Aramis passed out moments later, and his brothers decided they had to risk taking him back to the garrison before taking care of his wounds. They had no idea where Villefort was at the moment, and they didn't wish to take any chances of a helpless Aramis being caught in the midst of a battle.

They took off and laid, one on top of another, their cloaks, then carefully wrapped them around Aramis as Porthos held him up.

When they were ready to go, the big man lifted him into his arms, and they made their way cautiously to the front door. Exiting just as carefully, they all breathed sighs of relief when they were finally heading back to the garrison without any sign of Villefort.

Aramis remained still and silent in Porthos' arms, not regaining any semblance of consciousness, although the one time he had was still on the minds of all of them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Breathing sighs of relief when they had passed through the garrison gates, they headed straight for the infirmary.

They had no sooner laid their brother on a bed, when Treville came swiftly through the door, saying, "I was at the palace. One of the men told me that you found Aramis. That he is al...," halting in mid-sentence as his eyes beheld the man they had all believed dead.

As the others had, emotion got the better of him as his eyes filled with tears, a rare sight from their captain.

"It's true!" he breathed the words softly, coming to look fondly down at the soldier who they all knew held a special place in their captain's heart.

Athos spoke up now.

"Captain, this young man here came to us, and led us to him," indicating a quiet Alain, who had remained in the background.

Athos continued, "Villefort had hired him and at least one other man to guard Aramis and carry out his nefarious intent." Here, Alain hung his head in shame.

Treville shot Alain a look of disgust, and Athos, seeing both Alain's and Treville's reactions, held up a hand and spoke again.

"Captain, he came to deeply regret and be ashamed of what he was doing, and risked his own life to come to us, and then lead us to Aramis. He has our gratitude, no matter what he had previously done. Aramis would have died otherwise. We were just about to assess and take care of his injuries."

Treville, giving Alain a long silent look, then extended his hand to the young man, saying, "You have our profound thanks for bringing Aramis back to us, young man."

Alain, his face registering shock, after a moment looking down at Treville's extended as if he could not believe it, slowly took it. Treville shook it firmly.

Then, they got to work divesting Aramis as gently as possible from his shirt, which was soaked crimson from the knife wound in his side.

They found, as they were doing so, that his torso was littered with bruises, especially in the area of his rib cage. Athos felt around the area as gingerly as possible, finding a possible broken rib, and several that were bruised. They would need to bandage that area, in case their were bruised.

They cleaned away the blood and collected dirt, and they then wrapped his lower torso, but not too tightly because of the wound.

They cleaned his face, and as they were doing so, Aramis' eyes began to open. They were a little apprehensive of finding the same reactions of fear as last time.

Sure enough, when his eyes opened, his eyes again began to flit around as if he didn't know where he was, and his eyes filled with the same terror as before.

In a hoarse, bare audible voice, he pleaded, "Please! No m..more!" Then, he passed out again.

Treville, his face very worried, asked them, "What else were they doing to him? He looked terrified!"

Once again, Athos spoke for his brothers.

"Villefort was having one of the men give Aramis drugs. He was kept unconscious much of the time he was being held. What other drugs, if any, that he might have been given as well, we do not know."

Alain spoke softly. "Villefort only trusted Georges with the drugs. I was not told what they were, but I do know he was as Athos has just related, kept unconscious. I also wonder...", here he hesitated, looking up at them as if not wanting to relate any more horrors.

"Yes?" Treville asked.

"I saw some bruising on his face while I was there. I never saw how it occurred, but wondered if Villefort came into the cell when we were not around and beat him. I was with Georges a great deal of the time, so I don't think it was his handiwork."

Porthos, who had been silent since they had reached the infirmary, growled, "I am going to make him wish he had never been born when we get our hands on him," a raging anger emanating from him as he spoke.

"I think you speak for all of us, Porthos," Treville said, revealing an anger the captain rarely ever revealed.

Pulling the blankets up and carefully tucking them around Aramis, they moved away from the bed to continue talking, Porthos having insisted on first watch over their brother.

Treville turned again to Alain now.

"How did Villefort happen to find you to recruit?"

"I...," he stopped, his head again hanging down.

Treville, surprisingly gentle speaking to Alain, asked, Would you tell us please? It may help our investigation. You are in no trouble from us."

Alain responded, speaking slowly.

"I was born, grew up and have lived all my life in the Court of Miracles, Captain. It is probably not surprising that he looked for men there to do his dirty work for him."

If Treville was surprised, his expression did not reflect it.

"You may stay in the garrison until you find decent work, Alain. We will all give a recommendation should you find a position. No one should have to go back to that den of iniquity."

Alain was stunned at this offer, which was totally unexpected. Tears began to fall freely as he realized Treville was completely serious in his offer.

"I do not know how to thank you, sir."

"You do not need to, Alain. You have given us back someone we all love dearly. Someone we had believed dead and lost to us forever. There is no more precious thank you than that."