Evening My Lovelies
OMG, I'm sorry I left it so long between updates! I really didn't think it had been that long but I've just realized I've left it almost a week.
I'm hoping this chapter makes up for the wait... I'm seriously in love with it, it's a bit dark and I thoroughly LOVED writing it :D
Notes On Reviews:
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Corneau definitely deserves everything I have planned for him :D Today's chapter is definitely going to give Treville enough to deal with so he won't be dealing with that guilt he's feeling though :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
pallysAramisRios: Thanks for the review - Maybe :D We'll be finding out tonight :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
beeblegirl: Thanks for the review - All will be revealed today so I won't keep you guessing for long :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading
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Chapter Seventy-Three: A Lesson In Pain And Revenge
As he stormed through the trees back into the camp all sorts of thoughts rushed through Treville's mind, each darker than the last but none even came close to the sight that greeted him and caused all his blood to drain from his face.
The majority of his men, barring the inseparables who were watching with desperate eyes by the unconscious Gascon's side, were crowded around the wagon which held Etienne, who until then had been resting somewhat peacefully given his injury but was now violently seizing despite Tristan, Gaspard and several of the men's attempts to hold him still.
"What the hell happened?" snapped Treville as he rushed over towards the wagon, ditching his jacket as he moved before joining in the efforts to hold the thrashing musketeer down, none wanting the injured man to do further harm to himself in his current state.
"His fever suddenly spiked," grunted Tristan as he struggled against the musketeer, guilt filling him for not noticing the man's condition before it got to where it was now, his attention largely having been taken with worry for D'Artagnan after Gaspard had informed him of what the boy had been given.
A curse from Treville's left drew his attention away and the Captain was surprised to see Favier beside him, the man and Issac having kept their distance from the group since the reveal of the traitor's identity, understandably in Treville's opinion.
"Favier?" asked Treville as he continued to fight against Etienne's thrashing limbs, he knew the man was still recovering from several cracked ribs and their current situation was likely doing them more harm than good.
Favier was saved from grunting out a reply when Etienne's seizure stopped almost as suddenly as it started, allowing the surrounding musketeers a moment to let out sighs of relief before the next problem hit them hard as Tristan announced to Gaspard, who had rushed over at the beginning of Etienne's seizure, that Etienne was no longer breathing, causing a wave of alarm, worry and outcry to come from the gathered men.
Treville has reminded them why he had fought so hard to have Gaspard as part of his regiment's medical team as the man wasted no time on alarm and fear, choosing instead to shift his stance slightly before delivering a substantial blow to Etienne's now still chest.
Unlike quite a few of his men, Treville remained silent as he watched Gaspard do this manoeuvre again a couple more times before the still unconscious Etienne let out a loud gasp as his air-starved lungs tried to suck in as much air as they could.
"Gaspard?" Treville pressed firmly as he watched the physician and Tristan begin their examination of the man, no-one missing the large red stain now growing on the bandage covering his wound.
"He tore his stitches during the seizure," explained Gaspard as he worked to cut away the now blood-soaked bandages, his eyes never leaving his patient's form. "We might need you to hold him down, redoing them will hurt and he fought me the first time."
It was just over an hour after Etienne's seizure first started when Gaspard announced he had done all he could at the moment for Etienne and the assembled group of musketeers felt they were able to step away.
Favier didn't hesitate as he moved towards a bucket of water one of the other men had collected in order to wash his friend's blood off of his hands when a thought struck him, sending a wave of ice through his veins.
With a forced effort not to look panicked, he quickly scanned the camp, cursing under his breath when he failed to spot Issac. He sent up a prayer begging to be wrong with his assumption as he shifted his gaze over to the group of prisoners they had amassed, letting out another curse when he also failed to spot Corneau.
Feeling torn Favier looked over towards his Captain, he knew he should inform Treville of what he suspected his brother to be doing but he also knew that if he did that, and if he was right then at best Issac would likely lose his place in the regiment and after losing his sister Favier truly feared what losing the family he had amassed in the regiment would do to his brother.
With a decision made he quietly made his way out of the camp, praying he could get to his brother before he did something he couldn't take back.
It didn't take long to catch onto Issac's trail and Favier felt unease settle into his gut as he realized his brother wasn't even trying to hide his tracks, nor that he was moving while dragging something… or someone along with him.
Cursing under his breath Favier picked up his pace, his eyes completely focused on the trail before him, pausing only when his ears picked up the sound of a heavily muffled scream coming from further down the trail.
Letting out a slew of curses Favier broke into a run, praying he wasn't about to see what he was expecting, a prayer that went completely unanswered mere minutes later when he emerged into a small clearing to see the blood-stained form of his brother stalking around the restrained and completely blood-soaked from of Corneau, the traitor appearing barely conscious, though the number of wounds he had sustained was hard to tell given just how much blood was coating his skin and clothing.
"Is," breathed Favier as he tried to keep the horror out of his eyes. He was too late. He had seen the darkness and grief in his brother's eyes, he knew what that would push him to do if given the chance but he had still taken his eyes off of the man the moment Etienne's situation had deteriorated.
"Walk away Fav," instructed Issac coldly as he continued to stalk around his victim, his eyes never leaving the bloody man before him.
"You know I can't do that… Come on Is… This isn't you… Don't do this!"
Without sparing his brother a single glance he knelt before the barely conscious Corneau, taking great pleasure in the whimper of fear that escaped the man as he waved his dagger slowly in front of his face.
Distantly he could hear his brother pleading at him to stop and a large part of him did want to, wanted to drop the blade and get as far from his former brother-in-arms as he could but then his sister's name would flash in his mind and all previous thoughts vanished as the darkness inside him took over.
"He deserves this," spat Issac as he drew his dagger lightly against Corneau's cheek with just enough pressure to break the skin and leave a fresh trail of blood in its wake. "She suffered Fav… She suffered for the sake of a 'lesson'" he spat and Favier felt his own grief over the loss of Ines come rushing back to the surface.
"I know," he acknowledged, fighting down the rage he himself felt for the pain the traitor had caused as he focused on trying to talk his brother down before he went any further with his plans. "And he'll pay for what he did," he continued, not able to see the sneer that formed on his brother's face at his next words, "The King will see to it… Is, this isn't the way… You need to stop."
"The King would grant him a quick death," he spat, knowing that the King would likely choose a firing squad after the ordeal at Aramis's hanging. "He should suffer as she suffered!"
"Is…" breathed Favier, feeling like a failure of a brother as he had no idea how to respond to the deep, overwhelming, agonizing grief his beloved brother was near-crumbling under. He had a feeling the man would not be talked down and so he decided to risk taking a few steps towards the man.
"He's experiencing it you know," stated Issac, his voice once again icy cold and hard as steel as he glanced down towards the bleeding Corneau, his words made Favier pause in his approach as the man tried to understand what his brother was saying.
"Every wound she endured he now has," continued Issac, oblivious to the look now in his brother's eyes. "…Well all but one."
Alarm shot through Favier as he realized what his brother meant and without a moment's hesitation his launched himself at the man just as Issac plunged the dagger forward once more.
