D'Artagnan took a deep breath. He inhaled the familiar aromas of the city. The fresh bread and the flowers for sale in the market. Even the muted stench of the city streets was welcome.

His solo mission had been longer than any other. It had been a simple task but still one he felt privileged to have been given. His pauldron still felt new and to be given an important, albeit easy, mission told d'Artagnan he was trusted.

He allowed his horse to pick its way through the crowd. A few more minutes would make little difference. He watched the people going about their work. Buying and selling, creating things. He had missed the buzz of the city. As he neared the garrison he wondered if his friends would be there. He hoped they would be free that evening for dinner at the local tavern. He wanted to know all that had been going on during his few weeks away.

Weeks that felt like years.

The horse did not need guiding into the garrison yard. A stable boy appeared as d'Artagnan brought the horse to a halt. With a smile, d'Artagnan dismounted and handed his reins to the boy. He noticed Luc and Marc talking in a corner. A few muskets were lined up along a wall, ready to be taken around to the target range. After a look around for Athos, Porthos and Aramis, d'Artagnan wandered over.

'You look shattered,' said Marc with a smile.

D'Artagnan nodded, 'I started to wonder, a couple of weeks in if It was some sort of initiation test.'

Marc chuckled, 'Treville likes to share out the long missions. I'm sure Pierre, Luc, and I are due something like that soon. The perils of being newly commissioned.'

D'Artagnan laughed. He looked around again.

'Where is everyone?'

Luc said, 'Athos is at the palace with Treville, they'll be back any minute, and Porthos is in the armoury.'

It amused d'Artagnan that he had not generalised his answer. There were several cliques amongst the men.

'And Aramis?' d'Artagnan prompted.

Marc's smile faded, 'probably patrolling. If he can be bothered.'

D'Artagnan furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, not understanding.

'Aramis has had a change of loyalty,' said Marc. 'He's only interested in himself. Don't expect a big welcome back from him. He probably won't even notice you've returned.'

D'Artagnan could not believe what he was hearing. Aramis was one of the original Musketeers. He had been picked to join by Treville when the garrison was still getting to full strength. Aramis was loyal. He would not let his standards slip.

'Welcome back,' called Porthos with a broad smile from the armoury doorway.

D'Artagnan glanced at Luc and Marc.

'We can catch up later,' said Luc.

D'Artagnan left the men to their work and crossed to Porthos. He hoped his friend would be able a explain what was happening with Aramis. Porthos had disappeared back into the armoury. D'Artagnan found him with a bucket of water and a couple of cloths wiping down the shelves.

'You taking up domestic service?' asked d'Artagnan with a smirk.

Porthos chuckled, 'no, but someone has to do it and it's better than going hunting with the King-'

'You volunteered?'

Porthos nodded with a wink, 'so did Luc and Marc. We heard about the hunting trip last night from one of the footmen.'

D'Artagnan nodded, understanding their desire to be spared the petulant King for a while. He glanced behind himself to check they were alone.

'They were saying that Aramis is being... different... what's going on?'

Porthos paused for a second in his vigorous cleaning off the shelf, he looked back at d'Artagnan and nodded his head in a gesture for him to move closer.

'We can't talk here,' he said quietly, his eyes flicking to the doorway as he spoke. 'We will update you, but later. It's not that we don't trust you. It's just... not for everyone.'

D'Artagnan nodded slowly. He had no idea what was going on and Porthos' behaviour only added to his confusion.

'Go and get something to eat and probably a wash,' said Porthos after a few seconds. 'You do smell as though you've been away for a few weeks.'

D'Artagnan managed a weak smile before turning away. He could not stop wondering what was wrong with Aramis. The popular Musketeer would never let his comrades down. And now Porthos was being very secretive. He was pleased he was going to find out what was going on but equally confused as to why the rest of the men did not know. He contented himself with the knowledge that whatever was happening was for a reason. At least he hoped it was.

MMMM

D'Artagnan sat back in the chair opposite Treville, he blinked a couple of times in disbelief. It had been a lot to take in. Aramis was working on an undercover mission. He was still an active Musketeer but was having to deceive his friends into thinking he had lost his respect for the garrison. Treville outlined how they hoped Aramis could have effectively left his role as a soldier and fully immersed himself within the gang. But the gang wanted him to act as a spy at the Palace. They knew the mastermind behind the plot was someone at the Palace, which in turn meant Aramis had to maintain his facade of disillusioned Musketeer. Aramis had to remain in character almost all the time. D'Artagnan hated to imagine the toll it was having on his friend.

