Evening My Lovelies

I like this chapter a lot more than the last one I uploaded so fingers crossed you think the same :) I know it's been a bit fillery lately but I promise drama/whumpage is coming VERY soon!

Notes On Reviews:

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha yeah I know, poor Athos's going to have a headache after dealing with this lot lol :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - Ask and ye shall receive :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

pallysd'Artagnan: Thanks for the review - Poor Athos is going to need a very stiff drink before too long I think lol :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

beeblegirl: Thanks for the review - Things should start becoming clear soon (hopefully) As for the red guards, they might not all be bad, who knows :) Trouble will be happening very soon :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Jmp (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha yep :D Treville's thoughts were more on protecting his men but I'm sure he sees pissing off the red guards as an added bonus lol :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

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

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Ten: Treville Plan II

It had taken some time for both musketeers to get the answer from the group before them, largely as the group had a habit of devolving into arguments whenever one party said something the other didn't agree with, which given the unfortunate standing of both red guard and musketeer relations, happened fairly regularly.

Eventually, however, the two inseparables were able to discern that their Captain, after being told he was forbidden to send any of their brothers to their aid and that he would have to trust their safety to the very regiment which had caused them so much suffering in the past, had decided to extort a loophole in the King's orders so had approached Glenn, the owner of the Wren tavern, a popular musketeer drinking hole, explaining, briefly the situation to the former musketeer who had served alongside the Captain before retiring to open up his tavern.

Given the musketeer brotherhood mentality never truly left any of the regiments former members Glenn hadn't hesitated in agreeing to go to his younger brothers' aid, pausing in his departure only to recruit several other retired members who, like him, didn't hesitate in agreeing, the men setting off several hours after the red guards, each man secretly enjoying the thrill of being on another mission after being retired for at least several years.

As for the red guards, the true cause of their delay remained hidden behind carefully worded excuses and half-truths, though Athos largely believed it was most likely due to the group not particularly caring if anything happened to the inseparables during their delay, something not all too surprising to the musketeer lieutenant.

What was surprising though was the look on the youngest red guard member while his companions gave their own explanations. The younger man either lacked any ability to hide his emotions or simply didn't care about showing his obvious distaste for how they had responded to their given mission, something which greatly piqued the swordsman's curiosity, especially the anger he saw flash across the man's face when his companions brushed aside a comment from Glenn who reminded them how much damage could have been done to the inseparables in even a short space of time, citing the torture Aramis had been forced to endure during their return to Paris some weeks ago where Athos and Porthos had been forced into a drugged sleep, unable to help their already injured brother.

Eventually, the group of former musketeers and current red guards finished explaining the situation as they knew it to the two musketeers, who in turn explained the situation they now found themselves in as best they could, neither musketeer missing the look that crossed the faces of two of the red guards when they spoke of the threatening letter they had received from their mysterious author.

"D'Artagnan," spoke Athos a few moments after the explanation was finished, drawing the younger musketeer's attention to him. "Take those two," he stated pointing to the two red guards neither brother trusted, "and Glenn's men to Porthos and the others, they need to know what's going on."

D'Artagnan looked thoroughly confused at being sent away from his brother's side, especially as he was asking him to leave him with a red guard, although that confusion was quickly put to rest by a significant look being sent his way as Athos added, "I'll give Glenn and this one a quick tour of the church so we can work out patrol schedules then meet you back at the room."

The two other red guards had looked ready to protest being separated from their companion until they realized if they swapped with the younger man then they would be forced to spend a lot of time with the swordsman, something neither man wanted, given their distaste for the lieutenant, so both men bit their tongues, choosing instead to let their youngest endure the stoic man while they observed the other men while relaxing in the musketeers room.

Elsewhere a now thoroughly confused Corbett barely had a moment to take in the surprise appearance of Alain standing before him before the younger man all but barrelled into him, wrapping his arms around him in a alarmingly tight embrace.

"W-What? Alain? What's going on?"

Quickly realizing what he had done in his relief at seeing his friend Alain quickly released his hold on the man, stepping back with rose-tinted cheeks.

"It's just… really good to see you. Are you hurt?"

Corbett blinked, his earlier confusion only growing. "Hurt? Why would I be hurt? I was just delivering some missives for the Captain, it's hardly the most dangerous mission."

Relief flooded across Alain's features and the young musketeer had to force himself not to actually sag in relief. "Then you encountered no trouble on the road?"

Corbett raised an eyebrow, "Apart from the storm that forced me to seek shelter here I've seen hardly anyone since departing to head back to the garrison. Now tell me, what's going on?"

A determined expression then settled on Alain's face, "I'll fill you in on the road, how quickly can you be ready to ride?"

Athos had not missed the brief flash of alarm that had crossed the youngest red guard's features at being told he would be left behind with him instead of leaving with his brothers but the swordsman refused to address it until he was sure the rest of the group had left with D'Artagnan. Sending the Gascon off without him didn't sit entirely well with the musketeer but he trusted his former comrades with his youngest brother even if the red guards travelling in the party made his stomach turn.

"Your name?" he asked, surprising the young red guard, who had honestly expected to be ignored by the two musketeers he was left with.

"Marin."

Athos nodded once in greeting, "It's rare to find a red guard who gives a damn what happens to a musketeer, yet you seem to… Why is that?"

Issac and Favier wasted no time in returning to the road as soon as the rain had stopped enough for it to be safe to travel. Their unease and worry had only grown with every minute they had been forced to remain sheltered as the heavens emptied and now that they were able to ride neither was going to be persuaded to do otherwise.

They pushed their mounts as hard as they dared over the water-logged ground, a sickening sense of dread settling in and growing between them as they desperately tried to make up time, both praying the rain had not forced their friend to deviate too far from his intended route.

Both men had hoped the dread and unease they had been feeling was more due to paranoia over their recent attack than anything else but those hopes were shattered when the sound of a gunshot shattered the quiet that had fallen over the forest were previously the only sounds to be heard was the sound of their own hoof-beats.

Fear and alarm instantly appeared on both musketeers faces as they shared a quick look before urging their horses even faster still, neither caring about the slippery, uneven ground they were now crossing with speed, their thoughts focused on one thing only.