Ramon had fallen asleep on Jacqueline's lap. His thumb slipped from his mouth and the overgrown jacket he had clung to now lay limp in his lap. Jacqueline looked at the toddler with a smile.
"Are we there yet?" The now little D'Artagnan broke into her thoughts.
"Does it look like we're there yet?" Even as a child, he still grated on her nerves.
"Judging from the time it took to come out and the time we've taken traveling back, we still have about a half hour left." Even as a child, Siroc still had a sharp mind.
"Well, we need that time. What are we going to do about you three?" Jacqueline was worried. "Captain Duvall won't take kindly to three children in the garrison."
"Hey, I resent that!" D'Artagnan yelled loudly.
"Like it or not, you are about the same size as your sword. I wouldn't take offense to being called a child if I were you, or you could end up in a lot of trouble," Jacqueline retorted. D'Artagnan just let out an exasperated sigh and leaned back in the saddle.
"I can try working on some sort of antidote, but if that guy did use some sort of sorcery on us, we may just have to wait it out," Siroc reasoned.
"I agree. I can't make heads or tails of what he was chanting. It certainly seemed like a spell to me. Though why he would make you children, that makes no sense either," Jacqueline mused.
"Why are we running away anyway? Don't we want to catch this sorcerer?" D'Artagnan asked the others.
"We are not running away. We are searching for a solution to our problem. Maybe you could offer some input, rather then whining all the time," Siroc jeered at the other child.
"I'm not whining. I just think that if we find the man, he can tell us what to do to return us to normal."
"Why would he tell us if he was the one to turn you into kids in the first place?" Jacqueline reasoned with him. All she really wanted was some peace and quiet to figure out what to tell Captain Duvall.
All too soon, the musketeer garrison stood out in front of them. Jacqueline heaved a big sigh and entered the stables, followed closely by a still whining D'Artagnan and a pensive Siroc.
"Laponte, you're back earlier than expected. Where are the others? And who are these children?" Captain Duvall greeted the band of companions.
Jacqueline hadn't been able to come up with a plausible excuse, so she decided to stick with the truth. "We were on patrol and we found a man unconscious on the ground. When he woke up, he said some really odd things, then suddenly D'Artagnan, Ramon, and Siroc started to shrink. These children are them now," she explained as she got off her horse, careful not to jolt the sleeping Ramon.
"Children! Now we have children in the garrison? This is unbelievable!" Duvall wasn't pleased with this turn of events. Jacqueline felt it wise not to point out that he had played host to his own niece and nephew for a short period of time in the garrison.
"Captain, I swear I'll watch over them. D'Artagnan and Siroc are really capable of taking care of themselves; I'll just keep an eye on them. I swear, you won't even realize they're here." Jacqueline hoped she could calm the hysterical captain down.
"You promise? I'm leaving them totally in your care. Private Laponte, you get them back to normal, or you will be covering for all three of them."
"Yes sir," Jacqueline breathed a sigh of relief. 'Well, one thing down.' She thought. "Now, you two, you need to see to your horses."
"Ahh, why Jacqueli - Jacques?" D'Artagnan caught himself.
"Because even if you are children, that doesn't mean you can blow off your duties." Jacqueline looked down on him with her hands on her hips.
"Jacques, can you help me get my saddle off?" Siroc beckoned her over to his horse's stall.
"Sure, I'd be happy to help you Siroc."
"Mama! Mama!" Jacqueline turned to Ramon, who she had laid on the hay as she spoke with Duvall.
"Ramon, you can't keep calling me mama. Even if people knew I was a woman, it still isn't right. At least call me papa, if you must." The toddler just gave her a blank stare.
"Hungwy mama." He looked at her with pleading eyes.
"Yeah, I'm hungry too." D'Artagnan came over from the horse stall, clutching his stomach in melodramatic pain.
"I'd like to eat now as well." Siroc looked at her sheepishly, as though he wasn't allowed to make demands like that.
"You want dinner? I'll see what Captain Duvall has in the kitchen. In the mean time, you two take Ramon out and wash up. And I'll be inspecting hands when you come back, so don't try to sneak past me," Jacqueline warned. D'Artagnan gave her a scowl, but obediently took Ramon's right hand as Siroc took his left and walked out to wash their hands.
That night, Jacqueline stared up at her ceiling in near exhaustion. Running after D'Artagnan and Siroc was more than she bargained for. And then there was Ramon. Who knew two-year-olds had so much energy? "Let's just hope tomorrow will be a better day," she muttered into the darkness and slipped into sleep.