Chapter Four

A few days before…

Athos stared at the confusion of footprints for several seconds. The damper ground under the trees meant there were odd places where the prints of a group of men could be seen. He could tell the men were running. Athos had followed the tracks for some time in one direction until he had almost reached the tree line of the forest. The tracks had abruptly changed direction and retraced their steps.

He continued the arduous task of hunting for any sign of his friend. His horse, obediently walking beside him, changed direction a little. Enough to have Athos look to his left. A wide ravine had opened up, the horse was moving away from the danger.

There were a few footsteps dotted about but they were not all going in the same direction. One set stopped at the edge of the ravine before turning away from it, the person appeared to have turned a few times as if they were looking back at something. Perhaps undecided about which direction to take.

Athos stared at the deeper prints that indicated the man had charged towards the ravine. Athos followed the steps and stopped at the edge peering over. All he could see were rocks jutting out and the skeletal remains of a deer at the bottom. He took a couple of steps back and noticed something that looked out of place.

He crouched by some of the rocks and tugged at the piece of fabric. The darkly stained fabric appeared to have been ripped into a strip. A bandage perhaps? Had someone been on the precipice and been injured?

Athos straightened up. He looked at the ravine again thinking about the tracks. He concluded that Aramis had been about to make the ultimate sacrifice for his country but was stopped at the last second. He had been injured in some way.

Aramis was still alive. Or at least he had been. Athos was sure his friend had been taken captive.

His next problem was to find out where he had been taken. He mounted up and headed out of the forest towards the nearest village.

Athos slowed his horse to a trot and then a walk. A couple of the villagers watched him warily. Athos looked around at the collection of houses grouped around a central clearing. A well towards one side was being used by a couple of women who did not try to hide their fear. Athos dismounted. He was about to walk towards the two older men who were watching him when three younger men approached him.

'I am here on the King's business,' announced Athos.

He made a point of keeping his hands away from his weapons. The three men stopped a few yards from him. Two of them were holding pitchforks. The third man had a billhook which he was holding firmly and tapping it into the palm of his left hand.

'And what business does the King have here?' asked the man with the billhook.

'Another soldier was sent here to gather information. He has gone missing. I have been sent to find him.'

The three men looked at one another. The oldest of the three took a step forward.

'We ain't seen any other soldiers,' he said. 'But there are some men who don't belong.'

Athos raised his eyebrows and indicated for the villager to continue.

'The Comte's chateau,' said the man with a nod to his right. 'There's a group of men moved in there. The comte, he don't spend much time here. He lives in Paris most of the time.'

Athos could sense the dislike the man had for his landlord.

'Have you reported this to your Comte?'

The man laughed, 'why? He don't do nothing for us. Takes our money but he don't do anything in return.'

Athos was reminded of himself, although at least he no longer took money from his former tenants.

'What have the men been doing?'

'Several of us have seen 'em around the area. They was particularly interested in the forest. Don't know why. Horrible place. Nothin' worth botherin' with, in there.'

The man with the billhook spoke again, 'some of them have been coming into the village for supplies. One of them tried to grab my wife, we told them they were not welcome after that. A couple of them still come for supplies. They haven't tried anything else with the women though.'

Athos nodded his support of the decision.

'Do you know how many men there are?'

'No more than a dozen,' said the third man. 'And… if you look to your right you'll see one of them now. Young lad, scruffy jerkin and messy blond hair. If you want information, he's the one you want to talk to. Always looks like a rabbit about to get itself caught by a fox.'

The men chuckled. Athos turned to look where they indicated. He spotted the young man talking to a woman with a goat. The young man had his back to Athos who walked purposefully towards him. The woman spotted him but did not give him away. Athos nodded his thanks to the woman as he grabbed the young man by the collar of his jerkin and dragged him towards the well.

The man yelled in shock and tried to pull away. Athos could hear the three men he had spoken to laughing. He guessed if the scared man managed to get away he would not get far. The villagers had worked out that Athos was probably going to deal with the unwelcome visitors to their land.

'Get off me,' the young man said as he wriggled and writhed.

But Athos was stronger than the gangly youth and soon had him leaning back over the wall of the well. The man stopped struggling and stared at Athos with wide, frightened eyes.

'I understand that you are staying at the chateau,' said Athos, keeping his tone even as he spoke.

The young man stared at Athos.

'I am looking for a friend of mine who may be an unwilling guest at the chateau.'

Athos saw a spark of recognition in the frightened man's eyes. He pulled the man away from the edge of the well but kept a firm hold of him leaning him back enough that the threat of violence was still there. The man had both hands grasped around Athos' wrists but was not trying to pull them away.

'I don't know what they're doing. I just do what I'm told,' said the man, his voice quivering with fear.

