Evening My Lovelies

Look at me doing another update :D Turns out setting a timer and forcing myself to write is apparently working :D ... I've jinxed it now haven't I lol.

Notes On Reviews:

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I agree we are fairly similar in that sense :D Not sure what it says about us to love whumping the boys as much as we do lol XD Enjoy the new chapter! x

pallysAramisRios: Thanks for the review - Oh Athos definitely does not mind lol :D He's not got any desire to have D'Art far from him any time soon so he's more than happy to play pillow :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

beeblegirl: Thanks for the review - Haha that's very true, though they'll get a few answers today. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - Yeah not the smartest but they have no choice... However, who knows what might happen when they split :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

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

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Fifty-Six: Explanations

Neither Henri nor Issac looked overly happy to discuss the events that led up to and followed receiving the note they had just handed to Athos but both also knew the men had the right to know what happened and so with a sigh Issac, having been involved right from the beginning began his explanation.

"It began not long after you guys left for the church," began Issac, clearly uncomfortable and somewhat angry as the memories played out in his mind. "The Captain was at a meeting with the King where they received a letter for our infamous author, basically taunting him and stating that he wasn't finished."

Porthos nodded, "Explains the sudden allies we got a few days later," he mused, the group not having thought too much of the arrivals given they themselves had already been tormented by another letter from the author.

"Corbett and myself were out on separate delivery missions at the time," explained Henri, his hand, instinctively moving to gently wrap around his still bruised ribs. "The Captain feared we might be targets so sent Issac, Favier, Blaise and Alain out after us."

The way Henri's voice momentarily faltered when speaking the names of their brothers-in-arms spoke volumes to the inseparables who, due to being focused on the explanation along with the growing feeling of worry for their brothers, missed a certain figure slowly opening his eyes.

"'Lain?" murmured a voice, starting the entire group, several members actually jumping slightly from the voice before all eye turned to the sweat-drenched, barely conscious Gascon laying in Athos's lap.

"Whelp," breathed Porthos, relief briefly flooding his system as he stared at the boy's barely opened eyes, vanishing moments later however when he heard how painful sounding the boy's breathing was, prompting the larger man to send Aramis a worried look, noticing a matching look of concern on the marksman's face. "How are you feeling D'Artagnan?"

Ignoring the question D'Artagnan's eyes began to slowly scan the area, confusion slowly flooding the Gascon's dark orbs, "'Lain?"

With a sympathetic look on his face, Issac reached over to place his hand gently on the younger man's bandaged one, bringing the boy's quickly dimming focus onto his face. "He's not here D'Artagnan," explained the musketeer, "He's at the garrison with Blaise so you better focus on getting better otherwise you'll worry him when we get home."

Too exhausted to speak any more D'Artagnan made a weak sound of agreement before closing his eyes once more, ignorant of the worried looks being shared among his brothers and friends.

"They're not travelling with you and the Captain?" asked Aramis a few moments later, concern filling his features. D'Artagnan's friendship with Alain was well known among their brothers and it simply did not make sense that the other musketeer would not have accompanied the group tracking the Gascon unless there was a serious issue preventing him from doing so.

With unease and pain clear on their faces both Henri and Issac shook their heads, although it was Issac who continued the explanation, skipping to the part of the story which related to the current absence of the young musketeer.

"After we found that note," he explained, nodding to the letter still in Athos's hands, "We made our way to a nearby town to send word to the Captain, requesting aid for both ourselves and for Blaise's group as we had no way of knowing who they were going to target."

"It didn't take long for Etienne and some of the others to reach us," continued Henri, his hands clenching into fists at the mention of his injured friend's name. "According to Etienne the men had been itching to ride out long before they left and the Captain practically emptied the garrison within minutes of receiving our letter."

Issac nodded, "As it turned out though the back up was completely unnecessary… at least for us."

"Blaise's group," breathed Athos, paling slightly in concern as he unconsciously looked down at his protege now once again fully unconscious in his lap.

A grim look appeared on both Henri and Issac's faces as they nodded despite the swordsman's words not truly being a question.

"Etienne refused to let us ride out after them once it became clear that we were not the target, insisting that the Captain ordered us to stay put and he would send word or come meet us so it took a while for us to get the news."

"What happened?" spoke Marin, bravely ending the brief stint of silence that followed the last part of the explanation. Instinctively Henri sent the red guard a glare but to his surprise and inner pride, the younger man remained unaffected as he simply stared at the musketeer.

"Apparently Blaise had been seriously injured during an earlier ambush on the road which prompted Alain continuing the search for Corbett alone," started Issac, quickly waving away the question both Aramis and Tristan looked ready to ask, quickly continuing his explanation.

"According to the Captain, they arrived shortly after another ambush had begun," the inseparables all tensed at this as they waited for more news. "Alain had found Corbett, unharmed and the pair had raced back to where Blaise had been holed up only to be attacked mere minutes after arriving. They were greatly outnumbered and hindered by the fact they were trying to protect Blaise who was unconscious from his earlier wounds when the Captain and the others showed up. Our brothers apparently caused enough of a distraction that Alain was able to spot a hidden shooter aiming at Blaise. Some of the men who were there said they didn't even realize what Alain had done until they had turned the tide of the fight and chased the few remaining fighters off."

A sickening sense of dread filled Porthos's gut as he began to have a sense of what might have happened. "What Alain had done?" he asked quietly, his gaze drifting to the unconscious Gascon as Issac confirmed his thoughts… The pair truly were quite alike.

"He had jumped in front of the shot."