Anne watched the Dauphin. The little boy was pointing at something with excitement. He looked back at her and waved for her to join him to look at whatever it was. She glanced around. The only other person near them was a Musketeer stationed a hundred yards away. She was not sure which soldier it was as he was turned away from her, but the silhouette made her think it was Porthos. And the Queen knew that Porthos would not mention to anyone that he might have seen the Queen of France hitch up her skirts and run to see what it was that so enraptured her son.

Louis was leaning over the edge of the large pond. Anne knew there were no fish in the pond, but there were plants and with plants came insects. She was convinced that what the future King was looking at would be a dragonfly.

She pulled the layers of skirt higher as she ran, laughing at her son's antics. He was jumping up and down, pointing.

As she got closer, he went back to leaning forward, over the low wall that encircled the pond. His knees were resting on the edge of the wall; he was not paying attention to where he put his feet. A stony path ran around most of the pond except for a stretch of a few yards on one side which was grass. The Dauphin's shoe, which was more suited for walking along dry, well-maintained corridors, slipped on the wet grass.

'No!'

She called out in shock as she watched her son topple forward. His arms flailing in the air. She ran as fast as she could, but she was too late. The little Prince splashed into the water with his own cry of shock.

'Porthos!'

She screamed for the Musketeer's help as she reached the spot the Dauphin had been when he fell. She was not a fool; she knew that if she tried to help her son, if she jumped into the water, her skirts and bodice would become heavy and she would sink. She did not know how deep the pond was, but it was deep enough for the Dauphin to have disappeared from her sight. She searched the churned-up water frantically. She heard the thud of heavy boots on the gravel path approaching her.

Porthos appeared, his hat and weapons were already gone, dropped to the ground as he discarded them during the brief run towards the pond. She knew he would have to strip off his doublet and boots as well. The leather garments would cause the Musketeer the same problem as her skirts would. But Porthos could divest himself of them with ease.

'I'll get him,' said Porthos as he kicked off his boots and swung his legs over the low wall.

He dropped down; the water reached above his waist. He tried to wade forward but stopped and appeared to struggle.

'The plants,' he said.

'Louis could be tangled up,' said Anne as she realised the implication.

Porthos abandoned his attempt to wade and kicked forward in an easy swimming stroke. The Queen watched him take a breath before pushing himself under the water. She could make out his white shirt as he moved under the water, searching for the missing Dauphin. He paused for several seconds before surfacing.

He only stayed on the surface for a couple of seconds. Long enough to take a deep breath, before disappearing again. He did not move from where he had been. Anne moved a few feet each way as she looked into the rippling water trying to make out what was happening.

When the Musketeer reappeared the second time, she had to take a moment to steady herself. He had her son in his arms.

As the sound of the water settled, she gasped. All the possible scenarios had rushed through her mind during the agonising wait for Porthos to find the Dauphin. She imagined the Musketeer pulling a limp little boy from the water. She imagined him being laid reverently on the ground by the loyal soldier who would be distraught at not saving the future King. She imagined Porthos not being able to find the boy and the gardeners draining the pond so that his body could be retrieved.

What she had not imagined was for her son to be coughing and spluttering, to be struggling against his saviour. The Dauphin was alive. He was kicking and pushing at Porthos who was forced to hold the boy tightly as he struggled back to the edge of the pond. The Queen reached out to help Porthos get the Dauphin to the safety of the firm ground.

She gathered the little boy in her arms and held him tight. His struggles stopped, but his breaths were gasped and short. She tried to soothe him, tried to calm him, but nothing worked.

Porthos hauled himself out of the pond and grabbed his discarded doublet. He knelt beside her and gestured to take the gasping boy. Despite being unsure what Porthos intended to do, she allowed him to take her son. She trusted Porthos implicitly. He wrapped the boy in his doublet, pulling it tight around slender shoulders before leaning Louis against his chest.

'Highness,' said Porthos slowly, 'Louis. Slow your breaths.'

'Listen to Porthos,' said the Queen.

The Dauphin did not seem focused, he continued to gasp and struggle.

Porthos lay his hand on the young Prince's chest.

'Breath in, Highness,' said Porthos as he took a long slow breath of his own.

The little Prince did his best to copy. Anne managed a smile of encouragement despite the torment she was going through. Could her son still die? Could he die of panic, struggling to take a proper breath?

'Breath in,' Porthos said again.

The Dauphin took another gasped breath but managed to slow the gasp a little.

'Good, now breath out.'

The Queen copied the Musketeer to show the Dauphin what he needed to do.

They stayed where they were for several minutes, encouraging the Dauphin to slow his breaths. Porthos maintained his mantra. Anne noticed the Musketeer was starting to shiver, by giving up his doublet he had left himself exposed. The day may have been warm, but she knew the water would be cold. She vowed to ensure the Dauphin's saviour would be offered a chance to wash, be given dry clothes, and the rest of the day off. She was the Queen, she could insist that it happened, even if Porthos thought it was not necessary. Which she suspected, would be the case.

'Breath in... breath out...' Porthos said.

'Breath in, breath out,' repeated the Dauphin, his voice shaking as he spoke.

Anne smiled as her son finally focused on her.

'Well done, Louis,' she said. 'Well done.'

She looked at Porthos, waiting a few seconds for him to look up at her.

'Thank you,' she said.

'Anyone would have-'

She shook her head, 'not everyone would have known how to calm him down afterwards.'

Porthos looked around.

'And no one will accuse you of any impropriety. You were saving him. And if that means you manhandled him, then so be it.'

Porthos managed a smile; he nodded his thanks for the reassurance.

'Now,' said the Queen. 'May I call upon your services again to carry him back to the Palace?'

'Yes, Majesty,' replied Porthos. 'It would be my honour.'

The End.

Whumpee: The Dauphin. Featuring: Porthos and The Queen