'Is my friend at the chateau?'

The man nodded.

'Is he still alive?'

The man nodded.

Athos eased his grip slightly, but not enough for the man to think it was worth trying to get away.

'They've got him in the cellar. He's chained up. The boss has got the keys. I don't know what they're doing to him. But they've not been hurting him… not much anyway. I've just been taking him food.'

Athos nodded, 'tell me about the chateau. How many of you are there? Where are you sleeping?'

The man nodded, 'I'll tell you everything. Please don't hurt me. I haven't hurt your friend.'

'Tell me all I need to know and I won't need to hurt you.'

MMMM

Now…

Aramis walked away from the shepherd's hut purposefully, gun in hand. Athos watched his friend for a few seconds before turning back to the small room. He spent some time with the inadequate broom and a water-soaked cloth making the place inhabitable.

He looked at the two beds. After giving each a shove he pulled the sturdier one away from the wall. He examined the wooden frame for a few seconds before nodding to himself.

One thing he did not want to happen during Aramis' recovery was for his friend to accidentally hurt either of them. Athos knew from experience that a man recovering from such an affliction could be unpredictable.

He slipped his guns and sword from his weapons belt which was lying on the other bed. After another inspection of the wooden frame, Athos looped his belt around the wood and left it dangling. He found one of the tattier blankets from the chest and ripped a few strips.

It was not until he saw Aramis' weapons belt being quietly laid on the bed that he realised his friend had returned. Athos looked up at Aramis who was glancing around the tidied room.

'You can be quite the chambermaid when you need to be,' he remarked.

Athos reached for Aramis' weapons belt awkwardly.

'If you had not prepared something along those lines,' Aramis said with a nod towards the bed, 'I would have suggested it. We both know it's going to be bad.'

Without saying a word Athos used his friend's weapons belt to create a second restraint. Aramis watched for a few seconds before retreating outside to prepare their food.

The strange atmosphere that descended on them only intensified as Aramis picked at his food and stared into the distance watching the sunset and the shadows lengthen.

They had found a rough wooden bench at the back of the hut and relocated it so they could sit by the door near the fire.

The fire set a few yards from the hut, crackled a few times.

'The shepherd was right,' said Aramis. 'There were plenty of rabbits…'

He trailed off and sighed.

Athos glanced at his friend, 'it is like the eve of battle,' he said.

Aramis huffed out a laugh, 'am I the enemy or an ally?'

'You are both.'

Aramis twisted to look Athos in the eyes, 'I want to apologise now-'

'There is no need, Aramis,' said Athos. 'If it were I who was ill you would not hesitate to help me. And you would not allow anything I said or did as I recovered cause an issue between us. I know I have said some… interesting things when I have been injured or ill and you have never taken them to heart. Aramis, I am not leaving you to deal with this alone.'

Aramis nodded his thanks but did not respond. He went back to picking at his food and staring into the distance.

Athos knew that whatever the next few days held, they would deal with it.

MMMM

Athos had tried to sleep but found he was distracted watching Aramis on the other bed. His friend had spent the entire night staring at the corner of the small room. Athos wondered what his friend was thinking about, but did not ask. If he wanted to talk more about his time held captive he would.

'How are you feeling?' asked Athos as a thin shaft of sunlight stretched across Aramis' bed signifying the dawn.

Aramis sighed, he did not respond for a few seconds. He rubbed his hand across his face.

'I can feel it wearing off,' Aramis said. 'It starts off as a… prickly feeling. Like I have forgotten something. More irritating than anything else.'

Athos nodded, 'why don't you keep yourself busy. Scout the area with me?'

Aramis managed a smile, 'I suppose you don't want to let me out of your sight now?'

Athos tilted his head in acquiescence of the light-hearted accusation. Aramis chuckled.

As they walked a rough circuit around the hut Aramis talked a little of his time incarcerated. Athos began to understand the unique torture his friend had endured. Days of solitude and moments of terror. Confusion and fear in equal measures. Athos wondered if recovering from the drug would only be part of Aramis' battle.

They stopped by a fast-flowing stream.

'I remember being thirsty,' said Aramis. 'But when they'd left me for a while… I wanted the liquid from the bottle more than water.'

Athos felt his pocket, he still had a few of the vials left. A couple of them clinked together. He was annoyed when he realised Aramis had heard.

'Tip them away,' Aramis said. 'I don't want them near me.'

'We could try gradually reducing the amount you take?' suggested Athos.

Aramis shook his head decisively and held out his hand. Athos reached into his pocket and pulled out two vials. He handed them to Aramis. His friend stared at them for a couple of seconds before pulling the stoppers out and tipping the liquid into the stream. Aramis stared at the water for a while, his fingers tightly wrapped around the empty vials.

