Disclaimer: All hail Dumas and his descendants.
PAX young blades and the Disney version of 3 musketeers gave inspiration to this tale. There is no money in it for me, just enjoyment
– Something I hope to share

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-(Chapter VII Interlude)-

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D'Artagnan and his cousin arrived bearing heavily laden trays. There were warm cookies, fresh fruit, and pies made from sliced Q-meat that Athos had insisted they bring for Aramis. It looked and smelled delicious…but Siroc wasn't sure he felt much like eating.

Kelly smiled at Cavalier…seemingly not at all surprised to find him in her father's study… and offered him a Q'pie. The legend's son frowned mildly. In his ever-so-subtly way he asked, "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Cavalier chuckled, "This from a D'Artagnan…" coming from him it wasn't necessarily a reassuring sound. "I let your father kill me… but then I had killed him once already: when this happened." He touched the dark patch meaningfully the shrugged, "It seemed only fair I didn't stay dead any longer than he did. Julian is an uncommonly fine Medic…and I am surprisingly well made."

D'Artagnan's was as eloquent as a monosyllabic response can be. "Oh."

"By my reckoning things are even between us now. When you visited Berry years ago, I would have introduced myself to you. But, as it happened, duties required me elsewhere at the time." The Master's Chosen explained nonchalantly.

One rarely knew how to respond to revelations of this kind. No matter that young Dart brought it on himself – Chosen did not lie. Still Normal people…(and D'Artagnans in particular) are notoriously limited when it comes to accepting what they deemed fantastic. For the Master's creatures, it is their nature they accept it as matter of course.

Last Emris had heard, Charles D'Batz still avidly denied the event …even to those few who witnessed the dark Cavalier that rain drenched night carrying D'Artagnan's lifeless body through the streets of Paris. If only they'd known he was taking it to the Musketeer's 'med-bay' (as that peculiar Englishman in charge had called it.) But then, how could any know Julian had the skill to revive him?

Despite their past differences…Emris could not deny it spoke well of Rocheford that he choose the life of his adversary over the use of his eye that night…Julian could have used his uncanny skills mend him had he stayed… As it was, the dark man was not truly blinded. The patch was carefully constructed to protect what the scarred eyelid did not…leaving his aim as deadly as ever.

Pity some (Emris foremost among them) jumped to conclusions and had Rocheford arrested without knowing all the details. Their presumption ultimately got him cast out of the musketeer–Dueling was illegal and killing a sword-brother 'Conduct unbecoming a musketeer'. If only we'd known.' Emris sighed. But that was another story, known only to a few.

Perhaps wisely, Emris decided to change the subject. "So, Siroc here tells me Dazy is Captain of the Musketeer's since your father moved on to other pursuits; probably for the best."

"Dasy?" D'Atragnan asked flabbergasted – even Siroc smiled a bit at that.

"Well it's David actually… David W. Duvall" Cavalier said quietly "You shouldn't be sharing such tales Remiss…a cadets horsemanship…or lack there of is no small matter." He frowned.

"He fell off his horse so often we said he walked around in a daze…later he got the idea it wouldn't hurt so much if he stuffed his trousers with hay…then we called him Scarecrow. I think he itched for a week." Emris smiled smugly…that'll serve him right for bringing up the demon spawn issue.

The thought of the stalwart captain as a gangly youth stuffed with hay was just too much… Siroc pushed his pain and endless stream of unspoken questions aside and grabbed a cluster of grapes from the tray then proceeded to pull them off with his teeth one at a time.

Cavalier looked relieved at the inventor's renewed appetite and used his dagger to impale a slice of fresh melon off the tray then ate it from the tip of his blade.

D'Artagnan pushed the cherries and strawberries into a line on the tray for about a few heartbeats before selecting an apricot and biting into it. "Why did you and my father have words?" he asked his uncle finally.

'Words'… that was putting it mildly' Emris thought. 'I thought we'd gotten off safely off this subject.' What he said after some consideration was "I am not as… forthright as when we were young. I know now things I did not know then. In many ways your father is as idealistic as ever, and won't listen to reason. Case in point…I think you know that in your father's eyes, his queen can do no wrong." Aramis frowned, "I am of a somewhat different opinion. I believe one of the greatest services the 'hero of France' could do for his country would be to put Louis across his knee and give him a serious…um…talking to. I have every reason to believe he would be a much nicer sort of boy…not to mention king, if he had more discipline and better guidance.

-Sharp intake of breath from D'Artagnan "That would NOT have gone over well."

"It didn't" was his Uncle's said through grit teeth…that boy had a gift for understatement.

"He compared you to the cardinal didn't he?" Siroc asked in his Oh-so-quiet way.

Emris and Chosen nodded together.

"Papa is nothing like him…not at all." Kate stormed. "He was very bad and didn't care who he hurt-- Even helpless little Philippe!

"That's enough child." Emris whispered, "I don't need your defending, were all friends here." Adding to himself 'Lets keep it that way; these cadets don't need to know that my loyalty is no longer to the same King as theirs.'

Cavalier's eye widened – though he suspected he knew what the would-be-priest meant, He'd never imagined a day when Emris would consider him a friend. "Will you be returning with us to Berry -- Aramis?" Cavalier was careful to pronounce the name correctly. "Your Nephew left one of his companions there, I expect they will be wanting to get back to him ere long."

