Evening My Lovelies
Look who actually remembered to update! :D
Notes On Reviews:
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I felt like this whole experience has at least taught the king a few grown-up emotions like compassion lol. I don't celebrate Easter but thank you anyway, same back to you :) x Enjoy the new chapter! x
pallysAramisRios: Thanks for the review - Hehe :D You're going to be dying a little longer I'm afraid :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
WelshEssex: Thanks for the review - I do feel bad for what I did to Maurice. I had planned to have Blaise and D'Art be the only Musketeer survivors since I first started planning this story but the more I wrote Maurice the more I became torn about his fate, unfortunately for him though my evil side won out. Oh, Athos and the others are definitely inwardly freaking out over D'Art's fate, especially with what they're learning today. Oooh, I'm very pleased with your guess :D We'll see how that plays out tonight. Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading
Love you all!
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xxx
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Surprising Findings II
As the trio made their way to the source of the smoke Athos relayed the information he had received from the king about what had happened to the group since leaving Paris and the group fell somber as Athos relayed the news that the group had lost several members and now the only ones living were Blaise, the king and hopefully still D'Artagnan, though the king also informed the lieutenant that the Gascon had already been quite hurt when they attempted the escape so if they didn't find him soon the chances of the boy surviving the ordeal lowered drastically.
Not liking the odds stacked against their youngest the trio spurred their horses onwards, a fierce determination filling them that quickly turned to caution the closer to the encampment they got.
Eventually the trio were close enough to spot the encampment that had held their comrades in the distance, though the sight of it only served to heighten their worry and uneasy as the whole place was up in smoke and seemed, at least from their distance, to be abandoned.
"Cowards probably abandoned the place once their quarry fled," growled Porthos as the group slowly approached the camp, it becoming abundantly clear that the larger man was correct as there was not a soul in sight as they entered the area and the haphazardly demolished buildings spoke to a group clearing out in a hurry.
"Split up and look for signs of D'Artagnan but remain on alert," instructed Athos as the group began the arduous task of searching for any sign of their youngest, each going their own way.
After searching for what felt like an eternity with no success Porthos and Athos had regrouped, the pair sharing silent looks that spoke to the pure distress they felt at the lack of any signs of their youngest when a faint cry of alarm from their party's third member caught their attention… or more importantly the name he cried did as the duo wasted no time in racing towards where they heard the shout coming from.
The smoke in the building was one of the worst they had dealt with but the musketeer duo pressed on regardless, sparing only a short moment to cover their mouths against the acrid smog before racing in, almost stumbling to a halt when they emerged into a room made up entirely of barred cells and the musketeers could swear there was dried blood staining the ground of a couple of them, which did little to ease their emotions at the whole situation.
Instead, the pair focused their attention on Favier, who was now frantically alternating between trying to wake the unconscious man hanging from chains in one of the cells and trying to free him from said chains.
To say the figure in front of them surprised the inseparable duo would be an understatement… They had seen the logic in Favier's argument for coming with them but in the privacy of their own minds they hadn't truly expected to find the man before them among those that had kidnapped their friends and monarch.
"Issac…" breathed Porthos before the pair shook themselves free of their surprise and leapt forward to assist with the efforts of freeing their friend before the smoke became too much.
"He's bleeding bad," whimpered Favier in pure worry as he and the inseparables carried his limp brother out of the smoke filled building and outside, all three men silently grateful not to be breathing in the thick smoke any longer as they found a safe, clear place to gently lay the unconscious man down, Athos immediately moving to where they had left the horses to grab the medical supplies and water they had brought with them.
"He's taken a hell of a beating," explained Porthos as he took note of the wounds now coating his friend's skin. "Treville said he was unharmed in the prison explosion and these are clearly fresh…"
"The king swore he heard someone calling out to D'Artagnan when they were escaping," offered up Athos as he passed the water-skin to Favier who wasted no time in using it to try and wake his unconscious brother. "He didn't recognize the voice but given Issac's presence here."
Porthos nodded in understanding, "Issac learns something about this group during his stay in prison and decides to go undercover when he doesn't get a chance to relay it to Treville but when he gets here and sees the kid and the others he can't stand by and do nothing."
"...D… D'Art'nan…" slurred a quiet, pained voice that immediately cut off any follow-up comments as the trio's attention was immediately on Issac, who was slowly coming around.
"Easy Is," soothed Favier gently as he brushed some hair out of his brother's eyes, tears of relief were forming in the corners of his eyes but he refused to let them fall as he instead focused on watching his brother slowly open his eyes. The injured musketeer was clearly dazed but quickly latched onto the fact that his brother was looking down at him.
"...F-Fav?"
Chuckling somewhat wetly in relief Favier nodded as he placed a gentle hand on his brother's bruised cheek. "Yeah… I'm here Is… You're safe now."
For a moment no one said anything as they allowed Issac a moment to relish in the comfort only found in the company of family. However before too long the musketeer in Issac came to the surface as his mind reminded him what happened to land him in his current position and his eyes shot open in alarm.
"D-D'Artagnan where is he? Is he okay, did you find him?"
The pure panic in the man's voice put the two inseparables on high alert as the shared a look before Athos demanded more answers from their injured friend, inwardly hating that he had to push the exhausted man but knowing he was their best and likely only chance to find out where their youngest was and what had befallen him.
To his credit Issac took the demand for information without complaint and explained what he knew in as much detail as his concussed mind could remember, though the information he gave only served to ignite further worry and panic in the hearts of the two inseparables when they learned just how close their baby brother had been to the explosion which had started the fire now working its way through the camp.
Seeing the pain on the inseparables face Favier made a decision, knowing the pair would be uncomfortable with leaving without a little bit of a push from him. "Go," he ordered gaining their attention as they looked back at him as he nodded towards where Issac had indicated he had last seen the Gascon. "I'll get Is to my horse and back to Aramis. We'll wait for you there. Find D'Artagnan."