Chap 14 Wisdom of Words

Back at the garrison

D'Artagnan Jr. got up from where he was sitting and looked right at Athos. "We have to leave right away!"

Duval put his hand on D'Artagnan Jr.'s shoulder. "Take it easy son we will leave at dusk so hopefully we won't be followed. Your father and Porthos need some rest and we need to get supplies ready. I have all ready sent the message to my friend she is staying with. They will keep an eye on her for us. Now I want you three to go and get the supplies together. That's an order!"

The three younger men bowed to their captain and left the room. The man in the shadows crept out at the same time to tell his master of what he had heard.

The man from the shadows kept his hood on (to hide the scars that seemed to consume him) until he reached the woods outside of Paris.

He scurried up to a man that wore a mask that was made of a shiny silver metal. The scarred man reveled all that he over heard to giant in front of him.

"That is all that was reveled to you!" His voice was as cold as the steel that hung by his side. "If she is not where you say then the pain you endured before will be nothing like you are about to face!"

The man winced in pain he know the cost if he failed. He had lost his entire family to an attack. He woke up to his home engulfed in flames. His scars from it were a constant reminder of what he lost.

He had heard a rumor his son had some how survived and was alive. He agreed to help this man in hopes of finding his son.

The King had told him about the hopes of an alliance with Spain. He had been willing to do what ever the King asked of him to help. He did not know the cost would be his family. Someone had found out of his willingness to help and now…. He shook his head he would make her pay for his family's death. He would find Jacques no matter the cost.

"Ready the horses we leave at dusk!" He looked up at his master. "Yes master as you wish" and bowed to the giant before him.

I n LeHavre

A young woman was kneeling in the chapel praying when the kind priest walked up to her. "My child, what do you believe you have done to cause you to run from those you love?"

She looked up at the kind eyes gazing upon her. She crossed herself and sat on the bench beside the priest. "I can not be with the ones I love or else they may die. I lost too many people. I can not bear to lose anyone else".

The priest shook his head. "You can not live your life alone. Everyone needs someone to care for them. You can not let what happened to you turn you heart cold to those around you. Let love be your guide, follow what your heart says it rarely sends us astray."

She looked up at the priest "That sounds a lot like something my mother told me."

He gave her a sincere smile. "Your mother sounds like a very smart woman!"

A tear crept from her eye. "She was very smart!"

The young priest placed his hand upon her shoulder. "Why don't you go back to the ones you love?"

She sighed "I would love to but that is no longer possible. My life the way it was is over my life will never be the same again!"

The priest let out a little laugh. "Everything changes, a caterpillar does not stay a caterpillar forever someday it must become a butterfly. Just as your life is changing it does not mean you have to give up on everything you had. But to allow you to use what you learned from before to help you now."

She was very confused by the words of the priest, but figured that sometimes words of advice have very special meanings. She got up and looked at the priest. "If the young man who brought me here comes back, tell him I went for a walk to think".

The priest rose "I would be happy to." He looked at the young woman and sighed "I know the name you gave is not your real name. May I ask you what you real name is in confidence?"

She looked at the priest and smiled. "It is Jacqueline!" and walked out of the chapel.

The priest nodded his head and whispered to himself. "I will say a prayer for you Jacqueline."

Soon she found her self by the rocky shore gazing upon the clear, still water that lay before her. She breathed in the salty sea air as the tears began to fall down her cheeks. She thought about the words spoken to her. Her mind in total chaos, her heart wanted to be with D'artagnan but her mind wanted to run.

She sat on one of the rocks on the shore. "Mother I wish you were here to tell me what to do! I am so confused, I feel all alone. I lost you and father and my brother. I can not bear the thought of losing anyone else."

Suddenly someone walked up behind her and touched her on the shoulder and startled her. She had thought she was all alone.

"You have lost more people, the family you left behind that you are trying to protect. I bet they miss you and wish you would return to them."

She looked up at the man who came behind her. "Monsieur Jasper I didn't hear you come up behind me" as she wiped away her tears.

He gave a little laugh. "I like to come here and think. It's going to be getting cool soon and Celestiel would be quite upset if we were late for supper. Now I would be most appreciative if I could escort you back to the inn."

She looked up at the older man. "How did you know about me and who I left behind?"

He smirked at her. "I make it my job to know about those who stay with me. I know when people are in the need of my help and I do what I can to help them."

She raised her eyebrow. "Curtis told you didn't he!"

"Well yes, that is one of many ways to find things out."

She stood up and faced the older man. "Why do you want to help me?"

He extended his arm to help her through the rocky shore. "I believe that is my purpose in life. To help those who are in need of my help. I can see beyond the pain in your eyes, the fire that drives you to help those who can not protect themselves."

Her face turned of confusion. "How did you know?"

He laughed, "I told you I know a lot about people. Now shall we go so Curtis and Celestiel don't worry about us?"

She nodded and accepted his hand to help guide her through the maze of rocks and to the inn.