Here we go, loves! Another chapter to keep you all happy with me. I'm hoping that none of you have lost interest in this story, so feel free to leave me a review to say what you think about it thus far!

Chapter XXVIII

"I simply wish to go home, why is that so disagreeable to everyone?"

Aramis continued to study his daughter as she packed up the small bag that she had brought with her from the monastery at the beginning of their trip, noting how she kept her eyes locked on the items she placed inside the bag and stubbornly refused to raise them to meet his. Porthos had warned him earlier that there had been a rather drastic change in Katherine's demeanor since they had ventured down to the gardens and encountered Philippe the night before, and the time that he had spent with the young King certainly told him that something had happened between the two of them. He had seemed a lot rougher that morning, the smile missing from his face as his eyes seemed a little more hard set on everything around him. He had not been cruel, but curt with people when they addressed him, as if he had no interest in anything that required his attention. And now here was his own daughter, packing to return home with only a passing word to him, as she had made all of the arrangement previous to telling him her intentions.

"It is disagreeable because no one understands your sudden urgency to leave the palace," Aramis said, crossing his arms against his chest. "You seemed perfectly content to be here last night."

"Papa, I have been her for far too long," came her quick response as she grabbed her hairbrush and stuffed it inside the bag. "I do not know what is going on and my body is still healing. I told you when we arrived that I was not comfortable at the palace because it was so unfamiliar to me. Now I wish to return home so that I might finish healing without being in anyone's way."

"You are not in the way!"

Finally Katherine turned herself around, her eyes falling on her father with such a stern look that Aramis was momentarily startled by the maturity that he saw in his daughter's face. Despite knowing that she was a young woman of twenty he had always seen her as the little girl that he had raised after she had been abandoned. And yet here was a woman who looked at him, a woman who had firmly made up her mind on something that he knew he was powerless to change.

"One of you is with me almost constantly," she began slowly, allowing her words the time that they needed to sink in. "When you should all be focusing your attentions on keeping the King safe. You will not tell me what is going on, so I can only assume that threats are being made against the King, and if that is true than you are wasting your time in trying to protect me."

Aramis opened his mouth to speak, but Katherine silenced him with a raised hand. "If I return home than I can heal in a place that I am familiar. There are others there who can help me until I am able to care for myself again and will do so as long as their prayers are not interrupted. I am better off returning home now. I cannot help you here, Papa."

It was strange to hear that Katherine was wanting to remove herself from the situation entirely, arguing with her father not to stay and partake in whatever adventure she saw on the horizon but to return home and stay completely out of it. Perhaps he should be grateful though, he thought to himself as he continued to watch his daughter pack her things away. Perhaps their last mission had finally given her what she needed to satisfy that dangerous craving that had been in her system, the long building desire to go out into the world and seek some kind of adventure that might justify her reason for being on the earth. She had spoken of it often as a child when her boredom had reached a peak that even Aramis could barely keep together. And while she had never outwardly complained of the life that she had lead at the monastery, he knew that she had always longed for something more, something that felt complete.

Now it seemed that she was more than content to return to their life together behind the monastery walls, where she was familiar with the faces and the traditions that were held there. Yet Aramis couldn't shake the feeling that his daughter's request to leave was some form of retreat. She'd never been the type of girl to run away from a situation before, but he supposed there was a first time for everything…and he didn't like it at all.

"What is it you are not telling me?" he questioned in his deep tone.

Katherine closed her bag and lifted her eyes, staring boldly into his eyes. "I wish to leave, Papa. What more is there to say?"

He knew that she wasn't being entirely truthful, but Aramis had no proof and could say nothing against her now. All he had to go on were the things that Porthos had mentioned about her encounter with Philippe in the gardens the night before, when it seemed that the two of them had gone from friendly to estranged in a matter of minutes. He hadn't heard the conversation, Porthos had given them enough privacy not to overhear them, but he had seen the changes in her body and the hard look in Philippe's eyes when he had returned to stand with D'Artagnan and Queen Anne. The thought of his friend wandering through the gardens with the queen made Aramis frown. There would certainly be a discussion about that later on as well.