'No going back.'

Aramis nodded to himself before turning away from the water's edge and continuing their loose circuit of the area. Athos tapped his pocket, feeling for the one remaining vial. Aramis did not need to know he had one leftover, just in case. In case of what Athos was not sure but he wanted to retain the ability to get his friend focused again if necessary.

As they reached the hut, Athos rolled his shoulder; the injury to his arm had made him feel stiff. Aramis was watching him with concern.

'Should you be back on active duty?'

Athos nodded, 'it is fine. I must have been lying awkwardly last night,' he lied.

In truth, he was still suffering from the effects of the beating he had taken. He had strained his arm badly and could still feel the pull on the muscles. He knew he was fit enough to fight, although a sustained battle would probably not be a good idea. He knew he was well enough to keep an eye on his friend, and that was more important than the ache in his shoulder and arm.

Aramis scrutinised him for a few seconds, Athos wondered if his friend could tell he was lying and was choosing not to say anything. He suspected between them there would be a lot of small lies and untruths over the coming days. And both of them would be able to see through the thin deceptions.

Aramis blinked a few times, 'I didn't sleep last night,' he said. 'Do you mind if I leave you for a bit?'

Athos nodded, 'your concept of time is shot to pieces Aramis. Go and rest.'

Aramis wandered towards the hut. Athos could see that his friend was tense as he walked. He hoped he would be able to relax enough to sleep for a few hours.

MMMM

Athos counted the days off in his mind as he watched Aramis turn on his side and pull the blanket tighter around his shivering body. It was three days since his friend had taken the drug.

The first day had not been too bad. Aramis was able to talk more about the gang that had taken him and the ordeal he went through the first few times he was drugged.

The previous day had seen Aramis become irritable with Athos, who decided to leave his friend to his maudlin thoughts, not wishing to antagonise him. Towards the evening of the previous day, Aramis had quietly gone to bed and pulled the blankets over himself. Athos had noticed the way Aramis was trying to hide the effects of the drug wearing off.

Now, on the afternoon of the third day, it was obvious that the man was suffering. He could not hide it anymore. Athos had encouraged Aramis to eat, but his friend had refused. Athos was loath to go too far from the hut whilst Aramis was still awake. Athos doubted Aramis would need anything, but he did not want to leave him alone.

There was little Athos could do other than watch over Aramis. And that annoyed Athos. He had changed the bandages on Aramis' wrists a couple of times, but the cuts and grazes had healed well. He would not even need to offer that service by the next day. All he could do was watch his friend suffer, and be there if he was needed.

Aramis was mumbling something. He had slipped into a semi-conscious state a few times before becoming more focused. Athos got a little closer and tried to work out what his friend was saying.

'...alone… Why… haven't you come? ...I'll tell you…'

'Aramis?'

The ill man rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before his eyes flitted about the room for a bit. His focus settled on Athos who managed a smile.

'I need some more,' Aramis said.

Athos realised Aramis was not focused. At least not focused on the present. He had confused himself into thinking he was still being held captive.

'There is no more, Aramis,' said Athos.

Aramis stared at him before twitching a few times, much as he had done when Athos had found him lying alone in the cellar.

'I'll tell you the information…'

Aramis shook his head.

'No… I won't tell you the information.'

The inner battle of Aramis' mind raged for a few more seconds before he turned away again. The shivering became more intense. Athos could feel the heat of a fever coming from Aramis. His friend's mind was confusing him.

Athos moved away from Aramis' side. He felt the final vial in his pocket. He was tempted to offer his friend a little but knew that was not how Aramis wanted to deal with the affliction. Athos had kept the last vial in case they needed to escape from any pursuers. But that moment had passed. Athos knew Aramis was too far along in his recovery; if they were attacked it would take too long for Aramis to be even partially able to help with their defence. There was no point keeping the final vial.

He silently walked to the door of the hut and slipped outside. He walked a few paces away to the edge of the muddy area around their fire. He pulled the vial out of his pocket and looked at it. He thought of the times he had stared longingly at a bottle of wine and wondered if what he had gone through was anything like what Aramis was enduring. But Athos' need for wine was self-inflicted. Aramis had been forced into the state he was now in.

Athos pulled the stopper and tipped the final few drops of the drug away. He watched the droplets catch the afternoon light as they fell to the ground soaking away in seconds. Athos dropped the vial and crushed it under his boot. He twisted his foot over the broken vial listening to the crunch of the glass. He imagined crushing the men that had tortured his friend.

When he had been dealing with the gang of thugs, he had no idea what state Aramis was in. He only had the word of the young gang member that Aramis was still alive. What he had discovered as he worked his way through the chateau neutralising the men was not something he ever wanted to go through again.

MMMM