"Raoul!"
Raoul and Michelle turned.
Raoul let go of Michelle's hand and took both of Celeste's in his. "Celeste!" he kissed them both. "You look wonderful!"
Celeste straightened his jacket. "And so do you!" And then she saw Michelle. "And you must be Michelle. Raoul's told me all about you." She looked at Raoul. "My Father says you've turned in your request to the Musketeers."
"Of course," said Raoul. He let go of Celeste and took Michelle's hand again. "How could I not, seeing how my Father was once a great one."
"He was one of the four greatest, Raoul," said Celeste.
Aramis smiled slightly. "How is he?"
"He is well."
"Give him my compliments," said Aramis.
"And mine as well." Celeste waved at Raoul as they moved away.
Michelle turned back to the gardens. She was a beautiful girl, with blond hair, dark eyebrows and blue eyes. The palace and the gardens awed her.
Raoul was toying with the ring in his pocket. He hadn't paid much attention to surroundings.
"Isn't it glorious?" Michelle beamed a smile up at him.
"Michelle…" began Raoul.
But just then, there was a loud trumpet blast and King Louis appeared in the doors and came down the steps.
Celeste watched with a look of disgust on her face. "I find him revolting."
Aramis turned. He saw what she looking at. "I agree."
Celeste looked up at him. "So how are you going to hunt down and kill yourself?"
Aramis smiled and shrugged.
"It was foolish to agree."
"Perhaps." Aramis studied Louis. "We must do something about him."
Celeste blinked. "What?"
"I'm not exactly sure yet."
"Not exactly?" she repeated slowly. "What are you thinking of, Aramis?" asked Celeste.
Aramis studied Louis for a long moment and then looked at Celeste. "There's always the other brother."
Louis watched Aramis and Celeste broodingly. He turned to say something to one of his advisors but caught sight of Raoul and Michelle.
The couple was walking slowly down a garden path.
"Who is that?" asked Louis.
The man he was talking to, turned. "Raoul, son of Athos."
"Not the soldier, you idiot!" exclaimed Louis. "The girl."
The man's eyes filled with a knowing look. "Her name is Michelle."
Louis stared at her for a long moment. Then he turned and looked at Celeste.
"Just see that they stay where I told them," said D'Artagnan to his lieutenant, Andre.
"Yes, sir."
D'Artagnan moved away and began making his way toward Louis.
"D'Artagnan?"
He turned. "Celeste, you look lovely." He kissed her cheek distractedly. "Stay with her, Aramis."
"What… D'Artagnan?" Celeste stared after her uncle. She looked at Aramis. "What…"
Aramis shook his head and they followed D'Artagnan.
D'Artagnan came up the steps. "Your majesty…"
Louis turned. He grinned. "What is it, D'Artagnan? Assassins falling from the sky?"
The small cluster of people that had gathered around him laughed loudly.
D'Artagnan ignored them. "The plans for the use of the maze were not disclosed to me."
"I decided that this morning," said Louis.
"Then you must allow me to stay close…"
Louis glared at D'Artagnan. "I am King, D'Artagnan," he said coolly. "I will change my mind as I wish and I will enjoy my garden party as I wish!"
"But I deployed the Royal Guards according to your previous…" began D'Artagnan.
"Let us a play a game, D'Artagnan," interrupted Louis. "Let us pretend that I am King and you are the Captain of my Musketeers, let us behave as if my wish is law. And my wish is to enjoy this party!"
D'Artagnan bowed sharply and came back down the steps.
"It's hardly your fault he's foolish," said Celeste. "If all…" Her words trailed off.
D'Artagnan and Aramis looked up.
Louis was staring at a young girl.
It was Michelle.
"Michelle, I…ever since I returned I've been wanting to speak with you about…"
Suddenly, they heard the loud squeal of a piglet. A dwarf came running through the crowd, holding the squirming animal in his arms.
Louis grinned. "It pleases us to announce an entertainment for our guests! A contest of agility and cunning!" He took the clean pig and held it up. There was a fake horn tied to its forehead. "Behold our unicorn! Whichever of our guests captures the unicorn shall win its treasure!" Louis held up a diamond that size of a pecan, hung on a red ribbon.
Everyone gasped.
Louis tied the diamond around the horn.
Michelle's eyes where wide as she stared at the diamond. "I have never seen a diamond so large!" she exclaimed.
Raoul frowned slightly as he thought of the small gold ring in his pocket.
"Into the maze!" shouted Louis. "All of you!"
The dwarf let the pig go and stuffed him through a small hole in the hedge. The pig raced off, eluding the laughing guests that jumped after it.
Celeste sighed. "What foolishness. That diamond could feed half of Paris."
Aramis smiled. "But how you would like to have it."
"I have some that big already," said Celeste. "Gifts from Louis."
"And you kept them?"
"Wouldn't you?"