Chapter 20: Sometimes, It's Head over Heart

Athos followed Cosette around everywhere, especially to the Louvre where the Cardinal was. He heard shouting from the other side, no doubt D'Artagnan enraged. Within the minutes, Cosette stormed out of the Cardinal's office, unaware of the man following her. Cosette walked away in anger. She knew deep down that the Cardinal had no interest in a Gascon farm girl. He tried recruiting her but to no avail. All Cosette cared about right now was vengeance.

Athos meanwhile followed her into the Bastille, Cosette angrily spreading that Lebarge maniac with her sword fighting. Athos luckily came in time.

"Let him go," Athos snapped.

Lebarge had that murderous look in his eye as he grabbed D'Artagnan by her arm twisted behind her back. As soon as Lebarge released her, Athos pushed D'Artagnan behind him and then pushed her out the door as they rushed out in the rain. Athos had never been more infuriated with D'Artagnan before in his entire life. She acted without thinking and now, it nearly got her killed. Athos looked at Cosette, disappointingly.

"What did I tell you about thinking before you act," said Athos. The rain fell on their heads as they waited for the guards stained to leave.

"What did I tell you about thinking before you act?" Athos reprimanded her.

"I couldn't help it. I'm not like you, Athos."

" You are. More than you know. Come on. Get some rest. We'll train tomorrow. And D'Artagnan if you do anything this stupid again, I will chain you up to the Garrison staircase myself."

"I'm not a child, Athos," Cosette snapped.

"I know you aren't so stop acting like one," Athos said. Cosette rolled her eyes as they parted ways

The next morning, Cosette was present at the garrison. She and Athos met back up at the training ground but Cosette could feel the disappointment he had in her due to her actions from last night. Because he was in charge of her, Athos had been her patron ever since the beginning to when her apprenticeship would be over.

As they trained, Cosette found every word quite annoying.

"Every taunt is an attempt to distract you, to discover your vulnerabilities and exploit them. Last night, you let your hatred of Lebarge overcome your judgment. Your trip to the Bastille was a childish mistake. I thought you had brains, but clearly not."

Cosette, when she finally caught her breath.

"I know what you're doing."

"That kind of stupidity is exactly why you're not ready to be a Musketeer."

"You don't mean that?"

"Of course not," Athos replied. As they fought, he brought her down to her knees and had a sword pressed against her shoulder, "but unfortunately... you're now dead."

Cosette, annoyed, took her sword and shoved the blade off her shoulder and they sparred again.

The next morning, Cosette was walking out of the Bonacieuxs' house heading to the Garrison when she saw that Anne was right in front of her. Honestly, Cosette was surprised to see Milady there,

At first, there was no words between them until Milady showed her a bag.

"I believe this is something you need," said Milady. She threw it towards the young lady, who caught it in her right hand. "30 livres. Is that right?"

Cosette looked at the coins and saw they were all accounted for

"How did you know?" Cosette asked.

"I've taken an interest in you, Cosette, and it's plausible that women like you and me stay together."

"What's the catch?"

"Well, how suspicious you've grown since coming to Paris!" Milady said with a smile. "There is no catch. I simply want you to compete."

"I'll accept it - as a loan. I'll pay you back when I win," said Cosette.

"Hm, still modest, I see," Milady said. "Good luck."

Cosette kept her money and thoughts to herself. Constance watched with annoyance as Milady passed by before looking at Cosette.

"What did she want?" Constance asked. Cosette smiled and showed her best friend the money Anne gave her.

"She just gave me the money so I can compete."

You shouldn't have taken it."

"Don't worry. I can handle her."

"Are you sure about that?"

"There's no need to be protective," said Cosette.

"There's no need to be an idiot," Constance retorted.

"Who else is just going to walk up and hand me 30 livres?" asked Cosette. Constance remained silent for a few minutes before answering, "No-one."

However, unknown to her, Constance was holding the thirty livre she gained by selling hers and her husband's plates for Cosette. And now, the young woman felt like she wasted her time for nothing.

At the Garrison, Cosette, Athos and Porthos had turn in their thirty-livre entry fee. Aramis entered the garrison, bidding farewell to his patroness. Honestly, how could one man seduce every woman in Paris.

"Entry fee?" asked Porthos.

"I've earned it, believe me," said Aramis. He turned in his fee and looked at Cosette.

"How did you raise the money?" Porthos asked.

"Found a patron of my own," Cosette answered.

"Oh? Wealthy widow?" asked Aramis.

"Not as far as I know," said Cosette with a shrug. Aramis joined them in preparing their muskets as the first task of seeing who would represent the Musketeers. Treville told them to fire when ready. Being the better of the four of them, Aramis shot one right in the center of the target. Cosette was the closest to the center than Athos and Porthos. It was just good luck for her.

Next, Cosette cringed a while every time she saw Porthos flipping his opponent, Bauer, over and over again. She leaned up against the pole right next to Athos. Honestly, according to Aramis, Bauer was not even trying. Aramis and Cosette were the next to fight each other off next.

