Warning: graphic depictions of torture in this chapter.
D'Artagnan would spend the next few weeks traveling south to approach the Gascony town of Dax, and it certainly had provided him enough time to ruminate on his mission.
Apparently the Cardinal's long time relationship with mercenary Henri Odson had taken a bad turn. While Treville didn't go into detail, it sounded as if Henri was a ruthless, calculated assassin who the Cardinal had hired several times in the past to do his bidding. Treville did not come out and confirm it, but D'Artagnan was able to ascertain that the execution of several Spanish men, some dignitaries, some spies, all in the name of the preservation of France may or may not have been past byproducts of the relationship between Richelieu and Henri.
A violent disagreement on how the mercenary acted on his last 'mission' from Richelieu resulted in Henri threatening that unless the Cardinal pay him a huge sum, he would tell Spain all about the Cardinal's past dealings, and declare his allegiance to Spain. While Richelieu initially called his bluff, insisting that Spain would execute him for his crimes against them, Richelieu paused when Henri convinced him that he could persuade Spain on his value by providing critical information about France, imparted to him by Richelieu himself. And by doing so, France would be implicated in the murders.
He may have pulled the trigger, he had sneered at Richelieu, but France pulled the strings.
"They will never believe you; you have no proof of my involvement, and even if King Philip could be convinced, absent proof even he would not risk declaring war," Richelieu declared.
"Ah, but the details of my assassinations, combined with your missive to me regarding one of our 'partnerships', would remove all doubt in Philip's mind," Henri spat back.
"What missive?" Richelieu asked.
Henri reminded the Cardinal of the letter to which he referred. While Richelieu was careful to be cryptic enough to avoid being too specific in his letter of instruction to Henri (involving a recent assassination), in any case, he admitted to himself, it could be incriminating enough, and potentially calamitous for the combination of Henri's declaration to Philip IV and the letter to be revealed.
It was at that moment that Richelieu decided to have Treville send D'Artagnan to either steal the missive back, and in case of failure in that regard, D'Artagnan was to kill Henri Odson. However, as there could never be any tracing of D'Artagnan back to the Palace, the Gascon would be provided a vial of acqua toffana- a lethal does of arsenic and lead- for him to ingest upon pending capture, to remove any possibility of confession as a result of torture.
For Henri Odson's specialty was capture and especially torture; if he were to get the better hand on D'Artagnan, the boy knew what he needed to do…hopefully before it was too late.
Flaying was Henri's preferred method of torture; as opposed to other popular methods, such as the Judas Cradle, the Catherine Wheel, or Pressing, it did not require any special implements, or assistance in prepping the victim. Once the subject was temporarily rendered insensible, it took little time in tying them up, in order to begin the unbearably painful process of peeling apart the skin, starting with the face, and progressing from there to each and every other part of the body.
In one such instance, the Cardinal was present when he witnessed Henri perform the torture on a captured Spanish spy. It was perhaps the only instance Richelieu could ever recall in his entire life that he found himself recoiling at the inhumanity of both the torture itself, as well as the man performing it.
The Cardinal would not soon forget the look of glee on Henri Odson's face as he exacted the torture on the man. Richelieu could barely voice the questions he had for the spy, as his own stomach rebelled against him, having to endure looking at his bloody, ripped apart face, skin flapping down, the gasps of pain, the screams and pleas for mercy…
Richelieu got the information he needed from the spy. Easily. He was certain that even before Henri Odson was finished with him, the spy would have given up his own mother and father if requested.
Richelieu had convinced the King that there was a possibility that Henri could drag a captured D'Artagnan to Spain, and under the duress of torture, have the boy confess to France's part in the assassination of the Spanish dignitaries by Henri's hands, and in doing so, he got Louis, terrified of the possibility of war breaking out between the two countries, to sign off on the suicide aspect of the mission. D'Artagnan, under no circumstances, should be allowed to get under the control of Henri Odson.
Treville had argued with both the King and the Cardinal that D'Artagnan did not know enough details of Richelieu and Henri's past dealings to reveal anything incriminating. But Richelieu shot back that his potential confession of attempting to kill Henri or obtain the document might be enough to ratify King Philip's suspicion of France's collusion with Henri, in order to disrupt relations between the two countries.
Richelieu has hoping for a win-win situation- silencing Henri for good, and getting rid of that nuisance D'Artagnan, who from all accounts (Milady first and foremost) the Inséparables seemed to have come to love as one of their own. However, the fact that D'Artagnan hailed from Gascony, the province containing the small town of Dax, where Henri lived, did add some credence to the Gascon being selected for this task- he would fit right in.
If Richelieu had any reservations in exposing the young Gascon to the likes of Henri Odson, especially if he decided to exact his own brand of torture on the boy, he convinced himself that it was for the good of France, and if the boy wasn't up to the task, then he should not even be a Musketeer recruit. But of course since Richelieu had little regard for human feeling, his concern was not for the Gascon's welfare, but in his ability to succeed. And unfortunately, as Henri Odson had been exposed to each of the other Inseparables in the past, none of them would be able to approach the man stealthily enough to ensure success.