"Yes, I expect 'things' can take care of themselves here for a least a few days. It's getting late…we can leave first thing in the morning." It felt strange not to have the dark man calling him Remiss or Amiss, though it had annoyed him for years. Emris knew Chosen never bore him any particular ill will…even when he made his feeling painfully obvious…Could Chosen help it if over the years he took some small entertainment in responding in kind?

Things were so much better between them than they used to be. When Rocheford first informed the 'Remiss' that he had not in-fact escaped the citadel but been allowed go and was still very much the Master's tool… the X-scribe reacted so violently the dark cavalier thought he might very well be forced to kill him.

Luckily, Emris hadn't been aware of the Master's hold on him… And Chosen, created to work Richelieu's will, knew how to use that influence to call Emris down. Though he'd hated to have to do it… If the child K'Lyn hadn't been in danger Chosen likely would have let the man remain blithely ignorant of the whole situation.

oo

Emris stood placed a hand on the door to the room he'd given Siroc for the night. It was past midnight…he didn't want to disturb the boy but thought it likely his nightmares already had. He pushed the door open quietly and found the ill-used blond still locked in fitful sleep. He lay sprawled across the thin mattress blanket coiled thickly snake-like around one ankle, waist, and most tightly about the wrist flung haphazardly above his head. Head tossed, brow creased…he certainly looked to be in throws of serious one night terror.

Back arched and mouth opened in a silent scream – warm brown eyes fluttered open-- disoriented. "It's all right Siroc, you're safe" Emris whispered.

"Safe." He repeated sleepily, and shivered.

"Here boy lets get you untangled a bit." Emris soothed helping him disentangle the blanket.

"I didn't mean to wake anyone."

"You didn't, I rather expected you might be plagued by dreams this night…I brought you some tea, Its mostly Anise root…some willow bark too. It usually helps me when I have trouble sleeping."

Siroc nodded and took the cup…the fragrance alone helped soothe his twisted thoughts. This dream had been so intense…so emotional he didn't know if it had happened or not.

"Do you want to talk about it" the would-be-priest asked.

It had been so like the waking dream he'd had earlier in the study but this time… "I was laying on a stone table in the citadel crypt. Black candles sputtered… I was helpless…not chained at all but unable to move nonetheless… Robed figures chanted in a language I couldn't understand; the words hurt my ears…tore into my mind. HE stood over me holding a black shape. Runes of fire appeared on the side if it…I felt them burning…my chest…my mind…I screamed...and the red haze took me." Siroc shook his head and sighed.

He has the obelisk …this complicates matters. Emris thought "It is as I said when we first spoke… he marked you."

"Is there anything we can do about it?" Siroc asked -- fear in his voice.

"Perhaps." Emris licked his dry lips "You recall what Chosen said about killing D'Artagnan and allowing himself be killed in return?"

"Yes" Siroc nodded wondering what this had to do with him.

"That was truth…from a certain point of view. Richelieu was big into that type of irony. There was one time the king accused him of treason to his face. It was after his fencing lesson with Treville. I was on guard that day and heard him myself. The cardinal smiled … and admitted to it all – but not so a 'normal' like the king would understand. 'I make oaths to pagan gods' He said, 'seduce the queen in her own chamber, teach pigs to dance and horses to fly… and keep the moon carefully hidden in the folds of my robe.'

The king believed he was merely making light of the rumors but I knew better than to deny truth. As to the matter of the queen: D'Artagnan was her confidant even then, not I. But as to the rest… Who do you think built that dark tabernacle beneath the citadel? Mazarin, is was the master's pig apprentice, I've seen him dance rings around little Louis just as Richelieu did his father. So that unlikely statement also rings true.

The horse you may see for yourself, he awaits outside as we speak. It is not for nothing Chosen is called Cavalier. His Charger is as unnatural as he is. I have seen no finer animal. And have often believed the term 'horse' doesn't apply to that intelligent war-beast… to have him bear you, is to fly.

If that does not convince you… there is the moon." from an inner pocket of his flowing silk robe Emris removed a crystal orb…perfect swirls of milky white… radiating a soft glow of its own. Both could feel slumbering power energizing the very air around it, making their flesh prickle.

"It? What? Can you use it?" Siroc asked in undisguised awe.

"I haven't…and I wouldn't within these walls… it would be dangerous. But with Chosen's help… We'll have to see. Perhaps tomorrow night, at his home in Berry…His family understands such things and we can, at least, be assured privacy there.

"Try to get some rest now Siroc… you'll need all your strength. The tea should help … I'll put a few pinched of pine essence in the fire too… I hung tapestries in here for a reason… the smell of damp stone puts me in mind of the crypts… It might be doing the same for you. The pine should mask it at least a bit… If you need anything else I'm just across the hall."

"Thank you sir…you've been very kind."

"I understand what you've been through lad I can do no less."

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Note: Yes, I know in Chameleon we found out Duval's first name I don't remember what it was though…(probably something suitably French) anyone who can guess what the 'W' is for gets a cookie. – Actually, there've been a few cameos…if anyone cares to find them. Disclaimer: I suppose I don't own them ether –sigh, well were nearing the end…2 more chapters hope no one's bored yet.