Author's Note: Many thanks to Heather my beta. Here's the ending to the last chapter's cliffie. R&R as usual. Meg
Eliza ran blindly through the forest towards the road. Tears ran down her face. She felt betrayed and hurt. She stumbled slightly as she heard Edmund call her.
"Eliza, wait!" She slowed a little as she struggled to catch her breath. "Eliza! Come back!" Edmund implored her. She searched around — not familiar with her surroundings. Where was she? Which direction was she going? She started running again not caring because she did not want Edmund to find her. She could not face him right now. Once she was sure she could not hear him, she stopped and sat near a tree to rest and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she saw several guards around her. Eliza managed a strangled scream before a hand covered her mouth and everything went dark.
Edmund ran through the forest, desperately trying to find her. She was fast when she did not want to be caught. He could no longer hear footsteps so he stopped and looked around. He was not sure which direction she had gone. Frustration burned in him. A feminine scream broke through the air and he rushed towards it. Fear coursed through him, but he was too late. He could see them carrying her unconscious form away. He started towards them and stopped. He had no rapier or gun and he was outnumbered.
"Where is the musketeer?" one of the guards asked. Edmund froze and made sure he was unseen.
"I only saw her," another guard replied.
The first guard sneered at the second one. "The baron wants them both alive and unharmed. Leave tracks. He will follow her." Edmund bit his lip as he watched helplessly as they took Eliza with them. He needed help to get to her. He needed the musketeers. A shiny object caught his eyes and he bent down to retrieve Eliza's necklace. He would save her; he had to. He made a solemn promise to himself. He put the necklace around his neck to protect it. He would give it back to her. He returned to the camp and packed up. He then tied Eliza's horse closer to the road and jumped onto his own, kicking it into a gallop and pushing its limits. Time was important now.
Eliza felt dizzy and everything was blurry as she came to. She heard voices distantly around her.
"He will come for her. We must be ready." Eliza blinked the blurring away to focus on the guards. She instantly felt with dismay her necklace was gone. She felt tears at the loss. She next noted that her hands and feet were tied and her mouth gagged.
"You better hope the musketeer pest comes for her. The baron will have your head if we do not bring them both back," the captain shouted at the guards. Eliza winced knowing what he meant. She felt her heart sink. Edmund would be hung because of her. She would only be detained for a few days and then released. She felt fresh tears fall down her face. She wanted Edmund right now, to tell him how she cared about him. She regretted running off so foolishly. This was all her fault.
Edmund hurriedly ran to the tavern that he had been directed to. He looked around and finally a table at the far corner caught his attention. Four men were seated enjoying a meal. Edmund rushed over to them out of breath, and the four men went silent as they stared at him. Porthos reacted first.
"May we help you, son?" Edmund nodded and sat down. He tried to speak to them but he was still struggling for air. Aramis watched him with concern and handed him a cup of water.
"Take your time," he told him calmly. Edmund took the cup and drank it down, gasping a few times before beginning.
"They took, Eliza! They have her!" He stopped as he started to gasp again. Aramis exchanged a look with Charles d'Artagnan.
"My granddaughter?" Charles asked him. Edmund, still unable to speak, lifted the necklace from his neck to show them.
Aramis saw it first and he stood up drawing his sword. "Who took her?"
Edmund stared up at the man curiously wondering why he seemed angrier than her grandfather did. "The baron's guards took her because she overheard them plotting to assassinate King Louis."
Athos, who had been quiet so far, spoke. "How did you get mixed up son?"
Edmund sighed. "I saw them trying to arrest her and helped and then she insisted on coming here to seek you out. I came as an escort." Edmund looked at the gravely. "I overheard them saying the baron wants us both alive."
Porthos looked at the other men then spoke to Edmund. "Take us to where you saw them."
Aramis put a hand on Edmund reassuringly. "We will find her and then speak with the king."
Edmund offered him a weak smile. "My horse is just outside."
The five men left the tavern and hurriedly grabbed their horses and took off with Edmund leading the way.
She was tied and gagged from what Aramis could see. There was seven guards in the area. The five musketeers hid behind some bushes as they gauged the situation. Aramis sought an opportunity to strike. One opened up. Two guards went to the left to relieve themselves and two were to the right in conversation. That left three in the middle near the fire. Eliza was not directly near any of them. They should act now. Aramis waved the others and the jumped out. He took the leader in the middle while Charles d'Artagnan took the two next to him. Porthos went after the two relieving themselves and Athos and Edmund took the two in conversation. Edmund disarmed the guard quickly and turned his attention to removing the gag on Eliza.
"Edmund look out!" she shouted to him as an eighth guard came in. Edmund dodged the sword and brought his up. He rolled to miss the strike and jumped up, piercing the guard in his side. It was not a fatal wound. Edmund turned back to Eliza untying her.
"You are safe Eliza," he told her quietly.
She threw her arms around him. "Edmund, I am sorry." She cried as she buried her face in his neck. He had a light scratch on his left arm that was bleeding slightly but he was otherwise all right. Eliza was thankful.
"Here, let me see to that," she offered as the others finally got rid of the guards. Edmund smiled at her and did not protest to being seen after by a beautiful lady.