Evening My Lovelies

Ahh! I'm soo sorry I completely forgot all about this and that I needed to update. Hope you can all forgive me, especially as there are no inseparables in today's chapter.

Notes On Reviews:

Issai: Thanks for the review - Haha I know, I'm being cruel to our boys, they're definitely going to be caught off guard when the enemy makes their move :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

beeblegirl: Thanks for the review - Tristan was awesome in that chapter, I loved writing him finally having enough and putting his foot down. Gerald and Gaspard would be so proud lol :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Jmp (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha yeah there is a little bit of sense left in our musky group :D I'm going to keep you all waiting on the whole Liam front for a little longer as the check-in I had planned ended up a lot longer than I had initially planned so it became the entire chapter rather than part of it. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha same :D Gaspard and Gerald are going to be so proud once they hear how their assistant/protege stood his ground against the fearsome muskys lol :D I'm thinking the regiment as a whole has bad luck, not just our inseparables lol :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

pallysd'Artagnan: Thanks for the review - Liam does indeed have news but I'm going to make you all wait a little longer to find out what it is :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

WelshEssex: Thanks for the review - Hmmm I'm currently leaning on letting them live but we'll see what happens when we get into their whumpage as it's pretty much a given they're going to find trouble :) Tristan finally having enough was amusing to write so I'm glad you liked it :) Unfortunately Issac and Favier aren't the only ones injured as we're seeing tonight :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Eight: Taking A Risk

Alain couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when he spotted the small hamlet in the distance, knowing this would likely be where he could find Corbett, something which couldn't happen soon enough as far as the younger musketeer was concerned as every minute they were apart was another opportunity for something, or someone, to happen, even more so now that he and Blaise had parted ways.

It hadn't been Alain's choice for the pair to split up but it became apparent that they would have to once, to their surprise, their attackers retreated from the fight, leaving them injured, confused but importantly, alive.

Tending to their wounds was a priority, especially considering the gunshot wound Blaise was sporting which was causing him to steadily lose blood.

It was this injury that had prompted the discussion regarding splitting up and the memory of it still didn't sit right with Alain.

FLASHBACK

"How's it looking?" asked Blaise breathily as he watched Alain return from scanning the area that surrounded the small cave they had luckily managed to find just before the heavens opened. The older musketeer was leaning against the wall as he tried to remain as still as possible given that any movement seemed to cause his injury to nearly cripple him with the pain it sent rocketing through his body. A grim realization was slowly coming to the man and he hated that he was even thinking it, let alone that he was going to have to suggest it to his beloved brother.

"Rain's beginning to die down," stated Alain as he settled on the ground beside his brother, his gaze drifting to the man's wound with no small amount of worry. The bullet had lodged deep into Blaise's collarbone and removing it had been far from pleasant for all involved and Alain couldn't help but fear that he had managed to injure his brother further, or at least worsen his already existing injury given his lack of training in the medical field. He had some, Treville had begun insisting that all of the regiment knew what to do in most situations but this had been something the young musketeer was far from prepared for. "We should be able to ride out soon."

Grimacing Blaise shook his head, "You," he stated with a surprising amount of firmness given his situation. "Not me."

In any other situation, Alain was sure his dumbfounded expression would have been laughable but as it stood the musketeer didn't care. "Say that again," he all but growled, hoping he had simply misheard his brother, "I thought you said you want us to split up."

Letting out a shaky breath as he tried to move into a more comfortable position without passing out from the pain Blaise nodded. "We've no choice-"

"I'm NOT leaving you!"

"You don't have a choice!" roared Blaise as he fought the need to glare at his brother, his expression only softening a fraction when he saw the worry and fear in his little brother's eyes. "Corbett is still out there and has no idea of the trouble potentially coming his way… I can't ride Alain," he admitted quietly, hating the look his words caused to form on his baby brother's face. "At least not at the speed we'll need to reach him before anything happens and we cannot wait for me to heal enough to be able to do so."

"But… You'll be alone."

END FLASHBACK

It hadn't taken long for the pair to work out their plan, though it was clear neither man was happy about leaving the other. It was another hour before Alain felt the rain had slowed enough to safely ride out and the younger man had made the most out of that time by tending to his brother's wound as best he could before making up several pain draughts and poultices to help stop infections.

Eventually, though it became time to leave and Alain had to force himself not to look back towards the cave, knowing he would give in to the urge to return to his injured brother's side and never leave if he did.

The hamlet he was now approaching was the last point for some time that Corbett would have had to stock up on supplies before heading back towards the garrison so he was sure that someone there would have seen his friend if the man had passed through in the time they had lost during and after the fight.

"Another musketeer?" spoke a young voice in slight awe, pulling Alain from his darkening thoughts regarding Blaise's condition as he turned to face the source, spotting a young girl, no more than ten years old, who's curiosity had clearly drawn her close while he had been lost in his own mind.

"Another?" he spoke softly, not wanting to scare the child who now seemed aware of the fact that she had approached a stranger, "Is there another of my regiment here?"

Alain hadn't wanted to give into hope when he first saw the village but seeing that young child's slow nod he felt his entire frame sag in relief.

"I have been searching for him for some time, could you please tell me where I can find him. It's important."

The girl hesitated for a moment before deciding she could trust him and nodded once before pointing to a small house on the very outskirts of the small hamlet. "Anna's mama let him stay when the rain got bad," she answered and the way she smiled at the name made it clear that this 'Anna' was a friend.

Smiling gently at the child Alain drew a few coppers from his coin pouch and leaned over to pass them to the now eagerly smiling girl. "Thank you, mademoiselle, you've been extremely helpful."

Feeling lighter than he had since leaving his brother's side Alain began to travel the short distance to the house the girl had directed him to, a smile tugging at his lips as he heard the very girl he had just been speaking to joyfully cry out for her mother, excitedly telling her, and anyone who could hear, all about the nice musketeer she had helped.

Alain was still smiling once he reached the house and he quickly dismounted, giving his horse a loving pat before moving to knock on the door, his smile only growing when he saw just who was opening the door to greet him.

"Corbett…"