14. Jacqueline's Speech
When Jacqueline and d'Artagnan arrived, a trial of sorts had already assembled. Mazarin stood between René and Olivier with Ramon pointing the tip of his rapier in his back as a reminder. Siroc stood off to the right still holding his stack of evidence. The main surprise, however, was that they were joined by Charles, Isaac, and Duval. As they left the garrison, René had decided to leave those three out of the plan because his old friends were Mazarin sympathizers and Duval would have probably forbidden his Musketeers to go.
They were all facing a seated Queen Anne and King Louis, the latter looking quite ruffled from being woken up in the middle on the night. When Jacqueline and d'Artagnan entered, the whole ensemble—minus the preoccupied Ramon and Mazarin—turned to look.
"Forgive us, Your Majesty," d'Artagnan apologized. "We were detained at the scene of the arrest." The pair came forward to pay their respects to the King.
Mazarin burst out frantically, "She is the real criminal! That is Jacqueline Roget; she has been posing as Jacques LePonte this entire time. She is a murderer and traitor to her own sex!" He pointed at her threateningly. Duval, Charles, and Isaac looked shocked. Everyone else on the floor just looked fearful for her. D'Artagnan moved to block Jacqueline from Mazarin's view as if that could save her.
"It is true; I am not Jacques LePonte," she spoke up, looking around at the friends and family that surrounded her and taking a deep breath. She looked straight at King Louis and Queen Anne.
"I am Jacqueline Armelle Roget, daughter of the former Musketeer Aramis, abbé d'Herblay, Bishop de Vannes, René Duc d'Alameda. My mother was Arcelia Montalvo Francisco de la Cruz, now Sister Maria in a Spanish convent."
She now motioned to each person in turn as she spoke of them. "That would make me the niece of Ramon Montalvo Francisco de la Cruz, a Musketeer in Your Majesty's service. I am also the rightful owner of the Musketeer Siroc, formerly Cirocco, slave of the Jesuits under my father's care, who was given to me in my dowry, and would now also belong to my promised fiancé." Here Jacqueline paused to meet the eyes of her dearest friend and lover. "I am promised to marry Charles Vicomte d'Artagnan."
Jacqueline turned her gaze to Mazarin, now. "Shall I go on? I am goddaughter of Athos, Olivier Comte de la Fère and Porthos, Isaac Baron du Valon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds. It also seems that I would be the future daughter-in-law to Charles de Batz-Castelmore Comte d'Artagnan, a Legend of France."
Her attention turned back to King Louis. "It is true that I killed a man, a Captain of the Cardinal's guard, no less. I won't deny it. It was to avenge the senseless death of a man I regarded as a father. I hid from Mazarin and his cruelties by masquerading as a man in the Royal Musketeers. I believed I would be best put to use by fighting for the King and against the corruption of the Cardinal. I have done what I considered my duty to God and to my country, and I humbly await your judgment." Jacqueline took a knee, arranging her long dress around her and bowing her head.
Louis looked flabbergasted at this revelation. Queen Anne, so practiced in schooling her face, managed to look only mildly curious. Duval kept blinking like any moment now he would wake up from a dream. Musketeers young and old regarded the kneeling figure on the ground with a strange sort of respect for a comrade awaiting judgment from their King. Mazarin merely growled deep in his throat.
Queen Anne broke the silence, "I think with what she has done for us these last few months, she should be forgiven, Louis."
The young King stuck his chest out with all of the dignity he could manage. "Yes, of course." He surveyed the group in front of him and used his best kingly proclamation voice. "In light of recent developments, and of her excellent record of services to France, I pardon Jacqueline Roget of any crimes against her."
Jacqueline looked up at her young King with tears in her eyes. She had doubted that this day would ever come. D'Artagnan and René came forward to help her stand up, and she leaned on them gratefully.
René spoke up next, "Sire, I would also like to acknowledge Jacqueline as my daughter, privy to my titles and estate."
King Louis nodded, "She has all the rights of nobility, guaranteed."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," René bowed.
During all of this, Mazarin had started out with a pale face at his capture which turned from red as Jacqueline made her speech to a brilliant shade of magenta as Aramis had claimed her as a daughter.
"This is ridiculous, Your Majesty; I've warned you about these Musketeers. How can you believe these people—they are the ones plotting against you! She's obviously charmed them to do as she pleases; on her orders they would probably kill you right here! You would take the word of a heretic and her disillusioned Musketeer friends over your trusted holy advisor?" Mazarin pressed his hands together in front of him, mimicking a prayer.
"Your Majesty, don't believe him! I told you how he had Claude Roget murdered in cold blood, my brother imprisoned on false charges, and me hiding for my life!" Jacqueline pleaded, standing alone in front of King Louis.
Olivier stepped up behind her and gestured to the stack of books and papers Siroc had carried up. "We found these documents; they obviously belong to him and are real enough if he went to so much trouble to hide them. They indicate that he was plotting against the Crown and the Church."
Duval moved up to support his Musketeer. "I have suspected him of many serious offences. I believe these papers may very well prove his guilt."
What stunned everyone was what Siroc had to say next. He stepped forward, shoulder to shoulder with Jacqueline. "Mazarin was the priest who tried to kill me when I witnessed him raping and murdering my sister, Camilla." Jacqueline felt a sharp pain go though her heart and gripped his hand tightly in comfort.
René found his voice next. "I've had the unfortunate responsibility of knowing this scoundrel for long time, and I can attest to an extensive history of his dark deeds with several documents back home in Spain. I will send for them immediately." He bowed in deference.
"Have you anything to say in your defense Mazarin?" Louis asked, ever a just ruler.
"Sire, I have served you faithfully. Everything I have done has been for France—" the Cardinal pleaded most cowardly.
D'Artagnan broke his sentence with a fury, "Everything you have done was for you and your own gain; you have committed treason against the Crown and done numerous other crimes against God and all of humanity." D'Artagnan appealed to the young King. "What is your decision, Sire?"
Louis, struggling even in the face of such overwhelming testimony, replied with a strong voice, "I sentence Cardinal Mazarin to the Bastille until a full list of his crimes can be compiled to be read at his execution."
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A visible sigh of relief went through the room as Mazarin was finally led away by palace guards to the Bastille. The group moved inwards towards Jacqueline.
René was detained from the celebrations by the monarchs. Queen Anne called out to him, "One last thing puzzles me, Aramis: how did you know where to find him?"
"Yes, how?" Louis echoed.
René bowed again deeply. "Your Majesty, there is a little known secret passageway from his chambers to the dungeon below. I remembered it from my old Musketeer days."
Queen Anne leaned closer to her son's ear. "Why Louis, dear, since we seem to have lost our Cardinal, why not reward our protector here with an honor?"
King Louis straightened in his chair. "Aramis—er—Duc d'Alameda, I would like to officially offer you the post of Prime Minister and spiritual advisor to France."
René broke into an unrestrained smile, "It would be my honor to accept your offer, Your Majesty. It will give me a reason to stay near family." He looked back at the exited group behind him. Jacqueline was beaming, giving everyone a jubilant kiss on the cheek, and d'Artagnan stood behind her never taking his eyes from her.
"Today is a happy day," René whispered.
