Chapter 5

Porthos looked up from the desk as Levi entered the tent with Piers Fontaine and Walnut following behind. Piers looked tired, like a man out of his element. The chaos of war had him spending his days and nights protecting his most valuable possession: his family. He had moved his family's tent further into the woods as the fires burned several sections of the fields that separated France from the border of the Spanish occupied Dutch Republic. Most of those lands he had farmed. It was where his family had ridden their horses, and where his children had picked flowers and gathered wild berries. It was difficult enough living near his home but not being allowed within it, and as he watched the lands he loved be destroyed, it had caused his heart to hurt and his optimism to fade. He and his family had helped many of the refugees as they assisted in living alongside the soldiers, but like now, his concern lay with his family.

"Lieutenant Porthos," Piers said. He looked at the others, who stood at a distance from the desk.

It was crowded, but Piers could feel the tension in the space, the concern on the men's faces, and the exhaustion in their eyes. He understood it and felt guilty, as his priority was his family, not his country or his king.

"Is there a way inside the chateau?" Aramis asked. He glanced at the map and then at Piers. "Any way inside without being detected?"

Piers took a deep breath through his nose and exhaled slowly while he winced and rubbed the back of his neck. He knew the home better than he knew himself. This was where he grew up, where his parents had raised him, and where he had learned to become a man. He stepped forward and felt Walnut step behind him as he peered at the rough sketch he had provided when he had been asked. He now wished he had paid more attention to the details.

"No," Piers said. "It's an old chateau, and it's meant to protect those behind its walls — my family built it for just a reason as this… only it is us who should be protected." He rubbed his neck. "It protected my family during the Huguenot rebellions," he looked at Porthos, "and even the War of the Three Henries." He shrugged, stepped closer to the desk, and tugged at a corner of the rough drawing. "We didn't have a regiment protecting us… just us, a few farmers and craftsmen, and a monk."

Porthos exhaled slowly and then rubbed his face. He looked at those around him and shook his head when d'Artagnan swallowed in disappointment, and Aramis clutched at the crucifix beneath his blouse.

"It's a siege," d'Artagnan said and looked to where Marc sat on the edge of Athos' bed. "They have food, weapons, and enough supplies to hold us off for weeks, I would assume."

"General Thorell is on his way," Comtois said. "Remember his messenger was here…. He's only a week or so away."

"A lot can happen in a week," Aramis said. He shifted his feet and watched Levi rub his temple in frustration.

"What about Musketeer Mathew, who returned with a message from the Prince of Orange?" d'Artagnan asked, shifted his feet, and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"According to the message, the prince is still days away," Porthos said and paused with a deep breath and exhaled slowly through his nose. "If 'is military were delayed… it could be longer."

"And Treville is protecting Paris with too few musketeers —"

"He may have kept the Red Guards in Paris," Aramis said, and looked at d'Artagnan. "Given the state of affairs, the message Athos got to him, and the threats against the king," he shrugged, "I would assume they're well protected — at least for now."

"If we can't gain access," Marc said and stood, "what about locations to at least see what is happening inside? There are plenty of windows," he looked at Piers and walnut, "to look inside, but at a distance and from where? Laury," he pointed to the map, "can only see a small section — we need to see inside the other rooms — maybe even a better view of the library… that's where the general does most of his business."

Piers frowned and looked at the map, but quickly stepped aside when Walnut stepped beside him.

"Here," Walnut said and pointed to the barn behind the stables. "There's a loose board on the roof. One of your men could position himself in the rafters, pry up the board, and use a long glass to watch the room." He shrugged, ignored the look of surprise on his brother's face, and then said, "He'll never be seen and he'll be able to see what's happening inside the library and the great hall."

Porthos quirked a smile and looked at his fellow musketeers.

"Germaine," they all said in unison.

Levi turned without being asked and walked to the exit. "I'll find him," he said and paused a brief moment when he looked at the small hutch Athos kept near his bed. He grabbed the spyglass that rested atop, tipped his head with it, and then left.

Marc motioned for Walnut and Piers to follow him from the tent and all three exited, leaving the rest to continue their discussions.

"That solves a portion of needing to know what's happening inside, but how do we get in?" d'Artagnan said. "If General Thorell and the Prince of Orange's military arrives here at the same time… what will that cause him to do? He knows he can't win —"

"Don't assume he would care," Captain Comtois said. "Raboin has put himself into a situation where he can't win." He looked at those around him. "If he knows that, then it raises the question… what is he capable of?"

Porthos rubbed his face, closed his eyes, and frowned. "Then why continue?"

The room went quiet. There was a sense of uncertainty that hindered the normally quick and responsive chatter amongst men who knew and understood the complexities of war. But this was different. General Raboin had acted erratically, but he wasn't mad. He, too, was fighting for something that only he understood, which left his men scrambling for answers.

Aramis cleared his throat, looked at the captains, and then at Porthos and d'Artagnan. "He knows he's going to lose… he wants to die a martyr."

Captain Duris huffed and said, "For who?"

"Spain," Porthos said, and in defeat he took a seat in Athos' chair and rubbed his brow.