Chap 19 Prayer for life

The assassin reached up and removed his mask and faced the men before him in show of honor. Ramon got a look of devastation upon his face at that moment.

"Why! Why would you try to kill your own granddaughter! She is Angelita's daughter! Why!" The tears started to flow down Ramon's cheeks as he begged his father to answer him.

The man look back at Ramon his face filled with horror at what was just reveled to him. "I did not know….

She is Angelita's daughter? How is that possible? Who is her father? Why was I not told?"

Just then D'Artagnan Jr. looked up at Ramon's father with his eyes filled with the venom on hatred he felt in his heart for that man. "I LOVED HER AND YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME!" He drew his sword and went to strike; Duval blocked his attack with his own sword.

Duval looked D'Artagnan Jr. right in the eyes. "D'Artagnan your father took her to the inn, I want you to go and check on her."

D'Artagnan Jr. had a look of complete fury upon his face. "CAPTAIN"

Duval had a compassionate look on his face "That's an order private, she has a very strong will I am sure she will be ok. She loves you son there is no doubt in my mind. Now go be with your love." "Jacques, I want you to go with him."

Jacques (Siroc) nodded to his captain and place his hand on D'artagnan Jr.'s shoulder. "You want to be there when she wakes up, Don't you?"

D'Artagnan Jr. nodded to his friend and they rushed with great speed to the inn.

The Spanish assassin collapsed upon the ground. "God, What have I done? Please! Please help her god don't allow her to die because of my mistakes." The tears were streaming down his cheeks.

Ramon looked down at his father, "You did not know that Angelita had a daughter did you father!"

The kneeling man shook his head. "If I knew I would never have hurt her. I could have done something, anything for my granddaughter." The man had a look of defeat upon his face.

"She is a very strong woman, she has a strong soul. I know she will survive, she has never given up without a fight and this is no different."

The older man looked to be ageing a great deal right before there eyes. "I still don't understand why my daughter left Spain and how she ended up with child. Who is my granddaughter's father?"

Athos walked up to the still kneeling man and place his hand upon his shoulder. "Here is not the place to discuss it let's go to the chapel and we can talk about it there."

The man quickly agreed and rose upon his feet, and then he followed the men, who cared a great deal for his granddaughter, to the chapel.

Once inside the men relayed to the priest what had happened to Jacqueline. Then they asked if there was a room that they would be able to use for a while to talk to the grief stricken man they had in their company. The priest nodded in agreement and in sympathy.

He opened a room that looked as if it had been abandoned for quite a while. Dust and cobwebs covered the tables and chairs as fog does on a starless night.

The priest had a look of sadness upon his face "I will go and pray for her quick recovery if there is anything else I can do for you please ask." With that he left the men to talk about the tale of one of the bravest women they knew.

At the inn

Jacqueline was still lying unconscious on the bed she was placed.

The doctor walked over to the men that had just entered her room. The doctor had a look of confusion as he shook his head. "She had another wound and that looks like it was cared for quite well. None of the wounds appear to be fatal. I have no idea why she is not waking up. I have done all I can for her medically, all we can do now is pray for her."

D'Artagnan Sr. nodded to the doctor in agreement. He faced his son and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to try and offer comfort. "I will go and tell the others about what the doctor has told us."

D'Artagnan Jr. looked his father in the eyes with tears streaming down his cheeks. "I will not leave her side until she wakes no matter how long it takes." He grabbed her hand and collapsed upon his knees.

He began to do something he had not done since his mother was taken from him. He prayed for her and for the strength to help her. He prayed to be with the woman he loved more than his desire to be a musketeer. He would give everything up for her he would give his last breath if it meant she would live.

The other men watched helplessly as they watched the two figures remain motionless.