Dumas: him whose vision unlocks the fortress of the dreaming mind, and unto his noble inheritors, keepers of the word-hoard. In faith I seek not to offend but to celebrate history unrecorded of in all the tomes of men. I give honor to characters and place taking naught but pleasure as my recompense.

Unto Pax, Disney and United Artists too

Give credit where credit is due,

I'd be writing something subtly different…

If not for all of you.

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Chapter 1: Crisis Point

Action and Intrigue as events of the Frond and the Mask are altered to fit my view of the young blades universe.

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Emris De Ruse knelt in the chapel a stack of documents lay before him on the alter. The reports from his network of operatives concerned him more and more and as a result He'd been spending increasingly greater amounts of time in this position – looking for answers.

The irony was still poignant. When he had been Aramis of the Kings musketeers this had been his 'retreat.' He came dutifully every time his handlers jerked his tether – without fail. It had looked different then.

When the Soldiers of God made the Abbey their headquarters one of the first orders of business had been to have the windows re-glazed. Gone were the prominent depictions of the serpent, the denizens of hell and the twisted agonies of their unwilling pawns. If it were not so, Emris would have been unable to step foot in the small chapel without becoming physically ill.

"Come, walk with me." The would-be-priest said motioning to the door that led to the gardens. his mind occupied second… third and fifth guessing his decision to involve the boy and his companions in the schemes of the brotherhood.

"Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam." He sighed resolutely Loyola's society had chosen an unequivocal motto. For better or worse…Emris knew the requirements of his vow.

"For the greater glory of God." The young inventor translated…easily now. He'd made a point to practice his Latin and Emris nodded in approval as they passed through the wrought iron gate and into the garden.

As April days go… this one was particularly fine. Winter bare branches had started to bud and crocus bloomed amber and violet against the lawn. The sky was still slate gray and it hung low above the crenellated walls of the garden.

Siroc regarded the Would-be-priest … Emris looked the part today. His worn brown cassock was identical to the other brothers of this place. Only noticeable difference being the pointed toes of his riding boots emerging surreptitiously from the beneath the hem as he walked.

The elder man folded his hands behind his back and tried to find words that would not compromise the young musketeer. The observant youth sensed the others reticence though he could not guess at the cause so he tried to open the conversation.

"Athos cautioned us years ago that the Emris we find by the gate 9 to 5 is naught the same as the Aramis we discover by way of the window between 5 to 9 … still you seem pensive uncle."

"I am lad… and I am sorry for it. I wish it were under better circumstances that I call you to my side. I do not wish to place you or your friends in difficulty… especially young Dart… I do not wish alienate him as I did his father."

"But you need our help." Siroc said forthrightly.

"Oui lad … never more." He slumped dejectedly on a marble bench and massaged his temples.

Emris wondered when this mess had begun for him… his thoughts slipped back through time. Berry had been retaken, the evil Baron De'Winter driven from the ancestral home of the De' la Feré and Richelieu's power was broken. The rebuilding had begun and Arimas had been in the thick of it. It was glorious and exciting … Then his world was shattered. A ruby flash on a black gloved hand and a word that could not be ignored "COME" Chosen had said.

He hated that creature with what he thought was righteous indignation. Weeks before when Richelieu breathed his last Emris earnestly hoped the dark one would follow his master into the abyss. And Chosen had tried… to be sure.

But Protector had bought her brothers life years five years before and would not let him die now. At the kings warrant Cavalier had been placed in her custody.

When word of his Master's end reached the hotel de Trivelle… Chosen's agonized wail resounded through the halls…freezing blood in the veins of all who heard it. All save Aramis, truth be told…his heart had embraced the sound.

But none of that mattered once Command was given. The Demon-spawn drew him forward to a secluded cave in the woods and there painfully sought to divested him of all illusion. The weapon had no need to sugar-coat his words… I was clear he believed Kate (Chosen always called her K'lyn) was in trouble.

