Snow fluttered slowly down past the palace windows, coating everything in its path with a gilding of pure whiteness. Yuletide preparations at the royal residence were in full-swing; fires burned brightly in the grates of every room, casting comforting orange light flickering down the normally-cold and barren corridors. Servants hurried to and fro, arms full of lists or platters of wine and nibbles as they attended to all that was required of them.

The four musketeers found themselves on this cold and frosty day guarding the King as he sat poring over lists that the Cardinal and Treville had laid out, detailing the royal expenditure for the year.

The King, Aramis noticed, was not having a fun time. More than once he had had to bite the inside of his mouth to stop from laughing as the King huffed out a breath, flinging the paper back at the Cardinal's face in disdain. 'This is boring!' Louis muttered, before over-dramatising a yawn as the Cardinal tried to talk sense into the monarch. 'How about we go over the menu for the Yuletide feast?'

'But sire, we did that yesterday.' The Cardinal tried to withhold a sigh.

'And the day before...' Porthos muttered in a low tone, almost causing Aramis to snort out loud. He stopped as he caught Treville's expression; settling back down he stared resolutely ahead as Louis huffed again.

'But I like food! And it's a list, isn't it? You seem to like lists, and now I take an interest in one you don't want to know!' Louis crossed his arms. 'Sometimes, Cardinal, I don't think even you know what you want.'

Treville cleared his throat as the Cardinal sat back, mouth slightly open as he tried to think of a reply.

'How about a short distraction, your Majesty?' he said, eyes wide as he tried to appease the King. 'A small walk, perhaps?'

Louis sat back, considering. 'It would get me out of doing these boring jobs...' he muttered to himself, before he looked out of the window, at the snow falling steadily down. 'A walk it is!' he cried, flinging his arm out at his Musketeers. 'Only these will accompany me- I will not be bogged down!' he warned. Aramis tried not to smile again.

'Excellent, your Majesty.' Athos gave the King a short nod, trying not to roll his eyes. This sounded fun...

'Marvellous!' Louis exclaimed as he stood, brushing off his trousers as he went to get ready. 'We can make a snowman!' he called back before he slammed his interior quarters door shut with a bang.

'...A snowman?' Porthos echoed, eyebrows raised. He turned to find both Treville and the Cardinal looking across at the four of them, smirks on both their faces.

'Oi- you can pay us double for this!' Aramis quipped to his Captain with a cheeky grin.

'Just make sure he doesn't catch his death out there, would you?' The Cardinal muttered with a sigh, gathering his papers. 'We will make him look this over!' he hissed at Treville, before striding from the room, rolling his eyes.

'Oh no!' Louis cried out, his breath coming out in a big puff of white condensation as he stepped backwards, pouting.

'What's the matter, your majesty?' d'Artagnan asked, teeth chattering slightly in the freezing temperature.

'We forgot to bring a carrot for his nose!'

Athos pinched the bridge of his nose. 'How about we use a rock, your highness?' he asked, brushing snowflakes out of his hair. They were stood in a walled garden near the outskirts of the castle grounds; snow fell heavily now, covering everything in its path.

'No self-respecting snowman would be seen dead with a rock as a nose!' The King screeched, insulted.

When the King said he wanted to build a snowman, Aramis had assumed that they would be merely guarding the King as he indulged in his wintry pastime. But no- The King was a leader, he announced loudly; they would be making the snowman, and Louis would be directing.

'I feel like I'm five again!' Aramis had grinned as he started off the body, walking round and round the garden, bent double over a rapidly-fattening ball of snow.

'This is so humiliating...' Athos had grumbled as he was ordered to roll the head into shape, shaking his head as he stumbled around gathering snow.

Porthos and D'artagnan, however, had been tasked with collecting arm-like branches and rocks for the snowman's eyes and mouth. They had stood back under a crop of trees, grinning as they watched their friends pacing the garden, their ruddy cheeks a stark contrast against the snow as the King pointed them in the direction he wanted them to go next.

'Your majesty, by the time we walk to the kitchens it would be time to go in for lunch,' Aramis said, voice apologetic. 'A rock would make a fine stand in.'

'Ohhh...fine!' Louis crossed his arms and huffed, before a very mischievous look crossed his features. Bending low, Aramis watched as he scooped up a handful of snow, balled it up in his hands and threw it at the nearest man, who happened to be Athos, who was looking away up the garden for any danger.

Porthos withheld a snort as it hit their leader full in the chest before cascading onto the ground. Athos stood, blinking, as he looked across at the King. Aramis had never seen him look so shocked; he could almost see the cogs whirring in his brain as his friend tried to figure out what to do next.

'Well?' the King finally demanded after a few seconds of silence, arms out in a large shrug.

'Your Majesty?' Athos asked.

