece, Athos was just relieved that nothing untoward had happened, so he didn't need to inform them.

Changing the subject, he said, "Let us adjourn to The Wren for an evening of good food and ..."

"Wine," Aramis and d'Artagnan, knowing Athos, said simultaneously, almost drowning out Porthos' suggestion of cards.

Still in very good moods, they headed leisurely down the streets,looking forward to a very pleasant evening.