"Remember, head over heart," Athos muttered to her. He hoped to give her one last lesson before she began. "Treville will be assessing your attitude as well as your skill.

Cosette nodded one last time. Athos stepped aside as both Aramis and Cosette began to fight with their rapiers and daggers. They saluted each other with their rapiers before going at each other. Cosette let her head over her heart like Athos had told her to. She calmed down as she fought Aramis. Both her confidence and happiness were slowly returning to her. When she and Aramis were done, Cosette was glad to finally be able to breathe. Aramis hmphed and nodded in acceptance. Girl had fight in her, that was for sure. Cosette looked at Athos with her eyes glowing filled with her basically saying, "how was that?" Athos, for the first time since those three days training Cosette d'Artagnan, smirked and nodded in approval.

And he couldn't be prouder of her than he already was.

Cosette came down for breakfast where she and Constance said nothing to each other until it could no longer remain awkward for them.

"Well, um, I should go," said Cosette. "Captain Treville is choosing his champion this morning."

"Of course," said Constance. "Good luck"

Cosette was thankful for Constance's gesture. She nodded and stepped out the door. A few moments later, Constance came running out of the house when she saw Cosette was a mere ten feet away from her.

"Cosette!" shouted Constance. Said young woman stopped and looked at her best friend. "You're right. I... I don't mean to be protective, it's just I don't trust that woman. Of course, you, have to take her money, I have kept your secret this long and I'm willing to protect you at all costs, even if it means from Milady."

Cosette smiled and grasped her best friend's hand.

"You have been the best friend a girl could ask for," said Cosette. "A best friend I couldn't be happier for in my entire life. Look... I'm going to win this competition. Everything will work out for me. For both of us, sister. "

Constance smiled. She gave her best friend a hug and wished her good luck. Cosette smiled and departed. However, unknown to the two women, Monsieur Bonacieux was hearing them nearby.

And to his surprise through their conversation, d'Artagnan, the person who had been lodging at their house, was a girl pretending to be a woman.

He heard Constance enter their house as he looked out the window. Now, it was a good time more than any time then to get rid of that woman who had been lodging at heir house.

"You should have told me who she was when she first came to our doorstep," said Bonacieux. Constance at first, had no idea who he was talking about. Actually, she was quite surprised to see him standing there. Bonacieux cleared it out for Constance. "You knew d'Artagnan was a woman."

Constance figured out he had been watching them from the distance when she was wishing Cosette good luck.

"Yes," Constance answered. "But it's a complication, Jacques."

"Complication? It was a betrayal. You should have kicked her out into the streets when you knew what she was," Bonacieux hissed.

"I couldn't..."

"You could have. Let me ask you this, Constance. Was I ever cruel to you? Did I beat you?"

"You were never cruel... and I wasn't unhappy. At least...I didn't know I was."

"Until d'Artagnan came here. I order you to break with her immediately. End your friendship, or d'Artagnan will be discovered within a week."

"What are you talking about?" Constance asked.

"I have powerful friends now. That new client I was talking about? It's the Cardinal. And, believe me, he would not take to kindly to a woman rising in the ranks and causing chaos in France. "

"No, you're bluffing."

"Give her up, or I give her up to the cardinal. It's your choice. Break off your friendship with Mademoiselle d'Artagnan" he had threatened her, "or I go straight to the Cardinal and tell him about her. You break her heart so thoroughly, that she will never look at you again. If she is discovered one day, you will be far away from her as possible."

Constance stood there, unsure what to do next.

Meanwhile, at the Garrison, Cosette stood there nervously, waiting for Treville to say which Musketeer would represent the regiment. Unknown to her, Athos had been silently hoping Treville would choose Cosette. Despite her reckless decision to go after Lebarge, he saw deep down she was indeed ready for whatever was to come. She was ready.

However, Treville announced that he was taking the fight for himself. Cosette's shoulders sagged with disappointment. She knew her hopes were too good to be true. Athos as well was equally as disappointed as Cosette was. He trained her hard for this. Cosette was ready to be a Musketeer. It really should have been her who was chosen. She could have won this thing and proved herself in front of King Louis. Athos looked to his side and saw that Cosette was already gone. Aramis had attempted to stop her from leaving.

"You know, I was sure that Treville was going to pick d'Artagnan," Aramis admitted to Athos and Porthos. "I was sure that he looked like he was considering it."

"I guess the kid's got to find another fight," Porthos said. He watched Cosette's figure getting smaller and smaller as she left for home. Athos shook his head.

"D'Artagnan should have been chosen," Athos said. Porthos and Aramis looked at their brother. "He was ready. Apart from her stupid decision to go after Lebarge in the first place."

"Treville did not seem to think so," Aramis said.

Athos shook his head in anger. He went all the way up into Treville's office. Porthos and Aramis looked at each other.

"Something tells me this isn't going to end pretty," Porthos whispered as Athos went into Treville's office.