Athos rubbed the back of his neck as he paced between the empty cattle stalls and the dusty, chicken roosts. A barn owl hooted and fluttered its wings and sent dust and feathers to the floor. The moonlight cast long beams through the windows and highlighted the old straw and dirt below. The shadows would darken as the clouds moved and blocked the light and then, just as suddenly, the light would reappear. A mouse ran across a stall wall. It stopped, looked left and then right, and then suddenly dashed into the feeder and disappeared from view.
Athos' feeling of unease continued, and he looked up as Porthos, Aramis, Marc and Levi entered the barn. Levi took a seat on a barrel, tapped his heels against the rounded sides, and waited, while Porthos crossed his arms over his chest and stood tall next to the door. The moon's light outlined his imposing frame. Aramis leaned against a support beam, and Marc looked up at the owl, that stared back at him.
"Captain?" Marc said.
Athos paused his pacing and looked toward them. "I found the evidence needed to move forward with King Louis' request, but," he paused and clenched his jaw, "I'm hesitant to proceed until I know what plans General Raboin has in place."
"Plans for what?" Levi asked. He looked at Athos and then the others.
Porthos shifted, cleared his throat and said, "Maybe Raboin wants 'is military to look weak — prove to the people that the king is inept."
"With seven other generals fully equipped and sufficiently organized," Marc said with a shake of his head. "The people won't see it like that."
"Maybe it's the supplies," Levi said. "If Raboin is supplying the Spanish with French supplies, then the cost falls on France, not Spain, and we all know Spain has been fighting for far too long to have the resources necessary to continue their aggression and maintain their hold on the Dutch Republic."
Athos nodded. He cupped his jaw and pinched at his chin. All of their suggestions were possibilities.
"If it's the supplies they're after, why here?" Aramis said. "If Spain really wanted to steal French weapons and food, why take it by land in smaller quantities, why not take it by sea — which would be much more efficient?"
"They're not takin' it," Porthos said, "we're assumin' Raboin is supplyin' it."
"Hell," Levi said, "it could be that the man has lost his mind — he wouldn't be the first one to do so." He shrugged and grasped the edge of the barrel between his thighs and leaned forward. "If he is mad, we could be here all night trying to figure out why he's doing what he's doing and never be able to figure it out." He cocked his head to the left and said, "Why do we need to know? If you have the proof needed, Athos, why not move forward with the king's request and…" he paused, "effectively remove him from power."
Athos rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes. He stood with the shadows of the barn behind him, and he felt the eyes of those around him. "He sent his wife and daughters away…" he muttered the words Constance had written and then looked at Porthos and then Aramis. "To invite his friends…"
"Athos?" Aramis said, concerned, and looked at Porthos.
"Captain?" Porthos said, and shifted his feet.
"That's why all the maps…" Athos frowned, tilted his head, and then exhaled slowly. "Shit," he said and closed his eyes with a groan and rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Shit," he muttered again. "It's not about supplies — it's about Paris," he said and raised his right hand in recognition. "Paris is a direct path from here and given the locations of Generals Thorell and Vires, it would take them days, if not weeks, to organize their men and move them to this location." He clenched his jaw, flared his nostrils, and looked at Porthos and then Aramis. "Raboin has deliberately weakened his military to allow the Spanish to cross into French territory… he's creating a gateway for the Spanish to reach Paris."
"The Spanish requested a cease fire —" Marc said and looked at Athos as he walked to the doors. "Why stop when they could have pursued us," he shrugged, "and possibly won?"
"They're regrouping — they didn't expect us to destroy their cannons — which has bought us some time. I need two of your best horsemen," he looked at Porthos and Levi, "Levi send one rider to Lens and deliver a message to the Prince of Orange. Porthos, send someone to ride south and deliver a message to General Thorell — I want men with experience and who can ride." He paused at the doors and turned toward his men. "They cannot travel on the main roads and I want them to depart at night."
"Captain," Levi said, "How will our man get close enough to Prince Henry to deliver a message? Even if it's just to one of his advisors —"
Athos paused and then removed the dagger from his belt that the Prince of Orange had given him. He hefted it in his palm and handed it to Levi. "Prince Henry said his men would recognize this dagger. Whichever rider you choose, make sure he has the fortitude to go before the Prince and inform him of the situation." He looked at Porthos. "Your best men." He turned and walked toward the tent he was using temporarily and said over his shoulder, "I'll have letters written shortly. Have your men ready to ride."
Levi nodded, looked at Porthos and then jogged toward his company.
Porthos rubbed his neck and looked at Aramis and then at Marc. "If this is what Raboin 'as planned — we need supplies — we're low on ammunition an' what Josse brought back isn't enough." He exhaled slowly and then walked toward his company to find his best rider. "We'll be the only ones standin' between the oncomin' Spanish and Paris."
Aramis nodded and walked with Marc toward Athos' temporary tent.
"We should have…" Marc paused and then lowered his voice, "removed him when we had the chance."
Aramis chuckled and said, "And when would that have been? There is a reason he's hidden himself within that chateau. This is a general who is known to fight with his men… And," he paused for a long moment before he finally said, "if we had — the plans were already in place. At least now we have an idea of what is happening."
"How are we going to fight the Spanish army if — when they arrive? We don't have the manpower — I've been a Musketeer long enough to know, Aramis, that without supplies… and men," Marc shook his head, "we're fighting an uphill battle."
"If God can lead Gideon to battle with a handful of men, we can trust in Him to help us protect Paris."
Marc inhaled deeply and then pushed back the tent flap and found Athos standing behind his desk and sealing a letter with hot wax. He looked up, but quickly resumed his task.
"What about notifying the king and Treville?" Aramis said as he followed Marc inside. "They should know to fortify the city's gates should they get past us."
"I advised Treville to place extra guards at the palace in the letter I sent him… Call it," he shrugged, "a gut feeling. He will — out of caution — fortify the city gates. I was slow at putting the pieces together."
Marc huffed.. "What pieces, Captain?" he said and crossed his arms over his chest. "I have yet to see or understand how you've come to the conclusion you have."
Athos looked at them both and watched the tent flap open and Porthos enter, followed quickly by Levi.
"Musketeers Mathew and James are ready to ride," Porthos said. "Both have years —"
"I know who they are, Porthos," Athos said, and quickly finished writing his letter to the Prince of Orange. "And they're excellent choices." He tapped the end of his quill, wrote on the outside of the letter, and then carefully placed a piece of paper over the ink to dry it. He turned the letter over and then poured wax and sealed it with a stamp of the Musketeer's fleur-de-lis.
Athos stood, handed a letter to Porthos and one to Levi. "After they've departed, I need to find out who in your regiments would be willing to travel with me to the Ramus bridge." He looked hard at his men, friends, brothers, and said, "I want only volunteers."
"What's the mission?" Porthos asked.
"We're getting our supplies back."
Coming next: S3E9 Brotherhood & Devotion