Chapter 7
Thanks for reading this story.
New Chapter, read, enjoy and review.
She had been beaten before. It was not the first time that she had earned a swollen eyes or a bruised body. It was all consequences of being a musketeer, a soldier. This all came with the life. She knew it. As long as she had remember, long before becoming a musketeer, she was accustomed to the occasional beating. But Montoya had been a cruel men. He had taken pleasure in slapping her around. She'd seen it. He had taken pleasure in showing her Salvador's body. It was not just the physical abuse, it was also the psychological abuse. For a split moment she had lost all hope that her friends would come to her rescue. But they came.
Emma had spent the last few weeks recovering. The bruises had faded but she could still see the face of Salvador. Rotten by death and filled with worms. She wanted to forget it. She wanted to remember him the way he was before that. But all she could see was the face of a rotten corpse.
She wasn't the only one. Milady was also leaving in fear of Montoya. The Countess had wanted to send Kitty to Bordeaux but Emma had advised her against it. Many things could happen on the road. Montoya might be waiting for them on the outskirt of the city. Kitty was safer with them. Moreover, Catherine had lent them the services of Planchet for as long as she needed.
For now, life was following its normal course.
Unfortunately, Paris never really remained quiet and peaceful. Under Governor Feron and his Red Guards, Paris was a dangerous city to live in. Not a day went by without something going awry. Especially, since the Musketeers had come back from the front.
On this particular day, prisoners had broken out of their cells. The Red Guards were sent to contain them but unfortunately, they couldn't do it without the help of the Musketeers. Most of the prisoners had been caught but some of them had escaped still.
"How many prisoners have escaped into the streets, Marcheaux?" Porthos asked him.
"There's no way of telling. Why don't you go and find out?" Marcheaux retorted.
"Captain Marcheaux, if my men and I pursue those unaccounted for—" Athos started. "I trust this won't descend into street theatre."
"Don't bring them back before midday." Marcheaux ordered them.
"Is he—?" Emma squinted her eyes at the Captain of the Red Guards.
"It's chaos inside. It will take time to regain control." Marcheaux continued.
"What are we supposed to do with them until then?" Aramis asked him.
"You have a garrison." Marcheaux smirked them. "Use it. The Red Guard are busy."
"Captain?" Aramis looked to Athos.
"Fine."
The prisoners had invested the streets wreaking havoc in their wake. Stealing what they could and terrorizing the people. The musketeers and the few red guard that came along were quick to contain them. But unfortunately, not all of them were accounted for. They had a long day ahead of them.
"Warn Constance there will be more." Athos ordered Aramis. "They're heading for the refugee camp." Aramis left to find Constance.
When they arrived at the refugee camp, women were screaming, people were running. Emma rushed past them followed by Athos and D'Artagnan. Porthos were on the bridge over their heads. She climbed the stairs to Sylvie's home. As soon as she stepped in, Emma could feel the tension. There was a man standing right behind Sylvie, too close for Emma's liking.
"Who are you?" Sylvie asked her. Emma decided to play along. "What do you want? You have no business with us her, Musketeers. Now, get out."
"Four men came this way, escaped prisoners." D'Artagnan said. Emma looked around her. She saw two other men standing in a dark corner in the room. Athos stepped forward.
"You are the only strangers in here." Sylvie answered. Athos turned to them. Porthos, D'Artagnan and Emma glanced at each other. And took a step back.
Athos took her chin briefly. "You better come with me. Now!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from her captors.
The prisoners immediately fought back and sprang onto the musketeers. Emma punched the one that came to her. He grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall. She ducked as his fist came to her face, she punched him in the stomach and he stumbled back. She grabbed his head and kneed him in the face. Knocking him out.
"Still peddling sedition." Porthos waved the manifest panting.
"There's nothing written on there that any of us are ashamed of." Sylvie retorted.
"That have nothing to do with what happened at the Chatelet." Emma told him.
"How can you be sure?" Porthos countered. "We both know that there's a lot more to this—"
"You have my word." Emma promised him.
"Let's take the prisoners back to the Chatelet." Athos said.
"Move." Porthos turned to the prisoners.
He and D'Artagnan gripped the prisoners by the shoulders and pushed them out. Emma followed.
"Emma, what will happen to those men?" Sylvie asked following her.
"This is not for me to decide." Emma answered.
"You sound like a Red Guard." Sylvie scoffed. "I always thought you believed no man to be above any other. You grew up hungry and poor just like the rest of them."
"I didn't forget." Emma replied.
