Author's Note: Heather was good enough to send 9 back... 4 more chaps to go guys...
Ok... next chap. BIG battle scene... blood... death...etc... you are pre-warned...
enjoy and review please. Meg
The baron paced inside his office, desperately debating what to say. Mazarin would not like the fact that his guards failed to bring back the girl and her musketeer escort. He would have to think of something to appease the cardinal. A guard approached him.
"My lord, his grace wishes a report."
The baron waved him away slowly. "Send him to my office." The guard bowed and walked off. He was so deep in thought that he did not hear the Cardinal enter.
"Where are they?" His eminence demanded.
The royal advisor jumped slightly but did not show any other signs of the fear he felt. "The guards lost them your eminence." His grace strolled forward, his robes flowing with his movement.
"Your guards have better pray they can catch them." Mazarin's voice was deadly. The baron resisted the urge to swallow. The Cardinal was at the door but stopped. "Best to proceed with the plan immediately, to alleviate any further complications."
The baron was startled but remained calm.
"Yes, your grace." His eminence exited the room and the rebellious advisor took a moment to reflect. He was about to commit treason. He shook off the coldness that his grace always brought into the room and walked to door where his guard was watching. "Captain, assemble the guards and proceed as planned." The guard acknowledged him respectfully.
"Yes my lord, it will be done."
The baron held up his hand. "And captain, hurry it along." The guard inclined his head. He sighed in evident relief when he was alone. In a few days, this would all be behind him. The king and queen mother would be dead, by all accounts by his own guards and Mazarin would be ruling with him at his right hand. Yes! This would all be over soon.
King Louis frowned at the servant and looked back at his mother before responding.
"An urgent meeting?" Louis asked him.
"Yes, your majesty. The baron said it was of the utmost importance. He also said it should be treated with the strictest secrecy." Louis inclined his head at him.
"Did the baron give any idea on what this is about?" Anne asked as she looked up from her papers.
"Your majesties, all he would say was he had new important information for your majesties ears only." Louis waved him away.
"You may tell the baron I will see him in two hours in the audience chamber." The servant hurried to carry out the orders.
"Yes, your majesties." Louis glanced to his mother concern in his eyes. "This is a curious request by the baron." He stated, his brows tightening in concentration.
"Yes, but the baron is so jumpy. I would not worry about it, Louie," Anne said and shrugged. She was unconcerned. Louis sighed a little too dramatically.
"I do wish d'Artagnan and Duval could be included. You know I like their advice in these matters." Anne waved over servant.
"Wine for his majesty the king at once!" The servant acknowledged his order and left. "Be patient, Louie dear. I am sure once we know what this is about, it will seem like nothing." She watched as the servant returned with the wine. He handed it to her and she held it out to her son. "Here, this will calm your nerves." Louis nodded and took it from his mother, gulping it down.
"Music! Get the musicians here now!" he demanded. Music always helped his nerves.
Baron Lapel stood with a contingent of guards in the main audience chamber. King Louis gave the baron permission to speak.
"Your majesty, it is with great sadness I have to inform you of a terrible and unspeakable plot by the musketeers to overthrow you."
Anne peered at the baron suspiciously for several seconds before she spoke. "What proofs have you baron?"
The baron cleared his throat and tried to look sad. "My captain overheard Duval giving specific orders to come in the palace and siege your majesties." Louis rolled his eyes at this.
"Is that all?" Louis demanded, hating to have his time wasted. The royal advisor shook his head calmly.
"As part of this plot a musketeer has made for Italy to engage the four musketeers who served your father." Louis looked horrified. "Your majesty, the musketeers took Lady Eliza d'Artagnan for assurances of their help. We are trying to track them and get her back safely to her family." The rebellious advisor smiled inwardly. The king and queen would be aware of Eliza's disappearance.
"Baron Lapel, what is your suggestion?" Anne asked him. He waved for guards to take up positions next to the king and queen.
"We must protect your majesties at all costs. Guards will be stationed throughout the palace and at the entrance as well." Louis looked at Anne who acknowledged her agreement to him.
"Very well, baron, we are in your hands," Louis said in finality. Baron Lapel bowed suppressing his growing joy.
Eliza, Edmund and Charles d'Artagnan stood hidden outside the palace entrance. There were several guards at the entrance denying anyone inside.
"We are too late to stop it, but perhaps we can help their majesties," Charles whispered to them. He leaned over towards them more. "There is a secret entrance his majesty, the late king, showed me once." Eliza and Edmund ducked and they began to crawl along the palace walls, following Charles.
"I hope their majesties are not hurt," she told Edmund worriedly.
He shook his head. "We will make it in time to help," he assured her.
Aramis, Porthos, and Athos sat on their horses at the d'Artagnan estate. Aramis finished telling Jacqueline, d'Artagnan and Gerard of the plot and the plan to help their majesties. They saddled the horses and took off for a place down the road a little ways. D'Artagnan got off his horse and went inside the cottage. Several minutes later, he emerged with Ramon in tow, who was pulling his jacket on. They then made for the garrison. Aramis and Athos went off to speak to Duval while Ramon and d'Artagnan headed the opposite direction to where Siroc still kept his laboratory. Jacqueline was left with Gerard and the horses. She wore her old musketeer uniform, and her hair was tied up as she once kept it. Gerard wore his musketeer uniform as well. They each spoke silent prayers that they would arrive in time to stop the Cardinal and Baron Lapel. Aramis, Athos, Duval, and a handful of trusted musketeers emerged with horses. To the other side, Ramon, d'Artagnan, and Siroc emerged.
"Let us go save the king and queen mother, musketeers!" Duval shouted, holding up his hand. Everyone, in old and new uniforms, held up their hands as they shouted and rode furiously towards the palace.