A shout in the yard below Treville's office caused them all to look around. Treville went to the door and stepped onto the terrace. He leaned over the balustrade and looked down for a few seconds before pointing at someone and indicating for them to come to his office. As he turned back to them his face was contorted in anger. The frown quickly changed to one of regret and annoyance.

'I hate what this mission has become,' said Treville with a shake of his head.

He held the door open long enough for Aramis to step inside before closing it hard enough that the thud would have been heard in the yard below.

Aramis took a couple of steps into the room before he spotted d'Artagnan. He glanced at Treville.

'It's alright,' said d'Artagnan, before the Captain could speak. 'They've told me about your mission.'

Aramis nodded with a sigh. D'Artagnan could see Aramis take a few seconds to shake off his charade. He smiled.

'How was your mission?' he asked. 'I'm guessing it went better than mine is going?'

D'Artagnan gave Aramis a rundown of his uneventful mission. He got the impression Aramis enjoyed listening to something that had nothing to do with what he had been doing the previous couple of weeks.

'Now,' said Treville, indicating the vacant chair next to Porthos. 'Please tell us you have some sort of update.'

They all turned their attention to Aramis who explained what had happened at the meeting with the gang members. He explained that whoever was pulling the strings was growing impatient to make his move. He wanted to gain control of the military around the King and have greater access to the King. He wanted to reduce the Cardinal from First Minister back to a simple man of the cloth. A man with little sway over the King. He wanted to oust Treville completely. The man with the money knew that amongst the King's advisers, official and unofficial, it was Richelieu and Treville that were listened to. The paymaster wanted that position and as both the men in his way controlled the security at the Palace it would mean an attack on the Palace itself. However, the gang were not ready for an attack on the Palace. Aramis related how it shocked him how callously Madame Dupre and Carlos were prepared to sacrifice their young gang members.

He paused, looking at Treville for a few seconds before continuing.

'Whoever he is doesn't think I am being used to my full potential,' he said. 'They want me to make their revised plan happen.'

He shook his head and scowled.

'They want me to kidnap a noble so that they can be tortured... and probably killed... to show that the security at the Palace is poor.'

D'Artagnan knew his expression of shock mirrored those of his friends. They all stared at Aramis who nodded.

'You heard me correctly. They want me to drag some poor young noble away and let them hurt him. Torture him. And then kill him.'

A silence descended on the room.

'I've been told, privately, by Dupre, that if I don't perform this task for them. The man with the money will think I have no worth at all.'

'If you do not do this, you will be killed?' asked Athos.

Aramis nodded.

'Well you ain't going back then,' said Porthos defensively. 'This has got too dangerous. We should storm their hideout and arrest them.'

Treville shook his head, 'much as I like the simplicity of that approach, Porthos. Only the leaders of the gang know who the paymaster is. If they were to get away-'

'They'd getaway. They're good at what they do,' interjected Aramis with scorn.

'If they were to get away all we would be doing is forcing the man with the money to go quiet for a while. He would try again, and again. I want him found and dealt with.'

Aramis said, 'they were extremely specific in what they wanted; young and handsome. Someone who the ladies would like. Someone whose mutilated body would cause shock waves throughout the Palace. They don't need to be a senior noble. Just popular and handsome.'

'There are plenty of young men at the Court that fit that description,' said Athos.

A thought struck d'Artagnan. He wondered if the others would agree with him.

'What if we don't use an actual noble,' said d'Artagnan. 'What if I do it?'

MMMM

Treville watched the inseparables turn to their youngest member and glare. Each man shook their head. Each man said a resounding 'no'. D'Artagnan leaned back a little as though he had been pushed against the wall and was being given a stern telling off by his older, wiser, comrades. Treville felt enormous pride in all four of his men. The older men for wanting to protect their newest member. For wanting to stop him doing something he might regret. And pride in d'Artagnan for not hesitating to put himself forward for what would be an incredibly dangerous mission.

'But think about it,' said d'Artagnan after he had recovered from his unspoken telling off. 'This gang, they won't know me. They don't know all the young nobles either. I'm the right age for what you need and I'm...' he paused with suitable embarrassment, 'well, Constance thinks I'm handsome...'

Porthos smirked.

'There's bound to be one of the younger nobles who could be persuaded to disappear for a while. I could pretend to be him-'

'They want to torture and kill whoever I take,' said Aramis slowly as if d'Artagnan had not understood what he was volunteering for.