"Most of the men you're chasing aren't dangerous, but desperate." Sylvie told her.
"The desperate become dangerous."
"Governor Feron makes cellmates of the innocent and the guilty."
"And there is nothing I can do." Emma turned around and walked away from her.
Emma could do nothing against Feron. The Governor was the King's brother, he was untouchable. He could do whatever he wanted, unpunished. She tried to right the wrongs but even that was a difficult task. It was not for lack of trying. But the people were distrustful of the authorities. The Red Guards had treated them poorly and they expected the King's Musketeers to do the same.
"There's another one." D'Artagnan called as he took off after the prisoner.
"Need help?" Athos asked him.
"No, I'll deal with it." He retorted.
"I'll be at the garrison." Athos called after him.
The garrison was usually empty but today it was full of prisoners. She and Porthos were counting them, making sure that they had all of them. While Brujon and Deauville were providing food and water to the prisoners. D'Artagnan had came back to the garrison without his prisoner.
"Why did you let him go?" Porthos asked him.
"I couldn't send him back to the Chatelet. He's not a well man." D'Artagnan answered. Porthos hummed. "I felt for him. You weren't at the siege of Salas, Porthos."
"Salas?" Emma glanced up at them.
"What happened?" Brujon asked.
"The Spanish had that town surrounded for almost a year." Porthos answered.
"And the people defending it were driven to eating dogs, rats—"
"And each other." Emma looked down. D'Artagnan and Porthos looked down at her.
"If the rumors were true. And that's enough to make any man mad." Porthos said to Brujon.
"I'd rather have starved." Brujon said disgusted.
"Well, you don't know what you're talking about. Do you?" Porthos turned to D'Artagnan. "Hey. You did the right thing." Emma nodded and patted his shoulder.
"The midday bell!" The red guards called as they walked in the garrison. "The Chatelet is secure now. Captain Marcheaux has ordered us to escort the prisoners back."
"It's about time." Porthos retorted. "Brujon. Deauville." Porthos called the two cadets. "In case you need any more of our help. Good day." He whistled whilst the Red Guards move to the prisoners to move them out of the garrison.
"We've been played for fools." Aramis rushed to them. "Quickly, we need to find Athos. They're stealing the King's gold from under the Chatelet."
They found Athos in his office and with him they left for the Chatelet. The prisoners' escape was a distraction. All of it for the King's gold. It was chaos in the streets, people had feared for their lives. And it was all for the King's gold. She did not know who organized this heist but somehow she suspected that the Red Guards had played a part in this. And unfortunately, the Musketeers had to, without their knowledge.
"Open the doors!" Athos ordered as they climbed down their horses. "The King's gold reserves are under attack!"
"No one in or out." Porthos ordered the guards.
Pistols in their hands, ready for a fight, the musketeers entered the Chatelet. They went down to the bottom cells, the last one. Porthos ordered the guard to lock the door behind them. They walked further into the room. Aramis checked a pile of box that led to a hole on a ceiling. Emma followed Athos inside the room ahead of them. Victor was on the floor. Unconscious. Emma and Athos went to check on him. Aramis crouched down next to Athos.
"It's an escape route." He said in a whisper.
"Sit him up." Athos ordered them. D'Artagnan and Aramis moved him and sat him up against one of the walls.
"Psst." Porthos called to them.
They all turned to him. He was looking at a door. The door slammed opened a group of men rushed to them to attack the musketeers. Swords clashed as the musketeers fought back their opponents. Emma had thrown her elbow in the face of her opponent and clashed her sword with another. A man came out of the shadows and fled through the escape route. Aramis was the first one to follow the man. Emma took off after him.
They both rushed after him. The prisoners were being led back to their cells. It slowed them down.
"Secure the Chatelet." Aramis ordered the Red Guards.
As they turned the corner, the door was being closed by a Red Guard. "Aramis," Emma called him picking up a dark cloak. Aramis took the cloak, rolled it into a ball and threw it in anger.
They had lost him. He had escaped.
They went back to their comrades.
"No?" Athos turned to them.
"Gone." Aramis answered as Emma shook her head.
"You're telling me a lunatic is going to reveal who's behind all of this?" Athos asked D'Artagnan.
"Yes." He answered.
"Borel? Thinks he's the King." Victor said from his cell.
"Why? You know him?" D'Artagnan asked him.
"We shared a cell." Victor nodded. "Be careful with him. He seems harmless, but he's not. He murdered a jailor in front of my eyes."
They turned around and walked away. "The nuns."