A soft knock on the door drew both of their attention to the figure who slowly slipped inside, noting how Athos seemed to hold himself in a slightly more relaxed manner than he had before. "Katherine, your carriage is here."

"Thank you, Uncle."

The young woman pushed herself to her feet with an unsteady hand, bracing herself against the back of the chair as she came to a shaky standing position with her bag clutched tightly to her stomach. Aramis moved as if to stop her from leaving the room, but Athos was quick to step between the two and silently offer Katherine his arm in support. The smile that she gave him in response was not one of happiness, but of a thankful sort that could only read to Aramis as if his friend had known all along what Katherine was planning to do. But why would Athos keep information like this from him? And why would his own daughter seek the council of someone aside from himself? It was if she didn't trust him with her secret at all, and that was why he had not been informed of her decision.

His stomach knotted tightly together in a mixture of anger and sadness as he watched the pair take a few steps toward the door. Clearly things between himself and everyone else were not as he had thought them to be. Nevertheless he knew that arguing was now a pointless endeavour, and so he sought to redeem himself, if only slightly, by moving to gently stop the two of them before they had crossed the width of the room. He reached out to gently take the bag that Katherine held against her, momentarily causing her to give him a puzzled look before shock took over as Athos swept her up into his arms. They were both painfully aware of the fact that she was still in a precarious spot of her recovery, and her body still did not take kindly to being overworked just yet.

"You will send word when you have made it back safely?" Aramis asked her softly, pushing the door aside so that Athos might step ahead of him.

Katherine nodded her head. "Of course, Papa. It would be cruel of me to worry you further."

No further words were exchanged as they made their slow progression downstairs to the corridors and stairs that would lead to the side entrance of the palace. This driveway wasn't used as often as the main one, mostly for the secret escapes of previous kings who had pursued their adulterous liaisons outside the palace walls. But in this instance Katherine had thought far enough ahead to ask that they use this entrance to the grounds instead, so as not to attract any unwanted attention from the people within the city who might wonder at the occupant of the carriage. Rumours were often started in such a fashion, and she wished to avoid those as much as possible. After all, it was rumours that were seeing her removal from the palace in the first place.

It took them only a short time to navigate the halls, passing few people on their way except for the odd musketeer who was walking his rounds for the King's protection. They all bowed their heads respectfully for their two brothers in arms as they passed, eyeing Katherine with a look of curiosity, but wisely remaining silent and allowing the group to go on their way. For her part, Kate attempted to keep her eyes low enough that she would not make contact with anyone. The less they were able to read in her face, the less they could speak about later. And while she knew that these men were loyal to Philippe, she knew that they were sure to have their own suspicions about what had happened since that night at the Bastille, so she would do her best to give them nothing further to discuss. At least nothing more than simply the fact that she had left the palace grounds entirely.

Aramis moved ahead of them once more to push open the last of the doors they would encounter, allowing Athos to pass through unhindered and approach the side of the carriage that waited for their arrival. The driver sprung down from his place as soon as he saw them and moved to open the door, his eyes a little wide in surprise at seeing the young woman in the arms of a much older man in such a fashion, though he too remained silent. It was only with a curt gesture from Aramis that the man mounted the front of the carriage again and took up the reins, waiting for the gesture that would tell of when they were to depart. Very gently did Athos place Katherine back on her feet again, though his hands lingered around her back and arm to ensure that she was able to stand on her own without too much rocking that might have her fall over.

"Are you sure you will be alright?" he asked, looking her hard in the face.

But Katherine nodded to him, offering a reassuring smile. "The other priests know are expecting me. They will see to it that I am able to heal properly."

He nodded to her, wrapping both of his arms around her in a firm hug that betrayed the inner conflict he was feeling about allowing her to return unguarded. "Be safe," he told her. "And do not do anything foolish along the road."

"I will try my best," she responded, rolling her eyes a little.

His arms tightened a little more as he gave one last squeeze and slowly stepped away into a position behind Aramis, who had since placed Katherine's bag on the ground beside him so that he could properly face his daughter. The aging priest said nothing as he looked at her, as if the words that he wished to use were hidden somewhere deep inside but refused to surface when he required them. It didn't take a genius to see that he was struggling, and so the young woman took a small step forward and reached out until her fingertips brushed against the rough stubble that lay on his cheek.