Treville had provided enough information about the letter for D'Artagnan to quickly identify it if he got into the advantageous situation of rummaging through Henri's personal belongings- the hue of the paper, how Richelieu referred to the assassination target as the 'item'- so with any luck, if he saw the missive, he could be reasonably certain it was what they were looking for. Plus, the Cardinal had told Treville to expect the letter's signature to be from a Louise De Metz, as common and nondescript a name as Richelieu could think of. Clever of him to use a female name, as to additionally lessen any patina of impropriety.
Also weighing heavy on D'Artagnan's mind was Athos. He was still reeling from the man's cruelty to him the other night. Yes, he was drunk, but his father had once said that the things a drunk says often has the unfiltered ring of truth, revealing the way a man genuinely feels. If that were truly the case, then Athos' words stung all the more.
Perhaps that was why D'Artagnan felt compelled, even enthusiastic, to take on this mission, even though failure might very well mean death. He would prove to Athos he was no 'pretender'- far from it. He would change Athos' low opinion of him, and prove his bravery and dedication to the Musketeers and the King, even if it quite literally killed him. As these dark thoughts circled around him, he unconsciously fondled the vial of acqua toffana hangingaround his neck, never far from being able to ingest it in case…
D'Artagnan then thought of Constance. He recalled her confusion regarding his cryptic comment that he should not be expected home for a time, going on a mission. For whom, or to do what, he did not say. The concern he read on her face tugged at him in ways he could not describe.
But just thinking of her brought a smile to his face. In the midst of all of this, it was like a balm on his soul to think of her.
Would he ever see her again?
Surprisingly, the only information Treville decided to impart upon the Inséparables was about Julien- instructions to ensure he left the Garrison, and to spread word to the other Musketeers that he is not to be allowed back for any reason. No amount of cajoling from any of them could get Treville to say anything more. This was particularly worrying, as it underlined how important this mission must be to succeed; but it also brought back the reality that D'Artagnan was out there, alone, to accomplish it.
After their dismissal from Treville's office, all three Inséparables fidgeted nervously, saying nothing. Athos, in particular, seemed to be deep in his thoughts. No doubt how to rescue or help D'Artagnan out of this latest mess he found himself in.
Apparently not, as the first thing out of his mouth to Porthos and Aramis was, "How mean was I to D'Artagnan last night?"
Before Aramis could think of an honest way to speak of it but still spare Athos' feelings, softening the harshness of the truth, Porthos quickly blurted out, "Very. Very mean."
For Porthos wasn't feeling as charitable as Aramis at the moment. It was one thing for a young, snot-nosed useless waste of flesh like Julien to have let D'Artagnan down. But for Athos to be so cruel to his newly acquired younger brother, especially now in light of him being left alone to fend for himself on a mission, was too much to bear.
"We had hoped to spare D'Artagnan any of your- jibes, but when we could not get you to leave the Tavern…you'll make it up to him, Athos," Aramis offered.
"That's if I ever see him alive again."
"Now, that's a bit dramatic, don't you think?" Aramis said.
Athos replied, "He was sent on a mission almost certainly authored by the Cardinal, who, despite the fact that we just saved his life, still would love nothing more than to tear the Musketeers apart. This may just be his way of starting to do just that. Picking us off one by one, all under the guise of performing our duties."
"And how do we not 'perform our duties', when the order comes from the King himself? We'll just have to trust that D'Artagnan has learned enough from us to keep himself safe."
"I just wish I knew what Julien's role in this mission was meant to be. Then perhaps we could figure out a way to fill that gap somehow," Athos said.
"We don't even know where the kid went, much less what 'is 'mission' is," Porthos responded, frustrated at the truth of it, and his helplessness in being able to do anything. Damn Treville for keeping his word to the Palace about staying tight-lipped.
Athos seemed deep in thought. Finally he spoke. "The irony is, if I had been successful last night, D'Artagnan would have taken my words- as cruel as they were- to heart. And he'd be far from the Garrison now, not on a dangerous mission, but back to Gascony where he would be happy and safe."
Porthos, still unable to let go of his anger towards his brother, was having none of it. "Don't you dare try to paint yourself as the hero here, Athos. An' the pup would never have any of it anyway- an' if you really think he'd be happy in Gascony instead of with us, means you must be insane. He belongs with us, and you know it. If anythin', your words may have ensured he accept this mission as a way of provin' you wrong."
"How so?" Athos asked, suddenly curious.
Porthos sighed. "You really don't remember las' night, do ya? You called him a pretender, someone who'd never make a good Musketeer."
Porthos waited for the recollection to sink in for his brother. Once it did, he continued, "So instead of pattin' yourself on the back, consider that it's what you said to 'im last night that might be why he's in danger now."
Athos had the good grace to not try to deny his brother's words.
Two and a half weeks later, D'Artagnan had reached Dax. D'Artagnan was ready for an Inn for a wash, a meal, and a warm bed, preferably in that order. His target was now almost in sight.
Whew- lots of exposition in this chapter. The mission gets going in the next chapter! Thanks for reading…