D'Artagnan shook his head, 'I can endure a beating-'

'This would be more than a beating,' said Aramis. 'They want to hurt, and I mean to hurt, whoever gets taken. They want it to be obvious they suffered before they died.'

'And how will you volunteering get us any closer to finding out who is paying for all of this?' asked Athos.

D'Artagnan hesitated. Treville came to his Musketeer's rescue.

'It will buy Aramis some time,' he said. 'They'll need to keep their kidnap victim alive for a while. They won't want to kill him straight away. The noble would need to be missed at the Palace. Once they are sure he has been missed and searches are being made then they'd kill him, and no doubt dump the body where it would be found.'

'But we don't know how long that would take,' said Porthos. 'It's too risky. The things they could do in the meantime...'

'It sounds to me as though the mission would fail if you don't kidnap someone,' said d'Artagnan, turning to Aramis.

Aramis nodded, 'they're expecting me to go back tonight with the name of a likely candidate.'

'So that they can tell the man with the money,' guessed Treville.

Aramis nodded again.

'It is a good plan,' said the Captain after a few moments' contemplation. 'D'Artagnan is right, they won't know him. He wasn't here when they made their first attempt on the Palace. And as d'Artagnan has been away for several weeks and only a handful of people know he had returned...'

The four Musketeers looked at each other. Treville watched d'Artagnan silently seeking approval from each of his friends. Porthos nodded, quickly followed by Athos. Both men looked worried but appeared to accept the plan was a good one. Treville knew Athos saw d'Artagnan as something of a protege. His obvious dislike of the plan was to be expected. Despite the newly commissioned man having earned his Musketeer uniform he would always be the one the other three wanted to watch out for. They may have acted as though they were equals but the three older men still worried about d'Artagnan.

Aramis took a while to nod his approval.

Athos rose from his chair, 'you will not pass for a noble as you are,' he said.

'You gonna give him some lessons,' mocked Porthos.

Athos looked at him and nodded. Porthos stopped smiling and changed his expression to one of approval.

'We don't have long,' said Aramis. 'They'll want me to kidnap my victim in the early hours of tomorrow.'

'You'd best get to work,' said Treville. 'I will find a suitable victim for you to replace. Aramis, I will give you a name within a couple of hours.'

Aramis nodded before looking at d'Artagnan.

'Are you sure you want to do this?' he asked.

D'Artagnan nodded, 'yes.'

Treville could see that Aramis and Athos still had their doubts, but the plan was in place. He only hoped the price was not going to be too high for d'Artagnan.

MMMM

Athos regarded d'Artagnan with a critical eye. The Musketeer stood awkwardly in front of him, self-consciously fiddling with the cuff of his shirt sleeve. He contemplated what his friend had volunteered to do. He knew Treville could have asked or even ordered d'Artagnan to take part in the mission. But, somehow, his voluntary status in the increasingly farcical plan, was better. Forcing a man into a dangerous situation was never a good thing. D'Artagnan wanted the plan to succeed and would, therefore, throw himself into the part. Athos knew d'Artagnan was ready to take on the dangerous plan. He was ready to endure whatever was done to him.

Athos knew it was him and Aramis and Porthos who were not ready.

The young man had fought his way into their lives and now behaved as if he had always been there. It was them that needed to accept that d'Artagnan was a fully-fledged Musketeer. He was more than capable. And yet, Athos could not help the worry that niggled at the back of his mind.

'Do you think my accent will matter?' asked d'Artagnan, breaking Athos from his thoughts.

He shook his head, 'you will be pretending to be scared, I doubt they will pay much attention. And the look need only be surface deep.'

D'Artagnan nodded. Athos wondered if the younger man was allowing the danger he was putting himself in, to finally sink in. Athos would have worried if d'Artagnan had not been apprehensive.

'Tie your hair back if you can. To be neater. Show me your hands.'

D'Artagnan held out his hands. The tell-tale callouses from the sword work marked them.

'Scrub your hands. Get your nails as clean as possible. They won't inspect you, but we should do what we can. It would not be unexpected for a noble to show signs of training with a sword, I think you will get away with that.'

D'Artagnan nodded as he looked at his hands.

'You do not have to do this,' said Athos. 'We will not think any less of you if you change your mind. You understand you will get hurt. I doubt Aramis will be able to prevent it without exposing you both.'

'I know,' replied d'Artagnan. 'And I understand.'

He paused for a moment before continuing.

'I appreciate your trust in me.'

Athos managed a smile, 'just come back to us in one piece,' he said.

Athos knew the statement was as much for his own benefit as d'Artagnan's.

MMMM