"Worry not, Papa," offered the girl. "We shall not be parted for long."

Before she could stop herself, Katherine launched herself into Aramis and quickly found that her body was caught in his embrace as he pulled her tightly to him. Every ounce of strength that she had been storing since she had woken was reserved for that moment, barely able to stand on her own two feet as she felt his arms supporting her despite his age. She had wrapped her own around his chest and held on tightly, burying her face against her father's shoulder while he turned his head to rest his cheek against her hair, the gentle rumble of his chest as he breathed making her feel just a little better about leaving. Then he lifted one of his hands and began to stroke her hair in that comforting gesture that he had adopted in her childhood, allowing them both a moment of togetherness that would afterward be delayed by an undetermined amount of time.

"Why do I feel as if you are trying to run away from something?" he asked softly as he held her close.

The brunette chewed on her lower lip. "Perhaps I am," she admitted with an equally gentle voice. "I do not really know anymore. But this is something I feel I need to do. Please understand…"

"I do."

A soft sigh of relief fell from Katherine's lips as she pressed her face a little tighter to her father's body, taking a moment to regain her composure before she lifted her head and attempted to give him a smile that felt rather weak on her lips. Aramis released her from his grasp and shifted his arms until he was able to help guide her back to the open door of the carriage, his body moving like a shadow behind her own until she was safely seated inside and her bag was placed on the floor beside her. Just as he was about to step back and close the door though, Katherine tucked her hand into the pocket of her skirt and produced an envelope that she quickly held out to him.

"After I have gone, can you please deliver this?"

He couldn't help but hear the urgency in her tone as she held it out to him, leaning heavily against the wooden frame of the carriage as she did so. What was so important about this letter that she had to ask him to deliver it for her instead of simply leaving it for the intended person? But as Aramis reached out to take the letter, he suddenly understood. A look was exchanged between father and daughter as he nodded in agreement and stepped back, closing the door firmly. He paused for only a moment and then knocked firmly on the carriage itself, watching it lurch into motion and begin carrying Katherine away from him. But it was alright, he thought to himself. She would soon be back home where she would be safe and comfortable, and she had promised to send word to him as soon as she had returned. She wouldn't leave him in a state of panic for long.

The touch to his shoulder that followed had the old man jumping, his head snapping around to see who it was that had approached him until he recognized Athos' face and allowed himself to relax again.

"You need not worry, Aramis," said his friend, repeating Katherine's earlier words to him. "She feels that she needs to leave, and perhaps it is better this way. At least we will know that she is not getting herself involved in any sort of fight."

Aramis chuckled despite himself. "I almost wish she were," he said, turning back to watch the carriage disappear from sight as it passed through the gates that lead to the grounds of the palace. "At least then she would still be here."

There was a moment of silence. "You will deliver her letter?"

"I cannot keep it to myself."

The amount of guilt he would feel if he did would be overwhelming. Though he did admit that he was not looking forward to the moment when he would have to tell D'Artagnan that his niece was no longer within the palace walls. Porthos would perhaps understand best of all, but the fear that had been shown during the days that Katherine was unconscious lead Aramis to believe that having her out of sight would only increase the anxiety that was felt by the captain of the musketeers as he tried to keep his son safe from harm simply because she was no longer within his sight. But he was not the only one who had yet to be told of her departure, the letter in his hand was evidence of that. He had no way of knowing how the news would be taken, what actions might therefore unfold as hidden thoughts and feelings were revealed. All he could do now was focus on his duty and hope that he had done the right thing in allowing Kate to leave.

"Come, we must return before they miss us."

Athos turned his head to examine the expression worn by his friend, noting just how much of the age was showing in his face. Things had certainly changed since the night of the ceremony, when they had all felt as if their worlds were slowly beginning to crumble around them. And it seemed that in the time Aramis had spent praying beside his daughter's unconscious body he had begun to look far older than he was. But he was right, of course. If they did not return to the meeting that was shortly to be held in Philippe's quarters then their friends would miss them, and as everyone was already on high alert with the threats being made against Philippe they could not take the chance of startling them any further.