'Aren't you going to throw one back?'

Nonplussed, Athos took a step backwards. 'Do you want me to throw one back at you, sire?'

'Well, why else would I throw one at you?' Louis huffed, rolling his eyes. 'Gosh, do I have to order you to do everything?'

'That's the idea, your majesty...' Aramis said under his breath with a smile.

'Come on, before we have to go in!' Louis exclaimed, before looking across at the three other men. 'Gosh, have you all never had a snowball fight in your lives?'

'Not recently...' d'Artagnan replied.

'And never with a King.' Aramis added- but if the King was game, so was he...

He smiled as he heard the King let out of a whoop of joy as he bent down and gathered some snow in his gloved hands.

Straightening up, he stepped backwards with a yelp as a ball of snow caught him in the face. 'Got you first!' shouted Louis, positively beaming with delight, his cheeks red and glistening, before he ran down the garden, laughing.

Chuckling, Aramis threw all caution to the wind; he drew his arm back and threw the snowball, letting out a breathy 'yesss' as it hit the King in the back, who stumbled forwards, guffawing.

'What?' he grinned as Athos gave him a look. 'its snow, it won't hurt him!' he added, before bending down and gathering more snow. 'This is the most fun he's been in years!' he said, before laughing as another ball of snow hit him in the shoulder. 'Great shot, your majesty!' he called, before shrugging at Athos and running forwards into the snow to catch up with their King, holding his hat on his head with one hand as he went.

'You go...' Athos muttered to Porthos and d'artagnan, who each grinned and took off after Aramis. Sighing, Athos shook his head with a rueful smile as he watched his men engage in snowy combat with their monarch, who was laughing like a child.

After a few minutes of icy warfare, all four of them came running back, faces red and hair matted with snow. 'Do you know, that's the most fun I've had in weeks!' Louis proclaimed, flinging an arm around Aramis and d'Artagnan as they caught their breaths. 'You guys actually are fun!'

'It has been known, your highness.' Aramis chuckled, looking across to Athos, who again tried not to roll his eyes.

'Except you-' Louis muttered, casting an eye at their leader. '-You're boring.'

'Someone has to keep an eye out for danger, sire.' Athos said, bowing slightly.

'I suppose...' Louis sniffed, shrugging. He suddenly shivered violently. 'Its a bit chilly out here, isn't it?' he chuckled, teeth chattering.

'Perhaps we should make our way inside, your highness?' d'Artagnan said, casting a worried look at Aramis.

'Nonsense- I've been cooped up in that blasted palace for too long...' Louis grumbled, before he delved into his coat and brought out a full bottle of wine. A very expensive-looking bottle of wine.

'Just off the ship this morning...' he said, before handing the bottle to Aramis as he delved back into his pockets. 'This should sort out the cold problem...'

'There will be a bottle opener inside, your Hi-' Athos' words died in his throat as the King brought out an ornate silver cork-screw with a flourish. 'I am nothing if not prepared!' he said loudly, making Porthos snort again as Louis passed the cork-screw to Aramis, who went to work opening the bottle despite his shaking hands. Once it was uncorked Louis took the bottle back, closing his eyes and sniffing the contents. 'An excellent vintage...' he whispered dramatically- d'Artagnan caught Aramis' eye and had to look away before he laughed.

'No glasses...' Louis muttered, before shrugging and taking a swig straight from the bottle, wiping his mouth on his hand as he savoured it. 'Come come, we're all friends here- who wants it next?' he asked, eyes wide. 'It'll warm us all up nicely!'

'If you're offering, your majesty...?' Aramis shrugged, pointedly ignoring the expression he knew was on Athos' face as the King smiled and passed him the bottle. Swallowing a mouthful, Aramis knew that the rest of the general populace was missing out something good, as he reluctantly gave the bottle back to the King. 'Delicious, your majesty!' he appraised, smiling as Porthos and d'Artagnan each took a swig, savouring the sweet,warming drink.

Louis raised his eyebrows as it was finally Athos' turn. 'Are you going to be boring with this, too?' he asked coolly, shaking the bottle at him.

'As you have offered, sire,' Athos nodded, grasping the bottle as Louis all but pushed it into his gloved hand. It was delicious, he had to admit, his eyes widening as the spices warmed his insides.

'Well, I suppose we now must go back inside...' Louis grumbled as he took the bottle back. He turned back to his guardians as they started the slow walk back to the palace.

'I really have had a nice afternoon,' he told them, voice sincere.

'As did we, your highness!' Aramis smiled, daring to put a hand on Louis' shoulder and squeezing lightly. 'We should do it more often.'

'Yes, we should.' Louis smiled up at him, before breathing out a contended sigh as he and the musketeers walked into the main palace corridors, now set for the afternoon ahead...

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