Emris knew her was arm broken. The child's nana explained that it happened when she tried to run away from the Châteaux. A child hood mishap she'd told him, nothing more.

Still, It was unlike the Master's weapon to overreact to something so trivial. "If she remains where she is," Chosen scowled, "it is only a matter of time before her spirit is broken as surely as her arm was. That, I assure you, will take far longer to heal. You ARE the child's sire… Stop being Remiss and DO something about it!" Chosen stormed pressing the Masters ruby ring into Remiss's sweaty palm.

"Control is broken!" he said loudly and the gem fractured in flash of sulfur.

"When you are next called you will see the truth of your situation!" The force of the last command left Emris trembling and weak as a kitten… he could not even begin to comprehend what the demon had done.

o

Emris rubbed the scar in his palm he'd received that day…a reminder of unseen change. He regarded the blond musketeer "Certain Intelligence has come into my keeping…" He began, picking his words carefully. "Over the next several months things are going to get difficult in the capital. Mazarin's supporters are going to be targets…and while I would just as soon see them all hang I fear the musketeer will be targets as well."

"Targets of whom?" Siroc asked…Thankfully not questioning the nature of his information.

"The people I'm afraid… I have called in every resource I possess and it looks like there is no way to stop it."

"Stop what, exactly?"

"Civil war."

Siroc eyes widened in shock … never had he imagined such a thing. There had been difficulties… certain areas in the capital had been getting rough … reports of careless words…fights… property damaged… a string of thefts…arson… but open revolt? The thought caught in his mind.

OO

Was that sullen gleam in the young man's eyes 'understanding'? Emris knew how painful truth --unasked for-- could be… this had not been his hope when he helped free the boy. Memory stirred again:

Emris arrived at the abbey at the appointed time. He felt the pull…hazy and dreamlike rather than insistent. He reacted just as he had hundreds of times before. The watchers could not know that this time when the cup was held out to him he knew it did not hold sacramental wine. When he touched his lips to the serpentine goblet he did not drink. His stupor was half feigned; incense alone was not enough to strip him of all reason.

Emris saw his position with unclouded eyes

and was horrified by the realization…

Chosen had been correct!

The Master was no more. Control was broken… The dark shadow was loose. No one was there to stay his hand…

Emris permitted himself to become the very thing he accused Chosen of … No place of safety was found within these walls.

Blood ran,

Cleansing stone,

Pooling,

Soaking into the ground:

His Handler and five Guides died here…Preparing the soil for this very garden to bloom.

The governess who tried to break his child was herself broken…

Others died in the surrounding halls and the vestry; he was unclear exactly how many had fallen…but he knew none escaped. Placed in a position of trust they used the master's art for their own gain. Their guilt was undeniable.

They fell un-mourned…forgotten.

Aramis clutched his Kate to his chest and fled …

Somehow, The child knew what he had done…

Knew it needed to be done.

"I am glad the Abbey is purified, Father." Kate told him smiling when they rode together into Berry. "We will be safe here…You need not fear anymore."

Her words revealed that in her short life she had already witnessed things that would make grown men dread the coming night.

Emris hugged her and vowed to never let it happen again.

O

"Events in the capital are no simple storm, lad. We will be feeling the aftershocks for years to come. Enemies of France have been busy spreading discord in people's heart. Wells have been poisoned and crops blighted. The poor cry out for relief and little Louie entertains himself with grand spectacles and circuses. If Mazarin wants to keep his seat he's going to be occupied for the next year at the least. Now is the time for us to Act.

"What can we do?" Siroc said grimly.

"You are a Musketeer boy…I assume you will want to protect Louis and keep his crowned head from getting separated from the rest of him."

"What do you propose?"

Aramis took a deep breath "We're going to have to kidnap him."

"Of course…I'll do what ever it takes." Siroc replied without thinking…

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Chapter 2: Emris re-evaluates his decision to include Siroc and the others and remembers back to a time when unthinking obedience led to profound failure.

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