Author's Note: Ok, last chapter...enjoy. Look for my post comment. Meg
The midmorning sun shown as the guards escorted the prisoners through the courtyard. The executioner stood ready on the platform, mask on, and axe sharpened. The crowds watched, eagerly waiting. They began to boo as the Baron Lapel and Cardinal Mazarin were brought out into the open. Apples and orange peals began to be thrown at them as a full musketeer contingent escorted them up to the platform awaiting them. Edmund stood closest to them, his rapier in hand watching and waiting for them to try something. Mazarin only sneered down at the boy with contempt. The royal box held the king and queen mother, who sat calmly waiting for everything to be in order. Eliza, Gerard, d'Artagnan, Jacqueline, Aramis, Athos, and Porthos sat behind them. Eliza's face was emotionless and cold as she glared at them. Underneath feelings of guilt, sorrow, and anger filled her heart. Jacqueline looked on with a bit of pity for Mazarin, who had no one to be sorry for his impending death. D'Artagnan felt the calm happiness that revenge for his wife and his father would be accomplished at the same time.
After twenty years, the cardinal was finally getting the punishment he deserved. Drums started to roll and a hush fell over the crowds as the baron was led onto the platform and pushed over. The executioner with is black mask held his axe high over his head and the crowds seemed to hold their breath as they waited. The axe flew down and the baron's head flew off onto the ground. Cheers erupted and applause. Drums rolled once more and the crowds went back into silence as Mazarin was led up and pushed over in the same fashion. Mazarin held onto his cross and closed his eyes in prayer as the axe flew down a second time. The crows cheered as they stood and began to clap again in relief to the final end of a ruthless and uncaring man…
The streets of Paris were lined with thousands of onlookers. They ranged from female to male, to young and old alike. They wore black and held candles in their hands as they wept bitterly for the coffin that floated by slowly, each one trying to catch a glimpse of the great man who lay there, to have one last memory of him. The great Charles de Batz-Castlemore, Compte d'Artagnan laid dressed in his old musketeer uniform with his rapier across him in his hands. The casket was carried by four musketeers and followed by the king and queen mother wearing the royal mourning clothes and the queen her black veil. The d'Artagnan family was next: Gerard and his parents in their uniforms with Eliza in a black dress and hat. Edmund in his uniform was allowed leave of duty to be there for his friend and his family, followed closely. Aramis, Athos and Porthos, dressed the same as their dead comrade, walked behind sadly and quietly, listening to the weeping of the crowds. The captain of the musketeers and the whole garrison followed some distanced, ending the procession line as both an escort and respectful salute.
The long line weaved its way though Paris towards the royal graveyard, where he was to be finally laid to rest. There stood a monument erected by Louis IX in honor of the great legend. They stopped and the musketeers ending the line broke out in front into two lines spreading the distance left to the site. They stood facing each other. Drums sounded and it got quiet as the musketeers prepared their duty. They pulled their rapiers slowly and in unison and held them high, covering the distance from each other in salute as the casket started to move again through the musketeer lines to the site where it was dropped.
The king nodded and guns were shot off in the sky followed by fireballs lighting up the dark night. The orchestra began playing a soft, sad melody as the casket was slowly lowered into the ground. Eliza started to weep bitterly, holding on tightly to the rose she had for her grandfather. The king motioned for them to go first.
D'Artagnan, Jacqueline and their children walked slowly through the musketeer lines to the casket. They stared down into the grave, one-by-one dropping the roses and turning as their farewell was done. The king and queen came next. Anne dropped her rose along with tears onto the open casket and turned holding onto a servant as Louis held up the cover he had designed for everyone to see. It had the color of France and had French writing telling of the great things the man had done. The monument told this too in greater detail where everyone from generations to come would see and know. He handed it to a servant and took his mother's hand and led her back through the musketeers to wait. Aramis, Athos and Porthos came last as they took a moment to look at their dead friend. Slowly they pulled out their rapiers and held them high. The rest of the people did too and all the streets of Paris rang with the final words as everyone echoed them into the night.
"One for all! And all for one!" They all shouted.
The casket was closed and the cover put on and the service over. The great legend that sacrificed his life for his king and country was finally at rest. The people began to weep bitterly once again as they were allowed to pass by the casket once before it was covered over completely. The line formed for all wishing to do this and it stretched out across the city and into country for miles. Everyone wanted their chance to pay their respects to the man who they treasured and adored so much. The great Charles de Batz-Castlemore, Compte d'Artagnan would no doubt have been proud and pleased at the great turn out and the many who had wept on his behalf; he would be pleased to know that no one would ever forget him or what he had done for France...
Author's Post Note: well... I've seen military funerals and all. This is supposed to be a mix of Padme's funeral from Revenge of the Sith, military... and royal funerals. I wanted the sadness/emotion GL George Lucas created in ROTS, so there is only one line of dialogue, as you know and that is only because it was VERY important. Please do review and tell me if I did what I wanted to. I hope you all enjoyed the story. Meg