Aramis, Athos and Porthos hurried through the secret passages to the foundations of the palace, into a drainage channel that led to the river. They dumped Louis into a waiting boat and hopped in themselves. They rowed quickly toward the archway that was the exit to the river.

But suddenly, the steel grate of the archway slammed down just before they reached it. Blades pointed at them from every angle of the darkness. A lantern rose up and its wick was turned up and there stood D'Artagnan.

His brown eyes where intense but his face was full of agony. "My friends."

They could only see D'Artagnan. They all looked at each other, in the small circle of light.

"Only we four, the most trusted Musketeers knew about the passages to the river, meant to keep the King safe…Your majesty."

Phillippe stepped out of the darkness with Celeste behind him. His eyes where full of shame and failure as he glanced at Athos. But he still held on. "Yes?" he snapped. "Why do you bring me here, D'Artagnan?"

Porthos stared at him. "Look…it's the King."

"Then who is that lying beside you?" snapped D'Artagnan.

Porthos turned and looked at Louis. He started, as if surprised by the presence of the man that was tied and gagged beside him. "Wh…Where did he come from?"

Athos grabbed D'Artagnan's arm.

Aramis's eyes went to Celeste.

She bit her lip.

He gave the slightest of slight shakes of his head.

"If you ever loved me," said Athos. "If you ever loved honor, or anything else, then stand now, and let it happen."

"I cannot, Athos," said D'Artagnan. "As dearly as I love you, I cannot." He bent and drew his dagger and cut Louis's ropes and jerked the gag from his mouth.

Suddenly Aramis whirled and backhands Louis, knocking him flat on his back in the boat and pointed at him. "This man is an imposter. We caught him trying to impersonate the King, and were just getting rid of him."

Louis struggled to sit up. "D'Artagnan, arrest them all! Celeste! Arrest them!"

"Shut up!" snapped Aramis and slapped him again. He looked at D'Artagnan and plead with his eyes alone, for D'Artagnan to accept their ruse.

Celeste's heart broke in that moment for so many. For Aramis, Athos and Porthos and what they where trying to do. For Phillippe. And for D'Artagnan. For she could see he was dying inside.

"Before I came here, I insisted the King come with me. The real Louis would never have let me insist."

There was spilt second of silence at the three musketeers realized the ruse was up. Suddenly, they sprang into action. Athos swung at one of the swordsmen with his oar. Porthos seized the guard who had grabbed hold of their boat and flung him back into his other two comrades. Aramis bent and grabbed Louis by his hair. He jerked his head back and placed his dagger at his throat.

"Pull them back, D'Artagnan." His voice was calm. Deadly calm. At this point, he was ready to slit Louis's throat and not give another thought to it.

"No!" cried Celeste.

"You can't do it," said D'Artagnan.

Aramis glanced at Celeste. Then back at D'Artagnan. "Pull them back!" He looked at Celeste again.

"Don't do it, Aramis," she said. "You'll have blood on your hands."

D'Artagnan hesitated.

"Aramis, you cannot spill royal blood," said Celeste. "Please."

"Pull them back," said Aramis. His eyes where cold as blue ice.

"Everyone back," said D'Artagnan.

"Phillippe, get into the boat," said Aramis.

Phillippe glanced at Celeste. She was staring at Aramis. "Aramis," she whispered. She looked at Louis and the knife in his hands.

"Into the boat! Now!" said Aramis.

Phillippe got into the boat.

"Open the gate," said Aramis.

D'Artagnan looked at him for a long moment.

Celeste's eyes filled with tears.

D'Artagnan nodded at his men and they opened the iron gate.

The boat slid toward the opening.

Suddenly, Louis forced Aramis's hand. "You will not shed royal blood!" He kicked at the boat and struggled to stand. The boat tipped wildly.

"No!" screamed Celeste. "Aramis, the knife!"

Aramis jerked his hand back and drew the dagger away from Louis's throat to keep from killing him just as Celeste screamed.

D'Artagnan jumped forward and grabbed at Louis. He caught one of his arms. "Celeste!"

Celeste grabbed one of Louis's arms and pulled with all her might. Tears began falling from her eyes.

Louis clamped his hand around her wrist and held on. As soon as he hit the stone floor, he shoved Celeste away.

She fell backwards, almost cracking her head on the stone floor.

D'Artagnan reached for her and lifted her. "Are you alright?"

She couldn't answer for crying.

Louis grabbed Phillippe.

The boat was in the grip of the current now. The musketeers couldn't stop it. Athos grabbed Phillippe's legs and tried to hold on. But the current was too strong.

The other younger musketeers where holding onto Phillippe.

Phillippe's legs slipped out of Athos's grasp and the boat shot downriver.