Author's Note: Ok, here's chapter 1 guys. I expect lots of feedback...Thanks to Heather Hedani Cree for being my Beta. This is my last story for a while, I got a 'project' I gotta do. Meg
Edmund Stratton walked through the courtyard and sparring musketeers. He was new to the musketeers and little was known about him. He kept to himself and his only friend was Gerard d'Artagnan, another new musketeer, but everyone knew who he was. He was the grandson of the famous d'Artagnan. Edmund was a year older than Gerard was but they became fast friends. He accepted Edmund's discretion about his past and did not ask questions. Instead, Gerard talked mostly about his family, especially his younger sister, Eliza. He heard about nothing else but Eliza. He felt as if he knew her though they had never met. She was like the sister he never had. He sighed.
Gerard was on leave with his family and he was alone now. His own mother had died when he was four and his father recently. She had been French though his father was English. She had told him stories as a young boy about her friends, the musketeers. These stories had prompted his decision to leave his English home and come to France when his father passed. His father had kept most things surrounding his birth a secret. For his protection, he was not told. On his father's deathbed, he revealed to Edmund that he would do great things through his mother's lineage. Edmund was told to seek out the musketeer friends his mother had told him about and Edmund had done just that. Through Gerard, he discovered the musketeers he needed now lived in Italy. A town near the French border. With his friend gone, he saw this as an opportunity to take leave and visit them. Edmund cleared his mind as he neared Captain Duval's office.
"Ah, Private Stratton. What may I do for you?" Duval asked cheerfully. The captain was not normally cheerful unless…Sure enough on the table sat a basket, a basket of fresh fruit and vegetables from the d'Artagnan estate. Viscomptess Jacqueline d'Artagnan was famous for her gardens that she tended herself.
"I wanted to request my leave, sir," Edmund stated.
Duval studied him before answering. "How long and to where?" the captain asked him, as was the standard procedure.
"Italy, a fortnight sir," he told him. The veteran musketeer nodded and Edmund started to leave.
"I expect you back and fit for duty, understood private?" Duval said seriously.
"Yes sir. I will be." Edmund thanked him and then left.
Edmund sat on his horse, wading through the marketplace crowds. He was getting some supplies for his journey. He bought a loaf of bread and a block of cheese to eat as the towns were few and far between. He was looking at the different stalls trying to decide if he had everything when he noticed six of the baron's guards sneak down an abandoned alley and disappear. I wonder what they are up to, Edmund thought as he followed.
The musketeers kept a close eye on the baron's guards, because they liked to cause trouble. It was rumored the older members once served under Cardinal Mazarin many years ago. Regardless, the men were rude and spiteful. Edmund got off his horse, left it, and walked the rest of the way, not wanting them to know he was there. He arrived in time to hear the captain addressing someone.
"Mademoiselle d'Artagnan…" Eliza! Edmund's head spun. The guards were bold to dare mess with a lady of such position and lineage. Edmund's attention was caught by the captain's last statement.
"You are under arrest by order of Baron Lapel." Eliza stood unarmed facing them. Her dark curls frosted her face; her beautiful blue eyes looked angry and determined. This did not look like a 'girl,' but a woman. Gerard had always described her as 'young, girlish, impulsive', impulsive maybe, but not girlish. Edmund pulled out his rapier. He would not let them take her, Gerard's sister, his sister.
"Captain, surely this is no way to treat such a lady." The guards turned toward him. Eliza wasted no time in grabbing her rapier back. She gave him no glance just struck the nearest guard. Edmund set to work quickly disabling the guard nearest to him. Eliza grabbed the rapier of the guard he had struck and was now fighting two back to back. Edmund worked the captain and two remaining guards. He ducked and rolled, disabling two with hardly any effort. Finally, it was just him and the captain.
"Stay out of this musketeer! This is none of your concern!" The captain sneered at him.
"And let you arrest a lady for no reason?" he retorted and attacked. The captain ducked and counterattacked. The musketeer forced him back and the man grew desperate, his footwork grew sloppy until finally Edmund was able to send the captain's rapier flying and right into his own hand. The musketeer brought his rapier up and hit him over the head. He turned to watch Eliza, tempted to help, but knowing from Gerard's talk of her, it was best not to. She was as good as any musketeer, although it was hardly surprising considering her mother, father and grandfather. Eliza fought well, even in her green velvet dress. She ducked a blade and then rolled on the ground, flipping up to attack the remaining guard. The guard was surprised and fell instantly.
"Mademoiselle, we should leave here," Edmund said. Eliza looked at him, noticing him for the first time. She followed without replying until they reached his horse.
"Mademoiselle, I will give you escort to wherever you wish. The garrison or…" Eliza held up her hand cutting him off.
"Take me to the warm springs. It is isolated and that will be safest for now."
Edmund nodded and helped her up before joining her. He knew the place. Gerard had showed him after they had become friends. The musketeer was determined to see her to safety, after all Gerard had done for him, and he took her as his burden for the time being.