Chapter 5 Hell And Back
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Aramis took a deep breath trying in vain to calm down and relieve the pain. His chest felt constricted, and his heart felt like a hard rock, but unlike a normal rock, this one felt with every pump a stab of pain. Aramis was in his cell, and it was one of those days the guards decided to be especially cruel. They had left his chains off and the door to the cell wide open. Every Time they did this they would say you may leave if you chose but if you do so your agreement with the King will be null and void. He wanted to run, run and never stop, never look back, but he could not. For the sack of everything he was and is he could not. He was a Musketeer Damn it, and Musketeers do not run when they need to stand and fight. Though this particular fight was not won by fists, guns, or swords, but by sheer will power. And he prayed to the God above to give him that strength.
The Abbey
Sr. Chiara sat out in the middle of the Abbey's flower garden by the statue of St. Clare of Assisi the saint Mother Abbis had named her after. She asked the Saint to intercede with God to help Aramis and those he loves to find some sort of peace.
As she sat there, a postulant came up to her and said, "Sorry to disturb you sister but there is a Musketeer here to see you. Should I send him here?"
"Yes, thank you, sister."
The man who walked into the garden was most certainly a musketeer. Not because of the uniform but the way he walked. Like a soldier but slightly more he was not overly posh like some soldiers she had met. He held himself like a high born but not, and there was an air of sadness about him that seemed to radiate in waves from him. The musketeer was the captain she saw as he got closer noticing the marking on his uniform and she saw his ginger brown hair near shoulder length with a scruffy beard. When she saw his eye, she knew who this Musketeer was those piercing, calculating, loving lonely eyes, only belonged to one man Aramis had described.
"Hello, Athos, I am Sister Chiara."
The Queen's Private Chambers
Anne sat on the floor playing with her son; he had grown so much in these past years. It brought her pain and sorrow mixed with joy and love every time he would do something new or say something sweet and cheeky so much like his father. Her heart ached at the not knowing, at the not hoping, at the trying not to hope, at the hoping, at the fear of it all, and at the realisation that she may never be whole again.
Louie, Louie was an another matter entirely. He had been her best friend and closest confidant for years. On the one hand, she would never forgive him for what ever he had done to Aramis. And yet she could not completely blame him for it had not been he who had broken his vow and ended up with a love child. However, he too had made love with another woman, but because he was a man and a king, there was no fault in this only in hers. But, unfortunately, she lived in a world controlled by man.
Anne shook her head slightly in an effort, to clear her thoughts Athos had left for the Addey, and so there was nothing else left to do but wait, pray, and hope.
"Mommy look I a knight."
The Abbey
Athos blinked in surprise. At the young woman before him. She was dressed in a simple brown habit and dress with a high cream collar that covered any sign of her hair and a cream waist apron. Her eyes were a green, brown hazel and pale skin but they way she held herself was like an echo of her previous life most likely of some noble birth.
"How, do you know who I am?" he asked.
Smiling sadly she said, "His description of you."
"Wait, he, he who?" Athos asked confused for he was not sure of who she meant and he was not about to hope that she meant Aramis it had been years.
"Come sit, and I will tell you everything I can about him." She said, still avoiding the name of this mystery man and so Athos sat down next to the sister. "Please, just listen before you do anything because the situation is much more complicated than you may realise."
Athos nodded. And so she began but in the most peculiar way, " Your duty is to King and Country the question is which one comes first." And as she spoke Athos' already shattered heart tore into a thousand more tiny pieces. She told Aramis story from his impossible choice to his scarred back, to the temptations the guards would give him, and finally his sheer loneliness. Finishing she said, "We need a plane one that would not result in the exile of the Queen. You must leave with the supplies and tell the Queen what you have learned. You have two weeks. Don't be late I don't think Aramis can hold on much longer."
Blinking back tears Athos asked hoarsely, " How."
"Well, you could start by giving these two letters to the Queen. One is for she the other is for my father."
Athos looked down at the two letters one said
Her Majesty Queen Anne of France
The other
Prince du Sang François iii
Athos blinked at the second name in utter astonishment she was a direct descendant of King Louie. She may have given up her title, but that did not mean she did not still have some power, power that they just might be able to use.