Borel had killed the nuns. And since, he thought himself to be the King. The Musketeers went to the Louvres where the King had organized a party for the Dauphin's birthday. Borel would be found there.
"The King is determined the party will go ahead." Minister Tréville informed them. "We need to find this man quickly and quietly."
"Captain Marcheaux, have your men search the palace and the grounds." Athos ordered the Captain of the Red Guard.
"This man, Borel, is dangerous?" Marcheaux asked.
"Yes."
"He wouldn't be at large. If you and your men had done a better job at the Chatelet." D'Artagnan spat at him.
"He's already killed three today. Perhaps more."
Whilst Aramis and D'Artagnan searched the grounds, Porthos, Athos and Emma, remained in the main hall, ensuring the King's safety. If Borel was to be here, he wouldn't be able to attack either the King, the Dauphin or the Queen.
"My son, I can barely believe it," The King started. "Has reached this most important of milestones in a young boy's life. His sixth birthday." The guests applauded. "Such an important day reminds us of the destiny of every firstborn son in the House of Bourbon. My boy will one day be your King. Your many tributes are touching. But you must show me that you love my son as I love him. And swear your loyalty. First, Philippe Feron, Governor of Paris." The King sat back down.
Governor Feron stepped forward. "I, Philippe Feron, pledge my loyalty to the boy with the purest blood in the whole of France."
He knelt down but with his condition, he fell on the floor instead. Athos and Tréville went to his aid as the Dauphin rushed to his uncle and offered him a hand. Emma had never felt any sympathy towards Feron. The man had a thorn on her side since the day he was named Governor. Conspiring against the King. Accusing the refugees. All he could do was hurt the people around him. But as she looked upon the King's face, all she could see his embarrassment and disgust towards his own brother. As if the Governor being sick rose no sympathy, no compassion. And in this moment, Emma felt a slither of sympathy towards the Governor. Of course, the man was a terrible man, a traitor but she could understand why. No one deserved to be treated in such a way. Not even Governor Feron.
A body had been found on the grounds. It was a certainty now, Borel was in the palace. They searched the palace in hopes of finding him before he did any more harm. Unfortunately, they had no such luck.
"What have we got?" Athos asked Porthos and Emma as they all met on the grounds.
"The Queen, she's not in her quarters." Porthos answered. "She's missing."
They heard talking in the distance. As they turned their heads, they saw the Queen being threatened by Borel. He was wearing fine clothes and wearing a wig. They all rushed to her rescue.
"If you have a shot, take it." Athos ordered Porthos.
They separated on the grounds, they were surrounding him. The discussion they were having—was getting clearer as they approached. Borel aimed his pistol at the Queen.
"Stop!" Aramis shouted.
"Even my Queen is against me." Borel shouted back.
"She's not the Queen. She's not the Queen!" Aramis continued. "She's an imposter."
Borel laughed. "You're trying to trick me."
"No. I swear it. She is." Emma was getting closer and pulled out her pistol.
"What? What? She's what?"
"She's mine."
"Now, I know you're lying. She must die." Borel said.
"No!" Aramis rushed to the Queen and pushed her away as Borel shot.
"D'Artagnan!" Athos yelled pulling out his sword.
"My comte." Borel turned to D'Artagnan. And D'Artagnan shot him.
"What is this?" The King asked as he came to meet his wife.
"Your Majesty, an intruder found his way into the palace." Athos explained from behind the King.
"He has been dispatched." Aramis continued.
"Get away from her." The King sneered. "Are you hurt? Summon a physician."
"I am unharmed." The Queen assured him. "Thanks to the Musketeers."
The King—as though not satisfied by this answer—turned around and walked away from the Queen. She had known for quite some time that their relationship had not been great these last few years. The King had grown bitter and now that Aramis was back—things had only gotten worse. The King did not trust Anne and most of all did not trust Aramis around her.
Emma sat in her chambers back at the Garrison. A desperate and sick man had been killed today. It made her feel as though she was fighting for the wrong people. Those who truly needed help did not trust them. And even then, they could not prioritize the people's interests over those of the King's. His would always come first. The people were starving and some of them turned to crime to feed themselves. Meanwhile the King was spending a large sum to throw a ridiculously large party for Dauphin's birthday. Money that could have been given to the people instead.
War had terrible consequences on the people, the soldiers. Borel was probably not the only one who had gone mad after the war. He was not the only one who had grown desperate and dangerous. There were many. And yet, there was nothing she could do. After all, they were the King's musketeers. Not the people's. And that would never change.