Author's Note: Ok, here's chap. 8 so enjoy this. Here I am posting this on my b-day... anyways. Thanks to Heather my beta, whose having a time right now. Feedback people... Meg
Eliza sat by the fire staring at the men. Edmund was deep in conversation, but stopped when he saw her watching and went over to her.
"This is yours," he said as he took off the necklace and handed it to her.
Eliza's face lit up as she took it and put it back around her neck. "Thanks, Edmund," she said as she leaned forward and threw her arms around him.
Edmund looked down at his hands before speaking again. "Eliza, I should have told you I knew your brother. I am sorry."
Eliza only shook her head. "I should have trusted you. After all, you did save my life." She added a teasing tone to the statement. She stood up and walked over to where Aramis sat and pulled him with her back over to Edmund. "Grandfather, this is my friend, Edmund."
Edmund backed up slightly looking confused. "I thought d'Artagnan was your grandfather."
Eliza shook her head as she began to speak. "He is. Aramis is my grandfather from my mother's side." Edmund looked from one to the other still confused. "It goes back to this necklace," she continued, grasping it as she spoke. "That story is better told by grandfather though."
Aramis smiled and cleared his throat.
A young woman with long, dark curly hair stood before him. Her eyes were the shape of his and she looked a little like… He would not let himself finish the thought. His eyes trailed to the shiny object around her neck, gasping as he recognized the religious icon.
"Where did you get that?" he asked before she could speak. The surprise was evident in his voice.
"My mother gave it to me before she died, and I was taken away." She looked at him sadly. "That is what I was told by someone who was there for my birth. I never knew my mother." He felt his heart go out to her.
"Who are you?" he made himself ask, though he was afraid he already knew the answer. He waited for her to speak as his godson entered the room and put his arm around her protectively, encouragingly.
"My name is Jacqueline Roget. I am your daughter." Her voice was choked and strained as she spoke. He looked from her to his godson.
"How…how is that possible?" he asked them, wondering how he could have not known.
His godson stepped forward. "Marquette hid her pregnancy from you. She died giving birth. There were two priests present and they were sworn to secrecy and she implored them to find a good home for Jacqueline." He tilted his head slightly, sighing as read the look of pain on his godfather's face.
"Why did she not tell me?"
Jacqueline shifted slightly and she turned to look at d'Artagnan before she spoke. "To protect us." She fingered the necklace. "I was given this so when I was old enough, I could find you."
He let the information sink in before he broke into a smile. "Come here child," he told her as he opened his arms. She fell into them with tears.
"Father!" She said lovingly through her tears.
Edmund could only stare at Aramis as he finished. "Eliza has quite the lineage," he said with a laugh.
"Yes, she does." Charles d'Artagnan came over. "Son, tell us about this plot against the king." Edmund glanced at Eliza.
"I will let her tell you." He told him after thinking it over.
Edmund sat listening as Eliza finished telling them what she had overheard.
Porthos spoke first. "We should make for Paris immediately." Five heads nodded in agreement.
Aramis looked around briefly. "We should split up once we reach Paris. Edmund you go with Eliza and d'Artagnan to the king." He turned to Porthos. "The rest of us with find others to help and bring them to the palace."
Eliza stood up. "Get my family. Mother and Father can help, and Gerard is a musketeer now. Father's friends Ramon and Siroc too."
Edmund injected now. "Get Captain Duval as well."
Aramis inclined his head. "We will seek them all out." The four older men walked away giving Eliza and Edmund their privacy. The silence echoed into the night.
Eliza glanced at the others before settling her gaze on Edmund. "If I was not Gerard's sister, would you still have helped me?" She had to know the answer even if it hurt.
"Yes, though you did not need much help."
Edmund's reply brought her relief. She rolled her eyes at him and smiled teasingly. "And pass up a chance to be rescued by a musketeer?"
Edmund laughed with her and then his face grew serious. "You would make a great musketeer, milady."
Eliza tilted her head as if in her mind remembering something. "Wait! You were coming to Italy to find out about your family. How?" She looked at him suspiciously.
Edmund sighed, but decided to tell the truth. He did not last time and look where that got them. "Them, they knew my mother. They can tell me." He said pointing to the men still in discussion. "I was told I was born for greatness and through my mother I would do that." He paused. "They knew my mother, and what all that means."
Eliza broke into a smile as she walked over to the men and came back with them following her. "Edmund says you knew his mother and can help him," she said once they were all around her.
Athos looked at Edmund closely. "What is you surname son?"
Edmund looked at them all feeling a bit dizzy and excited. "Stratton, I am Edmund Stratton. My parents were Louisa and Edward Stratton." The assembly went dead silent. The four musketeers looked at each other stunned.
Eliza grabbed Edmund's hand encouragingly. "What is it, Grandfather?" she asked them.
Charles d'Artagnan looked at them and coughed slightly. "You better sit down, Son. This is a long story and may come as quite a shock to you." Eliza and Edmund exchanged a glance before sitting as Charles began.