With much appreciation…!

Evenstar Elanor…Yes, Aramis is definitely jealous. And the King is a good guy. He's worth liking.

Angoliel… See, that's what happens when I try to write in the presence of a muse like Aramis? I'll have to double check that tense thing. Whoops. My apologies to Glorfindel, but I'm sure you didn't mind being revived by your own muse.

Mercury Gray… Ultimately, I don't think you'll need to slap Natalie.

Utsuri… You'll find out more about the Luc and Natalie, I promise!

Sweet A.K… Make the chapters long? LOL! I usually tend to write shorter chapters than these! Glad you're enjoying it so much.

Chapter 14: Shrouded in Fog

The next morning, Natalie couldn't bring herself to socialize at court. She told her father she felt ill and remained abed for most of the day. Christine kept her company for a time but Natalie didn't talk much. Christine knew the young woman's thoughts were riding towards Spain with Aramis, and that his absence was the source of her melancholy.

As she got ready to leave, Christine leaned down and whispered, "You will not be able to remain sick for long, lest your father summon the doctors for you. Tomorrow some sun and fresh air would probably cure at lest some of what ails you, Natalie."

Natalie smiled at her wanly. "Yes, I'm sure you're right, but that is tomorrow."

The next day, Natalie did, indeed, rise from her bed and went out to the court, but the sun seemed dimmer, as if it were cloaked in a shroud of misty fog. A few young men asked if she was feeling better and she chatted politely with them for a short time. Later, she and Christine sat in the garden and read quietly when the tap of boots on the stone path disturbed their solitude. A sharply dressed Musketeer was walking towards them with a rose in his hand. He was tall and blond, and Christine remembered seeing him a few times.

"Pardon me, Mademoiselle Natalie?" he said respectfully.

"Why… thank you," she said as he held out the rose to her.

"I heard you were ill. I thought the flower may help make you feel merry again. The court is duller with your absence." He smiled charmingly.

"That is very kind of you, Monsieur…?"

"D'Avignon. Luc D'Avignon."

"Then, I thank you, Luc D'Avignon, for your thoughtfulness." Natalie smiled at him.

"Perhaps I will see you again, then, Mademoiselle. I'm glad you are feeling better." Luc bowed gallantly and walked away. He glanced backwards once. Natalie was watching him and then she returned to her book.

Over the next few weeks, Luc became a more and more frequent visitor. He met Natalie on walks and inquired about her day when he saw her in the halls. He was always extraordinarily polite and very charming. Athos had not set any strict limits on who might chat with Natalie or walk with her in the gardens so long as at least Christine was around, but Luc made sure he respectfully introduced himself to Athos as well.

On one occasion, two court dandies spoke rudely to both Christine and Natalie, and Luc berated them in front of everyone – including Athos – for their crass and boorish behavior. Athos gave Luc a silent nod of approval. Here was a gentleman who understood that being a Musketeer was more than wielding a sword. As the days wore on, Natalie noticed that she was seeing more of Luc and less of the other young gentleman who had been hovering around her. And while she did not mind the others leaving, she was not entirely certain she wished Luc to remain.

About two and a half weeks after Aramis left for Spain, Luc escorted Natalie through the gardens and towards an open expanse of green. The King had proposed a croquet tournament in honor of Duc D'Iven's birthday. The old Duc was 62 and looked as if he was 80, and croquet was probably the only sport the old man could survive. Luc thought croquet to be a ridiculous game for a man but if King and court would be there, he would be there as well.

A servant bringing a tray of sweets to the tournament hurried around a corner and saw Luc and Natalie at the last minute. He twisted to the side and tripped, crashing down on the path in front of them. Luc's eyes flashed but he mastered himself immediately. In front of them, the servant was hurrying to pick up the spilled and ruined desserts.

"Natalie, are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine."

"Why don't you go on ahead," said Luc. "I will… help clean this mess up."

"That's very kind of you, Luc."

When Natalie was out of earshot, Luc grabbed the servant by the arm and hauled him roughly to his feet. "Imbecile!" he snapped. "You have the manners of a dog. You are lucky you did not get any of that refuse on my suit coat. I just had it made in Paris!"

"I am sorry, monsieur! It was an accident! I am a very clumsy man!"

"Well make sure you are not so clumsy again or you will be in dire need of new employment. I'll see to that myself!"

Natalie reached the edge of the croquet pitch and turned back, thinking it would be polite to wait for Luc. She turned just in time to see him release the servant. There was a hard, angry look on Luc's face that she had never seen before and she watched as he took a deep breath and schooled himself. When Luc turned towards her, his face was as pleasant as it ever was, but there was a deep, empty feeling in Natalie's stomach.

For the remainder of the tournament, Natalie remained quiet. She laughed and chatted, but she was subdued and Luc found it to be immensely frustrating. How was he supposed to charm her when she wouldn't really talk to him? Finally, the tournament ended and Natalie was pleased to see that Christine was the winner for the ladies. The King presented her with a gold bracelet for her victory. Soon after, Luc walked Natalie home, paid his respects to Athos, and then went looking for his friends.

The group looked at him, puzzled, as he threw down his gloves on the table. "I grow weary of cosseting and charming the silly thing," Luc muttered once he was in the comfortable confines of the barracks. "I am the epitome of a gentleman and yet she bides quietly. Nor will she repay my charm and attention with any affection."

"You are the one who wants to take a wife," said Armande. "And so long as you charm her father, does it matter if you charm her?"

"It does, you ignorant swine," answered Luc with a short, dry laugh. "Athos has doted on her. If she starts to speak ill of me, he may well let her have her way."

"Since your intended milady is too innocent to dally with you, Luc, it sounds as if you need to have a small adventure," snickered Roussel. Listening to them, Jacques frowned slightly. Luc's scheming wasn't palatable, and Jacques thought Natalie deserved a better husband than Luc. But Luc, Armande and Roussel were his comrades…

"An adventure indeed!" laughed Luc. "Onward!"

"We ride for Madame Blanchefleur's," crowed Armande.

Well, if y'all were ambivalent about Luc before, I doubt you are now. This is a bit of a transition chapter - I didn't want to belabor Luc's pretense of a courtship. I'm sure you all get the picture. Please read & review. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter up this weekend!

Disclaimer: The only things I can truly claim as my own are Natalie and Luc (and a few minor supporting characters). Everything else is borrowed with much respect and admiration for Dumas and the people who created various movie versions of the Musketeers.