Evening My Lovelies

This chapter killed me, it just didn't want to be written :( as it stands it's still a bit fillerish but there's a bit of fluffiness that'll hopefully make up for it :D

Notes On Reviews:

pallysAramisRios: Thanks for the review - Writer's block is still running strong so I do apologize for the lateness of this update, as for Issac we'll be getting him into a better mindset soon :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

beeblegirl: Thanks for the review - Thankfully for Athos, I'm feeling like being nice to our boys for a bit now so they'll get home okay :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Papa Athos is a favourite of mine and we'll definitely be seeing more of him in the coming chapters. The lack of his sight hasn't completely hit out pup yet as he's not quite with it but we'll see his proper reaction to it soon. Enjoy the new chapter! x

As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Thirty-Five: Time To Breathe II

The inseparables let out a collective sigh of relief as their travelling party finally stopped for the night, many of the men who had come to their rescue immediately moving to begin setting up camp before they lost more of the dwindling light whereas they, along with Alain and Favier moved to the wagons they had managed to procure shortly before the end of their first day of travel that now housed the injured members of their order.

"Kid's out like a light," smirked Porthos as he, much to Aramis's chagrin, gently lifted the Gascon out of the wagon whilst ignoring the slight ache that flared from his own wound at the action.

"With luck, he'll sleep peacefully until the food's ready," sighed Aramis as he glanced worriedly at the younger man. All those who had been captured by Montague and his co-conspirators had been suffering from terrible nightmares over the last few nights, though given the locations of D'Artagnan's wounds it meant that he frequently nearly reopened them with the trashing about he did whilst trapped by his own subconscious.

"Being back at the garrison will help," acknowledged Athos with an emotionless mask on his face as he absently brushed D'Artagnan's hair out of his eyes, "We should reach the city before the end of tomorrow at the pace we've been setting so in the morning I'm going to send a few of the men off to ride ahead, that way the queen and Treville will be ready for our arrival.

"How's D'Artagnan?" spoke a voice, cutting out any remark either inseparable might have made in response to Athos's statement. Turning as one the trio saw the king standing not too far from them, a concerned look on his face which they quickly realized was likely because of how they had situated themselves around their sleeping youngest.

Warmed by the blatant concern the monarch was showing his brother Porthos sent the man a large smile, "I wouldn't worry too much Your Majesty, our pup's too stubborn to let something like this keep him down for too long, especially not with 'Mis there to threaten to tie him to the bed if he tries to escape the inevitable bed rest he's going to be put on."

Completely unabashed Aramis shrugged and added, "It's an effective threat. I've only had to do it once to drill the message home."

Unable to stop themselves the three older inseparables let out a small collective laugh at the memory before a very confused king Louis spoke up.

"You… You tied him up?"

Aramis was unable to stop the bark of laughter that escaped him as he nodded to the monarch, "Porthos wasn't lying when he called our boy stubborn…"

"...'m not… stub'o'n" weakly protested a quiet voice that immediately had all four men dropping their gaze to stare at the Gascon in amazement.

"D'Artagnan," breathed Athos quietly, his voice full of relief as he reached over to take hold of his brother's good hand.

"You, my friend," grinned Porthos, relief also heavy in his own voice, "are the very epitome of stubbornness."

"Along with plenty of other charming features," added Aramis with a grin as he lightly patted D'Artagnan's leg, allowing the blinded musketeer to know where he was.

"Hope you're hungry kid," stated Porthos as he rummaged through their supplies to find his water skin, knowing the younger man was likely thirsty after being asleep for so long. "Don't think it'll be long 'till dinner."

If anything D'Artagnan seemed to pale further at the mention of food and the Gascon weakly shook his head.

Concern flooded Athos's features as he lightly squeezed his youngest brother's hand, "D'Artagnan you need to eat something."

"...N't… hung'y," groaned D'Artagnan weakly, the very thought of food making the younger musketeer extremely nauseous let alone how humiliating it was to have his brother feed him as if he was a child given his current state.

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Louis, surprising the Gascon who hadn't been aware the young monarch was even there. "You've barely eaten anything these last few days! How do you expect to recover if you don't eat?"

The inseparables, minus D'Artagnan, watched with a mixture of both amusement and respect as their typically self-centred king began to lecture their youngest about how terrible he was at taking care of himself.

"Hear that pup," grinned Porthos once the king finally paused for a breath, "You've been ordered by the king to eat, wouldn't want to disobey a direct order now would you?"

Torn between being amused at the strange turn of events and feeling a mixture of sympathy and understanding for his brother Aramis eventually let the latter win out as he placed a hand on his brother's ankle, squeezing it gently in an effort to reassure the boy. "I know you may not feel up to eating anything D'Artagnan and we're not expecting you to be able to stomach it all… All we're asking is that you try as much as you can. Alain has made a broth for you, it's bland enough that it shouldn't upset your stomach if you take it slow and hopefully you'll feel better with something warm in you… If you're feeling strong enough we can even put it in a cup so you can feed yourself."

D'Artagnan went silent as Aramis spoke and for a few moments the men were honestly beginning to think he had fallen asleep once more, but then the Gascon gave the smallest of nods, telling his brother's that he would, at the very least, try and that alone gave the inseparable hope for the recovery of their youngest.